Commander Zavala
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| Commander Zavala | |
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Vanguard Tactical |
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Male |
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Sky blue |
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Affiliation: |
Lord Saladin (formerly) |
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Hero of Six Fronts |
| “ | What we have built is only the beginning, a symbol of what we can achieve. | ” |
Commander Zavala is an Awoken Guardian who served as the Vanguard of the Titan class, and overall Vanguard Commander of the Last City. Stern and uncompromising, Zavala's only goal was to safeguard humanity within the Last City against all threats. He oversees all Guardian military operations and led the Guardians to victory in both the Taken War and Red War. In the aftermath of both conflicts, Zavala became increasingly isolated and reluctant to commit Guardians to conflicts outside of the Last City.
Biography
Early life and Career as a Guardian
- "The first time I met Zavala, I was really intimidated. He's kind of a lot to take in, you know? But then we got to talking about the City and the Walls and how we're all going to die and the nine hundred things that want to wipe us out. And I realized he's actually much scarier than most people give him credit for."
- — Amanda Holliday[7]
Zavala was revived by his stalwart Ghost, Targe, as a Guardian in the bowels of a shattered spaceship wreck along a shoreline. With absolutely no memory of his past, a trait typical of Guardians, he began a journey to the Traveler due to its very light re-conceiving him. He encountered many Fallen on his journey and, during a battle against a Vandal, he was swiftly cut down and revived by Targe for the first time. He claimed a Fallen spear as a weapon after his victory, quickly fleeing when he spotted a Skiff landing nearby. After slaying another group of Fallen, one Vandal shot him in the back as it was dying, killing Zavala again. Once Targe revived him once more, he found an auto rifle on one of the Fallen and took it with him. Upon reaching the Traveler, Zavala discovered a humble encampment of refugees below it with other Guardians acting as its defenders, including another Titan named Lord Shaxx. Zavala also met a spiritual leader called The Speaker as he preached around a campfire, claiming to speak the word of the Traveler.[5]
Remaining in the encampment, Zavala aided refugees as they arrived. The camp soon grew into a village, eventually becoming the Last City of Earth. When the City was assaulted by angered Eliksni, Zavala fought alongside Warlord Shaxx and his fellow Guardians to protect the citizens and the Traveler. When he spotted the future Hunter Vanguard Cayde-6 and a group of civilians being chased by a pack of Vandals and Dregs, Zavala used his Fist of Havoc to destroy the raiders. Following the battle, he helped construct walls around the Last City with the aid of other Guardians, including Shaxx, Ikora Rey, and Sloane.[5]
Zavala eventually became a student of Lord Saladin Forge.[8] After parting ways with Lord Saladin, he was a competitor in the Crucible.[9]
A life with Safiyah
Sometime during his training, a wandering surgeon known as Safiyah would approach Saladin's gates, offering her skills in exchange for shelter to which Saladin agrees. When the House of Devils launched attacks against Human settlements, Zavala and his companions would bring the survivors to Safiyah's hospital. Shortly after closing the gates, Zavala would speak with his associates, declaring that they should use this opportunity to launch a counterattack. However, he was interrupted by Safiyah who stated that they required supplies rather than violence. When his companions leave, Zavala asks Safiyah to repeat what she had said. Without flinching Safiyah would make it clear that she meant what she said. When Targe appeared behind his shoulder, Zavala would introduce Safiyah to his Ghost, with Targe making it apparent that he was not taking part in this altercation. Zavala would continue their discussion by telling her that launching attacks against the Fallen would guarantee her safety, with Safiyah once again remarking that they depended on supplies for survival.[10]
