The complete story of Destiny 2 Season of the Haunted (so far)

Ever since Destiny 2 switched from a strictly expansion-based story model to a seasonal one, the game has become more consistently enjoyable. However, it can be hard to keep up with these constantly introduced story elements, especially for fans who like to take long breaks from the game. So, here is a summary of what happened during the Season of the Haunted storyline.

Destiny 2 Season of the Haunted story summary

What happened in the Season of the Haunted story during Week 1?

We begin by finding out that Calus has brought his Leviathan to the Moon, where he hopes to commune with the dormant Pyramid of Darkness. The Vanguard decides to mobilize the H.E.L.M. and confront Calus and the Moon's Nightmares head-on.

Your first mission is to head aboard the now derelict Leviathan and confirm if Calus has made a connection with the Pyramid. You find the once Opulent ship now filled with Phantoms of the Pyramid and covered in the Egregore Fungus that plagued the Glykon Volatus ship of the Presage quest. During this mission, you will encounter a Phantom known as the Nightmare of Safiyah. She will lead you through the rest of the mission until you reach a trap left by Calus. You manage to escape safely and flee the Leviathan.

After safely returning to the H.E.L.M., Eris Morn explains to Zavala and Caiatl that the Pyramid is stirring for the Leviathan. It is now manifesting the Guardian's deepest regrets and fears. Eris Morn performs a Hive ritual with Zavala and The Crow to attempt to bind their respective Nightmares within their bodies. We see Safiyah behind Zavala and Uldren Sov behind The Crow during the ritual. We are then shown that even though Caiatl did not take part in the ritual, her Nightmare, Ghaul, appears behind her.

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You head into the Leviathan's Underbelly with Crow in the Sever - Shame mission as you try to deal the first cut to Calus's connection with the Darkness. You place Ritual amplifiers as you make your way to the severance site. Eris Morn explains to Crow that Nightmares will manifest here and that they will take the form of Uldren Sov.

All throughout the mission, the Nightmare of Uldren berates Crow to try and get in his head. Crow keeps his cool at first but quickly becomes annoyed and loses control. Crow is unable to complete the Severence Ritual, as he is afraid to repeat Uldrens past mistakes.

After speaking to Crow following the mission, you find that he is beginning to realize what must be done. He states that he used to tell himself lies about who he was and where he came from, but that is exactly what Uldren did, and it is time to accept the truth and move on. Eris Morn explains that the situation is much more dire than originally thought and that the Levithan has become an extension of the Lunar Pyramid. She will ready Crow for the next confrontation.

What happened in the Season of the Haunted story during Week 2?

Eris Morn explains that we attempted the last ritual in the wrong way. The answer is not denial—we cannot simply exterminate these Nightmares. We must accept them and use the Darkness' own weapon against itself. She believes that acceptance can succeed where rejection failed.

You return to the Leviathan Underbelly with Crow to attempt the ritual once again in the mission Sever - Reconciliation. Crow is a little down about how his last ritual basically set us back to square one. However, he quickly returns to being optimistic. Uldren continues to berate Crow throughout the entire mission. Crow remains much calmer this time around and explains that he is ready to face whatever may come his way in order to complete the ritual.

After beginning the ritual again and defeating the Fanatic, Crow is ready to complete the ritual. He tells Uldren that he has accepted who he once was and that learning from Uldren's mistakes will help ensure that he never teeters over the edge. The ritual is successful, and the Leviathan's connection to the Pyramid frays.

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Meeting with Crow after the mission, he explains that this is what he was reborn into the Light for. He is to right Uldren's wrongs and, in doing so, forge his own path. He even discusses covering some of Cayde's old patrols and potentially taking his place as the Hunter Vanguard, if they will let him.

When you meet with Eris Morn, she explains that Darkness can be used for good. She states that Uldren was as much a part of Crow as the Darkness is a part of you. Through the bond with the Crown of Sorrow, we will be able to use the Nightmares against Calus.

