Final Shape: Difference between revisions

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(For those wondering, I am getting this from the Inspiral lore book from Root of Nightmares. 06: The Cave, specifically. Ishtar Collective does not have the book yet, however, however if it is ever added to IC, please cite it here.)
 
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The '''Final Shape''' is the name used to describe the ultimate goal of [[the Witness]]. It refers to a potential end-state of the universe in which the only entity or entities remaining are those which have demonstrated the ability to defeat all obstacles to their existence, and which will continue to exist forever.
{{references}}
{{about|the goal of [[The Witness]]|the conclusion of [[The Light and Darkness Saga]]|The Final Shape}}
[[File:FinalShapeThumb.png|thumb|350px|Civilians of the City being calcified as Earth is reshaped.]]
 
The '''Final Shape''' was the name used to describe the ultimate end goal of [[The Witness|the Witness]] and its precursor species. It referred to a potential end-state of the universe in which the Witness intended to winnow, carve and calcify the universe into a frozen state of eternal perfection. In this hypothetical state of reality, only items and entities with a purpose or structure that The Witness deemed fit for existence will remain. Had this state been achieved, The Witness would've accomplished its eons-long quest to impose its form of salvation to a meaningless, chaotic, and open-ended universe.


==Possible Forms==
==Possible Forms==
While what the Final Shape is truly is not known, several [[Disciples of the Witness]] have come upon theories on it. An as of yet unnamed Disciple who refers to themselves as the Witness' Weapon believes the Final Shape is truly incomprehensible by those ontologically inferior to the Witness. [[Nezarec, Final God of Pain]] believes it is a universe of unending torment and fear. [[Savathûn, the Witch Queen]] believes the Final Shape is when the [[Sword Logic]] has been fulfilled and the universe has reached the simplest it can be. And Rhulk believes it is a universe of chaos where wanton destruction reigns supreme.
The idea of a "Final Shape" has been described by several different entities associated with the Darkness. According to the [[Hive]], the Final Shape is the natural end state of violent winnowing; what remains when everything that can possibly be destroyed has been obliterated, leaving only that which has proven its ability to defeat all obstacles to its continued existence. This conception is later echoed by [[Oryx, the Taken King]], who describes the Final Shape as "a fire without fuel, burning forever, killing death, asking a question that is its own answer, entirely itself".<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books_of_Sorrow#xxiii:_fire_without_fuel|XXV: fire without fuel]]''</ref>
 
As described by [[Ahsa]], the species that would eventually become the Witness also sought to bring about a "Final Shape", which they sought to achieve by uniting [[The Traveler|the Traveler]] and [[The Veil|the Veil]] and using their combined powers to reshape reality as they desired. The details of this goal are unknown, other than it involved converting the universe into a perfected, eternal state.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/6/20)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Deep]], Dialogue: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN7QkdWMV18&t=626s Zavala and Drifter Radio Message]''</ref>
 
The Witness seeks to bring about the Final Shape, but the exact nature of this goal remains unclear even to its [[Disciples of the Witness|Disciples]]. Each Disciple seems to have developed their own conception of what the Final Shape entails, and is seemingly permitted by the Witness to act accordingly. According to an unnamed and long-dead Disciple whose thoughts are recorded in the Inspiral lore book entry "The Cave," [[Nezarec, Final God of Pain|Nezarec]] believed the Final Shape to involve becoming one with all of existence, whereas [[Rhulk, Disciple of the Witness|Rhulk]] believed it to be a universe free of disparity and differentiation, and [[Savathûn, the Witch Queen|Savathûn]] and her Hive believed it to be a universe in which the Sword Logic was triumphant. This unnamed Disciple subsequently concluded that none of the Witness' followers could fully grasp the true nature of the Final Shape, and that the Witness was allowing each of its Disciples and other servants to act according to a greater plan that would ultimately realize all of their seemingly disparate visions of the Final Shape.<ref>'''(2023/3/10)''',''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]], [[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]''</ref>
==The Witness's Truth==
It would later be revealed that the Final Shape is what will happen when the Witness freezes and calcifies reality into one perfect moment forever, where all are calcified into a marbleized reality, much akin to the frozen forms glimpsed within the [[Pyramid]]s. The Witness believes that the Traveler wastes its power by not responding to tragedy and requests for guidance, and instead remaining still and silent in seeming uncaring indifference and ambivalent inaction, all while sprouting more life that live to suffer without purpose. The Witness desires to usurp the Traveler's power in order to prevent life from having unfair "suffering". An end to anguish and bliss, to the cycle of action and reaction, the chaos of life untangled, its complexity made known and contained, and given a static "purpose". With the Darkness projecting possibilities from thought and memory, and the Light to give them form and make the imagined structures real, the Witness plans to reshape reality into a "perfect stillness" that never changes and never dies, where all lives are immortalised in the universe at the time of their greatest triumph or most profound regret. To carve the universe into something that cannot be destroyed, and thus will surpass infinity and triumph over entropy, but yet would never create more life which the Witness believes only leads to chaos and suffering. The Witness will not be part of the Final Shape itself, but will instead become the god that chooses what each person's eternity would be that they are imprisoned in; to transform the universe into a fixed state based on what the Witness believes we deserve, a perfect ending it chooses for us, and where nothing exists without the Witness's consent.<ref name="TFS">''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Final Shape]]''</ref>


