Nimbus

Mar 19, 2023

Published 6 minutes ago Destiny 2's Lightfall campaign didn't quite hit the notes the community expected it to, and Cloud Strider Nimbus is not as out of place as they seem. Destiny 2's Lightfall expansion introduced players to an entirely new side of the human race post-Collapse, as Guardians found their way to the city of Neomuna on Neptune, where human citizens uploaded their consciousness into the so-called CloudArk. Neomuna is very different compared to what players are used to in terms of Destiny 2 locations, and yet it can feel oddly familiar due to the sense of impending doom brought about by the Lightfall campaign and its ongoing war with the forces of the Witness. And yet, in this context that screams "the end of mankind" even through marketing material, many players felt that the inclusion of the Cloud Strider Nimbus was out of place. Destiny 2's Cloud Striders are technologically-modified human beings who commit to cutting their lifespan short via augments, gaining an expiration date of ten years, all in order to protect the city and its inhabitants. However, Destiny 2's Nimbus can feel like an immature character due to them being a rookie and making jokes or using an almost jovial tone in otherwise dramatic situations, but there is more to them than meets the eye. For starters, Nimbus, and Cloud Striders as a whole, are the antithesis of Destiny 2's Guardians because the former have to accept their mortality and the latter are virtually immortal. Why Destiny 2's Nimbus is Not Really Out of Place in Lightfall It's worth noting that Nimbus is an inexperienced Cloud Strider and is still training under Rohan when the Lightfall campaign starts, possibly hinting at the fact that they may have less than a year's worth of expertise. This is important for several reasons, starting with the fact that Rohan has been looking into Destiny 2's Veil replica at the hands of the Vex for a long time, and subsequently has dealt with them in combat too. This is likely the biggest conflict Neomuna has ever seen, and Nimbus is called to arms against enemies they don't understand, and much more is at stake than they could have ever imagined when signing up for the job. Nimbus' less serious tone may even be a defense mechanism due to them being very self-conscious about dying, given the Cloud Striders' 10-year expiration date, and even more so after the premature death of Rohan. Destiny 2's Lightfall campaign doesn't dwell much on the consequences of Rohan's sacrifice and what it means for Nimbus as the last living Cloud Strider, and even Nimbus themselves dismiss this event as something that they cannot change. Rohan was more reflective and serious, and he better aligned with the tone set by the campaign and the role played by Osiris as well, with him still not being over Sagira's death and coming to terms with his own mortality. This complimentary relationship was short-lived, however, as Rohan didn't appear a lot in Lightfall before his demise. On the other hand, Nimbus' playful attitude made of fist bumps and cringey remarks may feel very detached from the rest, but that is not necessarily a bad thing, especially considering that it was the role of the beloved Cayde-6 in Destiny 2 's early days. Lastly, Destiny 2 players found evidence of Nimbus' immaturity within the game, possibly explaining their behavior. In fact, a line of dialogue from Quinn in Neomuna's Hall of Heroes describes Nimbus before they became a Cloud Strider as a "scrawny kid, 155 centimeters, maybe 45 kilos after a big meal," which can lead one to believe that they applied as a 12-year-old. Despite their imposing presence, Nimbus might very well be the equivalent of a regular teenager, thus explaining their approach. Overall, Nimbus is not a bad character in the slightest, and the series has seen a lot of success with similar archetypes in the past - even with Fynch from The Witch Queen expansion. Destiny 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.