Lightfall, the newest expansion for Destiny 2, is here. As is typical of Destiny 2 expansions, it answers some questions while leaving plenty unanswered. One question players might have is about the meaning of a line at the very end of the campaign. At the climax of Destiny 2 Lightfall, one character says the word “Cemaili.” What does this mean? Let’s dig in.
Spoilers ahead for Lightfall.
Who or What is Cemaili in Destiny 2?
In the final battle of Lightfall, Guardians face off against the Disciple Calus. It’s a tough, two-phase fight, and when Calus is finally defeated, he dies in the manner of Rhulk from the Vow of the Disciple Raid and the Tormentor enemies — he makes like a tree and gets out of there. Before he does, however, he cries out “Cemaili!”
Who is Cemaili? Our best guess is that this is the name of Calus’s old wife and Caiatl’s mother. She’s seldom been referenced in Destiny 2, but is mentioned in the Lightfall Collector’s Edition lore. Caiatl asks Calus about her mother, and he gives a very un-Calus response in which he blames himself for her loss. Of course, it’s worth noting that in that same lore book, Caiatl describes her father as “full of shit.”
Given all of the Witness’s dialogue about Calus fearing pain and loss, maybe losing Cemaili is what kicked off his entire arc. Before he was deposed by the Midnight Coup, Calus was all about hedonism and having a good time. It’s possible that all of this was a reaction to the loss of his wife, which would, we suppose make him a slightly more tragic character.
Or maybe Cemaili is the name of Calus’s favorite war beast or childhood sled. It’s hard to know right now, but maybe Lightfall lore books will confirm Cemaili’s identity one way or the other.
