Devrim Kay is one of the first NPCs you encounter in-game in Destiny 2. Stationed in the European Dead Zone (EDZ), Kay keeps a lookout on Earth’s ruins, his sniper rifle pointed out of a church window towards the alien enemies below. He also happens to be quite openly gay, something which many players may have missed if they weren’t playing close attention to his dialogue.
Devrim’s a silver-haired, British tea-lover (that kinda comes with the territory), but there’s more to his character than him being a well-spoken marksman. If you stick around long enough to listen to some of the character’s lines, you’ll hear him discussing how he misses home and the comfort of Mark, (presumably) the name of his partner.
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This dialogue is easily missed, but for those who catch it, you’ll hear Devrim discuss his “dear Mark” and how he misses him, before giving an awkward little cough after realizing that your player-character is watching him.
Listen below:
The original Destiny didn’t feature much in the way of characterization, with most of the characters you could come into contact with existing merely as plot devices to carry its dull story along. However, Bungie significantly upped their game in Destiny 2 (as pointed out in our glowing review of the game), and while the story is very formulaic it’s brought to life by a likeable cast of characters who provide it with a sense of purpose.
Devrim Kay’s discussion about his partner also marks the first time that an openly gay character has appeared in a Bungie game altogether. While the Halo series rarely touched upon the romantic relationships of its cast in general, with the Destiny universe being a diverse place it makes sense for a gay character to openly exist within it (though I’m unfortunately certain there will be more than a few people who will argue against that statement).
Devrim Kay may not have a particularly big role in the overarching story, but it’s still great to see Bungie introducing an openly gay character into the game, and in such a matter-of-fact way with a dollop of humor added in there for good measure. Kudos, Bungie.
(H/T Eurogamer)
