Hey that joke got old fast. So here's some of the thoughts I've had on the Nine. Not a real theory, just random thoughts someone may find interesting. Who exactly are the Nine? These "gods" who seem to know everything and be able to tip the scales in either direction? Personally I think they're a force of balance. What they do may not make sense, but what they do is to bring a balance in the essence that we divide into Light and Dark. That's probably something some of you find familiar, the concept is very similar to Star Wars in the sense of the Force. In this case there are the Jedi (Guardians) and Sith (Armies of Darkness) all pulling on the same cosmic force we don't quite understand, but calling it by a different name. I personally believe neither path is right, "The Grey Jedi" I believe it was called, but that both should be used together to fight back the evils we fight. This isn't to say, the much personally hated, "Dark Guardians" just Guardians who can use the Darkness without being controlled by it. This of course has it's opposite, Guardians blinded by the Light that fills them, these are just as bad as the Dark radicals. But what exactly are the Nine then? The original question that brought us here. Well, none can say exactly. They could be nothing, they could be everything. A race, a physical tangible being, or simply a cosmic force, such as chaos and order. And of Xur, what is he? "Some of his cells were born here." How strange, only some? Doesn't that imply there are some born away from Earth? If so he's not entirely one. But simply a reconstructed pawn of the Nine. "A garbage collector of the Nine." That's another interesting quote, because what does he collect? Strange coins. Are these simply nothing of value, even to the Nine? Again, wrapped in so much shadow none can say exactly. But at least right now, if not directly, they are helping.