Red Legion

Red Legion
Overview
Objectives:	Elite Special Forces World Destroyers
Commander(s):	Dominus Ghaul The Consul Thumos, the Unbroken Bracus Zahn Primus Cal'aug Val Ca'uor Valus Thuun The Psion Flayer Sisters Caiatl, the Princess-Imperial
Keep(s):	Firebase Hades Firebase Airfield Orobas Vectura Excavation Site VII Terrabase Charon The Almighty†
Deployed:	European Dead Zone, Earth Arcadian Valley, Nessus Echo Mesa, Io Fields of Glass, Mercury Hellas Basin, Mars

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

— Ikora Rey

The Red Legion is an elite Cabal Legion once led by the Cabal Emperor, Dominus Ghaul. They are the main antagonist for Destiny 2, who invade Earth seeking to claim the Traveler as their own.

In the aftermath of the Red War, the Legion would fracture into various leaderships such as Val Ca'uor, Valus Thuun, The Psion Flayer Sisters and also see the return of Emperor Calus, their former emperor who aims to recruit them into his Loyalist regime along with his daughter, Caiatl, the Princess-Imperial who seeks to see the Legion rise and march once more.

History

The Ghost Primus

The Ghost Primus, Dominus Ghaul

"The Ghost Primus was strong because of his disfigurement, not in spite of it. He alone had the vision to share my dream of a new, perfect world. Ghaul was a creature of singular beauty, and I loved him."

— Emperor Calus

Emperor Calus impressed by a young gladiator Ghaul, would appoint him to Primus of the Red Legion to better use his talents. Due to his albinism, Ghaul quickly became known as the Ghost Primus. Ghaul quickly became indispensable to the Emperor not only for his skill in battle but also his wisdom. Ghaul soon found himself as the right hand of Calus, who would often discuss his plans and ideas with Ghaul to refine them and temper the Emperor's passion with discipline.

As his command over the Red Legion grew, the Legion became more loyal to Ghaul over their emperor. This growing support enabled Ghaul to launch a successful coup against Emperor Calus, with the Red Legion accompanying him to arrest Calus and sending him and his supporters into exile inside The Leviathan.

With the fall of Calus, the Red Legion 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 Red War

Red Legion attacks the Last City

"I command Legions. Conquered worlds. Waged war across the galaxy to prove my worth. I alone am worthy of the Traveler's Light."

— Dominus Ghaul.

Upon receiving a distress call from the Skyburners, the Legion prepared an attack against the Last City on Earth. Psion Operatives managed to compromise the cities outer sensors, defenses, and outposts to conceal their presence. Using this to their advantage, they launched a successful invasion on the Last City while attacking other places like the Reef. The Legion would cripple the Last City and devastate the Guardians by using the Traveler Cage to suppress the Traveler's light. In attacking the City, Ghaul sought to show the Traveler the error of its ways in choosing humanity over the Cabal and establish a new order of Cabal Guardians from within the ranks of his own species.

Following the attack, the Red Legion began to quickly spread everywhere in the Solar System. On Nessus the legion attempt to excavate ancient Vex ruins and unearth the ancient Vex Mind Protheon, Modular Mind to capture. 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 the remaining Legions gathered at Meridian Bay for one final assault and the Red Legion led the charge. The stalemate was broken, the Vex Virgo Prohibition was destroyed, Bastion retaken, and the Gate to the Black Garden was disabled, even on Venus. On Mercury the now-Lightless Titan Sunbreakers were destroyed.

At some point, the former Emperor Calus received news of Ghaul’s forces in the Sol System and, 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, was disabled by a Guardian. 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 Lightbearer himself. For a short while he fought the Guardian, Ghaul ascended into a massive figure of pure Light just as the Traveler awoke, who smited 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.

War's End

Val Ca’uor invades the Leviathan.

"The Dominus was a strong leader, but the Red Legion had more to offer than simply overwhelming force... They think us weak and insipid. I will show them the might of the Red Legion, and they shall not forget."

— Val Ca'uor

Following the events of the Red War, leadership began to fracture with the death of Ghaul and a number of senior Primus and Valus personnal having been hunted and killed by Guardians in the ensuing aftermath. The line of succession eventually fell to Val Ca'uor, who quickly established himself as the new leader of the Red Legion. Rather than return to Torobatl in disgrace, the newly appointed leader arranged to have the Legion's arsenal restocked and their strength rebuilt. To capitalize on the limited Guardian presence at the time, Ca'uor deployed Red Legion forces to Mercury to harness Vex technology and Mars to siphon ample energy.

