Who is the Oldest Person in Destiny?
According to the latest grimoire anthologies and expert theories, the ancient Speaker, cryptic Drifter, legendary Shaxx, venerable Saladin Forge, and exiled Osiris rank among Destiny‘s oldest known characters. Their origins reach back centuries or even millennia, shrouded in intrigue.
As a Destiny lore aficionado, I‘ve dug deep into the histories of these enigmatic figures from the City‘s foundational days. Here‘s an exhaustive look at leading contenders for Destiny‘s eldest Guardians and citizens.
The Speaker – Spiritual Mentor Lost to Time
The Speaker‘s obscured lifespan and origins make him arguably Destiny‘s most elder resident. As the Guardians‘ former mentor, his wisdom guided the City‘s earliest Risen heroes. His Mask allowed strange insights into the Traveler‘s dreams. Yet even his species remained a mystery – was he human, Awoken, Exo, or extraterrestrial sorcerer…or the Traveler‘s humanoid avatar?
Some speculate the Speaker was a pre-Golden Age emissary blessed with agelessness and visions. Others believe he was the first Guardian, resurrected eons ago. More fanciful theories suggest he was an immortal projection produced by Rasputin or the Traveler itself to interact with humanity.
Whatever the truth, the Speaker shepherded fledgling Risen well before the City‘s establishment, making him one of Destiny‘s most venerable residents. With his Red War death, this core character‘s origins may never fully come to light.
Expert‘s Speculative Timeline
| Earliest Estimate | Pre-Golden Age – Ancient Mesopotamia (?) |
| City Founding | Guided the earliest Iron Lords & Risen |
| Red War | Killed by Dominus Ghaul‘s forces |
The Drifter – Rogue Sole Survivor
The mysterious "Drifter" survived a grim first death in the Dark Age to become Destiny‘s quintessential wanderer. Rogue Lightbearers outliving their Ghosts haunt the City‘s margins…but none match this antihero‘s age or notoriety.
Pieced-together accounts of his past reveal terrifying longevity. His earliest days saw countless deaths from starvation while marooned alone beyond civilization on an icy world. There he witnessed the clouds part to reveal a cosmic ballet of colliding primordial powers, driving him mad. In later centuries he built a lawless crew around smuggling artifacts and unseen knowledge from the universe‘s fringes.
Now he courts Guardians with promises of Dark power in Gambit while hiding uncanny awareness of cosmic forces. Whatever prolonged his early existence left lasting imprints. The Drifter has outlived eras and eons on luck and grit alone.
Expert’s Speculative Timeline
| First Resurrection | Dark Age (? – Pre-City) |
| Journey to Frozen World | Early City Age |
| Years Surviving Alone | 200-1000 (?) |
Lord Shaxx – Veteran of Ancient Wars
Booming Crucible officiant Lord Shaxx stands among Destiny‘s most storied veterans. As a legendary pre-City Warlord famed for besting Felwinter and conquering the Shattered Coast, Shaxx helped establish the City‘s martial tradition.
This Titan‘s exploits reach back centuries. He aided Six Fronts‘ desperate defense against Fallen onslaught and mentored the earliest Guardians in the Crucible‘s blood sport. Despite rigid devotion to the Vanguard, he refused the Speaker‘s offer of Iron Lord status – hinting at tensions between established hero factions.
Shaxx proudly carries the Battle of Twilight Gap‘s physical and emotional scars. Facing overwhelming Fallen forces, Shaxx disobeyed orders to save the City from potential collapse. His mentality shaped the Crucible into a forge for a harder generation of Lightbearers.
Few equals can claim Shaxx’s antiquity or outsized influence on Guardian culture. This consummate warrior‘s origins lie shrouded in the Dark Age, proving legendary status isn‘t just achieved overnight.
Expert’s Speculative Timeline
| Resurrection & Warlord Years | Early Dark Age |
| City Establishment & Six Fronts | Pre-City Age |
| Twilight Gap | City Age – Hundreds of Years Ago |
Lord Saladin Forge – Last Iron Lord
As the Iron Lords‘ final member, Saladin Forge recalls an ancient age of lost glory. These prototypes for the Guardian class united disparate Dark Age settlements before the City‘s foundation. The tragic battle against SIVA centuries ago saw Saladin outlive his brothers- and sisters-in-arms.
Lord Saladin helped establish the City‘s social order andConstruct the Tower. Heestablished Felwinter Peak as a refuge for new generations of heroes. Though withdrawn as the Iron Banner‘s sole overseer, nostalgia and duty still compel Saladin to train select Guardians in the old ways.
By all indications, Lord Saladin enjoys an exceptionally long lifespan safeguarding knowledge of the Iron Lords‘ grand sacrifice. He represents a bridge between the earliest Guardians and today‘s champions protecting the Traveler‘s light.
Expert‘s Speculative Timeline
| Resurrection & Iron Lord Years | Dark Age |
| City Establishment Participation | Pre-City Age |
| Current Age | 700-900 Years Old (?) |
Osiris – Obsessed Thanatonaut Visionary
The legendary Osiris‘ mythic pursuit of Vex mastery wins him a place among Destiny‘s most venerable characters. Once the greatest Warlock, his ominous exile followed disastrous crusades against the time-bending machines.
Osiris‘ centuries of obsession fundamentally shaped Guardian doctrine. His cultic following PR precipitated schisms between followers and traditional Vanguard. Despite failures, his prophecies also foretold great threats.Consort‘s warnings prepared Guardians for assaults from Crota’s Hive and the Red Legion.
This controversial iconoclast’s current activities remain largely unknown. Evidence suggests he achieved a transcendent mastery of simulated reality and Vex confluence across infinite timeways and probabilities few can even perceive, much less understand. For better or worse, Osiris avoided death itself in his endless quest to penetrate the Vex.
If his consciousness endures somewhere in the network, Osiris has become an eternal woven into the fabric of reality – perhaps obtaining the very mastery he sought.
Expert’s Speculative Timeline
| Early Guardian Career | City Age – Hundreds of Years Ago |
| Exile from the City | Near Past – Exact Date Unknown |
| Current Status | Alive/Intact Consciousness in Vex Network (?) |
So who takes the crown as Destiny‘s oldest known character? By available accounts, the Speaker, Drifter, Shaxx, and Saladin have all persevered for centuries since humanity’s earliest days. Osiris’ consciousness may persist indefinitely across spacetime. Ultimately with so many players and epochs involved, this secret seems destined to spark endless debate!
What do you think, friends? Who is truly the oldest of these ancient survivors? Does another obscured figure hold the title, or does our favorite helper Ghost know more than they let on? Let me know your theories on Destiny’s strange backstory in the comments!
