Red Legion

"Rumors mostly. They’re elite. Ruthless. And rumor is, they've never known defeat."

- Ikora Rey The Red Legion is an elite Cabal Legion formerly led by the Cabal Emperor, Dominus Ghaul.

History
Emperor Calus appointed a younger Ghaul to Primus of the Red Legion, where his talents would be best put to use. For his albinism, Ghaul became known as the Ghost Primus. Under his command, the Red Legion became loyal to Ghaul over their emperor, such that when Ghaul launched his coup against Emperor Calus, the Red Legion accompanied him, arresting Calus and forcing him aboard The Leviathan.

Since then, the Red Legion has conquered hundreds of worlds at Ghaul's orders, deploying The Almighty against those who refused to surrender. They were said to have never once failed.

The Legion was last deployed in response to the Skyburners' distress call to attack the Last City on Earth, launching a successful invasion of Earth and the Last City. Using the Traveler Cage, they managed to cripple the Last City and devastate the Guardians, leaving them vulnerable and displaced. They are attempting to claim the Light from the Traveler and become Guardians. During the attack with a portion of their forces, the rest of the Red Legion had quickly occupied the Solar System, not only the far Jovian moons and Venus and the Reef, they were everywhere, even making an attempt to dig up ancient Vex ruins on Nessus, where they unearthed the ancient Vex mind Protheon, Modular Mind. Soldiers of the Legion utilize highly advanced technology, far more advanced than that of their older scouts. On Io, they attempted to drain Io of its abnormal light which accidentally summoned the Taken, forcing them to leave their many dig sites. On Mars, perhaps one of their greatest achievements in the system was ending the war with the Vex, the remaining Legions gathered for one final assault and the Red Legion led the charge. Then it happened, with one huge punch, the stalemate against the Vex was broken, they made stunning progress, destroying the Virgo Prohibition, taking the Bastion and destroying the Gate to the Black Garden ensuring the Vex could never again make an attempt to take Mars back and squeezing them out of the Bay. What the other legions couldn't do, the Red Legion did just like that.

They destroyed the last of the Sunbreakers when they raided their outpost and occupied their ruins after they sent out one last transmission. And they were possibly the ones to clear out the Fallen holdouts on the Moon, Mars and Venus when they were disbanding to form the House of Dusk.

At some point, the former Emperor Calus has received news of Ghaul’s forces in the Sol System, believing it was the right time, he sent his Shadows to eliminate the Dominus once and for all, however, despite their best efforts, all of them have died horribly.

With their security being lax, and Ghaul being preoccupied by wanting to understand the Traveler, their greatest weapon, The Almighty, which can destroy suns was under attack by a Guardian and was disabled. This led to a full on attack on the Red Legion occupied city by more Guardians, spearheaded by the Vanguard. With pressure mounting and his temper boiling over, Ghaul murdered the Consul, who criticized his obsession, and went to take the light to become a Guardian himself. For a short while he was successful and combated the Guardian. However, Ghaul was defeated and the Traveler awoken, who ended the Dominus once and for all. Even in it’s aftermath, Red Legion weapons are used in Shaxx’s Crucible to help train new Guardians.

Ghaul's death and the Legion's defeat at the City did not substantially hinder their war machine. With the Dominus's command succeeded by Val Ca'uor, the Red Legion began to actively occupy Mercury and Mars in order to resupply their forces. Red Legion forces headed by Kargen, the Technocrat hacked the Insight Terminus on Nessus for Vex technology while Psions were also attempting to evolve into Flayers by tapping into the Warmind Rasputin on Mars; both efforts were thwarted by the Guardians. Around the time the Hive faction, the Grasp of Nokris, began emerging from the Hellas Basin on Mars, Val Ca'uor led a Red Legion fleet against the Leviathan in order to seize it from Calus and weaponize it. Ca'uor's forces were repelled by The Guardian and was assassinated afterward, thus leaving the Red Legion leaderless again, weakened and further demoralized.

