As everyone should know by now, Cayde-6 meets his end in the upcoming expansion of Destiny 2. Micha thinks it’s good that there are finally consequences in Destiny and hopes that the Hunter really stays dead.
In the first story trailer, Bungie revealed that Cayde is in trouble in Forsaken. This sparked a wave of sympathy for the Exo in the community. However, I am looking forward to the promised changes and hope that Cayde will not be resurrected by some Space Magic.
Destiny finally with consequences?
Game is about Guardians, not about story: Before you show up at the office with pitchforks and torches, let me explain why I believe it is the right decision to let Cayde die.
So far, Destiny has always revolved around what players experience in the world. If you were to ask the Guardians what is happening in Destiny, they would probably talk about which raids they have completed and what loot they have acquired.
The story has been rather secondary and mostly serves to portray us players as the heroes.
Story so far without consequences: Until now, Destiny has had a rather uneventful story. In Destiny 1, we clear the Black Garden, fight Oryx on his Dreadnaught, and visit Lord Saladin in his Iron Temple.
The only loss that Guardians had to witness in Destiny 1 was the death of the Awoken in the Battle of Saturn.
While the fate of Uldren Sov in Destiny 1 was explained with the help of dead ghosts and the Grimoire, Mara has remained missing and has no longer been relevant to the story.
Destiny 2 began with the invasion of the Cabal, who took our powers and our Tower. However, we quickly regained both during the campaign. So far, nothing has happened in Destiny that has had a lasting impact on the players or the game world. And this despite the fact that we are continuously at war.
Not even the disappearance of the Speaker has had any real impact on the game, apart from a few comments from some NPCs.
War without losses?
Other games do not shy away from death: Other games, such as World of Warcraft, from which Luke Smith was heavily inspired for The Taken King, have less trouble sacrificing important characters. Time and again, one of the leaders has to take their leave.
The Halo series, which was founded by Bungie, also did not shy away from sacrifices and losses. In Halo Reach, the last Halo title from Bungie, only one character from your Fireteam survived – caution, spoiler – even the player character died at the end of the campaign.
Losses make the game world authentic: These losses have been lacking in Destiny so far. While we have fought powerful enemies and defeated gods, for us Guardians, it never really seemed like there was something at stake.
The death of an important character for the players would be something new in the Destiny universe and would make the story darker and more threatening, yet also more authentic. The players would have a real reason to fight.
The fact that one of the most popular characters is hit is a bold decision by Bungie and should be something that will not only shake the players but also the game world.
It will be exciting to see how the other characters react to this change and which NPC will take Cayde’s place in the Vanguard.
Farewell, old friend, but please do not come back
Death with hoped-for changes: After Bungie announced so early that Cayde will meet his end in Forsaken, many players did not truly believe that the Exo would stay dead. However, I wish that this decision will not be reversed.
After some players criticized the changes to Cayde’s character between Destiny 1 and 2, his impending death brought about a turnaround. Many players do not want to believe that the gunslinger will meet his end soon and are building shrines in his honor or taking screenshots with him.
If Bungie were to backtrack now and bring Cayde back through some Space Magic, many players would be relieved, but Destiny would fall back into an old pit: Announced risks, such as the “world without light,” would only be empty promises, and the world would continue to lack consequences.
Will other NPCs take the spotlight? I will gladly remember Cayde. He always whispered to me that I was his favorite Hunter when I walked past him. He stole Eris Morn’s ship for me and, together with a chicken, freed the Last City of the Humans.
I hope that players will remember him as well.
Perhaps through his death in Forsaken, other characters will finally step into the limelight. Besides Cayde, the other NPCs always seemed too pale to me.
Do you think it’s good that Cayde dies, and do you hope that he stays dead? Or do you have a completely different opinion and wish to see the Hunter resurrected in Forsaken in some way?
