Keith David speaks his first words as Destiny 2's Commander Zavala: 'I used to think I'd give anything to bring him back'

The untimely death of Lance Reddick in 2023 was felt throughout the entertainment world. For Destiny 2 fans, the loss was especially acute: Reddick had provided the voice of Commander Zavala, Vanguard Commander of the Last City, since the release of the original Destiny in 2014. The character's fate in the wake of Reddick's passing was unclear at first, but Bungie opted to keep him around, with Keith David, another widely-respected character actor, stepping in to fill the role.

Eight months after David's casting announcement, we've finally got our first look—or, more appropriately, listen—at his take on the character, and I have to say, it hits the spot.

BREAKING: First look at Keith David's (@ImKeithDavid) Commander Zavala in Destiny 2 The Final Shape. pic.twitter.com/aAY1J7JHuAMay 23, 2024

I'm a very lapsed Destiny 2 player but even so, this clip lands just right. It's Zavala—a little more gravelly, maybe a bit deeper, but with inflection and intonation close enough to the original that I don't come away feeling like Bungie hired an imitator, they hired a new Zavala to carry on the role. And even though it's not a reference to Reddick, the fact that Bungie chose this particular quote for David's debut really comes off as a touching homage. 

The reaction from fans is widely positive too. Many replies on Twitter express the understandable sentiment that you can't replace Lance Reddick, but that David's take—based on this very brief clip, at least—is right on the money. Several people say it sounds like Zavala has simply aged a few years, and that his voice is more timeworn; one apt description said David's voice in the role is «like a different but familiar feeling.»

Prior to Reddick's death, Zavala was actually the last of Destiny 2's Vanguards to still have his original voice actor: Nathan Fillion, who voiced Hunter Vanguard Cayde-6, was replaced by Nolan North (although he eventually came back to the role) and Gina Torres, original voice of Warlock Vanguard Ikora