Heartwarming / Destiny 2

You are a Guardian.

Trailers

• The official reveal: The Cabal have launched a full-scale attack on the Last City and have taken control of it. Once again humanity has lost everything. Instead of letting themselves fall immediately onto the path to another Dark Age, the Guardians still prove to be the symbol of hope, especially as we see a small child and a Titan help a Hunter out of some wreckage so she can get back into the fight.
• In the cinematic trailer we see Zavala's journey as he is first resurrected as a guardian and why he's the Titan Vanguard. Zavala is killed time and time again while he helps rebuild humanity. By the end of it it's possible that hundreds of years have passed (Guardians have lived that long) and we eventually see the construction of The Last City as Zavala looks on with the crowds and a young Amanda Holliday, the people he's been protecting all this time. No matter what happened or how many times he fell, Zavala always got right back up and continued the fight because humanity was worth protecting. Though it will then go into Tear Jerker territory once you see it all destroyed soon after.
• It's nice to see that despite the dire situation, Cayde is still at least able to put on the pretense of his usual joviality, while Ikora seems pretty amused by his absolute failure of a Rousing Speech.

The Red War

• The Traveler is subdued, your Ghost loses consciousness while your Guardian collapses. As Ghaul approaches, the first thing you do is grab your Ghost and pull away underneath yourself. And after Ghaul swats you aside, knocking your Ghost off the ship, you immediately reach out to it. The fact that you try to shield your Ghost with your own body, now very vulnerable at risk of a permanent death with the Traveler's light cut off, shows that he's is more than just your conduit to the Traveler's power. He's your best friend.
• Immediately afterwards, your Guardian wakes up in two days, crippled by the fall and stumbling through a ruined canal. In the distance you can hear your ghost sounding drained but alive, calling for you. As the Guardian collapses once more, your ghost spots you, instantly rushes to your side and heals you back to full health.
• When you complete all of the adventures on Io, Asher Mir reluctantly admits that without your help he would be hopelessly behind in his research, and then fumbles for the words for a bit before abruptly telling you to leave. You can tell he wants to thank you, but, well, he's Asher Mir after all.
• During the last story mission on Titan where you're outrunning the Hive, Zavala orders Amanda Holliday to evac you out of the hot zone. Holliday is clearly uneasy about the task since she mentions beforehand that her ship is still banged up from the Red Legion attack on the city. However before she sets out, Zavala tells her to "fly fast, fly safe", to which she eagerly responds to with an affirmative and a stronger tone of confidence in her voice. When one thinks back to the young Holliday standing next to Zavala in the cinematic trailer and how her biological family is dead, it's possible that she sees Zavala as a Parental Substitute or at least someone she admires greatly. One line of reassurance from him is all she needs to get her moxie back.
• During the questline on Titan to recover the tidal generator, in the final room you get the option to choose to fight or help the Fallen Captain, Mithrax, the Forsaken, who has been one step ahead of you during the entire questline. If you kill the Knight he's fighting but don't shoot Mithrax, he'll turn toward you, gesture toward you in approval, and then teleport away and leave the power core to you. Everyone watching - Ghost, Sloane, and Zavala - are shocked that Mithrax decided the give the device to you instead of fighting over it like every other Fallen you've met. Zavala even stops to wax some philosophy over it, and the situation raises the hope that maybe there are more Fallen like Variks who can be reasoned with.
• One mission on Nessus involves groups of Fallen who were captured by the Vex for experimentation. While they do immediately turn on you when you free them (much to Failsafe's frustration), when you get to the end, it's revealed that the experiment the Vex were running on them was a Prisoner's Dilemma, offering to free some of the Fallen if they turned on their comrades. None of them did. Just because they don't owe loyalty to you doesn't mean they don't have any.
• During the final mission to retake the city, the Vanguard and Hawthorne's survivors fight side by side in order to defeat the Red Legion. When their forces get cut in half by a shield trap, Hawthorne volunteers to stay behind and save them while Zavala goes ahead to help bring down Ghaul. Zavala agrees and calls Hawthorne "Guardian" before heading out. This is especially heartwarming considering how Hawthorne doesn't have the best opinion of the Vanguard or The Last City, even going as far to compare it to a prison and Zavala believes non-guardians shouldn't be fighting the Darkness. The two are able to come to an understanding and develop a mutual respect, which also leads to Hawthorne being granted a spot in the Tower.
• The lore entry for the Xenos Vale Bond/Vanguard Armor. It's a scene with Cayde, Ikora, and Zavala all sitting in a bar.... with the player. And they have this to say:
  Zavala straightens and clears his throat. “The Vanguard will continue until we are no longer needed, but I can foresee the day when you will...” He pauses, searching your face.
  The moment drags. Cayde juts his chin forward. Ikora hides a smile, then lifts her glass to you. “When you will surpass us.”
  “Wait, what?” Cayde's chair drops heavily. He leans forward. “‘Surpass' us? I didn't agree to that! This is a ‘great job being a hero' party, not a ‘Cayde is second-best' party.”
  Ikora winks at you. “It's always been a ‘Cayde is second-best' party.”
• The Titan Firebreak Order, while regretful that they chose to flee the City instead of stay and die fighting like the Stoneborn Order, did manage to preserve the Fire Victorious, used to honor the fallen. Once the City is retaken, the Fire Victorious Ghost Shell lore explains how the Firebreak Order has recovered from it:
  Consensus Meeting 3267.56
  Zavala: "Callisto Yin. Thank you for joining us today."
  CY: "My pleasure, sir."
  Z: "You singlehandedly carried the Fire Victorious from the City as it fell, ensuring that the flames first kindled by Wei Ning so many years ago would continue to burn. For that, we thank you."
  CY: "Any of the Firebreak Order would have done as much."
  New Monarchy: "The repairs to Firebreak Plaza are almost complete. I think we may have the relighting ceremony as soon as next week."
  CY: "With all due respect, we have decided not to bring the Fire Victorious back to the City. Not in the same way."
  Future War Cult: "What do you mean?"
  CY: "One torch in one city is too small."
  Ikora Rey: "What do you propose instead?"
  CY: "Now each of our Ghosts bears embers of the Fire Victorious. Wei Ning's flames will go with us to each new battlefield."

