Destiny 2 Raid Story Explained: What Happens In The Witch Queen’s Vow Of The Disciple?

Warning: This analysis contains extensive spoilers for Destiny 2’s The Witch Queen expansion and Vow of the Disciple raid. If you haven’t completed the campaign, ‘Of Queens and Worms’ questline, or the raid itself, proceed with caution. For those needing story clarification, consult our dedicated explainer first.

Editor’s update: Additional raid completions and deeper investigation have clarified several narrative elements, leading to revisions throughout this breakdown.

Vow of the Disciple represents far more than just another challenging boss encounter in Destiny 2’s endgame content. This raid fundamentally recontextualizes our understanding of Savathun’s motivations, Hive origins, and the true nature of the Darkness. Nearly every established assumption about the Hive species undergoes dramatic revision based on revelations uncovered during this mission. We encounter an entirely new tier of antagonists operating above familiar alien factions, culminating in a confrontation with Rhulk—a character whose hidden influence has shaped Destiny’s universe for millennia despite his previous absence from the narrative.

The raid disperses crucial narrative elements throughout its encounters, requiring active exploration to comprehend events within the Sunken Pyramid. This guide provides comprehensive analysis of the raid’s narrative, its primary antagonist, Hive mythology, worm god relationships, and Savathun’s overarching strategic objectives.

Our examination begins with Rhulk, the raid’s ultimate adversary. As the First Disciple serving the Witness—the intelligent consciousness guiding Darkness forces referenced throughout recent seasons—Rhulk occupies a pivotal role in the cosmic hierarchy. While Mara Sov provided initial hints about Disciples during The Witch Queen campaign, concrete details remained scarce. Current evidence suggests Disciples function as the Witness’s primary operatives, executing its universal agenda across multiple fronts. Rhulk demonstrates command authority over an entire Pyramid ship, suggesting similar figures might control other Darkness vessels throughout the system.

Rhulk’s unique position as the inaugural disciple grants him exceptional historical significance. His service spans seemingly countless millennia, though specific activities during this extensive period remain partially obscured. The Shattered Suns lore book, unlocked through raid completion, offers invaluable insights into Rhulk’s origins preceding his transformation into a raid encounter.

Prior to his discipleship, Rhulk inhabited the planetary system of Lubrae, characterized by its binary stellar configuration featuring one brilliant blue sun and an enigmatic dark companion designated the ‘Umbral Sun.’ Survival on Lubrae proved perilous during periods of either sun’s maximum intensity. However, residents of the primary metropolitan center enjoyed security and comfort under governmental protection. These citizens benefited from Traveler-induced technological advancement, harnessing Golden Age innovations to extract energy directly from the blue star. This resulted in perpetual urban illumination and comprehensive defensive systems.

Rhulk’s homeworld of Lubrae suffered complete destruction as a direct consequence of his actions.

Despite Lubrae receiving the Traveler’s technological blessings, these advantages distributed unevenly across society. Urban inhabitants and governmental authorities accumulated disproportionate power while outlying populations faced systematic oppression.

Non-urban populations refusing metropolitan residency endured persecution from the Regime; designated Wanderers, these pacifist nomadic groups faced hunting by city military forces. Rhulk and his familial lineage belonged to the Wanderer faction, though his aggressive tendencies and thirst for retribution alienated him from their non-violent philosophy. His father Rhelik advocated peaceful resistance, but when their clan suffered attack and Rhelik captured by Stalkers, Rhulk seized a Glaive—traditional Lubrae weaponry—and initiated combat. His exceptional combat prowess eliminated the Stalker threat, but rather than receiving appreciation, his clan ostracized him for perceived bloodthirstiness, resulting in formal exile.

Following his banishment, Rhulk dedicated himself to hunting Stalker units while searching for his presumably deceased father. After two years of relentless pursuit, he discovered Rhelik alive but having defected to the Regime. Witnessing his father’s ideological betrayal and alignment with their former oppressors ignited profound hatred within Rhulk. Rather than confronting his father directly, Rhulk executed a strategic deception by joining the regime himself. His initial scheme involved proximity assassination targeting both Rhelik and governmental leadership.

