Darkness: Difference between revisions

|othernames= "The Deep" <br> "Clarity" <ref>'''[[Mysterious Logbook]]'''</ref><br>"Luster"<ref>'''Bungie (2022/2/22)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Witch Queen]] - [[Lore:Shattered Suns|Shattered Suns]]: [[Lore:Shattered Suns#Lamented|Lamented]]''</ref>

{{Quote|Darkness is not inherently evil. Some among you already discovered this on Europa. In my travels, I have seen true evil. It is the worm gods that the Hive serve. It is the Black Fleet, waiting to strike. It is the Entity that commands them all: the Voice in the Darkness.|Mara Sov}}

For centuries following the Collapse, the Darkness was believed by scholars of the [[Last City]] to be an inherently evil force, with its usage inevitably corrupting the wielder. This is now known to be untrue: just as the Light can be used for constructive and benevolent purposes as well as destructive and self-serving ones, the act of wielding the Darkness has no moral valence on its own, and it can be used for good or ill. Ancient civilizations such as the [[Ecumene]] and the [[Qugu]] used the Darkness for peaceful purposes, such as communing with the memories of their ancestors.<ref name="THW">'''Bungie (2022/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]: [[Lore:Inspiral#The Habitable World|The Habitable World]]''</ref><ref name="TAoS">'''Bungie (2022/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]: [[Lore:Inspiral#The Art of Symbiosis|The Art of Symbiosis]]''</ref> In contrast, the being known as the [[The Witness|Witness]] and its [[Disciples of the Witness|Disciples]], who collectively led the armada known as the [[Black Fleet]] and exterminated countless civilizations uplifted by the [[Traveler]], wielded the Darkness as a weapon against their enemies. Most of humanity's knowledge of the Darkness has come from the Collapse and subsequent conflicts with those aligned with the Witness and its cause, such as the [[Hive]], [[Taken]], [[Scorn]] and the [[Vex]] of the [[Sol Divisive]], which has led to a prevalent but one-sided view of Darkness as a destructive force hostile to life and peaceful civilization.  

The nature of the relationship between the Light and Darkness remains somewhat ambiguous. The Witness and its followers clearly believe the Darkness to be superior to the Light and oppose all who would use it, and the Darkness itself is presented in ''[[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]'' as having opposed the Light since before the beginning of time. However, in  ''[[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]'', a slightly more nuanced picture is given in the entry "Winnowing", where the Darkness is portrayed as playing a necessary and complementary role to that of the Light in helping to maintain the stability of life and civilization.<ref name="Inspiral Winnowing">'''Bungie (2022/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]: [[Lore:Inspiral#Winnowing|Winnowing]]''</ref> After having gained insights into the Darkness from his studies of [[Strand]], Osiris states that the Light and Darkness are not truly antagonistic forces, but merely different.{{citation needed}}

According to the Lore Book "[[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]," both the [[Light]] and the Darkness have existed since before the beginning of time, and thus before the universe came into existence. Being unbound by the laws of causality, neither the Light nor Darkness can be said to have a beginning. Rather, they are emergent properties of even more fundamental "mathematical structures" that in turn underlay reality itself.<ref name="U:G&W">'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#Gardener and Winnower|Gardener and Winnower]]''</ref>

In the allegorical story recounted in the Lore Book, the Darkness and the Light are referred to as the "Winnower" and "Gardener" respectively. The Winnower and Gardener occupied themselves by engaging one another in a game, analogous to a vastly more complex version of the "Game of Life" devised by Earth mathematician John Conway. This game would consistently arrive at an end-state dominated by a single, self-perpetuating pattern, which subsumed all others in the game. The Winnower found this to be a pleasing outcome, but the Gardener felt the pattern to be boring and desired that the game endlessly produce novel patterns instead.<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#The Flower Game|The Flower Game]]''</ref><ref name="U:TFS">'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#The Final Shape|The Final Shape]]''</ref> To promote this novelty, the Gardener transformed itself into a new "rule" within the game; the Winnower did the same, to counteract the Gardener's efforts. These new rules were "set aside" from the other rules of the game, so that they could not be limited or influenced by them, but could manipulate the other rules to bring about their intended outcomes.<ref name="U:TFK">'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#The First Knife|The First Knife]]''</ref>