Curse of Osiris/Warmind

• After the destruction of Argos, Planetary Core, in the 'Eater of Worlds' Raid Lair, the Leviathan starts to suck you into its engines, about to turn you into Royal Wine. Then Calus teleports your team out of the inferno and into his treasure vault while showing his thanks to you. It goes to show that Calus is one of the most caring characters in Destiny that isn't from the Tower, like Variks.
  • His invitation as a whole. He could've ordered the Cabal to kick humanity while they are down but no. Let us celebrate Ghaul's defeat with glorious gladiatorial murder!
• Failsafe's questline, "Thinking About Death", has you combing Nessus for the source of a signal from Failsafe's old captain. At one point, you encounter a Harpy... but it doesn't attack. It reveals itself to be based on the mind of Captain Jacobson, and after putting you through a Le Parkour-based trial, it leads you to Jacobson's dead body. Failsafe's reaction is tear-jerking, but Captain Jacobson's last transmission:]]
  Captain Jacobson: The machines here are closing in on me... I think they mean to study me. If anyone finds this... I would do it all... again.
• The Dawning/Christmas event is Heartwarming incarnate, as you present various gifts to the heroes of the Tower.
  • Zavala's is a Ghaul-shaped stress toy, which he gladly receives (and immediately starts using).
  • Failsafe gets a pair of earrings, which she obviously can't wear, but are still very much appreciated.
  • Ikora receives a book, which she takes with a smile.
  • Cayde gets... a Chicken-Sized Horn and Cape.
  • Banshee-44's though, may take the cake. A Bullet Locket, intricately crafted, containing artificially recreated memories of his past.
  Banshee looks like he recognises what you've brought him, but you can't be sure. There's no mistaking the gratitude in his eyes though.
• Finding and destroying all of the Memory Fragments in the Warmind expansion will reward players with... a Sparrow. A Sparrow created by the Exo Stranger, who's left it specifically for you to find.

