Vanguard
VanguardInfo.jpg
 

"When a terrible threat rises, Guardians look to the Vanguard, the closest thing they have to a command structure. These elite veterans coordinate the reports of roaming Hunters, the analyses of cloistered Warlocks, and the instincts of grizzled Titans into a single plan of action."
Grimoire Description.

The Vanguard are elite Guardians who coordinate the Last City's defenses, organize assaults on enemy strongholds and assassinations of their leaders, and mentor newly-risen Guardians. Some Guardians work directly for the Vanguard as scouts, investigating potential threats to the City far afield.

Overview

The members of the Vanguard sell armor specific to their class, as well as guide players through story content via Quests. The Vanguard also sells weapons, armor and equipment through their Quartermaster, Roni 55-30. The Vanguard guides the player through the base game's questline and each subclass quest, as well as playing an important role in organizing a resistance against Oryx during the Taken War. Vanguard Reputation is gained by completing Vanguard Bounties, Strikes, or missions while on Patrol.[1]

As a result of the invasion of the Last City led by Dominus Ghaul, the destruction of the Tower and the onset of the Red War, the Vanguard has been thrown into disarray. While the Vanguards leadership survived the initial invasion, they became displaced and questioned over how they would overcome the Red Legion.

However, they were reunited by The Guardian, and fought in the Red War against the Red Legion and Ghaul. After the successful liberation of the City and the awakening of the Traveler, the Vanguard set up a new base near the ruins of the old Tower.

Over a year since the Red War ended, the Vanguard would tragically lose a member. Hunter Vanguard Cayde-6, while on mission with the Guardian to contain a massive prison break within the Prison of Elders, finds himself beaten and his Ghost destroyed by the Fallen Scorn Barons. Worse, the Scorn's leader, the previously missing Uldren Sov, takes Cayde's weapon, the Ace of Spades, and murders Cayde in cold blood. His death leaves the Guardian Hunters without a leader and uncertain of their future. Though Uldren and the Scorn would know defeat at the Guardian's hands, who would assume Cayde-6's place remains unknown.

The remaining members of the Vanguard and other officials are considering who will assume Cayde's role as Hunter Vanguard. Unfortunately, what Hunters that have the skill and leadership to take the position fled the City in anticipation (or fear) of being chosen.

As seen in Shadowkeep the Vanguard forces also consist of Frame, Drake Tank and Hawk gunships. Vanguard frames appear in the first mission of Shadowkeep known as A Mysterious Disturbance where they are named as Vanguard Frontline. They are also located on the Moon patrol zone in Sanctuary where they protect the Vanguard outpost occupied by Eris Morn.

In more recent times, the Vanguard would be forced to handle threats more closer to home. After the Endless Night blanketed over the Last City, Ikora Rey reached out to the one being that may be able to help: Mithrax of the House of Light. After finding him and saving his people, the Warlock Vanguard offered the Sacred Splicer and his House sanctuary within the Last City, to which the Light Kell gratefully agreed. However, this decision, without the consent of the Consensus, angered the Factions, which only fueled the suspicions and doubts they had towards the Vanguard's overall effectiveness and decisions. This ultimately led to an increase in tension within the Last City. Though Ikora Rey and the Guardians believed that peace and cooperation with the House of Light could one day end the violence between humanity and eliksni, others were not so quick to forget the past and look towards the future. To add fuel to the fire, Lakshmi-2, who once was cautiously optimistic about the Vanguard's alliance with the House of Light, began to make public broadcasts denouncing their alliance, spreading fear amongst the Last City's populace. This ultimately led a paranoia-induced mob to ransack the Eliksni Quarters but despite this tragedy, both Mithrax and Ikora refuse to forsake their alliance, with the Warlock Vanguard growing increasingly angered by Lakshmi's fearmongering.

Believing that the Vanguard's judgment is compromised after Ikora interrupted one of Lakshmi's broadcasts, speaking out that the eliksni are not that different from humanity and their alliance can bring back the dawn, the War Cult leader began to conspire with her counterparts in New Monarchy and Dead Orbit. Despite the Guardians making progress against the Vex and learning that the Witch Queen is behind the Endless Night, the Faction leaders attempted to convince either Saladin Forge or Saint-14 to assume control over the Vanguard, believing that their experiences in fighting the Fallen would have them more inclined to their line of thinking. Unfortunately for the factions, both Saladin Forge and Saint-14 rebuffed their offers as the Iron Lord still trusted in Zavala and Ikora's decisions and Saint-14 recently came to an understanding with Mithrax. Angered by this, Lakshmi would continue to make broadcasts against the House of Light but would gain the supposed aid of Osiris himself, granting Lakshmi and her fellow conspirators access to Vex portal technology.