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Darkness known to the Guardians comes from the [[Books of Sorrow]], a collection of records discovered aboard the Dreadnaught of [[Oryx, the Taken King]]. The books describe the origins of the Hive on the gas giant Fundament, where the three daughters of a deposed king, [[Aurash]], [[Xi Ro]], and [[Sathona]], set out to save their world from a prophesied apocalypse. In their quest, they encountered the massive being known as the [[Leviathan (Fundament)|Leviathan]], who warned them against the temptation of "The Deep," a philosophy which held that "existence is the struggle to exist," and which it claimed would lead them only to ruin and calamity. It instead told them to pursue the philosophy of "[[Light|The Sky]]," which encouraged collaboration to build a kinder, more prosperous world, even if it meant that some deaths and misfortunes must be allowed to occur. The sisters rejected the Leviathan's advice, and dove deep into the core of their world to find the five Worms: [[Eir, the Keeper of Order|Eir]], [[Ur, the Ever-Hunger|Ur]], [[Yul, the Honest Worm|Yul]], [[Xol, Will of the Thousands|Xol]], and [[Akka, the Worm of Secrets|Akka]].<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow|Books of Sorrow]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#VIII: Leviathan|VIII: Leviathan]]''</ref><ref name="Bargain">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow|Books of Sorrow]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#IX: The Bargain|IX: The Bargain]]''</ref>

The Worm Gods promised to lend the sisters their paracausal powers, which they drew from the Deep, in return for the sisters becoming hosts for the Worms' larvae. The sisters agreed and became the founders and God-rulers of what would one day become known as the Hive.<ref name="Bargain"/> The Worms taught the nascent Hive Gods of the Sword Logic, which they used to become ever more powerful.{{Citation needed}}

Much later, the Hive God Auryx (who was once Aurash) slew the Worm God Akka to obtain enough power to learn more about the secrets of the Deep, and in doing so he obtained the power to [[Taken|Take]],<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow|Books of Sorrow]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXVIII: King of Shapes|XXVIII: King of Shapes]]''</ref> a power wielded by the Witness. He became thereafter known as Oryx, the Taken King. Sometime later, he sought to commune with the Witness directly and prepared an Ogre as a sacrifice, which the Deep inhabited and used to converse with Oryx.<ref name="BMW">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow|Books of Sorrow]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXXI: battle made waves|XXXI: battle made waves]]''</ref><ref name="M. M.">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow|Books of Sorrow]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow#XXXII: Majestic. Majestic.|XXXII: Majestic. Majestic.]]''</ref>

According to ''Unveiling'', the Cambrian Explosion (i.e. the rapid appearance and diversification of complex life on Earth) was one of innumerable examples across the history of the universe where the Darkness played a role in bringing about complex life, by virtue of curtailing the existence of weaker organisms and thereby driving biological evolution.<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#The Cambrian Explosion|The Cambrian Explosion]]''</ref>

Before the Collapse, a Human mining expedition on Luna was commissioned by [[Clovis Bray I]] to discover the source of a mysterious signal buried beneath the Moon's crust. Nearly twelve hundred meters deep they discovered a [[Anomaly (artifact)|black sphere]], whose emissions caused neurochemical cascades that induced intrusive thoughts, insomnia, narcolepsy, nightmares, and auditory and visual hallucinations. The sphere was studied due to an outbound signal that was believed to be connected to a second Traveler, or even the origins of the Traveler. However, the expedition team, despite their best efforts, were eventually driven to madness and perished.<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Revelation|Revelation]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Kuang Xuan's Logbook]]''</ref>  

