Destiny 2’s future after Episode Heresy is exciting and uncertain, with many characters coming and going in the lead up toThe Edge of Fate. The next chapter will take Guardians out beyond the boundaries of the Solar System, quite possibly with the direct assistance of The Nine. The enigmatic beings of space dust and dark matter have not been involved closely with the story in recent years, but they aren’t the only faction that needs to become relevant again.
In the years leading up toThe Final Shape, a new side of the Cabal was shown to players, one that could be counted as an ally. Prior to that expansion, there was a feeling that the story was exploring how the Vanguard was gathering new allies among previously hostile aliens, changing the relationship with factions like the Eliksni, Lucent Hive and the aforementioned Cabal. NowDestiny 2needs to bring back one of its fan-favorite alien characters, one who has a destiny of her own waiting beyond Sol.
Destiny 2 Needs to Bring Back Caiatl and Her Cabal
Introduced inSeason of the Chosen, Caiatl made an instant impression on fans of the game, with a particularly infamous meme spawned by her first cutscene. But it wasn’t all because of memes; Caiatl was a new kind of antagonist, demonstrating that the enemies of the Vanguard were not all moustache-twirling villains. In fact, a lot of the season’s story revolved around how she began as the antagonist, and then became an ally, making for one of the most well-remembered seasonal storylines.
Caiatl offered a different approach to Calus, the last prominent member of the Cabal that players had interacted with. She was tough, matter-of-fact, but willing to negotiate. Where Calus’ games were often seen as a distraction, with the exiled emperor prioritizing decadence, Caiatl showed another side of the faction, one of gray morals, desperation and regret. The story ofDestiny 2’s Duality dungeonfocused on these aspects, delving into the memories of her and her father, and the terrible pain they felt towards one another.
Caiatl’s Story Should Take Her Back to Torobatl
As Caiatl became a staunch ally of the Vanguard, more was learned about what had caused her to seek out the Solar system. When her home planet, Torobatl, was attacked byHive god Xivu Arath, the Cabal, normally masters of war, were beaten at their own game. The Cabal were left with nowhere to turn but follow in Calus’ direction, and the spectre of Xivu Arath has loomed over Caiatl’s storyline in the years since, with many players speculating that one day they might see Torobatl in the game.
Unfortunately for Caiatl, her place in the story since Season of the Haunted has been greatly diminished. While she has appeared from time to time on Neomuna and in The Pale Heart, she’s been playing a backup role, with little in the way of her own story. It was touching to see her reaction toCalus’ death inLightfall, but there wasn’t enough room given to her grieving process, and after Calus was dead, Caiatl’s relevance waned significantly.
It is this need to leave the Solar system and return home that makes Caiatl so perfect for the comingDestiny 2expansions.The Edge of Fateis going to take Guardians somewhere unfamiliar, but no one yet knows where. It is possible that Bungie will be keeping things ambiguous, even as the expansion launches, but one thing for certain is that Caiatl needs to come with the Vanguard. There is simply too much unfinished business for Caiatl back home for her to not be included in future content.
