#nightmare cayde

[phantomwarrior12]

Final Goodbye

It's Cayde.

The crimson silhouette is unmistakable.

She almost reaches for him. She almost takes her hand off of Ace. But she knows, in her heart, this isn't her Cayde. Her mentor. Her closest friend. This is the culmination of her guilt and regret over his death.

"Long time, no see, Guardian." His form becomes a fraction more tangible. Sharp eyes, the subtle details of her Vanguard.

Her head tilts, a sad smile settling into place along her lips.

"Hey, Cayde."

There's a faint twinge of blue creeping at the edges of his form. She knows, after seeing the same effects on Uldren, Safiyah and Ghaul. She knew this would happen.

How couldn't it?

Fighting her way through the Leviathan, whispers nipping at her heels. It had made her guilt a bit worse, just when she thought she was past it, or at least, on her way to getting past it.

"You know, that Prison break could have gone a lot better. You coulda rescued me…why didn't you?" There's an accusatory edge in his voice despite the casual nature of his words.

The Guardian takes a deep breath, shaking her head. She could push past this. She could ignore him…but perhaps, perhaps this is her chance to say goodbye.

She couldn't get it out the day he died.

"Nothing to say, huh? Typical." He scoffs.

The Guardian looks up at him, her hands draw her hood back and removes her helmet before she kneels down.

"What's this? Some kind of re-enactment?" The Nightmare floats closer, peering curiously at her.

"I miss you." She says softly, "Every mission, I board your ship and every time," she looks up at him, "It hurts."

"Yeah, guilty consciences tend to do that, kid." He snorts, taking a seat opposite her.

It's so familiar.

Her eyes drop.

"Yeah, there's the shame we both know drives you. Can't have anyone else end up like ole Cayde but hey, it was fine to let that one time go."

"You told me it wasn't my fault," she looks up at him. "You told me not to blame myself."

"The dying say a lot of things."

Her hand settles along the Ace of Spades, the Nightmare notes the gesture.

"Hm. Yeah, using that? You don't deserve it. You got the guts, kid, but not the kind it takes to use my gun. It's more like…audacity."

She bristles, tightens her hold on the gun. Her eyes search the ground in front of her, anger welling in her chest.

"Stop."

"Aw, come on, Guardian! You're tougher than that!"

More goading. His voice, his eyes, his - not his. Not him.

Her eyes wrench shut, her jaw clenching.

That's not Cayde. That's you.

"Aw, shuttin' down again." He tsks, leaning toward her. "Just like the Prison, eh, Guardian?"

She shakes her head. Her voice is caught in her throat, her eyes rapidly searching for something, anything about him to still her racing thoughts.

The crimson has reclaimed the edges of his form - she's losing it.

"Cayde–" Her voice falters, her hand balls into a fist.

"Come on, kid. Out with it." It goads.

She surges up to her feet, storming away a few feet before she stops. Tears have gathered in her eyes, slipping unnoticed along her skin as she leans against the wall.

"I did all I could." She breaks down, dropping to her knees. "I couldn't get to you in time."

"No, you couldn't. You can't save anyone, can you?" His voice is cold and it makes this harder. He's beside her then, a chill sweeping over her form. "You use my gun. You fly my ship. You wear that cloak but you're not honoring me, Guardian. You're making yourself feel better about failing. About abandoning me."

Her head jerks up, sharp emerald bearing into searing crimson. She wants to scream at him. Remind him that she tried but it's no use.

Her eyes close and she sits back on her heels, trying to gather herself.

"No words?" He taunts.

She reaches out, pressing her hand against what would be his chest. The energy courses between them but there is nothing solid there, nothing tangible.

She wishes it were because she only wants to hug him right now.

"I'm sorry, Cayde." She manages at last. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you but I did…all I could to get to you in time. I tried..." Tears slip down her cheeks and she looks up at him, "But you were right. This wasn't on me." Her head lifts a fraction, features hardening as her Light surges.

"Your death wasn't my fault."

His form ignites and when that vibrant light ebbs, his form is a brilliant blue - pretty close to his eyes when he was alive.

She manages a smile, albeit a small one.

Her hand hasn't moved and she can feel a faint tingle as his hand hovers over her own.

He's smiling.

"It wasn't on you. It's been a few years, but I'm glad you get that. No more tears," he chuckles and her eyes drop as her smile broadens a fraction. "You keeping up with Ace?"

