Delving into the Ascendant Plane: How Mara Sov Forged Her Throne World
Mara Sov, the enigmatic Queen of the Awoken, is a figure steeped in mystery and power within the Destiny universe. Her ability to manipulate the Ascendant Plane and ultimately create a Throne World is a testament to her cunning and unique paracausal abilities. Mara did not create a throne world from scratch in the same way Hive Gods like Oryx did. Instead, she utilized the Awoken’s inherent connection to the Distributary and leveraged the power of Riven of a Thousand Voices, an Ahamkara, to shape and solidify a pre-existing pocket dimension within the Ascendant Realm. This became Eleusinia, which later manifested as The Shattered Throne. Mara’s Throne World differs from those of Hive Gods in that it’s not purely a reflection of her will and power; instead, it’s a testament to her strategic brilliance and her ability to weave together disparate forces and arcane energies.
The Foundations of Eleusinia
The process began with Eris Morn bringing knowledge of Oryx, the Taken King and the Taken to Mara’s attention. Realizing the immense threat, Mara recognized the need for a secure space, a bastion of power within the Ascendant Realm.
The key elements enabling Mara’s Throne World were:
- Awoken Weak Acausality: The Awoken, by virtue of their origins in the Distributary, possess a unique connection to paracausal forces. This is described as “weak acausality,” stemming from their exposure to cosmic energies. This connection manifests as a form of telepathy and a sensitivity to the Ascendant Plane.
- The Distributary Connection: The Distributary, the artificial world created within the singularity, profoundly shaped the Awoken. This connection grants them subtle but potent abilities to interact with reality in ways that defy normal causality.
- Riven’s Influence: The crucial element in shaping Eleusinia was the Ahamkara, Riven. Ahamkara are wish-granting dragons, beings of immense power capable of warping reality. Riven’s ability to manifest desires into existence was instrumental in solidifying Mara’s vision of a Throne World. Riven essentially served as the architect, using its power to sculpt the raw potential of the Ascendant Plane into a personalized domain.
- Strategic Planning: Mara’s genius lies not just in wielding power, but in leveraging existing forces to achieve her goals. She understood the potential of the Awoken’s connection to the Ascendant Plane and recognized Riven’s power as a tool to manipulate and reshape it.
- Blind Well Rituals: The Blind Well in the Dreaming City served as a conduit for channeling and focusing this power, drawing from the Dreaming City’s inherent connection to the Ascendant Plane. These rituals empowered the creation and maintenance of Eleusinia.
Mara Sov essentially manipulated an existing pocket dimension, leveraging Riven’s reality-warping abilities, the unique powers of the Awoken, and the ritualistic power of the Blind Well to create Eleusinia. This world served as a sanctuary, a staging ground for her plans, and ultimately, a means of restoring herself after her apparent demise at the hands of Oryx. This is a different approach to creating throne worlds when compared to other individuals such as Hive Gods who create their Throne Worlds almost purely using their will.
FAQs: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mara Sov’s Throne World
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the complexities of Mara Sov’s Throne World and its implications within the Destiny lore:
1. What is the Ascendant Plane?
The Ascendant Plane is a higher-dimensional realm adjacent to our own reality, governed by paracausal forces. It’s a place where the laws of physics are fluid and reality can be shaped by thought and power. Throne Worlds exist within this realm.
2. How does a Throne World grant immortality?
When beings with sufficient paracausal power die, their souls retreat to their Throne World. Because the Throne World is essentially a part of them, a reflection of their will, they can reconstruct themselves and return to the physical world, effectively achieving a form of immortality. However, they can be permanently killed if they die within their own Throne World.
3. How is Mara’s Throne World different from Oryx’s?
Oryx’s Throne World was a direct manifestation of his immense power as a Hive God, shaped by his philosophy of the Sword Logic. Mara’s Throne World, while powerful, was a collaboration, utilizing the Awoken’s abilities and Riven’s Ahamkara powers. Oryx’s was purely his, whereas Mara’s utilized outside sources.
4. Can any Guardian create a Throne World?
It is generally believed that only beings with significant paracausal power can create a Throne World. Toland, the Shattered, is an example of a Guardian who potentially crafted a rudimentary Throne World. However, it’s a complex and dangerous undertaking, and most Guardians lack the necessary power and understanding to do so. Hive and Elixni (the mindbender) have been proven to be able to create throne worlds, which suggests other races may be able to do so as well.
5. What is Riven’s role in the Dreaming City?
Riven, as an Ahamkara, was capable of granting wishes. Savathûn corrupted Riven, using her to create the endless cycle of the Dreaming City, a three-week time loop designed to empower Savathûn’s schemes.
6. What is “weak acausality” and how does it relate to the Awoken?
“Weak acausality” refers to the Awoken’s unique connection to the Ascendant Plane, stemming from their time in the Distributary. This allows them to perceive and interact with reality in ways that defy linear cause and effect, granting them subtle but potent abilities, including a form of telepathy.
7. How did Mara Sov return to physical form after her “death” against Oryx?
Mara Sov’s apparent death at the hands of Oryx was not the end for her. Because of the existence of her Throne World, Eleusinia, she was able to navigate to the Ascendant Plane after being freed from Oryx’s throne world and eventually reconstruct herself there. This highlights the importance of a Throne World as a sanctuary and a means of survival.
8. What is the Shattered Throne?
The Shattered Throne is a dungeon in the Dreaming City that allows Guardians to enter Mara Sov’s Throne World, Eleusinia. It serves as a physical manifestation of her power and influence within the Ascendant Plane.
9. What happened to Uldren Sov?
Uldren Sov, Mara’s brother, was manipulated by Riven and Savathûn, leading him to open the Prison of Elders and unleash chaos. He was eventually killed by either the Guardian or Petra Venj.
10. What is the significance of the Blind Well?
The Blind Well is a ritualistic site in the Dreaming City used to channel and focus the Awoken’s connection to the Ascendant Plane. It was instrumental in the creation and maintenance of Eleusinia, Mara’s Throne World.
11. How did Savathûn become a Lightbearer?
Savathûn tricked the Witness and protected the Traveler during the Collapse. She had the power to put the Traveler in her throne world, keeping it safe. She had already been chosen (meaning she was worthy) eons before us and was eventually resurrected by a Ghost.
12. Is Savathûn truly dead?
Savathûn isn’t permanently dead until her Ghost is destroyed. As long as her Ghost exists, she can be resurrected.
13. What is the Sword Logic?
The Sword Logic is the Hive’s core philosophy, stating that the universe is a proving ground where only the strong survive. To gain power, one must kill and take, thus proving their worth.
14. Who is the Witness?
The Witness is the primary antagonist of the Destiny saga, a being of immense power seeking to bring about the Final Shape.
15. What is the role of the Games Learning Society in understanding Destiny Lore?
While the Games Learning Society doesn’t directly focus on specific game lore, it provides a valuable framework for understanding how complex narratives and world-building, like those found in Destiny, can create engaging and educational experiences. Analyzing Destiny’s lore through the lens of game-based learning principles, as explored at GamesLearningSociety.org, can reveal how it fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative learning.