Forsaken

• Forsaken has an interesting mini-arc in the lore concerning what happened to Mithrax after he was spared in "The Enemy of my Enemy." He decided that past all of their flaws, and what they had done to the Eliksni, humanity still deserves the Traveller above all others. Then, he leaves the House of Dusk for greener pastures... that is, the Last City, and the Guardians.
  • It gets even better! He becomes a Kell of a new House: the House of Light. The Guardian-Fallen alliance is here!
• Crossing with Tearjerker, Forsaken features the heartwarming in Cayde-6's death. After assuring the Guardian that his death isn't their fault, he asks them, "You tell Zavala and Ikora, the Vanguard is the best bet I ever lost."
  • Later, when you're recovering his stashes to repair the Ace of Spades, you find messages Cayde made to address whoever might've killed him, ranging from people he considered allies and even friends, some he had more mixed feelings about and others he outright hated. One of Cayde's messages is for Ikora, in the case that she killed him. He admits that if she ever had cause to kill him, she would've been in the right without fail, and that she was a good friend, even if he could never tell if she actually liked him or not. For what it's worth, however, as Ikora herself admits, she considered him the only person she had a healthy relationship with and considered him a friend, so the feeling was mutual. Cayde also left a message for The Young Wolf as well, saying if they had to do the deed he had no qualms about it, and tells them to take care of the Ace of Spades for him.
  • On completing the Forsaken campaign, Ikora gives you "Memory of Cayde". The kicker is the flavor text.
  "Hey... take me with you."
• The lore for the Abide the Return sword from Forsaken. An Awoken paladin comes to the Tower to request the Guardians' aid in defending the Dreaming City. Zavala's response: "The Vanguard stands with the Reef."
• If you walk up to Eva Levante post-Forsaken during the Dawning, she tries to cheer you up, saying that Cayde wouldn't want you to be sad.
• In an odd way, Asher Mir's dialogue after Cayde's death. Unlike the rest of the cast, he's not particularly upset about it (he neither knew nor liked him much); he's concerned for you. Dropping his irascibility entirely, he reminds you that both he and Cayde suffered horrific consequences from either their curiosity (for Asher) or pride (for Cayde). He tells you to keep in mind the price you will have to pay if you continue on your dark road for retribution. He really does care about his best assistant.
• Fikrul's behavior towards the other Scorn Barons; he genuinely sees the seven other Scorn as his best friends, and maybe even as a family. What's even better, some of the other Baron's dialogue hints at these feelings being returned.
• In one of the few Pet the Dog moments we've seen from Uldren, when he happened upon a mortally wounded Fikrul, he actually, no brainwashing or manipulation involved, wished he was capable of saving him. While Riven still used this as a catalyst for her plot to be free from the Dreaming City, you have to give points to him for showing genuine empathy for someone else. It doesn't stop there, though; the cinematics of Forsaken's campaign have Uldren reciprocating the respect that Fikrul gives him with no condescension whatsoever, even giving the Scorn Archon permission to leave in order to avenge the other Barons.
• The end of the Confession lore book. Calus is spending time with his most trusted Psion scribe, Match. Match, unable to take his guilt in the face of Calus’ kindness, admits that he never gave up the Psion faith, and has also been praying to the Cup instead of exclusively worshipping Calus and has thus betrayed him. Calus thinks for a short while, and states he will have to punish Match. The punishment? Calus will build a great and lavish temple onboard the Leviathan where the Psions can continue their ancestral faith, but with the stipulation they have to put in a prayer for Calus’ general well being (not to him, for him) and that’s it. That’s the punishment. A beautiful temple and religious freedom. Match’s next letter, where it would normally have his customary prayer wishing practical gifts to his ancestors (like ink, lithium, etc) has him instead praying his ancestors can know the glory of Calus. There is a reason his subjects become unshakably loyal to him and truly love him as a father even when fully aware he’s trying to hasten the end of the world.
• Outbreak Perfected's lore tab sheds some light on Mithrax's involvement in the Zero Hour mission; he left the clues behind for the Young Wolf to find, when he could have instead brought along his Hunter and Warlock companions, because he knew it would be more significant to complete the mission without his own Guardian allies. Sensing his fireteam's trepidation about the whole thing, he offers them the classic Guardian saying, "Be brave". True Companions indeed.
• Penumbra introduces the "Lumina" quest, which sees you acquiring the original Thorn, and purifying it back into its original form, Rose, before reforging the weapon anew from a tool of murder into a beacon of hope, the Lumina. Throughout the quest steps, you receive more pieces of the book Nothing Ends from Shin Malphur, which basically boils down to him being proud of your actions in both acquiring the Last Word and forging your own Thorn replica, and Passing the Torch to you.
  • One particular note in the Lore books is that Callum Sol didn't actually kill his Ghost; the whole thing was staged between himself and Shin, and he actually stabbed an already dead Ghost that was merely decked out with her shell.
• While most of the Opulent Armor lore tabs are the bleakly hilarious "predictions" of Calus' scribes, one entry shows that, to them at least, Mithrax is considered the prime candidate for Shadow of the Eliksni.
• Lumina's lore tab is just as much of a ray of hope as the weapon itself is intended to be:
  There must be meaning in my roar
  In young languages, we sketched for each other the seemings of stars and planets and the black between galaxies.

  We have devoted ourselves to listening. To the Cosmos, by crafting assemblers that can translate for us the mechanical language of Order. And to our own withins, by withstanding the howling storm until patience and humility made of chaos—if not sense, then at least peace.

  From beyond emptiness, a Gardener emerged, drawn from pseudophotons and impossible math. And our nest of colliding space dust was never the same.

  For it heard meaning in our roar.
• The main post-campaign story on the moon focuses on helping Eris banish the Nightmares of her former fireteam; by the end of it she's wearing most of the mementos you find and has made peace with her demons.
  • There's something very sweet in how the grind for that first season of Shadowkeep can be described as showing up every week to make sure Eris is okay and help her through resurgent trauma.
• While in the Dreaming City, the player can exercise some Video Game Caring Potential. Enemies will sometimes drop a "Corsair Down" item. This SOS device points you to an area of the Dreaming City, and you then search for the corsair in question. Bear in mind that not only are the areas of the Dreaming City gigantic, the quest marker for the corsair doesn't activate until you're almost next to them already. After finding the corsair's body and defeating a miniboss, you acquire the corsair's badge. Take this to the nearest outpost and you'll be rewarded with two dark fragments and a piece of blue loot. Yet some of the lines from the corsairs you give the badge to make you want to do it again:
  "I dread accepting these. I hate the finality of it. But I can't thank you enough for bringing it to me."
  "Thank you, Guardian. You're a true friend of the Awoken."
  "Thank you. I'll add this to our memorial."

Season of Dawn

• Anything and everything involving Saint-14 and the Tower, from his idle interactions where he's feeding the birds, to his comments on how the City is thriving, just hits you right in the feels.

Season of the Worthy

• Upon entering the Io bunker for the first time (which has been pre-cleared for us), Zavala confronts Rasputin, asking if it truly understands what's at stake; the Warmind replies with recordings from the "Last Days of Kraken Mare", the first place in the system to experience the Collapse. Zavala then realizes that Rasputin understands the concept of failure, and is afraid of failing to protect humanity from the Darkness a second time. This solidifies his trust in the Warmind, and he proclaims that the City will officially support Rasputin, for humanity.

