The Traveler in Destiny 2 was captured by the Cabal Red Legion, leading to the loss of Light for the Guardians. Eventually, it awakened and repelled the Red Legion.
In the events leading up to Destiny 2, the Traveler, which is a mysterious celestial body that had given the Guardians their power, remained dormant above Earth’s Last City. However, at the beginning of Destiny 2, the Cabal Red Legion, led by Dominus Ghaul, launched a surprise attack on the Last City. Ghaul was obsessed with the Traveler’s power and believed that the Cabal were more deserving of its gifts than humanity.
The Red Legion managed to deploy a massive device called the Traveler’s Cage, which effectively cut off the Traveler from the Guardians, stripping them of their Light and leaving the Last City defenseless. The Guardians were forced to flee and regroup to find a way to fight back without their powers.
Throughout the campaign, players worked to undermine the Red Legion’s control, rallying allies and reawakening their connection to the Light by finding shards of the Traveler that had broken off during the Collapse, an event that happened long before the start of Destiny 2.
In the climax of the game’s main story, during the final assault on the Red Legion’s command ship, the Traveler itself awakened from its long slumber. It broke free from the cage and unleashed a powerful burst of Light that not only destroyed the Red Legion’s forces and Ghaul, who had managed to harness some of its power, but also sent a wave of Light across the galaxy, signaling its reawakening to other civilizations and potentially other threats.
The awakening of the Traveler had significant consequences for the Destiny universe. It not only restored the Light to the Guardians but also acted as a beacon attracting new enemies and allies alike. The Traveler’s awakening marked the beginning of a new chapter in the ongoing battle between the forces of Light and Darkness.