Phoenix Rising: The Story of Destiny’s Most Powerful Warlock

Ikora Rey, Felwinter, Toland the Shattered, Asher Mir and, Nirwen; all of these Guardians were Warlocks, but none had the reputation of Osiris. Osiris, while being a cynical messiah, is the strongest warlock to live in the Destiny universe. Osiris struck fear into his foes and sparked intrigue in his allies. Up until Destiny 2’s Curse of Osiris expansion, everything we knew of the Phoenix was in legend, but upon meeting him we knew the legends to be true. So with the Season of the Hunt showing Osiris in peril, it’s only fitting we breakdown who Osiris is and why his current affliction is just a minor setback.

The Tower Age

As a young Guardian, the Warlock Osiris was trained by two Warlocks affiliated with the Iron Lords Nirwen and Felwinter. After his training Osiris impressed several guardians and the speaker with his raw power and his knowledge of the world around him, something he would use to his advantage later on. Osiris served alongside his companion Saint-14 in the Battle of Six Fronts, which earned him the position of Warlock Vanguard alongside Saint-14 and Tallulah Fairwind. Osiris was a rebel. The Phoenix would begin to question the authority and power possessed and provided by the Speaker, the Vangurd, and the Traveller; however, this would not be a bad decision. Due to Osiris knowledge and his questions regarding the rights and wrongs of the Traveller, Osiris would become the Speaker’s apprentice and would study under the Speaker for years to come. As the Speaker’s apprentice and as the Warlock Vanguard, Osiris had unlimited resources. He would use said resources to study the darkness in full, driving him mad and giving him visions. In his madness, he would send Kabr and his fireteam into the Vault of Glass, trapping them in the timeline forever. Osiris prophesied the coming of Oryx and the Taken War, and would even come to a near complete understanding of the Vex. These actions were irredeemable in the Speaker’s eyes, and the Warlock Vanguard was exiled from the Last City.

A Warlock in Exile

After his exile began, Osiris would venture to Mercury to study the vex there. He would develop a following known as the Cult of Osiris. The Cult studied his works and in Osiris’ eyes were more of a liability than any assistance. The most notable member of the cult was Brother Vance. Osiris would refuse the aid of Saint-14 and his student Ikora Rey as he saw the Tower and Traveller as trouble. Then Osiris vanished. During his disappearance it is rumored he would hold counsel with Mara Sov and the Nine and receive aid from Eris Morn. Osiris would return for a brief moment to have Brother Vance found the Trials of Osiris to test the mettle of the Guardians.

Curse of Osiris

During our Guardian’s journey on Nessus, Failsafe would receive an encrypted message meant for our guardian from Osiris. It was nothing more than a greeting, but paved the road for an incoming threat. Osiris found a threat within the Infinite Forest on Mercury. It’s name was Panoptes and it’s goal was to wipe guardians from the timeline. Osiris warned Ikora of Panoptes before entering the Infinite Forest to challenge the Vex Mind. While under attack, Osiris would cast Sagira, his ghost, from the Infinite Forest, where we would encounter her and she would briefly possess our ghost. Along with the aid of Sagira we would traverse the forest to save Osiris and to eliminate Panoptes. In doing such, we would aid Osiris in discovering how to use the Forest to see possible futures; many of which were shrouded in darkness. After he took control of the Infinite Forest, Osiris would begin a search for his missing companion, Saint-14, only for our guardian to find the final resting place of the Titan Vanguard. As many of you are aware, this moment would be corrected years later.

In Preparation of Dark Days

Using the Drifter’s knowledge, Osiris would construct the Sundial, a device used to open the Corridors of time. This devise would succeed, but Osiris would shut it down after losing too many time remnants to the corridors. A defeated Osiris would travel to the Dreaming City to study the looming affects of the time loop present there. As the Season of Dawn began, Osiris and Sagira called upon our guardian to help clean up the Cabal on Mercury. A Red Legion splinter cell sought to use the Sundial to undo their defeat and eliminate the guardians once and for all. We would traverse the Corridors of Time to fight the Psion Sisters, referenced in my article The Looming Threat, and would not return empty handed. After encountering Saint-14 as he combats the Fallen House of Rain we would give him his shotgun, the Perfect Paradox, and show him a schematic of the Tower he would help build. This would reestablish the Titan’s hope. We would encounter and save Saint once more after we killed the Martyr Mind. Saint-14 would step out of the infinite forest and reunite with his long lost ally Osiris. As our guardian defeats Inotam and Saint-14 establishes the new Trials of Osiris, Osiris himself would venture to Mars and confront Rasputin on where he stood if the Darkness attacked. As we aided the Warmind to destroy the Almighty, Osiris traversed the Pyramid on the mood and retrieved a single seed. Osiris would plant this seed on Io and it would grow into the Tree of Silver Wings.

The Hunt Begins

As Beyond Light began, Osiris attempted to return to Mercury only to find a shroud of darkness in its place. The Warlock would travel to Titan, Io, and Mars to discover the same fate had fallen upon those planets as well. Seeking answers he would visit Zavala with his findings on the darkness as well as his findings on a Cabal Empress known as Ciaitl. Zavala could not provide him with any guardians due to the incursion on Europa. Osiris would approach Petra Venj with his inquiry. Petra would provide intel on strange cryptoliths that had appeared on the Tangled Shore and in the Dreaming City. Osiris would go in alone and encounter the High Celebrant of Xivu Arath. The High Celebrant was creating a mass amount of rage in any species it infected using the Cryptolith. The Wrathborn were born. Osiris and Sagira combatted the Wrathborn, but when met with the High Celebrant Osiris would be tempted by the power of Xivu Arath. As the darkness crept in to claim Osiris the warlock struggled and urged Sagira to leave and let him die. Sagira refused to leave the side of her guardian and in an act of friendship Sagira overcharged herself with light and eradicated the darkness in the area. Osiris, now without his ghost or his light, began hiding from the High Celebrant. The Vanguard, after receiving his distress signal would send our guardian to aid the Warlock. Soon after arriving and finding Osiris, a knight would strike him down. Before the knight could give Osiris his final death, a sword pierced it chest. The Crow, sent by Spider, has arrived to retrieve Osiris for his assistance on the Shore. Our guardian would go in Osiris’ place and the events of the Season of the Hunt would begin.

The Phoenix and the Pidgeon

So yes, Saint and Osiris are gay. Always have been.

You can make the meme yourselves.

— Robert Brookes ??? (@Sphynxian) November 28, 2020

In the past couple of days, the writer in charge of both Saint-14 and Osiris has revealed the pairing to be an item. This information wasn’t available when I started this article which is why it wasn’t alluded to above. However, I am mentioning it now because this inclusion really drives the passion and rage behind why Osiris searched for so long for Saint-14 and why Saint-14 did the same years prior when Osiris vanished. It’s a nice inclusion that does not change the lore whatsoever, but builds upon it strongly.

Whether you’re a fan of Osiris or you hate how cynical he is. This article provides the entire journey until now for the First Warlock Vanguard. R. I. P. Sagira.

Image Source: GamesRadar