Savathûn, the Witch Queen: Difference between revisions

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|affiliation=[[Savathûn's Brood]] (formerly) <br> [[Lucent Brood]]

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|title2= Lightbearer

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|variant= Hive

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|faction= [[Lucent Brood]]  

|mission = [[The Arrival]] <br> [[The Ritual]]

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'''Savathûn, the Witch Queen''', formerly known as '''Sathona''', is a [[Hive]] god and sister to [[Xivu Arath, God of War]] and [[Oryx, the Taken King]]. Together with her two siblings, she was a progenitor of the contemporary Hive species and one of its chief gods, having made a pact with the [[Worm]]s of [[Fundament]]. She is driven to understand the deepest secrets of the universe and gains power from the deception and confusion of those who seek to understand her unfathomable schemes.

==Biography==

===Origins===

{{quote|I am Sathona, middle daughter of the dead king. I will take back my home and eat the mother jelly. I will raise my spawn on the corpse of the [[Helium King]]. On my right eye I promise this.|Sathona}}

Savathûn explained the details of her plan to a confused Thrall, as per a rule of the High Coven that a Wizard's schemes should be incomprehensible to a Thrall. She then recorded her conversation and encrypted it with the assistance of Quria, along with a message for a future reader. This message would remain unread for an untold span of time, until the [[The Guardian|Guardian]] stumbled upon it, encrypted within Glimmer, while exploring the [[Dreaming City]].

===From the Shadows===

{{Quote|I'm looking at a hell of a summoning ritual. Biggest Shrieker I've seen in all my lives. Mark my words, something real mean and real old is gonna use that thing to lay eyes on this planet.|Taeko-3 watching the Hive summon Savathûn's Song}}

On [[Io]], Taken forces led by [[Ir Arok, Tongue of Quria]] have attempted to corrupt the Vex collective at the [[Pyramidion]], only to fail due to the [[Guardian]]'s intervention. Furthermore, a Red Legion commander, [[Grask, the Consumed]] was encountered as a Taken; the Red Legion only had a presence in Sol ''after'' Oryx's death, so this serves as further indication that Savathûn has achieved domination over the Taken.

===Warmind===

{{Quote|I got a fragment of the message. "Savathun, emerge from the Deep. Take our power."|[[Ghost]] translating the Hive broadcast}}

===Forsaken===

{{Quote|I did not notice her. That means [the light] did not notice her. She knows that though I am [Taken], I am beholden to no one. So I ask her if she wishes to take up those strings. She does. And I take a new shape. My cage loses its purpose. I can tell this is not a part of her grand design. This is an introduction. She is at play. Through our new bond, I glimpse her intention. And I hope she remains at play.|Riven}}

As Savathûn neared gaining complete control over the Taken, within the [[Reef]], the Witch-Queen gained a new and powerful ally in the form of [[Riven]],  the last known [[Ahamkara]] in the Solar System; Taken by Oryx during the onset of the Taken War and the first invasion of the [[Dreaming City]]. However, unlike most Taken, Riven retained her sense of self and free will. With Oryx's passing and the Taken leaderless, Savathûn made contact with the Taken within the City and Riven, giving the Ahamkara a new purpose to serve the Witch-Queen. Through Riven, the Taken were prepared to corrupt the whole of the Awoken and launch an invasion of the Reef, using proxies like [[Uldren Sov]] and his [[Fallen]] [[Scorn]]. Though Riven succeeded in opening the gateway to the City, it left her vulnerable to the [[Guardian]]s sent to kill her. The Guardians, aided by their Awoken allies and the formerly Taken [[Techeuns]], managed to kill Riven and cleanse her Taken essence. Nonetheless, her death served a purpose as the Ahamkara transcended death and granted one last wish: cursing the Dreaming City with Taken energies and altering its rules of ascendancy.

Whether Savathûn was implied to have aligned with her sister or not, [[Xivu Arath]] has taken measures to assume control over the Taken and Hive within the Dreaming City. Entities sworn to the Hive's God of War have appeared stealing Awoken relics of dangerous knowledge, with powerful Taken creatures supporting them. Though the Guardians put a stop to this scheme, it proves that the two scheming sisters have shared a seemingly mutual alliance to seize their brother's Taken army for themselves.

