Destiny 2 - THE MEANING BEHIND WITNESS SYMBOL
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 มิ.ย. 2024
- Bungie is great at mystery when it comes to their game lore. Halo did it, Destiny lives off of it. An interesting question I and many others have had over the last couple of expansions involves the Witness and it’s staff/pitchfork like symbol. What is it? What does it mean or represent? Today we discuss.
“Destiny 2 Final Shape Lore”
“Destiny 2 Witness Symbol”
“Destiny 2 Witness”
“Destiny 2 Story Explained”
Thanks for watching! - เกม
I love the use of shapes throughout Destiny. The triangles and circles have become my favorite motifs in the franchise. The pyramids, the traveler, the leviathan and the sphere atop, the pink portal… just amazing.
You could view the Upended as the square in the trilogy, not many things in game have that shape
@@kevindew123 Except pyramid architecture.
If you think about it. The traveller being a sphere represents complexity, as a circle has infinite side. And a triangle/pyramid has the minimum number of sides, edges and points possible in a 3d and 2d space, is supposed to represent simplicity.
I truly wish for there to be a way to traverse the terraformed ship in a non raid fashion to truly appreciate the esthetics.
Right? And not just a crucible map
@@STR0BEV Even then, it's a tiny portion of the whole.
Like going through the sunken Pyramid. The terraformed parts of the Pyramid are incredible.
The 3d model is extracted by fans. I already explores the deformed areas, I mean the giant hole
I know right it would be so much easier to decode this language. If I didn’t have to worry about getting Goomba stomped by tormentors.
The symbol also appears in the opening escort encounter of Vow - the more "knowledge" you acquire, the clearer symbol appears to be above the casket we are transporting.
It's a brain neuron!
Idk this was in my recommended
Hi..
In the Ahsa cutscene you see precursors holding that symbol in their hand like a tool. Reminds me a bit of an ankh from ancient Egypt in how it is portrayed there but also the Cabal Ship lost sector has a really interesting version of it that ends in symbols at each branch end. The symbols almost make me think they are people or disciples how they are shown.
I thought about it being an ankh like item as well
I think visually its representative of the gardening motifs. Like pruning branches and grafting augmented parts on making creating very bizarre tree patterns. Kinda goes with the idea of the witness frankensteining the universe
“There can be no gardens without knives.”
-Inspiral: Winnowing
This is the theory I think is best. Creators in many religons refrence pruning in nature
I think The First Knife from the winnowers perspective is a concept. The witness is the form to play the game and combat the gardener but the symbol is what the witness believes itself to be. Which would be the first knife.
“There can be no gardens without knives.”
-Inspiral: Winnowing
my thoughts exactly
Its like a representation of the sword logic all of the diffrent branches converge into the "knife" at the very bottom
I always saw it as just the Language of the Witness and their kind, like the shape is different because it means different things, sort of like a heiroglyph style language but they also use it to move power through rooms, objects etc. It's their language and their energy source is how I see it
In the Witnesses origin cutscene the 3 precursors (@ 2:00) that are standing together are holding the same staff/symbol as in the Vow raid mural in this video at 3:33. The Witnesses attacks such as manipulating gravity, altering a sun, setting the atmosphere ablaze, causing natural catastrophes are all terraforming powers. The powers of the light they learned according to the Final Shape collectors editon lore book were used to terraform planets. The radial mast being an instrument of the light was most likely some kind of terraforming tool. I think the shapes are part of the control mechanisms for these devices. They may be used to bind and control the elemental forces. The Witness has been using the powers learned from the Traveler to destroy civilizations and to attack us all along.