However, this was not the end of the Red Legion, the Guardians started attacking the Legion more and more aggressively, instigating a skirmish with the House of Dusk Fallen, shutting down their anti-air defenses at Firebase Hades, allowing air bombing runs and raids to take place on the facility, directing the Taken assault on the EDZ toward the Legion, taking their fuel and supplies, and with the discovery of lost sectors, their leaders to came out of hiding, allowing multiple assassinations to take place. On Nessus, their commander in The Conflux, Primus Cal'aug, was killed by The Young Wolf, stopping the Legion from undergoing any further operations on Nessus. On top of that, Firebase Hades was disabled, most of their supplies were stolen and they had to deal with heavy losses due to failed offensives against the City and The Fallen.

Meanwhile on Mars, things were supposedly going well for the Legion and was a sign the Legion was still a major force with it being the only place the Legion still had power over. With the Ice melting after impacts from the surface, a new threat emerged, The Grasp Of Nokris and with that they were now seeing there progress on Mars quickly being undone in Hellas Basin they now fought a war with an enemy that they didn't understand, it is unknown if they were fighting the Grasp of Nokris all over Mars or it was isolated to Hellas Basin.

In addition to their disheveled state, the Red Legion began suffering from multiple desertions such as those following Garut Gra'am who rooted themselves in Trappers Cave. The most prominent of these groups, the Unbowed Legion, made their debut in the EAZ during the Solstice of Heroes event in an attempt to take over the EAZ as a base of operations. Despite the group being lead by three large Cabal commanders similar to Ghalak the Colossus, Forge Warden, they were quickly put to an end by the Guardians partaking in the event.

There are some remnant Red Legion forces present on the Moon when the Guardians went on the hunt for the Nightmare of Dominus Ghaul.

Against the deprivation the legion currently faces they have been seen to continue some operations such as an attempt to take over the EAZ lead by two Bond  Sisters.

More recently a family group of Psion Flayers, having commandeered Osiris' time-traveling Sundial, split Mercury into three alternate timelines that threaten to span beyond the planet and into the system. It is their intention to undo Ghaul's defeat, or, failing that, gather enough Light from the future to buy their way back into Calus' favor. Though the Psion Flayer sisters, Niruul, the Hollow Voice, Ozletc, the Sky Piercer and Tazaroc, the Sun Eater, managed to create a border realm for themselves, the Guardians would ruin their plans. One by one, the Psion sisters would face the Guardians and be defeated. After weeks of their forces being eliminated, the three sisters, driven to desperation, used their vast psionic powers to merge into a single being, Inotam, Oblivion's Triune. Despite Inotam's vast powers, the Guardians would nonetheless prevail against her, thwarting the sisters efforts to subvert time. However, one sister remains, Amtec, who was informed by her sisters of their possible demise and now schemes to avenge them.

After their crippling defeat at the Sundial, the Red Legion, headed by the escaped Psion Flayer, Amtec, decide to use the Almighty to crash into the Last City itself. With little to no choice, the Vanguard decide to cooperate with the Warmind Rasputin, with Guardians arming his arsenal, in order to save their home from destruction.

Despite Amtec's efforts, however, the Almighty was destroyed by Rasputin, with the help of the Guardians, before it could collide with Earth, resulting in Amtec's plot ending in a total failure for the Red Legion. Amtec's final fate is unknown, but she was possibly onboard when the Almighty was annihilated and perished in the explosion.

With the Almighty's crash site no longer in flame and its debris no longer falling from the sky, the Red Legion were reduced to a barren few after countless losses. Despite this, the Legion still operates. Several groups of Cabal interfere with the Contact public event in hopes of harnessing the phantasmal energy seen utilised in many Champions brought to the forefront. It is unknown if the Red Legion in their desperation have managed to use the energy to create Champions, or if the champions are derived from another way. It is also unknown whether or not Amtec still leads the remains of the Legion due to her possible death on the Almighty unconfirmed. As for their current fate, the remaining Cabal in the system will either turn to Calus’ Loyalists or to Caiatl, the Princess-Imperial’s regime, with the latter seeking to raise the Legion once more.