However the accuracy of these theories is unknown.
Due to being able to see into being's memories using the Darkness, the Witness is able to use this knowledge to tempt its enemies to surrender to or join the Witness in return for a more personalised Final Shape, either as a version that cures them of past pain or suffering they've experienced or by offering what it thinks they want. For [[Crow]], it offered him to be looked at with pride, trust and love by his friends and [[Mara Sov|sister]], as well as to erase his past mistake with the [[Dreaming City]] and make him into a version that rules the Awoken and the stars. For [[Zavala]], it offered to bring back [[Safiyah]] and [[Hakim]] where he can be spend eternity with them at their home. With [[The Guardian]], it initially offered freedom from their unending life in "enslavement" to the Traveler, but later, believing they desired endless challenge, offered to ascend them to as that which destroys all that can be destroyed, to make them "[[Disciples of the Witness|chosen]]" and be regarded by all other Guardians as above them. It then offered to give them an escape from the eternal cycle of battle for rewards and commendations, and instead promised all the vast riches the Guardian's strength was "owed". Finally, the Witness, claiming that the Guardian's potential was being limited by the Vanguard leading them, offered to help them achieve the power they deserved beyond what the Traveler would give; to not become part of the Final Shape, but instead to join the Witness as a god controlling all. Their Ghost, however, believes that the Witness is only making these offers of becoming a disciple or even a god because the Witness is desperate and terrified of what the Guardian can do to it.<ref name="TFS"/>


==List of appearances==
==List of appearances==
*''[[Destiny]]''
*''[[Destiny]]''
**''[[The Taken King]]'' {{Fm}}
**''[[The Taken King]]'' {{Fm}}
*''[[Destiny 2]]''  
*''[[Destiny 2]]''
**''[[Forsaken]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Forsaken]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Season of Opulence]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Shadowkeep]]'' {{mo}}
**''[[Shadowkeep]]'' {{mo}}
***''[[Season of Arrivals]]'' {{mo}}
**''[[Season of Arrivals]]'' {{mo}}
***''[[Season of the Lost]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Season of the Lost]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[The Witch Queen]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[The Witch Queen]]'' {{Mo}}
***''[[Season of the Haunted]]'' {{mo}}
**''[[Season of the Haunted]]'' {{mo}}
**''[[Lightfall]]'' {{mo}}
**''[[Lightfall]]'' {{mo}}
**''[[Season of the Deep]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Season of the Witch]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Season of the Wish]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[The Final Shape]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Entelechy]]'' {{Mo}}
==References==
<references/>


[[Category:Lore]]
[[Category:Lore]]

Latest revision as of 16:55, June 22, 2024

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This article is about the goal of The Witness. For the conclusion of The Light and Darkness Saga, see The Final Shape.
Civilians of the City being calcified as Earth is reshaped.

The Final Shape was the name used to describe the ultimate end goal of the Witness and its precursor species. It referred to a potential end-state of the universe in which the Witness intended to winnow, carve and calcify the universe into a frozen state of eternal perfection. In this hypothetical state of reality, only items and entities with a purpose or structure that The Witness deemed fit for existence will remain. Had this state been achieved, The Witness would've accomplished its eons-long quest to impose its form of salvation to a meaningless, chaotic, and open-ended universe.

