Editing Ta'aun, Hand of Oryx

{{Tabbed infobox
|title1= Taken
|content1=
{{Taken infobox
|name= Ta'aun, Hand of Oryx
|othernames= Primus Ta'aun
|image= [[File:Grimoire Primus Ta'aun.jpg|300px]]
|species= [[Cabal|Barant]] {{c|formerly}} <br> [[Taken]]
|faction= [[Skyburners]] {{c|formerly}} <br> [[Blood of Oryx]]
|rank= [[Primus]] {{c|formerly}} <br> [[Ultra]]
|class= Taken [[Colossus]]
|mission= [[Last Rites]] {{c|briefly}} <br> [[Regicide]]
|gender= Male
|weapon= {{icon|Solar}} [[Heavy Slug Thrower]]
|ability= Summon Taken <br> High Durability <br> Rapid Movement <br> {{icon|Kinetic}} Quake Attack <br> Berserk Mode
}}
|title2= Cabal
|content2=
{{Boss infobox
|nameBG=#59B1BA
|BG=#59B1BA
|sectionBG=#59B1BA
|lineBG=#59B1BA
|name= Primus Ta'aun
|othernames= Veteran of star-shaking campaigns
|image= [[File:Ta'aunprofileDominus.jpg|300px]]
|species= [[Cabal|Barant]]
|faction= [[Skyburners]]
|rank= [[Primus]] <br> [[Ultra]]
|class= [[Colossus]]
|mission= [[Enemy of My Enemy]]
|gender= Male
|weapon= {{icon|Solar}} [[Heavy Slug Thrower]] <br> {{icon|Solar}} Missile Swarms
|ability= High Durability <br> Rapid Movement <br> Immunity <br> {{icon|Kinetic}} Quake Attack
}}
}}
{{Quote|You will not need these things any more: duty, camaraderie, pride. You will not need an Emperor or a Bond Brother or any other code. You will not need anything at all. You will be your own whole purpose, a beautiful final purpose, everlasting. Cut away these useless things.|Grimoire description}}

'''Ta'aun, Hand of Oryx''', formerly known as '''Primus Ta'aun''', was the [[Primus|commander]] of the [[Cabal]] [[Skyburners]]. He was bonded with the [[Shield Brothers]] [[Valus Tlu'urn]] and [[Valus Mau'ual]] and regarded as the mightiest cabal in the Solar System at the time.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YClPCoRGeL8 '''Youtube''': Destiny The Taken King Reveal Livestream Tower Tour]</ref> Nonetheless, he was [[Taken]] in action in front of the [[The Guardian|Guardian]] and reshaped into a servant of [[Oryx, the Taken King]]. He was slain, alongside [[Baxx, Hand of Oryx]], while defending the path to the Taken King's chambers.

==Biography==
===Primus of the Skyburners===
{{Quote|I have my orders. Our report went all the way up, and the decision came all the way back.|Primus Ta'aun}}
When the [[Hive]] fleet commanded by [[Oryx, the Taken King]] was detected entering the [[Solar System|Sol System]], Ta'aun suspended all mining and recon operations on [[Phobos]] to focus on investigating the approaching threat.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Ghost Scans]]: [[Ghost scan#Phobos|PHO-FBK-6]]''</ref> When the [[Taken]] assaulted [[Fleetbase Korus]], he quickly ordered his forces to evacuate from the onslaught.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Ghost Scans]]: [[Ghost scan#Phobos|PHO-FBK-1]]''</ref> His intelligence officers filed a report on the ineffectiveness of conventional Cabal forces against the [[Guardian]]s, and suggested that the technology aboard Oryx's [[Dreadnaught]] might be co-opted by the Cabal to nullify Guardian [[Ghost]] regeneration.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire]]:[[Grimoire:Enemies|Enemies]]/[[Grimoire:Enemies/Cabal|Cabal]], [[Grimoire:Enemies/Cabal#Ghost_Fragment:_Cabal_4|Ghost Fragment: Cabal 4]]''</ref> This report was sent up the chain of command to the [[Emperor]] himself, [[Dominus Ghaul]], who ordered Ta'aun to personally board and capture the Dreadnaught by any means necessary.<ref name=GFC3>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire]]:[[Grimoire:Enemies|Enemies]]/[[Grimoire:Enemies/Cabal|Cabal]], [[Grimoire:Enemies/Cabal#Ghost_Fragment:_Cabal_3|Ghost Fragment: Cabal 3]]''</ref> 

