In Destiny 2, we are slowly heading towards Beyond Light. We now know that we will soon reunite with an old acquaintance: Variks. He has transformed from a ridiculed merchant to a hated character – but why is he sending a distress signal after 5 years?
This old acquaintance suddenly speaks: When the new trailer for the upcoming expansion Beyond Light was released on September 22, the Guardians were quite astonished. Variks surprisingly made his voice heard.
If the name doesn’t ring a bell? No problem, we will shed light on his background story in this article, why the once popular character is responsible for the most tragic event in the Destiny universe and what role he might play in the DLC.
You need to know this to discuss Beyond Light
This is Variks’ story in Destiny 1:
- Variks the Loyal is the last known survivor of his clan, the House of Judgement.
- Guardians first encountered Variks in the Reef.
Much to the surprise of the Guardians, our enemies, the Fallen, are working together with the Awoken – all under the auspices of Queen Mara Sov.
Variks is fiercely loyal to his queen. We help her highness later and transport the Fallen supervillain Skolas to the Prison of Elders. Variks became known to players as a merchant and the guy with the funny, Yoda-like speech pattern.
He speaks our language as one of the few Fallen – albeit not quite flawlessly and always with an elongated “… yeah?” too much. You can find out more about the language of our enemies here:
- After 3 years we finally know what our enemies are saying to us – Have you always wanted to know what “potato” means in Eliksni?
When the queen and Prince Uldren disappeared during Oryx’s attack on the solar system, Variks found himself without his royal masters. He then fully embraced his duty as a Warden in the Prison of Elders.
Has Variks appeared in Destiny 2 so far? In Destiny 2, we have not encountered Variks personally yet. However, he had a greater influence on the story than most other characters: Variks is behind the great breakout in the Prison of Elders.
During this prison riot, Cayde-6 tragically lost his life and there was an outcry in the Destiny community.
Variks shed the title “the Loyal.” He has since taken it upon himself to restore the Fallen to their former glory and sees it as his prophesied duty to unite all Fallen houses under one banner.
For almost 2 years it has been quiet around Variks and his efforts. All we know is that he was seen with Eramis. And by the way, this nice lady is our new main enemy in Beyond Light. She leads the House of Darkness on Europa – but has long had her four arms in the game from the shadows.
Are we expecting a friend or a traitor in Beyond Light?
In the eyes of many players, Variks has made a 180° turn. He has transformed from the cool poster child of a redeemed Fallen to a hated villain.
While he didn’t pull the trigger, Cayde’s (Exo-)blood is on his hands. He is likely next on the Guardians’ hit list right behind Uldren. What could his sudden appearance mean now?
What role does Variks play in the DLC? From the recently released map of the DLC location, we know that it is Variks who lures players to Europa with a distress signal.
In the trailer from September 22, Variks speaks to the viewer, saying that he and everyone else are coming to Europa in search of answers. His concern is known: to unite the Fallen.
However, whether he is loyal to Eramis and her Stasis Fallen or seeks a peaceful agreement remains uncertain. He does not seem to have joined the House of Darkness, as he still proudly bears the crests of his House of Judgement:
One could also speculate that Variks, after Eramis’s fall – after all, she will have an army of god-slaying guardians on her tail starting November 10 – cleans up the remnants of the Fallen and stands as the prophesied Kell of Kells.
Either way, many players are pleased that Variks finally appears in the game itself and not just plays a role in cryptic lore texts. Whether to deliver him for his punishment or because they want to learn more about this shady character.
In Beyond Light, we will also encounter other characters who have puzzled players for 6 years. Those who want to learn more about this can find answers here: 10 exciting stories and mysteries that Destiny 2 still needs to resolve.