Clovis Bray I later communed with the artifact, which urged him to go to [[Europa]] to seek the secret of immortality. He mounted a personal expedition to the icy moon, where he discovered the source of the paracausal power he called "Clarity": an entity he named "[[Clarity Control]]".{{Citation needed}}

The Collapse was long believed by the [[Vanguard]] and the people of the [[Last City]] to have been caused by the Darkness itself.<ref name="Darkness"/> In reality, it was brought about by the Black Fleet, led by the Witness and its Disciples, who wielded the Darkness against humanity and the [[Traveler]]. During the Collapse, the colony ship ''[[Yang Liwei]]'' (call sign [[Exodus Green]]), was ensnared by the Darkness projected by the Black Fleet as it attempted to escape the Solar System, but was "rescued" by the Traveler projecting a beam of Light to push back the Darkness, which in turn generated a kugelblitz that swallowed the ''Yang Liwei'' and transported it and its occupants to a [[Distributary|new universe]].<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]] - [[Lore:Marasenna|Marasenna]]: [[Lore:Marasenna#Cosmogyre IV|Cosmogyre IV]]''</ref>

Following the battle in the Black Garden, Ikora Rey hypothesized that the Black Heart had been an aspect of the Darkness itself.{{Citation needed}} It would not be until much later that it was revealed to in fact be an attempt by the Sol Divisive to replicate the Veil, an equally mysterious paracausal entity associated with both the Darkness and the Traveler.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[What Remains]]''</ref>

The [[Scorn]], a faction of undead [[Fallen]] first encountered by the Guardians in a mass breakout from the Prison of Elders, were created through the use of [[Dark Ether|Darkness-tainted Ether]] by [[Fikrul, the Fanatic]]. This "Dark Ether" was first generated when [[Riven]] drew upon [[Uldren Sov]]'s internal Darkness and infused it into Ether, bringing Fikrul back from death.<ref>'''Bungie (2018/9/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Forsaken]] - [[Lore:The Forsaken Prince|The Forsaken Prince]]: [[Lore:The Forsaken Prince##Fanatic_.7C_Part_II|Fanatic | Part II]]''</ref>

The Guardian received an [[Unknown Artifact]] from the statue and was subjected to a vision, in which they stood within the Black Garden and encountered the Witness taking the form of themselves. The Witness addressed the Guardian, saying that it had heard humanity's "cries for help" and that it would soon answer, and stating that it was neither the Guardian's friend nor enemy, but instead their "salvation".<ref name="Beyond"/>

When [[Osiris]] confronted [[Rasputin]] regarding his allegiance to the Light or the Darkness, the Warmind directed him to an anomalous signal located in the Kuiper Belt. Upon arriving at the coordinates, [[Sagira]] reported feeling strange, like the Guardian's Ghost when approaching the [[Pyramid]]. Osiris then entered "an anomalous Maw" and returned with a "cold metal seed" before setting his ship on a course to return to the inner Solar System.<ref name="WGMP">'''Bungie (2020/3/10)''', ''[[Weblore:Season of the Worthy]] - [[Weblore:Season of the Worthy#What Gives Me Pause|What Gives Me Pause]]''</ref>

==The Nature of the Darkness==

*[[Pujari]] claimed that the Darkness is both a physical and moral presence, evil made tangible. It was a storm of corruption emerging from the Golden Age.<ref name = "Darkness"/> Also known as the Pujari Position, it is one of two doctrines that was widely popular at the [[Tower]] and the City at large.<ref name = "Foreword">'''Bungie (2024/6/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Final Shape]] - [[Lore:Chirality|Chirality]]: [[Lore:Chirality#Foreword|Foreword]]''</ref>  

*A heretical position from the [[Binary Star Cult]] states that the Traveler itself triggered the collapse, and used humanity as a sacrifice/proxy army in its war against the Darkness.<ref name = "Darkness">'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness|Darkness]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Darkness|Darkness]]''</ref>