Targe would tell Zavala that she was correct causing him to glare his Ghost down and ask him if he was truly a part of this discussion. Growing frustrated, Safiyah would tell Zavala he didn't understand before walking away. Following her into the tent flap, Safiyah would order him to wash his hands before handing him cleaning rags. After inspecting a flesh wound and removing the dirty bandage, Safiyah would guide Zavala to put the rags into the wound. She asked him if he knew how difficult it was to survive. Zavala would respond that he did, however, Safiyah questioned how arduous it was without his Ghost, causing him to not respond. She reminds him that mortals like her had to struggle with other threats such as sickness, starvation, and cold. When another patient enters the hospital, Safiyah tells him that the wounded look to her for help and not him.[10]
During the early spring, Zavala would lead training exercises with civilians in the courtyard. When one of the civilians accidentally wounds himself, Zavala critiques them for their fragility. He would then be interrupted by Safiyah who demanded to know what he was doing. Catching him by surprise and leaving him oblivious, Zavala is then struck in his forearm by his training partner. When Targe attempted to heal him, Safiyah would order him to stop and order Zavala to follow her. Upon entering the hospital tent, Safiyah closes Zavala's wound so he can understand the natural healing process. Curiously, he asks her were she learned her skills as a surgeon. Safiyah reveals to him that she learned her talents from her mother and books from the Golden Age. Zavala then tells Safiyah he would like to see the books to which she obliged. Later that night he would speak with Saladin in the empty courtyard of Safiyah's remarkable talents. Saladin reveals to Zavala that he is aware of the feelings they have for each other. Although Zavala tried to request that their relationship be just one of mutual respect, Saladin would not fall victim to Zavala's falsehood. After staring at each other for a long moment, Saladin reminds him that Safiyah is mortal and states that whatever life he will make with her will decay.[11]
Later when Safiyah was teaching him how to yarn, they would glimpse smoke plumes on the horizon coming from the distance. When Safiyah makes for the gates, Zavala grasps her by the arm and attempts to persuade her not to join the battle due to the immense danger. However, Safiyah pulls away from his grip and leaves before he can argue. Arriving at where the smoke was emitting from, Zavala and Safiyah work together to kill a group of Fallen attacking a caravan. Shortly after the skirmish, Safiyah uncovers an orphaned infant in the wreckage. When Safiyah began to weep for the lives she could not save, Zavala would put his palm on his shoulder as they both agreed they would keep him safe. Returning to the mountain with the child, Safiyah would name him Hakim after thinking fondly about her father. As months pass until summer arrives, Zavala visits Safiyah and Hakim between his duties. Eventually, one faithful night as they both listen to the cicadas sing, Safiyah reveals to Zavala that she would be taking Hakim to her sister's village. Zavala would respond by stating that they would both take him to the village together. The next morning, Zavala would speak with Saladin and abandon his duties, leaving behind his pendant with the Iron Lords' sigil. He would then meet up with Safiyah and they would travel together with Hakim to her sister's village.[12]
Upon arriving at the village, Safiyah is greeted by her sister Anami, who raises an eyebrow after spotting Zavala and Hakim. Over time, as days pass by, Zavala tells Safiyah that he thinks that Anami dislikes him with Targe remarking with certainty that she also dissapproves of him. When Safiyah asks why they believe this, Zavala and Targe reveal to her that Anami made it apparent that she disliked them both. Safiyah would simply frown and remark that her sister did like their son. Within the village, he and Safiyah build their home where they raise Hakim as their own. Zavala would bond with his son by sparring with wooden swords behind their house in the field. When Hakim was fifteen, Zavala would give Hakim a knife to use for their sparring lessons to prepare him to take a life. Shortly after Hakim raises the knife to his throat, Safiyah runs outside and demands to know what they are doing. Backing away from the blade, Zavala would reply that he was teaching Hakim to defend himself. As Safiyah embraced their son, Hakim would push her away and tell her he was capable of doing this lesson. When Safiyah shakes her head in disbelief, Zavala states that it is essential that he is prepared to take a life. Safiyah tells Zavala that he is just a child, to which Zavala replies that would not matter to the Fallen. Sometime after the lesson as Zavala watches over Hakim as he sleeps, Safiyah returns home after speaking with Anami. When Zavala takes Safiyah into his arms, she whispers to him to let Hakim be a child for a little longer as he would miss those times when they have passed.[13]
