Destiny 2 — How Will Guardians Enter The Traveler?

Before we get into the meat of my narrative theory, it is probably important that I give you some background context. Since the Red War campaign (Destiny 2's first official campaign story), many a-Guardian (protectors of humanity wielding a force called the light), have wondered whether the Shard of the Traveler will have an impact on the main story as we head closer to The Final Shape, in February 2024.

Story Recap - What is The Shard of The Traveler?

In the beginning, before humanity's collapse, there was a paracausal orb, an entity first known to humanity as moon (x), later dubbed the Traveler. This miniature moon entered our solar system and threw early scientists and researchers into chaos. All the greatest minds in history gathered to study and observe this miniature moon.

Studies were conducted to examine the nature of the Traveler, and how it visited Venus, Mars, Mercury, Titan, and IO, terraforming each planet, enabling life to flourish and oxygen to fill the air.

The nations of China, Russia, and the USA would band together, to launch a mission code-named Ares, enabling contact to be made with the Traveler. When they had successfully made contact with the Traveler, their golden age began. It was the beginning of everything.

But then, an enemy of the Traveler arrived, known as the Darkness, and brought about the collapse of their golden age. While the Traveler fought back this siege of darkness, a part of it was corrupted. It would cast off this piece of itself to crash into the EDZ (European Dead Zone), the remains of ancient Europe somewhere near Germany.

The Red War Campaign - how are the Haul and Shard related?

When the Light was taken by Dominus Ghaul, Guardians had no way to defend themselves, and humanity was on the verge of a second collapse. It was at that moment a Guardian’s Ghost heard the gentle whisper of the Traveler, beckoning them to its broken shard which sat in an area called "The Dark Forest".

Despite being twisted and distorted, good was still found within a broken piece of the Traveler thought to be claimed by Darkness itself. Instead, we discover that this piece is in fact capable of restoring power to a lightless Guardian.

Whether the Haul (a spherical object towed by the Drifter's ship) and the Shard are of the same origin isn't the right question, but rather, it's in how they are similar. The Drifter says; “Ikora’s sneaky buddy calls it, an engine of pure potential.” The Haul has the ontological power to create anything.

So far, the assumption is that the Haul itself provides access to the “Nine Realm”. Within that space, the Drifter is able to conjure just about any entity he can think of, like a “counterfeit” Taken Primeval, one of the most dangerous kinds of Taken, found only in the Ascendant plane.

But it still stands to reason that both the light of the Traveler and the Haul are capable of equally impossible possibilities. And also, that all ends are simply a beginning or a re-birth of the cycle.

What, then, would the future in Destiny look like? I think this is a question we would all like the answer to. On 22nd August 2023 the Bungie showcasethat provided players, and fans a small glimpse as to what that future will look like.

However, I have my own suspicions as to what life after the conclusion of the Light and Dark saga could look like. It will feature worlds of the outer system. That's exciting! Picturing worlds drifting out amongst the stars, to be thankful and marvel at the sheer impossibility of it all.

We have existed in such a small speck of the universe, just as players do within Destiny — an expansive world of mystery and stories just waiting to be told. And the Haul and Shard of the Traveler are the rhythms that show us the potential of what could be.

Nature of the Haul

So, my thoughts are as follows: while it isn’t certain whether the origins of the Shard of the Traveler and the Haul are the same, their power has been used in conjunction with one another.

Some flavour text states the Haul contains a pocket of “Unknown Space” similar to that of the Nine Realm, or the ascendant plane. It is also suggested that the rock is made up of some kind of icy material.

It may be similar to the icy planet or moon, which the Drifter talks about visiting with his crew centuries ago when they wandered farther outside the Sol system.

And if my narrative threads are connected correctly, this would be the perfect time for the Witch Queen to mention the Nine, and all that the Drifter has learned from his time using and studying the Haul.

Conclusion

This is what I believe to be the answer; the end is also the beginning. If you are interested you can watch my lore video on YouTube 👇🏾

It goes into more details, and if you would like to learn how Savathun is connected to The Nine, check out my earlier video, it should help to fill in some blanks if you haven’t been around much lately.

“No matter what you are facing at this moment in time, you can do all things! Stay safe, and God speed!”