An alternative way of life, where law and knowledge might work together rather than compete, as in the case of [[human]]ity and the [[City]], is little more than "the dream of small minds", and is unlikely to succeed against an entity of pure conquest.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness|Darkness]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Ghost Fragment: Darkness 3|Ghost Fragment: Darkness 3]]''</ref>

The [[Warmind]] Rasputin was among the first beings in the Sol System to become aware of the arrival of the Black Fleet immediately prior to the Collapse.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness|Darkness]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Ghost Fragment: Darkness|Ghost Fragment: Darkness]]''</ref> Given the unknown nature of the threat at the time, it remains unclear to what degree Rasputin's observations apply to the Black Fleet, the Darkness itself, or both. In any case, measurements taken by Rasputin indicated that the unknown phenomenon was accompanied by sterile neutrinos and gravity waves, seemed to have a structured intelligence and purpose behind its actions, and did not fully obey the known laws of physics. Using the minimal data that he had, Rasputin concluded that the force was hostile and capable of an interplanetary extinction event, causing him to activate defensive protocols and send messages to his subminds to prepare for an imminent attack.

The ''[[Dreams of Alpha Lupi]]'' poem contains a verse related to the Darkness and possibly representative of the Darkness's own perspective. The verse explains that the universe, despite its vastness, is beholden to simple, enduring laws that shape it and give one the impression that it is inexhaustible and eternal. Life is an affront to the universe because it refuses to accept the limitations imposed on it by the natural order.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness|Darkness]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Ghost Fragment: Darkness 2|Ghost Fragment: Darkness 2]]''</ref>

[[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4|Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4]] contains an excerpt of unknown origin, addressing an unknown recipient. Its opening line: "[[Lakshmi-2#quotes|''This war is all there is for you.'']]" is also a line of dialog, spoken by [[Future War Cult]] representative [[Lakshmi-2]], in which she asks the player what they would do if, "on some dreadful night, the Darkness were to come creeping up" and whisper the aforementioned statement to them. This would suggest that the excerpt in ''Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4'' is the full text of that opening statement, indicating that the Darkness is addressing a Guardian, attempting to entice them into turning away from the [[Light]], or at least plant the seeds of doubt.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness|Darkness]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Darkness#Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4|Ghost Fragment: Darkness 4]]''</ref>

[[Clovis Bray I]] studied the Darkness during the late Golden Age, having been exposed to it through the K1 Anomaly and later through the entity he called "Clarity Control." In his notes, he observed that the Darkness violated [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noether%27s_theorem Noether's theorem], and did not follow established physical rules of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symmetry_(physics) symmetry] and conservation. He also noted that the Darkness possessed "anti-structural" properties, and had a tendency to reduce the entropy of systems it was applied to, leading him to hypothesize that it may have been responsible for the low-entropy state of the universe preceding the Big Bang.

Following the discovery of [[Strand]], Osiris states that the Darkness is associated with thoughts and consciousness, whereas the Light is tied more strongly to the physical universe. The nature of [[Strand]], [[Deepsight]] and [[Nightmares]] all reflect this connection; [[Stasis]] crystals have also been noted to exhibit computational properties, potentially supporting simulation or even cognition within themselves. This may also explain the Darkness' association with the [[Ascendant Realm]], as the latter is a dimension whose nature is heavily influenced by thoughts and beliefs.  

As an extension of this theme, the Darkness is associated with memory, whereas the Light is associated with forgetting. This is exemplified by [[Deepsight]], which allows one to, among other things, experience memories associated with an object's past. In contrast, when the Light is first bestowed upon an individual via resurrection by a [[Ghost]], they forget all details of their past life. The [[Hidden]] agent [[Sen-Aret]] hypothesizes that the Darkness connects individuals with the past so that they may strategize defenses against threats they have previously encountered, whereas the Light wipes away memories in order to enable forgiveness and the possibility of new beginnings. The manifestation of Darkness known as Resonance also seems to be connected to memory and emotion, as shown when the Qugu fleet drew upon the fury of their ancestors using the Darkness to manifest a Resonant blast in their final stand against a Pyramid of the Black Fleet.