In hopes to find a reality where they won the Red War, Valus Thuun lead an invasion of survivors from the Almighty into the vast alternate realities of the Infinite Forest on Mercury. Coming close to the map of the Forest, Thuun and his forces would become trapped in an endless combat loop by the Vex and killed by Guardians on repeat.

On Nessus, Red Legion forces lead by Kargen, the Technocrat launched an incursion into the Insight Terminus, a Vex installation of great interest to the Psion Flayer. Kargen's attempt to steal Vex data with an OXA Machine prototype would only be thwarted by a Guardian fireteam that killed the Psion in cold blood.

At the Hellas Basin on Mars, the Red Legion under Val Palusk instigated a raid on BrayTech Futurescape to steal power from the facility. Their efforts would only incure the Guardians to strike back with an ambush to kill Palusk and disrupt their supply chain. Meanwhile, a group of Psions would make a failed attempt to evolve into Flayers by stealing power from Rasputin's nodes, to which their efforts were thwarted by Guardians as well.

Faced with countless setbacks by the Guardians, Ca'uor would lead the Red Legion in a final push aimed to commandeer The Leviathan from Calus, to whom he loathed for being envious of Ghaul. Ca'uor launched a massive Red Legion fleet against the Emperor and his Loyalists, where his forces pushed into the Spire of Stars at the top of the Leviathan itself.

Following Val Ca'uor's invasion, Emperor Calus ordered an unsanctioned Guardian Raid team to repel the Red Legion, offering further riches and rewards upon their success. The Guardians heeded the exiled emperor's call and ascended the Leviathan's spire, just as the acting commander destroyed one of Calus's robotic proxies. Upon confronting Ca'uor, the Guardians engaged the Red Legion's elite forces to prevent them from taking control of the Leviathan. Using the Leviathan's own formidable weapons, the Guardians managed to decimate the Red Legion fleet blockading the Spire and killed the Val in a climatic battle. In the wake of losing the majority of their fleet, their ground forces and leader, the Red Legion was forced to withdrawal in disgrace. Ca'uor's death would officially mark the effective end of the Red War.

A Scattered Legion

Ghalak the Forge Warden battling the Guardians

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. However, with the polar ice caps melting after satellite impacts from orbit, a new threat emerged, The Grasp Of Nokris, and with that the Red Legion saw their progress on Mars quickly being undone in Hellas Basin as they fought a war with an enemy they didn't understand. It is unknown if they fought with the Grasp of Nokris all over Mars or if 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 led 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.

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.

At some point during Forsaken, Red Legion could be found in the Tangled Shore as well as a group of Cabal have found their way into the Cathedral of Scars in the Dreaming City during Gambit matches.

Later during Shadowkeep, there is a small contingent force in the depths of the Moon that work for the Nightmare of Dominus Ghaul as well as some Nightmare Cabal created by the Pyramid there..

Meddling with Time

Ozletc battling the Guardians

"The past and future are at our fingertips, sisters. Let us see what prospects they hold."

— Ozletc, the Sky Piercer

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.

Almighty Collision

The Almighty crashing into the Last City

"The Red Legion has one last play. They've boarded their superweapon the Almighty. And it's on the move."

— Commander Zavala

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. This would kickstart The Almighty Crisis..

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.

Heir Apparent

"The Red Legion will march again."

— Caiatl

Despite the huge loss surmounted over the years, including losing the Almighty, remains of the Legion still operate. Several groups of Cabal are seen interfering with the Guardians Contact events of Io to secure motes and blooms with Champions seen securing blooms for extraction. 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.

The Hunt

Blood Guards meet with Osiris and Zavala

" She's calling the Legion home...or, no... back to her bosom? She wants them to capture Calus to prove their loyalty."

— Sagira to Caiatl's transmission

In the wake of many destinations vanishing, Xivu Arath's Cryptoliths began corrupting many Red Legion Cabal just as Caiatl was beginning to rally the remaining remnants of the Legion through both the use of encrypted communications and blue emissaries. Caiatl commanded the Legion to return to her and to prove their loyalty by capturing Calus whilst she sent further Scouts and emissaries to the system. Entire encampments were abandoned along with mass graves reported and entire groups slaughtering each other or suffering internal conflict due to the Cryptoliths' influence leading Caiatl and her Scouts to become wary and attempt to investigate the situation. Despite many blue emissaries and Scouts sent by Caiatl, most reported the same above events.

