Jalaal

Jalaal
Biographical information
Homeworld:	Distributary
Species:	Awoken
Gender:	Male
Hair color:	Black
Eye color:	White
Political and military information
Affiliation:	The City (formerly) Consensus (formerly) 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.

”

Arach Jalaal is an Awoken leader of Dead Orbit who represented the faction on the Consensus. Jalaal spent much of his time in the hangers of the Tower preparing for the departure of the Dead Orbit fleet while also selling a variety of Dead Orbit-branded armor, weapons, and emblems intended for use in the Crucible to Guardians aligned with them.

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 and was appointed to the Consensus.

The Taken War

"We'll keep your Guardian in mind for future pushes in the Crucible. This was excellent work. The remaining Cabal forces in our system have been severely weakened."

— Arach Jalaal's report to Commander Zavala

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. Additionally, he cooperated with the Vanguard to use the fleets sensors to run system level scans for intelligence gathering. When Dead Orbit detected a signal from the Cabal being sent out of the system from the Dantalion Exodus VI to deep space, Jalaal informed Cayde-6 and Zavala and requested to speak with The Guardian responsible for running ops against the Cabal on the Dreadnaught. He quickly briefed them on the situation and asked them to investigate the crashed warship and silence the signal.

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, but that they could only narrow down the location of the recipient to a cluster of several star systems. He placed all of Dead Orbit's deep-space assets on alert to watch for a response to the distress signal. When the Guardian returned to him, Jalaal was pleased by their work and expressed his hope that this would only be the beginning of further cooperation between Dead Orbit and the Vanguard.

A New Golden Age

"The wounds are still too fresh? I apologize. It seems a shame to leave those resources for the Fallen, or to drift into Saturn…"

— Jalaal, while attempting to negotiate salvage rights with Petra Venj

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 choose 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. At a subsequent meeting of the Consensus, Jalaal was barely able to hide his laughter at a ridiculous charge that Executor Hideo brought against the Hunter Ariadne Gris that the dragon painted on her Sparrow was meant to be a depiction of an Ahamkara.

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.

During a meeting of the Consensus, it was determined that the rogue Lightbearer known as The Drifter posed no threat to the Last City and would therefore be given a permanent lease for his Gambit activity. However, the meeting was interrupted by the Warlock Aunor Mahal of the Praxic Order, who declared that her organization believed the Drifter to be a threat due to his interactions with Taken and encouragement of Guardians to grow closer to the Darkness. Aunor warned that a historic number of Guardians had gone rogue since Gambit began, but Jalaal questioned what that even meant and noted that being rogue was fashionable now. The Warlock shot back that he would see what it meant in her report, but Jalaal and the rest of the Consensus refused to act upon her suggestion that the Drifter be executed for his actions.

Darkness Arrives

"For the time being, we will protect caravans and aid in relocation."

— Jalaal

When the Black Fleet arrived in the Sol System, Jalaal was summoned to a emergency Consensus meeting where Zavala announced that the Warmind Rasputin had been disabled by the Pyramids. Jalaal questioned if the Commander had another plan ready that might actually be effective, causing Ikora to rebuke him for his hostility and that they were there to devise a plan together. The Arach shot back that Dead Orbit had a plan but that the rest of the City had rejected it until in was now too late. Lakshmi-2 declared that all the conflict they had faced prepared them for this, Jalaal suggested mobilizing the fleet to engage the Black Fleet. Ikora doubted their weapons would hurt the Pyramids and Zavala ordered him to keep the fleet in reserve for potential evacuation. The Titan then revealed that a Hidden operative was investigating the Pyramids while assets and personnel were recalled from the locations invaded by the Pyramids. Zavala called for unity and asked each faction leader to play their part. Jalaal was requested to provide ships to assist in the fallback to the City in exchange for full access to Vanguard resources on Luna. He agreed to Zavala's request and promised aid to the evacuation caravans. Jalaal and the other faction leaders gave their consent to the measures Zavala had proposed and then departed to begin their new assignments.