Caiatl gives you a status update on her findings. She has found that the Leviathan, for a period of time, existed in an anomaly between the known and unknown dimensions. It returned, many of the Loyalists were dead, and the Egregore Fungus had taken over all decks. At the request of Valus Forge, Crow will assist them in a joint investigative mission.

What happened in the Season of the Haunted story during Week 3?

You travel to the Levithan Underbelly with Zavala in the Sever - Grief mission. It is time for him to perform his Severence Ritual. He is much more focused on the mission compared to Crow, but you can still tell that his Nightmare, Safiyah, weighs heavy on his mind.

The Nightmare of Safiyah tries to dig at Zavala throughout the mission, saying that he wants her forgiveness but pretends that she never existed. Claims that his mourning and praying did no good as Ghosts did not find her but found the enemy. She blames Zavala for the death of their son.

Zavala is clearly grieving as you begin the Severence Ritual. During the ritual, you fight the Nightmare of Kethiks. Supposedly, this is the Fallen who killed Zavala's son. When you put an end to Kethiks, you find that Zavala was unable to complete the ritual. His grief was too much for him to take, and you retreat back to the H.E.L.M.

Upon speaking with Commander Zavala he tells you that he does not see the point in recounting the past, but if you wanted to know the truth then Eris would tell it. Eris tells you that Zavala once loved a woman and her name was Safiyah. She was a mortal surgeon from before the Vanguard and The Last City. One day they recovered an orphan boy from a Fallen ambush. They decided to raise the child as their own and call him Hakim. Hakim grew to be much like Zavala, so much so, that he follows him into battle. It is here that Hakim is slain by the Fallen.

Zavala blames himself for the death of his son, but Safyah knew it was not his fault. Regardless, Zavala returned to Lord Saladin and the Light, and Safiyah went her separate way. She ended up falling in love once again before eventually passing away. Zavala mourned her and asked for her forgiveness, but he has still yet to find it.

Eris tasks you with continuing to confront the Nightmare threat on the Leviathan. You will try the ritual again soon.

What happened in the Season of the Haunted story during Week 4?

You return to the Levithan Underbelly with Zavala once again in the Sever - Forgiveness mission. He is once again very calm heading into the ritual. Safiyah once again starts to speak with Zavala, only this time it seems as though she is fairly calm as well. Her words are soft and her voice is understanding.

However, that quickly changes as the mission continues, explaining that she hates the Traveler because Zavala worships it the same as her son's murderers worshipped it. He explains that the Traveler is not his god. She also asks Zavala, how many souls must have been taken in order to do the bidding of this "god."

Once you and Zavala are ready, he will start the ritual. You will once again face off against the Nightmare of Kethiks. Only this time when you defeat him, you do not return to a defeated and broken Zavala. He explains to Safiyah that maybe they can heal together and after a while, the scars might begin to fade. After she is severed, she explains that what happened to their son was not Zavala's fault and that Hakim would not blame him either. Hakim would only be hoping that his father was proud of him for having the courage to run into battle. Zavala explains that he might actually get some sleep tonight as well as dream of Safiyah and Hakim. He has finally forgiven himself for what has happened.

Upon returning to the H.E.L.M. Zavala explains that he is proud of all the good the city has done but is not so sure about what we had to do to keep it or who we had to fight. He explains that our minds were not meant to live this long and that he is tired. He talks as if he is looking to move on from the Light and the Vanguard altogether.

Eris Morn explains that the severance ritual with Zavala was successful and that we have loosened the connection between Calus and the Darkness. She explains that we must continue the fight and that she will be in touch with our next steps.

What happened in the Season of the Haunted story during Week 5?

Caiatl states that she is tired of waiting around while Calus gains power, and Ghaul looms over her head. So she decides to head to the Levithan Underbelly herself and face Ghaul. However, without the spell of binding from Eirs, she will be vulnerable. You chase after her in the Sever - Rage mission where she says that you can help fight the loyalists alongside her legionaries but Ghaul is all hers.

