The Warmind Rasputin is one of the most powerful intelligences in the Destiny universe. Before Destiny 2, he was responsible for the overall protection of humanity and capable of defending against almost any threat to the species. While the AI’s strength has been tested time and time again, in the end, its power to combat the Darkness was rendered null and humanity has since been left to fend for itself. While Guardians are still available to keep the Last City safe, it doesn’t change that Rasputin had become a valuable asset for the Vanguard in Destiny 2, and many fans had grown to appreciate the Warmind.
However, Destiny 2 is no stranger to icing fan favorites, and demonstrated this by killing off Cayde-6 in the Forsaken expansion. This made Rasputin’s near-annihilation at the hands of the Darkness during Season of Arrivals one of the most stressful times in Destiny 2’s history. Even though Rasputin didn’t suffer the same destiny as the previous Hunter Vanguard, his fate has been questionable following the arrival of the Darkness’ pyramid ships, and fans are wondering what the future holds for the Russian Warmind.
Rasputin's Future in Destiny 2
Recently, some players have discussed the possibility that Rasputin could return as a Guardian by implanting his intelligence within an artificial body. This route is one that was intended for Rasputin in the lore for Destiny 2’s past, one that was ultimately taken by Felwinter, an Iron Lord and subroutine of Rasputin. While Felwinter’s fate is grim, his story does show that the possibility of Rasputin being transferred into an Exo body exists. This could mean the revival of Rasputin and his return to the spotlight in Destiny 2's future.
Before Season of Arrivals this may have been hard to envision, but the most recent expansion, Destiny 2:Beyond Light, added Europa and the Deep Stone Crypt raid to the game. Both of these locations would be integral to obtaining a new body for Rasputin, as the Deep Stone Crypt is the birthplace of Exos and much of the tech and research on Europa is directly tied to Clovis Bray’s creation of them. While none of the seasons in Year 4 of Destiny 2 have explored this opportunity, that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible.
Some key locations for Destiny 2 will be returning in Year 5 of the game when The Witch Queen expansion is released. Views of Mars and mention of the planet itself have been present in promotional materials for the expansion, creating the possibility of its return alongside the arrival of Savathun’s Throne World in February. This could lead to recovery missions for more of the Warmind’s intelligence, and working to fix the fragmented AI that Ana Bray has safely hidden in an engram in future seasons.
Combined with her connection to Clovis Bray, whose consciousness still resides on Europa, on top of all the previous materials that point to Rasputin being capable of becoming an Exo, players could very soon see the Warmind resurrected.
Still, it’s important to understand that Rasputin would likely not be as strong as he once was. While the Warmind had access to a plethora of satellites before being saved by Ana Bray, the toll the Darkness has taken on his systems could completely change the kind of character that he is. This could open the doors to even more opportunities. In a physical Exo body, Rasputin would have more freedom to interact with other characters, and if resurrected with the Light, would also become a Guardian that plays a major role in Destiny 2's plans for 2022.
The Dark Vanguard
Given his past expertise, and the possibility that he could redownload his consciousness following his resurrection, Rasputin could become one of the Vanguard’s most valuable assets. This path would also make Rasputin a great candidate for the Hunter Vanguard position. The position had previously belonged to the Exo Cayde-6, but has remained empty since he was killed off in Forsaken.
With much of Forsaken being a part of all the content that’ll be vaulted when The Witch Queen releases, it’s clear that Destiny 2 is stepping away from the character. While Cayde had an impact on players and Destiny 2 characters alike, this is the right step, and it’s time that someone else got the opportunity to fill in his shoes. In the past fans had hypothesized that Crow, the resurrected Guardian who was once Uldren Sov, would take the Hunter Vanguard position.
While this was a touchy subject given that Uldren Sov had killed Cayde-6, it seemed to fit. Following the mentorship Crow received from Osiris, this idea was cemented in many players' minds even more too. However, the reveal that Osiris had been Savathun in disguise since the former’s Ghost’s death has caused Crow to question his motives and purpose once again.
This could lead Crow down a dark path directly to Savathun, but it could also push the Guardian in a different direction. Fans of Destiny 2 have dubbed certain key characters in the game the Dark Vanguard, a group that Crow could feasibly join. In the past, the roster included Eris Morn, the Drifter, and Elsie Bray (who’s also known as the Exo Stranger) filling each class’ role, but certain aspects could change this lineup.
Even though Eris Morn does have knowledge and expertise that some frown upon, she is also a key member of Ikora Rey’s Hidden and has become Lightless. The Crow, however, could break away from the traditional Vanguard and fall in closer with characters like the Drifter and the Exo Stranger, as Destiny 2’s story continues to unfold. This would likely put him out of the running for the Hunter Vanguard position, leaving it open for another suitable option like Rasputin, while also helping the Dark Vanguard have a similar balance as its mainstream counterpart.
Crow could fill the Hunter position, as the Drifter who was once part of the Titan order of the Pilgrim Guard fills in for the corresponding class, and Elsie Bray could be the Warlock counterpart for the Dark Vanguard. While Elsie’s powers haven’t been fully revealed and the Drifter is as mysterious as it gets, such a lineup would bring a balance to both the shadowy and public-facing aspects of the City’s Lightbearers. This would also open an avenue for Rasputin to return to the game while playing into the more questionable aspects of Destiny 2’s story of Light and Dark as the Final Shape approaches.
Destiny 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