In addition to this mystery was another. Of the Wrathborn, none being Red Legion have been encountered yet thus concerning Crow. With the impending threat of the Pyramids, several Red Legion Blood Guards meet with the former and current Commanders of the Vanguard; Osiris and Zavala, to discuss the situation at hand.

Structure

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. 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.

Members

Leadership

• Dominus Ghaul
• Primus Cal'aug
• Val Ca'uor
• Amtec (current in-system commander)
• Caiatl, the Princess-Imperial

Major Figures The Consul Thumos, the Unbroken Kargen, the Technocrat Bracus Zahn Valus Thuun Inotam, Oblivion's Triune Niruul, the Hollow Voice Ozletc, the Sky Piercer Tazaroc, the Sun Eater Ghalak the Colossus, Forge Warden Valus Valus Dulurc Valus Kratorn Valus Lugurg Valus Pra'urg Valus Traud, Proxy Valus Trusug Valus Zullug Dishonored Valus Commander Commander Truvul Commander Yourg Val Val Bulgur Val Drueng Val Garurc Val Ghuusk Val Gul Val Leng Val Palusk Val Tragur Val Thum Val Urgus Bracus Bracus Drusk Bracus Ghir Bracus Ghurm Bracus Rulaitl Bracus Talurn Psion Flayers Barit, Imprisoned Flayer Rudoc, Imprisoned Flayer Sheular, Psion Flayer Tomoc, Psion Flayer Urche, Psion Flayer Vrees, Imprisoned Flayer Red Legion Blood Guard Bulurc the Destroyer Devourer Darg Glomus, the Severing Slash Kreth, the Living Skyfire Jagad, the Overwhelming Surge Pashk, the Searing Will Prusk, the Unequaled Maul Final Guard Straff Purifier Vurst Zhagal, Disgraced Colossus Enforcer Enforcer Karch Enforcer Korusk Enforcer Rusk

Colossus Bruiser Thurn Dust-Choked Thrag Ghalar, The Fugitive Moag, the Deafening Volley Taskmaster Vazar Tluam, Sister of Vrag Vrag, Sister of Tluam Magnar the Rockjaw Centurion Brann, the Unbent Blade Controller Gronn Drusk, the Crushing Fist Firebase Demolitionist Fortifier Yann Kraug, the Undeterred Kurg, the All-Seeing Force Zarik, the Booming Voice Field Commander Kuskan, Forge Saboteur Gladiator Callan, the Suffering Blood Cleaver Incendior Ordnance Keeper Tulg Thox, the Smoldering Wasp Zerz, the Unstoppable Weight Legionary Defender Born Defender Hahn Investigator Tosusk Investigator Prurg Kashur, the Infinite Blaze Raktar, the Unrelenting Warden Derg Phalanx Lurg, the Burning Shield Security Chief Kolg Psions Curator Arrox Cyronax Minor Characters Burg, the Stellar Jailer Krusk, the Sol's Warden Zazz The Flayed Former Red Legion Baurisk, Envoy of Savathûn Grask, the Consumed Taurg, Disguised by the Emperor Val Eralus, the Obedient Yächaar, Bound to Sedia Disgraced Bracus Garut Gra'am Daazaz Dar, Unbowed Legion Mouvurg, Unbowed Legion Shogmar, Unbowed Legion

Command Structure

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 Deserter 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

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.
• The design and artstyle of Red Legion has striking similarities to the design and artstyle of Banished from Halo universe.

Gallery

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  A reference sheet for a Red Legion Legionnaire, Centurion, and a new Cabal enemy that would later become a Gladiator.

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  Concept art of a Red Legion Legionnaire.

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  A Red Legion Phalanx.

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  Concept art of a Red Legion Centurion.

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  A Red Legion Colossus patrolling in the wake of the destroyed city.

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  Red Legion troops battle the Vanguard.

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  Red Legion soldiers on the battlefield.

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  Red Legion soldiers under the command of Bracus Zahn.

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  Ghaul's Red Legion warship along with smaller Red Legion Threshers looming over the Last City.

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  Red Legion carrier ships.

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  The symbol of the Red Legion.

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  A Red Legion Legionnaire.

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  A Red Legion Phalanx.

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  A Red Legion Centurion.

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  A Red Legion Colossus.

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  A Red Legion Psion.

List of appearances

• Destiny 2 (First appearance)
  • Curse of Osiris
  • Warmind
  • Forsaken
    • Black Armory
    • Season of Opulence
  • Shadowkeep
    • Season of Dawn
    • Season of the Worthy
    • Season of Arrivals