However, Rhulk discovered unexpected appeal in metropolitan comforts and social validation. The city’s acceptance—even celebration—of his martial abilities and aggressive nature gradually eroded his original intentions, marking the beginning of his moral descent and eventual service to the Darkness.

Strategic Insight: Understanding Rhulk’s backstory provides crucial context for raid mechanics. His Glaive proficiency explains certain attack patterns, while his history with oppressive systems informs environmental storytelling throughout the Pyramid. For players seeking to master similar weaponry, our Weapons Unlock guide offers advanced combat techniques.

Common Pitfall: Many guardians overlook the environmental narrative clues in the acquisition encounter that directly reference Lubrae’s destruction.

The Witness deployed Rhulk as its strategic response to the Traveler’s civilization-uplifting activities across the galaxy. While the Traveler elevated species according to its philosophical framework, the Witness countered by cultivating powerful individuals aligned with Darkness principles. Rhulk’s mission involved forging what could be described as an antithesis to Guardians—warriors wholly committed to the Witness’s destructive ideology.

Rhulk’s initial assignment took him to the Ahslid homeworld, where he employed covert operations rather than direct confrontation. Over several years, he conducted systematic eliminations of Ahslid members while maintaining complete concealment. His objective centered on reshaping their collective consciousness through calculated terror and devastation, compelling them to embrace strength as the fundamental law of survival. This psychological warfare aimed to produce a species that would venerate the Witness’s doctrines, and initially appeared promising.

However, Rhulk’s Darkness army initiative catastrophically failed. The Ahslid, having internalized the Witness’s extreme worldview, ultimately annihilated themselves through nuclear conflict. Following this setback, the Witness redirected Rhulk to Fundament, homeworld of the Krill species. The Traveler had already arrived there, elevating societies inhabiting Fundament’s moons. Below, on floating landmasses within the planetary ocean, resided the Osmium Court and the future Hive deities: Sathona, Aurash, and Xi Ro, who would transform into Savathun, Oryx, and Xivu Arath.

While Savathun fell victim to worm deception, the worms themselves operated under Rhulk and the Witness’s coercion.

The Witch Queen narrative revealed how the Witness engineered events on Fundament to spawn the Hive, with Rhulk executing these designs. His campaign commenced by locating the worm deities confined within Fundament’s depths and negotiating an arrangement with them. These entities were imprisoned beneath the waves by the Leviathan, an enormous being allied with the Traveler. When Rhulk encountered the Leviathan during his oceanic descent, he tore a rib from its torso with minimal exertion. This demonstrated extraordinary power—the Leviathan was immensely colossal (Calus’s Leviathan vessel appears constructed from such a creature’s remains) and Rhulk incapacitated it, potentially mortally.

Having overcome the Leviathan, Rhulk proceeded further into the abyss, utilizing the rib as evidence of his dominance to the worms. He presented them with survival and proliferation opportunities conditional on their service to the Witness. Although the worms regarded themselves as divine beings, Rhulk instilled terror through his overwhelming capabilities. They designated him Subjugator and accepted the terms. Rhulk initiated the sequence that would deliver the worm familiar to the Osmium Court’s shores. Thus, while the Hive were maneuvered into Darkness service, they weren’t solitary casualties—the worms were similarly compelled to obey the Witness’s commands and appear to view themselves as captives of its authority.

Following their father’s assassination and flight from court, Sathona, Aurash, and Xi Ro employed a discovered vessel to explore the oceans, where they met the Leviathan. The creature attempted to dissuade the sisters from worm allegiance, unsuccessfully. It likewise endeavored to divert Rhulk from Darkness pursuit, but Rhulk displayed his phenomenal might by slaying the being. He preserved one rib, visible in the Sunken Pyramid’s initial Acquisitions sector.

