The Unbelievable Origins: How Destiny 2's Epic Story Unfolded from a Single Raid

Highlights

The content of Destiny 2 has been greatly shaped by the Guardians' choice to eliminate Crota in the first Destiny game. This pivotal moment has had a significant impact on the overarching narrative, resulting in crucial developments in subsequent expansions and seasons.

The Dark Below expansion started a storyline that has carried on throughout Destiny 2, with the demise of Crota acting as a catalyst for the Forsaken and Witch Queen expansions. The repercussions of Crota's death have impacted characters such as Queen Mara Sov and Uldren Sov, while also garnering the interest of formidable entities like Oryx and Savathun.

The ongoing storyline of Destiny 2 is building up to the climax of nearly a decade's worth of significant plot points and established lore within its speculative future Solar System. A remarkable aspect of this ten-year narrative is the profound impact that a Guardian's decision during a raid in the original game has had on the extensive lore of Destiny 2. Initially, the original Destiny didn't gain recognition for its storytelling prowess until the first anniversary expansion, The Taken King, brought forth the introduction of Oryx. Prior to Oryx taking center stage, the Dark Below expansion introduced Crota and set the Guardians on a course that has remained consistent throughout the subsequent seasons and expansions of Destiny 2 till present day.

The Death of Crota Kickstarted Forsaken and Witch Queen

After a decade of development, it is challenging to determine how much of Destiny's story was planned from the very beginning, especially with different creative minds leading the way throughout this time. Despite this, the Dark Below expansion has had a significant impact on the overall storyline, setting the foundation for the majority of the series when the Guardian initially faced off against Crota in the Hellmouth. This pivotal moment sparked a chain of events, including the introduction of Oryx into Destiny's lore, which influenced various aspects, from Queen Mara Sov's experiences in the ascendant realm to Savathun's obsession with the Traveler.

Destiny 1 to Destiny 2 saw a direct ripple effect from The Taken King's influence on Mara and Uldren Sov, leading to the queen's disappearance and her brother's psychological breakdown. The consequences further unfolded in the Forsaken expansion, resulting in the demise of Cayde-6 and ultimately determining Uldren Sov's ultimate fate and the resurgence of Queen Mara. These events trace back to the aftermath of killing Crota during the Crota's End raid, provoking Oryx's vengeful pursuit of the Solar System, and consequently, supposedly leading to Mara Sov's peril when the Dreadnaught emerged.

Lightfall Would Have Been Much Worse for the Guardians

In relation to Destiny 2's Witch Queen expansion, the attention of Savathun has shifted towards the Traveler and the Solar System following the demise of Oryx. While the Hive had previously identified the Traveler as a longstanding adversary, vanilla Destiny 2 incorporates several storylines, such as the Savathun's Song strike, which suggest that the Witch Queen took advantage of the power vacuum created by the deaths of Oryx and Crota. Ultimately, this is the narrative of the Hive in Destiny 2—an ongoing cycle of formidable individuals emerging to fill the void left behind by each major leader slain by the Guardians.

Although the ongoing battle against the Hive and the nightmares of the Ascendant Realm that have plagued the Dreaming City can be seen as a negative consequence of our encounters in the Hellmouth, the presence of Lightfall suggests that things could have been even worse. While Crota may have had a significant impact on our fight against darkness, there was another threat known as the Red War that began during the early stages of Destiny 2. The culmination of this war revealed the Traveler's location to The Witness, ultimately setting the stage for the events that followed. The subsequent revelations brought forth by the Witch Queen and subsequent seasons served to better prepare the Vanguard for what lay ahead with The Witness.

Without the outcome of defeating Crota, the Guardians and the Vanguard might have faced complete annihilation at the conclusion of Lightfall and the ongoing Season of the Deep in Destiny 2. It is intriguing to observe how the Destiny 2 storyline has progressed, with significant emphasis placed on the Crota's End raid, the inaugural expansion's pivotal event. Currently, Destiny 2 is accessible on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.