Editing Ether

'''Ether''' is a white, gaseous substance that [[Fallen]] depend on to survive,<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard''</ref> and which only [[Servitors]] can currently produce.<ref name="Servitor">'''Bungie (2014-9-9)''', ''Destiny, PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Fallen#Servitor|Servitor]]''</ref> [[Ether Seeds]] may be processed Ether for later usage or storage, and Ether Drops are ether remnants.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, "The Queen wishes to know all she can about the Fallen. Collect samples of Fallen Ether from the enemy dead", [http://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/relic-harvest---fallen Relic Harvest - Fallen]''</ref>

==Overview==
Ether is apparently both a gas and a liquid,<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Allies/Legends_%26_Mysteries#Rezyl_Azzir_-_War_Without_End|Rezyl Azzir - War Without End]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2014/5/19)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[House of Wolves (expansion)|House of Wolves]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Fallen_Leadership#Kaliks_Reborn|Kaliks Reborn]]''</ref> processed from energy and matter (organic compounds, in one known case) by Servitors through an unknown process.<ref name="Servitor"/><ref>'''Bungie (2014/5/19)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[House of Wolves (expansion)|House of Wolves]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Fallen_Hunted#WANTED:_Beltrik.2C_the_Veiled|WANTED: Beltrik, the Veiled]]''</ref> It is absorbed through breathing <ref name="Fallen 3">'''Bungie (2014/5/19)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[House of Wolves (expansion)|House of Wolves]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Fallen#Ghost_Fragment:_Fallen_3|Ghost Fragment: Fallen 3]]''</ref>, and appears to run through Fallen bodies like blood.<ref>'''Bungie (2014-9-9)''', ''Destiny, PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Guardian/Classes#Ghost_Fragment:_Hunter|Ghost Fragment: Hunter]]''</ref> It can be even consumed by other beings as well.<ref>[https://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/fanatic-part-i#book-the-forsaken-prince]</ref> When there is enough in quality it fills an Eliksni with strength.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/5/19)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[House of Wolves (expansion)|House of Wolves]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Fallen_Leadership#Skolas:_Captured|Skolas: Captured]]''</ref> It is also cold.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/5/19)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[House of Wolves (expansion)|House of Wolves]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Allies/Legends_%26_Mysteries#Mystery:_The_Fate_of_Skolas|Mystery: The Fate of Skolas]]''</ref> Ether was once freely available on the Eliksni homeworld of [[Riis]]<ref name="Fallen 3"/> but is now strictly rationed according to rank.<ref>'''Bungie (2014-9-9)''', ''Destiny, PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Fallen#Captain|Captain]]''</ref> Kells hold a device called [[The Elder Cipher]], which controls how much Ether is distributed from Servitors; Archons and Barons get an exceedingly large portion while Dregs get only enough to stay alive. This rationing stunts the potential strength and size of contemporary Fallen, particularly the lower ranks.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/12/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Dark Below]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, "Kell uses Ciphers to control the Ether flow. Archons and Barons take deep draughts, grow tall. Dregs with tiny sips stay small", [http://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/the-elder-cipher-3 The Elder Cipher]''</ref> 

Beyond merely providing nourishment, Ether is hypothesized to be an "ethereal lifeblood" for the Fallen, but not a "soul" as is commonly assumed.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/12/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Dark Below]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, "The gas is no soul. An ethereal lifeblood, maybe, but a soul? I think not", [http://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/kellbreakers-gloves Kellbreaker's Gloves]''</ref> When a Fallen is killed in combat, a momentary after-image of their body composed of Ether may briefly be seen. The significance of this remains unclear.

Certain Servitors are specialized in the distribution of Ether among many Fallen crews, <ref>'''Bungie (2014/5/19)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[House of Wolves (expansion)|House of Wolves]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Fallen_Hunted#WANTED:_Ether_Runner|WANTED: Ether Runner]]''</ref> and glow when producing it<ref>'''Bungie (2016/20/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[Rise of Iron]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Fallen#Ghost_Fragment:_Fallen_5|Ghost Fragment: Fallen 5]]''</ref> They may be revered as gods to the Eliksni.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Fallen_Leadership#Sepiks_Prime|Sepiks Prime]]''</ref>

Ether is poisonous to [[Hive]]<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken (expansion)|Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Broodhold]]''</ref>, although it is possible for Hive to grow tolerant of Ether through breeding processes, as a Knight possessed Ether inside him due to experimentation by [[Hiraks, the Mindbender]].