Beyond Light/Season of the Hunt

• Although there are a vast majority of players who have not forgiven him for his murder of Cayde-6, there are some people who find Uldren's new identity as the Crow to be a welcome change from the Jerkass he was in the past, with some hoping he remains as friendly as he is now.
• Whenever you need to free an escaping skiff on Europa, Variks will mention that they're heading off to rendezvous with none other than Mithrax, Kell of House Light.
• The new lore tab on the Hawkmoon exotic hand cannon builds on the relationship between the Guardian and the Crow. After surviving fighting Savathûn's Taken, the two of you sit around a campfire to celebrate and get fall-down drunk together. Even the observing Savathûn is affected by the sight, being reminded of her long-ago youth with her sisters and feeling nostalgic for it.
  • Just think about the progress the Crow made since the last year's Dawning. How much better his life became once he started working with you.
• During the Hawkmoon Quest, we discover Crow's old living quarters. While going down memory lane, he makes a surprisingly mature observation about why he receives the treatment he does from other Guardians. It is enough to make your heart stir. Because Crow is not Uldren and he wants to do everything he can to help to make up for his past life's crimes.

  Crow: I'm not stupid. I know... the person I used to be, he did something terrible. I can feel it when people look into my eyes and see him. The way you looked at me when we met. I don't ever want to know him.

• With the 2020 Dawning event, you bake treats for everyone all around the game's world with an oven provided by Eva Levante. Some highlights are...
  • Making Crow, formerly Uldren Sov, making him not too popular with basically everyone, some cookies with Eva doing it purely to help him feel more welcome. Upon receiving them, he gives a warm smile and thanks you sincerely.
  • When Variks, after being racked with guilt over unknowingly being part of Cayde's death, is given some snacks, he takes them and gives you this absolutely adorable response.
    Variks: It is good to be your friend.
  • Amanda, upon being given the snacks, helps out with an Exotic ship for you.
  • Upon receiving her snacks, the perpetually scowling and depressed Eris Morn thanks you sincerely and smiles. You read that right. Eris. Smiles.
• After completing the final mission of the season and killing the High Celebrant, The Spider offers the Young Wolf their pick of any of his possessions...and the Guardian picks Crow, knowing that Spider has to honor the deal. The Young Wolf's reply when Crow asks why?
  The Young Wolf: Because, you're a Guardian.
• Subsequent visits to Crow confirm that this isn't just some Hope Spot either; Spider sent over an engineer to remove the bomb from Glint's shell, meaning The Crow is well and truly free.

Season of the Chosen

• The Season of The Chosen's Crucible Armor has lore tabs detailing Lord Shaxx's observations of Guardians using Stasis in the Crucible. But the lore for the Cinder Pinion Cover shows the A Father to His Men aspect of himself by offering to be there for those who are afraid of using Stasis
  Lord Shaxx: If the heart you fear is your own, speak to me.
• The conclusion to the Season of the Chosen's story, following the completion of the Proving Ground strike. Caiatl prepares to seal the armistice with the Vanguard, involving a symbolic spilling of blood on the battleground. When two Psion conspirators restrain Zavala's Ghost, temporarily rendering him Lightless to assassinate him, Crow jumps in the way, delaying the Psion assassin long enough for Caiatl to grab them and slam them into the ground with lethal force. Caiatl quickly assures Zavala, "I didn't order this," and demands her honor guard apprehend the other conspirator to find out who the ringleader is. Crow frees Zavala's Ghost, but the first thing Zavala does is ask if Crow's okay. When he sees Crow's unmasked face, Zavala is shocked, processing that Crow was raised from the man who killed Cayde... then extends his hand to help Crow to his feet. After being shunned by so many Guardians for what Uldren did and being effectively enslaved by The Spider, the Crow is finally on the road to acceptance.
  • In the subsequent meeting between the Young Wolf and Crow, the Awoken Guardian says that when Zavala looks at him, he sees Crow, not who he used to be. For the first time in his second life, Crow is seen not for what he did in his past life, but what he's done as a Guardian.
  • When Zavala meets with the Young Wolf, he's not happy that he's been lied to, but he understands why the Young Wolf and Osiris kept this from him, and doesn't hold it against them.
    • Zavala also reveals that Ikora had already been aware of Crow's identity, as well as Osiris and the Young Wolf's efforts to hide it, but allowed them believe they were keeping it from her. As she told Zavala, "Uldren Sov is dead". When Cayde died, Ikora was vowing the scour the Reef for Uldren's head, and was the only one who approved the Young Wolf's efforts to hunt down Uldren down. As far as Ikora is concerned, Crow and Uldren are two separate people.
• For Guardian Games 2021, Lance Reddick and Gina Torres (Zavala and Ikora, respectively) posted videos encouraging their respective classes.
• On May 7th, the 2021 Guardian Games concluded with Warlocks in third place and Titans in second. The Hunters placed first. It isn't hard to imagine their victory in the Guardian Games as a tribute to their late Vanguard commander.

