Just because a character doesn’t shut up does not mean she should be the speaker

[quote]Our last Speaker died, I always got the feeling his position was important to Gaurdians. How come we haven't elected one or appointed one since his death during the Red War? Any who I think Hawthorne should be the next Speaker.[/quote] In the Peace By Consensus lore tab, the Vanguard and faction leaders declare that they’re to continue without a Speaker. Peace By Consensus: [quote] Consensus Meeting 3230.01 Zavala: "I call this meeting of the Consensus to order." New Monarchy: "Only the Speaker can call us to order." Cayde-6: "Oh, really? Well, guess we can't have meetings anymore. If you'll excuse me—" Ikora Rey: "Sit down, Cayde. We're having this discussion, bylaws be damned." FWC: "What do the bylaws say about choosing a new Speaker?" Z: "Nothing." IR: "Then we'll write new ones." DO: "Knowing us, that's going to take time. A lot of time." Z: "In the meanwhile, we will have to move forward without a Speaker." NM: "Who will take his place? You?" Z: "None of us will take the Speaker's place. And all of us will. We must find our own consensus now."[/quote] The flavour text for the same weapon does however states that Zavala has taken up the leading role: [quote] "The Consensus is bigger than the Speaker. Bigger than any of us. It will survive, because it has to." —Commander Zavala, acting head of the Consensus[/quote] As for who should/could be the next Speaker; Hawthorne is not a possible candidate. The Constellations Lore book gives us information as to what makes someone a Speaker: Entry “Singing” shows us what classifies someone as a possible Speaker: [quote] Speakers were chosen for their ability to hear the Traveler through detailed, lucid dreams. Since the dreams have stopped, there are other signs. Ghosts follow us. When we do dream, we see a strange and blinding white light. We are prone to headaches.[/quote] Entry “Growing” shows us more context of the idea of what the dreams actually are: [quote] The truth is this: I cannot say for certain what the Traveler wants, or whether it knows what it wants. The Traveler does not speak to me in words, but in dreams. Dream language is cramped. The messages come from the Traveler, disintegrate on the way to me, and reform into something else. I am an interpreter more than a Speaker.[/quote] Entry “Searching” suggests however that Speakers with practice can teach non-Speakers to dream like they can. Our Speaker planned to do so with Saint-14; but he disappeared on Mercury and didn’t return until after the Speaker’s death during the Red War: [quote] Before Saint-14 left for Mercury, I'd thought that maybe he could take my place. That I might be able to teach him. That's not the way it's usually done, but he has such a gentle heart. He has the right temperament. Sometimes I think he's better suited to it than I am. But he hasn't come back.[/quote] Entry “Suffering” shows us that dreaming has the potential to show the Speaker the future, as the Speaker was shown the Red War: [quote] My dreams forecast a terrible future: a future without the Traveler's Light. I see them all falling, Guardians and Lightless alike, toppled by the Traveler's absence. I don't understand why it happens, and I don't know when. But I know it is coming.[/quote] Now. Does that mean anyone can become the new Speaker? Yes. Zavala has the Speaker’s mask, long thought gone, it has been repaired; but if it can work how it was intended remains uncertain. Potential candidates that have shown evidence of Dreaming, are Us and Ikora. We’ve been shown visions by the Traveler on numerous occasions and Ikora has been shown a vision before; although it’s clear our connection to the Traveler is much stronger than that of the Warlock Vanguard. Hope this helps.

I have a strong hatred of Hawthorne. She’s just so annoying, with her whole “I’m a guardian too” thing she’s got going. The less she’s included in the game the better. Was kinda hoping a stray Warsat or bit debris from the Almighty would have hit her.