[quote]Saint-14's Position argues that the Darkness was an invading armada, an alien force of incredible - but tangible - power. Some adherents believe that this armada sprang from species rejected or discarded by the Traveler for their sins.[/quote] This is the origin point of my theory on the Darkness. I believe that Saint-14 was correct, or near so, in his belief of the Darkness being the species discarded by the Traveler. However, I think it is more complicated than just that. I believe that the Traveler's light is corruptible. [b] The Vex [/b] I believe the Vex were the first of the four enemy races to be "touched" by the Traveler. However, I do not believe them to be the first race entirely. I believe that an advanced alien species of unknown origin was the original race to receive the Traveler's blessing. Later, this race would attempt to reverse-engineer technology gathered from the Traveler and in doing so accidentally created the Vex. My idea from this originates from the Precursors. The Precursor group of Vex bare a striking resemblance to the Traveler and Ghosts. They are also rumored to be some of the original Vex. [quote] It would be easy to assume these Vex are the ancestors of those we face today - but with the Vex it is never so simple. [/quote] Also, it is impossible for a sentient machine to evolve naturally. It has to be built first. There is no possible way the Vex simply evolved from a different species. They were constructed by something for some reason. When this happened, the Light that had been given to the original species became tainted. This forced the Traveler to leave, and corrupted the Vex who then destroyed their creators. [b] The Cabal [/b] The Cabal are perhaps the most confusing aspect of this theory and the one that still has me confused. They are more technologically advanced than both the Fallen and Hive. They have a massive empire. However, their culture shows no hints as to why the Traveler would abandon them. The most logical reason I can think of is that they were using the gifts granted to them by the Traveler to conquer worlds instead of bettering the lives of their race. When the Traveler appeared to Humanity, we gained technology and used it to peacefully expand to unoccupied worlds. However, it seems as though the Cabal simply took whatever they wanted. This wrath or pride may have potentially risked the Traveler's Light. [b] The Hive [/b] The Hive are often considered to be the epitome of the Darkness due to their appearance, culture, location, etc. However, I think the Hive are actually the atypical race of the Darkness. I believe rather than misusing or stealing the Traveler's technology, they began to worship it. I believe that this worship was corrupted and turned into fanaticism. This fanaticism meant that when the corruption spread to the Traveler's Light and began to warp it, they didn't realize it and began worshiping the Darkness rather than the Light. The Grimoire Card for the Chamber of Night mission reads: [quote] "Your discovery is perhaps the greatest of our time. If the Hive were able to infect the Traveler through this long-lost shard of its battered shell, Ulan-Tan's theory may be true - all Light remains connected, across space and time. We cannot let our enemies use this power against us." - Ikora Rey [/quote] The wording of "infect" seems to indicate that there is indeed some merit to the idea of a corrupting force rather than a lethal one. If the Hive were to be twisted, and perhaps see the Light as being wrong and the Darkness being right, perhaps they weren't malicious in their attempt to use the shard to corrupt the Traveler. Maybe, they were trying to save it in their twisted way. [b] The Fallen [/b] This theory is largely based on another theory about the Fallen I read awhile ago. Here is said theory: [url]https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/77673973/0/0[/url] The theory is that the Fallen were perhaps the last of the species to come into contact with the Traveler and were the ones who committed the ultimate sin. They, like those who created the Vex, attempted to reverse-engineer Traveler technology. This attempt is what created their Servitors. Later, the Fallen, like the Hive, would begin to worship the Traveler and by extent the Servitors. Finally, like the Cabal, they would take this technology and begin to try and conquer. To the Traveler, the Fallen would be the worst of sinners. I believe this is why they no longer have their empire, while all the other races do. I believe that the Traveler, in anger, destroyed the Fallen empire to prevent them from becoming a culmination of all the other races. The Traveler is a being of incredible might and if one of these trespasses was enough to cause it be leave for fear of corruption, then have a single species commit all three would be devastating. Also consider the biblical context of a faction of "Fallen." As in, the angels that joined Lucifer against God. Maybe the Fallen were once "angels" or beings blessed by the Traveler. Then they became corrupt and were struck down. [b] The Darkness [/b] The Vex's creators corrupted the Light when they tried to remake the Traveler. The Cabal corrupted it when they conquered instead of helped. The Hive corrupted it when they began to worship the Traveler. The Fallen corrupted it when they did all three. I do not think that these species formed one united armada to hunt down the Traveler at Earth, but I believe that after smiting the Fallen, the Traveler itself was corrupted from its actions. It had destroyed an entire empire in anger. This would seem to be an action capable of corrupting not only the Light, but the source of the Light. Therefore, in an attempt to prevent itself from becoming a dark being of destruction, the Traveler simply shut itself down. Meanwhile. the previous races would have been trying to find the Traveler all this time to try and take it for themselves. I do not think that the races of the Darkness hate the Traveler. Rather I believe that they love it and want to have it again. They want to regain the technology, the power, the prosperity of the Traveler's Light. This is why they are fighting Humanity, Exo, and Awoken. They are trying to get to the Traveler and take it home. [b] Please feel free to comment below with thoughts and feedback [/b]