Warning: This article contains story spoilers for Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate. We recommend completing the campaign before proceeding.
Destiny 2 frequently enriches its universe by introducing new characters and developing their narratives through expansions. With “The Edge of Fate,” the inaugural chapter of Bungie`s extensive “Fate Saga,” players meet Lodi, a genuinely novel and distinct character. Serving as the primary contact on the expansion`s destination, Kepler, Lodi possesses a profound and enigmatic backstory that weaves numerous fresh elements into the game`s evolving lore and overarching story.
Lodi is, in essence, a time traveler, snatched from his original era in the 1960s and thrust forward through centuries by a mysterious force. This origin sets him apart from Destiny 2`s typical immortal Guardians. His perspective, much closer to that of the game`s players, offers a grounded “regular guy” contrast to the fantastical beings that usually populate this universe, making him a fascinating anomaly.
In “The Edge of Fate,” Lodi is brought to life by actor Brian Villalobos, a newcomer to the Destiny 2 franchise. Since assuming the role, Villalobos has deeply engaged with the Destiny 2 world, even streaming the game on Twitch (his brother, Michael, is the acclaimed Dark Souls streamer LobosJr). This interview explores Villalobos`s experience playing Lodi and his journey to uncover the character`s intrinsic humanity amidst the game`s sprawling space opera.
Interview with Brian Villalobos
Q: Given your recent Destiny 2 streams, how familiar were you with the game and its narrative before taking on the role of Lodi? Could you describe your approach to understanding the character and integrating him into the Destiny universe, and how your prior knowledge (or lack thereof) impacted this process?
Brian Villalobos: My familiarity was quite limited. I wouldn`t call myself a *huge* gamer; my younger brother, a prominent Dark Souls streamer, did get me into that beautiful, albeit nightmarish, series for a while, and he`d dabbled in Destiny, but I never had. I received the casting call a little over a year ago. Of course, I`d heard of Destiny and knew it was a massive, enduring franchise with many friends who`d played it for years, but I mostly perceived it as a “space shooter”—you know, loading up with friends to blast robots and aliens. (Beyond that, I think I might have known Nathan Fillion was in it? Haha.)
What truly surprised and captivated me as I delved deeper was the profound depth and breadth of the storytelling, the characters, and the lore. It boasts a complete cosmology, featuring elements like space magic, space *religions* of a sort, coexisting peoples and societies, a complex military history, and Eldritch interdimensional meddling. It immediately felt as expansive and rich as something like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. This narrative aspect, which was the first part I engaged with as an actor preparing for the role and the first I genuinely fell in love with, was entirely new to me. Interestingly, this unfamiliarity, in a strange way, perfectly aligned with my preparation for Lodi. One of the many fortunate aspects of this character—and I`ve been incredibly lucky with him—is that he`s a “Timelost, Stranger In a Strange Land” figure.
So, my preparation involved playing the game, consuming lore videos, and studying Destiny`s storylines. However, much of Lodi`s essence **a.)** felt so clearly and beautifully conveyed on the page, and **b.)** was rooted in this notion of, `Okay, welcome to Destiny; you`re playing this astonishingly ordinary-seeming guy who`s constantly overwhelmed and bewildered by everything, yet incredibly fascinated by this vast, fantastical future-world he`s been abruptly thrust into. He has little clue what`s truly happening, is out of his depth, and genuinely wants to avoid messing things up, but he`s just trying his best.` And I thought, `Yep. I can *fully* relate to that.`
Q: Lodi grapples with incredibly challenging circumstances, having been abducted by aliens, catapulted into the future, and now experiencing mental manipulation. There are moments where intense anguish is palpable in your performance. Can you discuss the difficulties of conveying such a broad emotional spectrum? How do you channel such bizarre, unknowable strangeness to pinpoint the humanity in such an extraordinary situation?
Brian Villalobos: Honestly, it was just *so* much fun. So, so much fun. There`s an abundance of massive-scale weirdness, but that`s precisely what makes this role a dream. It`s a shame I can`t reveal spoilers, but there were things I got to do as Lodi that I literally never, ever, *ever* would have imagined I`d do as an actor. Ever. *Ever*. Haha. The stakes are immense, with cosmic, existence-altering implications, yet he`s still just a guy, dealing with it all. He`s intelligent, adaptable, kind, and open—all wonderful, useful tools. But someone essentially flipped the sheets of reality and spacetime on him, and he has to absorb it all, survive, and integrate without betraying his confusion. As an actor, you always have the script, the character`s thoughts, emotions, and experiences. And, if you`re lucky, the eyes of another actor. For the cinematic elements, I was incredibly fortunate: we did performance capture in Stockholm with multiple teams of wonderful people, including two truly amazingly gifted actors, Allyson Kulavis and Richard Sloniker—who are Destiny legends and, beyond voicing characters, have provided the physical and facial performances for many characters throughout the series—they made my job so much easier.