She nods, pulling the weapon from the holster and holds it up.

"Would you look at that? Looks better than new. Banshee taught you well." Cayde kneels down. "You're doing great, Guardian."

She meets his gaze, the silent question in her eyes: You mean that?

"With all you've done. How you've protected the City, all of it. I'm proud of you."

She chokes out a sob, her head dropping. She can't put into words just how badly she needed to hear that.

The next instant, he's hugging her. His form solid as her head settles against his shoulder, his arms bound around her and holds her tightly.

"I know," he says softly, "I miss you, too, kid. But you gotta keep going, right?"

She manages a shaky nod.

"That's my girl."

She'll keep fighting, she always does.

But this time, this time it will not be out of fear of losing someone as she lost Cayde.

This time, it will be because she knows now, she didn't fail.

It wasn't her fault.

And as Cayde’s form slowly dissipates, she manages a smile. She looks up and he shares it, gently squeezing her shoulder.

"Get back out there, Guardian."

For Cayde.

-----------------

A/N: Hi folks! There was supposed to be an art piece to go with this but the art brain fled in that regard so I decided to just post it before it got any further away from Season of the Haunted. Hope you enjoyed it! <3

Taglists are open! Send an ask/leave a comment to be added!

Forevers: @halo-2 @reaped-winnower @forgotten-by-the-stars @sugarcoated44 @cayde-6 @avrosaetos @niemands-bibliothek @paracausal-hunter

#cayde-6 #nightmare cayde #the young wolf #destiny 2 #destiny #season of the haunted #destiny fanfiction #destiny fic #phantom writes

[wrenandthemachine]

I still have a few panels to go but WIP

#destiny #destiny 2 #watm #wrenandthemachine #cayde-6 #destiny fanfiction #wren #cayde6 #destiny fanart #spoilers #nightmare cayde #shh Sugarbird #it was just a nightmare #I'm here now #destiny spoilers

[fox-fic-and-ink]

We talked about Nightmare Cayde the MOMENT we first saw Destiny-verse nightmares but this was truly the birth of MEAN Nightmare Cayde.

Of course, I'm saving all the hard details for the fic. XD

#destiny #destiny 2 #cayde/zavala #nightmare cayde #fanfic writer things

[sylenth-l]

#destiny #destiny 2 #destiny the game #my art #andal brask #cayde-6 #candal #i'll be honest - i didn't like season of haunted much #but i like good old nightmares from the moon #and the whole vibe shadowkeep had

[thefirstknife]

I've seen talk about what's the final Nightmare and people have been saying more times than I can count that it's going to be Cayde.

And I'm baffled. Have you seen the literal first intro cutscene into the season proper? The one where Caiatl refuses Eris' help but then we see Caiatl being haunted by the Nightmare of Ghaul?

And have you also played the game at all this week and heard Ghaul taunting us in post-Containtment voice lines? For example this one and this one and this one and--

I'm totally cool with people having their own HCs and AUs, but so many people have legitimately started throwing around guesses and thinking how it might be Cayde that I'm just wondering if there's any engagement of braincells at any point? Like, we're not talking obscure lore, this is first setup cutscene and in-game voice lines during the main seasonal activity.

This is your Cayde Nightmare content. That's it. Please for the love of everything, move on.

#destiny 2 #caiatl #ghaul #cayde-6 #nightmares #I am so tired of going into the tag and constantly seeing speculation about cayde nightmare #and speculation about cayde coming back #and speculation about cayde in general #some of y'all are genuinely stuck in 2015 #this is particularly baffling because like. this is the seasonal story it's been more than clear #what kind of negative attention do you have to pay to not realise that it's ghaul #people who literally don't play the game are excused ofc #everyone else please engage elementary school reading comprehension #destiny's story has never been easier to follow and it's never been more clearly delivered than it is now with seasonal stories #it's literally just play an episode of a show each week #for the record. obligatory. i like cayde #but some of y'all have no clue who he is as a character

[sailorgreenmoss]

"Even if it is full of love, all a ghost can do is haunt."

#sad cayde hours #me on my way to complain we never got a nightmare cayde to follow us around #waiting for the new season sketch #destiny #cayde #cayde-6 #myart

[eosofspades]

alright. hot take time

as someone who both loves Cayde-6, loves Forsaken, loves the ongoing Destiny plotline(s) and the themes therein, and absolutely Does Not Expect Nor Want Cayde to come back to life, i think the way a lot of this fandom treats Cayde-6 is. uh. incredibly fucking unfair.

as a disclaimer, again: i do not want Cayde to come back to life. i know it is not going to happen. i know the ongoing story of Destiny 2 is MUCH more impactful without him here, and i plan on making an in-depth post about it later.

now. that said. please for the love of god stop dragging his character through the mud to prove your point.