Possible Forms[edit]

The idea of a "Final Shape" has been described by several different entities associated with the Darkness. According to the Hive, the Final Shape is the natural end state of violent winnowing; what remains when everything that can possibly be destroyed has been obliterated, leaving only that which has proven its ability to defeat all obstacles to its continued existence. This conception is later echoed by Oryx, the Taken King, who describes the Final Shape as "a fire without fuel, burning forever, killing death, asking a question that is its own answer, entirely itself".[1]

As described by Ahsa, the species that would eventually become the Witness also sought to bring about a "Final Shape", which they sought to achieve by uniting the Traveler and the Veil and using their combined powers to reshape reality as they desired. The details of this goal are unknown, other than it involved converting the universe into a perfected, eternal state.[2]

The Witness seeks to bring about the Final Shape, but the exact nature of this goal remains unclear even to its Disciples. Each Disciple seems to have developed their own conception of what the Final Shape entails, and is seemingly permitted by the Witness to act accordingly. According to an unnamed and long-dead Disciple whose thoughts are recorded in the Inspiral lore book entry "The Cave," Nezarec believed the Final Shape to involve becoming one with all of existence, whereas Rhulk believed it to be a universe free of disparity and differentiation, and Savathûn and her Hive believed it to be a universe in which the Sword Logic was triumphant. This unnamed Disciple subsequently concluded that none of the Witness' followers could fully grasp the true nature of the Final Shape, and that the Witness was allowing each of its Disciples and other servants to act according to a greater plan that would ultimately realize all of their seemingly disparate visions of the Final Shape.[3]

The Witness's Truth[edit]

It would later be revealed that the Final Shape is what will happen when the Witness freezes and calcifies reality into one perfect moment forever, where all are calcified into a marbleized reality, much akin to the frozen forms glimpsed within the Pyramids. The Witness believes that the Traveler wastes its power by not responding to tragedy and requests for guidance, and instead remaining still and silent in seeming uncaring indifference and ambivalent inaction, all while sprouting more life that live to suffer without purpose. The Witness desires to usurp the Traveler's power in order to prevent life from having unfair "suffering". An end to anguish and bliss, to the cycle of action and reaction, the chaos of life untangled, its complexity made known and contained, and given a static "purpose". With the Darkness projecting possibilities from thought and memory, and the Light to give them form and make the imagined structures real, the Witness plans to reshape reality into a "perfect stillness" that never changes and never dies, where all lives are immortalised in the universe at the time of their greatest triumph or most profound regret. To carve the universe into something that cannot be destroyed, and thus will surpass infinity and triumph over entropy, but yet would never create more life which the Witness believes only leads to chaos and suffering. The Witness will not be part of the Final Shape itself, but will instead become the god that chooses what each person's eternity would be that they are imprisoned in; to transform the universe into a fixed state based on what the Witness believes we deserve, a perfect ending it chooses for us, and where nothing exists without the Witness's consent.[4]

Due to being able to see into being's memories using the Darkness, the Witness is able to use this knowledge to tempt its enemies to surrender to or join the Witness in return for a more personalised Final Shape, either as a version that cures them of past pain or suffering they've experienced or by offering what it thinks they want. For Crow, it offered him to be looked at with pride, trust and love by his friends and sister, as well as to erase his past mistake with the Dreaming City and make him into a version that rules the Awoken and the stars. For Zavala, it offered to bring back Safiyah and Hakim where he can be spend eternity with them at their home. With The Guardian, it initially offered freedom from their unending life in "enslavement" to the Traveler, but later, believing they desired endless challenge, offered to ascend them to as that which destroys all that can be destroyed, to make them "chosen" and be regarded by all other Guardians as above them. It then offered to give them an escape from the eternal cycle of battle for rewards and commendations, and instead promised all the vast riches the Guardian's strength was "owed". Finally, the Witness, claiming that the Guardian's potential was being limited by the Vanguard leading them, offered to help them achieve the power they deserved beyond what the Traveler would give; to not become part of the Final Shape, but instead to join the Witness as a god controlling all. Their Ghost, however, believes that the Witness is only making these offers of becoming a disciple or even a god because the Witness is desperate and terrified of what the Guardian can do to it.[4]

List of appearances[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Bungie (2015/9/15), Destiny: The Taken King, Grimoire: XXV: fire without fuel
  2. ^ Bungie (2023/6/20), Destiny 2: Season of the Deep, Dialogue: Zavala and Drifter Radio Message
  3. ^ (2023/3/10),Destiny 2: Lightfall, Inspiral
  4. ^ a b Destiny 2: The Final Shape
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