This dichotomy was further highlighted when the Witness entered the Traveler's Pale Heart, as it attempted to use the Traveler's Light to bring its vision of the Final Shape into reality; the Final Shape existed as a concept within the Darkness, but the Witness needed the Light to enforce its ideas upon the physical universe.

{{Quote|It is the nature of life to favor existence over nonexistence, and to prefer the fertile soil to the poisoned wind. Because those who open their mouths to that wind pass from the world and leave no descendant, whether of flesh or of thought. <br>But imagine the abomination of a world where nothing can end and no choice can be preferred to any other. Imagine the things that would suffer and never die. Imagine the lies that would flourish without context or corrective. Imagine a world without me.|Unveiling}}<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#Pleased to Meet You|Pleased to Meet You]]''</ref>

During their exploration of the Lunar Pyramid, the Guardian received an [[Unknown Artifact|unknown artifact]] from the [[The Witness|Witness]] which relayed [[Lore:Unveiling|a series of messages]] addressed to the Guardian by the Winnower, which presented itself as one of two cosmic entities or forces which gave rise to the universe, alongside its opposing counterpart the "[[Light|Gardener]]". The Witness acknowledged the Winnower as a separate entity shortly before its destruction at the hands of the Coalition, stating that it was not the Winnower, but merely ''"the first knife clutched in its hand"'' <ref name="Salvation's Edge">'''Bungie (2024/6/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Final Shape]] - [[Salvation's Edge]]''</ref>. The name "Winnower" was also used by [[Ahsa]] when she recounted the origin of the Witness to the Guardian, referring to the Veil.<ref name="Origins"/>

In the messages received by the Guardian and translated by [[Eris Morn]], the Winnower states itself to be one of two primordial entities who predate the universe, the other being the [[Light|Gardener]].<ref name="U:G&W"/> The Winnower is presented as embodying the reduction of complexity, whereas the Gardener embodies the growth and preservation of complexity.<ref name="U:TFK"/> In the allegorical story recounted by the Winnower, these two entities struggled with one another in the state which preceded the multiverse, and upon inadvertently creating the multiverse as a by-product of this struggle, each became a [[paracausality|paracausal]] force which would serve to further their respective goals within its many universes.<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#T = 0|T = 0]]''</ref> The Winnower claims to have subsequently influenced the evolution of life throughout the cosmos, stating that it was responsible for the Cambrian Explosion that gave rise to complex animal life on Earth, and thus the evolution of humanity<ref>'''Bungie (2019/10/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Shadowkeep]] - [[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]: [[Lore:Unveiling#The Cambrian Explosion|The Cambrian Explosion]]''</ref>. This story not only appears to provide an origin for the Light and Darkness as they are presently known, but also implies that the Darkness is itself sentient and has its own motivations, exerting its influence on reality in various subtle ways so as to guide the universe toward an eternal, maximally simplified form known as the [[Final Shape]].<ref name="U:TFS"/>

The unnamed narrator of the entry "Winnowing" in the Lore Book ''[[Lore:Inspiral|Inspiral]]'' writes in a similar style and tone as the Winnower in ''Unveiling'', and the entry itself appears to reference and elaborate slightly on the information presented in the previous Lore Book.<ref name="Inspiral Winnowing"/> The narrator of the entry describes how a garden requires both a gardener to care for its plants, and a winnower to prune away excess growth and rot; if there is no winnower to do the pruning, the plants will be forced to do it themselves lest the garden deteriorate. Much as with ''Unveiling'', this description appears to be allegorical, and seems to suggest that both the Darkness and Light are necessary to maintain the stability of life and civilization within the universe; as the narrator states, ''"there can be no gardens without knives"''.<ref name="Inspiral Winnowing"/>