Shortly after receiving those orders, Ta'aun commanded the defense of one of the Cabal's frontlines on [[Mars]] alongside one of his bond brothers, [[Valus Tlu'urn]]. Together, they went from bunker to bunker to encourage and bolster their soldiers and call artillery fire upon the advancing Vex. As they took cover behind a destroyed [[Interceptor]] and fired upon their foes, Tlu'urn questioned if Ta'aun intended to follow through on his orders, arguing it was madness and suicide. As he pulled his bond brother out of the line of fire of several [[Hobgoblin]]s and back into cover, Ta'aun revealed to him that Ghaul himself had approved the order, shocking Tlu'urn. As a [[Minotaur]] breached their lines, Ta'aun unloaded his [[Heavy Slug Thrower|weapon]] into it, screaming a war cry as he poured out his fears and concerns over the upcoming mission. As his legionaries cheered the machine's destruction, Tlu'urn noted that they were only scouting legions and did not have the numbers for such a mission before suggesting that they mutiny. Although the prospect of doing so appealed to Ta'aun, he felt that refusing his duty would be worse than death and refused.<ref name=GFC3/>

The [[Awoken]] armada was destroyed by the Dreadnaught's main weapon in the [[Battle of Saturn|Battle]] of [[Saturn]], but it halted the fleet's advance due to the heavy casualties inflicted. Ta'aun took this opportunity to ram his [[Cabal warship|warship]], the ''[[Dantalion Exodus VI]]'', into the Hive vessel to land his troops. Tlu'urn and [[Valus Mau'ual|Mau'ual]] both offered to join him in the battle, but out of love for them, Ta'aun refused to bring them to their deaths.<ref name=PT>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire]]:[[Grimoire:Enemies|Enemies]]/[[Grimoire:Enemies/The Taken|The Taken]], [[Grimoire:Enemies/The Taken#Primus Ta'aun|Primus Ta'aun]]''</ref> Pushing out from their crash site, Ta'aun led a unit of [[Skyburners]] into the [[Mausoleum]], seeking to secure and enter the rupture that led to the realm of Oryx. However, they were overwhelmed by the Hive and Taken before also being assaulted by a [[The Guardian|Guardian]] who had also infiltrated the Dreadnaught. As his Legionaries perished around him, Ta'aun himself was Taken by Oryx.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Enemy of My Enemy]]''</ref>

===Hand of Oryx===
{{Quote|You are Ta'aun. Primus of the Skyburners. Veteran of star-shaking campaigns. Bond brother to Tlu'urn and Mau'ual: your beloved comrades. Your faithful friends. For a while you were the mightiest Cabal soldier in the system.|The [[Darkness]] to Ta'aun as he is Taken}}
The [[Darkness]] spoke to Ta'aun during the Taking process, declaring that he was free now of his duties and would no longer be confined by his armor on hostile planets while also noting that his code and valor had not been enough. It offered him a "knife" in the shape of loneliness to cut away his bonds of duty and love to stand on his own and take a new shape.<ref name=PT/>

Now transformed into a Hand of Oryx, Ta'aun was paired with another Hand, the [[Taken Ogre]] [[Baxx, Hand of Oryx|Baxx]], and placed by Oryx to guard the Rupture that led to him. The two Taken champions were confronted by the Guardian, and despite his new shape and strength, Ta'aun was defeated and killed, freeing him of the Taken King's control and allowing them to reach and slay Oryx's physical form.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Regicide]]''</ref> However, Ta'aun's fate was unknown to his Bond Brothers. Mau'ual and Tlu'urn eventually followed his path to the Dreadnaught and threatened to detonate the Dreadnaught's power core to either avenge Ta'aun or force the Hive to surrender. This plan would fail as the Guardians who killed Ta'uan would defeat the Bond Brothers as well, bringing an end to the triumvirate of Skyburner commanders responsible for many Guardian deaths.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Shield Brothers]]''</ref>

==Personality and traits==
Ta'aun was a fearsome and dutiful soldier of the Empire.<ref name="PT"/> Despite this, he was secretly tired of the war of attrition against the Vex and despaired at the orders to attack Oryx's flagship. When it was suggested that he might mutiny against his orders, Ta'aun briefly thought of [[Valus Trau'ug]] and the [[Broken Legion]]'s rebellion before remembering their utter failure against the [[Reef]]. Despite knowing the severity of the mission, Ta'aun chose to undertake it regardless, knowing that mutiny was worse than death.<ref name=GFC3/>

