Taken

"The process is simple: an aperture opens, like a jaw, and swallows a living thing. It passes into — another place. Later, it returns. What returns is... I try to use the word 'shadow' but Eris hisses at me [...] insists that these Taken are more real, somehow. She uses words like inhabited, exalted, rendered final... [...] My Hidden tell me that the Taken shine with seething, negative light. As if the universe is curling up around them. As if they radiate some pathology that decays into our world as nothingness... The Taken serve Oryx. But I think those jaws lead elsewhere."

- Ikora Rey

The Taken are Darkness-corrupted entities originating from multiple species that have been warped into the Ascendant Plane and paracausally altered to serve their given purpose. Their original master (and possible creator) is the Witness, although they were used by Oryx, the Taken King as his personal army after he gained the power to Take from the Witness. More recently, they have come under the sway of various Darkness-aligned entities in the wake of Oryx's defeat, including Savathûn, the Witch Queen, Quria, Blade Transform, Xivu Arath, God of War, Riven of a Thousand Voices, and Disciples of the Witness like Rhulk and Emperor Calus. The Drifter, a rogue Lightbearer known for experimenting with the Darkness, has also managed to achieve a level of control over the Taken using Motes of Dark, while the Nine can create their own counterfeit Taken out of dark matter.

Overview
"IMPERATIVE CORRUPTED. SEEK LIGHT. DESTROY LIGHT. OBEY THE COLLECTIVE MIND, OBEY THE #$422*! ORYX. OBEY ORYX."

- Recovered from Simulation Core of Corrupted Minotaur

The power to Take is derived from the Darkness, which allows one to move objects or individuals between different planes of reality. The Witness can use this power on a massive scale, moving entire planets out of the "normal" universe and into a self-contained reality under its complete control. On several occasions, it has granted a more limited version of this power to several of its servants, most notably Oryx, the Taken King, who used it to create his own personal army of Taken from members of various species he and his Hive had defeated.

The process of Taking involves summoning a portal or aperture that rips an individual out of the universe and transports them to the Ascendant Plane. There, the victim is spoken to by an unknown interlocutor, presumably either the Witness or the Darkness itself, who offers them a way to overcome their former weaknesses. The Taken being then returns to their original universe with new paracausal abilities and a compulsion to serve the one that Took them.

Taken versions of enemies have radically different behaviors from their standard counterparts, including new abilities designed to counter Guardian abilities. Groups of Taken can be allied with members of different species. In Destiny, after their introduction, they appear all over the Solar System as part of the Taken War. In Destiny 2, they appear in force in the European Dead Zone, on Io and in the Dreaming City, though they can be found elsewhere too for specific activities.

The Ancient Past
"The Hive entity Oryx/Aurash is deploying a paracausal ontopathogenic weapon that infects and subverts Ecumene forces. The weapon operates on individual targets. Targets are abducted and returned as compliant Hive slaves with inexplicable and physically illegal abilities. All Ecumene clients should IMMEDIATELY devote all economic and cognitive resources to a countermeasure. Fight hard. We stop the Hive here, or see our galaxy devoured."

- Ecumene Crisis Council

The power to Take had its origins with the Witness, the leader of the Black Fleet with the power to move worlds between realities.

In the distant past, the Hive god Auryx sought to obtain the power to Take in order to help him defeat the Ecumene. He killed his two sisters to gain an audience with Akka, the Worm god of Secrets, whom he then slew in turn. Auryx stole the secrets from its flesh and wrote them upon a set of tablets he named the Tablets of Ruin. Having communed with the Witness directly, he returned with the power of Taking, mantled as Oryx, the Taken King.

With this new power Oryx waged war upon the Ecumene and defeated them utterly over a period of one thousand, one hundred and forty years, in the process conjuring back his two sisters in the same way he had killed them.

During the Golden Amputation Oryx Took the Emperor Raven and assured the defeat of the Taishibethi When the Vex invaded his Throne world Oryx Took and turned them against one another, eventually expelling the cybernetic machines from his domain. Later, aboard the Nicha Thought-ship Oryx encountered and Took Quria, Blade Transform, the Vex mind which had orchestrated the organized invasion of his Throne, and later gifted it to his sister Savathûn as a present.

The Taken War
Main article: Taken War "What Crota began, I complete. My will... conquers all!"

- Oryx, the Taken King

The Taken War was a major, system-wide conflict fought between the Hive, led by Oryx, and all other races in the system. The war began as a direct result of the Guardians slaying Oryx's son Crota, to stop an attempted invasion of Earth. Oryx brought his fleet to Saturn and made free use of the power to Take in his assault on the Solar System. He Took Fallen, Vex, and Cabal in enormous numbers, besides his own Hive, and began blighting the system with his Taken forces. When he unleashed his Dreadnaught's superweapon against Queen Mara Sov's fleet, he also Took the Techeuns Sedia, Kalli, and Shuro Chi, and through them was able to spread his Taken forces into the Dreaming City, where he Took the Ahamkara Riven.

The Taken Prince
"Malok! Listen — I took you from your mother, my sister / Your shape is new / This shape is poison — the shape of secrets / I name you Malok, which means My Poison / A prize to taunt sister Savathûn / Steal now for me."

- Oryx, the Taken King

With Oryx's defeat, his surviving Taken were released from his control and rendered independent but directionless. Oryx was assumed to be the only known entity to date to have possessed the power to Take, but following the Taken War, others such as Malok, Pride of Oryx developed the ability to manipulate Taken and their blights. In particular, with assistance from the Techeuns and Variks, the Reef was able to capture a large number of Taken within their Prison of Elders and developed a reliable method for infusing Taken energy into their arms and armor.

Resurgence
"The Taken King is dead. Yet his armies writhe and claw at our worlds."

- Eris Morn

Some time after Oryx's death, Savathûn assumed control of the Taken, apparently through the Taken Vex Quria, Blade Transform and its simulations of the Taken King.

Two years later, during the events of the Red War, the Taken invaded the European Dead Zone and corrupted a forest outside of the Traveler's shard. Certain Taken had also mutated physically, developing two large, curving spikes on their backs. A Red Legion commander was also somehow converted into a Taken, even though Oryx had been defeated prior to the invasion. Ikora commented that these Taken were no longer leaderless, but had to be acting under a new higher power.

At some point, Red Legion Psions used their psionic powers to successfully harness and infuse Taken energy into themselves and their superiors, empowering them with Taken-powered weapons and shielding. However, this effort was stopped by The Guardian.

On Io, it was discovered by Ikora and Asher Mir, that the Taken had established a foothold on Echo Mesa after being drawn there by remnants of the Traveler's Light. They had even attempted to open a portal into the Ascendant realm, but the Guardian intervened and closed said portal.

The Taken would launch a major offensive by polluting the water supply at the EDZ through the use of Blights. However, this attempt was foiled by the Guardians who managed to destroy the Blights and slay the Taken in command of the infestation, Grask, the Consumed, a recently-Taken Red Legion commander. With confirmation that someone is assumed control over the Taken in Oryx's place, the Guardians and the Vanguard begin to suspect one of Oryx's sisters.

Meanwhile, back on Io, the Taken began to appear in greater numbers and were noted to have "interacted" with the Vex. The Guardians discovered that Taken affiliated with Quria had been kidnapping local Vex in Blights to corrupt them as Taken and form a new army after their many losses in the Taken War. Quria would summon Ir Arok, Tongue of Quria to accomplish this plan, but would be foiled by The Guardian, in which they killed Elatiox and Erosus, Ir Arok's lieutenants, and dismantle the Taken's plans of corrupting the Vex. Ir Arok would then lead an assault into the Pyramidion with the intent to capture the Vex collective like Oryx before but would be destroyed by The Guardian, and though a large number of Vex had become corrupted, their efforts prevented the Taken from corrupting the Vex collective once more.

Forsaken
"The [King] despaired in his final moments. Rightly so. His vengeance denied."

- Riven

The Drifter, a rogue Light-bearer, managed to jury-rig his Ghost with parts salvaged from the Ghosts of his former crew, allowing it access to paracausal spectra beyond that of the Light, including the Darkness-aligned powers of the Taken. With it, the Drifter is able to create Motes of Darkness and employed them as part of a game called "Gambit", pitting Guardians against their enemies and each other in a bid to harvest these Motes for himself. Gambit would even give Guardians the experience of being Taken as "Invaders" through portals infused with sterile neutrinos. He is eventually gifted a subspace of Unknown Space from the Nine which he dubbed The Haul, where he caged the leftover Taken from Oryx's army whilst building his own. Among these Taken summoned during these Gambit matches are exceptionally powerful and ancient Taken known as Primevals, which he can summon using Motes of Darkness.

In the years following the Taken War, the Dreaming City was infested by leftover Taken and their blights undisturbed until Oryx's sister reached out towards the Taken Riven and gave her a new purpose. Now able to exert her influence from beyond her prison, Riven manipulated the partially Taken Uldren Sov into unleashing an agent of hers from the City, which the Guardian quickly killed. Petra Venj, investigating the source of Uldren's corruption and the Taken within the city, surmised Riven as the cause after having made contact with Queen Mara Sov at the Oracle Engine. At the Queen's behest, Petra enlisted the support from the Vanguard to have Riven killed and her heart cleansed of her Taken essence.



A Guardian Raid team was quickly formed and breached their way into the corrupted Keep of Voices, where they freed the Techeuns Kalli and Shuro Chi from their Taken corruption. While the Taken Riven baited the Guardians into killing her, they inadvertently made a single collective wish, allowing Riven to alter the rules of ascendancy within the Dreaming City according to Toland. In ending the Ahamkara, Riven's wish cursed the realm; warping it in-between physical reality and the Ascendant Plane while Taken energies having saturated and engulfed huge portions of the city.

As the curse continued to blight the Dreaming City for three weeks, Petra was able to identify the true source of the city's Taken curse: Dûl Incaru, a daughter of the Witch-Queen and the mastermind behind her mother's scheme to access the Distributary using the Awoken secrets found within the City, commanding the curse from Mara's desecrated throne-world of Eleusinia. Upon the third week of the curse, the Guardians charged the dimensional rift generator of the Blind Well and opened a rift into Eleusinia, where they could confront the Witch and her Fatesmith bodyguards.

However, upon the death of Dûl Incaru, the Eternal Return, the Dreaming city reverted back to the state it was in when the curse was first unleashed. The curse then spread in the same manner it had previously, with it being revealed that the curse trapped the Dreaming City within a time loop that resets whenever Dûl Incaru is killed. Through messages left by an unknown sender, it is revealed that the loop was made possible through the wish Riven granted upon her "death", and modeled upon Vex simulations overseen by Quria, Blade Transform.

Joker's Wild
"Primevals are the oldest Taken my banks can find. How'd I pull this off? If you knew, you'd be running this thing instead o' me."

- The Drifter

After the Drifter unveiled Gambit Prime and The Reckoning to the Guardians, the Praxic Warlock Aunor Mahal determined that he had obtained the ability to create "counterfeit" Taken Primevals by coupling his banks to the "haul" gifted to him by the Nine. Among these entities are the Likeness of Nokris, Likeness of Oryx, Counterfeit Servitors, Counterfeit Phalanxes and Counterfeit Hydras.

Shadowkeep
Undeterred by the fall of the Hidden Swarm and the Guardians hunting Nightmares on Luna, Savathûn unleashed a Taken army lead by Baurisk, Envoy of Savathûn upon a massive Vex computational array on Io, with the goal of corrupting and assuming control over the supercomputer. However, the Vanguard detected a power surge beneath the Pyramidion where the array is located and sent in a fireteam to investigate. The Guardians soon discovered the feud between the Vex and Taken as they fought for control over the array, and promptly made it their mission to prevent the Taken from assuming command over the machine, refusing to give the Witch-Queen another advantage.

Fighting past the array's Vex defenders and the invading Taken, the Guardians made it the center of the array where the Taken infestation was anchored in order to remove the blight. There, the Guardians confronted Baurisk, Envoy of Savathûn; slaying the Taken Incendior and clearing the array of blights, leaving to allow the Vex to finish off any lingering Taken.

Witch-Queen's Interference
"Not all the Taken we encounter are the same. Many still hold allegiance to some distant Hive incantation, though it is no longer connected to Oryx."

- Eris Morn.

