Cayde walks into the Tower Vanguard. It’s dark, stormy. The sky is dark. The Vanguard surround the table. Ikora reports that Comms are down. Zavala looks out into the skies. There’s a shadow, then there’s a fleet of ships.
Within moments, the Tower is being bombarded. Structures are collapsing, the city is burning and pods of Cabal troops strike the ground, leaving craters and hulking troops. These Cabal are more viscious: without masks, their jowls rage freely at us, as they fire.
The Traveler sits above the burning fields. A massive structure, with six, star like prongs, grasps it with fiery tendrils. It’s trapped, choked. Our light fades.
We charge their flagship, and are met by bosses. We do what we do best—kill—and descend into the heart of the ship. The corridors are dark, long. There’s deep, throaty laughter. Dominus Gaul.
Luke Smith takes over the presentation as the cutscene ends.
Dominus Gaul was raised, believing that the Red Legion deserves the Traveler’s Light. He believes they can be superior Guardians of the Light and he fully intends to prove it to the Traveler: By killing us. Bungie is telling a story that appeals to us, our sense of purpose and honor.
Gaul is no psychopath, Smith explains. He’s a rational believer in the exact same principles we are. And frankly, he’s the most terrifying villain Bungie’s brought to the world of Destiny. In the world of Destiny, we’ve slain monster after monster, machine after machine…god after god. But now we’re forced to face our parallel, our direct rival.
We’re not proving our teamwork. We’re not proving our sheer might to a massive God. We’re proving that humanity is the dominant race to a direct competitor. Through the course of Destiny 2, we’ll be strengthening ourselves, rebuilding our legend to assert that dominance. Not only does this make for a great, cinematic story, but also a meaningful, motivating RPG that keeps players coming back for more. For all its issues, Destiny had few problems keeping players invested long-term. The sequel doubles down on the game’s strengths, enhances them and cuts away the weaker elements.
Like the Halo franchise before it, Destiny is finally telling a story of humanity, fighting for a place in the universe. In just a few months, players will log into Destiny 2 and unveil the next step in humanity’s epic story.
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