A Destiny 2 community event emblem from the FPS game‘s recent Eliksni Quarter development effort has a secret message that could have a deeper meaning within the game’s complex narrative.
When the emblem, called Parts of a Whole, first dropped, Guardians quickly noted that its image depicted binary code. Initially, most players considered it a simple graphic design aesthetic, though some speculated that the mere appearance of binary in the end-of-season event emblem might mean the forthcoming season had something to do with computer technology.
However, players familiar with binary then figured out that the code referenced something that may be important for the upcoming season.
Destiny 2 YouTuber LUCKYY 10P shows in detail how the information on the emblem translates into a phrase that will likely prove crucial in helping players understand the ongoing narrative.
When translated from binary, the emblem spells out “The Copper Scroll.” The message does not appear to be random, though players aren’t sure what to make of this as it relates to the Destiny 2 Eliksni Quarter event and the forthcoming season.
Some speculated this could be a reference to the real-world Dead Sea Scrolls, one of which is emblazoned on copper and therefore known as The Copper Scroll. While such a reference may seem to be a stretch, Bungie commonly incorporates themes from history and mythology into its lore-heavy narrative. The Copper Scroll is different from the other Dead Sea Scrolls in that rather than representing a literary work, it’s a list of places where seekers could find treasure.
This led some to speculate the message in the binary code is a reference to a treasure map, which would tie in with the treasure-based theme of The Season of Plunder.
However, the message may also have a deeper meaning. First, some suggest the fact that the message is in binary could point to Rasputin, an AI Warmind often depicted in the game’s world as a copper colour. If the phrase The Copper Scroll is indeed a reference to a map, it could also reference Osiris’s vision in the recent end-of-season Destiny 2 cutscene, in which he spoke of a secret hidden on Neptune. These factors combined may suggest The Copper Scroll is an item that could point players to the city of Neomuna, which the game will introduce in the Destiny 2 Lightfall expansion set for release in February 2023.
If this is the case, perhaps the name Parts of a Whole could also tie into the narrative that joins the city of Neomuna into the events that lead up to Lightfall.
Players won’t have to wait long to find out how the emblem code ties into the game’s storyline. Destiny 2 season 19 is launching tomorrow and will presumably set up the events that will guide Guardians to the events in the plot points in the current Destiny 2 narrative arc. Although Bungie has not confirmed any information about the forthcoming season, a recent Destiny 2 Rasputin tease and a mention of IKELOS and Seraph weapons on the official Bungie blog point to a season centred around the reemergence of the Warmind, which first appeared in the game in 2018.
Rasputin’s return could mean many things. Some characters in the Destiny 2 universe consider the AI humanity’s only hope in the ongoing fight for the Traveler. But for now, players of the popular space game will have to be patient to learn how The Copper Scroll ties into the main storyline.