Following the destruction of the Almighty, the Vanguard would confirm the arrival of the Darkness itself, with the Pyramids touching down on worlds all around the Solar System, even disabling Rasputin in the process. With their arrival, Eris Morn would attempt to meet the Pyramids on Io to learn of their intent. However, Nokris, Supplicant to Savathûn ambushed Eris with the Taken and one of Savathûn's Witness Shriekers to shroud the Cradle with the Witch-Queen's influence. The Guardian, who was ordered to follow her by Zavala, would attempt to save Eris only to be pulled into Savathûn's court, where they would be overwhelmed by Witness Shriekers until Eris rescued them from the Ascendant Plane. After pulling through her injuries, Eris and the Guardian would discover a tree of Silver Wings and harness the seed within its roots. After a heated meeting with Zavala, Eris enacts a plan to harvest the darkness from the Pyramid Scales for the seed with the help of the Drifter and help to clear up the messages with the destruction of the Witnesses corrupting them. Detecting the ploy, Savathûn would deploy her servant, Quria, Blade Transform, and its army to sabotage these darkness harvesting operations to prevent the Guardians from learning of the Darkness' messages to them.

Meanwhile, the Drifter would devise a plan to delve into the Nine's realm and meet with them once again to ask the question, "what is the Darkness?" With the help of the Guardian and Eris Morn, the Drifter's plan would then be set in motion. The Guardian would venture into a strange and paracausal portion of their realm, asked to venture deep into the bowels of this realm by the Emissary, eventually meeting with a visage of a Taken Kell and its simulated dark army. After bypassing its defenses and destroying its army, the Guardian would disperse the Kell Echo and finally gets the answer on the Darkness, learning that it isn't that different from the Light, and should be utilized as a means to survival as the Guardian did with the Motes throughout the inscrutable corners of the realm.

Quria's End
Following Savathûn's failed attempts to interfere with the Black Fleet's messages to the Guardians, the Witch Queen was forced to go into hiding to avoid its retaliation. However, the Witch Queen conducted a new scheme against the Guardians, employing her servant, Quria, the Dreaming Mind, and its simulation powers to plunge the entire Last City into an Endless Night. At first, believing it to be entirely a Vex plot, the Guardians make an alliance with the Eliksni Splicer, Mithrax, and his House of Light to combat the Endless Night. Agreeing to the alliance and the Vanguard's offer to shelter his people within the Last City, Mithrax trains the Guardians in the ways of the Sacred Splicers to pierce into the Vex's domain, the Outer Nexus, and battle with numerous Subjugated and Oppressive Minds, collecting their data and analyzing it. After weeks of breaching into the Vex realm and collecting data, Mithrax is able to discover that Quria is responsible for the Endless Night, thereby realizing that Savathûn is truly behind the threat.

News of Savathûn's role in the Endless Night is brought to the public, thanks to the Lakshmi-2 and the Factions, inciting paranoia towards the Eliksni, creating unrest within the Last City. Despite this instability, the Guardians continue to work with Mithrax in combating Quria, trying to pinpoint the Dreaming Mind's location and corner it. In time, Mithrax is successful in locating Quria, allowing the Guardians to enter into the Nexus once more and confront the Dreaming Mind. Within the Nexus, the Guardians find it littered with Taken corruption but are ultimately able to face Quria. The Dreaming Mind uses its simulation powers and Taken abilities to combat the Guardians but is ultimately destroyed by the Guardians.

With the Endless Night's architect destroyed, daylight slowly returned to the Last City but the situation between the Factions and the Vanguard reaches a boiling point. The Factions wish to expel the Eliksni from the Last City despite their aid in ending the Endless Night, even trying to influence new leadership in the Vanguard but the Guardians rebuff Lakshmi's entreaties. Aided by "Osiris", in actually Savathûn who had taken his form after he lost his Light, Lakshmi utilizes a Vex portal in an attempt to forcefully remove the House of Light but loses control, killing the FWC's leader and allowing the Vex to attack the Last City. Rushing to aid Mithrax and his people, the Guardians are able to seal the portal and destroy the Vex attacking the Eliksni Quarters.

Xivu Arath's Return
Following the destruction of Quria, Savathûn would lose control over the Taken. Now under the presumed control of their original master, they began working alongside both the Hive forces of Xivu Arath and the Scorn to corrupt the Ley Lines, hunt down Mara Sov's Techeuns, and ultimately capture Savathûn. Xivu Arath made use of the Taken as shock troops in her attempts to gain access to the Blind Well, yet these attempts were thwarted by Guardian forces. Additionally, Taken forces led by one of the lost Techeuns that had been corrupted would occupy the Forest of Echos in the Shattered Realm.

Service of the Disciples
Following Xivu Arath's failure to prevent the exorcism of Savathûn's Worm, the Taken would retreat and wouldn't be sighted outside of the Reef for some time. However, as the Guardian worked in investigating Savathûn's return to Mars and more importantly, her claiming of the Light, they would discover a Sunken Pyramid within the outskirts of the Witch Queen's Throne World. Mara Sov, aiding the Guardians in their investigation, would inform them that the Pyramid belongs to a powerful servant of The Witness, the supposed leader of the Black Fleet. This disciple, Rhulk, would gain the service of Scorn, who wormed their way into Savathûn's Throne World, in addition to the Taken, in his efforts to retaliate against the Witch Queen for betraying and imprisoning him within his own Pyramid.

The Guardians, forming a Raid team to prevent Rhulk from escaping his prison or using his superweapon, The Upended, infiltrate the Sunken Pyramid to eliminate Rhulk. As they traversed the Pyramid, Rhulk would send legions of his Scorn and Taken minions to stop them but despite their efforts, the Guardians reached the center of the Pyramid and confront The Witness's Disciple. After a grueling battle against Rhulk, despite being aided by his Taken and Scorn forces, the Guardians prevailed, leaving the Taken without a master, though the Scorn would continue in making raids on their master's ruptured Pyramid to claim the secrets within but would be thwarted by the Guardians.

Following Rhulk's demise, the Taken would serve another Disciple, Calus and his Shadow Legion, and aid him in locating The Veil for their shared master, traveling to the hidden city of Neomuna on Neptune. They would force the Guardian to flee Calus's warship, the Typhon Imperator, when the Guardian attempted to destroy the Radial Mast, a device that was attempting to establish a connection between the Veil and the Traveler. The Taken would also conduct operations against the Neomuni who were slumbering within the CloudArk, a virtual reality powered by the Veil, sending legions of their forces within the Network as the Shadow Legion directed them towards the entrances. Fortunately, with the aid of the Neomuna's defenders, the Cloud Striders, the Guardian was able to clear out the Taken before they could take root within the Network, but would discover that a malignant force is driving not only the Vex into attacking but also driving the Taken into a frenzy. The entity would soon be revealed to be the dead Disciple, Nezarec.