After catching up to Caiatl in the Levithans Underbelly, she agrees to let you help in the ritual. While she takes part in the severance ritual, you will fight off the Nightmare of Ghaul. Once you defeat the Nightmare of Ghaul, you return to Caiatl to find she has failed the ritual due to her not taking part in a binding ritual with Eris. Ghaul bullies her with rants about his own accomplishments and wonders where the powerful student he once taught was. Caiatl explains that the student was left on the Cabal home planet when it burned.

You then travel to the Moon, where Eris feels the Darkness attempting to grab hold of both the Pyramid and old Hive carvings below the surface. She advises you to investigate the Lunar Pyramid and see what you can find. You find that Calus sent some of his loyalists down to the Pyramid in a bid to get Calus more in touch with the Pyramid.

You return to the H.E.L.M. to debrief with Eris. She explains that she sees now Claus is trying to commune with the Pyramid and seize control of it. However, it is not out of his own volition, but in service of our true enemy, The Witness. Eris is going to prepare a binding ritual to add Caiatl to our bond. She tasks you with returning to the Levithan to continue your work against the Nightmares.

What happened in the Season of the Haunted story during Week 6?

You once again return the Leviathan's Underbelly in the Sever - Resolve mission. This time you accompany Caiatl on her second attempt at the severance ritual. The odds weigh further in your favor this time as Eris has bound Caiatl to the Crown of Sorrow.

A little while into the mission, The Nightmare of Ghaul will continue his harassment of Caiatl. He states that she is weak and needs the light-bearers to help her in a fight that should be her own. She hits him back with the explanation that allies are not a weakness. You eventually make it to the Ritual location, and Caiatl wants to waste no time, asking you to begin the ritual now.

You once again face off against the Nightmare of Ghaul. After a tough battle, you return to Caiatl to see that she has not failed the ritual this time. She stabs Ghaul with her sword and in a way cleanses him. He admits that Caiatl has surpassed him and other legends. While he once attempted to capture the light only to get burned by it, Caiatl was able to get the Light to serve on her War Council. Caiatl explains that it was not conquest, but compromise that did this, something she learned without the teachings of Ghaul.

You return to Eris where she explains that the Leviathan's connection has essentially been severed, but for some reason. the Leviathan has not roused in any way. She tasks you with continuing to contain the Nightmares aboard the Leviathan while she searches for what might have changed with the Leviathan.

What happened in the Season of the Haunted story during Week 7?

Eris has informed you that the final severance ritual came too late. Calus has extended his full consciousness into the lunar pyramid and has begun assuming control. However, not all of Calus has finished merging with the Leviathan. We must try one final severance ritual to dislodge him from the pyramid before the change becomes permanent. Crow, Zavala, Caiatl, and Eris will all join you to bring an end to this together.

You return to the Levithan in the Catharsis mission. In an all-out assault, The five of you rush towards Calus's Throne Room. Along the way, Crow becomes overwhelmed and Eris moves to assist him. Zavala is also injured in the attack. That leaves just you and Caiatl to face off against Calus. You begin the final severance ritual. Calus summons all of the Nightmares you have fought before including The Fanatic, Kethiks, and Ghaul. After you defeat all three of them, Calus disappears and the rest of your team catches up to you. Caiatl explains that Calus is dead, and has given himself completely to The Witness.

Eris explains that even though we have defeated Calus for now, the battle is not over. He has become a herald of The Witness and a harbinger of a second collapse. She explains it will take months to clear the remaining Nightmares from the Leviathan to ensure it is no longer a threat, however, it may all be for nothing. The Witness is near, and it is the beginning of the end.

That is the entirety of the Season of the Haunted story. Storywise, this season took huge leaps in both pacing and subject matter. It will be interesting to see where the world of Destiny 2 goes from here. It is possible that there will be more of the story released before next season, and if that happens will update this guide accordingly.

For more Destiny guides, check out All Calus Bobblehead locations on the Derelict Leviathan in Destiny 2 – #1 Fan Triumph right here on Pro Game Guides.