Even after the Guardians succeeded in destroying the Endless Night's architect, Quria, the Dreaming Mind, and slowly allowing daylight to return, Lakshmi and her conspirators continued in their plan to usurp the Consensus and oust the Vanguard, thereby allowing them to exterminate the House of Light or force them to leave the Last City. Upon Lakshmi beginning her coup, the Vex portal she used ultimately allowed the Vex to invade the Last City and attack indiscriminately, killing the War Cult leader in the process. The Guardians hastily were able to close the portal and prevent the House of Light's destruction. With their conspiracy exposed, the other factions gathered what supplies and supporters they had and fled the Last City upon Dead Orbit's fleet rather than face the Vanguard's retribution, thereby bringing an end to the age of Factions.

With the Vanguard's alliance with the House of Light reaffirmed and after honoring their dead, the Vanguard was left to assumed control over what remained of the Consensus. Further, what was left of Future War Cult disbanded, with many joining the Vanguard since they objected to Lakshmi's views and decisions.

Vanguard Leaders

 
Vanguard Banner

Current Vanguard Members

Former Vanguard Members

Vanguard Allies

Vanguard Dare

Unlike Titans and Warlocks who elect their Vanguard representatives, the Vanguard Dare is a challenge set between Hunters into deciding who will fill the position of Hunter Vanguard. The Vanguard Dare is a code of honour among Hunters and often followed through.

Due to the nature of Hunters who enjoy venturing the wild, the position of filling the Vanguard role has proven difficult for the Last City as no Hunter wants to be stuck in the Tower doing Vanguard duties. Since then the Vanguard has allowed Hunters to come to an agreement between themselves into electing an official and this can be contested as a gamble in which the loser must concede to filling the Vanguard role.

Currently, the Hunter Vanguard position is vacant as no Hunter wants to fill the role leading to many Hunters that could fill the role to flee the city for important "Assignments". They have since been spiritually represented by Colonel who occupies the space of the fallen Cayde-6 and has since been christened "Pigeon Lord" by Saint-14.

Vanguard Transmissions

 
Vanguard Transmissions to Zavala
Main article: Vanguard Transmissions for Transcript

Vanguard Transmissions are a series of audio messages accessible from Zavala's office. They were first introduced in the Season of the Hunt as messages from former Vanguard Commander Osiris to the current Vanguard Commander, Zavala.

Later a special message is transmitted everywhere by Queen Mara Sov and can be heard from Zavala's office.

Vanguard H.E.L.M.

 
The H.E.L.M.
Main article: H.E.L.M.

The H.E.L.M. or Hub for Emergency Logistics and Maneuvers is a Vanguard operations outpost set up within a hanger of The Last City. It is staffed by Vanguard Frames and came into operation to deal with the arrival of the Imperial Cabal.

The centerpiece is a war table which offers real-time tactical information on the current conflict the Vanguard is monitoring. A terminal on the table can be used to read messages and receive incoming transmissions from Vanguard agents for briefings and reports from the field. Members of Vanguard task forces frequently meet at the war table to discuss ongoing operations.[3]

Vanguard Codenames

Vanguard Strike Protocols

Vanguard Strike Protocols are names given to Strike by Commander Zavala and randomly generated by a strike name generator. The generator once famously created the word "babydog" and caused Zavala a lot of embarrassment. He went ahead with Operation Babydog as the strike protocol was already in motion and had no time to waste.

Other notable operations include Operation Piccolo and Operation Oboe, in which Zavala lost radio contact with the Operation Piccolo Fireteam and initiated a personal rescue mission called Operation Oboe.

Known Operations

Vanguard Support Force

Trivia

  • In real-world military terminology, the vanguard is the leading advance force of a military formation responsible for scouting ahead and securing ground for the main force.

List of appearances

References

  1. ^ Bungie (2014/6/12), Destiny: Alpha PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard.
  2. ^ Bungie (2018/5/8), Destiny 2: Warmind Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, The Frigid Jackal
  3. ^ Bungie (2021/2/9), Destiny 2: Season of the Chosen, PlayStation 4, The War Table

Template:Guardian Factions