===The Witch's Trap===

{{Quote|Gahlran is a quick learner. His [deceptions] serve him well. He serves [me] in return.|The Witch, Insidious}}

Instead, Calus had [[Gahlran, the Sorrow-Bearer]] wear the Crown in an attempt to command the Hive; only to trigger Savathûn's enchantments that drove Gahlran insane and unleashed the Hive within the [[Leviathan]]'s [[Menagerie]]. Gahlran's terror was only short-lived as Calus had him put down by a raid team of [[Guardian]]s with the aid of Savathûn's magic and the Crown retrieved to be cleansed of the witch's wards.

===Steering the Spawn===

{{Quote|Seek to uncover all you can from nightmares… Seek your forebears in those ethereal shapes. For, while I could tell you such a path leads to disappointment, you must see for yourselves. [...] Rise the Crimson Spire. Signal your coming. Challenge the Light.|Savathûn to Hashladûn}}

===Extending her Reach===

{{Quote|Don't bother guessing the Taken's intentions. Ask instead what is sought by the hand that directs them. Savathûn extends her reach at last.|Eris Morn}}

Following her rivalry with Calus and the conflict on [[Luna]], Savathûn enacted a new scheme to further her plans. The Witch-Queen soon found an opportunity in a massive [[Vex]] computational array found on [[Io]] - as Savathûn sought knowledge to inform her plans and pawns to carry them out, the array would be able to fulfill both. She sent a large Taken Blight into the array to corrupt and bring it under her control, to which the Vex responded with violence. The [[Vanguard]] detected a massive surge of power beneath the [[Pyramidion]] where the array was located and sent a [[The Festering Core|Guardian strike team]] to investigate. They soon found the Vex and Taken, commanded by [[Baurisk, Envoy of Savathûn]], battling each other for control of the array; the Guardians recognized the Taken Blight to be similar to those found in the Dreaming City, causing them to suspect Savathûn as the one behind this Taken offensive. [[Eris Morn]] warned [[Zavala]] the Witch Queen was not as foolhardy as her brother as she would not risk a direct confrontation, and the City must be prepared and wise enough to know when Savathûn would play her hand.

===The Arrival===

{{Quote|The Queen is clever. You did not share my father's single-minded ambition, nor my brother's taste for glory."<br/>"You wish to serve me?"<br/>"My life is spent: servitude to those who cast me away. Our blood is all that remains of the old pact."<br/>"Then let us make use of each other.|Nokris bargains with Savathûn}}

===The Hunt===

{{Quote|The Black Fleet intends to punish Savathûn for interfering with its efforts to communicate with us. No one knows where the Witch Queen is, not even her own court. And now Xivu Arath is using this opportunity to consolidate her power.|[[Osiris]] on the topic of Savathûn}}

Her absence did not impede her Taken forces, however, as they swarmed upon a new piece of the Traveler in the [[EDZ]], which was calling out to [[the Guardian]] and the [[Uldren Sov|Crow]] through the form of a paracausal hawk. The Witch Queen shrouded the shard in her interference much like the Tree of Silver Wings on Io, and apparently watched the fight that ensued. Observing Crow and the Guardian celebrate their victory at a bonfire, she was hit with a sudden wave of nostalgia, remembering her father, sisters, and their shared past on Fundament.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Hawkmoon]]''</ref>

===The Endless Night===

{{Expand-section}}

A day after the closing ceremony of the second [[Guardian Games]], Savathûn enacted the next stage of her plan when the Last City was plunged into an [[Endless Night]] when Vex controlled by [[Quria, Blade Transform]] activated a powerful simulation that encompassed the city and drained its power. Conferring with Ikora, Savathûn claimed that even with all "his" knowledge of the Vex the situation was beyond his ability to halt. "Osiris" recommended that they try and contact [[Mithrax, Kell of Light|Mithrax]], the [[Eliksni]] [[Kell]] of the [[House of Light]], who was said to be a powerful [[Splicer]] who could commune with machines.<ref>'''Bungie (2021/5/11)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Splicer]] - [[Missions|Mission]]: [[The Lost Splicer]]''</ref>

===A Revelation in the Dreaming City===

{{Quote|"Who is Savathûn?" you ask. You already know, oh Guardian mine. I am your friend.|Savathûn to the Guardian}}

