Alright lets get right into it.
Im going to try to make a case for Yor having access to an Ascendant Realm.
Im sure by now most of us have read the new lore regarding the murder of Cayde 6. In this, it is stated that a “devouring bullet” (a bullet that eats light) was used to perma-kill Sundance, Cayde’s ghost. To forge this effect, it is explained that an Ascendant Realm is necessary.
As we know by now, Ascendant Realms are your ultimate backup plan in the possibility you are eventually killed. Well how do you get one of these? I think the Mindbender is a good example of this. While he was versed in Hive magic previously, he had not yet achieved Ascendant status. Killing Cayde did the trick for him though. If you want it, the killing of a powerful foe is enough to carve out a space for you.
Back to Yor.
He has a weapon that devours light already. Thorn. So right off the bat we know that an ascendant power was necessary to craft it. Playing devils advocate, lets just assume that someone else with an AR made this weapon.
Lets take the path the Mindbender took. Yor murdered many powerful Guardians.
Jaren Ward.
Pahanin.
Thalor.
Just to name a few that we know of for sure. ONE of these Guardians alone would be enough to grant him ascendancy if he so desired. All 3 and you’re looking at quite the formidable domain. So even if he didnt use his AR to craft Thorn, he still had the option of one afterwards. In this context, his words on Thorn mean a great deal more they originally could be taken for. Almost as if he knows what his murders have gained him.
[u.1:5.7] This is farewell, but you can only run from your sins so far. In the end, you will die alone.
[u.2:6.0] Maybe so. But I gotta tell ya… I tend to like my odds.
[u.1:5.8] Your tainted “Rose” will not always save you.
[u.2:6.1] Old friend… It already has
Im almost done, bear with me. But if we head just a little farther into the rabbit hole we come to quote made by none other than our Bungie overlords. In a conversation with some of the content creators at the Destiny 2 Summit at Bungie HQ, the question was posed of how our Guardian would fare in a fight against the Shadows. Bungie’s reply was very interesting. They said we shouldn’t pick battles that we would lose.
This is interesting for multiple reasons but Im only going to focus on one. We killed Oryx. A god by all rights. If we face a force stronger than Oryx, and they are aware of the Ascendant Plane, then they most definitely have the option to carve out their realm.
And if Yor has made a realm for himself, what does that say about the Guardians acquiring “Dredgen” titles in Gambit? If Yor made a covenant similar to the likes of Savathun Xivu or Oryx, we could unknowingly be tithing to Yor’s nature, increasing his power. Of course this last part is pure conjecture.
The point of all this isnt to say that Yor is definitively back, but instead ask, does it make sense for a Legend of this stature to not know about Ascendant Realms and furthermore not utilize one? Food for thought. Let me know whatcha think!