Major Figures

 * Dominus Ghaul
 * The Consul
 * Thumos, the Unbroken
 * Primus Cal'aug
 * Kargen, the Technocrat
 * Val Ca'uor
 * Valus Thuun
 * Psion Flayer Quartet
 * Niruul, the Hollow Voice
 * Ozletc, the Sky Piercer
 * Tazaroc, the Sun Eater
 * Amtec
 * Caiatl, the Princess-Imperial

Named Leaders and Bosses

 * Barit, Imprisoned Flayer
 * Blood Cleaver
 * Bracus Drusk
 * Bracus Ghurm
 * Bracus Talurn
 * Bracus Zahn
 * Brann, the Unbent Blade
 * Bruiser Thurn
 * Burg, the Stellar Jailer
 * Callan, the Suffering
 * Commander Truvul
 * Commander Yourg
 * Controller Gronn
 * Curator Arrox
 * Cyronax
 * Defender Born
 * Defender Hahn
 * Devourer Darg
 * Drusk, the Crushing Fist
 * Dust-Choked Thrag
 * Enforcer Karch
 * Enforcer Korusk
 * Enforcer Rusk
 * Final Guard Straff
 * Firebase Demolitionist
 * Fortifier Yann
 * Ghalak the Colossus, Forge Warden
 * Glomus, the Severing Slash
 * Grask, the Consumed (formerly)
 * Investigator Tosusk
 * Investigator Prurg
 * Jagad, the Overwhelming Surge
 * Kashur, the Infinite Blaze
 * Kraug, the Undeterred
 * Kreth, the Living Skyfire
 * Krusk, the Sol's Warden
 * Kurg, the All-Seeing Force
 * Lurg, the Burning Shield
 * Moag, the Deafening Volley
 * Ordnance Keeper Tulg
 * Pashk, the Searing Will
 * Prusk, the Unequaled Maul
 * Purifier Vurst
 * Raktar, the Unrelenting
 * Rudoc, Imprisoned Flayer
 * Security Chief Kolg
 * Sheular, Psion Flayer
 * Taskmaster Vazar
 * Taurg, Disguised by the Emperor
 * Thox, the Smoldering Wasp
 * Tluam, Sister of Vrag
 * Tomoc, Psion Flayer
 * Urche, Psion Flayer
 * Val Bulgur
 * Val Drueng
 * Val Garurc
 * Val Ghuusk
 * Val Gul
 * Val Leng
 * Val Palusk
 * Val Tragur
 * Val Thum
 * Val Urgus
 * Valus Dulurc
 * Valus Kratorn
 * Valus Lugurg
 * Valus Pra'urg
 * Valus Traud, Proxy
 * Valus Trusug
 * Valus Zullug
 * Vrag, Sister of Tluam
 * Vrees, Imprisoned Flayer
 * Warden Derg
 * Zarik, the Booming Voice
 * Zerz, the Unstoppable Weight
 * Zazz The Flayed

Command Structure
The command structure and tactics of the Red Legion are more aggressive and agile than any Cabal Legion observed before, with deadlier weapons, advanced technology, and battle techniques. The Red Legion also has a handful of new units that operate in the field. Majors will typically wear silver armor, whereas Ultras wear gold armor.


 * Scorpius—mechanical turrets that are deployed by the Red Legion and Loyalists. These turrets unleash a barrage of ballistic fire upon their targets.
 * Honored Scorpius
 * Volcanic Scorpius


 * War Beasts—vicious, four-legged Cabal creatures who debut in Destiny 2
 * 7th Company War Beast
 * Honored War Beast
 * War Hound


 * Psion—non-Cabal slaves that have powerful psionic abilities and clairvoyance. They are armed with Slug Rifles or Cabal Headhunters. They can move around quicker than other Cabal units.
 * Blooded Psion
 * C-Block Psion
 * 7th Company Psion
 * Bonded Psion
 * Corrupted Bonded Psion
 * Electron Controller
 * Flayer Aspirant
 * Honored Psion
 * Infiltrator Psion
 * Interceptor Pilot
 * Psion Commander
 * Psion Courier
 * Psion Flayer
 * Psion Operant
 * Turret Machinist