"Cayde had no reason to be in TTK" "Cayde was a weak character" "Cayde is a Nathan Fillion stand in" just say you have no grasp on this character and go!! Cayde was an INCREDIBLY well-written character, with an insane amount of depth and lore and emotion hidden behind a careless, aloof mask and it's so obvious if you look at him for longer than two goddamn seconds??

Cayde wasn't a bothersome idiot, and he wasn't incompetent, and "disruptive" wasn't his main quality. he was the optimist. that was literally his role in the story. the comic relief and the optimism. the entire reason that he had to die before we got into the darker storylines like Shadowkeep/Beyond Light/Witch Queen etc. is because, by the nature of being the optimist, he wouldn't fit into the darker narrative that Destiny 2 was about to steer into.

just. say that you don't like him and go. you don't have to like him. stop SAYING that you like him and then dragging his character through the dirt. he has an incredibly interesting story (and backstory) and boiling him down to nothing more than a disruptive asshole is a huge disservice to his character and to Bungie, who made a point of giving him a well-developed backstory, motivation, goals, lore, and a spectacular DLC that they clearly put a lot of time and care into!

(not to mention that whenever anyone tries to point out flaws in Zavala or Ikora to talk about Cayde, at least 2 dozen people will go up in arms about how disrespectful it is to put down another character to talk about the one you like, then will turn around and say Cayde had no narrative purpose or impact when they're trying to garner sympathy for Eris or defend Uldren.)

#i am so angry about this actually. stop dragging a well written character just because you dont like some of their fans #also i can guarantee you if i said ANYTHING about how much i hate mara sov without even MENTIONING her writing #(which is really good!! she's really well developed!! she's also an abusive and manipulative nightmare!!!) #i would have at least six people LEAP at my throat with claws outstretched to tell me i'm being sexist and she's got good WRITING #i don't know how to tell you this but hating a character's personality does not make you bigoted toward that character #also liking a character more than others does not make you bigoted towards the others #<- this is specifically targeted toward people who say that cayde is only popular because he's white-coded (which isn't even true????) #clovis bray is white-coded. cayde is literally just the optimistic comic relief he's not supposed to be societal commentary #at most he is PERHAPS commentary on masculinity/grief/unhealthy coping mechanisms #race has nothing to do with it. i say this as a poc please stop please let us enjoy things i'm begging #destiny 2 #cayde 6 #discourse #mine #analysis #i am going to have so many people at my throat for this post lets go #eos destiny essays

[cayde-6-deactivated20180409]

well this is awkward

#destiny 2 #cayde-6 #for the record i dont think hes coming back coming back i think hes probably like. the light version of a nightmare or something #but ive had this url for ages and had forgotten about it #i was gonna use it for an april fools thing i think

[planet4546b]

my favorite pass time is interpreting things that are clearly just game mechanics as true to my young wolfs storyline which means im literally always thinking about the fact that every other persons nightmare is someone close to them/that they have a personal relationship with and the yws are only previous enemies. the lack of connection that implies..mindboggling.

#pers #destinyposting #it just feels so so so isolating. even though in forsaken you do so much for cayde after his death #he doesnt even haunt you. like. and on the one hand THANK GOD bc ppl are weirdos but also its just so heartbreaking. #'ben are you about to say for the third time that the yws nightmare is the black garden -' NO. well kind of. #mostly im just being upest about june. SHES ALONE NO ONE CARES HER......

