History Characters / DestinyTheCabal

* RewardedAsATraitorDeserves: The first sign Calus isn't as benevolent as he seems is when Calus annihilates the homeworlds of the Fulminator and Jarus, additionally breaking the promise he had made to the Fulminator to never touch her people again. While Calus was at least afforded the excuse of a MercyKill with Jarus's home, the Arkborn did not have the same fortune, being outright kidnapped and reduced to toys for the Guardians. [[AndIMustScream They're still conscious, by the way]].

* DropTheHammer: Takes to using a Hammer of Proving as one of her main armaments from ''Lightfall'' onward.

* LongRangFighter: Cabal forces in the original ''Destiny'' were one of two factions with absolutely zero dedicated ranged units, alongside the Vex. The sole melee focused character among their ranks was Valus Mau'ual, who used a PowerFist to fight you. ''Destiny 2'' has them move away from this trope, as while they still use primarily ranged weapons, the Red Legion brought in Gladiators and War Beasts for fighting up close and personal, which other Cabal forces continue to use.

* CameBackWrong: Is revived as a Taken during ''Season of the Deep'' by Xivu Arath, but in doing so reduces him to a mere cog in a machine and has none of the elegance from his time on the Leviathan.

* WhatMeasureIsANonBadass: InUniverse, while Mars Phalanxes have a critical battlefield role, according to the Taken: Phalanx grimoire card, many resent the fact that they seem to serve only to protect their fellow troops and don't have much in the way of offensive options. By comparison, the Red Legion's Phalanxes are far more aggressive.

* BladeOnAStick: Rull's weapon of choice was a combined arc spear and harpoon weapon. He used the former to kill Iska'al's bodyguards, while he used the latter to spear Moli Imoli and ride him until he collapsed so Rull could finish him off.

* TheCorruption: He's afflicted with the same Greed debuff as the Guardians, representing him being overcome by the power of the Leviathan. Unlike them, he can quickly transfer it to his opponents for one of his raid mechanics.

* ContraltoOfDanger: Caiatl's commanding voice is gruff and masculine, making it easy to mistake for that of a man's. Considering the other Cabal members who spoke English before her were all in the baritone territory, Caiatl's voice is ironically the one with the least depth.

* HandCannon: When he finally fights you, he does so with an up-scaled handgun...which seems pretty large in his hands.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: You don't become the ruling class of a militant society like the Cabal without some serious badass credit to back it up. Calus only ascended to Emperor in the first place due to taking down the Praetorate himself and killing most of them. Ghaul rose to his position by impressing the Emperor as a gladiator, and Umun'Arath was a WarHawk who wanted to cleanse the universe of everything that could pose a threat to their Empire.

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Up to a point. Senior Cabal officers are all extremely dangerous, but there does appear to be a maximum level of combat competence at the Valus (colonel) rank. Primuses (generals) are typically fought in solo missions, while Valuses show up as end-bosses in group activities like Strikes and public events.

* BadassBoast: The one he delivers [[spoiler:at the start of the final battle]] stands out.
-->[[spoiler:''Look upon me. [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking Dominus]] of the [[BadassArmy Red Legion]]. [[StarKilling Annihilator of suns]]. [[GalacticConqueror Razer of a thousand worlds]]. Slayer of gods and conqueror of the Light. [[PunctuatedForEmphasis I. AM. GHAUL]]. [[TagLine And I have become legend.]]'']]

* AuthorityEqualsAssKicking: The prelude to his boss fight shows him effortlessly destroying one of Calus's [[ActuallyADoomBot robot doubles]] ''by himself''.

* MrSeahorse: [[PlayedWith The children are techbically born before then]], but while female Cabal give birth like Earthly mammals, Cabal are equivalent to Earth's marsupials - and it's the ''father'' who lactates and has a pouch for his developing children before they are able to exit it. A male with his pouch currently occupied is referred to as "pregnant."

!! Emperor's Inner Circle

All that remains of the once-mighty Cabal empire, after a scheme of Savathûn, the Witch Queen, allowed the armies of Xivu Arath to strike directly at Torobatl, the empire's capital. In the face of utter defeat, Empress Caiatl rallied as many Cabal as she could and fled to the Sol system, seeking first to bolster her strength by absorbing the Red Legion's own remnants, and second to negotiate peace with the Guardians, the only force proven to be capable of withstanding the encroaching Darkness. Though the Imperial Cabal are a shadow of their old glory, they've since proven themselves to be one of the Last City's most formidable allies.