Is Drifter a Titan or Hunter? No, He‘s His Own Unique Lightbearer Class

Straight away – no, the eccentric Gambit host known as Drifter is neither a Titan nor Hunter. He predates the Guardian classes, originating as a Lightbearer from the perilous Dark Age. Drifter walks his own path as an unsanctioned pioneer delving into the Light and Darkness across centuries of rebirths.

Origins: Ancient Rogue Lightbearer

• Reawakened amidst Dark Age after Collapse, Earth‘s darkest era of suffering
• Estimated reborn 300-500+ years before player Guardian‘s revival
• Survived through grit and cunning before rise of Last City, Titans, Warlocks

Unlike Guardians tied to the Vanguard, Drifter‘s seen sides of Light and Darkness few have. He‘s weathered eras of warlords, famine, and conflict modern Guardians can scarcely fathom.

"He’s seen warlords rise—and get put back down in the dirt. If any Guardian’s lived through it all, it’s that one." —Suraya Hawthrone

Drifter’s exact age is unclear but he could be one of Destiny’s oldest risen Lightbearers still living through countless deaths from his first Dark Age revival.

Drifter‘s Many Identities and Intriguing Past

Not much is known about most of the centuries since his first reviving breath. Drifter’s had a lot of names, been a lot places, and up to some very questionable things, according to the man himself.

Some known past aliases Drifter used over the ages:

• Wu Ming (meaning ‘No Name‘)
• Dredgen Hope
• Eli
• Germaine
• The Man with No Name

He also spent time with two very different groups:

• Pilgrim Guard – Protectors of early risen Lightbearers. Drifter was a member during Dark Age origins under his first life.
• Shadows of Yor – Followers of corrupted legend Dredgen Yor who killed Guardians with Darkness-fueled Thorn hand cannon. Drifter ran with the Shadows for at least part of his second life.

Exactly what he did with them is anyone‘s guess…but knowing Drifter, probably up to no good. Yet, invested in understanding Light/Dark dynamics few Guardians dare.

Drifter‘s Mysterious Connections Across Destiny Lore

The Nine – Drifter has an eerie link with the cosmic beings of The Nine through his Gambit ritual tapping into Darkness. They seem strangely drawn to him but their motives remain unknown.

Eris Morn – Fellow veteran of Light/Darkness intrigues calls Drifter ‘Rat‘ yet seems to enjoy their philosophical flirtations to discomfort of her rock companion Alis Li.

Exos – Speaks of resets and human lives being simpler than living as an Exo frame over repeated deaths/resurrections. Is Drifter‘s true form robotic rather than human flesh? Hints seem to point that way.

And likely many other connections yet undiscovered across the sprawling centuries of intrigue and subterfuge logged by this notorious Lightbearer turned Gambit host.

Drifter’s Obsession: Unlocking Secrets of Darkness

All of Drifter’s shady activities seem to revolve around a singular obsession – unlocking the secrets of harnessing and controlling the Darkness.

He’s not devoted to the Traveler nor tempted by personal power, but rather driven by curiosity over divining for himself the truths behind paracausal forces Light and Dark. What makes them tick? How can Darkness be bent or even commanded by will to warp reality itself?

"Yeah, I got secrets. Secrets even the Vanguard don‘t got. You wanna know the big one? Deep down, I don‘t give a good goddamn if you live or die.” —The Drifter

In Conclusion: Rogue Scholar of Light & Dark Forces

While his methods are unethical and dangerous, Drifter seems ultimately driven by scholarly pursuits over the ontological powers behind creation itself. He‘s no hero nor villain, but some mysterious figure in between seeking to understand energies that shape existence.

So in short, Drifter is no more a conventional Guardian class than he is a moral paragon. He‘s a man of many names and lifetimes walking an ideological razor‘s edge delving straight into the beating heart of celestial powers themselves.

And that‘s what makes him one of Destiny‘s most fascinating characters.

Hopefully this gives some deeper context to the question…Is Drifter a Titan or Hunter? No – he is a being far stranger than anything so commonplace as a mere class. Drifter is a scholar of both Light and Dark forged over centuries of death and rebirth untouched by the passing eons.

Any other lore questions, hit me up! This is the stuff I live and breathe as a long-time Destiny lore aficionado.