[polux-aka-hyakunana]

Just some tag thoughts in this fine raining morning before I work 🌠

#i wish one day i have the guts to develop and talk more about my guardian ocs #in most of my comics they are just avatars to my thoughts throughout the season content #but i did some alfa-16 lore content that was actually well received so i should try doing more #the exo lore is just so so good and intriguing i do want to explore more of that in my baby hunter #i promise she's more than an elsie simp skdijwjdjsjfj #like... i portrait alfa as a silly and expressive character but she does have a strong dark side within her that powers up her stasis #for years she was a lonewolf seeking to be strong without relying on others #and that could be something to explore in exo dreams since she would hate getting attached to people she would nightmare about later #she might relate to the drifter when it comes to priorize self survival but at the same time she endangers herself a lot to test her limits #(tragically for her im not that skilled but i wanna pretend shes better than I'll ever be sjfjsjfjis) #meanwhile az (aka denka the warlock) is the complete opposite and yet seeks the same survival guts #az follows the bomb logic tip to toe he's the supporter on the fireteam and relies a lot on others #since the day on twt i began to answer questions about him i also got super interested in what lore az got in him #like... being first rezzed instants before the red war and having these first days of guardian life as a normal guy #living in the farm as a refugee until he restores back his light and now he returns that help #getting attached to the vanguard especially cayde and later seeking vengeance on forsaken #being afraid of his darkness while alfa wants to get deeper to control it #tHERE SO MUCH NOT ORGANIZED LORE IN MY HEAD I WISH I COULD EXTERNALIZE EVERYTHING #meanwhile my titan is nonexistent lmao

[gaygxnslinger]

@eggsmuses

“You finally came to see me...” Those words sounded more like musing than a greeting, but the phantom held his arms open, as if to embrace Cayde -- or perhaps to show him off to whoever else might be watching, probably no one. Andal half-floated, half-walked forward to meet his friend, and though a smile remained on his face, all the sunshine and life never reached his eyes.

His voice was sugar-sweet with a tinge of snark as he continued, “You’re still doing well? Taking my place?” Was this leading up to something backhanded? The possibility lingered, only for Andal to wrap his arms around Cayde.

“Wearing my cloak?” That was much, much more bitter. The real Andal would surely respect and appreciate Cayde’s choice to don his cloak and keep the memory of him going instead of letting the fabric slowly rot away in some display, never to see the outside again. ...Or would he?

#it's all your fault | andal | nightmare #cayde | eggsmuses #heavy brick dropped // ic #closed starter #u: it's time for fun pirate time! #me: hey remember this #[throws angst at u. throws angst at u. throws a--] #a little short but...... #i wanted to get this out #see if it would get the Writing Juices flowing again

[demiclar]

Grief

Grief - AO3

Zavala and Ikora discuss an old friend.

(Also this is the last chapter of my writing challenge! You can find some of the chapters on my page here, and the whole thing is on AO3!)

Zavala wasn’t expecting to find Ikora in his office when he entered, returning to his office after a visit to the HELM to finish processing the last of the paperwork pertaining to the Vanguard’s operations in the Leviathan. He wanted it out of the way. Something was going to change, things were about to get worse, and he wanted to be ready for it. But he hadn’t been expecting to return to find Ikora, in the late evening as night sunk onto the city, inspecting the shelves of his office as if she had not read every book on them already—and even written some of them, as well.

“Zavala.” Her eyes caught his as he entered, and she gave him a polite smile, returning the book she’d been looking at to its place on the shelf. “I was hoping we could speak.”

Zavala gave her a nod, gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk. “Of course,” He told her, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting you. I hope you didn’t wait long?”

“No.” Ikora shook her head, “I asked Targe to notify me when your ship docked in the hangar. I’ve only been here for a few minutes.”

“I see.” He stepped further into the room, rounding his desk and seating himself behind it. Ikora sat down across from him. He tried to hide his surprise at her words. Targe had told him nothing of her request. Perhaps she had asked him not to. “What did you want to discuss?”

He couldn’t help the prick of anticipation in his chest. He and Ikora had little time for formal meetings, and less still for something unscheduled. If she was coming to him unannounced, something must have happened, but what would be urgent enough for her to show up unannounced, but not worth sending him a message?

Ikora smiled again, but there was something sad in her eyes. The formality between them felt almost stifling. There had been times, before their system seemed to be falling apart at the seams, when Zavala had been the stickler for formality but even he would relax in the privacy of their Vanguard meetings. When they could set the business aside and make little jokes or enjoy one another’s company. As much as he had been the one to remind Cayde of their expectations of formality, halfheartedly fighting the loosing battle of returning their focus to official matters, he missed those times greatly.

“I’m not here for a formal meeting, Zavala.” She told him, and he felt himself relax just slightly, but confusion grew in place of his worries. “I wanted to see how you were doing. I know I wasn’t very present when you were dealing with your Nightmare. I’m sorry.”

Zavala couldn’t quite hold her gaze, looking away from her and down at his desk.

