Summary
With the main story of Episode Heresy having wrapped recently and Bungie announcing the name of the next chapter forDestiny 2, all eyes are now on May 6, when the studio will hold a live stream to reveal more about The Edge of Fate. Not much is currently known about whatDestiny 2’s The Edge of Fatewill entail in terms of story, setting, and major gameplay changes, but fans do have some clues left by developers over time, such as the fact that armor will get a massive rework. Yet, a burning question remains, and that is whetherDestiny 2’s next chapter will finally give Guardians the third Darkness subclass.
A third Darkness subclass inDestiny 2has long been theorized due to in-game dialogue, various elements of environmental storytelling, lore books, the contrast between Light and Darkness subclasses and their colors, and much more. Ever since the release of Strand in Lightfall, a third Darkness subclass seemed more plausible and concrete by the day, and many fans expected it to show up in The Final Shape. Instead, the saga ended with Guardians gaining access to Prismatic, but a lot of hints towards a third Darkness subclass remain - and it would make sense for The Edge of Fate to address this.
How Destiny 2 Has Been Hinting at a Third Darkness Subclass
Even without considering all the in-game lore and possible hints at a new Darkness subclass, one of the strongest points in favor of this theory is that every element in the game tends to have its counterpart. Solar has Stasis, Void has Strand, and now there is Prismatic, leavingDestiny 2’s Arc subclasseswithout a Darkness equivalent. As such, a third subclass for Darkness seems plausible from the get-go, and this is supported in multiple ways within the game itself.
For starters, there are various occasions where the power ofNightmares inDestiny 2is mentioned as something that Guardians have yet to fully understand and master. Shadowkeep brought this concept to life with red entities being known as Nightmares, which are essentially memories and something that the infamous Nezarec may have used to gain power within the universe of the game. The color red also makes perfect sense when associated with the hypothetical third Darkness subclass, which would be the chromatic opposite of Arc. If this is the case, then it may also have the opposite themes of Arc, meaning that the gameplay loop may be about using the enemies' powers or lifeforce against them.
Destiny 2’s Episode Echoesadded several collectibles for players to find, including shapes associated with the colors of each known subclass so far, including all three Light subclasses, Stasis, Strand, and finally Prismatic. Among these collectibles is a red one that is opposite to Arc in terms of positioning, meaning there may very well be a hint hidden in plain sight about the long-rumored third Darkness subclass. Then, Osiris on Neomuna has containers for the various elements ofDestiny 2, with five of them being filled with energy that is Void, Solar, Arc, Stasis, and Strand. The sixth container may be for the red subclass or maybe even Prismatic, but this remains speculation.
Why a New Subclass Would Fit Destiny 2’s The Edge of Fate
So far, there are multiple ways in which the long-anticipated addition of the third Darkness subclass could be justified. It remains speculation for the time being, but with a problematic launch of both Echoes and Revenant, especially for the latter, it would make sense for The Edge of Fate to add an entirely new subclass for the three classes. Whether it is the chromatic and thematic opposite of Arc or even a mere continuation of years of storytelling within the game’s universe, it would fit for The Edge of Fate to capitalize on it and leave the door open for more “Light vs. Darkness” chapters or the start of a new era whereDestiny 2subclassesmay change and evolve.
