The Evolution of Destiny 2's Gardener and Winnower Lore: A Fascinating Journey

Highlights

Lore is crucial in video games like Destiny 2, and the Gardener and Winnower's creation myth reveals the origins of the universe and the roles of Light and Darkness.

Accessing Destiny 2's lore has proven to be a challenge due to Bungie's strategic placement of updates in remote areas. However, recent cutscenes and questlines have begun to provide valuable insight into the game's backstory. Of particular note is the creation myth, which intricately weaves together the narratives of The Traveler, The Gardener, and The Darkness, alluding to an imminent climactic encounter in the future.

Lore is crucial in modern video games, playing an equally vital role as gaming mechanics. The fleshing out of backstories has the power to greatly impact franchises. Destiny 2's expansive universe fulfills these requirements with its abundance of lore, predominantly found in its expansions and raids. Within this vast universe, certain pieces come together to form the larger picture of Bungie's flagship. At the core of Destiny 2's narrative lie the Gardener and Winnower, although their creation myth is not explicitly portrayed in a playable mission or cutscene. However, a glimpse into the universe's history can be obtained by exploring the Unveiling book.

Unfortunately, Destiny 2's lore hasn't been easily accessible to most players. Bungie has a tendency to conceal lore updates in remote locations that the majority of gamers wouldn't think to explore. For example, the mystery surrounding the Veil was intended to be the primary theme of the Lightfall expansion, yet players received very little information until the Season of the Deep. These updates were difficult to discover, as they were hidden within the Veil Containment mission located on the outskirts of Neomuna. Consequently, the creation myth involving the Gardener and Winnower remains less widespread than it ideally should be. However, players are now starting to gain more insight into these entities through newer cutscenes and questlines.

The Gardener and Winnower's Imprints On Destiny 2

Before time existed, the Gardener and the Winnower resided in a garden, without any ancestors or descendants. Their origin is inexplicable; they simply existed out of necessity. In this garden, the Gardener and the Winnower had a symbiotic relationship. The Gardener would plant seeds during the day, while the Winnower would harvest them in the evening, distinguishing the plants that would thrive from those that would not. The Gardener's actions represented the Light, whereas the Winnower embodied Darkness. Together, they engaged in a game called the Flower Game, exploring various possibilities.

During their game, a final shape emerged that possessed self-sustainability and consumed all others around it. This shape was perceived by the Winnower as the natural outcome of the game. However, the Gardener found this shape lacking in complexity and decided to introduce a new rule into the game, becoming Destiny 2's representation of Light. In response, the Winnower also became a rule, embodying simplicity as Darkness. Existing rules were discarded to make way for these new ones, ultimately shaping the current nature of the game's Light and Darkness.

Players have long been curious about how the creation myth connects to the overarching plot of Destiny 2. Fortunately, a cutscene from the Season of the Deep has shed some much-needed light on this phenomenon. The cutscene features a group of individuals from the same race as The Witness, with Sloane narrating the suffering of their ancestors on their home planet, which happened to also be the location of The Traveler. Once The Traveler gained its freedom, it blessed The Witness' people with a Golden Age, appropriately named The Gardener. This detail clarifies that The Traveler and The Gardener are one and the same.

During this era of prosperity, The Witness' people sought another being connected to The Traveler for guidance - The Veil. Chioma Esi's logs on Neomuna reveal that The Veil is a web of consciousness, though what this means for The Traveler is still unclear. The Witness' people considered The Light to be a force of chaos and aimed to utilize The Darkness to control it in their pursuit of a perfect universe. Each individual of their species merged into The Witness in order to achieve this goal and give the world purpose. The cutscene offers a concise explanation for one of the oldest mysteries in the Destiny 2 universe, leaving players eagerly anticipating a showdown in The Final Shape.

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