Following the revelation that the Witness and its Black Fleet were behind the Collapse and other historical events once attributed to the Darkness itself, and the discovery that [[Stasis]] and [[Strand]] could be wielded by Guardians without inevitably leading to moral corruption, the Vanguard has for the most part come to regard the Darkness as a neutral force, without any form of guiding intent or moral connotations associated with its use <ref>'''Bungie (2024/7/4)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[The Final Shape]] - [[Lore:Chirality|Chirality]]: [[Lore:Chirality#Cacosmia|Cacosmia]]''</ref>. Similarly, various statements once ascribed to the Darkness have since been recontextualized as instead originating from the Witness, which was referred to by [[Mara Sov]] as "the Voice in the Darkness".{{citation needed}} After reading ''[[Lore:Unveiling|Unveiling]]'', [[Ikora Rey]] stated that messages were in fact narrated by the Witness, which it had deceitfully presented itself as a "monolithic cosmic force"; however, in a later conversation with [[Mara Sov]], she wondered whether the texts were in fact a shadow of the truth, in which the Witness was merely a pawn of some other force<ref name="TFK"/>.

During his studies of Strand, [[Osiris]] hypothesized that the appearance and nature of "elemental" manifestations of Darkness such as Stasis and Strand may be shaped by the thoughts and preconceptions of their wielders; for example, he suggested that the string-like nature of Strand might be a result of the [[The Guardian|Guardian]] forming a subconscious association between the idea of "connection" and physical strings, and hypothesized that it might have instead appeared to the [[Neomuna|Neomuni]] as "cosmic water" had they discovered it first, as a result of their cultural beliefs regarding the "river of souls".<ref>'''Bungie (2023/2/28)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Lightfall]] - [[Lore:Warp and Weft|Warp and Weft]]''</ref>

The [[The Witness|Witness]], its [[Disciples of the Witness|Disciples]], and various artifacts of the [[Black Fleet]] wield or emit a form of Darkness referred to as "Resonance", characterized by an orange glow with topological aesthetics and spiraling helices of black angular shapes. The [[Qugu]] also were capable of using Resonance, as seen when the Qugu fleet called upon the memories and fury of their ancestors to manifest a massive Resonant blast that destroyed a Pyramid; this seems to indicate that Resonance is tied to memory and emotion.{{citation needed}}

{{Quote|Taking involves reforming matter in a self-contained reality, where the creator defines past, present, and future; imagine how a more insightful being could expand these definitions, to different ends. Overcoming a target's will must consume a large portion of energy. What if you used that energy for larger shifts in reality? You could teleport an army into a Hive mothership… move a fleet outside time and space… perhaps even alter a moon's orbit, devastating the planet below. The military applications could be far graver than simply creating an army.|[[Ophiuchus]]}}

The Darkness can be used to displace beings from the "normal" universe into the [[Ascendant Realm]], allowing them to be subsequently corrupted into [[Taken]] through an unknown process. It appears that this is only one specific application of a broader power, as the [[Witness]] has demonstrated the ability to move entire planets between dimensions, as well as temporally shift selected regions of a planet into different points in time.

The precursor species that gave rise to the Witness is the oldest known species to have encountered and wielded the Darkness. Eons after discovering the [[The Traveler|Traveler]], the precursors found the Veil in a distant star system, and sought to use its Darkness in combination with the Traveler's Light to bring about a "[[Final Shape]]" for the universe. Afterward, they used the Darkness of the Veil to merge the consciousnesses of their entire species into the [[The Witness|Witness]]<ref name="Origins"/>.

According to ''Unveiling'', the Darkness desires to sway the Guardians to its philosophy, as it acknowledges them as beings powerful enough to potentially become the "final shape" it wishes to bring about.

