originally posted in:Seven Seraphs
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[quote][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seraph]The word seraphim, literally "burning ones", transliterates a Hebrew plural noun; translation yields seraphs. The singular, "seraph", is more properly rendered saraph. The word saraph/seraphim appears three times in the Torah (Numbers 21:6–8, Deuteronomy 8:15) and four times in the Book of Isaiah (6:2–6, 14:29, 30:6). In Numbers and Deuteronomy the "seraphim" are serpents—the association of serpents as "burning ones" is possibly due to the burning sensation of the poison.[1] Isaiah also uses the word in close association with words to describe snakes (nachash, the generic word for snakes, in 14:29, and epheh, viper, in 30:6).
The Isaiah vision of seraphs in an idealised Jerusalem First Temple represents the sole instance in the Hebrew Bible of this word being used to describe celestial beings.[2] "... I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and His train filled the Hekhal (sanctuary). Above him stood the Seraphim; each had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew." (Isaiah 6:1–3) The seraphim cry continually to each other, "Holy, holy, holy, is YHWH of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory." (verses 2–3) One seraph then carries out an act of purification for the prophet by touching his lips with a live coal from the altar (verses 6–7). The text uses the word "seraphim" but adds no adjectives or modifiers emphasising snakes ("nahash", etc.). At the same time the description gives the creatures both human and avian attributes. A strong association with fire, though, is maintained.[3]
Seraphs appear in the 2nd century BC Book of Enoch[4] where they are designated as drakones (δράκονες "serpents"), and are mentioned, in conjunction with cherubs as the heavenly creatures standing nearest to the throne of God. In the late 1st century AD Book of Revelation (iv. 4–8) they are described as being forever in God's presence and praising him: "Day and night with out ceasing they sing: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.'" [b]They appear also in the Christian Gnostic text On the Origin of the World, described as "dragon-shaped angels".[5][/b]
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So it seems Helveck's theories of dragons and Destiny might actually come to fruition after all? This also explains why The Seven Seraphs are also referred to as Seraphs and Seraphim. Seraphim means "burning ones". Whereas the word Seraphs is derived from the Jewish plural version of Seraph. So it actually isn't grammatically incorrect as some have tried to point out, when using "Seraphs" instead of "Seraphim", you're alluding to the Judaism derived word rather than the Greek word.
And now we come to Dragons. In the Book of Enoch, the Seraphs were designated as "drakones", which means serpents in Hebrew. But these "drakones" are also winged, in fact they have SIX wings, much like the picture above. And these wings are also alluded to in the 7Seraphs' emblem. In the Book of Isaiah they fly around God's throne saying the Trisagion ("Thrice Holy"). Maybe that's why the wing has three spines to it? Maybe I'm over analyzing here!
Maybe the Seraphs are the Dragons that protect "God's Throne"...then what is supposed to be "God's Throne" in Destiny? The Traveler, The Last City's Leader, Humanity, Earth? Because if there is a Throne, there has to be one to sit in it...who would that be? Maybe this "God" has sacrificed himself, and the throne is now vacant!
The Throne is the Traveler, and "God" is Humanity's savior in this case. And now the Aliens (vex, glimmer, cabal, fallen, Hive) wish to claim the Traveler, claim the throne, the mantle if you will. Now that whatever that used to pilot the Traveler is now gone. Kind of like Halo...
tl;dr:
SS = dragons
Dragons protect or patrol God's Throne
Traveler = God's Throne
Traveler's original pilot(s) = God
God sacrificed itself for Humanity
Dragons circle the empty throne
Aliens want to claim the throne
Aliens want to become "God"
Helveck was right
#Dragons
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Edited by Kempolazer: 4/29/2013 11:35:06 PMI've posted this somewhere else in the forum but It directly relates to this thread so I will reiterate my own speculation. I do not believe Seven Seraphs has anything to do with dragons. In an earlier mail sack (or interview I can't remember) Bungie revealed to us that Charlemagne was the name of a golden age AI on Mars. [quote]The City wants us to recover a piece of Charlemagne, one of the great Warminds of the Golden Age—a vast machine intelligence built by the ancient Powers of Mars[/quote] In the most recent mail sack Deej revealed that Osiris is an NPC. [quote]Player3Thomas: Would you please name a NPC after me? -Only if you change your name to Osiris. Or, Uncredited Robot #7.[/quote] So this is my grand-ish partially unified theory: In previous revelations to the community (alphalupi), it seems to me that there will be seven main locations within the game (unsurprising given Bungie's fondness for the number). I believe that each of these seven primary locations, whether they be planets, moons, space stations or whatever, each have with them associated a Warmind, a.k.a. a Seraph. These seven AI's represented the culmination of human achievement during the Golden Age, being responsible for defenses including weapon and armor technology, transportation, interplanetary reconnaissance and conflict strategy. When [cataclysmic event] happened and all the once great strongholds of man were defeated, the Warminds were left on their respective planets damaged or destroyed, and later taken by aliens such as the Cabal or Vex. I believe much of the game will center around investigating whether these AI's are still operational, where they are, and what information or technology can be salvaged from them. Two of these Seraphs we already know about, Charlemagne on Mars and Osiris. I also would not be surprised if the Traveler was also considered a Seraph, maybe it served as a blueprint for the creation of our own great machines. Other speculation I have in connection with this is the possibility that investigation of time travel by the Seraph on Venus lead to the emergence of the Vex, possibly even ushering in the [cataclysmic event], and that the Hellmouth on the Moon, if it is as we think the home of the Hive, may have been the home of another Seraph that researched solutions to aging and death (Osiris?), giving rise to zombies.