Season of the Splicer

• As of Season of the Splicer, the Eliksni of the House of Light (led by Mithrax, the same Eliksni who gifted us Outbreak Perfected) resides within the Last City. While there are a lot of bumps still in the road to come, these Eliksni are now citizens of the same city the Guardians are. If that doesn't warm your heart, the Eliksni hatchlings (or "Smallen") will.
  • Drifter, of all people, gets one of these concerning the House of Light: he sees a bunch of Eliksni getting harassed by a crowd of people in a bar, so he casually walks over to the Eliksni and defuses the situation. Special note to him pulling up a chair and playing cards with them afterwards.
• During the otherwise-oppressive Last City Override, climbing one of the buildings reveals a friendly Harpy similar to the one with Captain Jacobson's memories and the one running the test of strength on Europa. At first, one might wonder what it's doing in the middle of an invasion, especially since the Taken are influencing it, but getting closer causes it to emit a series of tones. Tones that translate to one word in Morse code: "ASSISTANT." Though the egocentric scientist may no longer be Awoken, the fact that Asher Mir is here at all and still recognizes you is itself a triumph over the Darkness in such a bleak time.
• Also during the Last City Override, Mithrax and Saint are talking to each other over comms as the Guardians scramble to contain the invading Vex. Saint tells Mithrax that he's on his way to aid House Light, and Mithrax tells him to go help his own people. Saint's response?
  Saint-14: You are my people!
  • And once the Override is finished, Mithrax and Saint are shown standing shoulder to shoulder in defense of the Eliksni. They're outnumbered and outgunned, and they're prepared to die fighting. Then a Nova Bomb detonates in front of them, obliterating the advancing Vex. Ikora Rey has arrived, and with her are Zavala and Amanda Holliday. The leaders of the Last City have come to the defense of its newest citizens. At the end of the cutscene, Ikora proclaims that House Light has earned its place in the City, and that their dead will be buried with honor, alongside the other victims of the attack. Meanwhile, Saint vows that he will make this story more famous than the Twilight Gap. A new day is dawning, for both the people of the Last City and the Eliksni of House Light.

Season of the Lost

• While there's plenty of mixed feelings in Season of the Lost, completing Astral Alignment has a chance for Mara to tell Crow she could show him the Distributary for real; something she's never done for a Guardian. This, plus the small slip of emotion, shows that while Mara may consider Crow yet another Awoken-turned-Guardian by the Traveler, he's still her brother Uldren.
  • Which also has an element of heartbreak to it: Mara has literally no idea how to connect to Crow. All she ever sees him as is Uldren; who (literally and figuratively) is long dead. She paid him little heed in life, and only now has realized who she lost.
• The last entry in the Ripples lorebook VIII - Correspondance is more or less a letter from Mara to Crow. Her conversations with Savathun and Ikora have had more impact than it seems as she admits to her own failings, specifically her failure to recognize Crow for who he is. While she finds his habit of being "unrepentantly [himself]" to be a bit aggravating, she nonetheless loves him and tells him he's welcome in the Reef if he wants someplace to stay or wants tea.
  Mara: I am here if you decide to come home.

The Witch Queen/Season of the Risen

• Season of the Risen starts out with Caiatl giving the Player Character a chewing out for engaging her forces on Mars. The first thing your Ghost says in answer?
  "Our condolences, Empress. Your people fought and died with honour."
• In the Lightblade strike there’s a magnificent statue of Oryx fighting Akka, Worm God of Secrets. Every other statue in her throne world is of herself, and the only other Darkness related statue was destroyed. But Savathun, in her own warped way, keeps this memorial of her sibling. Even Evil Has Loved Ones, indeed.
  • Bonus points for two things:
    • Savathun has stated that her throne world is a reflection of her own mind.
    • The memorial of Oryx is the only temple that is both guarded and in really good condition.
• As twisted as her plan might have been, Savathûn seemed to genuinely want to keep the Traveler safe. Savathûn's Worm, during the Of Queens and Worms quest, states that Savathûn deceived the Witness during the Collapse, which is one of the reasons why the Traveler- and by extension, humanity- survived at all.
• After having spent the entirety of Year 4 as an unhinged Knight Templar who saw enemies of the Light everywhere, Shayura is finally convinced to surrender herself to the Vanguard by her former fire team, suggesting that she will finally get the help she desperately needs.