Two years later, their village would be bombarded by the House of Devils forcing Zavala to leave their house to defend their home. Unknowingly to Zavala, Hakim had sneaked outside of their house to join the battle, where he eventually came into conflict with the Captain, Kethiks, the Yet-Proven. Despite the training he had received from his father, Hakim would not prove much for the infamous Captain and would be impaled into the ground.[14] Unconditionally consumed by rage, Zavala charges with at the Captain, knocking it down with two shots and finishing it with another. Safiyah ran to Hakim, pressing her hand on his wound as their son perished in her arms. Overwhelmed by grief, Zavala merely whispers to Safiyah as he kneels beside her before they bring Hakim's body home.[15]
Zavala was utterly devastated by Hakim's death, spending most nights paying respect to his son at his grave. However, one night in his bedroom, Zavala begged Targe to bring Hakim back, with his Ghost reminding him that it was impossible. He then begs Targe to take his Light and use it to resurrect his son, however, Targe once again reminds him that he isn't capable of doing that. Zavala would ask Targe if he would resurrect Hakim if it was possible. Blinded by his grief, Zavala reaches for his gun and pleads for Targe to find a way to bring him back. As Zavala begins to raise his gun at his Ghost, Safiyah barges into their bedroom, causing him to lower his gun and fall to his knees. She reminds Zavala that they cannot change what has happened and tells him that she can no longer stay within this village. Looking away from Zavala, Safiyah tells him that she cannot understand eternity and even tho she is uncertain he can either, he is still immortal while she is not. Understanding that they were parting ways, he takes a hard breath and promises to Safiyah that he will never forget them.[16]
When he and Safiyah depart the village, Anami would simply only give Zavala a sad smile and a nod. Traversing to the Iron Lord's encampment, they pass the place where they first found Hakim all those years ago. Upon arriving at the gates, Safiyah gives him her knitting needles and tells him that he will survive this. When Safiyah departs to find the people who need her, Zavala enters the encampment, returning to his duties under Lord Saladin. His mentor would say little to him, passing no judgement, nor tender any admonition. Instead, he would only say "Love is a moment in time. We are not." Zavala would wonder if Saladin was speaking from experience, but he would not raise his suspicion to his teacher.[17]
Decades later, in the Last City, he would receive a message from Anami warning him to come quickly before it was too late. Zavala would arrive at the destination, only to discover he was too late as Safiyah had passed away. He spots Anami among the other mourners at Safiyah's grave and nods at her, she smile sadly and nods back in a silent thanks. Zavala would wait until most of the mourners had left before he approached her headstone and placed a flower onto her grave. After Zavala rises, he spots a woman standing behind him, quickly concluding that she is Safiyah's daughter. She would ask him how he had known her, to which Zavala would simply tell her that he was an old friend. He wonders if she knows who he is, his history, and her brother, but she simply nods and thanks him. Zavala would continuously visit the graves of Safiyah's descendants over many decades. Eventually, they would arrive at the Last City ten generations later with the Hidden telling him when they were born, when they were sick, and when they died. Although he would never speak to them when they are alive, he always leaves a token and asks for forgiveness.[17]
Commander of the Vanguard
Battle of the Twilight Gap
- "The House of Wolves and the Awoken tore the Reef apart trying to get a tactical advantage. All the while, we were desperately trying to hold the Walls against the Devils, Kings, and Winter. It was one of the darkest chapters in the City's history."
