The lands of Duviri may seem like something completely alien to the world of Warframe, an almost detached experience that seems like it was tacked onto the main story. In fact, that could not be further from the truth. The latest expansion to Digital Extremes’ ninja-like action title introduces some interesting new developments to ongoing stories and starts original narrative threads as well. If you’re confused as to what exactly happened with The Duviri Paradox quest in Warframe, here is an explanation of the story and major characters within.
What is The Duviri Paradox?
The titular paradox is a major plot point of the main story in this pocket world that seems to exist outside of normal space-time. The world’s name is derived from the Latin word “Duoviri,” which means “Two Men.” In the introductory scenes, we see the older version of the Operator, known as The Drifter, meld both versions of themself through a rift in time. Numerous times in Warframe’s story, there is mention of multiversal travel and manipulation of time itself using Orokin technology.
The Duviri Paradox, simply put, is how the Drifter separated themself from time to create a temporal paradox that could break the temporal loop inside of the world of Duviri, which was originally shaped by Drifter’s powers years ago while living along on board an alternate version of the Zariman Ten-Zero ship, a spacefaring “Generation Ship” that contained an experimental warp drive to travel to the distant star system of Tau Ceti. The paradox itself is loosely based on the real world thought experiment called the Twin Paradox. By manipulating time and contacting an alternate reality using the Void powers gifted to them, Drifter would use this to break the cycle.
What Is The Ending Of The Duviri Paradox About?
In one instance of the time loop, The Drifter receives assistance from beyond the time loop in the form of a mysterious meteor that contained a hand that granted them powers to break Dominus Thrax’s powers and help end the cycle. After meeting the Dax warrior Teshin, or a future version of him, Drifter remembers they created the world of Duviri, not Thrax. The world was based on a children’s storybook Drifter read in the past before the Zariman Ten-Zero would do its fateful jump through the Void, and it was formed by their powers.
After using the powers granted to them by the hand, Drifter rewinds time one final time to resurrect Teshin after he was killed by Thrax’s executioners in one loop, but mercifully gives the throne back to Dominus Thrax and leaves the world of Duviri for the Origin System.
Who Is Dominus Thrax?
Dominus Thrax is the self-imposed “King of Duviri”. They are a Tenno without the ability to control a Warframe, but instead can manipulate an environment and even time itself using their emotions. It’s largely believed these powers were given to them by the Void during the Zariman Ten-Zero’s first jump across the Void using its experimental warp drive. The incident would give birth to the Tenno, a group of young Orokin given mysterious powers known as Transference, the ability to control a Warframe using their consciousness.
Thrax was a unique case where instead of being given Transference, their power manifested differently where their emotions could cause different effects in the environment. If they were angry, fire would burn everywhere and turn anything living to ash. If Thrax was depressed, it would rain and clouds would appear out of nowhere. If they were overjoyed, color would appear and cause flowers to bloom and a pleasant aura to dominate everything.
Some time after the Zariman’s fateful jump, Thrax invaded the Drifter’s world of Duviri and installed themselves as a self-imposed king, or Dominus. Drifter was overthrown and turned into a plaything for Thrax’s emotions. Drifter would become trapped in a time loop controlled almost solely by Thrax using a mysterious device inside a throne room. Thrax would become dethroned by Drifter’s rebellious acts during the events of The Duviri Paradox quest, but still remains as the Dominus after being spared by Drifter.
Who Is The Drifter?
The Drifter is the alternate reality version of the player’s avatar, the Operator. For Drifter, after the events that created the Tenno, instead of being rescued from the Zariman Ten-Zero, they survived on board the ship for decades. Developing different versions of Void-born powers than what typical Tenno would, eventually it would lead to the creation of the world of Duviri, a pocket world that would react to the mood of its ruler.
After the events of The Duviri Paradox, Drifter freed themselves from the time loop and entered the Origin System and the current timeline of Warframe’s events. The Drifter would be met again during the events of The New War where they would assist The Operator in defeating the Sentient Hunhow and rescuing their surrogate mother and trainer, the Lotus, from the clutches of the Sentients.
Warframe is available now as a free-to-play game on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X & S.
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