Season of the Haunted

• At the end of Sever - Shame, Crow confronts the Nightmare of Uldren Sov but finds himself unable to face his inner demons. Eris is nothing but understanding, and tells him that retreat is not weakness, giving him advice to breathe, and suggests trying again, in time. Crow looks directly at the Guardian and apologizes for letting them down. You then visit him in the HELM to check up on him.
• The first chapter for the Voices Of The Haunted lorebook has Crow and Eris bonding over a campfire in the EDZ woods. Eris points out that after the Light was cut off during the Red War, the Shard of the Traveler was able to grant some of the Guardians their Light back. Then, she teaches him how to keep the campfire going without getting more wood. When the fire finally dies, before heading off to find more wood, Crow asks Eris if she ever tried to get her Light back. She replies in the negative, and Crow decides to help her:
  Eris stands next to Crow; he clasps her palm and ignites a Golden Gun between their hands. Solar flame dances across Eris's fingers. Crow guides her arm and lifts the gun to the sky. He inhales sharply and howls before cracking a shot through the clouds.
  "You're up, Hunter."
  Eris depresses the trigger, slowly, doubtful that it would fire. A second Solar streak pierces the atmosphere. Crow laughs. They send round after round skyward, howling pent tension into the night until finally, even Eris finds herself smiling.
• The end of Sever - Reconciliation. After the Guardian kills the Nightmare of the Fanatic again, Crow admits that he's scared that his nature will turn him against his allies. Then he grasps the Nightmare's hand, and the Nightmare turns into a Memory, and he vows to learn from Uldren's mistakes. The Memory of Uldren asks Crow to learn from his triumphs, too. Crow agrees, and the Memory of Uldren fades. It's a very touching moment.
• After a Nightmare Containment public event completion, the Nightmare of Safiyah asks Zavala if he uses the Guardians to prove his loyalty, and asks how many he's sacrificed to prove his faith. Caiaitl is having none of it:
  Caiaitl: "Be quiet, you dead-eyed creature! I will not let you speak to him so!"
  Zavala: That is not necessary."
  Caiaitl: "I would stay any knife aimed at your throat. Would you have me step aside and let it find it's mark?"
  Zavala: "No, I- Thank you, Caiatl. I'm sorry."
  Caiatl: "No apologies, Commander. We need not tend our open wounds alone."
• It's a small moment, but the Week 3 audio log with Zavala and Amanda has the latter mention how she regrets raging at Crow at the start of the season, stating he deserved none of it.
• This dialogue after Nightmare Containment:
  Caiaitl: "Zavala. Those instruments you presented to the Crown. What were they?"
  Zavala: "Knitting needles. Do the Cabal not practice a similar craft?"
  Caiaitl: "I know what needles are. But what is "knitting"?"
  Zavala: "I'll show you."

Season of Plunder

• In Week 3, Drifter takes one of the relics to Eris Morn, ostensibly so she could study them for him, but admitting, "I thought to myself, you know who might like something strange and unsettling? Eris Morn." As she describes how the Dark energies in the relic flows, in typical Eris fashion, Drifter is clearly enjoying the shivers she gives him. The last couplet feels almost flirtatious.
  Drifter: Ooh! I like listenin' to you talk.
  Eris: And I enjoy your silence.
• After the Week 6 mission, we're treated to a conversation between Eido and the Drifter. Eido brings up the fact that her father hid his own past from his own daughter, feeling that Misraaks was treating her as if he was a hatchling. Drifter's response is as follows: "Can't really blame him for not wanting to discuss it. Shame's a hard thing to shake. Harder if you have to share it." When Eido asks him if he's telling her to forgive her father, Drifter simply responds that it's her decision to make.
• In the Epilogue, with the Eliksni Quarter thriving thanks to the donations made by the Guardian, Mithrax is finally able to make the breakthrough he was seeking with the relics, converting Nezarec's lingering Darkness into a benign solution; one that Saint brings to the comatose Osiris. After two years of being locked up by the Witch Queen and spending nearly half of that in a deep slumber, Osiris finally reawakens once more, with his beloved Saint being the first person he sees as the two share a kiss.
  Saint-14: "That was all. And that was enough."

Season of the Seraph

• Most of the seasonal armour's lore shows how broken of a man Osiris has become. Ikora believes him to be compromised, and a Hidden agent is actively tailing him everywhere. But the last entry has Saint offering Osiris some comfort:

"Why are you so angry?" Saint asks, his voice gentle and reassuring. It isn't so much a question as it is an exercise.
"I'm afraid," Osiris whispers into Saint's palm. "That Ikora is right. That I—That I'm—" It takes time for Osiris to make his fear real with words, but Saint gives it to him.
"…That I'm broken."
Saint pulls Osiris to his chest in a firm embrace, then presses a kiss to the top of his head. "You are not a teacup," he says into the shorter man's hair. "People do not break, and you are not broken." Osiris rests his forehead against Saint's chest, at once feeling humbled and secure.
The embrace lingers for as long as Osiris needs it, and when he finally does lean back enough to look up into Saint's eyes, he asks, "Then what am I?"
To which Saint simply replies, "You are enough."

