Bungie's first-person, multiplayer shooter Destiny 2 is still going relatively strong years after launch. The 2017 sequel has drawn the attention of gamers all around the world, combining fantasy and sci-fi into an epic, original adventure across the Solar System, and Destiny 2 is still introducing new adventures to this day. Expansions such as Destiny 2: Lightfall stay true to the established enemies of the action-packed franchise, and the Vex is one that longtime players will probably recognize.
The Vex are a race of ancient, advanced beings who have adapted to the flow of space-time mathematically, meaning that all of their actions are coordinated for the purpose of bending reality to their mechanized will. At this point, they are a series mainstay, appearing as a major, alien foe since the first Destiny game. Also, similar to Star Wars, the space fantasy setting blends dark and light to represent the duality of conflicts, which is a metaphorical force that's crucial to both IPs. Playing as Guardians, gamers take advantage of special powers that are just beyond the Vex's perception, making these enemies surprisingly flawed like the villainous Imperial Stormtroopers from Star Wars.
Destiny 2's Vex Share a Similar Notoriety As Stormtroopers
The vast army of the Vex is perhaps billions of years old, built to withstand most threats after simulating past, present, and future. The species sees itself as a prime form of sentience, although its combat capabilities contradict that notion. Notably, the Vex have difficulty aiming their weapons against Guardians despite their apparent readiness and awareness toward the motions of reality. This is because Guardians are Lightbearers, protectors capable of harnessing magic outside their computed reality. Just as Stormtroopers fail to quell the Rebellion in Star Wars, a light-sided faction destined to bring balance to the Force, the Vex are similarly disadvantaged - to an amusing extent.
In certain cases, the Vex are portrayed as less effective even against the Cloud Striders of Neomuna in Destiny 2's Lightfall. It's a recent example that shows that warriors not attuned to the Light can reasonably defend themselves, giving factions a degree of plot armor that defies the Vex's reputation. Still, the Vex are dangerous, but their numbers, disposability, and adversarial role are all factors that might make them Destiny's analog to Star Wars' infamously inaccurate Stormtroopers.
During gameplay, players will notice that the Vex converge on their Fireteams as larger, well-organized groups. While the Vex are sometimes treated as Destiny 2's filler enemies, the Goblin foot soldiers in the species hierarchy have the power to overwhelm Guardians, fitted with standardized (yet equally flawed) capabilities. Looking back at Star Wars, a running joke is that Stormtroopers' helmets obscure their vision to the point where the armor's unwieldiness can outweigh the protection it provides. Again, some Vex seem to carry a comparable weakness in that their heads render them stunned and vulnerable when hit. One key difference with the Vex, however, is the human element of Stormtrooper enlistment.
Recruited as conscripts, those soldiers demonstrate how Galactic Empire corrupts the worlds it touches, and it's not too uncommon to see Stormtroopers remove their helmets in Star Wars stories. The Vex are more of a collective, rigidly observant to a unified purpose, while Stormtroopers have complex, human traits that affect their ability to complete objectives or commit themselves totally to the Empire's goals. Regardless, Destiny 2 has shown that the Vex are one of its most iconic soldiers, yet their poor aim and general fragility also make that threat a bit less imposing at times.
Destiny 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