“It’s alright, Ikora.” He told her, lifting his eyes once more. “It was difficult to overcome, but I did. I have been holding onto my doubts for long enough.”

“Do you feel better? Now that it’s over?” Her eyes were colored by the question, curiosity blooming beneath, but mixed with something almost like…desperation. Zavala felt concern stir in his gut.

He shook his head. “No.” He murmured, his voice low. He drew in a deep breath, trying to give Ikora a somewhat warm expression. “I believe in discussing it with Caiatl I described myself as feeling tired and old.”

Ikora smiled softly, looking down as she laced her fingers together on her lap, her legs crossed at the knees, her back straight.

“I can certainly understand the feeling.” She murmured, and there was something weary in her expression as her smile fell.

“You visited the Leviathan, early on.” Zavala recalled, “was there someone waiting for you?” He asked, then worried he’d been too intrusive. “If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”

Ikora drew in a deep breath. “There was.” She confirmed, her voice soft. Her eyes were sad when she met his. “Cayde.”

Zavala felt his chest ache at the mere mention of their old friend. He had worried himself if he might face a Nightmare of Cayde, or a mass of Guardians whose deaths he felt responsible for, but Hakim had been the first warrior he’d lost in battle. Every death that had weighed on him afterwards had lined up behind the face of his son, boring into him with lifeless eyes.

“I had…begun to wonder if facing him might be better for me. Or if I would just be returning to something I’d rather not relive.” Zavala had seen how deeply Cayde’s death had impacted her. They were still working to bridge the gap it had split between them, the loss of their friend creating a chasm that at the time had seemed impossible to cross. Zavala knew now that it wasn’t, but some days were harder for them than others.

“We are not responsible for his death.” Zavala reminded her quietly. “ You are not responsible for his death.” They were words he’d uttered to himself over and over, late at night when the video feeds from the Guardian’s Ghost haunted his memory. When Cayde’s voice rasped in his ear.

You tell Zavala and Ikora…the Vanguard…is the best bet I ever…lost.

Cayde wanted them to know he didn’t regret it, and yet his last words had cut through Zavala like a knife because was it not his duties to the City and to the Vanguard that had gotten him killed? Cayde had taken action against a threat that would eventually move against the City if they let it, and Zavala had sent him one Guardian to support his efforts. One Guardian. Would things have been different if he’d listened? If he had given the threat that was Uldren Sov the attention he deserved?

But wishing would get them nowhere.

Ikora’s lips were pressed together tightly, and she gave him a stiff nod in acknowledgment of his words, but did not speak.

“What did he say to you?” Zavala asked instead.

Ikora frowned. “He talked about Crow. He was angry at me for welcoming him to the Tower. He called him a murderer.”

Zavala sighed wearily. It was a sentiment they’d both heard plenty of times, Hunters angry for retribution that had already been delivered by someone else’s hands, so blinded by their anger that they couldn’t properly remember the man in whose name they fought so hard. As much as his anger wanted to win, as much as he wanted to lash out at them for corrupting the memory of his friend with their false ideals, he just felt hollow. Tired and old, yet again.

He met Ikora’s eyes across the space between them. “They are only your doubts.”

“Mine and many others.” Ikora breathed, “but still untrue.”

Zavala felt a hint of tension bleed out of him, grateful Ikora could acknowledge the false claims. Still, he knew it didn’t make bearing those doubts and fears any easier.

“Cayde would have liked him.” She murmured. “Crow. He would have thought that Uldren becoming a Guardian was the best trick of fate there ever was, but he would have been kind to Crow.”

Zavala smiled softly, pressing his head into one of his hands. Cayde and Crow were similar in many ways, brash, bright as fire and sharp as knives, they would have wreaked havoc if they could.

“We wouldn’t have survived the stunts they would have pulled together.” He murmured, and Ikora laughed softly. It was weak, a bare chuckle, but Zavala’s heart bloomed to hear it. When was the last time either of them had been truly happy? Not bone weary and exhausted by the weight of their roles.

“No,” She agreed, her voice warm with her smile. “We wouldn’t have. But I would have liked to see it, anyway.”

Zavala watched her for a long moment, breathing around the ache in his chest that had tightened to the point of pain, hoping the memories of Cayde’s rasping voice would not return in his dreams.

“Do you want to face him?” He asked her, and Ikora frowned again, drawing in a deep breath.