After Calus's death at the hands of the Guardian, The Witness nonetheless succeeded in establishing a connection between the Traveler and the Veil, allowing it to form a gateway upon the Traveler. Nonetheless, the Taken would continue to serve the Witness's bidding. They first were ordered to destroy the Conceptual Mind within the Black Garden as it possessed intel on the Black Heart's creation, as it was discovered that the Heart was a Vex attempt to create a replica of the Veil. The Sol Divisive, however, refused to destroy the Conceptual Mind themselves, thereby leaving the task the Taken and leading them to invade the Black Garden. The Guardian, Osiris and Nimbus learned of the Conceptual Mind and believed it's data core would help them in understanding the Veil and hopefully aid them in entering the gateway The Witness created upon the Traveler. Though the Taken complicated the Guardian's efforts, they nonetheless succeeded in destroying the Conceptual Mind and acquire its data core.

The Guardians would face against the Taken once more as they aided the Shadow Legion setting up Pyramid Outposts on Earth, holding prisoners within, making them virtually impenetrable. Fortunately, Mara Sov would lend some of her powers to the Guardians, combining it with their Light in making a path into the outpost through the Ascendant Plane. Though swarms of Taken would try to prevent the Guardian from entering, their use of Balefire allowed them to clear through the Taken, allowing them entry within the Outpost and rescue the prisoners.

Biology
"There are no adequate words to describe the experience of being Taken. We would need a sensorium."

- Techeun Shuro Chi

The nature of the Taken was once described by the Ecumene as a "ontopathogenic weapon", designed to infect and subvert Oryx's enemies into his paracausal slaves with inexplicable and physically illegal abilities. According to Oryx, the Taken serve as his ultimate embodiment of the Hive’s sword logic philosophy; the desired final shape that is free to exist without the need to insulate itself from reality. In the case of Uldren Sov, the Taken corruption manifests starting as an uncontrollable itch beneath the eyes, turning the sclera black and gradually manifesting in dark shimmering veins across his body.

Taken are composed of sterile neutrinos and resemble their former selves for the most part, but are ghost-like, shadowed and eerily glowing, with a blindingly bright orb typically obscuring their facial features. Many Taken are seen to shiver or twitch in a disturbing manner, and their vocalizations are warped into shrieks and howls. Over time, exceptionally powerful Taken have been seen to grow pairs of black, curving spikes from their bodies. However, there appears a risk for races such as taking Vex as the Vex infect everything they touch, their self-replicating subroutines could consume the Taken from the inside out.

Blights
"I think these blights are like transmitters. They're either calling out to something, or… letting something whisper to the Taken here on Io."

- Ghost

The Taken constantly exude a substance called Blight, which resembles a black shadowy liquid or vapor, usually crackling with energy and exhibiting the same eerie luminescence as the Taken themselves. It can flow across the ground like a viscous fluid that smells of ozone, seeping into the soil and presenting a contamination hazard when it comes into contact with water supplies.

Wherever Taken have become entrenched, spherical aggregations of Blight are commonly seen; these seem to serve a variety of purposes, including shield generators, area-denial, and interdimensional communication nodes.

Loyalty
"I am Taken. My guiding shadow has become formless, my directive is gone. I know I have one; I cannot remember what it was."

- Keksis, the Betrayed

Taken are unwaveringly loyal to their master, and will turn on former allies without hesitation. Even strong-willed enemies such as Vex Axis Minds or Cabal commanders are incapable of resisting this change. Although new Taken can only be created through the Taking of new victims, existing Taken will remain (albeit aimless and disorganized) indefinitely if their master is killed. A sufficiently powerful being with the ability to Take can assume control of Taken previously generated by a different individual.

While all Taken are enslaved to their master's will, more powerful Taken retain a degree of independent thought and initiative, mostly at the discretion of the master themselves, to "keep them interesting." After Oryx's defeat, the Taken Knight Malok, Pride of Oryx, attempted to seize the vacant throne for himself. Whiles the likes of Quria, Blade Transform and Riven were powerful enough to retain independent thought. Other Taken, such as Noru'usk, Servant of Oryx, have aspirations to ascend while many, like Keksis, the Betrayed, are lost and leaderless. With the advent of the Red War, Taken activity spiked and was more coordinated. Ikora hypothesized that the Taken were no longer leaderless, with signs pointing to Savathûn being the one controlling the Taken, possibly claiming the power to Take for herself.

Throughout the events of Forsaken, Kalli, Shuro Chi, and Sedia were able to be "cured" of their Taken influence, proving that it is possible for some beings such as the Awoken to reverse the process.

Taken Echoes
"The echoes of Oryx go forth to ask a question: are you the truth?"

- Toland, the Shattered

By using the power of the Darkness, Oryx, the Taken King is able to create a Taken projection of himself in the form of the Echo of Oryx. These Echoes allow him to enact his will remotely where he can summon and command Taken troops. Oryx's power in an area fades once an Echo is vanquished and any Taken he summoned are recalled.

Other Taken can also create artificial projections in the form of echoes, which are shadowy imitations of lesser enemies such as Shadow Thralls and Shadowbeasts.

Counterfeit Taken
"These (Taken) differ in their literal elemental composition: low SNC, high ambient ΛCDM."

- Potential

The Taken enemies that appear in The Reckoning, Gambit Prime, and the Prophecy Dungeon are not actual Taken. Instead of being living creatures corrupted by Darkness, they are artificial constructs of dark matter, created from the Nine Realms and its engine of pure potential, as the Nine themselves are sentient beings of dark matter. Vanguard intelligence notes that these counterfeit Taken have low counts of sterile neutrinos, typically associated with Taken, but instead have high ambient cold dark matter. This is the reason many Taken forces encountered in Nine space are all-powerful echoes in imitation of Oryx and his son, in addition to a Cabal Phalanx and a Fallen Kell.

In addition, the Drifter learned to create his own counterfeit "Primeval-like" Taken from the Nine's use of pure potential; utilizing the dark matter of the Haul and through sheer force of will. One example of this is the Likeness of Oryx as it was the scariest Hive he could think of.

Primevals
"Those weren't normal Taken possessed and set to rage. They were born of that shadow realm and they were… angry. Worse. They were hungry for the Light."

