Destiny 2 Next Villains: Crow, Fikrul & The Nine

Destiny 2 villains and The Final Shape set the stage for Crow, Fikrul, and The Nine to become future threats in Bungie's evolving universe.

Alright, let's talk about what comes next. With The Final Shape finally dropping in June 2024 and the Light and Darkness saga wrapping up, the big question on everyone's mind is: who's stepping up to be the next major threat? The Witness is the big bad right now, but Destiny's universe is packed with fascinating characters, both heroes and villains, who have their own unfinished business. Some of these villains are so compelling, you almost want to root for them... almost. Let's dive into who Bungie could pull from the lore to make our lives miserable in the years to come.

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First up, we gotta talk about Crow. Yeah, I know, he's more of a hero now, but his past as Uldren Sov is a villain origin story that's still haunting him. Remember the Scorn? Uldren was directly responsible for their creation. His guilt over his involvement with The Fanatic, the undying leader of the Scorn, is a thread that's been dangling since Season of the Lost. Now that Crow's been a key part of getting us into the Traveler's Pale Heart, it feels like his story is reaching a peak. But killing him off or sidelining him now would leave a huge plot hole, especially with the upcoming Revenant Episode seemingly focusing on the Scorn. His redemption arc is one of the best in the game, but that doesn't mean his past is done with him. A confrontation with the legacy of Uldren Sov, and specifically with Fikrul, is almost inevitable for the next chapter.

Speaking of The Fanatic, Fikrul... man, what a tragic figure. Beyond being that boss we all love to hate in certain Nightfalls (looking at you, The Hollowed Lair), he's a genuinely sympathetic villain. Uldren wished for his dying Eliksni friend to be saved, and Rivan twisted that wish, using Darkness to create the first Scorn. Fikrul has had to endure learning of his "father" Uldren's death and has been constantly reanimating fallen Eliksni into Scorn. The potential for a dramatic reunion between Crow and Fikrul is massive. Bungie has been clear: Crow has Uldren's memories, but he is not Uldren Sov. That bond they once shared is broken. How does Fikrul, a being defined by that bond and his "father's" wish, react to that? This isn't just a boss fight waiting to happen; it's a profound story about identity, loss, and twisted creation. He's a perfect candidate for a central antagonist in a post-Witness world where old wounds are reopened.

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Now, let's get weird and cosmic. The Nine. Who even are they? They've always been this enigmatic, almost mythical presence in the background. From hosting the old Trials of the Nine to their bizarre cameo in Dares of Eternity with the Starhorse (seriously, what is that?), their goals are completely inscrutable. We know they've meddled before—they helped cloak the Red Legion's fleet during the Red War, leading to the attack on the Last City. That alone proves they're not necessarily on our side. Their ephemeral nature is both frustrating and full of potential. A future saga could easily involve the Vanguard realizing that these mysterious entities pose a fundamental threat to the City's existence, leading to a hunt across unknown space. They represent a totally different kind of threat compared to the sword logic of the Hive or the zealotry of the Witness. They're a puzzle, and solving it could be the focus of an entire new narrative arc.

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Of course, we can't forget the Witch Queen herself, Savathûn. In classic trickster fashion, she's still very much in play. Even after Eris Morn used her power to banish Xivu Arath, Savathûn revealed she retained her own strength. The kicker? She willingly left her Ghost, Immaru, with the Vanguard. That's a massive bargaining chip and a huge vulnerability. Savathûn is the ultimate wild card. She has a history of playing all sides—she technically saved humanity by betraying Nezarec, but let's not forget she's also responsible for countless schemes and deaths. Will she seek an alliance against a common foe? Will she try to claim the power vacuum left by the Witness? A full redemption like Crow's seems unlikely for the Hive God of Cunning, but an uneasy, temporary partnership that inevitably shatters? That's 100% her style. She's too powerful and too narratively rich to disappear.

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And then there's her sister, Xivu Arath, the Hive God of War. Here's the thing: we've never truly faced her in a direct, final confrontation. Eris managed to banish her from her Throne World, making her mortal and vulnerable, but that doesn't mean she's gone. Xivu's whole schtick is that she grows stronger through war—the very act of fighting her is an act of worship that empowers her. Rasputin understood this before his sacrifice; a full-scale war against her would be catastrophic. While she might not be the focus of The Final Shape's clash with the Witness, the roadmap for the upcoming Episodes heavily hints at her involvement, particularly in the Heresy Episode. Whether this leads to her final death or a new, more dangerous status quo is unknown. But a being whose power is fueled by conflict is a perfect engine for driving stories in a live-service game. She's a perpetual threat machine.

So, Who's the Next Big Bad?

It might not be just one! Looking at the landscape, Bungie has set up several compelling paths:

The Personal & Tragic: A Scorn-focused story with Fikrul and Crow at its heart.
The Cosmic Mystery: A saga delving into the unknowable motives of The Nine.
The Scheming Wildcard: Savathûn manipulating events from the shadows.
The Eternal Warmachine: Xivu Arath forcing the City into a no-win scenario of endless war.

The beauty of Destiny's universe is that these threads can intertwine. Maybe we ally with Savathûn to stop Xivu, only for her to betray us for the power of The Nine. Perhaps Crow's confrontation with the Scorn unlocks a deeper secret about the Darkness that The Nine want to control. The possibilities are endless, and that's what's so exciting about the future. The Witness might be the finale of this 10-year story, but these characters are the seeds for the next decade of conflict. Get ready, Guardians. The final shape is just the beginning of a new, even stranger geometry.

What do you think? Who are you most scared (or excited) to see take center stage? Let me know in the comments below! 👇