Mara Sov: Dead or Alive?

When watching the opening cutscene for TTK, my first though was of course, "Man, this improves Destiny a lot!" But my second thought was, "How could the Queen be dead?" It seems like there's no real way for her to be alive: that shockwave tore her ship apart. Whoever wasn't decimated by the initial blast was sucked into the vacuum of space. Along with her, four Paladins and three Techeuns were reported dead, including Yasmin Eld. But could the Queen really be dead? My first suspicions came, obviously, when listening to her dialogue. How could a dead person be talking about her own death? Especially because it's not all in the present tense, as if she were talking as it was happening. [quote]I remember...everything about the day I was born. I still bear the scars. The Awoken [u]are[/u] my family now. And I [u]am[/u] their Queen. We [u]fought[/u] to keep our beautiful creation safe. And now this beast has come, claiming to be King. Mara Sov [u]bows[/u] to no one. You and I [u]know[/u] how this ends. We've known ever since you escaped from that...pit. The Awoken have [u]played[/u] their part. This...[u]was[/u] all part of the plan. Guide them, my Hidden friend. It is all up to you know.[/quote] If you didn't know by know, the Queen is talking to Eris, whom she has been in contact with ever since she escaped the Hellmouth, just before The Dark Below. They have also both been working with Osiris, who kinda already knew Oryx was going to come. The final cutscene of Regicide harkens back to their secret plan. [quote]My Queen...you were right. The Guardian was the key. For the first time the whispers are silent. It is done. I have accepted my fate. I will not fail.[/quote] Many use this little speech, as well as an existing wariness about Eris, to claim she is working with Taox or one of Oryx's sisters. These claims are simply not true. Multiple times in the grimoire it talks about this secret plot between these three interesting characters. From Ghost Fragment: The Reef [quote]The attendant moves as Prince Uldren passes through the massive door separating the Outpost’s common area from the warren of tunnels that make up the Queen’s Bay. ... Three dull green lights blaze to life behind a veil. She tilts her head to consider the Prince, face like a marble carving.[/quote] From Ghost Fragment: The Queen 2 [quote]"You don't have one." The Hunter came to a halt in front of the throne, raised her covered face to meet the Prince's gaze. ... "Your Grace," said the man before her at the foot of the stairs. His voice was soft but strong. When he spoke the Hunter started to turn her head toward him, then flinched as if someone had shone a bright light into her eyes. ... The Hunter's pale lips tightened slightly, then resumed their usual stony mien. "Your Grace," she said. Shuro and Sedia shifted, a sudden rustling and whispering. The Queen raised one finger to silence them. Uldren's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. "I am not here for you." ... "...I will do anything—" her low voice shook with passion— "to end Oryx." ... Then a small smile curved the Queen's lips. "Well said." She straightened, and leaned slightly forward so the room's light fell on her face. "So let us end him."[/quote] From Queen's Ransom [quote]He says..." Variks hisses under his breath. "He makes no sense, my Queen. He speaks of...Light-Snuffer. Dark-binder." The Queen aims her eyes at Skolas, her expression unchanged. "I see." "He will not say more—" "He does not need to." She turns toward the door. ... The Techeuns gather at the door as the Queen approaches it. Prince Uldren holds it open with a small bow, and the Queen touches his shoulder as she passes. "Send a Crow to Mercury. And another to our new friend in the Tower."[/quote] And finally, from The Road to King's Fall [quote]We have confirmed it among our number within the Hidden. I have asked Ikora's Warlocks to reach out, and they sense nothing. The Orb is quiet. On the Moon, his shrine is dark and cold. It is true: the Taken King is dead. The Hive's dark god, and his foul son, have been purged from the universe. She was right, scholar. Queen Mara was right. It is all down to the Guardians now. Let us hope they are up to the tasks ahead of them.” - Eris Morn, undisclosed report to Osiris[/quote] There is no doubt about it that Mara Sov, Eris Morn, and the mysterious Osiris have been planning something for quite some time. Osiris used to ramble prophecies about Crota and Oryx, and Eris had first-hand experience to Toland's ramblings about the same beings. Both new Oryx would be coming after the death of Crota. Both knew the Queen had formidable power. But what was their plan? [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/177995775/0/0]Part 2[/url]