There are a handful of Guardians who have been corrupted by the Darkness, the most infamous being [[Dredgen Yor]].<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Inventory/Primary Weapons|Primary Weapons]]: [[Grimoire:Inventory/Primary Weapons#Thorn|Thorn]]''</ref> Yor came to desire taking innocent lives and sowing despair, claiming he had developed a hunger for it. [[Toland, the Shattered]] claimed to be able to communicate with the Darkness,<ref>'''Bungie (2014/12/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Dark Below]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Exalted Hive|Exalted Hive]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Exalted Hive#Might of Crota|Might of Crota]]''</ref> whereas [[Eris Morn]] was able to survive and escape the [[Hellmouth]] wielding the very power she fought against.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/12/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Dark Below]] - [[Grimoire:Allies/Tower Allies|Tower Allies]]: [[Grimoire:Allies/Tower Allies#Crota's Bane|Crota's Bane]]''</ref> Eris had one time even used the power of Darkness to rescue the Guardian from being trapped in the [[Oversoul Throne]].

As of recently, many Guardians have come to wield the Darkness in the form of [[Stasis]] and [[Strand]], and utilize its abilities such as [[Deepsight]] to reveal hidden secrets and [[Weapon Crafting|shape]] weapons from memory. According to [[Osiris]], the key to wielding the Darkness properly is to have the right perspective, such as a sense of self-discipline to use Stasis or a proactive, open mindset to use Strand.

With certain modifications, [[Ghosts]] can access the Darkness as well as the Light; the [[Drifter's Ghost]] became attuned to the Darkness after being modified with parts scavenged from other Ghosts.<ref name="Bond">'''Bungie (2019/3/5)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Drifter]] - Item Description: [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/illicit-reaper-bond Illicit Reaper Bond]''</ref>The Witness was also capable of overriding Ghosts and using them as conduits for communication, although it is unclear whether this ability stemmed from its use of the Darkness or the Light, or some other power at its disposal.{{citation needed}}

The Eliksni civilization was destroyed when the [[Black Fleet]] attacked [[Riis]] and the Traveler fled, an event known as the [[Whirlwind]]. A reclaimed (though corrupted) Fallen story mentions that the Fallen respect what they cannot steal from, which is "why the dark is worthy of love beyond all other love that astonishing ability to evade being robbed".<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Fallen|Fallen]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Fallen#Ghost Fragment: Fallen 2|Ghost Fragment: Fallen 2]]''</ref>  

The [[Scorn]] are a horde of undead Fallen created through the use of [[Dark Ether|Ether infused with Darkness]]. Originally born from a distorted wish granted to [[Uldren Sov]] by the [[Taken]] [[Ahamkara]] [[Riven]], the Scorn display the ability to resurrect, even multiple times, though their minds seemingly degrade with each return. They were originally led by [[Fikrul, the Fanatic]], a heretical [[Archon]] and first in their number, but since his disappearance, they have been seen under the control of other powerful Darkness entities, like the [[Disciples of the Witness]] and [[Xivu Arath, God of War]]. The Witness itself seems capable of resurrecting dead Eliksni into more Scorn, which has been used as punishment for Eramis's repeated failures.

Scorn under this new leadership enjoy access to powerful Pyramid technology, which allows many of them to rise to the power of their deceased [[Baron]]s, and perhaps even surpass them. However, despite their power, all Scorn are often fully enslaved to the entity controlling them, incapable of expressing original thoughts. When abandoned without a guide, they follow whatever order was given to them last, which usually brings them to repeat their violence on others in an endless loop.