In humans, Ether appears to have properties similar to that of a recreational drug,<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken (expansion)|Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Lore:The_Forsaken_Prince#Fanatic_.7C_Part_I|The Forsaken Prince]]''</ref> though it can lead to an unpleasant experience according to [[The Drifter (character)|the Drifter]],<ref>'''Bungie (2020/6/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of Arrivals]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description: [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/ether-ventilation Ether Ventilation]''</ref> or possibly even poisoning, though no permanent damage can occur according to [[Failsafe]].<ref>'''Bungie (2017/9/8)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Failsafe]]: [[Failsafe#Quotes|Did you know Ether exposure causes no permanent damage? Congratulations!]]''</ref>

==Enhanced Ether==
During the [[Red War]], the Fallen [[House of Dusk]] was able to utilize stolen [[Cabal]] technology and the Servitor [[Serkuleks, the Fount]] to create a modified, more effective form of Ether known as "Enhanced Ether".<ref>'''Bungie (2017/8/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard [[World Quests#European Dead Zone|World Quest: Enhance!]]''</ref> Those who took this Ether substance would become Empyrean Fallen, exhibiting several effects including increased strength and health, and the side-effect of glowing like Servitors. [[Raksil, Archon Priest]] would head this operation before being killed. The project would later be put to a complete end following the destruction of Serkuleks at the Guardian's hands.

==Dark Ether==
The [[Scorn]] thrive off of [[Dark Ether]], a disturbing, corrupted form of Ether derived from remnants of the [[Darkness]] afflicted within [[Uldren Sov]] from his experience during the [[Battle of Saturn]]. After wishing to save a dying [[Fikrul]], which is fulfilled by the [[Ahamkara]] [[Riven]], some of the Darkness within Uldren was transferred into Fikrul's lingering Ether, bringing the disgraced Fallen back from death and creating Dark Ether. 

Dark Ether is capable of resurrecting dead Fallen at the cost of severely mutating them, such as how the [[Screeb]] units of the Scorn have been warped into quadrupedal [[Thrall]]-like monstrosities. It lingers instead of dissipating like normal Ether and is described by [[Variks]] as a fog-like gas that you move through like water, heavy and opaque.

==Trivia==
*In ''[[Destiny]]'' killing Fallen with headshots causes a torrent of Ether to erupt from their heads. In ''[[Destiny 2]]'' this takes the form of a momentary, ghostly silhouette of the dead Fallen.
*Ethers are a class of organic compounds that contain an ether group—an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups. They have the general formula R–O–R′, where R and R′ represent the alkyl or aryl groups.
**Dimethyl ether is the organic compound with the formula CH₃OCH₃, simplified to C₂H₆O. The simplest ether, it is a colorless gas that is a useful precursor to other organic compounds and an aerosol propellant that is currently being demonstrated for use in a variety of fuel applications. It is an isomer of ethanol. 
*In literary, ether mean the clear sky; the upper regions of air beyond the clouds.
*In Archaic physics, ether is a very rarefied and highly elastic substance formerly believed to permeate all space, including the interstices between the particles of matter, and to be the medium whose vibrations constituted light and other electromagnetic radiation.
*In the lore of the “[https://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/a-thousand-wings A Thousand Wings]” Jumpship in Destiny 2, the Ether is called the Fallen's demiurge (Which equates to Survival).
*It's possible that the Ether is also used to power some of their machines, notably [[Shank]]s, as they are able to be buffed by [[Servitor]]s, as well as dropping Fallen Ether pick ups, and [[Ether Seeds]], if it's a [[Major]] version. Servitors can also be buffed by nearby [[Servitor]]s as well, (as well as the existence of [[Archon Servant]]s, as their main is to give away their Ether to [[Kaliks Reborn]], a massive Servitor). But it's unknown why the [[Fallen]] use Ether to power their Machines, unless it was their only solution to power their machines, a tech flaw (since the Fallen using their only thing to keep them living, substance to power their machines, which would possibly waste their Ether supply, since it's very limited), or a strategic advantage.
**This may be reinforced by the existence of the [[Hemolymph Repair Shank]], designed to aid and fix [[Fallen Walker]]s.

==List of appearances==
*''[[Destiny]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Destiny 2]]''

==References==
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{{Fallen}}

[[Category:Fallen]]