Editing Hiraks, the Mindbender

{{about|the Baron|the [[Adventure]]|Target: The Mindbender}}
{{Tabbed infobox
|title1=Forsaken
|content1=
{{Boss infobox
|nameBG=#BE980D
|BG=#BE980D
|sectionBG=#BE980D
|lineBG=#BE980D
|name= The Mindbender
|othernames= Hiraks, the Brain <br> Hiraks, the Twisted <br> Hiraks, Ascendant
|image= [[File:HiraksInfobox.jpg|300px]]
|species= [[Fallen]]
|faction= [[House of Exile]] {{c|formerly}} <br> [[Scorn]]
|rank= [[Baron]] <br> [[Ultra]]
|class= [[Chieftain]]
|gender= Male
|mission= [[Target: The Mindbender]]
|weapon= {{Icon|Arc}} [[Boomer#Overview|Scorn Boomer]]
|ability= Summon [[Hive]] <br> High Durability <br> {{Icon|Void}} [[Ether Totem|Ether Shield]] <br> {{Icon|Kinetic}} Ultra Smash
}}
|title2=Revenant
|content2=
{{Boss infobox
|nameBG=#964B00
|BG=#BE980D
|sectionBG=#964B00
|lineBG=#964B00
|name= Hiraks, the Mindbender
|othernames=
|image= [[File:Hiraks Revenant.jpg|300px]]
|species= [[Fallen]]
|race= [[Scorn]]
|faction= [[Revenant Scorn]]
|rank= [[Baron]] <br> [[Ultra]]
|class= [[Chieftain]]
|gender= Male
|mission= [[Kell's Fall]]
|weapon= {{Icon|Arc}} [[Boomer#Overview|Scorn Boomer]]
|ability= Summon [[Hive]] <br> Summon Scorn<br>High Durability <br> {{Icon|Void}} [[Ether Totem|Ether Shield]] <br> {{Icon|Kinetic}} Ultra Smash
}}
}}
{{quote|Never heard of the Mindbender? Surprise. That's just how he likes it.|Cayde-6}}<ref name=GIBarons>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230309143734/https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/07/05/these-are-the-eight-barons-who-helped-kill-cayde-6-in-destiny-2-forsaken '''Game Informer''': ''These Are The Eight Barons Who Helped Kill Cayde-6 In Destiny 2: Forsaken'']</ref>

'''Hiraks, the Mindbender''' is a [[Hive]]-obsessed [[Baron]] of the [[Scorn]] and an Ascendant Eliksni.

==Biography==
As a simple [[Dreg]] of the [[House of Exile]], Hiraks was weak and timid. He eventually found himself falling into the [[Hellmouth]] on Earth's [[Moon]]. He emerged a changed Eliksni. He became obsessed with the study of the Hive and hasn't spoken a comprehensible word since his aforementioned time in the [[Hellmouth]]. Some say he learnt his ways from [[The World's Grave]] or from the shrines or even through a form of unutterable language. Only Hiraks truly knows. Years later, Hiraks found the means to become Ascendant and form his own throne world within the [[Ascendant Realm]]. He also gained a reputation for his ability to unravel his enemies' minds and take command over the Hive.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]] - [[Lore]]:[[Lore:The Lawless Frontier|The Lawless Frontier]], [[Lore:The Lawless Frontier#By Thy Tongue Be Damned|By Thy Tongue Be Damned]]''</ref>

As the mastermind of the Great Crow Heist, Hiraks trapped and converted Prince Uldren's [[Crow (title)|Crows]] with his mindbending might, using them to help engineer mistrust between the Reef and Earth. Building tension upon the already turbulent relationship the Reef and Earth shared. He was also responsible for experiments on Asteroid 128 Nemesis which resulted in the asteroid shifting between our dimension and the Ascendant realm.<ref name=GIBarons />

Before [[Cayde-6]] and his Six imprisoned him in the Prison of Elders with the other Barons he ran with, Hiraks warped the mind of a Hive brood stranded at the Tangled Shore, having taken [[In Anânh, Brood Queen]] as his consort and [[Knight]]s as his [[Hiraks's Familiar|Familiar]]s. He apparently also attempted to infuse In Anânh's Hive with copious amounts of [[Ether]] in hopes of breeding out their intolerance but only succeeded in poisoning them. He would later use a more "''copulating''" method to accomplish this.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]] - [[Broodhold]]''</ref>

[[File:Hiraks.gif|thumb|300px|Hiraks taking on his Ascendant form]]

