What is The Veil in Destiny 2? Heading into The Final Shape, chances are many of you are still confused about the Veil in Destiny 2. After all, Lightfall didn’t give the best explainer and the Veil Containment missions are so hidden most players haven’t experienced the lore-drops. But, it is key to the future of the universe and taking down the Witness.
So, if you want a full debrief on what the Veil is and what you can expect from it going forward in Destiny 2, this article is for you. This guide will take you through everything we know about the Veil leading up to the Destiny 2 The Final Shape release date, as well as what we learn during the Destiny 2 Lightfall missions.
What is the Veil in Destiny 2?
The Veil in Destiny 2 is a Paracausal entity buried deep within an Ishtar Collective facility in Neomuna on Neptune that aligns with the Darkness. It was used by the Witness to create a portal to an unknown location at the end of the Lightfall expansion.
While it currently serves as a power source for the city of Neomuna, as well as the basis of the CloudArk thanks to its paracausal emissions, this entity is capable great power.
As the (or a) source of the Darkness, the Veil is the antithesis of the Traveler. Several characters, including Ghost and audio logs left by the Neomunian researcher Dr. Chioma Esi, indicate that the Veil represents a web of consciousness. With the Traveler having mastery of the physical world, the Veil seemingly controls the metaphysical – the Darkness. This power is shaped by thought and consciousness.
The origins of the Veil in Destiny 2
The origins of the Veil in Destiny 2 are yet to be reveal, though we know it was discovered by the Witness’ species and brought back to their homeworld. The Witness’ species sought to combine the Veil with the Traveler to strengthen their connection to the cosmic forces of Light and Darkness.
However, once the Traveler fled, the Veil was likely brought with the Witness to Sol in pursuit of the Traveler, as it’s key to bringing about the ‘final shape’ of the universe. During the First Collapse of Earth, Savathûn hid the Veil on Neptune, where is was then discovered by the Neomunians centuries later.
Who informed us of the Veil in Destiny 2?
The Guardians were informed of the Veil in Destiny 2 during the final message from Rasputin in Season of the Seraph in 2023. It was the last message sent when Rasputin sacrificed himself to destroy the Warminds.
Rasputin had kept record of Neomuna after they received reports from Soteria, the AI that assisted in establishing Neomuna. However, this information was purposely hidden to keep Neomuna – likely the Veil – a secret. After being told about the Veil, Destiny 2 Lightfall saw us race to Neomuna to obtain it before Calus and the Witness got to it first.
Destiny 2 Veil theories
Though we’ve now got more solid information on the Veil, there have been lots of theories about the Veil since the launch of Destiny 2 Lightfall.
Perhaps the most interesting theory was from Reddit user ‘tunnelinggeek‘, who suggested that the Veil acts as bridge between Light and Dark. This theory was heavily based on our understanding of Strand, a power created as a by-product of the Veil. Osiris states that Light is the realm of the physical, while Darkness is the domain of the metaphysical, including dreams, nightmares, and subconscious. Strand, which Osiris refers to as a ‘paracausal superposition’, matches this definition – a Darkness power that manipulates the physical world.
While it’s been confirmed that the Veil is the source of the Darkness, or at least one source, it could still be true that it acts as a wall between Light and Darkness which, once broken, creates a link between the two paracausal forces. For example, this appears to be what the Witness did at the end of the Lightfall campaign, where it used the Veil to seemingly break the separation between Light and Dark to enter a realm within the Traveler itself.
And that’s all there is to know about the Veil in Destiny 2 right now. For even more lore explainers as we approach the end of the Light and Darkness saga, don’t miss out on finding out all about Destiny 2 the Witness. After all, it all comes down to the Witness in The Final Shape.