Brakion, Genesis Mind

"Just us and a giant Vex Gate. Ah, the Vex Gate at the center of the lake! What lake?! The lake where you will grind Brakion's horns into dust and crush its chassis beneath your boot! That lake!"

- Ghost and Asher Mir

Brakion, Genesis Mind was an Ultra Hobgoblin that served as the Axis Mind of the Pyramidion on Io and was the main boss of the aforementioned Strike in Destiny 2. However, it and its strike were vaulted with the release of Beyond Light.

Biography
Brakion oversaw the Pyramidion at its core and therefore coordinates the Vex's efforts of converting Io into a Machine world. It reconfigured reality within the Vex structure to halt a failed Guardian expedition attempting to invade the Pyramidion, led by Asher Mir whom Brakion captured at the shores of a radiolarian lake. It subjected the captive Asher and his team to experiments injecting radiolaria and grafting Vex technology; some which converted the latter's arm and Ghost into Vex constructs before he could escape.

Years later, another fireteam of Guardians guided by Ikora Rey and an extremely vengeful Asher Mir entered into Pyramidion despite heavy Vex resistance and leftover Taken from Ir Arok, Tongue of Quria's excursion. Upon delving into the self-criticality of the synthoneural terminus, they summon Brakion and put an immediate end to the Vex mind much to Asher's satisfaction.

Gameplay
Brakion entered the arena when the plate in front of it is stood on for long enough. Brakion immediately opened fire with its Line Rifle and would occasionally follow up with Void flame projectiles that create a circle of purple fire upon impact. After its health had been reduced by a third, it would teleport to another location and would be immune while teleporting. It would then surround itself in a Vex barrier that can only be disabled by capturing a Sync Plate as other Vex attempt to defend the plates along with Brakion being capable of shooting through this barrier as well. After capturing both Sync Plates, Brakion would resume its attack, but would teleport to another corner and put up another Vex Barrier shortly after. Once both barriers had been disabled, Brakion would assault the player directly, and would eventually enter berserk mode once its head was shot off. It would remain in this state until it was defeated.

Trivia

 * Brakion was the second Axis Mind that had the appearance of a Hobgoblin, instead of a Minotaur, Hydra, or a Harpy, the first being Xegonion, Warped Mind and the third being Agioktis, Martyr Mind.
 * In addition, Brakion was the second boss whose appearance changed when critically damaged. The first being Protheon.
 * When Brakion's head was shot off its weak point was shifted to its chest and on the back of its chest is a small window that showed a weak point.
 * Brakion was the second Vex boss to be called by name. The first was Atheon when it was called by name during Destiny's Age of Triumph.
 * Brakion's name could have been derived from the Latin word bracchium, which means arm or branch. This could've been an allusion to the Pyramidion's connection to the Infinite Forest, or a somewhat humorous allusion to the fact that Brakion is responsible for converting Asher Mir's arm.
 * If Brakion's head was broken before he entered an invulnerable state, he would enter a berserker rage, moving through his shield while remaining invulnerable. This made defeating him significantly more difficult.

List of appearances

 * Destiny 2