Destiny 2's Epic Showdown: A Familiar Face Emerges as the Ultimate Antagonist

Highlights

Destiny 2's upcoming expansion, The Final Shape, will bring an end to the Light and Darkness saga, but there will be more adventures for players to embark on.

Maya Sundaresh's return is not unusual in Destiny 2, with hints that she may still have a significant role to play. The Veil, a consciousness network akin to the Vex, could be the key to her return and potentially tie her to a major Vex scheme in the aftermath of Light and Darkness.

Destiny 2 is undergoing significant changes as Bungie reevaluates its seasonal narratives to better align with the goals of the Lightfall expansion and address any shortcomings. Additionally, they are simultaneously focusing on their next major release, The Final Shape. This expansion will mark the conclusion of the Light and Darkness conflict within Destiny 2, a highly anticipated event for players. The details regarding whether the saga will conclude with the expansion itself or with subsequent seasons remain unclear. However, one thing is certain - players can expect more exciting adventures, potentially involving a familiar face as a new antagonist.

Bungie has a history of resurrecting old characters, as seen with the recurring presence of Taniks, an iconic enemy-turned-meme within the Destiny 2 universe. Considering the Veil Containment lore drops in Season of the Deep and Bungie's recent comments about the increased threat of the Vex in the post-The Final Shape era, it is plausible to believe that this character may not be truly finished.

Destiny 2's Maya Sundaresh/Lakshmi-2 Could Come Back After The Final Shape

Destiny 2's biggest Veil Containment revelation so far involved Chioma Esi's audio logs, which unveiled the tragic fate of Maya Sundaresh, a renowned Ishtar Collective scientist and Chioma's wife. Maya died in the aftermath of the establishment of Neomuna, but not before creating an Exo, named Lakshmi-2, imbued with her voice and memories. Although Lakshmi-2, the leader of the Future War Cult faction, was not initially central to the game's overarching plot, her role greatly expanded during the Season of the Splicer, where she emerged as one of the main antagonists.

Similar to the real Maya Sundaresh, Lakshmi-2 developed an obsession with the Vex and their simulations. Unfortunately, her reckless actions of opening Vex portals within the Last City resulted in chaos and death among the Eliksni. Ultimately, Lakshmi-2 fell victim to Savathun, who disguised herself as Osiris. However, it remains uncertain if this truly marked the end of Maya and Lakshmi-2, particularly considering Maya's mysterious death while experimenting with The Veil on Neptune. Additionally, Destiny 2's Season of the Deep has yet to provide answers regarding what Lakshmi-2 retained of Dr. Sundaresh's life, if anything, and her true goals remain unclear following recent revelations.

The Veil, similar to the Vex network, is described as a web of consciousness. Neomuna citizens are projections of real individuals, which leaves the possibility open for Maya Sundaresh's return. Her demise and activities leading up to it remain a mystery, suggesting that she may still exist within Destiny 2's The Veil. Although her intentions are unclear, considering her strong interest in the Vex and Bungie's connection to this enemy faction, it is plausible that there is a link between the two.

Interestingly, Destiny 2's future storyline following the Light and Darkness saga may involve players attempting to thwart a grand Vex plan led by Maya Sundaresh - or possibly an altered version of her, whether in a digital or physical form. This scenario would also make sense in light of the unsolved mystery surrounding Asher Mir. He vanished along with Io in the Beyond Light expansion but was recently observed within the Vex network in Lightfall. Ultimately, even if Maya Sundaresh and Lakshmi-2 do not return, it is highly likely that the next major antagonist in Destiny 2 will be a familiar character, given the numerous unresolved plotlines in the series.

Destiny 2 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.