While providing help to the Vanguard's operations, Jalaal also ordered his subordinates to begin preparations for Dead Orbit's departure from the Sol System. The subsequent disappearance of the celestial bodies upon which the Pyramids had landed only further confirmed his belief that the time to abandon Earth had arrived. However, he grew frustrated as many of the rank-and-file members of Dead Orbit could not keep up with his departure schedule.

The Endless Night

"Who else is committed to your little coup?"
"We have somebody in a position of influence. Someone who can ensure an orderly transfer of power."
"That person would have to be very clever indeed. For your sake. Ikora Rey is not a target to miss."

— Jalaal and Lakshmi discuss a coup against the Vanguard

As the Endless Night was engulfing the Last City, Jalaal met with Dead Orbit's head of logistics to go over the supplies needed to ensure the survival of the flotilla's populace once they evacuated Earth. Jalaal warned his subordinate that they needed more and questioned if he understood the importance of his position. As the department head left chastised, Jalaal turned to find Lakshmi and Executor Hideo inspecting Dead Orbit's crates. Hideo commented that he had not been aware of how well-funded Dead Orbit was, but Jalaal noted it was the life's work of many people and needed to be enough to re-seed humanity elsewhere. He offered to let Hideo join them, but Lakshmi interrupted and noted they were fine in the City, which was why they had come to see him.

Jalaal led his fellow Consensus members outside of the hanger and listened as they expressed their dissatisfaction with the Vanguard's handling of recent events, including the accords with Empress Caiatl and allowing the Eliksni House of Light to settle in the Last City to help deal with the Endless Night. The Arach noted he had heard her broadcasts and was unaware of how severe her feelings were regarding the Fallen before noting that the Cult was losing many members due to her increasingly radical rhetoric. The Exo dismissed any who left as free to do so and that they would be stronger without them, with a pointed glance at Dead Orbit's ships. Hideo cut in to suggest that Zavala and Ikora had not been effective since the death of the Speaker, with Lakshmi adding that new leadership was needed. Jalaal ask who they had in mind, with Hideo suggesting that Lord Saladin Forge was their first choice but too close to Zavala, while Lakshmi opined that Saint-14 was a better choice. He carefully questioned if they had additional support for a coup, and Lakshmi reassured him they had someone else high-ranking in place to help ensure a transfer of power. Jalaal warned them they had better be clever going forward as Ikora would not take a failed attempt to oust the current Vanguard lightly, but also began pondering what a change in leadership of the City would mean for Dead Orbit and his own personal power while he remained in the City.

Although the Endless Night was ended with the help of the House of Light, Jalaal's colleagues on the Consensus still committed to an attempt to remove them from the Last City while also overthrowing the Vanguard. The attempt failed horrifically, with Lakshmi attempting to use Vex technology to open a portal that would send the Eliksni to deep space but instead sparked a Vex invasion of the Botza District that left many Eliksni and citizens of the Last City dead, including Lakshmi. Knowing that the Vanguard might retaliate for not warning them of the attempted coup, Jalaal left the Last City with Dead Orbit's fleet, with Hideo and his remaining New Monarchy followers joining them to escape Ikora's wrath.

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 ones, and that the Darkness cannot be stood against. Jalaal wished to see humanity scattered amongst the galaxy so that no threat could pose a risk to all of the species at once. Despite his commitment to leaving Earth and the Last City behind, Jalaal often felt the lure of seeking more power within the City both for Dead Orbit's benefit and for his own gain. This led him to consider joining forces with his rivals Lakshmi and Hideo to overthrow the Vanguard, although he was more unsure and cautious then them regarding their chances of success.

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."
• "Dead Orbit seeks knowledge too, Warlock. What have you seen?"
• "It seems your wisdom has led you to us, Warlock."
• "Perhaps the answers you seek don't exist, Warlock. Perhaps we're not asking the right questions."
• "Your counsel is always welcome, Warlock."
• "Your strength is our strength, Titan."
• "Will you come with us to the stars, Hunter?"
• "You would like to survive, Hunter. So do we."
• "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)
  • House of Wolves (Mentioned only)
  • The Taken King
• Destiny 2
  • Curse of Osiris
  • Warmind
  • Forsaken
  • Season of Arrivals (Mentioned only)
  • Season of the Splicer (Mentioned only)