[i]Fair warning: long read ahead[/i] I just wanted to say before you read ahead, not all of these ideas are my own, and in fact a large portion of them come from the community. All the credit goes out to you guys. I am simply trying to piece a puzzle together. Some of this may seem disconnected or holes may exist in my theory, but I spent a lot of time culling this together and hope you guys can help me fill in the holes. [b]What we know, in a nutshell:[/b] At the game's beginning we are introduced to a cutscene that shows humans landing on Mars present day. There, they discover the Traveler. Planets throughout the system are transformed by the Traveler and colonized by humans. Humanity experiences unprecedented growth and technological advance, a "Golden Age". Then, the Darkness arrives, the Traveler's ancient enemy, and wipes out most of humanity and the Traveler sacrifices itself to protect the Last City and what remains of Humanity. Ghosts are created out of what remains of the light to resurrect Guardians to defend the city and push back the Darkness. That's where our story begins. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b][u]Speculation: The Traveler[/b][/u] The Traveler is being contained. We are told it is because it expended its own Light to an extent that put it essentially in a stasis. Yet, the Traveler requires Light in order to thrive. Ever notice when you head shot a Fallen that it looks like light escapes the body? Note that the Fallen NPCs have been identified calling Guardians the Darkness if you wait silently nearby. Or how about the Hive? We find the Syphon Witches containing a shard of the Traveler to withhold light from it. The Vex seemingly have no interest in the Traveler or Earth, but are spreading to every other planet. More on them in a bit... The Traveler is called the traveler for a reason: it travels. No kidding, right? Well it may not be that simple. What if the Traveler is like a parascite? It goes from solar system to solar system absorbing whatever Light it can from its inhabitants? Of course, you're wondering why build up humanity only to simply devour it for Light? The problem is, the Traveler has created enemies along the way who have wised up to its plan. As it moves from system to system the Traveler builds up races so that what is left behind after it devours a large portion of it can fight off the enemies it left behind. it is a never ending cycle... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b][u]Speculation: The Fallen, Hive, Cabal, and Vex[/b][/u] In Destiny we are led to believe that the mentioned above races are our enemies, armies of the Darkness. I wanted to point out what each has in common, and what their differences are. The Fallen were once a great race united, but are now hardly more than roving bands of pirates with warring Houses. Their target is clearly the Traveler, as they frequent Earth, specifically around the Cosmodrome. They have been trying, unsuccessfully, to find a way into the city. The Fallen also seem to scavenge intelligence/equipment from humanity's Golden Age, as they are often found in control centers and other areas where data is kept archived. Or maybe they are just there for the spinmetal. In one instance on the moon, we find Syphon Witches draining the Traveler of its light with one of its own shards (how they got that shard is still a mystery). It seems clear that the Hive's intent is to "kill" the Traveler, or at the very least, prevent it from regaining its strength. They must have gone through a lot of trouble to get that shard, after all. The Cabal are found in various points trying to retrieve information: the outpost by the Black Garden gate, the AI connected to the Warmind of Mars in the Clovis Bray facility, etc. We are told the Cabal blow up planets and moons just for fun. There's a reason they havent done so in our solar system and specifically, Earth, where the Traveler resides. The Vex are another story. They seemingly have no interest whatsoever other than to spread throughout the system and destroy anything that gets in their way. They've done it to Mercury, Venus, and Mars. They conveniently skipped Earth. The Vex are simply a force of nature. They act singularly to thrive. Death means nothing to them (they sacrifice themselves to the confluxes). They have the ability to time travel and can bend the universe to their will. Why ignore Earth? The one thing that the enemy races have in common are this: they are all attacking you. There is a reason why the Hive try to rid the Traveler of its Light, a reason why the Cabal are trying to get information on the Vex and the AI connected to the Warmind, and why the Fallen call you the Darkness. [b][i] The Vex are containing the Traveler[/i][/b] Think about it, by the game's end our main objective is to stop the Vex from spreading. BUT, what is also spreading to the other planets in the system? [u]Rasputin[/u].....[b][i]"this AI once connected to the Warmind of Mars. Rasputin is controlling it. I couldn't get in, and neither could the Cabal. He's everywhere now"[/b][/i] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b][u]Connecting the Dots: Rasputin, The Traveler, and the Vex[/b][/u] At some point during the Golden Age, humanity developed Warminds on each planet as a sort of defense system. Their sole purpose was to protect humanity. Rasputin, who survived the Collapse, is the one of concern here. We know he is spreading to other planets, but only a shell of him remains on Earth, from what I understand. It might be a longshot, but I think Rasputin and the Vex are related somehow. They are both spreading to other planets in the system, and they are both not on Earth in any real sense. [b][i][u]What if Rasputin trying to control the Vex to contain the Traveler?[/b][/u][/i] I know you are thinking how ridiculous that is, but hear me out. The Vex were first found on Mercury and ruins on Venus show that they pre-date humanity by a few billion years. After realizing the Traveler's true intent, Rasputin sought to spread himself in an attempt to control the Vex in order to contain the Traveler. The fact that both the Vex and Rasputin are spreading can't just be a coincidence. In some ways, the vex reflect the single-mindedness of a Warmind. Ruthless and calculating. Both were made to survive. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b][u]In Sum: The Story[/b][/u] The Traveler is a parasitic god that goes from solar system to solar system devouring the light of its inhabitants, after leaving an army behind big enough to fight off the Darkness, it's ancient enemies whose races it destroyed. Guardians are pawns in this never ending cycle, having no knowledge of the Traveler's true origins or intent. The Hive, Cabal, Fallen, and Vex are all working to either destroy or contain the Traveler. Rasputin is attempting to control the Vex, letting them spread to every planet as a fail safe should the Traveler ever free itself from its slumber. Rasputin is the lesser evil. The Stranger, is from the future where the Vex have implemented themselves into reality and are able to unwrite Guardians (and other life) from existence. Guardian's are unknowingly fighting for the Traveler, trying to eliminate the Vex, which would enable the Traveler to continue its destructive cycle. This is why the Stranger said a side must always be taken, even it is the wrong one. Guardians are able to survive so long as the Traveler is contained and the Vex do not achieve the ability to fully implement themselves into the universe. In one future timeline, Rasputin fails to control the Vex, and the rest of humanity is wiped out of existence by them. In another, humanity succeeds in destroying the Vex, only to be consumed by the Traveler. There is a balance that must be maintained, Light and Dark. This is why the Traveler is being contained, and why the Vex are also trying to be contained. Neither force must grow too powerful. That would result in total extinction. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please let me know what you think, or what your theories are. I will try to update and improve this post going forward. Thank you for taking the time to read this, Guardians.