We started with performance capture, which was fantastic. Having Allyson and Richard as scene partners (and patient, expert PCap mentors, as it was new to me) helped anchor the performance. All I had to do was immerse myself in what I imagined Lodi was thinking and feeling, look into their eyes, and connect with their experience; I was instantly there. Then, during all the booth-recording sessions over the past year, that week in Sweden with the team, Allyson, and Richard provided a solid foundation, which was incredibly helpful when you`re alone in a booth imagining everything.
The Humanity in the Writing
Regarding humanity: it is truly embedded in the writing. The narrative team for “Edge of Fate” is incredible and supportive. They not only crafted a character that was instantly relatable to me but also offered immense freedom. While they had a very clear direction and a precisely scripted narrative, they also made me feel very, very free to infuse my own natural cadences, pauses, vocal idiosyncrasies, and truly my whole self and personality into Lodi.
Early on, I understood the colossal scope of this story. It involves almost incomprehensible cosmic elements, interstellar time travel, unknowable space deities, space wizards, and the potential end of existence. Not to mention, it`s Destiny, a franchise with over a decade of incredible performances, rich storytelling, a passionate community, and deep traditions. I *could* have chosen to pressure myself to live up to all that. However, I instinctively felt that approaching it that way wasn`t part of the job. The job is about this guy, what he`s thinking and feeling. What he *says* isn`t even my job—that`s already handled. I just needed to be open, trust the process, avoid judgment or adding anything extra, and *trust*, taking a step into the unknown. And trust. Much like the character himself.
Q: Lodi is also a particularly intriguing character within Destiny 2 because he is perhaps the most out-of-place individual possible within this universe, yet he must also project authority in guiding the player through the story. How did you manage to balance these two seemingly contradictory aspects?
Brian Villalobos: Again, it`s quite similar to the job itself. And, in a way, like any role an actor undertakes. To paraphrase the brilliant and kind Alison Lührs, Bungie`s narrative director, Lodi is a fish out of water, but he`s also the *most qualified* fish from that particular pond. So, as an actor, you arrive with your own set of experiences, skills, and perspectives, and you can feel a certain level of confidence and comfort in that, and in the fact that you`re here—that the artists creating this story saw something in you that seemed to fit their estimation, so you must be somehow `right` for the job. (That, or the other guy wasn`t available.) But you were chosen for this purpose. You`re `qualified,` so to speak. Yet, this job is different, enormous, strange, and there`s a lot riding on it. So, what do you do? You do what Lodi does. He`s like the S-Tier `fake-it-`til-you-make-it` guy. And don`t we all do that, to some extent? Or, not `fake it.` `Trust it.` A more positive spin. `Trust-it-`til-you-bust-it.`
Q: What aspect of playing Lodi did you find most interesting or compelling? What initially drew you to the role?
Brian Villalobos: Well, everything, which isn`t a great answer, but it`s the honest one. Literally everything about this guy was interesting and compelling to me. We also share a somewhat uncanny number of similarities on paper. We both appreciate languages and people, are inherently pacifists, share a primary passion for communication and connection, are both part Latino and speak Spanish but can effortlessly pass for a regular white dude, and are peacemakers to a fault—I mean, it gets silly. I even loved ceviche before I became vegetarian. (I mean, I technically still love it.) We even bear a slight resemblance.
One particular element of the character and story I especially enjoyed was the significant amount of situational comedy that arose from being a `guy from the `60s thrust into a space-magic future.` There were some truly, truly fun moments portraying Lodi as he became completely discombobulated while trying to maintain his cover and fit in with people who exist centuries beyond his frame of reference. He`s like the ultimate `How do you do, fellow kids?` type, which, come to think of it, is another similarity we share. I kind of feel like I`ve been functionally 40 since I was 17. (Without, like, all the responsibility and knowing-about-stocks stuff.)
Q: Were there any specific films or performances that inspired your portrayal of Lodi? Any other sources of inspiration?
Brian Villalobos: I received a light comparison to Kyle MacLachlan`s Dale Cooper, which made me squeal *very* audibly in the booth, because I`m a massive Lynch and Twin Peaks fan. And there was maybe, I think, a little mention of The X-Files. But honestly, it might sound mundane, but my North Star, so to speak, was the writing and Lodi himself. There were some *very* interesting and fun references made when discussing how to approach Lodi`s other—let`s say `personalities,` to avoid spoilers?—but I`m honestly not sure I`m at liberty to discuss those. Heh. Man. That`s why this character rules. I truly got to do so, so much with him that I never, ever saw coming.
Debunking a Conspiracy: Lodi and JFK
Q: Are you aware of the theory that Lodi assassinated JFK? Follow up: Did Lodi assassinate JFK? Do you have a different theory? We`re okay with headcanon for this one.
Brian Villalobos: Sorry, hold on. I think I`m getting a call. I probably need to answer this.