Xivu Arath, the Hive God of Struggle, has been one of many foremost antagonists of Future 2 for nearly three years now, and with the current finale of Season of the Witch, Bungie is setting as much as extend this villain even additional. Immediately we’ll be going over Xivu Arath’s background within the sequence, when she was launched, her position within the story, and why it’s lastly time for Bungie to maneuver onto a brand new antagonist except for her.
The Challenge At Hand
Let’s begin with current occasions and have a look at the general problem at hand. The Season of the Witch finale ended with Eris Morn banishing Xivu Arath from her personal Throne World, chopping her off from her supply of energy, and most significantly, making her mortal and in a position to be killed. So what does this imply? It signifies that, as soon as once more, in a future Season or doubtlessly an enlargement, we’ll duke it out with Xivu once more. Me personally, that is the place I draw the road.
We’ve had 5 Seasons, which totals as much as nearly two years’ price (Season of the Misplaced was six months lengthy) of content material that was centered round Xivu. That’s far longer than what each her siblings, Oryx and Savathun, had, and each of them had whole expansions centered round them. No different antagonist, aside from The Witness, has had that a lot build-up within the sequence, and now, Bungie is establishing Xivu to return AGAIN in some form or kind. It additionally looks like Bungie retains increase Xivu, simply to forged her apart time and time once more, particularly now with the ultimate battle with The Witness drawing close to with The Remaining Form DLC.
To make issues worse, we even have NO IDEA as to what Xivu even seems to be like, as her position has all the time been “the one in command,” the place as a substitute of preventing her straight, we have now fought her numerous armies of Hive, Taken, Scorn, and Wrathborn. There has but to be a single cutscene giving us a glimpse of what she seems to be like. All we have now is fast pictures of what she used to seem like earlier than changing into a Hive God, like within the picture proven beneath. She has constantly lurked within the shadows however has but to totally reveal herself and battle us, regardless of her title as “God of Struggle.”
When Will She Return?
As of proper now, we don’t actually know the plan for what occurs after The Remaining Form DLC, as at the moment, it’s presumed that’s once we will lastly defeat The Witness as soon as and for all. Afterward, Bungie is altering the seasonal format into “Episodes,” the place they are going to be themed round sure enemy varieties. Episode 1 will include the Vex, Episode 2 will likely be for Scorn, and Episode 3 is centered across the Hive. Bungie has but to announce their plans for a brand new enlargement, as they need to wait till after The Remaining Form DLC launches to disclose what they’ve in retailer.
Thus, except Xivu is getting an enlargement for herself in 2025, we could doubtlessly see her return in late 2024 when Episode 3: Heresy begins. Worst case state of affairs, we’ll see her very quickly for a 3rd Season in a row when Season of the Witch ends in late November and Season of the REDACTED begins.
What Wants To Occur
Future 2 launched in late 2017. We had been launched to Xivu in late 2020. It’s now late 2023. Of the close to six years of Future 2’s lifespan, nearly two of them are fully devoted to Xivu Arath, which is greater than some other villain within the sequence outdoors of The Witness has gotten. Regardless of that, Bungie is as soon as once more, getting ready us to struggle her now that she’s mortal and in a position to be killed, and in contrast to Savathun, who’s technically a Guardian, Xivu can’t be revived.
With the entire build-up and content material that’s been centered round Xivu, it could be an actual disgrace if we didn’t end her off in a climactic means like we did her siblings. It stands to motive that Xivu deserves her personal enlargement, which can very properly be the case in early 2025. Both means, it’s time for Bungie to maneuver on from Xivu and broaden their universe of enemies outdoors of the Hive. The Vex and Scorn are excellent candidates for growth.
Over the past three years, the overwhelming majority of the Seasons have been centered across the Hive, Taken, and infrequently, the Cabal. The Scorn have been kind of thrown to the sidelines, the place they’re used each on occasion since they’re technically a part of The Witness forces, and the Vex haven’t had a Season for themselves since Season 14, which by all means doesn’t depend an excessive amount of since Savathun led them on the time. To not point out, by the best way, Savathun is now alive and roaming round once more because of the occasions of the finale of Season of the Witch.
It’s good to see the primary two episodes centered across the Vex and Scorn, as there’s a lot potential with the Vex given their time-traveling capabilities, and Fikrul, the earlier chief of the Scorn, remains to be alive and hasn’t been utilized because the Forsaken DLC 4 years in the past. Both means, for Future to totally transfer previous the Gentle and Darkness saga, we have to lastly finish our feud with the Hive Gods and put down Xivu and Savathun for good so we will totally start a brand new journey put up The Remaining Form.