• After Ana deletes Clovis from the Experimental Exo Frame and Rasputin takes his place, she leaves, saying she needs a minute. The first thing Rasputin does after starting a self-diagnostic? He asks us to call her on the holoprojector, stating that she shouldn't be alone.
  • During the aforementioned call, Ana tells us that Rasputin having a way to communicate is all she ever wanted for him.
• The end of the season sees the Traveler leave Earth behind as if to save itself, only for it to suddenly stop after the Warsat Network goes down. Keep in mind, this happens seconds after Ana initiates AURORA SACRIFICE—a protocol designed to destroy Rasputin and everything connected to him. Rasputin has no qualms about what happens to him, and even leaves behind a heartfelt message for the Young Wolf after the mission is over. The fact that the Traveler stopped its escape as if in response to Rasputin's sacrifice brings to mind the words spoken by the Speaker during his time with Ghaul. The Witness is wrong in that the Traveler has nowhere to go; it's stopped running.
  • There's another interpretation of the Traveler's brief departure, and it's heartwarming in its own way. Before we begin the Final Dawn mission, Rasputin warns us that if Eramis fired the Warsats, the resulting devastation would be incalculable. By rising so far above the Earth, the Traveler was minimizing the damage its destruction would cause to the Last City. In other words, it wasn't running, but moving Humanity out of the Warsats' line of fire. Even in the face of certain doom, the Traveler was doing everything in its power to safeguard those under its watch.
• Though it might be purely coincidental on Bungie’s part, Season of the Seraph’s finale was released on Valentine’s Day. Fittingly enough, the final cutscene shows us many different displays of love across the majority of the season’s focal cast: Ana’s love for Rasputin, and the love Rasputin had for her and humanity in turn to be willing to sacrifice himself so they could live; the love that Elsie has for Ana, gently comforting her after Rasputin’s death; the twisted love Eramis has for Riis and her people, where she’s willing to ground the Traveler in revenge for the Whirlwind; and the love humanity has had for the Traveler for centuries, which it reciprocates as it chooses to stay and stand its ground against the Witness. Though not a focal theme, love has been at the core of Destiny for a little over eight years, and it’s in humanity’s darkest hour that it gets to shine the most.

Lightfall/Season of Defiance

• During the "As Light Falls" Vi Doc, we're treated to a glimpse of Season of Defiance that starts with Amanda Holiday shotgunning a Cabal Legionary in the face, then helping Crow to his feet. It's safe to assume that she's forgiven him by now.
• With the Traveler no longer visible in the sky above the Last City, something else takes its place - namely, a massive fleet of ships, consisting of Awoken ships and carriers from Caiatl's fleet. As well, the spot next to Zavala where a piece of debris slammed into the foundation back in Worthy has been replaced with a large tree to symbolize fellowship between humanity, Caiatl's Imperial Cabal, and the House of Light.
  • Speaking of, there are a lot more new faces around the Tower. Specifically members of the Queen's Guard, the Imperial Cabal, and the House of Light, all mingling with civilians of the Last City. After years of uneasy alliances, it's very heartwarming to see that even as things look dire, humanity is no longer alone - they have other forces joining them to lend their aid.
• Mixed with Tearjerker, later in the Lightfall campaign, Osiris reflexively asks Sagira to do something for him, and reaches to have her manifest... but cuts himself short, remembering that she's gone. A Pouka floats over his outstretched hand instead. While sad, it's still nice to know that Sagira still holds a place in Osiris' heart.
  • There's also something to consider with how poukas actually work. They're driven to communicate with and help others by projecting their memories, meaning Osiris may have actually hallucinated a similar moment from his past when the pouka flew by. The castaway juvenile from Pluto had helped Elsie master Stasis previously, so it's only fitting in the context of Strand that the species would have an interest in Osiris.

Season of the Deep

• As usual, Zavala reminds many players that he is A Father to His Men. The second he learns Sloane is alive, he orders Saint-14, the Young Wolf, and Lord Saladin to head to Titan to go on a rescue mission. Not even the prospect of being crushed by Titan's methane sea pressure will stop him from saving one of his Guardians.
• Zavala isn't the only one to show concern for Sloane. When Drifter sees her Taken corruption, he displays none of his usual snarkiness and gently tells her they're here to bring her home and get her help.
• The memory collectibles found in "Ghosts of the Deep" show that for as menacing and terrifying as Xivu Arath is, she's not without some redeeming qualities. Throughout the memories, you hear how fondly she speaks of Oryx and how he's always been her guide through even the darkest times. The fourth memory shows her reaction to Oryx's death, furious and on the verge of tears. The final memory has her declare her intent to uphold Oryx's legacy and to prove he was in the right.
• Partway through Week 2, Zavala meets with the Guardian on their way to visit Ahsa. As the Commander voices his concerns and anxieties over what the leviathan has to share, Saint-14 steps out of the portal in the H.E.L.M. After a brief moment of friendly bantering from Saint, the legendary Titan immediately catches that something is eating away at Zavala and offers him some genuine advice, not only believing that Sloane is strong and she can get through her current affliction, but also stating his belief that Zavala is a much stronger Titan Vanguard and a greater symbol of hope than he ever was even without being on the battlefield. After Saint leaves, Zavala is left noticeably moved and with renewed confidence.
• Saint-14 confronts Saladin in the radio transmission of Week 2, demanding to know why his messages to Sloane are being blocked. Saladin states that he's trying to keep Saint from overwhelming the already-stressed Sloane with his repeated attempts to support her, and Saint retorts that Saladin never asked her if she wanted that. In the end, both reconcile, recognizing that they both want the same thing, and agreeing to dial it back for Sloane's sake.
  • Saint in general proves to be incredibly heartwarming. Even though Sloane brushes him off, it's clear that he's trying his hardest to provide support for her, even if she can't or won't admit it. The big lug's heart is squarely in the right place, even if he kind of bungles it.

