With the recent Destiny 2 showcase, we received some exciting news that longtime fan favorite Cayde-6 is returning to Destiny 2. It’s not just some cheap rehash either, as Bungie got Nathan Fillion back on board to voice the iconic character. This was just the cherry on top of a showcase that marked the next era of Destiny 2, the release of Season of the Witch, and news of the upcoming Final Shape expansion arriving in 2024.
It’s a big shocker, to say the least, as Destiny 2: Forsaken seemed to confirm that Cayde-6 was, in fact, dead. It was a powerful moment and one of the best the series has to offer. Cayde-6 was easily Destiny 2‘s most popular character, though, and fans demanded a return, and guess what? He’s coming back.
How Does Cayde-6 Return From The Dead In Destiny 2?
Cayde-6’s appearance in the trailer is a shocking one, to say the least. The big question is, how? Destiny 2 plays around with the rules of the dead quite a bit, but generally, when your Ghost dies, you can’t be revived. But is Cayde 6 actually alive? The location of Destiny 2: The Final Shape is going to take place in the Pale Heart, which is inside the Traveler. So, is this where we meet him again? Cayde-6 has a strange aura on his face that definitely was not there before, so maybe there is more to this than it seems.
Is it possible that the Pale Heart is some kind of heaven or purgatory for dead Guardians? If that’s the case, are we going to see more dead Guardians as well? The area shown in the trailer is somewhere never seen before in the game, and Cayde-6 himself is kind of despondent when speaking. It’s almost like he’s empty, missing something. He feels broken in a way and far from the wise-cracking Exo Guardian we all know and love.
Regardless of what has brought Cayde-6 back from the dead in Destiny 2, the fact that he is coming back means that Bungie is pulling out all the stops to keep the player base from dwindling further. It was a bold move to kill him when they did, but the problem is that Destiny 2 failed to replace Cayde-6 with a character that fans could connect with just as well. Cayde-6 was full of heart and brought some serious levity in between Zavala’s dire monologues and the overwhelming stakes that were building.
Bungie is trying its best to satisfy fans who have complained that content releases are just too few and far between. Granted, the game is completely free now, so it’s not like a subscription service is required to play a la Final Fantasy 14. Still, when you have a game as a service model, that service needs to be a consistent one. The hardcore fans of the series tear through new story content when it comes out and are always looking for new and engaging content to take part in.
It’s clear that Bungie is listening to the fans now. With Cayde-6 returning to the fold, the announcement of The Final Shape, and the fantastic additions that come with The Season of the Witch, maybe Bungie is going to wrangle back all of the people they recently lost.