After a nice little two-week break, we are back with another Community Focus. With so much talk about Mara Sov witnessing Crow’s struggles with his own Nightmare in Season of the Haunted, this particular Community Focus has comes at an interesting time. When I first saw this cosplayer’s Mara, my jaw dropped to the floor. From the beautiful craftsmanship of the costume itself to the incredibly expert makeup that gave her that coveted Awoken look, everything about her Destiny 2 cosplay journey has sucked me in. Hopefully, our community feels the same!
Meet Adrienne Fiore, a US-based cosplayer that makes me feel almost bad for being angry at Mara and her crafty manipulations. Whether you love her or hate her, she’s a boss, and Adrienne perfectly captured this character’s essence in a way we’re are excited to share.
So, without further ado, let’s get into it.
Adrienne, welcome! Super excited to chat with you and show our community some of your awesome projects. Before we get started, go ahead and tell us a little bit about yourself!
I agree! Live-service games are great in a lot of ways, especially for players that want to feel connected to a world without that world going stale. We connected over a post you made with your Mara Sov cosplay on a wonderful Facebook page called The Ladies of Destiny. Honestly, I was floored by how spot-on your Mara expressions were. I’ve got to ask, when did you get your start in cosplay, and what made you pursue that?I’m Adrienne! I’m great, but I’d be better if I was playing Destiny right now! [laughs] I’m a single mom with a nine-year-old son (who also loves the game!). I also work full-time as a manager at Outback Steakhouse, so I sometimes don’t get to play as much as I’d like. I started gaming back with the first NES (shhh, I’m not old I swear) and from there, I was hooked. Throughout the years, I’ve owned every gaming console and have played thousands of titles, but it wasn’t until Destiny 1 came out that I finally found a game I could stick with. Over the years, I have made new friends and gotten current ones to play Destiny with me, and it’s honestly been great, especially with how much games like these evolve with time.
I actually first cosplayed as Mara in 2016 at MegaCon! Over the years, I’ve had several other characters I’ve cosplayed, but I’ve always wanted to redo Mara and improve on her as a way to test myself and see how my skills have evolved. Because of that, I’ve slowly been tweaking the entire costume over the years. My very first cosplay though wasn’t a gaming one, it was Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones (we don’t talk about season eight). One of my friends is super crafty, so she helped me get my start and because she’s such a good friend, she’s almost always down to help me with whatever new project I have in my brain. I got into cosplay for a pretty simple reason: I like looking like a badass! [laughs]
Is there a dream cosplay that you’d love to do one day, with no limits? Asking for me because I can’t even sew to fix a button despite numerous efforts to learn, so this whole process is magical to me!
Honestly, my two dream cosplays would be Final Fantasy’s Sephiroth and Mara Sov’s new outfit! Ever since she showed up in Destiny 1 and we had the The Queen’s embassy, I’ve been obsessed with all things Awoken and Mara Sov. In the first Destiny, I even had the full set of the Queen’s gear and rocked the cloak for the entirety of the game. No regrets. [laughs]
Hey, the dedication is admirable! Plus, you brought up ‘ol Sephi from Final Fantasy. That’s an instant win.
Speaking of wins and Destiny goodness, inquiring minds want to know: What subclass is your main squeeze when in-game? Are you a “my build must be perfect at all times” player or an “anything goes” type?
I’ve been a Hunter main since day-one (RIP Cayde), lately though I’ve really been focusing on a Stasis build. I know, I know, “Stasis hunters, cue angry noises,” but it works. For weapons, my go-to loadouts are Gjallarhorn, Suros Regime, Wish Ender, and Telesto. I do also have a soft spot for the Halloween extras. I’m still rocking the witch broom Sparrow from a couple of years ago. What can I say, I’m loyal.
I’m forever plagued by being surrounded by Hunter mains, the struggle is real. [laughs] Just kidding, I like that you love the class so much that you’ve experienced it evolve through the years, I think there’s something really special about that.
Because you’re such a naturally creative person, I’m lowkey dying to know where you would like to see the Destiny 2 story go from here?
Figures I’d say this because of my cosplay, but I just love the Awoken so much, I want more story surrounding them! The Dreaming City is my happy place, so anything related to that is amazing!
Even though I really miss Cayde-6 and I wish there could be some way to bring him back, I love Crow’s evolution and I have been enjoying seeing more about him. Really though, I just want to see him experience some happiness. He’s not Uldren, he deserves a fresh start.
I feel like the Dreaming City and your desire to see Cayde return could have so much potential for theories. We’ve seen some wild ones from the community about him and the Awoken! I’m pretty guilty of that too, even though I work here. Wanna trade gaming theories about what could be on the horizon?
Not so much a wild theory regarding specifics, but I do think it would be really awesome to have a mission here or there where we can play as an NPC. Like Variks, or maybe even Exo Stranger. It would be neat to see different perspectives of this world, even just for short bursts through a side quest or something.
Dibs on being a Servitor so I can just roll around like a big ball all day and do nothing yet still wreak havoc. Another favorite question I love to ask, especially to cosplayers because of how your minds see elements and how they translate into the real world: If you could come up with your dream subclass, what would it be? Anything goes, get weird if you want to.
Hmm. I think if I could craft a subclass, it would be a sort of do-it-yourself (DIY) one. A subclass where you could combine elements from all of the classes (within reason), so I can pick and choose what I like from each and still make it my own. I mean, just imagine having Blade Barrage and Stasis melee to freeze?! How cool would that be?
Also, not related, but please give me a Mara Sov action figure to buy.
Mara Sov subclass, roger that! Because of your relationship with the convention scene, is there anything you’d like to say to the Destiny 2 and gaming communities at large?
Just have fun. Do what makes you happy! I get a lot of grief for the littlest of things, like playing Destiny or investing in cosplay, but none of that has ever stopped me. It shouldn’t stop you either! Let people be happy and just be kind. Also, if you want to do a Destiny cosplay, or just cosplay in general? Do it! I don’t see it enough and I’d love to see more cosplayer takes on characters from Destiny 2.
You are such a joy to talk with, thank you for taking the time to chat about your love of Mara and your Hunter dedication. It was honestly a blast! Before we let you go so you can dominate in some Sever action, is there anyone you’d like to give a shoutout to? Don’t forget to tell people where they can find you to follow your cosplay journey!
I owe all of my raid and dungeon experience to KobnarCan on Xbox! He always makes a spot for me whenever I do finally have time to play. It means everything to me.
For anyone interested, you can follow me on Instagram! I also post my non-Destiny cosplay, progress shots, and more!
And that’s a wrap on another Community Focus and yet another inspiring community member. It’s always a good time when we get a chance to sit down with other players and get inside their heads a little bit to see the game world through their eyes. Adrienne was no exception, especially with the loyalty to her favorite characters. As a massive Crow fan, I understand those feelings and I know some of you all do too.
You are all inspirations and I hope that even when times are tough, when everything gets a little dark, that you remember that you matter. You are special, you are loved, and you are so incredibly appreciated. So don’t dim that light, keep shining. We’ll be here to watch you take over the world.
Before we let you go, be sure to check out our most recent Community Focus featuring the amazing Ansonikage. And don’t forget to drink your water, take those vitamins, and go out there and be your authentic self. Catch you on the flip side, Guardians.
“I should go,”
<3 Hippy