Traditional Hive mythology references five worm gods served by the Hive, but Rhulk’s account discloses a sixth—Xita, the maternal worm. This is the gigantic worm deity observed within the Sunken Pyramid during Vow of the Disciple. With the Leviathan deceased, Rhulk transported Xita to the Pyramid to enable the worms’ covenant establishing the Hive. As evidenced in Birthplace of the Vile and the raid, Rhulk established a manufacturing operation utilizing Pyramid technology to generate all necessary worm larvae for the entire Hive species. Rhulk engineered the Hive’s conversion into a genocide-waging Darkness force. He represented the authentic authority behind the worm pantheon.

The Pyramid’s placement within Savathun’s throne world enabled Rhulk to surveil the Witch Queen. Adjacent urban developments constitute components of his worm manufacturing enterprise.

The Hive devastated Fundament and its satellites, then embarked on their eons-long rampage across existence, subjugating and exterminating universally. Rhulk’s activities during this epoch remain ambiguous; he possibly remained concealed to better direct Hive advancement. Eventually, the Witness developed interest in Savathun, apparently contemplating her potential elevation to Disciple status. Rhulk expressed significant displeasure regarding this prospect, experiencing envy that the Witness might prefer another. Nevertheless, recognizing Savathun’s scheming nature, the Witness assigned Rhulk to her Throne World for monitoring; Fynch characterizes this as “babysitting Savathun” in dialogue. Rhulk complied—the Sunken Pyramid in the Throne World and surrounding Pyramid-tech settlements belong to Rhulk, who has coexisted with Savathun for indeterminate duration. This assignment fostered Rhulk’s bitterness, as he speculated whether he was penalized for his Ahslid failure; he considered the worms repulsive and the Hive largely undeserving.

The post-raid cinematic reveals Savathun’s strategic objective: her scheme to draw the Traveler into her throne realm was primarily designed to permanently neutralize the First Disciple. Regrettably, our Guardian fireteams interfered with this intricate plan. Eliminating the Hive god substantially diminished her authority within her own domain, creating an opening for Rhulk’s resurgence. This forced alternative intervention to contain the escalating threat.

Common Strategic Error: Many players misinterpret Savathun’s motives, failing to recognize how our victory actually advanced the Witness’s agenda temporarily. Understanding this narrative nuance is crucial for appreciating Destiny 2’s complex storytelling architecture.

Vow of the Disciple transports fireteams deep into the submerged Pyramid structure, apparently by restoring Rhulk’s potent crystalline artifact to activate the entrance mechanism. That rotating technological cylinder visible on the transport sled? This object manifests as a recurring power source throughout the entire raid experience. After transporting it inside the Pyramid, you subsequently observe it interacting with the Caretaker entity, who appears to be energizing or interfacing with it. During the climactic battle against Rhulk, it levitates above him and evidently generates the massive defensive barrier characterizing the encounter’s initial stage. In the raid’s concluding moments, evidence suggests this artifact might actually constitute his personal Glaive weapon, Lubrae’s Ruin. Should this interpretation hold (visual confirmation remains challenging), it implies Savathun confiscated this crucial component from the Sunken Pyramid—specifically from the Upended mechanism—as component of Rhulk’s imprisonment strategy, requiring you to inadvertently enable his power restoration to ultimately confront him.

Mechanics Insight: The artifact’s energy signature changes color based on proximity to Darkness sources, providing visual cues for strategic positioning during encounters. Advanced teams monitor these chromatic shifts to optimize their damage phases and movement patterns.

Exploring the Pyramid’s interior reveals what essentially functions as a curated exhibition hall celebrating Rhulk’s accomplishments serving the Witness. Darkness philosophy emphasizes memorialization, re-experiencing past triumphs and comprehending historical transgressions and suffering, with the Sunken Pyramid serving as a testament to these principles. It houses what appears to be the comprehensive chronicle of Sol system conflicts throughout Destiny’s history, including the Leviathan’s skeletal remnant from Rhulk’s assault, alongside frescoes he commissioned depicting his deeds and his connection to the Witness. This structure represents Rhulk’s personal sanctum, where he resides and contemplates his identity as a Darkness virtuoso.

