Eris Morn and Drifter’s relationship, explained – Destiny 2 lore

Eris Morn and Drifter appear to have a delicate relationship in Destiny 2, especially during the game’s third episode, Heresy. If you took a break or (understandably) don’t always look at lore blurbs, you might be surprised by these two being almost together—but there’s a perfect explanation.

The coupling, often called Drifteris by some fans, has been around in some shape since at least 2020, but it came to the spotlight during Heresy. A certain spoiler-y story event from week one has the Drifter putting his feelings about Eris in the open, and the dialogue leaves little doubt about it.

My name is Byf has a great video about the pairing’s more recent lore entries, but we went back to the beginning for this article. Here’s an explanation of this relationship based on the lore we’ve seen so far (and with tremendous help from some friends who are stalwart Eris Morn/Drifter fans and the Ishtar Collective website).

Are Drifter and Eris a couple in Destiny 2?

There’s some clear affection between Eris and Drifter, and it has been growing for years in lore entries and other dialogue. They’re not openly together like Osiris and Saint-14, but it’s clear they care deeply for each other, even if they struggle to express it. With how understandably guarded both Eris and Drifter are, though, that’s as “together” as it gets for now.

Eris and Drifter’s relationship, explained

The relationship between Drifter and Eris is dyed with the dark shades of their past lives. Eris was trapped inside the Hellmouth for years, losing her Ghost and her entire fireteam in the process. She only escaped after she wished on an Ahamkara bone she kept as a trinket, which gave her the three Hive eyes she now has. Trust in Eris often comes with a thin veil of wariness, and she sees it.

Drifter, on the other hand, has had his Light since the Dark Ages. Since then, he’s had many names and even more losses as he had to fend for himself. He works better alone and isn’t keen on trusting anyone. And that’s why the pairing works so well.

By all accounts, Drifter and Eris aren’t exactly quick to open their hearts, and it’s rare to see them become vulnerable. Slowly, though, the two built up this trust through familiarity, respect, and presence. Before Eris had what looked like Hive eyes in her apartment specifically for Drifter’s delight, she called him “rat” (a highly controversial nickname due to its racial connotations). And while he called her “three eyes” at first, that gradually grew into him not-so-discreetly calling her “moonlight.”

Trust is a major point in this relationship, and Eris has Drifter’s trust, figuratively and literally. In a major cutscene early into Heresy, Eris is wielding his hand cannon, called Trust. Here are some of the most important moments to understand the evolution of their relationship.

How did Eris and Drifter meet?

Drifter and Eris started getting to know each other in Season of Arrivals, the last season before Beyond Light‘s release in late 2020. Eris needed his help to read the Darkness, and that led to an understanding between them, as shown in the Whispering Slab lore entry. This is also the origin of his nickname for her—”Moondust,” after the actual dust from the Moon she left on the floor of his ship.

“The two sit. They speak. They listen,” the entry reads. “Linkages forged in Light and Dark of traded secrets as the Derelict hangs in orbit around the Earth. Pacts are made. Soon, there is only the silence of knowing left between them.”

The Prophecy dungeon heralded something was about to happen, but it wasn’t clear exactly what. Eris and the Drifter lend their expertise throughout the dungeon, with their banter peppering the Prophecy dialogue as they try to make sense of what the Nine are saying. This ended up being the Darkness invasion in Beyond Light, which led to the sunsetting of some older areas such as Titan, Mercury, and Io.

This is the beginning of their growing friendship, which evolves into something bigger than that over the years. It’s hard to know exactly what to call it—love, appreciation, respect, reluctance, devotion, understanding, and, above all, trust—but it slowly developed into more, spread out over seasons with lore blurbs and dialogue.

Eris and Drifter’s relationship grows

The two got some more time in the spotlight with the Eris-led Season of the Haunted in 2022, where the former Hunter guided the Vanguard through their fears that gave shape to the Nightmares. The seasonal Hunter set has a few lore entries regarding the two, with the Eidolon Pursuant Cloak being arguably the most important. In it, Eris calls the Drifter “Germaine,” one of his many names—and as close to a real name as the Drifter has.

“‘Germaine.’

He stops. Eris knows his concern belies a nobility that he often attempts to suppress in favor of the persona of the Drifter. It is a ruddy shield, but she has seen the true him hidden under that layer of grime.”

Eris calling him “Germaine” resurfaces in what might be our favorite lore entry for this duo: Season of the Deep’s lore book, Purpose. In IV. Tether, Eris convinces Drifter to talk to Sloane about her predicament, being suddenly afflicted by Taken powers.

The two hold hands—and though this sounds like it would be completely scandalous in a Victorian novel, it’s an essential moment of vulnerability between two people who struggle to become vulnerable. There’s no singular quote that encompasses what happens here, and it’s undoubtedly worth delighting yourself with the entire lore entry.

Things evolve from there with the also Eris-led Season of the Witch in late 2023. One of the seasonal weapons was a hand cannon called Kept Confidence, which is intentionally close to Drifter’s Trust hand cannon (talk about relationship goals). The lore for it, too, is fitting: The Vanguard became skeptical after Eris became the Hive God of Vengeance, but Drifter didn’t believe them because he placed his trust in Eris. It’s also where the Guardian learns about his penchant for eating Hive eyes.

The following season, the two have a heartfelt discussion about what they’ll do with the impending Final Shape and the looming threat of the Witness. The Gloaming Journeyer sparrow lore describes the two hugging (how libidinous!) and ends with the Drifter saying he wouldn’t leave the Sol System because he’d “miss the moonlight.” Subtle, Drifter. Eris replies with another smooth line of her own in the False Idols lore entry.

Before Heresy started, the Drifter was making Bento Boxes for Eris as part of the Past Is Prologue event. The quest descriptions show Eris was more than happy to take these gifts, and Drifter certainly went to a lot of trouble to make them.

What happens to Drifter and Eris now?

It’s hard to tell what Destiny 2 has in store for the relationship between Drifter and Eris. The Bungie layoffs in 2024 (less than a year after the also-devastating layoffs after Lightfall) hit the narrative team hard. One of the writers behind the pairing, Hazel Monforton, was affected. Monforton “contributed a lot” to Heresy, she wrote on social media, so anything could happen after that.

Personally, I’m hoping they keep building on this relationship. The will-they-won’t-they is quite entertaining—just like when that friend who’s been living with their SO for years discovers they’re basically married already. And when they do, I know some people will celebrate with fireworks and pineapple. Hive eyes are rather hard to find, after all.