Who is the Witch Queen, Savathun, in Destiny 2?

Who is the Witch Queen, Savathun, in Destiny 2?
Images via Bungie

Written by 

Aaron Bayne

Published 

23rd Feb 2022 23:23

Contents

Who is Savathûn in Destiny 2 The Witch Queen? A question many will be asking themselves with the release of the latest expansion for Bungie's MMOFPS. This guide will provide the answers.

As is tradition for Destiny 2 expansions, The Witch Queen is introducing the latest big bad in the form of Savathûn. Introducing a whole new world and one of the greatest threats the guardians have ever faced, Savathûn is certainly turning some heads, but who really is this the Witch Queen herself? Strap in and dust off your Destiny lore cap as we prepare for the launch of this latest evil, and delve deep into all things Savathûn Destiny 2 The Witch Queen. 

Who is Savathûn, the Witch Queen?

Savathûn in Destiny is the latest Hive god to join the fray, following on from the likes of The Taken King aka Oryx, way back in 2015 in the original Destiny. In fact, Oryx and Savathûn aren't just from the same enemy type, they are actually siblings. Between Oryx The Taken King, Savathûn The God of Cunning and Lies, and their sister Xivu Arath The God of War, they make up the Hive Gods, who have wreaked havoc for the Guardians over the years.

Destiny 2 Who is Savathun The Witch Queen
Click to enlarge

The name Savathûn has cropped up from time to time across the years, but now The Witch Queen is stepping out of the dark, proving herself to be one of the most formidable foes the Guardians have ever faced. As the most powerful of the three siblings, it may come as a surprise to some that she's spent so much time in hiding. 

Why Was Savathûn In Hiding? 

Destiny 2 Savathun
Click to enlarge

Back during The Taken King DLC, the Hive out for the count With the death of her brother Oryx, Savathûn realised that there was more power to the Light that the Guardians held than they'd previously estimated. As a result, she decided to go into hiding, giving her time to strategise and learn more. 

During that time, her sister Xivu Arath began trying to hunt her down, as Savathûn had effectively turned her back on her. However, in the shadows, Savathûn started to formulate a plan and steadily take out her Hive opposition, eventually and gradually earning the title, The Witch Queen. 

In the prologue to The Witch Queen, it was revealed that Savathûn had possessed Vanguard legend, Osiris, infiltrating the Vanguard in the process and weakening them from the inside. As one of the most unlikely places to hide, Savathûn lay in secret within Osiris for quite some time, before eventually revealing herself when trying to strike a bargain with The Awoken Queen Mara Sov. 

Why Is Savathûn Striking Now? 

Destiny 2 Savathun
Click to enlarge

After years in hiding, Savathûn was able to negotiate her way out of her limited state due to the clutches of the Worm Gods - that's a whole other article so let's not get into this here. In an exchange, Mara Sov released Savathûn, in return for Osiris. Surprisingly, Savathûn did as was asked, but upon her release, she fled before Mara had time to strike. Now untethered, and with years of planning coming to fruition, Savathûn is ready to take the fight to the Guardians - and this time with a secret weapon up her crusty sleeves. 

Having underestimated the Light years before, Savathûn has now turned to it, somehow managing to steal its power. We don't know exactly how this has happened - you'll need to play The Witch Queen for that - but it has enabled Savathûn to embolden her Lucent Brood Hive with the power of the Light, meaning they can wield the super attacks that the Guardians have been using for years. 

You'll need to be, and carry, your best to take the Light back from Savathûn in Destiny 2 The Witch Queen. Lock and load with our guide on Destiny 2 weapon crafting

Aaron Bayne
About the author
Aaron Bayne
Aaron Bayne was a Guides Writer at GGRecon. His previous experience includes BBC and Fraghero.
Why trust GGRecon?

Established in 2019, we don’t just cover games - we live them. Our expert team is full of dedicated gamers, qualified journalists, and industry insiders who collectively boast decades of experience covering gaming and esports. This deep-rooted expertise allows us to provide authoritative and nuanced perspectives first-hand from a team who are playing, and researching every game covered on our website. 

Our foundation is built on a profound commitment to editorial independence, ensuring our content remains free from external influence and advertising pressures and is held to the highest level of editorial conduct, integrity, and quality. 

Every article on GGRecon comes from rigorous research, informed analysis, and a passion for gaming that resonates with our readers. We uphold these standards through a transparent editorial policy, accessible here, which governs our processes and maintains our accountability.

Trending
Destiny 2's big Into The Light update could involve unvaulting planets
After Ghostbusters, Destiny fans are wondering where their Madame Web collab is
Destiny 2 could be getting a Ghostbusters crossover…for some reason
Destiny 2 devs on Bungie experimenting with other genres: "We're not just shooter bros"
Bungie devs talk the end of Destiny's 10 year arc: "The stakes are high with this release"