Tree of Silver Wings

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The tree of silver wings in the Cradle.

"In the Garden grows a tree of silver wings. The leaves are ruin, the bark disaster. Of the seeds we do not speak."

— Ruin Wings flavor text

The Tree of Silver Wings is a mysterious entity referred to by multiple sources, typically in association with either the Black Garden or the metaphorical "Garden" allegorically used to describe the state of reality predating the universe.

The Garden Before Time

"The day was longer than all of time, and the night was swifter than a glint of light on a falling sugar crystal. […] A tree of silver wings bloomed yielded fruit shed feathers bloomed again."

— Unveiling: Gardener and Winnower

According to several Lore entries, a "tree of silver wings" once existed in the primordial "garden" which predated the universe, alongside the entities known as the Gardener and the Winnower. The tree is described as being associated with ruin, disaster, and violence, with its "entelechy" being realized by the deaths of sentient beings, the fall of civilizations, and every "leaf forged into instruments of ruin". It is said that nothing grew in its shadow, and that it "[scintillated] faintly at dusk". The tree was later brought down by the Gardener and Winnower as they fought with each other, and was "left to smoke amid the meadows".

The tree is also described as producing "seeds." These seeds are described as "malleable and hungering," and it is said in several places that they are "not to be spoken of", nor is that which they become. Eris stated that the Tree and its seeds are "fluid" in nature, acting as "engines of integration" that feed upon Light and Darkness, which are in contest with one another within its structure.

Discovery within the Black Garden

When the Guardians raided the Black Garden to follow the signal of the Unknown Artifact, they discovered a felled Tree of Silver Wings. Inside what remained of the severed trunk, after defeating the Sanctified Mind that protected it, the Guardians would discover a Precursor statue.

Discovery on Io

Main article: Tree of Silver Wings (Io)

Another "Tree of Silver Wings" would be discovered by the Guardian and Eris Morn in the heart of the Cradle on Io. Eris claimed that the Tree in the Cradle was the offspring of the Tree which had been felled in the Black Garden. However, it would be revealed that Osiris had in fact used a Seed from the Black Fleet, which Mara Sov subsequently instructed him to plant.

Discovery within the Heart

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Upon first entering the Pale Heart, the Guardian and their Ghost experienced a vision of an "orchard" of Trees of Silver Wings, which resembled the Tree found in the Cradle on Io in overall form, but were composed of more natural-looking wood. These trees were depicted as being overtaken by a tide of black liquid, alluding to the Witness' corruption of the Pale Heart.

A tree resembling the overall form of the mature Tree of Silver Wings on Io was also found within the Blooming; however, instead of the silver-white metallic substance of the Tree on Io, this tree seemed to be made out of normal wood, and contained three sculpted representations of Aurash, Sathona and Xiro among its branches.

A smaller "sapling" strongly resembling an immature version of the Tree of Silver Wings discovered on Io was found within the Blooming Deep Lost Sector, where it was guarded from the Witness' forces by the Lucent Brood Wizard Luzaku.

Trivia

• A Ghost projection in Eververse refers to the tree as the Sterling Arbor, a synonym for "Silver Tree".
• Despite it being referred to as a root within the Root of Nightmares Objectives, the massive tree-like structure within Essence heavily resembles a Tree of Silver Wings along with its ability to feed off of paracausal powers.
  • Adding to this, the Tree within the Pale Heart is also referred to as a root in dialogue, suggesting that root may be another term for a Tree of Silver Wings.

List of appearances

• Destiny: The Dark Below (First mentioned)
  • The Taken King (Mentioned only)
• Destiny 2 : Curse of Osiris (Mentioned only)
  • Shadowkeep (Mentioned only)
  • Season of Arrivals (First appearance)
  • Season of the Hunt (Mentioned only)
  • Lightfall
  • The Final Shape