“I don’t know.” She met his eyes, looking tired and afraid. “I worry that if I do, I will not be able to overcome my doubts. But I also wonder if those fears are only my desire to choose cowardice.”

“It isn’t cowardice to acknowledge when things are difficult for us.” Zavala murmured. “And you don’t need to face your Nightmare through a ritual and a combat mission to overcome your own doubts. In fact, I’m not sure facing your Nightmare would be an entirely beneficial experience.”

Ikora’s expression turned guarded. “Why?”

Zavala felt his chin dip just slightly. “You said your Nightmare was of Cayde. The Guardian has been going aboard the Leviathan during all the missions where we have attempted to sever Calus' connection to the pyramid and overcome the Nightmares. Every time, they have to fight someone. For Caiatl, they fought Ghaul, for Crow, they fought the Fanatic. If your Nightmare is Cayde, I imagine they’d be fighting either Cayde or Uldren. I cannot imagine that would be a beneficial battle for anyone, to fight or simply to witness.”

Ikora breathed a sigh. “I suppose you’re right, Zavala.” Her eyes drifted away from him, shifting around his office before she met his gaze again. “Is it wrong for me not to face him?”

Her voice was quiet, holding a tentativeness Zavala had rarely ever heard from her.

“It’s not.” He told her, holding her gaze. “I believe, when you’re ready, you will face him in your own way. Nightmare or not.”

Ikora nodded. “Thank you.” She breathed, and he reached across his desk, holding out his hand. When she set her hand in his, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She squeezed back, and after a moment, she gave him a sad smile. “He wouldn’t want this for us.”

Zavala returned her sad smile. “No, he wouldn’t.”

Cayde would rather they remember him with epic tales of his exploits, jokes and laughter that honored his life and the man he was. He wouldn’t want them to be dragged down by uncertainty and grief.

“I was going to finish some paperwork,” Zavala began, gauging Ikora with his eyes. “But, perhaps we could both use a small break. And, since you’re here–”

Light kindled in Ikora’s eyes, warm and hopeful. “Ramen?” She asked, and Zavala smiled.

“My thoughts exactly.”

#just some hidden commentary on the Cayde discourse recently #He's dead guys #Ikora's nightmare is important because it's her nightmare #destiny 2 #destiny cayde #destiny zavala #destiny ikora #destiny fanfiction #writing challenge #destiny vanguard #we can remember our friend but stop demanding him from bungie devs #he has served his purpose guys #demiwrites

[eggsmuses-a]

WAS IT BETTER TO BE HAUNTED BY THE GHOST OF YOUR PAST OR THE GHOST OF THE PAST ? Crow had begun wondering the question following the previous severance . The failed ritual left him vulnerable , emotional , a state he hated . Uldren had taken every chance to take him down for it , too .

How weak he was , how he should give up where he stands because his sins won’t lift from his back . They claw him , they ground into his flesh and became part of him when he’d first risen as The Crow . He knew this . He heard the voice of those sins . The one that followed him , that only he could see ( but after the sever , &&. the Young Wolf perching cautiously by him , he thought maybe Eris’ ritual had revealed his burden for everyone else to see ) .

This time he had sat in complete silence , sniping Scorn from afar as the fireteam bounced between containment areas , Eris howling maniacally into the comms as he’d watched . Crow had let his nightmare berate him , enduring the insults &&. truths &&. lies spat at him like a defensive snake . A spitting image , the both were , of the demeanours they took .

Crow , a backstabbing black bird that was paranoid of it’s comrades all the time . He fit the role . Uldren , a snake in disguise that had the fangs of venom soaked lies . The very first indicator of Crow’s life as a Hunter . He fit the role .

But through this self - inflicted pain came another voice , the one of his sins , that argued against his nightmare .

-- ❝ Oh please , ❞ Uldren leans closer to the phantasmic Cayde - 6 before him , gesturing to Crow underneath . ❝ Surely you aren’t so caught in your “ friendship is magic ” ruse to forgive your murderer &&. defend him ? You speak on behalf of both of us , Vanguard . ❞ The nightmare inches closer to it’s vessel with a slyness as his hand cups Crow’s chin . The Guardian winces at the touch , even if not physical as Uldren continues . ❝ Look at him ... so small . So defenceless . So ... pathetic . He’s not worth your time , why not leave him to rot ? ❞

❝ ... Or do you see something in him , like lost family , to want to protect him from the world ... father ? ❞

@threads-of-light has also ALSO signed a death warrant for SotH Crow !

