Sword Logic: Difference between revisions

{{Quote|The sword binds wielder to victim. It binds life to death.|[[Toland, the Shattered]]<ref name="Ascendant Sword">'''Bungie (2014/12/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Activities/Raids#Ascendant_Sword|Ascendant Sword]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, Item Description: [[Dreadfang]]''</ref>}}

The '''Sword Logic''' is a [[wikipedia:Thanatology|thanatological]] application of the [[Darkness]] which serves as the guiding religious principle of the [[Hive]] and the [[Worms]]. It is closely related to the philosophy of the [[Witness]], although it may be viewed as an interpretation rather than necessarily synonymous with it. Most information regarding the Sword Logic comes from the Hive religious text known as the [[Books of Sorrow]]<ref name="Activision">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard''</ref> and scattered pieces of arcana from Toland's journal.<ref name="Ascendant Sword"/>

{{Quote|Here is what is taught to the Hive, from the basest of Thralls newly made: that what can be destroyed, must be destroyed. What cannot be destroyed will surpass infinity. Therefore, is it not best to destroy?|Savathûn, the Witch Queen}}<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/DestinyLore/comments/11ozam5/lightfall_spoilers_root_of_nightmares_full_lore/</ref>

The Sword Logic acts as both a philosophy and a metaphysical system through which one may gain [[paracausality|paracausal]] powers. It is the antithesis to the philosophy of the [[Light]], the [[Glossary#B|Bomb Logic]], which is associated with cooperation and sacrifice for the sake of others.

The Sword Logic is the foundation of the entire Hive civilization<ref name="Weakness Verse"/> and its hierarchy.<ref name="Hive">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books_of_Sorrow#XX:_Hive|XX: Hive]]''</ref> Every Hive must prove itself to become greater,<ref name="Carved in Ruin"/><ref name="Taken Acolyte">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/The_Taken#The_Taken:_Acolyte|The Taken: Acolyte]]''</ref> or risk annihilation.<ref name="Taken Knight">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/The_Taken#The_Taken:_Knight|The Taken: Knight]]''</ref><ref name="SCREAM">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books_of_Sorrow#XXIV:_THE_SCREAM|XXIV: THE SCREAM]]''</ref> This holds true for every Hive, from the tiny [[Thrall]] to the [[Ascendant Hive]] god-kings, including [[Oryx]] and [[Xivu Arath|his]] [[ Savathûn|sisters]]. Even the Worm Gods are not exempt, as evidenced by Oryx slaying [[Akka]] to gain an audience with the [[Darkness]] itself.<ref name="King of Shapes"/> As a byproduct of the pact made with the Worm Gods, when a Hive grows stronger from the killing of lesser life-forms and those which follow the dictates of the Light and the Darkness, so does its internal worm's lust for killing, meaning that unless it is fed enough the worm will eventually consume its host.<ref name="SCREAM"/><ref name="Bargain">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books_of_Sorrow#IX:_The_Bargain|IX: The Bargain]]''</ref>

The [[Leviathan (Fundament)|Leviathan]] knew of the Sword Logic, and claimed that it led to ruin for all who followed its path;<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books_of_Sorrow#VIII:_Leviathan|VIII: Leviathan]]''</ref> in contrast the Darkness (and Toland<ref name="Darkness 3"/>) claim that it is a beautiful thing,<ref name="Majestic">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books_of_Sorrow#XXXII:_Majestic._Majestic.|XXXII: Majestic. Majestic]]''</ref> majestic and noble, and that all life should abide by it as the self-proving reason for existence.<ref name="Majestic"/> However, it unsurprisingly has a corrosive effect on the psyche of the practitioner,<ref name="Dreams">''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books_of_Sorrow#XXXIII:_When_do_monsters_have_dreams|XXXIII: When do monsters have dreams]]''</ref> eventually rendering them into an entirely different creature that would horrify themselves if they could view it objectively.<ref name="Failed Timeline">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books_of_Sorrow#XLIII:_End_of_Failed_Timeline|XLIII: End of Failed Timeline]]''</ref> For example, after untold millennia of practicing the sword logic, the emotions of love and hate gradually became indistinguishable to the Hive, and the same may have happened to joy and sorrow.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books_of_Sorrow#XXIII:_fire_without_fuel|XXIII: fire without fuel]]''</ref> Indeed, even Savathûn, who convinced Oryx originally to find the Worms, expresses doubt as to the validity of their crusade.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books_of_Sorrow#XLIV:_strict_proof_eternal|XLIV: strict proof eternal]]''</ref>

