[b] if you are seeing this through the main destiny 2 forum section, and you’re just going to be toxic, please leave. This is my request. To those who are actually here to read, please enjoy[/b] So. Today we shall focus on the big guy himself. Some love him. Some love to hate him. But hopefully we can avoid conflict here. [b] now. For some of you, I’m aware that Zavala has...tilted the community for what some call cowardice...and what others call traumatic experiences creating thinking patterns. If you think I’m gonna focus on those at all...I’m not. Nor will I pay much attention to his time as a normal Awoken. Thank you[/b] So. Where do we start? Well yet again at the beginning. Zavala was revived from a crashed ship (most likely as a reef refugee like Orin) long after he crash landed on a beach. After multiple run ins with Eliksni, both by a beached tanker in a desert and on a snowy mountain, and a long walk that would make anyone tired to the point of death, he reached the last safe city. https://youtu.be/2-fAIVIpEGI Zavala has been in the city since the dark ages. He has seen the darkest and lightest times in our history. I will be going over his involvement in events that follow on from the start of the city age to now: He helped build the walls of the city. With many other guardians alike. Zavala is a student of Lord Saladin Forge. He, along with his mentor, and fellow student, Lord Shaxx participated in the battle of Six fronts. Attacking the fallen and protecting the people. (This is shown in the cinematic linked above, but I’d like to also bring up a point that was said in an earlier post by user NightHawk377 how Cayde says that the battle of Six Fronts is [quote]before my time[/quote] in the lore book entry Fold, so it could be from Twilight Gap which both participated in) But we know for a fact that the Iron Lords we’re performing patrols during Six Fronts to repel the fallen, as shown in the the Iron Banner grimoire card: [quote]The Lords of Iron, ancient warriors from the City's founding, have no time for mollycoddling. The City remembers Felwinter and Jolder, Skorri and Timur, Radegast and Gheleon and the others, for their invincible patrols during Six Fronts and the Wall-building. The Iron Banner asks Guardians to live up to that legend.[/quote] and Saladin being an Iron Lord most likely had taken Zavala on at this time. Zavala rallied alongside many other guardians during the great hunt. Grips of the great hunt lore tab reads: [quote] Venus. A year into the Great Hunt. Eris and Zavala watched as Shaxx sat with the dying Ahamkara, a hand on its snout. "Is he gloating?" she asked. "I think he is too pragmatic to gloat." Zavala said. "Mourning, then." "Perhaps." The Ahamkara twitched, its eyes rolled up into its head. The biochemical glow just beneath its skin grew harsh. Zavala and Eris raised their hands against the increasing glare. Then the corpse exploded. Dirt showered the Guardians like dusty rain on a clear day. Shaxx sat silently in the resulting crater, covered in a sheet of green fire. Zavala and Eris opened their mouths to speak, but Shaxx interrupted them. "Shh," he said, as the flame quietly roared. They could all hear a disembodied whisper. But they were used to that by now.[/quote] Zavala also participated in the battle of Twilight Gap, commanding many guardians alongside the likes of the other vanguard members, Ikora Rey (acting Warlock Vanguard), Andal Brask (Hunter Vanguard) and Saint-14 (Titan Vanguard at the time). As well as notorious guardians, like Ana Bray, Cayde-6 and Sloane. All of these have their presence shown in the [i]Warmind comic part 3[/i] He backed Saladin in a call of retreat during the gap which cause the story from the mountaintop to occur. Transcript from the Shard of the Traveler: sunbreaker mission: [quote]The Fallen were everywhere. Lord Saladin sent a regroup order to all channels. Zavala backed him. They weren't yelling, but it made my ears ring. Their exact words I can't remember. But Saladin and Zavala- their message was clear: all is lost.[/quote] This led to Shaxx’s stand at the gap. The mountaintop lore tab reads: [quote] [Fireteam leaders: Do not advance on the Wall. Fall back to the Ridgeback District.] Shaxx freezes with a Vandal's windpipe in his fist. He waits for Saladin to justify the strategy. [I repeat: All teams rally at the Ridgeback District. Do NOT advance. The City is lost.] Shaxx drops the Vandal, then empties the rest of his clip into a Captain. He and his fireteam are running on fumes. The dead, Fallen and Guardian alike, litter the Twilight Gap. [Shaxx! Do you copy?] He risks a look over his shoulder at their home, the place they call the Last Safe City. Not burning. Not yet. Gritting his teeth, he reloads. [Shaxx, your orders are to retreat.] He sees a gap in the onslaught of invaders and gestures to the others. "Nkechi! Take Abdi and Truce. Liu Feng, with me! Bray! Cover us!" [This battlefield is not your stage, Shaxx! This is not about glory!] His fireteam doesn't hesitate. [Shaxx! For the final time: Fall! Back!] As the six of them crest the Wall, Shaxx cuts the feed. [/quote] This follows onto the disappearance of hunter Ana Bray. Known for looking into her past, much to Zavala’s dislike, she made a Captain pushing her off a cliff (in the Warmind comic part 3) look like her death. Zavala showed loss at this after confronting a member of Owl Sector named Camrin if someone looking into Clovis Bray was Ana, to which she lied. After the events of the gap Zavala would go on to be promoted to Titan Vanguard after Saint-14 goes missing on Mercury. [spoiler] for more info on him go here https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/251506981/0/0 [/spoiler] And a furthermore promotion to Vanguard Commander as shown in Curse of Foresight lore tab: [quote]Consensus Meeting 2891.98 NM: "I note for the record that we are without a Warlock Vanguard or a Vanguard Commander." Andal Brask: "Two birds, one man." Zavala: "Ikora Rey is interim Warlock Vanguard for this meeting." Speaker: "Which brings us to our first order of business. Ikora Rey, the Consensus formally requests you assume the responsibilities of Warlock Vanguard." Ikora Rey: "Considering I've been performing those responsibilities for a while now, I accept." FWC: "Why did you cover for him for so long?" IR: "Someone had to do it." S: "Ahem. Now that we have Consensus, I may inform you I have decided to banish former Warlock Vanguard Osiris from the Last City." [murmurs] S: "Are there any objections?" DO: "None here. Maybe he'll find a better planet for us." [pause] S: "Very well. Next: I name Titan Vanguard Zavala as the new Vanguard Commander. Congratulations."[/quote] With these titles and wins under his belt, he and the consensus agreed that the next expansion of the city should be up. Zavala helped sanction the battle of Mara Ibrium. The great disaster. The Raze Lighter grimoire card reads: [quote]“Next order of business... the growing City foundries—” [Bang] “What madness is this!” “Lord Shaxx! The Consensus did not—” “We barely eked out victory at Burning Lake. And now you think we're ready to attack the Moon?” “We’re preparing—” “Did you not read my report from Burning Lake? About the Hive's weapons? Those swords, they're like nothing we've ever—” “Lord Shaxx—” “Zavala! You can't think this is wise. We need to examine these swords, train against them—” “That is a matter for the Consensus to decide, old friend.”[/quote] This is when we cut to 2014. The start of the first game. D1 Vanilla. He commanded strikes on targets including Sepiks Prime and Valus Ta’aurc. Zavala then took joint command on the attack of the dreadnaught alongside Cayde-6 and Eris Morn, as well as seeing directly to the Taken presence on Mars and the Black Garden. He took a sideline during the SIVA crisis. But then the Red War. Continued below: