Mara Sov: Difference between revisions

===Queen of the Awoken===

{{Quote|When the Awoken first arrived in the Reef, Mara was not our Queen. She was simply our leader. We MADE HER our Queen.|[[Shuro Chi]]}}

When the Awoken settled in the [[Reef]], they learned that humanity still existed on [[Earth]]. Mara Sov saw a fracture in support as some remained loyal to her, while others sought to help Earth with their resources. Mara's bodyguard, [[Sjur Eido]], reported to her of the [[Fallen]] tracking the Earth altruists back to the Reef.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Activision Blizzard - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Awoken_of_the_Reef#Revanche_III|The Awoken of the Reef: Revanche III]]''</ref> When the schism turned violent, Sjur was separated from Mara and exchanged fire with several of the mutineers. In the end, Mara commanded for the mutineers to be left peacefully alone.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Activision Blizzard - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Awoken_of_the_Reef#Revanche_IV|The Awoken of the Reef: Revanche IV]]''</ref> As the Earthborn Awoken began to help [[Humanity]], Sjur brought an analysis of their efforts to Mara.

===The Black Garden===

{{Quote|I have shown you benevolence, Guardian. Should the Awoken ever need an ally I will call on you. And expect you to answer.|Mara, after gifting the Gate Lord's eye and location of the Black Garden}}

When a [[The Guardian|Guardian]] arrived at the Reef requesting the aid of the Awoken, Mara granted their request for an audience. As she arrived in her throne room, the Guardian was surprised by her Fallen bodyguards and attempted to attack them, but Uldren stopped them. Mara explained that the House of Wolves was hers and settled into her throne. The Guardian requested aid in entering the [[Black Garden]], which Uldren dismissed, but Mara called him to her for a private conversation, suggesting to her brother that they send the Guardian to retrieve a [[Vex]] [[Gate Lord]]'s eye so they could make them a key to enter the Garden.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], Activision Blizzard - [[Missions|Mission]]: [[The Awoken]]'' </ref>

===The Wolf Rebellion===

{{Quote|We showed them mercy, and offered them a home amongst the Awoken. They met that mercy with betrayal. Now, they will feel my wrath. Open the Reef to the Guardians. Offer the riches of our realm as bounty for these traitors. Let the hunt begin.|Queen Mara}}

The House of Wolves rose in [[Wolf Rebellion|rebellion]] against the Reef, and many of Mara's Awoken guards were slaughtered by her former Wolf guards when they attempted to assassinate the Queen. Outraged by their betrayal, Mara placed bounties upon the betrayers.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPg3jWn6Nn0 '''YouTube''' - ''Official Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves Prologue'']</ref> She tasked [[Petra Venj]], recently recalled to the Reef, to work with the Guardian to hunt down the Wolves who betrayed her, alongside the dozens of Wolf nobles who had escaped from the Prison of Elders. Meeting with Petra and [[Variks, the Loyal]], Mara was informed by her sole remaining Fallen advisor that the leader of the rebellion was said to be Skolas. The Queen ordered Petra to see Uldren for information from his Crows and asked Variks to continue utilizing his sources to find Skolas. Petra swore she would not fail Mara, and she reassured her Corsair she knew Petra would not and that was why she had ended her exile.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/5/19)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[House of Wolves (expansion)|House of Wolves]], Activision Blizzard - [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Activities/House_of_Wolves#The_Hunt_for_Skolas|The Hunt for Skolas]]''</ref> After a mission by the Guardian to the [[Ishtar Sink]] on Venus, Petra informed Mara that they had confirmed it was Skolas leading the rebellion. Mara was displeased with the result of the mission, as Skolas had escaped, and asked what had become of the House of Winter. Petra reported that many of the Winter Fallen had taken up the Wolves' banner and that Skolas had proclaimed himself Kell of Kells. As Mara silently processed this development, Petra claimed to have a plan in place for the Guardian to stop him, and the Queen ordered her to continue the hunt and declared that she could not fail in this task.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/5/19)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[House of Wolves (expansion)|House of Wolves]], Activision Blizzard - [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Activities/House_of_Wolves#A_Kell_Rising|A Kell Rising]]''</ref>

===The Taken War===

{{quote|We fought to keep our beautiful creation safe. And now, this beast has come. Claiming to be king. Mara Sov bows to no one.|Mara Sov}}

When Oryx invaded the Sol System, Mara planned to meet him in [[Battle of Saturn|battle]] at [[Saturn]]'s rings. As the Awoken fleet gathered at a floating starport deep within the Reef a night of revelry was held to create good memories for the loved ones of those who might not return from battle. Mara witnessed Uldren entertaining a group of children with tales of Ager and Rega defeating their foes together. She listened as he reassured a young girl named [[Erith]] when the children were surprised by a load crash as asteroids smashed together and handed her spy glass with with to "watch" the siblings do battle. The Queen then stepped in and brought an end to the tales by claiming the Prince needed sleep before the battle and dismissed the children. Once they had left, Mara glared at her brother and warned him to stop filling the heads of the children with nonsense.<ref>'''Bungie (2021/8/24)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Lost]] - [[Weapons|Weapon Lore]]: [[Ager's Scepter]]''</ref>

===The Whispering Monarch===

{{quote|Together we can bestow upon our people the fortune they so richly deserve... Extinction.|Voice of Riven acting as Mara Sov}}

===Within the Dreams===

====Reconnecting with Petra====

{{Quote|Assemble a team, Petra. Send them into the heart of the City. Kill that creature and extract its heart. I offer the riches of our realm as bounty. Open the gates, and let the Guardians in.|Mara Sov}}

====The Curse Cycle====

{{Quote|There are those who are more dangerous dead than alive. And there are those who win when we believe they've lost. You enter the infinite, Lightbearer. This will all happen again, and again, and again. You bear witness to the fate of my people.|Queen Mara to the Young Wolf}}

Three weeks later, Mara allowed the Guardian to return to her court once more after the first repeat of the time loop the Dreaming City found itself trapped in. As she stared across the starfield visible from her throne room, Mara revealed to the Young Wolf that she had once had the opportunity to destroy the [[Traveler]] and regretted not having done so due to the fears of those who wondered what would happen should it be destroyed. Mara scornfully noted that those people did not stop to consider the wars that she claimed the Traveler deliberately sought out and theorized that too much of a good thing, like the Light, would still make someone sick. She believed that the Awoken stuck to the balance between the Light and Dark created during the Collapse and wondered what could awaken during the next such calamity that would hit the solar system, which she hoped would help the Guardian understand why all she had done.<ref name="AwtQ"/>

During the third cycle of the curse placed upon the Dreaming City, Mara was visited by [[Orin|The Emissary]] of the Nine, who offered her information and a deal. Although wary of the Nine, Mara noted that if the information they were providing was correct she accepted their offer. As the Young Wolf arrived, Mara told the Emissary to move an asset into place beyond the grave of the first fleet and to warn the Nine that she was running thin on patience with them. After the Emissary was gone, Mara informed the Young Wolf that "it" had once been a friend and confidant of hers before the Nine turned the Emissary into a shell for their will. She warned them that the games of the Nine never ended, much like the curse on the City, and bitterly reflected that despite all she had done she was still burdened by the whims of small minds. Mara summoned a chest with treasures to reward the Young Wolf for their continued efforts in the Dreaming City, but then bid them to leave as her next guest disliked the presence of those touched by the Traveler.<ref name="AwtQ"/>

Meeting at the Relic within the Enclave on Mars, Mara Sov informs the Guardian that with the worm so close to death, they have precious little time to begin, instructing them to locate a Dark City, [[Harvest]], hidden beneath the caverns of [[Savathûn's Throne World]], where the Witch Queen worked alongside a [[Rhulk|Disciple of the Witness]] in creating incubators that created worms for her brood. The Guardian managed to locate and traverse the Dark City but encountered heavy Scorn forces that sought to turn the city into their enclave. Locating an incubator they were looking for, the device breathes life into the Worm, allowing it speak but only for a moment, leading Mara to believe they require more incubators to give the worm what it needs to tell them what they want to know, which Savathûn's Worm begrudgingly agrees to ensure it's own survival.

During their efforts to prolong its life, Savathûn's Worm would reveal to the Guardian that Mara Sov has plans to kill them in the future, to which Mara states the worm is telling a version of the truth. The Awoken Queen does have plans to kill not just the Guardian but others such as Eris Morn, though she clarifies that such plans are contingencies in case they ever turn against humanity.

As the Guardians worked to gain more submind data, they learned that Eramis continued to serve the Witness despite her failure and being punished for it, as her House Salvation aided the Wrathborn in seizing control over the Warsat Network. Mara would actually make a correspondence with the Shipstealer, attempting to appeal to her over what they once were, what they had lost and how they can't get back what they lost but despite her efforts, Eramis refused to be swayed. Mara would later suspect that even if Mithrax had killed Eramis at the end of their search for the Nezarec Relics, The Witness would've folded House Salvation into the Wrathborn as part of its army either way. The Shipstealer's death wouldn't have changed that but if Mithrax didn't stay his hand, then the Light Kell would've fell back into his old ways which Mara believes is what Eramis wanted.

Mara's apprehension and dislike towards Clovis would soon be well-justified as after Rasputin was repaired enough to speak directly, the Warmind revealed Clovis's true intentions for aiding them: The Bray Patriarch intended to use Rasputin to upload his digital mind into Seraph Station and assume control over the Warsat Network, becoming a machine god as Clovis always believed that only he was worthy of being humanity's savior. Furious that her grandfather had lied to her and attempted to use her for his selfish schemes, Ana would upload Rasputin into the prototype Exo Frame that housed Clovis's personality, leading him to be deleted, though he still existed in the Exoscience labs on Europa. Though Mara was at first wary of the Warmind, she admits to Ana that her efforts in repairing and interacting with Rasputin had made him into something better.

==Personality and traits==

Mysterious, enigmatic, cold yet charismatic, proud and intelligent, Mara Sov is a queen of few words who is deeply committed to ensure her people's place in the universe and can be ruthless in her methods. While her motivations are hard to discern, Mara Sov never makes a decision without reason, regardless of the cost. She ignited the Reef Wars with the Fallen House of Wolves but whether to have them submit to her authority and power or to actually save the Last City from the Fallen Houses receiving aid from the Wolves remains unknown. On the other hand, Mara Sov rarely desires to make alliances with the Last City but at the same time, she doesn't want to make an enemy of them and its Guardians as she punished and exiled Petra Venj for accidentally killing a squad of Guardians during the Reef Wars. In addition, Mara can be vengeful as when the House of Wolves rebelled against the Awoken, she almost immediately called upon the Guardians to hunt them down.