Can Exos Eat? Exploring the Lore of Synthetic Sustenance in Destiny 2
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Yes, Exos in Destiny 2 can eat, despite being machines. While they don’t require food for sustenance in the same way organic beings do, they are capable of tasting and enjoying food. This is crucial for maintaining a sense of humanity and preventing psychological degradation, as their minds still retain the memories and desires of their previous, organic lives.
The Purpose of Food for Exos
The capability for Exos to eat wasn’t initially intended. Early Exos suffered from mind degradation because they lacked the ability to engage in basic human activities like eating, sleeping, and experiencing physical intimacy. Clovis Bray, the creator of the Exo program, recognized this and implemented systems that allowed Exos to simulate these experiences.
Therefore, eating for an Exo is more about psychological well-being than biological necessity. The act of tasting, smelling, and experiencing the texture of food helps to ground them, connecting them to their past lives and staving off the existential dread that can plague a mind trapped in a mechanical body.
The Mechanics of Exo Consumption
While Exos don’t have stomachs in the traditional sense, their internal mechanisms are designed to process and, to some extent, utilize the sensory information derived from food. The exact mechanics aren’t explicitly detailed in the lore, but it’s reasonable to assume that Exos have systems that can analyze the chemical composition of food and transmit that data to their consciousness, creating the sensation of taste.
The article also revealed “Exos are able to eat and drink despite being machines – and not having stomachs. Some options for Exo player customization lack visible eyes.” It is important to keep in mind there’s no definitive answer.
Furthermore, what happens to the food after it’s “eaten” is also somewhat ambiguous. It’s likely that some form of recycling or disposal mechanism is in place, preventing the accumulation of organic matter within their chassis.
Exo Sensory Experience
The ability to taste is just one aspect of the sensory experience available to Exos. They can also feel warmth and touch, engage in intimate relationships, and experience emotions, albeit sometimes in a distorted or amplified form. All of these capabilities were deliberately engineered to ensure the mental stability of Exos and allow them to function effectively as soldiers and guardians.
The Philosophical Implications
The ability of Exos to eat and experience other basic human sensations raises interesting philosophical questions about the nature of consciousness, identity, and what it means to be human. If a machine can simulate human experiences so convincingly, does it matter that the underlying mechanisms are different? This question continues to be a central theme throughout the Destiny lore. You can explore more about these kinds of topics in the Games Learning Society (GamesLearningSociety.org), which often investigates the intersection of gaming and complex social topics.
FAQs: More About Exos and Their Quirks
Here are 15 frequently asked questions (FAQs) to further illuminate the fascinating details of Exo existence:
1. Do Exos need to breathe?
No, Exos do not need to breathe. They don’t have lungs or require oxygen. The sensation of breathing is a residual effect of their human memories.
2. Were Exos once human?
While not explicitly stated for all Exos, the lore heavily implies that all Exos were originally human. Cayde-6’s past as a human is confirmed. The Exo project was designed to transfer human consciousness into robotic bodies.
3. Why do Exos need to forget, eat, and sleep?
Exos need to forget (through reboots), eat, and sleep to maintain their mental stability. Early Exos suffered from debilitating psychosis due to the disconnect between their minds and bodies.
4. Can Exos swim?
Yes, Exos are waterproof and can swim.
5. Is Cayde-7 confirmed?
Currently, there are no plans for a Cayde-7. While Cayde-6 will return in The Final Shape, it’s a specific narrative instance, not a resurrection.
6. Why do Exos have numbers after their names?
The number after an Exo’s name indicates the number of times their system has been rebooted. Each reboot erases memories, making it harder for them to recall their past.
7. Can Exos feel touch?
Yes, Exos can feel touch. They can also produce warmth when touching others.
8. Do Exos bleed?
Yes, Exos can leak fluids resembling blood when they sustain significant damage. These fluids are part of their internal systems.
9. Can Exos kiss?
Yes, Exos can kiss and experience warmth during physical intimacy. This capability was intentionally implemented.
10. How are Exos named?
Exo names are either regular human names or nouns followed by a number, as was previously explained. This numerical designation represents the count of reboots.
11. How do Exos become Guardians?
After the Collapse, many Exos survived and were later resurrected by Ghosts to become Guardians.
12. Why was Cayde-6 killed off?
Bungie killed off Cayde-6 to generate shock value and create a more compelling narrative in Destiny 2: Forsaken.
13. Is Cayde-6 still alive?
Cayde-6 is dead in the primary Destiny timeline. His Ghost, Sundance, was destroyed, preventing his resurrection. However, he will appear in The Final Shape expansion.
14. Who is Ace to Cayde-6?
Ace was Cayde’s son before the Collapse. He knew this because it was written in a journal he discovered.
15. Who will voice Cayde-6 in The Final Shape?
Nathan Fillion is reprising his role as Cayde-6 in The Final Shape expansion, which means the community are looking forward to the beloved character coming back to the Destiny Universe.
Conclusion
The ability of Exos to eat is a fascinating example of the depth and complexity of the Destiny 2 universe. It highlights the game’s exploration of identity, consciousness, and the nature of humanity. While Exos are machines, their capacity to experience and enjoy food serves as a constant reminder of their human origins, and the delicate balance they must maintain to avoid losing themselves to the machine. It also raises questions about the definition of life itself, and what truly constitutes being human in a world where the line between man and machine has become increasingly blurred.