The shared interest between Bungie and Sony to develop movies grounded in the Destiny universe has a lot of potential in the coming years. Destiny 2’s status as a live-service game will keep its current narrative running at least up to the Final Shape expansion, and there’s already a lot of different content to work with. This makes Destiny a veritable gold mine to pull from, with different nooks and crannies of the series' universe being great focuses for any future movies. Even some of the most prominent stories in Destiny could benefit from feature-length films because of either their scope or importance to the overarching narrative and its struggle between the Light and Darkness.
Many of these stories happen before the first Destiny game’s campaign, offering glimpses into the universe prior to the resurrection of the player’s character by their Ghost. Some even predate humanity’s collapse, while others come about as the Vanguard began its expansion and exploration into the surrounding solar system. All the stories available to use, however, would offer a deeper understanding of the Destiny universe, focusing on a particular character or series of events that predate the first game.
Eris Morn and the first Crota Fireteam
Eris Morn’s backstory, for example, would be great to focus on when it comes to fleshing out her character’s history as well as seeing Crota, Son of Oryx in all his glory. While the Ascendant Hive Prince that corrupted the Moon has long been dead in the Destiny universe, the ripple effect of his arrival on Luna has played a significant role even into Destiny 2’s The Witch Queen expansion. His legions in the Blood of Oryx brood killed countless Guardians as the Vanguard tried to reclaim the Moon, leaving Eris Morn as a Lightless Guardian and Toland in a rather twisted existence. Crota and Oryx’s survivors on the Moon also played a key role in Savathun’s plan, keeping the Vanguard’s watchful eye focused on the Scarlet Keep and leading to their destruction.
Developing the story of Crota’s campaign of death and the raid team that featured Eris Morn and her compatriots into a film could highlight one of the deadliest campaigns the Tower has been involved in. Many Guardians were lost and it’s a time that is understood as one of the most gruesome in humanity’s history as notable Vanguard members Eriana-3, Sai Mota, and Vell Tarlowe all perished during their venture deep within the Hellmouth, which played into the Crota's End raid in Destiny.
Exploring this time could build on the backstories of these peripheral characters as members of the first Crota Fireteam. While Eris Morn, Toland, and Omar Agah were all able to survive in some way, those they were close with were lost. The stories of their relationships and how the fireteam came to be have been told through many of the lore tabs spread across Destiny 2’s seasons and expansions, but adapting them into a film could add to their prominence. A lot of the game's story revolves around loss, whether it be Osiris' uncertain fate in Destiny 2 or the death of Cayde-6, with the series most touching moments often dealing with the effects of grief and love.
The Eliksni
These same motifs could also be applied to the story of the Eliksni in Destiny 2 and how their species came to be known as the Fallen. Before humanity’s introduction to the Light and the Traveler, the Eliksni had been blessed by its presence, pondering the paracausal space orb and using its gifts for incredible advancements. Much like with humanity’s Collapse, however, the Eliksni experienced an event that came to be known as the Whirlwind. The Traveler left their civilization and they were forced to flee into the cosmos in pursuit while trying to evade Oryx and the Hive, a circumstance that could work well in future Destiny multimedia projects.
Eventually, the Eliksni arrived in the solar system and found the Traveler just after humanity’s Collapse. This sparked tensions between the two races, and while Mithrax and the House of Light made progress in Season of the Splicer, when it comes to repairing the two’s relationship there’s still a lot of healing that needs to be done. What exactly happened with the Eliksni leading up to the Whirlwind and their time wandering space is still very vague.
Generations of the species have been born in the vacuum of space, and their survival against all odds says a lot about the Eliksni’s resilience. Exploring these times to better lay the foundation of the Eliksni would offer more depth to their characters. The Eliksni community’s view of Saint 14 has already caused some fans to reflect on the greater story in Destiny 2, but diving deeper into their history could help to paint them as more complex individuals. Considering what fans do know about the past, there’s still a lot to learn - especially as the Eliksni become closer allies.
The Exo Stranger
The overall story of the Eliksni could also help fans to better understand the role Light and Darkness play in the universe. While the ‘game’ that the two engage in has been touched upon in lore tabs, their greater goals and nature are complex. Trying to exist in a universe at the will of omniscient and omnipotent can be a difficult task and is one that connects many of Destiny’s characters, including Savathun, the Witch Queen.
The Stranger, Elsie Bray, is a great example of this. According to her and based on what has been revealed to fans, she’s stuck in a time loop in a never-ending battle aimed at defeating the Darkness and preventing the Dark Future. A lot of material surrounding the timeline was included in the Beyond Light expansion, but assuming that it’s not the future currently intended for Destiny 2, it’s still gone unillustrated. Exploring Elsie’s journeys through the time loop could be a significant way to not only build on her character but also provide a better understanding of the inner workings of the Destiny universe.
Some outliers like the Vex exist, but as a whole each side moves its mechanisms, hoping to gain control. Elsie appears to be in the middle, making her a key character, yet much of her story falls outside the events shown in-game. Using the possible Destiny movies to build on Elsie and show fans her life would highlight the importance of her character and also help players visualize the fate they’re fighting to avoid in Destiny 2.
Destiny 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