The Sword Logic is how individual Hive grow in power. In essence, by killing their enemies, the Hive prove that they are stronger than that enemy, and through the Sword Logic gain that strength in reality. When Oryx killed Xivu Arath in his throne world, he proved he was mightier than her; when Oryx killed Savathûn there, he proved he was more cunning than her. <ref name = "stars">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books_of_Sorrow#XXVI:_star_by_star_by_star|XXVI: star by star by star]]''</ref> Having proved that he was stronger than both, Oryx had demonstrated logically that he was strong enough to take on the Worm God [[Akka]], and by killing Akka, Oryx proved he was strong enough to commune with the Darkness directly, as the Worms did.<ref name="King of Shapes"/><ref name = "The Sword Logic"/>

| '''Thrall''' || Gain "tribute" through killing. || Take enough to feed their internal worm. || Take enough to "grow" (or evolve) themselves. || Tithe the rest. || N/A || N/A

| '''Ascendant Hive''' || Gain "tribute" through devastation. || Take enough to feed their internal worm. || Take enough to grow themselves. || Take the tithe from their legions. || Take as much as they dared without incurring the wrath of the God-King. || Tithe the rest.

| '''God-King''' || Gain "tribute" through the devastation of kingdoms, empires, and nations.<ref name = "stars"/> || Take enough to feed their internal worm. || Take enough to continually grow. || Take the tithe from their spawn and broods. || Use whatever they wished. || Tithe the rest to the Worm Gods

| '''Worm God''' || N/A || Be fed through their worshippers.<ref name="Carved in Ruin"/> || Tithe to the [[Witness]]. || N/A || N/A || N/A

As revealed by [[Ahsa]] to Deputy-Commander [[Sloane]], the Worm Gods originated as members of a "proto-Worm" species that lived on the planet [[Fundament]], who became corrupted by the [[the Witness|Witness]]' philosophy and began slaughtering one another in order to achieve ascendancy through the Sword Logic.

[[Cabal]] [[Emperor]] [[Calus]] knew of the story of Oryx and his species through a device called the OXA Machine, and of their fall to the Worm gods.<ref>'''[[Cabal Booklet]]''', "Ghaul, The Dominus", (''"Let me tell you a story from the OXA Machine. Once upon a time, a small people lived on a dangerous world. By nature they were petty and fearful. But they strove to be better, and together they overcame their fear. <br/> Unto these people came a king, who said, "We are surrounded by enemies, we are weak and frail. But I have an answer. Eat these larvae, my people, and with their strength we will rise up." Whenever anyone protested the king, the king said, "Are you working with our enemies? No? Then why are you afraid of our strength?" <br/> Thus the king led the great people into slavery to their fear."'')</ref>, though he loathes the Hive as simple pretenders and their Sword Logic as an excuse to escape death after having witnessed the [[Darkness]] personally.

The [[mars|Martian]] Cabal Legions have little to no experience with the Sword Logic, having never engaged with the Hive in protracted combat except once on the Moon<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[First Light]]''</ref> and knowing that the Hive had weapons or tactics which effectively neutralized [[Guardian]] resurrection.<ref name="Cabal 4"/> Once the [[Skyburners]] Legion set foot upon the [[Dreadnaught]] they became beholden to the Sword Logic<ref name="Ascendant Sword"/> but showed no indication that they recognized any differences to conventional physics.

====Scorn====

*The philosophy of the Sword Logic is similar to that of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Darwinism|Social Darwinism]], in which the concept of "survival of the fittest", interpreted as an imperative for "the strong" to overcome "the weak", is paramount in all aspects of life.

**''[[The Dark Below]]'' {{fm}}