I always looked at the different symbols we see associated with the Witness and it’s forces as actually being a written language structure. Like there are many different symbols we can find but they all use the same lines, shapes and curves but just connect them in different ways. Like each individual piece has some some basic meaning but when attached to each other they come to represent a whole idea or even just a word. Kinda like the Chinese Hanzi/Japanes Kanji/Korean Hanja. Ultimately if it isn’t a language then it could easily become one. After all, all writing of any language is just taking small, consistent parts and putting them together in specific combinations to convey ideas
I fully believe it's meant to be the First Knife. With it being pointed at the Portal to the Pale Heart, it makes me think of "Like a knife to the heart". When someone says that, it's meant as a deep form of betrayal, which is probably what the Witness' people felt when the Traveler left when they attempted the connection with the Veil. So since the Witness' people had been researching and studying the Traveler, I'd imagine that they had figured out about the Pale Heart. So when they bound their conciseness' to each other to form The Witness, it strived to use "The First Knife" to stab at the Heart of It's betrayer.
There's literally no way the Witness put it in the pyramid ship. It's coming directly from where the Traveler shot the beam and not only that, but it was directly plunged into Nezarec's tomb. The other side of it, the side that went through his tomb, was growing into a massive plant. This is how the Tree of Silver Wings sprouted here and the entire concept of the raid mechanics. This is not something the Witness created, rather it is a culmination of the terraforming ray the Traveler shot and probably Resonance darkness energy.
I feel like this symbol may represent life or something of that nature, maybe it represents a system for how different ways different life forms were made into one, which is how the witness became one being, or maybe it’s even representing a final shape that has branches of structure to it
I feel like this Symbol is a Text from the Witness‘s Language and that it shows
„The Path of the Witness“ or rather its own Story;
.
I imagine it to be like:
„We were the People of „___“, Shapers of Gardens, the Traveller betrayed us and we went throughout half the universe to find it.“
.
Imagine each stop at the sides of this symbol as either the end of each finished statement or points of interest, that the Witness has been to.
"Your pale heart holds the key"
Is this the "key" to "unlocking the final shape"? I.e. the perfect final shape of the universe, hence as the witness comes closer to the key held in the traveller he is coming closer to the final shape hence the pattern becomes clearer, or evolves?
It’s a map that guides from one end to the other, like an antenna.
Iirc the other iteration of this design in Vow looks like a mural for Rhulk and the subclass elements that many speculated on (on the building for Stop in Acquisition). It seems like a diagram.
Like schematics for electrical currents too.
With how many times Entelechy hints that the Final Shape is described by words like Zenith, Singularity, a point of convergence, and with how much the raids use these designs to show a passage of time (sides of the wall in Scission, middle of room in Macrocosm), It’s possible these little tools help progress energy to a point.
They also symbolize the Final Shape’s progression. Though, the shapes on these things are very alien to us.
One look at that thumbnail, and I knew I needed that symbol as a tattoo
I think it’s just a banner, like an identifier. The precursors had different groups among themselves before merging and would have created some of the technology the Witness uses as they were already pretty advanced before merging. Since the symbols/staffs have slight variations between them, I think it’s just a memory of which group did certain things. You can see some holding the staffs in cutscenes which almost represent banners.
It reminds me alot of Ogham. A medieval writing system used in Old Irish. The central line or stem is a sort of connector for the whole sentence and the brances are the different letters read from top to bottom and left to right. So you'd read the left extending branches first. The symbols arent the same so it isn't Ogham directly, but I wouldn't be surprised if Bungie was hiding an easter egg in a similar writing system
To me, it's obvious these shapes are derived from the channels material flows through in injection molds. Think of how the unbuilt pieces of a model car need to be snapped out of their frame before you can assemble them, this frame being the remnant plastic from the injection mold process used to cast them. When you make a mold of something you intend to cast in metal or plastic, these are the channels you carve into the mold for the material to flow through.
You’re super close to what I was thinking. It’s a foundry mold that lays flat and you pour molten metal in from a crucible. It flows down those channels.
I personally think it might be “The first knife” from the lore, stating it had many blades and an odd shape. It being on the Witnesses property, it was the beginning of the Witnesses ideology, I think it makes sense
I love these symbols, been thinkingnof getting the upended symbol as a tattoo but gonna wait in case its ever revealed
Seeing this now this makes a lot more sense with the Light + Dark thing. Prismatic is mixed with both Light + Dark and it both the portal and Root of Nightmares has that pinkish look that resembles Prismatic. But the symbol could also be some sort of language considering some of the are different from others mixing some of the same symbols with others.