- — Zavala, reflecting on the Battle of the Twilight Gap[18]
While the City was preparing for an assault by the combined forces of all the Fallen houses, tensions between the Speaker and Vanguard Commander Osiris reached a breaking point. Zavala, having recently become the Titan Vanguard by replacing Saint-14, attended a meeting of the Consensus without Osiris present. When the New Monarchy representative protested that Osiris was absent, Zavala announced that Ikora would fill in for Osiris. The Speaker asked her to formally become the new Warlock Vanguard, which she accepted. The Speaker then proclaimed that he was exiling Osiris from the Last City and thus named Zavala the new Vanguard Commander in place of the troublesome Warlock.[19]
When Zavala learned that the Hunter Ana Bray was investigating her past life, which Guardians were discouraged from doing, he confronted her in the Tower's plaza. He told her that, in addition to the inappropriateness of keeping her previous life's name, he believed her research was causing her to neglect her duties to the Last City. Ana argued that her past was useful to the Last City and may be why the Traveler brought her back, but Zavala countered that she was brought back to be a Guardian and fight for the future. Their argument was interrupted by the Hunter Vanguard Andal Brask, who informed them that the Fallen were assaulting Twilight Gap.[20]
Zavala led the Battle of the Twilight Gap against the Fallen, fighting alongside Ana. She continued to try to convince Zavala that her research was worthwhile, but was attacked by a Fallen Captain. Zavala ordered her to fall back and attempted to cut down the Captain with his Thunderlord, but Ana was knocked off a cliff by the Captain and believed dead by Zavala and the rest of the Last City in the aftermath of the battle.[21]
Although the Last City emerged victorious at the Battle of the Twilight Gap, they had to deal with continued Fallen assaults, as the House of Devils laid constant siege to the City.[citation needed] In addition, the House of Wolves, which had been prevented from joining the battle due to Queen Mara Sov of the Reef attacking their fleet and starting the Reef Wars, carried out terrorist attacks on the City. Zavala fought against the Silent Fang, expert Wolf saboteurs who would sneak into the City and go on rampages in crowded residential districts.[22]
Overseeing the Vanguard
As Commander, multiple factions approached Zavala to try and gain his support. In particular, he was approached by New Monarchy via Executor Hideo, and was offered to be made king of the City if he had joined their faction, but he refused,[23] likely not wanting to reignite the Faction Wars. He also turned away Arach Jalaal of Dead Orbit when he pleaded with Zavala for support.[24]
A crisis eventually erupted on Venus following the usage of Ahamkara by Guardians to grant numerous wishes, which led to the paracasual beings gaining enough strength to begin reshaping reality on the planet. Zavala and the rest of the City's leadership decided that the creatures needed to be wiped out and began the Great Ahamkara Hunt. A year into the Hunt, Zavala fought alongside Shaxx and the Hunter Eris Morn against one of the creatures and mortally wounded it. He and Eris watched from a distance, and Shaxx sat next to the Ahamkara and placed a hand on its snout. Eris wondered if he was gloating, but Zavala noted his friend was not the type and agreed with her second guess that Shaxx was mourning its death. The two Guardians had to quickly shield their eyes as the creature began glowing and then exploded, and they were disturbed to find Shaxx now standing in a crater covered in green flames. Zavala and Eris both began to speak, but Shaxx quieted them as whispers began to build around them, a phenomenon they had all become used to fighting the Ahamkara.[25]
After the Vanguard learned that the Hive weren't a myth and remained on Earth and the Moon, Zavala commanded the Last City's forces during the Battle of Burning Lake. The Vanguard barely won a victory there, but the Consensus began planning an invasion of the Moon to drive their ancient enemy away. As the Consensus met, Shaxx interrupted them and declared their intentions folly and that the Hive had weapons like none they had ever seen that required further study, like their Light-draining swords. As his old friend pleaded with Zavala to reconsider the invasion, he gently told Shaxx that this would be a matter for the Consensus to decide, not him.[26] Zavala and the Consensus failing to heed Shaxx's warnings resulted in The Great Disaster, as thousands of Guardians perished attempting to retake the Moon for humanity. Zavala supported the Speaker's creation of a Lunar Interdiction that forbade anyone from traveling to the Moon in the hopes of restricting the Hive's movement.[27]
During a meeting of the Consensus, it was agreed that the Concordat and its leader Lysander would be exiled following their unsuccessful bid to overthrow the Speaker. Zavala agreed to handle the reassignment of the Guardians pledged to the faction, although he believed it would be difficult due to how loyal Lysander's followers were. The meeting then turned to a discussion of who should replace the Concordat on the Consensus, and Zavala supported the Future War Cult's inclusion, considering their focus on combat more useful to the Last City than dangerous.[28] When his predecessor as Vanguard Commander, Osiris, tried to broker a contract between the City and a mercenary group of Titans called the Sunbreakers, Zavala found the terms of the deal unacceptable and rejected it, causing the Sunbreakers to hate the Vanguard and Zavala. In return, Zavala erased nearly every mention of the Sunbreakers from the City's records.[29]
Decades after the Battle of the Twilight Gap, Zavala learned that an individual was accessing the Bray Archive at the Fu'an Institute Library. He met with Owl Sector agent Camrin Dumuzi to inquire about the identity of the researcher, hoping that his old friend Ana Bray was still alive. Carmin protested that she was only supposed to be reporting to Quist, but Zavala informed her that he had been granted oversight over all Bray Archive issues. The Owl Sector agent informed him that the individual was named Staysa Pak and was just a civilian. Zavala sighed and sadly lamented that Ana must be dead, causing Carmin to question who he was referring to. He deflected the question and told her that she had done a good job and keep him apprised if anything changed, unaware that Staysa Pak was an alias for Ana.[30]
The Rising Darkness
Hunting the Fallen
- "The Fallen will continue to claw at the walls of our City unless we strike them down. Beneath the ruins of the Cosmodrome, in the shadow of an old colony ship, we've located the House of Devils' Lair and the High Servitor feeding them their strength. We must destroy this machine god and send their souls screaming back to hell."