The Guardians were successful in lifting the [[Endless Night]] over the Last City after destroying Quria, an event which Savathûn had not anticipated. The loss of Quria rattled her control over the Taken and relieved the immediate threat to the Last City. However, the unrest caused by the House of Light's presence in the Last City came to a head when [[Lakshmi-2]] conspired with the other factions to expel the Eliksni. The War Cult's leader attempted to sway the Guardians to her point of view, but she was rebuffed, leading her to attempt using a Vex portal to force the Eliksni out of the Last City, apparently with the aid of Osiris. Unfortunately for Lakshmi, she was unable to control the Vex portal, leading the Vex to make a direct assault on the Last City. The ensuing conflict threatened to destroy the House of Light and led to Lakshmi's death. Fortunately, the Guardians managed to close the portal, save the Eliksni, and destroyed the Vex. Strangely, Osiris disappeared during the chaos, leading many in the Tower to suspect his involvement in the Vex attack.

===The Sky's Gift===

{{Quote|Wouldn't it be clever of you... if after everything, you simply let me die? Oh, what a trick... elegant... Is that it...?|Savathûn's last words to the [[Traveler]]}}

At some point during her time in captivity Savathûn experienced a vision of her own death and a final, unanswered question she asked the Traveler. Wounded during the ritual with a piece of her shattered crystal prison and realizing she would indeed die without her worm, she traveled to an outcrop high above the Last City. She spoke to the [[Traveler]] hanging on the evening sky, calling it an "old friend" and noting that she had chased it for a long time, first as an enemy, then a collector, and now a supplicant. Coughing, she admitted how clever it would be if after their millennia-spanning history it now simply let her die, and asked if this was truly the end. Her wound finally getting the better of her, she slumped to the ground and the light went out in her eyes - but not for long, as the Ghost [[Immaru]] arrived at the scene just shortly after and revived her with the [[Light]].<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR9YZdCh1Nw</ref>

Taking Sagira's shell and the tablet piece to the [[Altar of Reflection]], an area discovered by the Hidden, the Guardian learns that not only did she reject becoming the new master of the Taken but during her time posing as Osiris, she learned secrets of the Light and wanting to protect the Traveler from the Witness, the Witch Queen plans on taking the Traveler to her Throne World to seal it away. Shocked by this, the Guardian continues their investigation and taking a tip from [[Fynch]], they locate a temple dedicated to Savathûn's former identity, Sathona. Braving the temple's Scorn forces and its illusions, the Guardian finds a calcified worm familiar, the same one that whispered to Sathona so long ago. Though the Guardian attempted to take the familiar to the altar to see what memory it would show, they were rebuffed, forcing them to find a new lead. They would find one, after being informed by [[Eris Morn]], about a crystal that was part of her prison during her time in the Reef. Finding it within the [[Apothecary]], slaying [[Savathûn's Right Hand]] in the process, they take the crystal to the Altar and learn to their shock, of Savathûn's death and subsequent resurrection as a Lightbearer. At the memory's end, Savathûn herself enters and expresses gladness at remembering the moment of her death and where she "started", claiming that the Light offers a fresh start but ponders if we don't know where we came from, how will we know where to go. In this, Savathûn proves that she never stole the Light as the Guardian believed but had been ''blessed'' with it. Before she attacks, Savathûn "thanks" the Guardian for the memories but they managed to escape and inform the Vanguard of the horrific truth they had discovered.

Despite her power and efforts, Savathûn was defeated. In her final moments, the Witch Queen admits that she miscalculated but that the Guardian had done the same, being so protective of the Traveler, they wouldn't allow her to protect it. Nonetheless, Savathûn states that The Witness is coming, that the game is theirs to play now, whether to win or to lose before ultimately collapsing. As her Ghost, Immaru, observes his dead Lightbearer, held at gunpoint by the Guardian, he escapes as the Traveler returns back to the Last City in a massive flash of Light. Though Immaru had escaped, and now leads the Lucent Brood in Savathûn's stead, Ikora nonetheless took her defeat as a win, with the Guardian proclaiming that they must now prepare themselves for the Witness's return and prevent another Collapse.