A year after the events of the [[Red War]], [[Uldren Sov]] freed him along with the other Barons, and worked together to orchestrate a massive breakout from the [[Prison of Elders]]. After the murder of [[Cayde-6]] at Uldren's hands, Hiraks fled the scene alongside the Prince and his fellow Barons and went to the [[Tangled Shore]]. [[The Guardian]] later confronted him within the [[Hall of the Exalted]]. The Mindbender would attempt to escape into his own [[Ascendant Plane (location)|Ascendant Realm]], which he had built from Cayde's death, but he would instead be killed by the Guardian, destabilising it in the process.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]] - [[Target: The Mindbender]]''</ref>

Later he was resurrected by Fikrul, who now wielded the [[Echo of Riis]]. Alongside the Hive, he ambushed the Guardian within the [[Revenant Plane]], but was defeated by them. Fikrul ultimately resurrected him once more.<ref>'''Bungie (2024/10/8)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Episode: Revenant]] - [[Kell's Fall]]''</ref>

==Gameplay==
===Target: The Mindbender===
Hiraks mainly fights [[The Guardian]] with his [[Boomer#Overview|Scorn Boomer]], which has a faster cyclic rate and greater range than a typical Hive [[Boomer]]. The explosive [[Arc]] bolts discharged from the weapon can quickly blast through a Guardian's shield and health. He will stomp the ground at close range, knocking players back a significant distance and dealing massive damage to them in an instant. In addition, he is backed by Hive units instead of Scorn and will use [[Void]] Ether-Shields to completely negate all damage dealt to him and his reinforcements. Occasionally, he will run through a Hive portal and appear on the other side to summon more Hive backup and flank the player. The main weakness of Hiraks is his slow movement, making it possible to outmaneuver him in combat.

===Kell's Fall===
Hiraks, the Mindbender is encountered in the elubitseV location of the [[Revenant Plane]] where he appears after the Guardian approaches the Sanctum area. He will summon forth swarms of Hive units for assistance and will utilize Void Ether-Shields for shielding. During the encounter, the Guardian will receive a '''Refracting''' buff that lasts for 2 minutes and 10 seconds. When the buff expires, the Guardian will receive a '''Shattering''' debuff that will damage and eventually kill them if they continue to dwell within the plane for too long. Exiting the Revenant Plane will reset the '''Refracting''' buff.

After eliminating 1/3 of Hiraks's health, the Baron will flee to the material plane and the Guardian must fight their way through swarms of [[Thrall]]s and interact with three different braziers. The first brazier is located in a small gap in the Revenant Plane while the remaining two braziers are located in the material reality. When all the braziers are lit up, the door leading to Hiraks will open and the Guardian can resume the encounter. Upon eliminating 2/3 of his health, Hiraks will teleport away to the Sanctum area of the Revenant Plane and the Guardian must use another mirror to pursue the Mindbender. [[Araskes, the Trickster]] will possibly come to the assistance of Hiraks during the final phase. Once Hiraks is slain the encounter is complete and the Guardian can return to the physical plane.

==Trivia==
*The Mindbender is the first enemy observed working with a race they are at war with.
*He is the first Fallen ever seen to have mastered the power of the Ascendant realm and carved his own throne world from it. However, he is not the first Fallen to experiment with the Hive as [[Kovik, Splicer Priest]] infused [[SIVA]] into his [[Kovik's Monster|monster]]. 
*His past of being forced to survive amongst the Hive for years within the [[Hellmouth]] is very similar to that of [[Eris Morn]]. They both also were physically changed, with Eris having to steal an [[Acolyte]]s' eyes, while Hiraks appears to have either grown or grafted Hive-like horns onto his armor.
*Hiraks is technically the largest and tallest of the Scorn Barons, easily towering over them and even Hive [[Ogre|Ogres]], however, he only appears like this inside of his throne world.
*Hiraks could be the only Scorn Baron who doesn't speak English. However, it is unknown if the Hangman and the Rider speak English as they have only been observed growling and roaring.
*In a similar vein to [[Oryx]], whose real-world namesake is a genus of African antelope, a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyrax Hyrax] is a small African rodent-like mammal. This naming pattern may or may not be intentional on the part of the developers.

==Mindbender Gallery==
<gallery perrow=3>
HiraksAscendant.jpg|Hiraks in his throne world
HiraksAscendant2.jpg|Hiraks in his Ascendant Plane
HiraksAscendant3.jpg|Another view of Hiraks

Hiraks3.jpg|Hiraks wielding a Scorn Boomer
HiraksAscendant1.jpg|A closeup of Hiraks
Hiraks1.jpg|Hiraks, the Mindbender

Hiraks4.jpg|The Spider's hunt card of the Mindbender
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]]'' {{1st}}
**''[[Season of the Drifter]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Season of the Witch]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Episode: Revenant]]''
*''[[Destiny: Cayde's Six]]''

==References==
<references/>

{{Bosses|D2}}

[[Category:Main antagonists]]
[[Category:Enemies]]
[[Category:Scorn characters]]