Editing Leviathan (Fundament)

{{about|the Fundament creature|other uses|Leviathan}}
{{Character infobox
|name=The Leviathan
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|affiliation= The [[Traveler]] <br> The [[Ammonite]]
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|notable= Disciple of the [[Traveler]] <br> Kept the Worm Gods imprisoned within the core of [[Fundament]] <br> Killed by the [[Hive]], its corpse was fed to [[Eir]] and [[Yul]]
}}
{{quote|—What power calls you++ <br> ++Down to the deep?— <br> ++What instinct draws you— <br> —Away from high hope?++ <br> —[[Hive#Origins|Quick-breeding krill people]], I tell you++ <br> ++For eons I have watched your struggle— <br> —Clinging to the sharp edge of survival++ <br> ++Balanced between the [[Darkness|Deep]] and the [[Light|Sky]].— <br> ++You were my treasure— <br> —My proof against despair++|'''Leviathan'''}}

The '''Leviathan ''' was a massive intelligent creature that resided deep within the ocean of the gas giant [[Fundament]]. It was a disciple of the [[Traveler]], and aided it in imprisoning the six [[Worm Gods]] in the planet's core<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XI: Conquerors|XI: Conquerors]]''</ref>. The Krill revered it, though they considered it mythical, and would swear oaths upon it<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#II: The Hateful Verse|II: The Hateful Verse]]''</ref>.

==Biography==
The history of the Leviathan is mostly unknown; it is unclear whether it originated on Fundament or traveled there from somewhere else. According to the creature known as [[Ahsa]], Fundament was once home to a species of "proto-Worm" beings who lived in peace on the Fundament.<ref name="SSS"/>

The Leviathan guarded the [[Worm Gods]] imprisoned deep within Fundament's core, warning away any who might travel into the depths to find them.<ref name="Leviathan">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#VIII: Leviathan|VIII: Leviathan]]''</ref> One day, it encountered [[Rhulk, Disciple of the Witness]], who ignored its warnings and crippled the giant creature by forcibly removing one of its ribs.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Rhulk, Disciple of the Witness|Rhulk]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Uy37eDdZdI "I do not drown," I spoke with a defiant tongue. "In a mere infinitesimal measure of time, I held a rib of this beast in one hand and pushed aside its maimed vessel with the other. "I rise."]''</ref> Rhulk proceeded onward to find the Worm Gods, who he conscripted into the servitude of the [[Witness]].<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - Item Description: [[Resonant Fury Suit (Titan)|Resonant Fury Suit]]''</ref>

The Worm Gods would become seduced by the Witness's philosophy, causing them to fight amongst themselves and slay one another to achieve ascendancy through the Sword Logic. Some of these beings later became the Worm Gods, while Ahsa managed to escape and left Fundament entirely. Although not outright stated, the Leviathan may be another survivor of the massacre.<ref name="SSS">'''Bungie (2023/5/23)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Deep]] - Item Description: [[Síocháin's Scuba Shell#Lore|Síocháin's Scuba Shell]]''</ref>

When the Krill sisters [[Xi Ro]], [[Sathona]], and [[Aurash]] dove into Fundament's depths in search of a secret that would prevent the Syzygy, an alignment of the gas giant's fifty-two moons that would create a global tidal wave of catastrophic proportions, the Leviathan met them. Communicating with magnetic fields, it attempted to persuade them to return to the surface and follow the way of the Traveler and the [[Light]], warning them against the seduction of the [[Darkness|Deep]], but the sisters rejected its pleas because it offered no way to end their species's suffering and avert the Syzygy.<ref name="Leviathan"/>

Later, after the sisters had made a pact with the Worms, becoming the Hive and ravaging Fundament, the Leviathan tried to escape the planet's surface and take shelter with the [[Ammonite]]s of Fundament's moons. The Ammonites sent their best forces to protect the Leviathan, whom they revered almost as much as the Traveler, but the Hive saw this as an opportunity<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XVIII: Leviathan Rises|XVIII: Leviathan Rises]]''</ref>. In one fell swoop, the Hive slew the Leviathan and destroyed the Ammonite civilization, forcing the Traveler to flee for its safety. The Leviathan's corpse was fed to the Worm Gods [[Eir]] and [[Yul]]<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XIX: Crusaders|XIX: Crusaders]]''</ref>.

[[Leviathan-Eater, Bane of the Ammonites]] is credited by the Hive with the kill.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/8/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Witch]] - Item Description: [[Veiled Tithes Suit#Veiled Tithes Gauntlets/Gloves/Grips|Veiled Tithes Gauntlets/Gloves/Grips]] ''</ref> One of its ribs can be found in the [[Acquisition]] wing of the Sunken Pyramid, kept from Rhulk's duel.

==Trivia==
*The Leviathan may be the inspiration and namesake of the [[Cabal]] Emperor [[Calus]]' flagship, [[the Leviathan]]. He refers to it as representing "a mythical beast from the dreams of worms," perhaps referring to the Worms of the Hive and their shared history with the Leviathan on Fundament<ref>'''Bungie (2017/12/5)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Curse of Osiris]] - Item Description: [[I Am Alive]]''</ref>. Additionally, [[The Drifter]] described the Leviathan spacecraft as "a giant fish", which may allude to its being patterned after the Leviathan creature.
**However, concept art by Bungie artist Dorje Bellbrook suggests that the Leviathan is instead designed to resemble a massive land-dwelling worm-like [[Landwhale|creature]] from the Cabal homeworld that consumed entire cities. Images of smaller versions of these creatures can be seen in gold relief throughout the Leviathan.

==Trivia==
*The Leviathan may be the inspiration and namesake of the Cabal Emperor Calus' flagship, [[the Leviathan]]. He refers to it as representing "a mythical beast from the dreams of worms," perhaps referring to the Worms of the Hive and their shared history with the Leviathan on Fundament. Additionally, the Drifter describes the Leviathan spacecraft as "a giant fish," which may allude to its being patterned after the Leviathan creature.

==List of appearances==
*''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]]'' {{Fm}}
*''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Season of the Witch]]'' {{Mo}}

==References==
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[[Category:Characters]]