Season of the Witch

• Even after Eris' transformation into a Hive, Ikora remains steadfast in her belief in her friend and in Eris' wish to protect humanity from the Hive. As always, Ikora chooses to place her trust in Eris and accepts her without fear, however she may appear. Her only focus is on defeating Xivu as quickly as possible so Eris can be freed from her burden quickly to prevent the Deep from consuming her forever.
• It's a small moment, but during her ritual to become a Hive God, Eris looks directly The Young Wolf and tells them it's going to be ok then gives them the means to finish the ritual. Eris has been enigmatic at times. But she's been with us since Crota, was our main ally against Oryx, helped us with our foray into darkness, and so many other things. We care about Eris. And we just lost Amanda. So seeing Eris comfort us in a moment of doubt is something truly heartfelt.
  Eris:"Do not be afraid, bear witness to my Sublimation."
• Many people in the City have cast doubts to Eris' transformation. The Drifter, who Eris has been building a friendship with since Arrivals, isn't one of them. In the lore tab for "Kept Confidence", it's explicitly stated that he trusts Eris with what she's doing. In the second week of the story, Drifter tells Eris that he'll be there when she's on the other side of this, to which she answers "As will I. Trust."
• In the fourth week of the season, we find out that Ahsa is the worm who has granted Eris her power. Reading the lore entry for the week tells us that Ahsa heard Eris invoke her name during the ritual, and saw that Eris wasn't doing it out of a hunger for power, but because she was willing to lose everything if it meant stopping the Witness. Ahsa granted Eris her power, and noted that "this must be what the Guardians call "fate"."
• The lore for the 2023 Festival of the Lost grenade launcher, Acosmic, proves that even with the potential end of the universe on the horizon, people are still willing to celebrate.
  • Everyone is taking part in the celebrations, with Fallen weavers selling their wares alongside humans with pottery. A Bracus is mentioned as roasting meat over a spit, with war beasts licking up the fat like hungry dogs. Reef born Awoken enjoy snacks and share jokes. We even get a note that human and Eliksni children are playing together. After all the tenseness of the last two years, it's refreshing to see everyone getting along.
  • Sloan has finally returned to the city, apparently to enjoy Ramen with Zavala like she promised she would.
  • Aisha and Shayura are waiting when Sloane arrives, and have pulled up a seat for her and Reed-7. While he may be gone, he will not be forgotten.

Season of the Wish

• In the Warlord's Ruin dungeon, Petra and Crow are heard having an earnest heart-to-heart talk that shows their relationship is on the mend. Crow even apologizes to Petra for the grief he gave her during Season of the Lost as well as Uldren's own actions in Forsaken. Petra tells him he doesn't need to apologize as she knows his actions weren't entirely his own.
• In the same dungeon, repeat runs uncover the true motives of the Ahamkara magic radiating from the castle and its user Hefnd. It turns out that he wasn't intentionally trying to hurt anyone innocent when he created the Scorn and Taken within — rather, he did it in the name of the only person who ever showed him kindness, the benevolent Warlord Naeem, and her final wish to curse the House of Kings for terrorizing her home. It took centuries of waiting and Riven's curses for him to create a suitable invocation, but that alone shows how much Naeem meant to Hefnd and that even creatures as vicious and deceitful as the Ahamkara have the capacity to feel the same emotions humans do.
• Week 4 reveals that Hefnd wasn’t the only Ahamkara to have realized kindness. In this Week, the story of Taranis, Riven’s mate, is revealed. Taranis, unlike his fellow Ahamkara, wasn’t a Jackass Genie. He had a sense of morality, and fulfilled wishes exactly as they were requested of him. He stuck to his word, not twisting wishes for the sake of power. Even more impressive, it was his morality that drew Riven to become close to him. He in turn was amazed by her power and the two fell in love. Riven admits that Taranis didn’t just offer her love - he offered her freedom, a freedom from twisting wishes for sustenance. He offered Riven peace. Sadly, this would end in tragedy, due to the Great Ahamkara Hunt. As a result of the Hunt, which led to his mate’s imprisonment, and her later corruption in her desire for revenge, Taranis made a wish for himself to scatter Riven’s eggs across the Ley Lines. In granting a wish for himself however, Taranis killed himself. His final action was to protect his children, scattering them in the hopes that someone would emerge who could save them. Even bigger, he left behind, upon his skeleton, the Wish-Keeper Exotic Bow, a final memento to help the one who would save his family. At the end of “Starcrossed”, he has a final parting with Riven, telling her how much he loved being with her.
  Taranis: "It was good to dance with you, O beloved mine. One last time."
  • Riven of all people gets a moment of this herself, sincerely telling the Guardian to put her beloved’s final gift to good use, to grant his “last wish”.
• The lore for the Gloaming Journeyer sparrow has Drifter and Eris sharing a moment as the time to breach the Witness' portal inches closer and closer. Eris, haunted by the fact that the people closest to her are inching further and further toward a grisly end, can only lament how the purported end of all things may soon be right at their doorstep, and that victory may very well not be certain. What does Drifter do? He gets up from his seat, walks up to Eris, and gives her a warm hug, before reassuring her that though Ikora, Mara and the rest of her friends are willing to face the threat of the Witness head-on, he's going to stay by her no matter what; a far cry from the selfish person Drifter started out as, as he's finally found something worth living for.
  Eris: No more schemes to leave Sol?
  Drifter: Nah. I'd miss the moonlight.

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