The Bungie 30th Anniversary event in Destiny 2 has brought one of the series most enigmatic groups to its forefront. Present and yet just out of reach since the first game, the Nine are both powerful and powerless in the universe of Destiny. Now that they’re once again a focus in Destiny 2, the question about who they are continues to weigh on Guardians as players try to understand the mysterious entities. While their current involvement in the game is more playful there’s a lot that the Nine have done to influence both Sol and the greater universe of Destiny 2, often rewarding Guardians as they act.
In the most general sense, the Nine appear to be Paracausal entities much like the Light and Darkness, Savathun the Witch Queen, and the Guardians. Their strength is immense and the Nine wield powers that can let them distort realities. Still, their ability to interact is often limited in the physical world, relying on Xur and the Emissary, and most recently the Nine Horse, to communicate with the Guardian. Despite this, the Nine have been playing a major role in the solar system since players were introduced to it, with a checkered history of events aimed at preserving themselves above all else.
What are The Nine?
Long before the Dares of Eternity, the Nine were in their infancy, little more than nothingness almost imperceivable within the physical world. As strings of dark matter swirled through the universe the Nine existed in a consciousness that did not seem to feel beyond being present. However, like many things in Destiny 2, the nature of the Nine changed once they interacted with the Sol system. They were pulled and thrown in infinite loops by the gravitational forces of Sol; each of the planets and the Sun stretching the Nine and allowing them to develop cognition.
The cognition that the Nine gained allows them to understand their place in the universe and they quickly realized that their existence was predicated on the life of each of the solar system’s planets. This has shaped their motive and the Nine are robustly focused on one goal: their survival. As a result of this, the Nine have shown little issue with taking actions that will harm others in the Sol system so long as the result is one where the Nine continue to exist, even trying to kill the officiator of the Gambit game mode, the Drifter.
Despite their actions, their joint focus, and general will to let another stand in harm’s way, the survival of the Nine has also led to a faction split with two independent groups forming. Five of the Nine seek to use the Light for their means of survival. These five members of the Nine study the Light and hope to construct their own bodies, freeing them of their reliance on the other forms of life in Sol. These five are also responsible for the Emissary that players encounter at the end of the Prophecy Dungeon as well as sending their agent Xur with exotic armor and weapons to interact with Guardians.
Breaking away from the other five members’ focus on the Light are the four members of the Nine that seek to create their own realms. Much like Unknown Space, the area that the Nine currently operate out of, and home to the Dares of Eternity mode and resting place of the Forerunner exotic sidearm, these realms would act as a permanent residence to the Nine. As pocket universes, the Nine could use these realms to sustain themselves through artificial black holes and break free of their reliance on the life of Sol to sustain themselves.
While their goal continues to allude both factions of the Nine their persistence does suggest that it is obtainable. Progress seems to have been made by both factions with developments of life through research on the Cocytus station being somewhat successful and the creation of Unknown Space suggesting they can create space outside of the main universe. As more powerful entities enter the Sol system through Destiny 2's expansions and seasons, this could become key to the Nine’s survival and their continued existence. This is something they may have already foreseen, a testament to the Nine’s ability to also see the future.
In the past glyphs, images, and prophecies of the Nine have delivered information of future events. The rise of Eramis Kell of Darkness and the disappearances of celestial bodies were foretold by the Nine. While they did not prevent these events from happening, the Nine are at least capable of foreseeing the greater consequences of the current timeline that is unfolding in the Light and Darkness saga of Destiny 2.
History of The Nine
The Nine aren’t consistent though. Their survival requires them to engage the solar system as a whole and they have no problems making choices others would see as harsh. When the Taken King arrived in the solar system his nature for ending life sent the Nine into a frenzy as they feared their extinction. Amplifying this was his Taking of the Ahamkara, Riven, that had been given refuge within the Dreaming City. Following this the Nine continued what the Tower once started, hunting down the remaining Ahamkara that they knew of and killing them. However, the arrival of the Taken is not the first time the Nine have directly worked against those that weren’t allied with the Darkness.
The Nine played a role in the release of the Fallen, and since slain, Skolas Kell of Kells. This was what the House of Wolves' expansion from the first Destiny game is hinged on and is an action that may have cost them their alliance with the Reef. While the Reef has been rebuilding during Season of the Lost, Mara Sov is not one to let grudges die and the Nine likely painted a target on their back with this action.
Even worse is the apparent role that the Nine had in the murder of Sjur Eido. As the Queen’s Wrath and Mara Sov’s lover Sjur Eido was close to the Awoken Queen and her death is not one that was accepted easily. Her body was discovered with a Strange Coin laid on it as wergild to pay for the crime, but even so, Mara Sov sought out answers. While they avoided interacting with the Awoken Queen their subordinate Xur Agent of the Nine was found by Orin, the current Emissary to the Nine, who crushed the Jovian’s windpipe and broke his back while interrogating him.
Now the Nine offer gifts to the Guardians ignoring these questionable actions of their past. The Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack and event might be a fun way to celebrate the studio’s life but it has also set a new stage for Destiny 2. New weapons based on iconic parts of Bungie’s history have been introduced and it's thanks to the efforts of the Nine. Guardians and everyone else in Sol should be wary despite these gifts. What they plan moving forward might be unknown but the Nine have already had a hand in the delivery of almost every exotic weapon in Destiny 2 through Xur while simultaneously showing how disposable others are to them.
Destiny 2 is now available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