- Shin Malphur

Primevals are a class of Taken born from the depths of the Ascendant Plane rather than altered from physical reality. They are among the oldest and most powerful Taken, hence their name. Because of their age, Primevals are extremely powerful and are capable of mowing down an army of Cabal from the Red Legion. Even rarer are Ascendant Primevals; including one whose heart was used to craft the Blight-infused Hand Cannon, Malfeasance.

They first came into prominence in Gambit, where Guardians compete in fireteams against each other to summon and kill their respective Primeval first. By the introduction of the activity, the Drifter had the power to summon Primevals from the Ascendant plane using Motes of Dark but with no means of taming them until he was gifted a pocket of the Nine Realms from the Nine. With the Haul in his possession, the Drifter could cage his poached Primevals in Nine space.

Awoken

 * Taken Techeun—unique for their Techeun Screams and Detonation, they are highly durable and capable of summoning Taken.

Fallen

 * Taken Vandal—summons a spherical shield similar to Ward of Dawn. They are armed with Solar Wire Rifles and Arc Shrapnel Launchers.
 * Taken Captain—sends out moving balls of Darkness to blind Guardians and armed with Arc-damage Shrapnel Launcher or Arc Shock Blades. Solar-shielded.
 * Chimera—Taken Servitors that fire blasts of Void energy and occasionally bursts of Axion Darts. Can summon Blights that grant them immunity until they are destroyed.

Hive

 * Taken Thrall— can teleport short distances in an instant, and do Solar-damage with their melee.
 * Shadow Thrall—a shadowy imitation of a Thrall summoned by Taken Wizards, and do Solar-damage with their melee.
 * Taken Acolyte—deploys Acolyte's Eye turrets and are armed with Arc Shredders, which fire projectiles in an arc that can attack from over short cover, or Stasis Boomers, which leave behind Stasis fields on impact that will freeze you in short time.
 * Taken Wizard—can summon Shadow Thralls. They are Void-shielded, and can use "Necromantic Gaze", firing Solar projectiles with variable speeds.
 * Taken Knight—spews a stream of lingering Solar flames from its eye in a wave for area denial, and teleports short distances to evade attacks. They are armed with Void Boomers, which fire bolts with higher velocity and do not suffer gravitational drop, or Stasis Boomers, which leave behind Stasis fields on impact that will freeze you in short time.
 * Taken Ogre—does Arc damage with its Rotten Surge eye blast, which also knocks opponents back, along with a ground slam if an enemy comes too close. Rotten Surge ramps up in speed after the first attack.

Vex

 * Taken Goblin—when in close proximity to an ally, they can generate an invincible shield for it. Armed with either a Void Slap Rifle or a Solar Torch Hammer.
 * Taken Hobgoblin—fires a fast-moving, Shrieker-like projectile when struck in self-defense. Equipped with a Void Line Rifle or Slap Rifle.
 * Taken Minotaur—always cloaked unless shot at enough. Equipped with a Solar Torch Hammer or Void Slap Rifle.
 * Taken Hydra—unique abilities depending on individual Hydra, highly durable and capable of summoning Taken.

Cabal

 * Taken Psion—has the ability to multiply itself by splitting and creating another Taken Psion with full health. They wield Arc Slug Rifle that can fire very rapidly.
 * Taken Phalanx—can fire Arc blasts from their shield that can push Guardians, much like the physical shields themselves, and are armed with an Arc Slug Rifle.
 * Taken Centurion—has an Arc-shield, can teleport short distances, and is armed with a Void Projection Rifle or an Arc Slug Rifle. Fires slower-moving Axion Darts, much like the Voidwalker's Axion bolt, that tracks targets and deals Void damage —these can reach enemies around corners easily and can be shot and detonated to avoid damage.
 * Shadowbeast—a shadowy imitation of a War Beast.
 * Taken Colossus—has a Heavy Slug Thrower and can go berserk mode similar to an Ogre.
 * Taken Incendior—wields a Cabal Magma Launcher and can fire Void fireballs at enemies.

Unique

 * Taken Blight—a sphere of Darkness that can appear procedurally in the world. The Blight can summon Taken ambushes, which can include named characters that drop runes.
 * Acolyte's Eye—a stationary unit deployed by Taken Acolytes. It is an orb of Darkness energy that fires Arc energy at enemies, and detonates in an Arc blast when destroyed. They survive the death of their summoner.
 * Echo of Oryx—a Taken projection of Oryx, the Taken King, it is used to oversee the Taken in far distances, and spread Taken corruption.
 * Defensive Ward—a proximity-trigged Taken mine that causes the player's screen to shake when it explodes.

Taken commanders

 * Malok, Pride of Oryx — Taken Knight: Blighted Chalice Strike
 * Quria, Blade Transform — Taken Vex Axis Mind: Expunge: Delphi Mission
 * Riven of a Thousand Voices — Taken Ahamkara: Last Wish Raid

Mentioned Taken

 * The Perfect Raven — Taken Taishibethi Empress

Taken Lieutenants in Raids

 * Dul'na, the Dissector — Taken Wizard: Vow of the Disciple
 * Kalli, the Corrupted — Taken Techeun: Last Wish
 * Mar'y'n, the Devourer — Taken Wizard: Vow of the Disciple
 * Shuro Chi, the Corrupted — Taken Techeun: Last Wish
 * Morgeth, the Spirekeeper — Taken Ogre: Last Wish
 * Shade of Oryx — A powerful version of the Echo of Oryx, King's Fall Raid.
 * Xeno'doti, the Scavenger — Taken Wizard: Vow of the Disciple

Taken Lieutenants in Dungeons

 * Asterion, Set Apart — Taken Captain: The Shattered Throne
 * Eriviks, the Waking — Taken Captain: The Shattered Throne
 * Keeper of Petitions — Taken Wizard: The Shattered Throne
 * Kell Echo — Taken Captain: Prophecy
 * Phalanx Echo — Taken Phalanx: Prophecy
 * Querim, the Waking — Taken Minotaur: The Shattered Throne
 * Theratos, Archersbane— Taken Minotaur: The Shattered Throne
 * Vorgeth, the Boundless Hunger — Taken Ogre: The Shattered Throne
 * Xavoth, the Waking — Taken Ogre: The Shattered Throne

Taken Lieutenants in the Court of Oryx

 * Bracus Horu'usk — Taken Centurion
 * Cra'adug — Taken Knight
 * Kagoor — Taken Wizard