I've always seen them as something very similar to Hive Runes.
Just in the Witnesses own language.
It's branded on key pieces of Pyramid tech, probably from The Witness itself. Much like how it branded the Traveler with a Triangle before pulling a gate out of it, the Portal isn't on the Traveler itself, it's in front of it.
I think it's drawing and using those Symbols somehow.
I also believe that The Witness is still very much a Light bearer to some extent, and the brand allows The Light to be infused into Pyramid tech.
Such as the Upended being a darkness artifact infused and powdered by Solar Energy.
The Radial Mast had a Blue Rune that matches the color of Arc so maybe there could be a trend here.
got a tattoo of the symbol, loved it that much when vow came out
With what we now know from “Entelechy,” it is likely originally the standard for the Penitent faction of the Precursors, or at least a variation thereof.
Lol, I just realized he (rhulk) literally described day and night. Only as if not how we would typically describe it, it seems old...like the concept was there is a sun that is lit, and one extinguished. Like three body problem...lol, I'm excited for the explanation of everything...[EVERYTHING]
I think the symbol can mean a lot of different things The paths of the final Shape The tree of silver wings or a symbol that looks cool I kind of noticed The pattern of the symbol When applying it to Pyramid technology It kind of looks like it's directing energy Like a wire so maybe that pattern's more like a wire directing energy 2 Point A and B I think that's it but you can interpret it however you like
Edit: Oops misspelled shape Sorry😅
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Final sheep BAAAA 🐑😂
at time mark 4:07 it showes the witness holding the upside down upended. There’s a parallel here, there can’t be one without the other, light, darkness, traveler, darkness etc. If you put the “staff” logo on the upended shape it makes the upended.
Another thought of mine between the game Gardener in winnower I feel as though that the guardians are the first knife made from The traveler or the gardener, the gardener wouldn't have such things that would destroy but the first knife guardians are meant to be killing machines that would make sense for the first knife their paracausal as savathun once said to us the guardian as well as the vex being a unable to simulate us
Every time I see the image of that shape I constantly think about The movie The Fifth Element when the very rotund aliens had a very unique key for a very unique door
The precursor cutscene from season of the deep shows a similar symbol when the precursors attempt to use the veil to shape the light and the traveler leaves
the way it was pointing towards the traveler, could be some kind of compass
If you look at the pale heart picture you showed a 7:39. There's a very clear outline around the symbol and it looks like a diamond. I wonder if that connects to anything.
The staff symbol looks a lot like Vex lattice bits sticking out of the radiolaria down at the bottom of the well of infinitude on Europa. Bigger more complex “darkness pattern” look like bigger Vex structures
When Asha was giving the flashback of the precursor race, some of them were holding these same things in their hands. I’m wondering if it’s symbol of something, or actual weapons/instruments. Since we know the pyramid ships predate the witness, it was just their tech/architecture/design. My only question is why when the travelers beam hit the pyramid ship, that same staff design formed and it was pointing towards the Traveler
if i can ask, how did you get that incredible footage of flying through the raid? (around 4:55)
i think it’s probably a 2D representation of something that physically/metaphysically exists and is cornerstone to the source of the Witness’ power and additionally its ethos
the witness’ symbology is reminiscent to me of electronic circuit diagrams/schematics
perhaps something that harnesses or radiates darkness
I believe it’s a Scepter of sorts. One of transmission like a Radio antenna if you will. Relaying power to and from the Witness.
It appears on every piece of darkness tech that influences or utilizes light, I believe it's a representation of the combination of light and dark. It's a tree or plant, growing and flourishing within uniformity and simplicity.
A similar/simplified version of the symbol appears on the magazine of the Revision Zero Exotic rifle. Perhaps the creators of the weapon got a similar idea of the symbol's meaning from the K1 Anomaly.
