Have you ever had an attachment to a fictitious character, only to have it ripped away through their untimely death? Well, that’s how I feel at the moment. Those of you who are familiar with the video game Destiny, know of a sarcastic, gung-ho and all-round wonderful hunter called Cayde-6. He was always the life of the mission, from misquoting sacred texts or simply mispronouncing the names of terrifying enemies.
I was not a part of his faction, the “Hunters,” but I developed a great liking for him. In the first Destiny there wasn’t that much dialogue and cutscenes, but it got better with the “The Taken King” downloadable content and all other content moving forward. More cutscenes and more dialogue meant more chances for Cayde-6 to “express” himself. Cayde-6 and I were fighting and saving lives, Memories were made and conquests were conquered, life was great. Then that fateful day came: Destiny 2, the “Forsaken” downloadable content.
The game opens with Cayde-6 doing what he does, being sarcastic while stopping a prison riot. You’re tasked with assisting him. Long story short, he jumps into an abyss only to be swarmed by enemies and then finished off by an unexpected prisoner. You arrive to the dying Cayde-6 and swear revenge. But all that’s left is a hole in your heart, and an empty spot at the “Tower” with his pet chicken, Colonel.
I kept wondering if the developers made a good choice on eliminating such a loved character. Are they going to try to replace him? Will he surprisingly come back to life? Will his chicken be able to move on? All these questions and more float around my brain and heart. It’s never an easy process when your favorite character is “killed” off. There’s always that small hope that they’re secretly alive. This is the hook that keeps you entangled. All you can hope for is not being strung along, only to have what little hope you had crushed.
“I guess there’s one good thing about me being stuck on the vanguard. You get to have me for a mentor. Yeah, you’re welcome,” this quote from Cayde-6 echoes in my heart. He was more than a mentor, he was a friend, a partner and a force of nature. Rest in peace Cayde-6.