During his exile, the former [[Emperor]] [[Emperor Calus|Calus]] sought the means to defeat his usurper [[Dominus Ghaul]] by exploring the secret places of the galaxy and pushing the limits of reason once he regains control of the Leviathan. He eventually crossed paths with a perfect void at the edge of the universe, being the Witness and the Black Fleet, and resolved to become its herald.<ref>'''Bungie (2017/9/8)''', ''[[Destiny 2]] - Item Description: [[It Stared Back#Lore|It Stared Back]]''</ref> He would watch them consume the light of the universe, and all among the last of the living would know his greatness.<ref>'''Bungie (2017/8/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]] - [[Calus' letter]]''</ref> Calus also knows of the pact that [[Oryx, the Taken King|Oryx]] made with the [[Worm]]s, comparing it to Ghaul's takeover of the legions.<ref>'''[[Cabal Booklet]]''', "[[Cabal Booklet#Ghaul, the Dominus|Ghaul, the Dominus]]"</ref> Calus' strange powers and his claims of "''knowing the truth''" about the galaxy and his mockery of the Guardians' "''feeble light''" imply that he may have some knowledge of the Darkness.

Calus alongside his new army the [[Shadow Legion]] would arrive in Sol alongside the Witness. The Shadow Legion have access to powerful [[Pyramid]] technology and are assisted by [[Tormentor]]s among their ranks. They are said to be filled with emptiness and follow orders without question. The Shadow Legion are described by [[Empress Caiatl]] as not knowing what it is like to be Cabal when their attempt to recreate the [[Rite of Proving]] failed.

The Hive revere the Darkness and serve the [[the Witness|Witness]]. The progenitors of the Hive made a pact with their highest gods, the [[Worms]], who grant the powers of Darkness to the Hive. The Hive god [[Oryx, the Taken King]] stole the power of the Darkness from his patron deity, [[Akka, the Worm of Secrets]], which allowed him to wield the Darkness and create [[Taken]]. The Hive religion, based around the 'Sword-Logic', is based upon the Darkness' philosophy of survival-of-the-fittest and power through conquest.

The majority of the Vex avoid the Darkness, due to a combination of their inability to simulate paracausality and the fact that their ultimate goal of Convergence (an end state of the universe where only the Vex exist) means that they would have to overcome the Darkness. The Vex of the [[Sol Divisive]] however, worship the [[Black Heart]], an aspect of the Darkness.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Enemies/Vex Axis Minds|Vex Axis Minds]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Vex Axis Minds#Sol Progeny|Sol Progeny]]''</ref>Osiris theorized that some Vex technology is tuned to react to the presence of the Darkness.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/5/19)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[House of Wolves (expansion)|House of Wolves]] - [[Grimoire:Activities/Crucible Arenas|Crucible Arenas]]: [[Grimoire:Activities/Crucible Arenas#Timekeeper|Timekeeper]]''</ref>

During the events of [[Shadowkeep]], Guardians faced [[Champion#List of Champions|Vex Champions]] who have been "touched" by the Darkness and were given newfound abilities to be on par against their powerful adversaries.<ref name="Stem the Dark"/>They were later encountered in high-level content such as Nightfalls.

The [[Awoken]] were once humans but were transformed during the Collapse upon reaching the edge of the [[Asteroid Belt]]. Beyond the belt, "the edge of the Deep Black", the system is totally immersed in Darkness.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Guardian/Races|Races]]: [[Grimoire:Guardian/Races#Awoken|Awoken]]''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]] - [[Grimoire:Places/Saturn|Saturn]]: [[Grimoire:Places/Saturn#Saturn|Saturn]]''</ref> The events of their transformation were further detailed in the Lore book "Marasenna", which reveals that the Awoken were captured in a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kugelblitz_(astrophysics) kugelblitz] formed by the Darkness and Light battling one another in the vicinity of the [[Yang Liwei]]. As a result of this event, the Awoken were reborn as beings containing both Light and Darkness within themselves.

As demonstrated by the Witness and Oryx, the Darkness can be used to take direct possession of other beings, transforming them into Taken. When a being is Taken, they are warped into the Ascendant Plane, where they are reshaped into spectral ghost-like versions of their former selves, with new paracausal abilities and a single-minded dedication to the one that Took them.