 * Legionary—frontline heavy infantry that form the backbone of the Cabal military. Equipped with jump jets, and armed with either a Slug Rifle, (common), Projection Rifle (rare), or Cabal Slug Shotgun.
 * 7th Company Legionary
 * Blood Guard Legionary
 * Blood Guard Bulwark
 * Blood Guard Close Protection
 * Blood Guard Security
 * C-Block Legionary
 * Exiled Launcher
 * Honored Legionary
 * Illicit Slug Shooter
 * Mercury Conqueror
 * Outlawed Sniper
 * Unsanctioned Blaster
 * Zarik's Protector


 * Phalanx—defensive troops that create impenetrable walls for support. Equipped with Slug Rifles, Cabal Slug Shotguns, and Cabal Shields.
 * C-Block Blood Phalanx
 * 7th Company Phalanx
 * Honored Phalanx
 * Mercury Conqueror
 * Ouragos Phalanx
 * Subterranean Hydration Officer
 * Thunder Phalanx


 * Incendior—pyrotechnic Cabal units who debut in Destiny 2. They are armed with Cabal Magma Launchers.
 * 7th Company Incendior
 * 7th Company Legionary (Although named as a Legionary, it has the body archetype of an Incendior)
 * Blood Guard Centurion (Although named as a Centurion, it has the body archetype of an Incendior)
 * Blood Guard Incendior
 * C-Block Incendior
 * Fortification Substrate Enforcer
 * Honored Incendior
 * Mercury Conqueror
 * Retrieval Specialist
 * Star Incendior


 * Gladiator—large cleaver-wielding Cabal who debut in Destiny 2. They are armed with Cabal Severus.
 * Honored Gladiator
 * Blood Guard Gladiator
 * Cargo Security Chief
 * C-Block Psion
 * Centurion—field commanders and special operation troops of the Cabal. Equipped with a Solar Shield and jump jets, and armed with either a Projection Rifle (common), Slug Rifle (rare), or an Cabal Bronto Cannon (common).
 * 7th Company Centurion
 * Artillery Operations Commander
 * Blood Guard Centurion
 * Blood Guard Exemplar
 * Blood Guard Security
 * C-Block Centurion
 * Firebase Demolitionist
 * Field Evaluator
 * Honored Centurion
 * Infiltrator Valus
 * Mercury Conqueror
 * Powerhouse Centurion
 * Psionically Enhanced Centurion


 * Colossus—elite heavy infantry units that lead the battle with their own ferocious size and strength. Armed with a Heavy Slug Thrower or a Cabal Slug Launcher, and have the ability to fire homing missiles from pods on the back of their armor. Can also unleash a three-hundred-sixty degree melee attack to inflict tremendous knockback and serious damage.
 * Bloodguard Colossus
 * Brawl Gladiator (Although named as a Gladiator, it has the body archetype of a Colossus)
 * C-Block Colossus
 * Elite Mercury Conqueror
 * Excavator Valus
 * Honored Colossus
 * Ruination Colossus

Appearance
Red Legion troops can be primarily identified by their signature gunmetal and red color scheme, with some troops having gold, silver, or orange highlights depending upon their rank. They are also more heavily armored than other Cabal Legions, wearing metal plates over a bodysuit of War Beast scales.

Trivia

 * The Red Legion is the first Cabal force to travel to Earth and succeed in attacking the Last City. They use more advanced technology in stark contrast to the Cabal scouts who were originally deployed to the Solar System in Destiny, evidence of the Cabal Empire's advancements after the original scouting party had been deployed.
 * The Red Legion have been known to deploy via drop pods launched from their carriers, rather than mainly using the Harvester drop ship like their predecessors.
 * The Red Legion is by far the biggest Cabal force the Guardians have ever faced.
 * The Red Legion is the first Cabal force to use Threshers, War Beasts, Incendiors, and Gladiators.
 * Upon closer inspection of Red Legion Cadavers it can be seen that soldiers belonging to the Red Legion seem to undergo cybernetic augmentation, with the fingers of Phalanxes being replaced with metal claws and Psion's having their helmets literally fused to their skull.
 * The Red Legion return in Season of Dawn and in Season of the Worthy as the main enemy Faction against the Guardians.

List of appearances

 * Destiny 2
 * Curse of Osiris
 * Warmind
 * Forsaken
 * Black Armory
 * Season of Opulence
 * Shadowkeep
 * Season of Dawn
 * Season of the Worthy
 * Season of Arrivals