Savathun Was Destiny 2’s Only Environmentalist, So Of Course We Murdered Her

The universe of Destiny 2 is brutal–set in a dangerous future in which humanity has to deal with countless alien threats. Not a day goes by that an enemy isn’t threatening to crash a giant satellite into Earth’s last bastion. Because of this, being environmentally friendly isn’t as big of a concern as it probably should be, and for the real-life Earth Day, we’re acknowledging the reality of The Witch Queen expansion: That it forced us, as Guardians, to kill the one environmentalist around–Savathun.

Players were eager for Savathun’s arrival in Destiny 2, but in dealing with The Witch Queen’s threat, Guardians were also unwittingly killing the only conservationist we’ve had in Destiny. Even though she spent millennia destroying planets and people across the universe, the Lightbearer version of Savathun was instilled with the most resource-conscious traits of anyone in the game.

The Witch Queen story frames Savathun as a merciless witch out to get Guardians, ignoring her true eco-friendly intentions. She upcycled her entire Throne World using the Light in a matter of days, while The Last City is still trying to repair the Destiny 1 Tower even with the Traveler directly in front of them. Savathun even tried to save the Traveler in her Throne World from The Witness, but Guardians just had to stop her–when, in reality, she was setting an example to players that old technology doesn’t need to end up in the landfill.

She used the Light to repurpose her dead Hive as the Lucent Brood, stored Light energy in her Apothecary in eco-friendly glass jars, and protected her Throne World’s wild flora and fauna. She created a sustainable infrastructure by placing a giant rain catcher by the Fluorescent Canal, providing flowing water to the entire Throne World. Some “Memory of” Deepsight Tier 2 buffs even let you revitalize tree stumps–allowing for tree regeneration!

Even the Vanguard were deprived of understanding when Savathun and her Lucent Brood defeated Guardians, unable to see what an amazing feat she was accomplishing in renewables–turning dead Guardians into Void crystal energy. No other character in Destiny 2 uses organic materials like her, and I don’t think Hive Tombships produce emissions because of Hive magic, either. Yet, characters like the militaristic and industrialized Cabal Empress Caiatl get more support from the Vanguard. It makes sense why Saladin is now–in Season of the Risen–her Valus Forge; Iron Banner fires alone probably cause tons of pollution.

Defeating Savathun when she was the only environmentally-conscious character we had in Destiny’s story was upsetting, and every time I see her green intro screen, I remember what an icon we lost. We should follow Savathun’s example–protect plants, provide places for animals and insects, push against corporate environmental impact, and make sure your army of minions is recyclable.