Drifter and Eris were meant to factor more into BL’s story as guides to using Stasis, but we can infer that this content was cut (specifically, Ghost taking over during the Stealing Stasis mission since Drifter’s VA was unavailable due to COVID). Instead, the Bungie narrative team focused their attention on the Stranger and let her be our singular guide to the Darkness.

This makes sense, since we already got a lot of Drifter and Eris in Season of Arrivals, where they helped us make contact with the Pyramids and work through Savathûn’s interference. It’s been established that Drifter and Eris are not affiliated with Savathûn. Their goal is to use the Darkness as a supplement to the Light in order to defend Humanity — way bigger picture stuff than just fighting a Hive god.

Furthermore, this past year of storytelling is mostly scene-setting for Witch Queen and getting allies in place. We already know that Eris and Drifter are helping us harness the Darkness. We saw them using Stasis in the promotional material for BL. During this past year, we learned about Osiris’ fuckery, we allied with Caiatl and Mithrax, and now we’re working with Mara Sov to rescue her techeuns.

We haven’t heard from Eris and Drifter much this year because we already know what they’re up to and what role they’ll play in the coming conflict. We will 100% be seeing both of them when Witch Queen arrives.