So, as I’m sure you can all tell we’re really getting into it now, what does that say about the Future War Cult, who is their highest ranking member? I really wouldn’t want to just say Lakshmi because she’s the Future War Cult Representative… but… [quote]";A Guardian I've never heard of leaves behind a Ghost I've never seen carrying files stamped with Cult headers, files I would have had to authorize to be stamped that way. This kind of thing is why I wake up in the morning." —Lakshmi-2[/quote] Lakshmi is clearly more than she will ever appear to be, so who is she [i]really[/i]? [quote]Lakshmi-2 There is nothing Lakshmi-2 likes more than secrets. Her origins are unknown; her appearance in the City was abrupt. She courts select Guardians for initiation into the higher mysteries of the Future War Cult, espousing a brutal philosophy of endless struggle. Those who can tolerate Lakshmi's mocking hints and bloody-minded philosophy find her surprisingly good company. She seems to take genuine joy in her work, as if the secrets she guards have taught her to treasure every moment.[/quote] Ok, well that’s incredibly un-useful. So let’s see what we can get from this. The two things that stick out for me when I first read this card is her love of secrets, and her philosophy. So digging a little deeper we find out more about her thoughts. [quote]"Treasure every moment? Yeah, I'd say that's a good philosophy. I've already been reborn once. I'm not eager to do it again." —Lakshmi-2[/quote] But wait wait wait… she’s been “reborn” [i]once[/i]? We have learned from Cayde’s Journal that he used to be a Human, turned Exo, we believe or disbelieve that Maya has uploaded herself as the Exo Stranger, would these acts, Human to Exo, not be considered a “rebirth”? And if so, then why is her number, the signifier of how many wipes an Exo has had, two? I believe that an Exo starts at the number 2, their first wipe being the wipe from their original Human self. And that means Lakshmi is practically untouched, her memory must be near perfect of her Human past and her Exo past! And once again by digging deeper we find this. [quote]"Another war story? I was there when the House of Devils burned London." "Another war story? I could tell you about Tranquility, and the Hive?" “I walked during the dark times. A thousand Kings rose and fell then." "I could tell you another. I could tell you about the siege of Tycho." "Another war story? Well, I could tell you about the Knights that Darkness overrun in Mumbai.[/quote] These are all quotes from Lakshmi that can be heard by standing by her, and these are all wars that, with the exception of Tranquility, can be accounted for as a location in our system. Tycho is a crater on Luna, Mumbai and London are places on Earth. These wars no doubt go as far back as the start of the Collapse, but does she know more? Does she know about things that she’s not telling us? What is this “Inner Circle” that she mentions and what do they know? I think she knows the Exo Stranger, well i know she knows the Exo Stranger, but I think she knows more. [quote]"So, I can tell by the way you stare at me you've seen her. Haven't you." "The Inner Circle has its secrets. Maybe in time." "A trillion timelines, and all at war. Like a thousand red flowers growing in a black garden." "She will find it, Guardian. And when she does, we'll be there."[/quote] These are more quotes to be heard by her, and I think it’s clear she know’s who the Exo Stranger is, but I believe it shows she not only knows that she exists but that she knows her agenda and maybe even who she is personally. So once again we’re led back down this past of who is Lakshmi? Looking one last time at the things she has to say, I believe I’ve glimpsed the anwser. [quote]"What if there were a single timeline untouched by war, would you have any idea how to live in it?" "What if there were a better timeline somewhere? What have you done to earn it?" "What if you could learn to love your fate?" "War is our fate. Can you learn to love it?" "Know the only truth is war Guardian. You'll always be needed." "An infinity of timelines. If one timeline in a trillion knows peace, how could you ever hope to find it?" "Dead Orbit just misdiagnosed the problem. It's not a matter of distance, but of time." "And in each new world, a new birth of time. And as always the seas of war will be there too." "What if on some dreadful night, the Darkness were to come creeping up to you and whisper "This war, is all there is for you." "This war has no end, Guardian."[/quote] Now, I know what I am going to say is a bit crazy, but I think it fits snuggly. Lakshmi’s fate was thrust upon her from a time long ago when she learned about the truer natures of the Darkness working out on Hyperion. I believe she changed her name for the sake of anonymity, but was once lovingly called by the Exo Stranger Chioma Esi. [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/198353259/0/0]Previous[/url] Thank you for reading, this is your friendly neighborhood AnonPig, if you wish to read more of my lore/theories please go here! [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/115658936]AnonPig's Theories Archived[/url]