Nightmare

"The Nightmares appear to be extracted from our very psyche—violent manifestations that wreak havoc, tormenting us with our past trauma. They tease us with a life we once knew, prying into our minds and attacking our most vulnerable points. This assault on our emotions is aimed to weaken us and our sense of purpose."

— Eris Morn.

Nightmares are apparitions created by the Pyramids using the power of the Darkness, manifesting as past figures and enemies to exploit the worst fears of Guardians and other beings. First appearing following the discovery of the Pyramid on Luna, the Nightmares include phantoms of some of The Guardian's deadliest foes, including Crota, Fikrul and Ghaul.

Overview

Nightmares are drawn from the psyche of Guardians and other beings, appearing as fallen foes or allies associated with painful or traumatic memories. They resemble their living counterparts flawlessly and share all of their abilities, but are shrouded in a miasma of red-black haze that extrudes tendrils radiating away from the Nightmare at its core. When taking damage, some of the more powerful Nightmares can transform into an invulnerable version of themselves made of the same reddish mist, and can only be revert back to their vulnerable state by the destruction of lesser Nightmares spawned from them.

Though found across the Solar System, the Nightmares can be encountered primarily near and in the Scarlet Keep citadel. Beyond the Moon, they roost in Lost Sectors taking the forms of its previous enemy tenants.

Before the events of the Shadowkeep campaign, the Hive of the Hidden Swarm had experimented with various ways to harness the phantasmal essence of the Luna Pyramid and created a means to immunize themselves from its trauma-influenced abilities. Under the command of the Daughters of Crota, they even attempted to recreate Oryx, the Taken King as a Nightmare or even as a true version of himself; a necessary violation of the Sword Logic, since the Taken King was never succeeded by his killers. Unable to conjure Nightmares themselves, however, the Swarm opted instead to make use of the Nightmares conjured by Eris and the Guardians^[1]

Initially thought to be limited to targeting traumas related to Guardians, a week after containment efforts began, a Nightmare of significance was sighted in the Anchor of Light, intriguingly titled after Mithrax, the Forsaken as a fear. It is stated that the creation of Nightmares can reach across the Galaxy.

Unique Forces

Fallen

Hive

Cabal

Scorn

Nightmare Stalker

Vex

Known Nightmares

Major Nightmares

Nightmare of Crota, Son of Oryx - Aspect of Despair
Nightmare of Dominus Ghaul - Aspect of Rage
Nightmare of Fikrul, the Fanatic - Aspect of Insanity
Nightmare of Omnigul, Will of Crota - Aspect of Anguish
Nightmare of Phogoth, the Untamed - Aspect of Fear
Nightmare of Skolas, Kell of Kells - Aspect of Pride
Nightmare of Taniks, the Scarred - Aspect of Isolation
Nightmare of Zydron, Gate Lord - Aspect of Servitude

Minor Nightmares

List of Appearances

Destiny 2
- Shadowkeep (First appearance)

Trivia

In a few bounties when the Haunted Forest was created, it is implied that the Vex are capable of creating Nightmares of their very own that prey on our greatest fears,^[2] Ikora even asked if they could create shades of ourselves.^[3]

References

[1] Regarding Nightmares.

[2] Haunted Terrors

[3] Colony Collapse

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