#/ghost cayde DAD MODE ENGAGED #threads-of-light #( and there was no sunlight ) -- crow ic #main / threads-of-light #main / cayde - 6 #( 🥚 ) -- cayde - 6 #( .. ) -- thread #( v.i ) -- crow #ask to tag // #soth spoilers #soth spoilers // #/yknow uldren probably knows about ace in a way bc 1 cayde literally says hes coming home to him before he gets his shit rocked and 2 hes - #/- a nightmare so plot convenience because bungie + scifi is anything goes KGSJSB

[thefirstknife]

I'm so tired of this. I can't reply directly because people on this website can't handle being told they're wrong, but I'm gonna use this as an opportunity to tell people why Zavala's nightmare is the way it is.

First of all, learn what words mean. "Fridging" does not mean "someone's wife died" nor does it mean "a female character died." This isn't the first (nor the last) time I'm seeing this line of thinking.

Second, a trope is just a literary device. Tropes exist in every story. Tropes are not bad things by default. The trope with Zavala is not "fridging" it's a trope about an immortal in love with a mortal. Honestly, this type of a story is severely lacking in Destiny considering the plot of Destiny hinges on immortal people with superpowers living with ordinary humans. You'd think it would happen more often.

Zavala's wife was a mortal woman. She was bound to die of old age eventually, if not before due to the dangers of being an ordinary human in the Destiny universe. We'll learn more about her and their relationship as the season progresses: we have an entire lore book (Triage) to read, at least two missions with Zavala dealing with the nightmare as Crow currently is and yes, I know an out of context cutscene has been datamined ahead of time and out of order from the story. I haven't seen it and don't plan to see it until it's in the game in the proper order in the story.

To understand why Zavala's nightmare isn't some grand event or war, we must understand what Nightmares are.

They are personal nightmares. They are unique to every person specifically to maximise the torment afflicted upon the person. A grand event or a war does not depend on one person alone. The blame for a failed attack on the Moon can be shared between people and is therefore not nightmare material. Individual events can manifest as nightmares (entire Shadowkeep campaign with Eris and nightmares of her fireteam), but not some nebulous "failure of the Vanguard."

From a meta perspective, you can more easily make a manifestation of a person for Zavala to argue with, than a manifestation of the concept of failing at a war.

Zavala's nightmare in particular is a story that has been hinted at back over a year ago, in Season of the Splicer, when we first learned that he has very well hidden traumas. He's a Vanguard Commander: he must appear impersonal and strong and stoic and detached. To see him vulnerable over something that doesn't revolve around saving the City from apocalypse is rare and unique. He doesn't get time for himself. It's been a consistent element in his story for years now, reiterated most recently last season when even Caiatl tells him he has to learn when to rest.

Over the last two years (since he came back into focus during Season of the Worthy, but more broadly, ever since the Red War) we've seen a steady development of Zavala's character arc. He's becoming more and more burdened by the failures and losses that rest on his shoulders: the one and only time the City fell in the Red War, Cayde's death, losing friends like Sloane and Asher, inability to stop the Darkness from advancing, or to stop the Hive from messing with us from within. The threats are growing and he's been consistently shown as more and more distraught, restless, unable to sleep and relax. He's had arguments with his closest friends and allies, disagreements and battles, AND he had to deal with people he trusted not trusting him (re: Crow's identity).

And yet, there's one thing he had in all that time that's only his. The memories of a family he had and could've had. The one thing that can't be taken away and tainted or lost.

Until now. The Darkness deliberately seeks out your most vulnerable points to strike and cause psychological torment and trauma. It extracted Zavala's most well kept secret and regret and fear and it's using it to haunt him in a way nothing else could haunt him. That's what the Darkness does.

Similarly, Saint-14 told Crow that he doesn't want to go to the Moon because he knows his nightmare will be Osiris. Not Six Fronts, or Twilight Gap, or his crusade against the Eliksni. Nothing so big. Osiris. The nightmare of his deepest fears and regrets about the man he loves and who, he thinks, may never wake up again.

And Caiatl as well. Her nightmare isn't the fall of Torobatl. It's Ghaul. Her former friend and ally who helped her dethrone and exile her father and then turned his back on her and led armies into certain doom chasing the idea of having the Traveler, leaving Torobatl with weakened defenses. It's not even Umun'arath who got corrupted by the Hive. It's Ghaul. Ghaul is more personal to Caiatl, as can be seen from the lore tabs where it shows that she trained and learned with and from him.