==Gameplay==

==The Song of Savathûn==  

*'''[[Osmium King]]''' – <small>Father</small>

**'''[[Ir Anûk, Deathsinger]]''' – <small>Daughter of Oryx and Niece</small>  

**'''[[Alak-Hul, the Darkblade]]''' – <small>Foster Nephew</small>  

==Personality and traits==

As the Hive God of lies, cunning and trickery, Savathûn thrives on deceiving and outsmarting both her opponents and supposed allies. Nearly every word she speaks is calculated to misdirect and manipulate, and her true motivations at any given moment are shrouded by the web of rumors and false leads she spins about herself. Even during the one occasion on which she threw herself upon on the goodwill of her former enemies - [[Mara Sov]] and the [[Guardian]]s - she spent her entire captivity toying with her benefactors until she was silenced. It is very clear that Savathûn takes a great amount of amusement and satisfaction in her schemes leaving her enemies confused, suspicious and enraged as they struggle to discern the truth hidden beneath her web of lies and tricks.

===Relationships===

She bore at least three children, two of which--[[Balwûr]] and [[Malok, Pride of Oryx|Malok]]--were later incorporated into her brother's [[Court of Oryx|Court]] in a fashion similar to which she later took Nokris into hers. Her progeny were often made to play a part in her schemes, with Malok having been begotten for the purpose of stealing tribute from Oryx and tithing it to his mother instead, and Savathûn's other daughter [[Dûl Incaru, the Eternal Return|Dûl Incaru]] serving as the catalyst for the curse in the Dreaming City. [[Lore:Truth to Power|Truth to Power]], albeit an unreliable source, suggests Savathûn's children were never sure if she felt any love or pride towards them, or whether she would even hesitate for a second before sacrificing them "in some cosmic design".<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Lore:Truth_to_Power#YOU_MUST|Truth to Power - YOU MUST]]''</ref>

Savathûn's relationship with her siblings appears to be the closest yet most complex one, reaching all the way back to their shared childhood on Fundament. It used to be marked by tenderness and care, with Aurash, Sathona, and Xi Ro often comforting and counseling one another on their journey, as well as both sisters trusting Sathona's judgement when she told them to dive into the ocean's depths following the worm's advice. The love between them shined through even after the dooming pact with the worm gods, albeit in a distinctly Hive, violent way of the Sword Logic. Savathûn often tested her siblings using tricks and cunning and encouraged them to strike back against her as a means of "sharpening themselves" in combat. When Oryx realised she had convinced Xivu Arath to trap him in the Deep in order to steal the Tablets of Ruin from him, he remarked he "loved them so dearly" as no one else would give him the gift of trying to break him.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books_of_Sorrow#XXXIV: More beautiful to know|Books of Sorrow XXXIV: More beautiful to know]]''</ref> The Books of Sorrow also recount Oryx's love for Savathûn when he defines her back into existence with cunning, and is glad she has not perished eternally.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books_of_Sorrow#XXIX: Carved in Ruin|Books of Sorrow XXIX: Carved in Ruin]]''</ref> Despite it probably being a scheme meant to keep Xivu Arath away from the Solar System, Savathûn would conjure her sister into the Cabal homeland of Torobatl to ravage it as a gift.<ref name="New Gods"/>

==Gallery==

*The parts of Savathûn's court seen in Season of Arrivals bear a resemblance to some regions of the [[Dreadnaught]], as well as the landscape of Io. While the latter could be because the singularity which the Guardian is being pulled into is anchored on Io, the reason for the former is unclear. This could be simply an out-of-universe design choice, a direct aesthetic parallel to Oryx, or a hint towards Savathûn actually incorporating parts of her late brother's throne world into her own.

*Savathun's shoulder plates float independently from her shoulders themselves, demonstrated by the fluent motions they make as she moves.

==List of appearances==

*''[[Destiny]]''  

**''[[The Taken King]]'' {{Fm}}

**''[[April Update]]'' {{Mo}}

*''[[Destiny 2]]'' {{Mo}}

**''[[Warmind (expansion)|Warmind]]'' {{Mo}}

**''[[Forsaken]]'' {{Mo}}

***''[[Season of Opulence]]'' {{Mo}}

**''[[Shadowkeep]]'' {{Mo}}

***''[[Season of Arrivals]]'' {{Mo}}

**''[[Beyond Light]]'' {{Mo}}

***''[[Season of the Lost]]''

**''[[The Witch Queen]]''

***''[[Season of the Haunted]]'' {{Mo}}

***''[[Season of Plunder]]'' {{Mo}}

==References==