I see it more as shape language to brand what is tied to the Witness. To me, the vertical line with lines branching off represent dissection / winnowing. I think the First Knife is conceptually on point - but I don't see the symbol being a literal representation of it . I see it more as one of many symbols (as you see iterations throughout pyramid architecture) used to conceptualize how we see the Witness.
When you defeat Shadow legion you see gnarly branches appear. I think it's another way of conveyting this winnowing idea. Same with seeing all the sliced up corpses in the pyramids. It's all way to represent removing something that will not be part of The Witness' final shape.
I interpret the symbols as a sort of lsnguage. They all start woth the same two left lines on top but the different branches could make it represent different words
Horizontal metal foundry form work. You pour the molten metal in and it flow through the channels and casts forms at each endpoint.
What if it’s the witness’ / precursors’ writing? It varies in length and complexity in each instance, has a clear flow from it’s ’trunk’, is placed on the side of objects like the upended and radial mast like a label, and we’ve already seen the precursors’ art in the pyramids
The Witness reflected beam of Traveller to unlock it. So this symbol, light blockers and mast in Nezarec's tomb are the same thing.
The one that goes thru Nazerecs tomb looks like our guardian could walk on it.
Its many different species being sharpened into one line
I almost wonder if the symbol (and those like it) are part of the Precursors' language, and perhaps the main "Witness symbol" is the word/idea for the Final Shape itself
Not saying this is likely/probable, but it's a thought
Edit: nvm you mentioned that at the end of the video
The first thought for other people wasn’t a tree? Like the tree of silver wings, alot of traveler related things are trees lol
I think the Witnesses symbol represents a map of sorts that shows that all timelines eventually lead to a single conclusion, or a final ending.
I think the first knife is whatever is giving the witness the ability to slice like what he did in the beginning of Lightfall. At least I hope its an item or something
My theory is that those are runes. Could be how the witness controls the darkness. May be the hand gestures the witness does on the opening cutscene of Lightfall, is just him hand drawing one of those runes to slice that guardian and ghost.
We also saw it in the back story of the witness
I think it represents the final shape itself, it formed from light and dark coming together into one
i think it's like the Hive symbols, each one of them represents something or is something, maybe we'll learn more about in final shape
I might be tripping but if you freeze or stop the video at a certain point when its showing the portal. You can see the witness's face. idk like i said i might be tripping.
1:09 I don't think I've ever noticed the symbol on the side of the Up-ended
It's on the side of revision zero too. Personally I think it has something to do with resonance, as they sort of look like tuning forks perhaps.
The bottom is the end point, not the ends, representing the flow to the final shape, the point of finality.
It does look a lot like a metaphor for the Final Shape, a tree with multiple "branches", shapes of existance being winnowed and finalized to form its "trunk"... which is a perfect line, eternal, self-determining. This "tree" thus appears to grow in reverse, which can also suggest Witness's disdain for chaos and change. Where life is freedom and branching complexity, the Final Shape is simplicity and control
... Or I am just overthinking it
What if it is a tuning fork?
In the Raid we hear often some "Resonating" Sounds, in combination with the Fact that Light and Dark are being parallel forces.
The Witness is the Maestro of his "Choir"
It is maybe just a tool of his making.
Thoughts?
After watch the video I can see this symbol almost similar to Egyptian ankh symbol, it represents the key to life or the key to nile or in this particular case the witness’ symbol might be the key to creation
Its a tuning fork and a bell? 3:51 weapon maybe.
Perhaps a symbol of all the Precursors becoming one in the Person of the Witness? I still think that thing on the Pyramid ship has a function to serve, just what I do not know.
Random thought just popped in to my mind: the ancient Irish writing style of Ogham (look up Ogham stones) - typically a straight line with perpendicular or angled series of lines sprouting from that central line. It's a very obtuse language but I wonder if there is an influence there? 🤔
I thought the exact same thing
Vibing to Bungie's music 🎶
Just a thought! Perhaps the symbol/symbols represent the Witness's view on how it sees the final shape, on regard to the theoretical tree of life. Instead of a real tree with near infinite branches and leaves fill all possible gaps with diverse direction and randomness (like natural growth of the Travelers Light.... as seen in the root of nightmares/tree of silver wing stuff).