Ta'aun also had immense loyalty to his Bond Brothers, Mau'ual and Tlu'urn, the three being responsible for the deaths of countless Guardians on the Martian battlefields.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire]]:[[Grimoire:Enemies|Enemies]]/[[Grimoire:Enemies/Cabal Command|Cabal Command]], [[Grimoire:Enemies/Cabal Command#Valus Tlu'urn|Valus Tlu'urn]]''</ref> When they crashed onto the Dreadnaught, Tlu'urn and Mau'ual wanted to go with him to locate Oryx, but Ta'aun insisted that he go alone out of love for them. Though this love for them and his duty to his Emperor was what ultimately led to him being Taken.<ref name="PT"/>

==Gameplay==
Primus Ta'aun is first seen in the story mission [[Enemy of My Enemy]], where he is seen leading his attack force in a battle against the [[Hive]] to get to the rupture. He tries to mow down incoming foes with his heavy weapons but becomes Taken and turns into Ta'aun, Hand of Oryx. 

In [[Last Rites]] he appears with Baxx to avenge [[Crota]] before [[Eris Morn]] teleports the Guardian away. He can be damaged but has the durability of a [[The Gorgons|Gorgon]].

Returning in [[Regicide]], he fights alongside Baxx to keep the Guardian out of the portal that leads to Oryx's altar. In battle, his Heavy Slug Thrower retains the deadly power and accuracy of those of regular Colossi, and although he cannot fire missile swarms, he can still hammer the player with long-range suppressive fire. If Baxx is killed first, Ta'aun will go "berserk" and chase the Guardian until he can either land a hit with his ground smash or is killed himself.

==Trivia==
*[[Ghost]] and [[Cayde-6]] refer to Primus Ta'aun as a "[[Centurion]]" during [[Enemy of My Enemy]], but Ta'aun is clearly a [[Colossus]] as he wields a Heavy Slug Thrower, a Cabal weapon used exclusively by Colossi. As Ta'aun, Hand of Oryx in [[Regicide]], his weapon still functions identically to a Heavy Slug Thrower despite its visibly different Hive design. "Centurion" may simply be the catch-all term for a Cabal commander, with Colossi simply being larger, more heavily-armed Centurions.
*Ta'aun's Taken Heavy Slug Thrower looks like the Dreadnaught weaponized even including the core in the middle. This may be because Ta'aun along with Baxx are the last line of defense before Oryx's throne in the mission Regicide.
*His gauntlets are very similar in appearance to the [[Thagomizers]] exotic.
*Before being Taken, Ta'aun has the same roar and grunts that a [[Taken]] Cabal boss would have.
*Ta'aun is the first and only [[Colossus|Taken Colossus]] Guardians encountered so far in the series.
*Ta'aun can be killed in Last Rites in the brief time he appears. However, this doesn't impact the story.
*Ta'aun is the first Taken enemy to use the ability of another Taken, being Baxx's Enrage ability. This trait would go on to define the [[Dire Taken]].
*Ta'aun's animations or his enrage and enraged shockwave attack are currently unique to him, with him raising his gun above his head with a roar before charging his enemy with it and slamming it down with both hands.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Destiny The Taken King Concept-Art RD01.jpg|Concept art of [[Baxx]], a [[Taken Ogre]], Ta'aun without a helmet, and a Taken [[Dreg]]
File:Conceptart taken gladiator major.jpg|Concept art of Ta'aun without his unique Slug Thrower
File:Primus Ta'aun.jpg|Primus Ta'aun, before being taken
File:Ta'aun.jpg|A frontal profile of Primus Ta'aun before being Taken
File:PrimusTa'aun.jpg|Primus Ta'aun, fighting against [[Taken Wizard]]s
File:Taken Ta'aun.jpg|A frontal profile of a Taken Ta'aun
File:Aggro Ta'aun.jpg|An enraged Ta'aun after losing his ally, [[Baxx]]
File:Ta'aun fire.jpg|Ta'aun firing his weapon while protected by a [[Taken Goblin]]

</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]]'' {{1st}}
**''[[Rise of Iron]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Destiny 2]]'' {{Mo}}

==References==
<references/>

{{Bosses|D1}}

[[Category:Enemies]]
[[Category:Barant characters]]
[[Category:Taken characters]]