Jalaal

Jalaal
Biographical information
Birthplace:	Distributary
Species:	Awoken
Gender:	Male
Hair color:	Black
Eye color:	White
Political and military information
Affiliation:	The City Consensus Dead Orbit
Rank:	Arach
Notable info:	Representative of Dead Orbit

"I never regret choosing the path I did. I was Awoken to continue the search we started long ago. The quest for worlds worthy of our lives."

— Jalaal

Arach Jalaal is an Awoken located within the Tower. He acts as the Consensus representative of Dead Orbit, and sells a variety of Dead Orbit-branded armor, weapons, and emblems intended for use in the Crucible.

Biography

Early Life

"Many years ago, Dead Orbit took me in. They gave me a home, they gave me a vision, they gave me the truth."

— Arach Jalaal

Jalaal was among the Awoken who left Distributary under the leadership of Mara Sov to return to Solar System and aid whatever remained of humanity. He was amongst those who opposed Mara's decision to stay hidden in the Reef due to the dangers they found, and departed for Earth, determined to help humanity find new worlds. He survived as a scavenger until eventually Dead Orbit took him in and gave him a purpose in life, after which he became convinced in their philosophy and rose through their ranks to Arach.

The Taken War

When Oryx invaded the star system aboard his Dreadnaught, Jalaal was ordered by Commander Zavala to keep Dead Orbit's fleet away from Saturn in case it was needed to defend the City. When Dead Orbit detected a signal from the Cabal being sent out of the system from the Dantalion Exodus VI, Jalaal informed Zavala, who sent a Guardian to investigate the crashed warship. While the Guardian successfully stopped the signal, they confirmed it was a distress call meant for Dominus Ghaul, Emperor of the Cabal Empire. Jalaal and Dead Orbit analyzed the message and reported to Zavala that the signal was received by its intended target. He placed all of Dead Orbit's deep space assets on alert to watch for a response to the distress signal.

A New Golden Age

Despite Dead Orbit's precautions, the Last City was taken unaware when Ghaul invaded with the Red Legion. Jalaal successfully evacuated the City during the invasion and helped the other survivors. After the City was liberated and the Traveler reawakened, Jalaal returned to the City and attended a meeting of the Consensus, which was now leaderless following the death of the Speaker during the war. Ikora Rey proposed that they create a system to chose a replacement for the Speaker, which Jalaal noted would likely take some time considering the conflicts between all the members of the Consensus. In response to Jalaal's concerns, Zavala declared that until then they would all have to work together to govern the Last City.

Jalaal later traveled to the Reef in his personal ship to request a meeting with Regent-Commander Petra Venj, but was taken off-guard when Awoken patrol ships with stealth technology halted him before his arrival to the Reef. He relayed a request for a meeting through the pilots, and reflected on how when Petra was stationed by Queen Mara Sov at the Tower she had wanted nothing more than to get back to the action and wondered if she regretted such wishes now. However, he also considered her correct in believing that space was where the true struggle was, and that if Dead Orbit had been in charge he would have had a true fleet prepared to meet Ghaul. His request for a meeting was approved, and Jalaal was surprised again when Petra met him at the transmat zone instead of an office, although he approved of her lack of theater. As they greeted each other he felt a small telekinetic pressure on his throat and wondered how strong Petra's powers were. She asked how he felt being back home, while Jalaal countered that by asking how she felt being Regent-Commander. She assured him it was temporary, and began informing him that she would be willing to provide labor and specialists for shipbuilding if Jalaal could find a safe shipyard, but he cut her off and informed Petra he was not here seeking shipwrights, but salvage rights to the debris field in orbit of Saturn caused by the destruction of the Awoken fleet by Oryx's flagship. Jalaal reassured her all the bodies Dead Orbit found would be returned to the Reef, and apologized for bringing up the matter during a time of mourning while noting that the debris did no good being left for the Fallen or to fall into Saturn's gravity well. Petra questioned if he mourned the Queen's apparent demise, being an Earthborn, and Jalaal truthfully told her that he had respected Mara but disliked how she felt entitled to the Awoken, and that he had returned from the Distributary to aid humanity in finding worlds worthy of their lives. In response, the Regent-Commander left without another word, and Jalaal watched her go as he realized she could not say what she wished to him or lie about why she would not allow the salvage mission, and was instead ignoring the choice altogether. He pitied her and reflected that Petra would never be free of Mara's influence.

Personality and traits

"Earth has had its time. Mourn it, but don't die with it."

— Jalaal

Jalaal is fatalistic, and has a dismissive opinion towards the other factions of the City. He believes that the denizens of Earth must leave the world for a new one, and that the Darkness cannot be stood against.

Quotes

Destiny

• "We'll need fighters to get us off this dying world."
• "What good will our possessions do when the Darkness returns?"
• "I pleaded with the Commander. He turned his back on me, so we must do this ourselves."
• "How can we ever leave knowing how many we have left behind?"
• "The Speaker knows the Darkness comes yet the Traveler still doesn't stir; what now?"
• "New Monarchy offers false hope. The War Cult offers despair."
• "I dreamed of the Darkness, swallowing the lights of the City block by block."
• "Children can serve Dead Orbit too. You see, little bodies can crawl in where others can't."
• "Oh it's the children I can't bear to think of. Think of their eyes when the Darkness comes."
• "The New Monarchy offers false hope. No king or queen can stand against the Darkness."
• "What good will the Traveler do when the Darkness comes. It's been silent too long."
• "A Golden Age vault, but deep in a Dead Zone."
• "Let the Executors mark us. We'll see how the ridiculous king fares when the Darkness comes."
• "One by one the stars will go dark, we must outrun this unstoppable tide."
• "If the Executors stand in our way, they will see we are not afraid to fight."
• "A younger world awaits, skies that never have been scarred by the Fallen or the Hive."
• "A whole Golden Age shipyard, but crawling with Fallen."
• "It's not for our sake, but for those who will be born on better worlds."
• "The Fleet is our hope, I don't care what the law says. Take what we need."
• "Darkness spreads across the sky, there's life, somewhere."
• "The Traveler has given all it can. Humanity's future is in our hands."
• "Are you okay there, Guardian?"
• "This Guardian seems paralyzed. I'm not sure what to do."
• "Quickly sister Flynch, strip it before anybody notices."
• "Push off, and sitting well in order smite, amidst the sounding furrows, for my purpose holds to sail beyond the sunset."

Destiny 2

• "What storms may come, we'll ride them out."
• "Are you prepared?"
• "None of us are safe here."
• "You know you are a match for Dead Orbit when you feel you belong in other places, other worlds."
• "Do you hear the stars?"
• "Do not despair."
• "Do you dream of other worlds? Dead Orbit will take you there."
• "There's time yet."
• "Inventory bills are waiting! I will be buried under all this paperwork."
• "Of course we'll win! Do Hideo and Lakshmi know anything about surviving? I have spent my whole life as a scavenger and survivor."
• "Today, we struggle to survive and rebuild under our own star."
• "Join us. We will show you victory, and then the stars."

Trivia

• Jalaal is familiar with Lord Alfred Tennyson's poetry, as he quotes three lines from Ulysses.
• Jalaal is voiced by Peter Stormare.

List of appearances

• Destiny (First appearance)
  • The Taken King
• Destiny 2
  • Forsaken