Destiny: Easter eggs, myths and more – what do the names of the weapons mean?

In Destiny, the legendary and exotic weapons often have absurd and obscure names. Where do they come from?

TFWPKY, ANITC, Gjallarhorn, Badger CCL, Doctor Nope, LDR 5001, the Trolley Problem … Where did Bungie get all these names from? And what in Eris’ crazy breath do they mean?

If you’ve ever wondered about this, you should treat yourself to this article. Wonderful useless trivia knowledge that you’ll remember for a lifetime while forgetting what the second binomial formula is after five minutes. Isn’t the human brain amazing?

• Another NITC – The scout rifle of the Vanguard is probably called “Another Nail in the Coffin”. This is an English idiom describing a step that brings one closer to the grave. Sometimes, cigarettes are referred to as such.
• Badger CCL – The other scout rifle of the Vanguard. It is believed that Bungie refers to “Badger couldn’t care less” and hints at a quite popular (72 million views) YouTube video about a honey badger, a creature that is so fearless that it doesn’t care about anything. Seems fitting for Destiny.

• Doctor Nope – the automatic rifle is a clear reference to the Bond villain Doctor No. Suited for Destiny, it has a slightly more casual vibe.
• Found Verdict (Schuldig befunden) – the shotgun probably alludes to Judge Dredd’s standard saying before he starts. There is also a character in the fantasy cycle of a Canadian author (The Game of the Gods) to which this saying would also apply. Many references are ambiguous and could refer to various sources.
• Gjallarhorn – this is the horn of Heimdall from Norse mythology, which he blows to warn the gods of the impending apocalypse (Ragnarok). Most today probably know the bridge guardian Heimdall from the Thor movies, where he is impressively played by Idris Elba.
• LDR 5001 – the sniper rifle LDR plays on “Long Distance Relationship.” 5001 feet would be about 1.5 kilometers … a distance within which a sniper rifle can still deliver a deadly shot. A macabre allusion to the fact that shooter and victim are in a kind of long-distance relationship.

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  No Land Beyond (Kein Land Ausserhalb) – we have already written something about this. This is a direct quote from a well-known Russian sniper in World War II. The film “Duell – Enemy at the gates” tells his story. It is perhaps the most obvious reference in Destiny. It also has multiple layers; just as the sniper had to defend Stalingrad against overwhelming odds, the Guardians must defend the “last city” against an overwhelming darkness and “reclaim their land.” One of the dominant themes in Destiny.
• One Way Ticket 000 – 000 is the Australian emergency phone code, a “One Way Ticket,” a simple fare will take you to the morgue.
• Patience and Time (Geduld und Zeit) – comes from Tolstoy’s century novel War and Peace – the strongest warriors are said to be patience and time.

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  Plan C – this is the plan when even Plan B goes wrong. An “emergency plan” when all else fails.
• Red Death (Roter Tod) – probably refers to Edgar Allan Poe’s tale “The Masque of the Red Death.” There, the wealthy of a city celebrate Carnival in isolation while the population dies from the plague. But the “red death” appears at their masked ball and brings ruin.
• TFWPKY 1969 – The Fall will probably kill you – is a quite legendary quote from “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” – a film from 1969. Two outlaws consider escaping a hopeless situation by jumping into a deep river. One steadfastly refuses because he can’t swim. The other says: “Are you crazy? Probably the fall will kill you anyway.”

• The 4th Horseman (der 4. Reiter) – the Revelation of John in the Bible, the Apocalypse, describes the end of all days and knows four apocalyptic riders, the 4th is “Death.”
• The Comedian – could be a reference to Watchmen, where the “Comedian” is a rather insane, melancholic, violent hitman and superhero.
• The Devil you know, The Devil you don’t – a reference to a US proverb: The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t, because you know what to expect from him. In Destiny, the devil you know (the weapon) is considered much better compared to the “The Devil you don’t” – the devil you don’t know.

• Trolley Problem – this is a relatively well-known thought experiment in which people are asked if they would switch the tracks of a trolley to save five people, even if it would condemn one other to death. A “Trolley” is the English word for tram. The flavor text of the weapon explains: “Pull the switch, it’s the right decision.”
• Unfriendly Giant (Unsanfter Riese) – perhaps the most obscure reference: The text for the weapon “Unfriendly might be a bit too harsh. He’s actually quite shy” refers to a yogurt shop near Bungie’s headquarters, called “Shy Giant Frozen Yogurt.” The weapon name in Destiny itself is likely derived from a children’s book by Roald Dahl.
• Two to the Morgue – this is probably a reference to “The Untouchables,” a film with Kevin Costner and Sean Connery, where it underscores the importance of repaying violence not with equal violence, but with greater violence – “They send one of us to the hospital, we send two of them to the morgue.”

This was just a selection of the many weapon references that Bungie has hidden in Destiny. And it’s not just weapons that are teeming with them. In shaders, ships, armor, and many other things in the game, there are more such winking or clever details to discover.

What are your favorite names in Destiny?

P.S.: We have a bonus. If you ever wondered what “Mythoclast” means: The word describes the destruction of myths.

More about Destiny can be found on our Mein-MMO topic page.