Taken Lieutenants in the Dreadnaught

 * Aarta — Taken Knight: Hull Breach, Dreadnaught
 * Dakkadi — Taken Knight: Hull Breach, Dreadnaught
 * Gornith — Taken Knight: Hull Breach, Dreadnaught
 * Gurroth — Taken Knight: Hull Breach, Dreadnaught
 * Purtra, the False Tongue — Taken Wizard: Hull Breach, Dreadnaught
 * Surnon, Darksong — Taken Wizard: Hall of Souls, Dreadnaught
 * Dumuzod — Taken Knight: summoned with a Charged Agonarch Rune at The Founts, Dreadnaught
 * Disrok — Taken Wizard: Hall of Souls, Dreadnaught
 * Dumuz-Nuna — Taken Knight: Hall of Souls, Dreadnaught
 * Kilulu — Taken Knight: Hall of Souls, Dreadnaught
 * Mishkara — Taken Knight: Hall of Souls, Dreadnaught

Taken Lieutenants in Strikes

 * Adleg, Warden of Oryx — Taken Knight: encountered in a special variant of The Sunless Cell Strike during the quest A Sword Reforged
 * Agrax, the Rotted — Taken Knight: The Sunless Cell
 * Ashorc, Temple Claimant — Taken Centurion: The Corrupted
 * Baimogg, Unchained Wrath — Taken Chimera: Lake of Shadows (Revamped)
 * Baurisk, Envoy of Savathûn — Taken Incendior: The Festering Core
 * Blighted Chord — Taken Minotaur: Dust Palace
 * Bracus Mu'urrn — Taken Centurion: Cerberus Vae III
 * Bracus Tra'aull — Taken Centurion: The Undying Mind
 * Drarok, the Watching — Taken Wizard: The Sunless Cell
 * Dolos, the Datamine — Taken Knight: The Corrupted
 * Gamoth, the Consumed — Taken Wizard: Fallen S.A.B.E.R.
 * Gor'ath Gath — Taken Phalanx: Lake of Shadows (Revamped)
 * Gralk, Gauntlet of Savathûn — Taken Centurion: The Pyramidion
 * Grask, the Consumed — Taken Phalanx: Lake of Shadows
 * Hephone, Corruption Mind — Taken Hydra: Cerberus Vae III
 * Irûn, Bound to Sedia — Taken Ogre: The Corrupted
 * Juraag, the Waylaid — Taken Phalanx: The Festering Core
 * Kalboh, the Unclaimed — Taken Knight: The Sunless Cell
 * Khendiss, World Corruptor — Taken Wizard: The Undying Mind
 * Kiphoris, Devil Captain — Taken Captain: Fallen S.A.B.E.R.
 * Kophoris — Taken Captain: Fallen S.A.B.E.R.
 * Lharkiss, Wolf Bane — Taken Vandal: Dust Palace
 * Logath, the Ruptured — Taken Wizard: The Festering Core (Nightfall)
 * Morgath, Lore-Keeper — Taken Knight: encountered in The Undying Mind Strike during the quest Hunger Pangs
 * The Navigator's Claw — Taken Wizard: Lake of Shadows
 * Nixis, Hunger of Oryx — Taken Captain: Winter's Run (Taken version)
 * Nolthok, the Withering — Taken Wizard: The Sunless Cell
 * Orm Duluz, Bound to Sedia — Taken Knight: The Corrupted
 * Parthenios, Drifting Mind — Taken Hydra: Hypernet Current
 * Sedia, the Corrupted — Taken Techeun: The Corrupted
 * Sekrion, Subverted Mind — Taken Hydra: The Nexus: Revisited
 * Thelodron, Bound to Sedia — Taken Minotaur: The Corrupted (Nightfall)
 * Urlot, the Trampler — Taken Knight: encountered in The Sunless Cell
 * Val Gruuk, Bound to Sedia — Taken Phalanx: The Corrupted (Nightfall)
 * Val Talacanth, Bound to Sedia — Taken Centurion: The Corrupted
 * Val Prosk, Bound to Sedia — Taken Phalanx: The Corrupted (Nightfall)
 * Whisper of Oryx — Taken Knight: The Pyramidion
 * Xarthra — Taken Knight: Fallen S.A.B.E.R.
 * Yateth, Taken Stain — Taken Knight: Lake of Shadows
 * Yatiks, Bound to Sedia — Taken Vandal: The Corrupted

