The Destroyer, The Dreamer, The Devourer, and the cause of humanity’s downfall across the Remnant: From The Ashes games, this fiend is thankfully gone byRemnant 2. But his influence is still felt across the realms, whether in the encroaching Root hordes, or the ruined civilizations that were left in its wake.

There’s some interesting lore about The Destroyer that starts all the way back in the prequel to the current games, and it’s worth dipping into it as it helps fill out a lot of the lore for the series. It also makes The Root look much more intimidating as an eternal enemy, always scratching to get in. So, to get you up and running with the best information, here’s everything you need to know about the Destroyer in Remnant 2.

Cronos Before The Ashes: How Cronos Looks From The Third Person Perspective

Who Is The Destroyer?

The Destroyer isthe name given to Chronos, the protagonist of Chronos: Before The Ashes,the prequel to the current Remnant From The Ashes universe. It was also where we sawthe first appearance of The Rootand the origin story of how The Root was able to invade the realms.

It was adevastating event that can be placed squarely at The Destroyer’s/Chronos’ feet. This was because hekilled the Guardians that were keeping The Root at bayduring the vents of Chronos: Before The Ashes. The Guardians weredeific creatures on the various worlds that appear in the Remnant Universesuch as Yaesha and Rom.

Cronos Before The Ashes:Cronos Standing Outside Of A Temple On Yaesha

These powerful presences were able tokeep the corruptive influence of The Root at bayand allowed their worlds to live in relative peace. However, rather interestingly,Chronos slaying them was not intended.

Much like how Wander was fooled in Shadow of The Colossus,Chronos was led astray by Clawbone, a Root-infested dragon creature that was manipulating Chronos into paving the way for The Root.

Cronos Before The Ashes: Cronos Activating A World Stone

The Earth did not have a Guardian, so it was much easier for The Root to infest and influence people.

The Destroyer And The Root

It’srevealed at the end of Chronos: Before The Ashesand through various notes that Clawbone and The Root were guiding others on the various worlds that they were trying to establish a foothold on.

They did this either the same as they did with Chronos or through other means, such asencouraging them to recover the World Stones(the Red Crystals) and bridge the gaps between worlds.

Cronos Before The Ashes: Human Sized Root Monsters Advance

The end goal was an easier way forThe Root to cross to other realms and run the proverbial Bulldozer through them. Most notably in Rhom, where theconflict escalated into a conflagration of nuclear firethat scoured the planet of all life.

Chronos wouldreappear again in the future as The Dreamer.They were put in place by The Root as a replacement for their previous subject who was killed by Chronos, even thoughHumanity had already tinkered with Dreamersand their ability to access other realms multiple times before, withthree of them going at oncethanks to pushes from Dr. Harsgaard.

Cronos Before The Ashes: Cronos Swinging His Hammer At A Stone Gaurdian

Harsgaard was the Scientist behind the Dreamer experimentsand was reportedly the first one on Earth to hear Clawbone through The Root. It was also ultimately because of him and his machinations through the Dreamer Project thatThe Root was able to worm their way first into The Labyrinth, then Earth.

Thanks to Chronos’ new ongoing connection to The Root as The Dreamer,over half the Earth’s population was wiped out in the ensuing conflictbetween humanity and this horror from another realm.

Cronos Before The Ashes: The Final Boss Battle Of Cronos Versus Clawbone

What Happened To The Destroyer?

Despite going on a whirlwind adventure that completely ruins the future for everyone,The Destroyer does receive some form of cosmic karma for their actions. They’re turned into The Dreamer that appears in Remnant: From The Ashes,the sleeping person that’s seen on the bed at the end of the game.

At the end of Chronos,Clawbone is defeated, and it seems like The Root’s connection to Earth has been stoppedas the previous Dreamer is dead.

Cronos Before The Ashes Cronos As The Dreamer

Theinside of Ward 17 in the Medical Wing is shown,and then suddenly a Root Corrupted Harsgaard appears over Chronos andinjects the back of his neck with a mysterious liquid. He’s then shown becoming the “Fourth Dreamer”, which finally opens the door to Earth for The Root to fully invade.

Those who are familiar with Remnant: From The Ashes will note thatThe Dreamer is the one responsible for maintaining the Root’s connection to Earth despite being in a coma. Though, they’re met right at the end of the game as a final boss fight.

Remnant From The Ashes: The Dreamer Awakes And Attacks

The Destroyer is finally dealt with for good at the end of Remnant: From The Ashes, asthe protagonists delve into The Dreamer’s mind to fight first Chronosand then The Nightmare — a creature that’s formed from The Dreamer’s connection to The Root.

According to the developers, it’s beenroughly one month since the end of Chronos: Before The Ashes and Remnant: From The Ashes.

It’s abrutal fight,but once the creature is slain, The Root’s connection to Earth seems to weaken somewhat. However, it establishes its corruptive influence in no time at all, asthe Earth in Remnant From The Ashes 2 is on the brink of being overrun by Root Monsters.

The Destroyer is referenced in Remnant 2by the Pan Flute Player, The Keeper, and theBurden of The Destroyer Ringsold by Cass in Ward 13.