Ulan-Tan

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Ulan-Tan
Biographical information

Other name(s):

Heretic Saint

Species:

Human

Gender:

Male

Political and military information

Affiliation:

Vanguard
Symmetry

Rank:

Guardian

Class:

Warlock

Notable info:

Philosopher who theorised about the symmetrical nature of Light and Darkness

 

"Therefore, I conclude: the reason you persecute me is not because of the symmetry. It's because of the truth beyond the truth, the truth which you must dread: if we could destroy the darkness, but we had to give up our Light to do so, how many of us would make that trade?"
— Ulan-Tan[1]

Ulan-Tan was a controversial Warlock whose teachings formed the core doctrine of the Guardian faction known as the Symmetry.[2][3]

Biography[edit]

"I hear you describe him as he must have been in life. His bright face. His shining bond. Every tile he stepped on turned to gold, and everyone sang his praises in the streets. Jackals! He was threadbare and haggard! He was mocked for his meandering rants! You've dug up his grave to chew on his bones; you've twisted his words into something false."
— Bond of Reciprocity[3]

Ulan-Tan was viewed by the Vanguard as a troublemaker with dangerous ideas that inspired too much fear.[2] This was in some part due to the publication of a pamphlet published anonymously but widely attributed to Ulan-Tan, titled "Finding Light in the Darkness". The pamphlet described the Light requiring the Darkness to exist and therefore for Guardians to embrace the Darkness as well as their Light. Additionally, it was his rejection of the Light and the Darkness being tied to moral absolutes, which meant he also insinuated that, in some cases, the Light could represent evil and the Darkness, good.[4]

Ulan-Tan died at some point before the disbanding of the Concordat,[2] and was interred with a legendary burial ring.[5] According to various records, he started being considered a heretic only after his death.[2][3]

A grove on the Jovian moon Io is named after Ulan-Tan.

Ulan-Tan's Teachings[edit]

"The Light alters us, yet all that we do with our Light alters the Light. Thus, there is symmetry."
— Ulan-Tan[6]

Ulan-Tan's thesis covers several points, including:

  • The nature of the Darkness. There is a necessary symmetry between the Light and the Darkness. Each balances the other on a cosmic scale and therefore must co-exist.[7]
  • The Traveler sacrificed itself to stop the Darkness and save humanity, therefore humanity must return that good will by healing the Traveler.[7][8]
  • The Traveler's sacrifice and subsequent inactivity was due to the fact that the Light and Darkness are connected, and the Witness had disrupted the balance between them; thus the Traveler had to put great effort into equalling the Darkness with its Light.[8]
  • He also theorized that all Light is interconnected across space and time,[9] and that Sunsingers are proof of that.[10] Ikora Rey believed this theory was supported by the Hive's use of a shard of the Traveler to remotely leech its Light.[11] By definition of the symmetry, this means that the Darkness must also be connected across time and space.

Ulan-Tan, Heretic Saint[edit]

"If we claim Knowledge from Sister Light, then we must also claim Knowledge from Brother Dark. The Traveler shares only half of Life. Darkness provides the rest! We must know the Dark to know ourselves. We must Balance or Perish!"
— "Finding Light in the Darkness"

According to "Ulan-Tan, Heretic Saint", the idea of embracing the Darkness, even to learn from it, was the final provocation. One that the Vanguard could not let stand. So, while the true provenance of the "Finding Light in the Darkness" pamphlet remains unknown, punishment was meted out against Ulan-Tan for having "let the cat out of the bag." Though authorities throughout the system attempted to discredit Ulan-Tan, essentially forcing him into hermitage for the latter half of his life, it speaks to the persuasiveness of his ideas that Symmetry is still a widely studied philosophy."[12]

The book goes on to state that Ulan-Tan's teachings provoked a dangerous idea that the war between Light and Dark was entirely unwinnable. However, if their use of the Light simply prompted the spontaneous generation of Darkness somewhere else in the universe, then their military efforts were inherently futile. They were simply propagating an eternal stalemate at the expense of their own pain and suffering. In short, Ulan-Tan's biggest sin was telling a ruling warrior class that their war was unwinnable."[13]

Legacy[edit]

"Ulan-Tan was right."
— Shadestalker Helm/Hood/Mask

Ikora Rey expressed the belief that Ulan-Tan's theses had been justly considered alarming at the time they had been formulated, even if with the benefit of hindsight, they turned out to have been mostly correct. Acknowledging that the Darkness was undefeatable and bound to exist forever would have required a systemic change in the understanding of the two paracausal forces, something she believed had been unthinkable in the early City Age.[14]

Ulan-Tan's teachings became more important as the Vanguard learned of the Guardian using Darkness in defense of the Last City and eventually Savathûn's acquisition of the Light. They would follow the teachings of the Symmetry during the War against the Witness and the Guardian would apply it to their discovery of Prismatic, which allowed them to wield Light and Darkness simultaneously in their pursuit to prevent the Witness from enacting the Final Shape. The theory that all Light is connected through time and space would also come to play an important role in the events in the Pale Heart.[15]

Despite that, the Symmetrists still believed themselves considered a fringe group by the City at large, and urged Ikora Rey to change the regulations preventing their philosophies from being publicly endorsed.[16]

List of appearances[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Bungie (2017/8/9), Destiny 2 - Item Description: Symmetry Flight
  2. ^ a b c d Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny - Grimoire:Places/The City, Ghost Fragment: The City Age
  3. ^ a b c Bungie (2018/12/4), Destiny 2: Season of the Forge - Item Description: Bond of Reciprocity
  4. ^ Bungie (2020/7/7), Destiny 2: Season of Arrivals - Item Description: Solstice Mark
  5. ^ Bungie (2015/9/15), Destiny: The Taken King - Item Description: Ulan-Tan's Burial Ring
  6. ^ Bungie (2017/9/8), Destiny 2 - Item Description: Bond of Symmetry
  7. ^ a b Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny - Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness, The Darkness
  8. ^ a b Bungie (2024/6/4), Destiny 2: The Final Shape - Lore:Chirality, Collective
  9. ^ Bungie (2015/9/15), Destiny: The Taken King - Item Description: Talk to Ikora
  10. ^ Bungie (2015/9/15), Destiny: The Taken King - Item Description: Talk to Ikora
  11. ^ Bungie (2014/9/9), Destiny - Grimoire:Activities/Story: Moon, Ocean of Storms, Chamber of Night
  12. ^ Bungie (2020/7/7), Destiny 2: Season of Arrivals - Item Description: Solstice Bond
  13. ^ Bungie (2020/7/7), Destiny 2: Season of Arrivals - Item Description: Solstice Cloak
  14. ^ Bungie (2024/6/4), Destiny 2: The Final Shape - Lore:Chirality, Foreword
  15. ^ Bungie (2024/6/4), Destiny 2: The Final Shape - The Message, Part III
  16. ^ Bungie (2024/6/4), Destiny 2: The Final Shape - Lore:Chirality, Symmetry
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