The original Destiny was a fun-filled romp through vast open lands filled with beautiful architecture and interesting characters. Destiny 2 takes all of those elements and elevates them to the next level, especially when it comes to the cast. The world of Destiny 2 is brimming with all kinds of elegant personalities, each brought to life expertly by an array of talented voice actors.
One of the brightest stars in the galaxy is Emperor Calus, a fallen Cabal leader that has a flair for all things opulent and luxurious. Atop his throne perched within the mighty Leviathan, Calus spends his time testing his new Guardian "pets" by sending them through a series of difficult tasks and "games," which culminates in the recently released Menagerie.
Calus is definitely one of the coolest characters to grace the newest title, but there are some facts about the ex-leader that players may not know.
8 One Of Few Bi-Lingual Cabal
We use bi-lingual loosely here because we aren't exactly sure if Calus knows even more languages. His "ownership" of creatures aboard the Leviathan suggests that he may possibly dabble in other languages.
Regardless of his perceived vocal talents, we do know that Calus is fluent in English. In fact, he's one of three Cabal that has shown fluency in our language. Perhaps Cabal are taught multiple languages at a young age, or maybe they use their vocal talents as a tool of war, ensuring that their enemies can understand them.
7 A Place For The Warlocks
Calus has a unique relationship with the Guardians. As a Cabal, the two factions are considered "enemies," but Calus sees the powerful heroes as assets more than rivals. According to the lore imbued in the Raid Gear from The Leviathan, Calus classifies the different "classes" of Guardians as tribes.
If it were up to him, he would welcome the Warlocks into his empire with open arms, giving them working positions as warrior-scientists, technologists, and ambassadors. He clearly respects the intellect of the Warlocks.
6 His Ties To The Arms Dealer
Guardians who live and breath the Vanguard have likely come across The Arms Dealer strike at least once. This particular Earth-based mission has a team chasing down a notorious Cabal weapons-dealer named Bracus Zahn in order to put an end to his supply chain.
Although it's not spoken about in the mission, hidden game lore showcases a healthy relationship between Calus and the notorious weapon supplier. In fact, Bracus Zahn claims that Calus was his best customer.
5 Based On A Real Emperor?
Calus has quite the personality. When you first meet him, you'll come to understand why he holds the title of emperor. He's loud, proud, and speaks in a very charismatic and kingly way. There is a lot to love about the disgraced Cabal leader, and it's possible that Bungie intended to give him real-world roots.
It's said that Calus was influenced by Cyrus the Great, a Persian king known for his leadership and military prowess. According to Historian Herodotus, Cyrus the Great had some curious prophetic visions that spoke to his eventual usurping. Calus shares a similar "future-sight" with the Persian leader.
4 A Place For The Titans
Calus doesn't just share love for the Warlocks. He sees the potential and ability in each one of his beloved Guardian "tribes." Perhaps this is why he is so interested in testing them via The Menagerie. He gets a first-hand glimpse at what each class is capable of. Calus is one of the most intelligent Cabal around, which explains his former position as emperor. What he lacked in strength, he more than made up for in intelligence and military strategy.
The Titans would be happily welcomed aboard The Leviathan. Calus recognizes their strength and physicality and would place them in charge of training his vast armies. What's curious is that the Cabal also wants his warriors to be civilized. The Titans would be tasked with teaching the Cabal Militia to remain calm and refined during peace while simultaneously training them to be bloodthirsty and unforgiving during battle.
3 Calus' Rage
Speaking of future-telling, Calus had his own "somewhat prophetic event" concerning The Consul. It's said that the leader desired to end the Consul by his own weapons, which caused the frightened figure to enlist the help of Ghaul.
The brutal antagonist Ghaul would go on to overthrow Calus, forcing him from the emperor's seat. What happened next would solidify Calus' "prophecy," as The Consul would soon meet his end and the hands of Ghaul during the Red War. In a furious attempt to avoid Calus' rage, The Consul inadvertently sealed his own fate.
2 His True Intentions
Calus was the second "former enemy" to offer his assistance to the Guardians. The first was the Fallen Variks, who unlocked access to the Prison of Elders. Those that have played Forsaken will recognize another Fallen, Spider, who offers his assistance to Guardians in exchange for some business help.
Enemies "defecting" to help the Guardians is nothing new, but some players aren't convinced that Calus is as innocent as he seems. One interesting piece of evidence comes in the form of the phrase "oh champion mine." Calus has been caught speaking this line before, a phrase that was is also used by the Ahamkara and the Worm Gods, suggesting perhaps the Calus believes he "owns" the Guardians.
1 A Place For The Hunters
We'd be remiss not include the Hunters on Calus' proposed plans for world domination. Okay, so perhaps the fallen emperor isn't interested in dominating the world, but he still plans on building an expansive empire. So, where exactly do the illustrious Hunters fit into that proposed army?
According to Calus, the wily, shadow-loving Hunters would be best used as assassins, striking fear into the hearts of their enemies and destroying strategic military targets with ease. Their usefulness doesn't stop there, however; it stretches far past simply military rhetoric. Hunters would also be used to seek and amass treasures and would act as navigators, pointing the mighty Cabal fleets towards potential opportunities.
Calus definitely knows how to use each of his tools, giving the guardians a grand stage on which to shine.