Zavala being openly exposed and vulnerable like this is a bigger source of trauma than anything else. Everyone knows the City fell in the Red War and it's not Zavala's fault, nor is it his fault the Great Disaster happened. Most of all, Zavala knows this. He knows that it's not his fault, deep down, no matter how much burden he puts on himself.

But his very personal story about a woman he loved and who he knew he would outlive? Something he clearly doesn't share with even his closest friends? The nightmare of THAT regret, a regret that lets other people see his most closely guarded secrets?

Yeah, that's what the Darkness wants. That's why his nightmare is Safiyah.

A year ago, op of this post also posted against the story of Zavala having had a wife, claiming that Bungie should "delete the wife." The explanation after I commented was that she didn't get any lore and is just a memory that Zavala has in one lore tab. To which I replied that yeah, it's the first time she's been mentioned. She'll get lore in due time. I was called an "optimist" which I still don't understand because this is how Bungie has been delivering lore since Destiny's inception.

Lo and behold, she is now getting lore. There's a whole lore book we have to unlock over the next 8 weeks or so, as well as missions about her and Zavala and apparently a cutscene.

So now the goalpost is shifted to "lore about her is bad and she is fridged."

It's really easy to just say you don't like something in canon because you have personal headcanons otherwise, instead of trying to desperately justify your dislike and make it seem objective. It's really not objective.

And it's also an incorrect interpretation of Destiny's story. Which is understandable, there's a lot going on and many players may have missed certain seasons and storylines. I'm happy to help anyone who needs an update.

I'm just so very tired of people who have clearly missed information putting negative and incorrect shit with confidence and authority in the main tag. Not to mention the misuse of the concept of tropes and the "fridging" trope in particular. You gotta watch media analysis that isn't cinemasins my dudes.

Obligatory disclaimer: if I end up being wrong and the whole lore book is unlocked and the missions are out and the cutscene is out and it all sucks ass, well, I'll be damned! It happens, congratulations to people who saw it coming, I'll be booboo the fool. Also don't harass people obviously.

#destiny 2 #destiny 2 spoilers #season of the haunted spoilers #zavala #long post #lore vibing #this will keep happening so I'm posting this as soon as possible #this will also keep happening because people can't turn off shipping brains #okay you ship zavala with cayde and zavala having a wife at some point messes up the fics #you can just say that it doesnt have to be justified with some faux lore analysis #I've literally had almost exactly the same discussion with op a year ago #and i was correct: more lore was incoming #but now the lore is bad actually #just say you dont want zavala to have had a partner in the past and go #this isn't the only post in this vein I've seen either so it's not an isolated incident #genuinely baffled over people being so violently against lore about zavala's family #like what's the problem. he had a family. it weighs on him. it's his regret #we have two other characters with different nightmares #and we've had eris #why cant one character have trauma over a mortal family #bizarre

[sailorgreenmoss]

Trespasser lore and i just want to say AAAAaaaaaaahhHH

#i take it back i dont want nightmare cayde #;_; #destiny #destiny spoilers #spoiler #spoilers #season of the haunted spoiler #season of the haunted #season of the haunted spoilers #cayde #cayde-6 #ikora rey #eris morn

[astraldrake]

lore entry from the SotD ship

taken in kind with the trailer shot that implies that the convo between ikora and cayde is happening inside the traveler, on the other side of the portal that joxer and his fellows were attempting to breach :

i think it's possible this may be less of a full on resurrection and more a manifestation of a memory, similar to the Nightmares. (i will note that nightmares are typically more spectral in their appearance, while our exo friend here appears to possess significantly more solidity) note the unusual effects around cayde's eyes and mouth

^shot from the trailer he appears to be filled with Light, which is.... interesting. if darkness is memory and light is forgetting, then are these manifestations (assuming that is what this is) a side effect of the witness' assault on the traveler? (maybe) I'm going to hold off on drawing any specific conclusions but the implications of this are certainly curious. what other dead allies might we encounter? (if any) will other lightbearers be exposed to memories of their pre resurrection lives if they cross through the portal?

#final shape trailer speculation #destiny spoilers #final shape spoilers #destiny 2 #destiny the game #long post #someone posted the ship lore in one of the discords im on and i was going over it right b4 the trailer dropped #so i might be playing connect the dots with ketchup splatter or maybe im onto something idk #time will tell