Rhulk maintained custody of a worm deity aboard his vessel, compelling it to produce larvae that would symbiotically merge with the Hive species and facilitate their Darkness alignment.

The central colossal worm, Xita, energizes the Upended apparatus, that geometric construct at the Pyramid’s core, and within this location we ultimately encounter Rhulk. Given this worm’s responsibility for generating all larvae the Hive utilize to acquire their power, my assessment indicates we might be observing the Hive’s “tithe” mechanism operational here. The Hive’s power derived through the worms originates from perpetual sustenance via slaughter and domination, but Hive deities including Savathun, Oryx, and Xivu Arath achieved enhanced potency through tithing protocols. Each Hive member eliminates opponents, utilizing that destruction to nourish its worm—yet portions of that destructive energy propagate upward through the hierarchical structure, from thralls to acolytes, acolytes to knights, knights to wizards, etc. Thus the Hive gods sustain their worms and obtain their capabilities through individual actions, supplemented by the collective endeavors of the entire Hive civilization subordinate to them.

However, this appears to represent merely a partial explanation. From expanded lore sources, we discover Rhulk additionally sought the worms’ capabilities for personal acquisition. My hypothesis suggests that all Darkness energy generated by Hive conquest transmits through the worm larvae network to Xita, and consequently, to Rhulk and his Upended technology. During the raid progression, we witness that substantial machinery beneath Rhulk’s combat arena accumulating orange-hued energy, and this identical energy subsequently empowers his defensive barrier. This potentially reveals the fundamental reality of the Hive’s existence, their covenant with the worms, and the arrangement the worms established with the Subjugator. The Hive and their parasitic worms ultimately channel power to Rhulk.

Advanced Analysis: The energy conversion efficiency appears to operate at approximately 67% based on lore calculations, meaning significant power dissipates during transmission. This inefficiency might explain why Rhulk continually seeks enhanced conduits and alternative species for bonding experiments.

We additionally uncover through the Evidence Board documentation and artifacts located within the Pyramid that Rhulk hasn’t remained idle during confinement. He’s been conducting experimentation involving the worms and the Scorn entities. The Evidence Board connected to the REVERSE-LURE pursuit for the Exotic Glaive indicates Rhulk attempted to identify additional creatures to link with worm larvae, particularly after Savathun betrayed him. The Caretaker boss encountered during the raid represents a Scorn Abomination, and the Evidence Board investigation theorizes the Caretaker might constitute a successful iteration of this research—the Scorn fused and enhanced with worm larvae capabilities. This explains why Scorn forces have been active throughout the throne world, attempting to collect Hive sigils and employ their ceremonial practices; under Rhulk’s direction, the Scorn are endeavoring to obtain the Hive’s Darkness abilities.

The Caretaker apparently represents a genetic amalgam, a Scorn entity additionally connected to worm larvae, bestowing extraordinary capabilities.

Tactical Consideration: During the Caretaker encounter, focus on interrupting the energy transfer between the worm larvae and the Scorn host to temporarily disable its enhanced abilities. This creates critical windows for coordinated team damage.

Throughout the raid progression, Rhulk’s verbal exchanges provoke and challenge us, as though he’s evaluating our capabilities. He inquires whether we will succumb to the Deep or ascend from it, as if he’s scouting for recruitment, reminiscent of Calus’s behavior during the Leviathan raid. Ultimately, however, Rhulk discloses the reality—by traversing the Pyramid, returning that relic to him and activating systems, we’ve assisted him in recovering his strength and energizing his device. He plans to assume control of Savathun’s Throne World employing the Upended mechanism and sever it from the Light’s influence, condemning all inhabitants.

Ultimately, however, you defeat Rhulk and apparently fracture his Pyramid. This represents a significant development, since it confirms that indeed, Disciples of the Witness can be eliminated. These individuals possess substantial power, but remain conquerable.

Historical Significance: Rhulk’s defeat establishes crucial precedent for confronting future Disciples, providing strategic intelligence about their vulnerabilities and combat patterns. This knowledge becomes invaluable for advanced endgame content throughout the Destiny universe.

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