- — Zavala, ordering an assault on the lair of Sepiks Prime[31]
Zavala greeted a newly risen Guardian who had been revived by their Ghost in the Cosmodrome in Old Russia. After providing them with basic supplies and Glimmer, he noted that their weapon was an antique and sent them to get a new one from Banshee-44.[32] When the Guardian returned, Zavala informed them that their ship had been restored by Amanda Holliday, but that they needed a warp drive so they could explore the system. He ordered them to return to the Cosmodrome and find a replacement. The Guardian succeeded in their task and killed Riksis, Devil Archon of the House of Devils. Zavala was impressed that such a new Guardian killed such a high-value target and decided to continue testing the Guardian by sending them back to the Cosmodrome to scout the Jovian and Terrestrial complexes to discover what the Fallen were doing there.[33] He also suspected that the loss of an Archon would cause the Devils to increase protection around their Prime Servitor, Sepiks Prime.[34]
When the Guardian reported back, Zavala learned that the Hive were infesting the Cosmodrome and that the Warmind Rasputin was alive and active there as well, but the Fallen were hunting for him. He thanked the Guardian for their work and asked them to speak with Ikora to continue looking for Rasputin and protect him from the Fallen.[33] The Guardian's work with Ikora led to the reactivation of a terrestrial array in the Cosmodrome that Guardians aligned with Dead Orbit had failed to retake, although Rasputin took control of the array and used to connect with defense systems across the solar system. Zavala praised the Guardian for their success and resolved to find some way to convince Rasputin to help the Vanguard in their wars.[35] He also gave them their next mission, which he believed would test their limits: to form a fireteam and destroy Sepiks Prime, the Servitor that was the House of Devils machine-god and directed all their actions in the Cosmodrome.[33] As the fireteam headed for the Devils' Lair, Zavala briefed the fireteam and stated that the Last City would never be safe unless the Fallen's leadership was eliminated. The team succeeded in their mission, and Zavala was pleased with Sepiks' destruction, but stated that even though this would weaken the House of Devils, they would no doubt find other means to survive.[31] When the Guardian returned to Zavala, the Vanguard Commander mused that the dream of a safe City was fragile, but their efforts had brought it closer to reality. Zavala asked them to enjoy the start of their legend as a Guardian, but to also know that their hardest battles still lay in the future.[33]
Zavala later learned that the Guardian slew Draksis, the Kell of the House of Winter, on Venus aboard his Ketch Simiks-Fel. He congratulated the Guardian and admitted that he felt glad about the demise of Draksis, who had led the House of Winter during the Battle of the Twilight Gap and continued to raid the Last City and its allies in the decades since. Zavala noted that while many Guardians were eager to explore the downed Wintership, he was content with another Fallen threat having been eliminated from the system and thanked the Guardian once more.[36]
Strikes Against the Darkness
- "But in the Darkness rising, more fleets will come and new leaders will rise. We must be ready to face them all."
- — Zavala, following the defeat of Valus Ta'aurc[37]
Zavala attended the Speaker's address in the Tower plaza alongside Ikora, Cayde, and dozens of other Guardians following the Guardian from the Cosmodrome's victory in the Black Garden and the destruction of the