Since its revelation, ‘The Witness’ has had a mixed journey through the universe in Destiny 2. Many fans had hoped for more, but it has yet to deliver. Two years later, fans now view it with disappointment. MeinMMO tells you why that is and who the better villain is supposed to be.
This is how The Witness was introduced: When ‘The Witness’ first appeared two years ago at the end of the Witch Queen DLC, it was presented as a powerful and mysterious antagonist that would shake the fate of the Guardians to its very foundations.
- Until 2022, “the Darkness” was always just an ominous riddle for the Guardians, nothing tangible. There was no one who knew what it actually was and certainly not what it wanted.
- Only in Season 15 did Bungie gradually reveal more about this “Darkness,” the opponent of the Traveler, and also more about the ominous Witness.
- The Witness was the “voice in the Darkness” and presented itself as an immensely powerful god-like being that also commands the Black Fleet and aims to determine the final fate of the universe.
“The Final Shape,” which the upcoming DLC revolves around, is its ultimate goal. However, the Guardians find it too harmless and have a better favorite for the title of “Best Villain of All Time.”
‘The Witness only made a few gestures and then disappeared’
This has demystified “the Darkness”: For years, the Guardians in Destiny 2 fought against the ominous Darkness. Back then, it was known only that it was the counterpart to the Light and thus an equally powerful, paracausal, and immensely fascinating “evil” force.
It also manifested in the form of a huge armada of tetrahedral ships, the so-called “Black Fleet,” which are also known to the Guardians as Pyramid ships. They approached from all sides and ominously reached the outer solar system in Season 11. Escape was impossible.
At that time, it was finally expected to meet the ultimate opponent of the Traveler. The ships were unimaginably large, and the Guardians were eagerly wondering what race might be hiding within them.
However, when the ships could finally be entered for the first time, they were completely empty. This was more than strange for some players.
- The key moment that was expected in 2020 did not happen. There was no entirely new enemy race, just this one big googly-eyed guy managing everything and of whom nothing had ever been seen until then.
- The enemies that some players believed should have been in the pyramids, the so-called Tormentors, were only introduced by Bungie in early 2023 with the DLC
Lightfall
. - In 2024, the developer will additionally expand these enemies in the DLC
The Final Shape
with the so-calledSubjugators
.
Throughout the seasons, Bungie also made it clear that “the Darkness” is not the enemy, but that The Witness merely uses it to fight against the Light and the Traveler.
The problem with this: It felt weak to some players and neither threatening nor interesting. For an ultimate main antagonist of a 10-year saga, it was clearly too boring. All The Witness has done so far are “just a few gestures, opening a portal [into the Traveler] and then disappearing in it.”
- Some Guardian, like Crimsn, says: “[The Witness] is like a generic villain for whom the story of Destiny 2 probably had to bend 500 times to include him.”
- PROpergamerlad even finds: “The Witness will go down as the most boring and uneventful major evil in gaming history. We finally get to see who he is, he finally appears on Earth and then quickly disappears again. And now [in Season 23] we are about halfway through a year and a half in which the guy was completely absent from the game.”
The Witch Queen is the best villain in Destiny for many in 9 years
This is why The Witness stands in the shadow of Savathûn: The lack of impact and buildup becomes particularly clear as players compare The Witness with the Witch Queen Savathûn.
- Bungie has created a Destiny boss with Savathûn, who has been continuously built up as an antagonist over the past 8 years. Every Guardian had heard her name by then and was eager to confront this cunning rogue.
- Moreover, the Witch Queen did not disappoint with any of her interactions and played a highly cunning game of cat and mouse, with her plans still not fully revealed today.
- Destiny Bulletin notes that with Savathûn, the teasers, the buildup, the revelation, and the story were all perfect.
The player TheRobNextDoor is also fascinated by Savathûn and says: “The Witness is simply disappointing in its character design from the beginning. Savathûn was the complete package of such a character who practically screamed to admire her presence. The Witness just appears like a pile of mediocrity in Bungie’s creative pool. He doesn’t scream ‘I am THE final boss’.”
This could change soon: At the moment, The Witness does not seem capable of convincing players, let alone challenging Savathûn’s ranking as the best villain Destiny has seen in 9 years.
Moreover, time is running out for him. Because already in June 2024, it will be seen whether The Witness can exceed expectations and establish itself as a compelling antagonist. While some players remain unconvinced so far, others still hope for a twist that elevates The Witness’s story to a new, impressive level.
What do you think of The Witness so far? Is he someone who can still rise to the most iconic villain in the world of Destiny 2 and the first saga of Light and Darkness? Or do you also join Savathûn’s fan club and crown her as the undisputed queen of the villains of the loot shooter? Perhaps you have a completely different favorite? Then feel free to let us know in the comments.
However, it will still take a while until the upcoming DLC, where The Witness hopefully reveals more of itself. Due to the delay of the DLC to June 2024, the Guardians will have to wait a while longer. But Bungie has a plan to shorten this time: Destiny 2: Season of Wishes will last almost 7 months: This is planned to keep the shooter alive