Taken Lieutenants in Quests and Adventures

 * Akorith, Lightdrinker of Savathûn – Taken Knight: Harbinger
 * Agra, the Stalwart — Taken Knight: Dark Monastery
 * An Hamaat, the Warp — Taken Wizard: Ascendant Challenge
 * An Ragaar, Son of Xivu Arath — Taken Knight: The Oracle Engine
 * An Salaak, the Weft — Taken Wizard: Ascendant Challenge
 * Ashorc, Temple Claimant — Taken Knight: The Corrupted (Malfeasance)
 * Bab'dotek, the Abhorrent — Taken Knight: Lost Souvenir
 * Balvog, Shield of Oryx — Taken Knight: Dread Patrol
 * Barrism, Altered Phalanx — Taken Phalanx: Sanctum of Bones (Exodus: Evacuation)
 * Blightfiend Ogre - Taken Ogre: Shattered Realm: Forest of Echoes
 * Blightfiend Wizard - Taken Wizard: Shattered Realm: Forest of Echoes
 * Corrupted Techeun - Taken Techeun: Shattered Realm: Forest of Echoes
 * Crorok, Will of Xivu Arath — Taken Captain: Broken Courier
 * Drensik, Venom of Oryx — Taken Captain: Sunbreaker quest
 * Drevis, Aspect of Darkness — Taken Captain: The Whisper
 * Elatiox, Beloved of Quria — Taken Minotaur: Kings Shadow quest
 * Erosus, Spawn of Quria — Taken Hydra: Kings Shadow quest
 * Graam, Born of the Hellmouth — Taken Ogre: The Other Side Quest
 * Gu'urc, Venom of Oryx — Taken Centurion: Stormcaller quest
 * Haraal, Venom of Oryx — Taken Wizard: Nightstalker quest
 * H'Kullna, Stained by Darkness — Taken Knight: Cocoon mission
 * Ir Arok, Tongue of Quria — Taken Knight: Kings Shadow quest
 * Iraz, Eye of Savathûn — Taken Wizard: Unexpected Guests adventure
 * Ishrasek, Lightbinder of Savathûn – Taken Captain: The Crow and the Hawk
 * Korusk, Lighteater of Savathûn – Taken Centurion: A Cry from Beyond
 * Kurumo, the Uprooter — Taken Wizard: Visions of Light
 * Mant Yût, Born of the Hellmouth — Taken Centurion: The Other Side Quest
 * Mar-Zik, the Blightcaller — Taken Wizard: Fear's Embrace
 * Mukor, Soulkeeper — Taken Ogre: The Oracle Engine
 * Mysik, Daughter of Oryx — Taken Wizard: Blighted Coven
 * Om Alir, Ascendant Sentinel — Taken Wizard: Dark Monastery
 * Orm Vashyx — Taken Knight: The Oracle Engine
 * Ta'aurc, Aspect of War — Taken Centurion: The Whisper
 * Tarusk, Lighteater of Savathûn – Taken Centurion: A Cry from Beyond
 * Teksis, Ascendant Sentinel — Taken Captain: Dark Monastery
 * The Odynom — Taken Captain: The Oracle Engine
 * Thyshik, Matron of Oryx — Taken Wizard: Blighted Coven
 * Tir Balok, Daughter of Xivu Arath — Taken Knight: The Oracle Engine
 * Tsugoth, Gauntlet of Oryx — Taken Knight: Kings of Decay
 * Ugroth, Soulkeeper — Taken Ogre: The Oracle Engine
 * Urzok, Aspect of Hate — Taken Knight: The Whisper
 * Val Belyx, Gauntlet of Incaru — Taken Centurion Dark Monastery
 * Val Eralus, the Obedient — Taken Phalanx: Ascendant Challenge
 * Val Hragan, Lighteater — Taken Centurion: Visions of Light
 * Val Pros, Tower Sentry — Taken Phalanx: The Oracle Engine
 * Xaras, Greed of Xivu Arath — Taken Chimera: Broken Courier
 * Xavan, Daughter of Xivu Arath — Taken Knight: The Oracle Engine
 * Xirixis, the Unknowable — Taken Captain: Lost Souvenir
 * Yächaar, Bound to Sedia — Taken Phalanx: The Corrupted (Malfeasance)
 * Yamaat, Ascendant Sentinel — Taken Knight: Dark Monastery
 * Zruhh, Stained by Darkness — Taken Knight: Cocoon mission
 * Zyrak, Daughter of Oryx — Taken Wizard: Blighted Coven

Taken Zealots in Patrol encounters

 * Bracus Dru'urng — Taken Centurion: The Legion's Keep, Mars
 * Bracus Payne, the Called Hand — Taken Centurion: Divalian Mists, Dreaming City
 * Blighted Chord — Taken Minotaur: Endless Steps, Venus
 * Blighted Descendant — Taken Minotaur: The Hollows, Mars
 * Darnu, Horn of Oryx — Taken Knight: The Divide, Earth
 * Grayris, Baroness — Taken Captain: The Shattered Coast, Venus
 * Falsek, Lost to Oryx — Taken Captain: Dock 13, Earth
 * Inomina, Plague of the Well – Chimera: Blind Well, Dreaming City
 * Irxori, Lost to Oryx — Taken Captain: Skywatch, Earth
 * Kakos, Herald of the Plague — Taken Minotaur: Blind Well, Dreaming City
 * Krathoor — Taken Knight: Shrine of Oryx, Moon
 * Kydoimos, Herald of the Plague — Taken Minotaur: Blind Well, Dreaming City
 * Lhoks, Exile Baron — Taken Captain: The Cinders, Venus
 * Oxus, Herald of the Plague — Taken Minotaur: Blind Well, Dreaming City
 * Pauurc, the Farseer's Heir — Taken Ogre: Rheasilvia, Dreaming City
 * Saturn Survivor - Taken Knight: The Sludge, European Dead Zone
 * Sho'oulth, Horror of Oryx — Taken Centurion: The Barrens, Mars
 * Stirok, Banner of Oryx — Taken Knight: Rocketyard, Earth
 * Taken Howler — Taken Knight: Contact Public Event
 * Taken Monstrosity — Taken Ogre: Contact Public Event
 * Taken Pyromaster — Taken Incendior: Contact Public Event
 * Taken Will of Quria — Taken Minotaur: Contact Public Event
 * Teorax, Lightseeker of Savathûn – Taken Knight: The Reservoir, Earth
 * Vakarsik, Grasp of Quria — Taken Captain: Rift Generator Public Event
 * Velox, Lightseeker of Savathûn – Taken Knight: The Reservoir, Earth

Taken Lieutenants in Lost Sectors

 * Inkasi, Disciple of Quria — Taken Wizard Chamber of Starlight, Dreaming City
 * Pandrok, Pillar of Nothing — Taken Knight: Sanctum of Bones, Io
 * Varghul, Fragment of Oryx — Taken Knight: Cavern of Souls, EDZ
 * Ur Haraak, Disciple of Quria — Taken Knight: Aphelion's Rest, Dreaming City
 * Vendraxis, Shadow of Oryx — Taken Captain: Hallowed Grove, EDZ

Taken Lieutenants in Flashpoints

 * Ereshkel, Insight of Savathûn - Taken Wizard: Giant's Scar, Io
 * Viadion, Transformed Mind - Taken Minotaur: The Rupture, Io

