The Hive are remarkably good at avoiding death in Destiny 2. Because of their implementation of throne worlds and affinity with the Ascendant Realm, many high-ranking Hive are capable of evading death time and time again. In Destiny 2, this has led to tense narrative moments, but it is also useful for bringing back old enemies. Still, as well versed as the Hive are in the Ascendant Realm, many have still died final deaths, or like Oryx, have been ripped from their physical bodies with their essence finding a new home elsewhere.
A trailer for The Witch Queen expansion could point to an end of this. Fans have known for months that Savathun has perverted the Light and used it to create her Lucent Brood, but the extent to which these Hive warriors are like Guardians has been questionable. They might have powers imbued with Light, but the idea that they are in any way the same as the player’s character seems unimaginable. The launch trailer for The Witch Queen shows that this might be possible, with a Darkblade class Hive Knight visible at the end. While there are several Darkblades that players have faced in the past, this one bears a striking resemblance to Alak-Hul, the Darkblade, and boss of the Sunless Cell strike.
Alak-Hul, the Darkblade
If the Darkblade Knight shown in the new trailer for The Witch Queen is indeed Alak-Hul, it could set a precedent for the Lucent Brood in Destiny 2. More likely than not, Savathun and her new brood are here to stay, and will continue to be both relevant and present in Destiny 2 beyond The Witch Queen expansion. Their continued existence will lead to more Lucent Brood rising to serve Savathun, and more Hive being revived by Hive Ghosts. However, Savathun isn’t likely to select just random Hive to serve her with the Light. As the deliberate planner that she is, Lucent Brood members that Savathun revives to serve her will likely be some of the strongest members of the Hive.
This makes past characters like Alak-Hul the Darkblade ideal candidates to be revived with the Light. Alak-Hul once served Crota and then Oryx, before leading a rebellion against the latter. While he was defeated and imprisoned by Oryx aboard the Dreadnaught, his strength was well known. So well-known that Eris Morn was concerned the Darkblade would once again reach for Oryx’s crown. During The Taken King expansion in the first Destiny game, she sent a fireteam of Guardians to eliminate him, and it was the last players saw of Alak-Hul the Darkblade.
There have been later Darkblades that players have faced, and they have had ties to Savathun, but their legend pales when compared to Alak-Hul. While the Lucent Brood Darkblade shown in the newest trailer for The Witch Queen may be one of them, or a different Darkblade entirely, Alak-Hul seems the most likely. His ambitions were grand, something Savathun would admire, and his dedication to his mate could make him easy to exploit. Reviving him as a Lucent Brood member would provide Savathun with a powerful pawn, one that she could use and manipulate as she sees fit.
Revived Hive in Destiny 2
Alak-Hul isn’t the only Hive that Guardians should be wary of facing. While it looks like he’s made an appearance in promotional materials, there are likely to be other notable Hive that Savathun has chosen to revive. Some of these may be Lucent Brood members who, up until now, have gone relatively unknown to players, but there are many that could be pulled from Death’s grasp and into Savathun's throne world to serve her.
Nokris, for example, earned a place on Savathun’s court thanks to his trickery. Being able to circumvent the Sword Logic is a feat that she saw value in, and his command of necromancy added to this. While the son of Oryx, the Taken King has been slain, his dedication to Savathun and his work against the pyramids would make him a prime candidate to lead other members of the Lucent Brood. These two aspects combined could also benefit Savathun greatly.
One of the defining features of Guardians is their memory loss after being revived by the Traveler. They essentially, start their second lives as clean slates, and while this may serve a greater purpose for the Traveler and the Light, it can be limiting. This is likely something Savathun would not appreciate in her Lucent Brood. Warriors she revives with no memories might be impressionable, but imbuing already powerful Hive with even more power could be deadly for Savathun. Luckily, she’s shown an ability to gift memories back to people.
This was demonstrated in Season of the Lost, when Savathun returned Uldren Sov’s memories to Crow, and it could come in handy with the Lucent Brood. Going through each revived Lucent Brood member to restore their memories could become lengthy though, which is where Nokris’ return could become key. If Savathun does wish to pit more of her siblings’ offspring and other deceased Hive against the Guardians, a skilled necromancer as part of her new brood would be incredibly useful. Combining Nokris’ knowledge with her own, as well as the power of the Light, could reintroduce old enemies who are fully aware of their history.
This would allow Savathun to effectively build an army of Guardian-like Hive who are invested in the destruction of humanity. They would still serve Savathun, the Witch Queen, and be willing to pursue her goal of doing away with the Sword Logic, but they would also have no qualms about killing Guardians in the process. Given how many high-ranking Hive the Vanguard has found themselves up against, the Witch Queen could have a large army of past foes waiting for players by the time the expansion releases. This could include classic enemies like Phogoth, Omnigul, Nokris, and Alak-Hul the Darkblade, all hungry for revenge against the Guardians that killed them.
Destiny 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
