Destiny 2once again enlists the help of players, as Guardians, to protect the Earth and the Traveler from various extraterrestrial threats. Continuing the story ofDestiny, thisBungietitle introduces more species and factions - becoming both allies and enemies of mankind. Interestingly, chief among these species are the Vex - ancient warriors of metal.
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Contrary to other species, humans don’t know much about the Vex. However, behind their mono-eyed metal chassis lies quite a complex species. Moreover, the Vex seem to have a unique “culture” revolving around their ancient programming, making them one of the more “exotic” extraterrestrials in theDestinyuniverse.
10Began As A Flower Pattern
Before time came into existence, what would become as Light and Dark were instead emergent properties of “mathematical structures” that form the foundation of reality itself. In the allegory detailed in the “Unveiling” lore book, a metaphorical “gardener” and “winnower” spent their time playing a Flower Game that generated various patterns. Much to the irritation of the gardener, the Flower Game always ended up creating a self-perpetuating pattern instead of creating new patterns.
Eventually, the gardener proposed making a new rule to promote the creation of new patterns - becoming the Light. To protect the game’s limitations, the winnower also became a new rule, being the Darkness. In their “war,” the Flower Game’s patterns became entire universes. Meanwhile, the aforementioned self-perpetuating pattern escaped the war and into the multiverse, becoming the Vex.
9Existence Following Obsolete Rules
Remember, the Vex originated from a self-perpetuating pattern that dominated the Flower Game. In turn, the Vex today also aspired to dominate the universe in such a manner. Unfortunately, since it once followed “rules” predating time itself, the Vex had to grasp paracausal concepts such as Light and Darkness.
The Vex existed first as quantum fluctuations within the early stages of the known universe. As the universe cooled down, the Vex “settled” into radiolara, or aquatic substrates that permeated the early stages of life. It’s the signaling patterns between radiolara that helped Vex acquire a swarm intelligence.
8No Red And Blue, Just Pill
The Vex don’t possess a form of “consciousness” in the way recognizable to most. Moreover, their thought processes indicate lack of semiosis or the ability to use symbols to represent concepts. Being innate patterns, the Vex primarily simulate all stimuli to “understand” and manipulate ideas.
In fact, it appears the Vex have no care for the nature of “reality” in itself. When a Vex starts to create their own internal simulation, they become incapable of separating reality and simulation. Rather, the Vex has an internal model that needs to match the other external model. In the context ofThe Matrix, the Vex needs both the Red Pill (Reality) and the Blue Pill (the Matrix) to become the same color.
7A Complicated Connection With Light
In lore entries, it seems the Vex call Guardians those with the substance (Light) they “cannot simulate” - indicating that paracausal entities such as Light and Darkness lie beyond their comprehension.
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Interestingly, even some Guardians had complicated relationships with the Vex. The Exiled Warlock Osiris - exiled due to his obsession with the Vex - discovered the Infinite Forest. In it, he created “Reflections” of himself in different Vex realities and alternate timelines as they spied on their efforts.
Likewise, the Vex created Agioktis, Martyr Mind to combat Saint-14, a Guardian whom they noted has great Light within him as well.
6Possess A Unique Form Of Time Travel
Given their connection and obsession with alternate realities, the collective intelligence of the Vex are one of the few “species” to tap into the Corridors of Time. In turn, this access gives Vex to “traverse” spacetime in a waycomparable to time travel. Theoretically, the capabilities of the Vex to tap into spacetime allows them to retroactively affect various aspects of the past and present.
For instance, Skolas, Kell of Kells tried to pull the House of Wolves from the past into the present. Likewise, it’s due to their version of time travel that the Vex retroactively created Precursors - older Vex models - and Descendants - newer Vex models - in the present.
5Barely Understood Endgame
Stereotypical of a collective intelligence, the Vex want to"recreate" reality in their own image. Sadly, such an “image” has never become clear to “regular” folk in the universe. In fact, various people who studied the Vex had different interpretations to the Vex’s ultimate endgame. For instance, Warlock Praedyth thinks the Vex follow a yet-understood “Pattern” that helps them determine their “ideal” universe.
Likewise, Osiris thinks the Vex want to cause a “Convergence” that condenses all life into a simpler and digital form. Meanwhile, Hive God Savathun thinks the Vex want to dominate all possible states of the universe.
4The Simulant Future
Players would recognize the pinnacle of Vex achievement with the Infinite Forest. Accessible via a gateway in Mercury, the Vex made this planet-sized machine to be capable of simulating trillions ofalternate realities. The Vex has used the Infinite Forest to plan their moves in the current timeline. Meanwhile, people like Osiris once sought the Infinite Forest to stop the Vex’s plans.
In fact, Osiris peered into the Infinite Forest and saw an “ideal future” of the Vex. This Simulant Future, just one branch of the Infinite Forest, showcased a simulated Vex-dominated universe. In it, neither the Light nor Darkness “exist.” However, in Osiris’s exploration of the Simulant Future, he discovered the persistence of a mysterious entity in this reality, revealed to be the Darkness. In turn, it seems the Vex’s ideal future involves the Darkness in its own unique way.
3Their Future Is Round
Unlike stereotypes of robotic beings in science fiction, the Vex boast a more unique appearance. When using their vessel machines, the Vex have iconic features such as one-eyed conical heads, jointed limbs, and sometimes tentacles. However, more recent Vex models - the Precursors and Descendants - imply an interesting evolutionary approach.
Granted, both Precursors and Descendants have varying color schemes and minor details. However, their designs now feature more rounded or curved edges contrary to the angular appearance of their “older” counterparts. In turn, future encounters with the Vex may reveal rounder-styled models.
2Took Greek Names For Their Units
Fans of mythology would notice that Vex units - from the most basic Goblins to the highest of Axi Minds - take their names from Greek Mythology. Some Vex units to note would probably be Agioktis and Hagios, both of which translate to the Greek word for Saint. This also represents the Vex’s great respect for Saint-14 - a Guardian with Light so incomprehensible to the Vex that they designed Agioktis, Martyr Mind to kill him.
Interestingly, the Vex Wyverns serve as the only unit (so far) to deviate from this naming scheme. After all, the wyvern isn’t Greek but rather a beast in Medieval European folklore.
1Apparently Inspired By A Film
Bungierevealed in an interviewthat various films inspired the art and aesthetic of theDestinyfranchise. With regards to the Vex, Bungie pointed atGandahar, a 1987 French animated film, as an inspiration to the Vex concept.
InGandahar, people in a paradise have achieved a balance between their development and preserving nature. However, tragedy strikes whenmetal men from a millennium into the futurearrive to try and turn their world to stone. Interestingly, this rather odd mission - as well as the metal men motif - seem to reflect directly onto the Vex’s appearance and philosophy.