Taken Lieutenants in Arenas

 * Ad-Hoc Centurion – Taken Centurion: The Reckoning Arena
 * Ad-Hoc Knight – Taken Knight: The Reckoning Arena
 * Ad-Hoc Wizard – Taken Wizard: The Reckoning Arena
 * Bracus Da'rulg, Taken of the Witness – Taken Phalanx: Defiant Battlegrounds: Cosmodrome Arena
 * Brute Champion – Taken Phalanx: The Reckoning Arena
 * Counterfeit Hydra — Taken Hydra: The Reckoning Arena
 * Counterfeit Phalanx — Taken Phalanx: The Reckoning Arena
 * Counterfeit Servitor — Chimera: The Reckoning Arena
 * Eshlor, Primeval Envoy – Taken Wizard: Gambit Prime Arena
 * Exomida, Taken of The Witness — Chimera: Defiant Battlegrounds: EDZ Arena
 * Guul'moh, Taken of the Witness — Taken Ogre: Defiant Battlegrounds: Cosmodrome Arena
 * Käav, Primeval Envoy – Taken Wizard: Gambit Prime Arena
 * Kashh'n Pryzus, Starhorse's Treasurer - Taken Ogre: Dares of Eternity Arena
 * Keksis, the Betrayed — Taken Captain: Prison of Elders Arena
 * Kelgorath, Taken from Bones — Taken Knight: Operation Fulgurite (Abyss) Arena
 * Kholks, Taken of Xivu Arath — Taken Ogre: Astral Alignment Arena
 * Likeness of Nokris — Taken Wizard: The Reckoning Arena
 * Likeness of Oryx – Echo of Oryx: The Reckoning Arena
 * Noru'usk, Servant of Oryx— Taken Centurion: Prison of Elders Arena
 * Seditious Mind — Taken Hydra: Prison of Elders Arena
 * Sulk'oth, Taken of Xivu Arath — Taken Knight: Astral Allignment Arena
 * Sylok, the Defiled — Taken Knight: Prison of Elders Arena
 * The Hermit – Taken Knight: The Reckoning Arena
 * Uorgotha, Scourge of the Deep – Taken Ogre: Salvage Arena
 * Val Ca'uor, Bladebound to Xivu Arath – Taken Incendior: Salvage Arena
 * Zumach, Primeval Envoy – Taken Wizard: Gambit Prime Arena

Taken Lieutenants in Story missions

 * Baxx, Hand of Oryx — Taken Ogre: Regicide mission
 * Bracus Sho'ogurn — Taken Centurion: Tenebrous Tunnels mission
 * Bracus — Taken Centurion: appears in The Promethean Code mission (Heroic)
 * Driviks, the Chosen — Taken Captain: Lost to Light mission (Heroic Daily Story)
 * Erruk, the Taken — Taken Wizard: Sacrilege mission
 * Ghulusk Blightcursed — Taken Centurion: Off-World Recovery mission
 * Irausk, Herald of Savathûn — Taken Centurion: Sacrilege mission
 * Karakis, Taken Enforcer — Taken Captain: Off-World Recovery mission
 * Mahesh, the Bitter — Taken Centurion: Off-World Recovery mission
 * Mat Azar, Riven's Welcome — Taken Wizard: Awakening mission
 * Modular Sigma — Taken Goblin: Fury mission
 * Modular Upsilon — Taken Minotaur: Fury mission
 * Morphon, Blighted Mind — Taken Hydra: Paradox mission
 * Norr, the Taken — Taken Wizard: Sacrilege mission
 * Sarkoor — Taken Wizard: Lost to Light mission
 * Savriks, Riven's Patience — Taken Captain: Awakening mission
 * Sorvox, Taken by the Voices — Taken Knight: Nothing Left to Say mission
 * Syrok, Word of Oryx— Taken Knight: The Coming War mission
 * Ta'aun, Hand of Oryx — Taken Colossus: Regicide mission
 * Tacharion the Blighted — Taken Hobgoblin: Off-World Recovery mission
 * Trulus the Failed — Taken Wizard: Off-World Recovery mission
 * Urlos, Greeting of Riven — Taken Wizard: Awakening mission
 * Val Grask, Warmth of Riven — Taken Centurion: Awakening mission
 * Vashok, Riven's Smile – Taken Ogre: Awakening mission
 * Vesesiks Lightkiller – Taken Captain: Off-World Recovery mission
 * Voice of Riven — Taken Chimera: Nothing Left to Say mission
 * Vro'ourn, Fist of Oryx — Taken Centurion: Outbound Signal mission
 * Wyr, the Taken — Taken Wizard: Sacrilege mission
 * Zuuan, Taken by the Voices — Taken Centurion: Nothing Left to Say mission

Technology
Taken Technology comes from all units that are taken but are more or less reskins of the weapons, some however do a different damage in their taken form.

Weaponry

 * Hive Weapons
 * Taken Shredder
 * Taken Boomer
 * Stasis Boomer
 * Taken Cleaver


 * Fallen Weapons
 * Taken Shrapnel Launcher
 * Taken Wire Rifle
 * Taken Shock Blade


 * Vex Weapons
 * Taken Slap Rifle
 * Taken Torch Hammer
 * Taken Line Rifle


 * Cabal Weapons
 * Taken Slug Rifle
 * Taken Cabal Shield
 * Taken Projection Rifle

Trivia

 * Based on Grimoire analysis it can be assumed that the victim willingly chooses to be enslaved. Whether any victims have ever rejected the Darkness is unknown.
 * Some concept art of the Taken shows them being able to Take other enemies although this is never seen in-game.
 * Some concept art of the Taken show a Taken Dreg, but they are never seen in-game.
 * This power is described by the Ecumene as an "ontopathogenic" weapon, infecting and subverting soldiers and giving them "physically illegal" abilities, not unlike the Superpower Wiki's description of "infect[ing] the very nature of the subject's existence". Moreover, in the same article, Ontopathogenesis is described as also infecting the metaphysical reality of a creature, matching the language of The Taken Grimoire cards.
 * According to the Drifter, the Taken have an aversion to methane, which makes it particularly difficult for them to operate on Titan.
 * The Taken are the first new faction type not to attack another faction. This was originally just the Hive from the Taken King onward but has expanded to other servant forces of the Witness, such as the Scorn in the Vow of the Disciple raid and the Shadow Legion in Lightfall and Season of Defiance.
 * It may be possible for a Ghost to be Taken, as alluded to by the Kingslayer's Shell from the King's Fall Raid. However, this has never been confirmed.
 * The texture on the Gorgons' armor looks very similar to Neutrino Scatter created by Taken. It's unknown whether there's a reason or just a coincidence.
 * In Destiny 2, the Neutrino Scatter was updated to look much similar to Taken, however their relation, if any, has yet to be confirmed.

List of appearances

 * Destiny
 * The Taken King
 * ''The April Update
 * Rise of Iron
 * The Dawning
 * Destiny 2
 * Warmind
 * Forsaken
 * Season of the Forge
 * Season of the Drifter
 * Season of Opulence
 * Shadowkeep
 * Season of Arrivals
 * Beyond Light
 * Season of the Hunt
 * Season of the Splicer
 * Season of the Lost
 * The Witch Queen
 * Lightfall
 * Season of Defiance
 * Season of the Deep