I've never seen anything so serene in this world as the opening of Destiny 2 Episode Echoes.

The plot and sheer volume of content in Destiny 2: The Final Shape have spoilt us. The 2014 release of Destiny marked the beginning of the Saga of Light and Darkness, which has a deserving conclusion with this expansion. As the first Episode Echoes of the game began, I started crying because I was seeing this universe experiencing peace for the first time in ten years.

Once Excision is finished and The Witness is destroyed, there is a quiet moment in the Destiny 2. cosmos. That's what we're experiencing at the moment. The opening sequence of Episode Echoes features a group of characters we've grown to know over the last several years, all of them joyfully celebrating. Everyone is content even though fragments of The Witness are bursting forth to wreck havoc in the system.Saint-14 and Osiris inform us that while our previous pals have gone on, we now have a new group to battle any enemies who feel like picking fights. When Caitl and Zavala are seated to have fun, Nimbus the Cloud Strider appears to take center stage. Here, there's more going on than just good times. Hope exists.We are not led to believe that the system is in danger while this sequence continues. Anything that comes up after The Witness will be easy to handle. Rather, we see how the soldiers who have battled Darkness for so long that they have forgotten what it was like to take a break are now dreaming.

Instead of having to live in continuous fear of Pyramids and The First Knife, Saint-14 and Osiris wish to return to traveling to the farthest regions of space together and spending quality time together. Prioritizing oneself and living without concern for risk has always been emphasized in this series since there is always something else to be concerned about.Guardians have never been able to unwind, whether it be because of the Pyramids themselves coming to Earth, a different kind of Hive under the ice on Mars, Lightbearers who aren't Guardians, an Ahamkara, or SIVA. We've always had to be prepared to drop whatever we wanted to accomplish and into the battle.It will be intriguing to see this year's Episodes because, certainly, they will introduce us new dangers we have never seen before. However, I am very grateful that this is also the most laid-back Destiny 2 has ever been. The missions and activities we are instructed to play are moving at a slower pace, and I believe the community as a whole has long needed a break from the pressure to play as much Destiny 2 as possible every week.

I hope that this Episode cadence becomes the standard and that for years to come, Destiny 2 is free to develop in new ways thanks to them. Now that The Witness has, hopefully, brought an end to all the evil, death, and damage it has inflicted, I want to see the beloved characters start again and hear joyful tales from the cosmos.Following The Final Shape, Destiny 2 is at an amazing position. It merely has to stay at this level for the foreseeable future—a crazy content funnel is not necessary to keep people engaged. Though there is much to keep us occupied, it all has the sensation of lounging on a warm summer's day with a buddy and a cool drink. Everyone should take a breath, clink our pistols together, and reflect on what we've accomplished.We fiddle about, enjoying ourselves as we almost carelessly wipe up the system. This calm is maintained even if anything sinister does surface from these Echoes of The Witness. Honestly, it's just an excuse to continue shooting and having a good time for the remainder of the year.