And the symbol is the Witness's version of the tree, with most of its branches snipped or pruned off- only the strongest and sharpest branches are left in the "final shape of a tree".
I hope i made sense there! Im thinking its more an ideology in symbology! Like how the pyramid is the most simple shape - the opposite of a sphere which has infinite sides (as opposed to the minimum of 4 sides on a 3d structure). Infinity vs minimality.
good video as always but the double primary gameplay is hurting me
Constantly hearing the story of the game between the gardener and the winnower The Gardener made the first knife in the story, the witness can't be the first knife because the gardener again made the first knife, the "winnower" or the veil was the one that either made the witness or put it on the path to be the witness so the traveler or the "gardener" couldn't have made the witness at least that's my thought
Wild theory- could the symbols be hieroglyphics? Like the pyramid' race's language?
Food for thought
I love the logos in destiny some are simple references while other's are secrets im still trying to understand the sotw logo lol
The Vex are the first knife, the witness is the stagnation of the end...the darkness.
Doesn't each member of the Dread has a different "branch" end on the top of their face?
What if its like simbolic to represent the different types of species the witness has made a part of it
I have an idea for what it means and for what it is.
What is it? I think its a weapon, a knife the witness bestows. We see it in wipe mechanics, and weapons of mass destruction.
As for what it means hear me out. In unveiling the winnower and gardener talk about playing the games over and over and no matter what it reaches the same end. We see the complex shapes converge in on a simple line, a simple truth a simple and final shape. Even in the complex one where a half circle is near the bottom representing the traveler, it ends in a final shape. We also see weird curves as if things are moving in time, which we have done so maybe its a prophecy of some sort as well.
I think it is paths converging to one final shape.
witness symbol looks like a tree. (tree of silver leafs ?) and it looks like the artefact around Nezarec in the raid
The Upended: A super weapon powered by a dead worm god.
The Guardian: "Hold my 2 Gallys" @ 03:01
I believe its a symbol to represent the power The Witness used to cut the Traveler. Kind of like the Atomic Symbol we use for nuclear weapons.
Could well be Precursor Script?
Looks like a key to me. :)
I think it's a map showing different paths. But to what end I do not know...
Fairly certain it's the radial mast.
Low-key, I figured it was a "Tree of Death" kind of thing. Opposite of Tree of Life.
What if the Witness' symbol is just a Space age BBL-like machine he uses on the likes of Rhulk and Calus to turn them into Disciples.
It might be something to do with the witnesses race, their language or symbols of their race. Honestly it's a guess to me.
Destiny has so many hidden meanings and writers have definitely done psychedelics and read up on the anunnaki along with plenty of religious and mythological stories. Its one of the coolest things about destiny tbh
Brohan really didn’t have to die
I want to get a tattoo of this symbol but want to make sure it's not some bad thing first lol
No no, it's the first *spoon*. Gotta scoop up all that Vex Milk for the Black Garden Cereal. It's darkly delicious.
The key and the lock.
I feel like it could be some sort of weapon
The symbol almost looks like a key like a very fancy key, but a key and the symbol or the “key” from the raid is pointing towards the traveler like a key toward a lock and was growing more branches to open the lock aka the traveler. The growing of the “key” was a combination of the light and dark like what the witness did to get inside the traveler, but that’s a theory A DESTINY THEORY! Hopefully you see this please and thank you.
Destiny: something to which a person or thing is destined : fortune. wants to control his own destiny.
2. : a predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power or agency.
In a way it reminds me of a tree/river depending how you look at it.
It the way to the final shape
It is linear. What if it is a map of the ever evolving interior of the Traveler?
What if its the "first knife"
Thats why I get scared everytime I spam grenade launchers.
It looks like a key