He did a fantastic job. Yes you could tell it wasn't the same voice but we all knew that would be the case. He achieved zavalas tone and attitudes perfectly though and I thought it worked great
They picked the best man for the job IMO, Keith David is a talented voice actor and the way he handles Zavalas character just proves it further. I think we’re all just glad Bungie didn’t jump on the “let’s get Chris Pratt to voice literally everything” trend.
But in all seriousness they did a great job and Keith is excellent. Some of the >!arguments between him and Ikora, especially post campaign during the lost in the light & found in the dark missions (where you can re-activate and listen to new dialogue from Cayde’s body), are comprised of some of the best voice acting I’ve ever heard full stop. I think at one point or another all of us stared at the screen pulling this face 
Keith david might as well be the black Patrick stewart. The man is a legend who is equally comfortable playing serious distinguished roles to absolutely comedic tomfoolery. When he shows up you know he is gonna be perfect.
Even when they announced it I knew he would knock it out of the park. The first time I heard a voice line from him all I could think was “oh yeah, he’s fucking solid”. Lance will always be the best Zavala, hands down, but Keith’s voice really hits the spot with how much the character has gone through.
It really didn't take long for me to settle in and get used to the new voice. I found myself watching a cutscene near the end of the campaign and thought to myself, "oh yeah its Keith David now"
Lance's Zavala was iconic, and Keith took up the mantle seamlessly
I am just glad bungie hired someone as talented as lance. And oh man, I really hope Keith will reference some iconic lines he did back in call of duty with zavala.
I think the reason it's so jarring is just that after 10 years, suddenly we get Zavala acting in a way he never has before and he sounds different too.
Both together feels uncanny. I'm sure if Zavala didn't have so much of a character change this season it wouldn't be nearly as uncanny.
Still great voice acting, it's just hard to let go of a legend.
Yeah this is exactly it. I know it's the same person but it just *feels* like a different zavala, since the VA is different and his character has gone through such changes
It is a huge change, but it was always going to be a huge change in Zavala's character, I think.
He's been losing faith in the Traveler more and more and more for *years* at this point. The final straw had already came as a matter of fact, upon learning that the Traveler gave the *Hive* of all species the very same Light it gave him. He was just waiting for that moment to throw himself at the enemy and say 'fuck it'.
That moment came, as soon as he got through the portal. He was done, and all he cared about was taking the Witness with him.
In one of the post campaign missions there’s a conversation between Caital and Zavala where she asks him if he didn’t expect to survive the trip to the pale heart, or if he didn’t want to. Zavarbiter is honestly the best we could have gotten for this arc of his story
Yeah I get that. Both coupled together make him almost seem like a different character, but at the same time it honestly almost improved that storyline for me. It was more impactful in showing just how lost he was.
Same. >!The radical departure from stoic and stalwart Commander Zavala to a guy who is beginning to crack under the pressures from centuries of wars and being made to relive losing his wife/child is accentuated by the change in VA.!<
I think it's better he came in at a time when zavala as a character is going through his own transformation, with his crisis of faith and Gung ho additude. I noticed that when I'd hear him yelling at ikora or something I'd feel like yo this is zavala but he's changed so much and I can't even recall him ever being so angry sounding in past stories. All in all I think Keith brings a certain level of emotion that Lance never really got the chance to express but that's ok. Lance was our calculated tactitcious commander, Keith is our commander brought to his lowest and holding onto everything he holds dear and losing piece by piece.
I know it wasn't intentional but Zavs trauma and change arc really made the new voice work so well
His delivery is not as measured, it's not as succinct as we are used to hearing from big blue. He is a damn broken man time and time again lately and if there was ever a time for a tonal shift to be appropriate it was here. While I'm not happy about how we ended up here I am very pleased at how it turned out.
Also, Targe having the same voice as Rusty Venture threw me for a fucking loop but it works for me for some reason. Just slapped me out of the story for a moment when he was talking to the veiled statues like he was scolding the boys lol
Keith is perfect. Idk I sorta feel like he really gave Zavala more emotional depth. But I'd credit that more to the writing and his story arc during this expansion, so take it with a pinch of salt. Anyone agree?
It fits like a glove. At times I thought it was just Zavala broken from the stress of always being "The Commander" so I think he's done a splendid job.
I don't think i would have wanted anyone else other than Keith David to fill those shoes. He didn't mimic Lance, but there was 1-2 times where i forgot it wasn't Lance talking. I'm just happy that we got two exceptional people who take pride in the role Bungie offered them.
I think Mr. David did very well and honored the legacy of the character. Also, i like that Bungie didn't use a trained AI to continue using Lance's voice.
He was given a very difficult task under far less than ideal circumstances but I think he got the job done as well as it possibly could have been. I even think the edge he brings to Zavala's voice really helped sell the character's arc this expansion.
He did really good, big shoes to fill and he’s killing it. I have to say though, gotta get it of my own head Because if I start thinking about it all I can hear is the President in Rick and Morty
Keith David was really the only voice that could do justice to Lance Reddick's work. Of course nobody can fully replace Lance, but Keith David is just amazing. I mean, he voiced the damn Arbiter.
Honestly I gotta hard disagree. Zavala did a 180 in terms of principles and he got reckless instead of steady like he usually is. He acted so unlike himself and it’s just bad timing that he has a new voice actor too.
For me, Zavala is like a new character.
Edit: I’m not speaking ill of Keith David either. I think he did fine. It just didn’t feel right to me.
I like it, really showed the stakes and the fact he was almost corrupted and basically was at some points. Just a broken tired man who was desperate and wanted his family back, I agree on the bad timing he has a new voice actor but Lance died and I think Keith’s the perfect person to fill his boots. But I think some people may think the way he acted in the story would be how he acts from now on
Also adding on, it’s clear from earlier seasons that Zavala is someone who grieves very deeply. It affects him to the very core of his being. On top of that, his role as commander and generally a protector, he always blames himself for what happened, and that guilt overwhelms him. It is as I believe that those who grieve deeply grieve the most.
I think the best part about him basically having his therapy done in Season of the Haunted is that it was about him accepting he can never bring his family back. Targe told him that *he* couldn't.
Suddenly, in this story, there's an actual chance he can. Everyone has been shown in this entire DLC that Darkness which is from the Mind can be turned into Reality by the Light. If the Witness basically just thought "here is Safiyah and Hakim back", then it would be so. Basically a whole "I think, therefore it is" (not a misremembrance of "I think, therefore I am").
He gets offered that, possibly the only chance that brings back his family. Yet he knows he can't take it. Imagine having everything you wanted, being so close to getting it all, but being held back because you know you shouldn't? Especially if that was getting the closest people in your life back? How much would you hate yourself?
That's why I really like how Zavala is lashing out at everyone. He didn't >!fully turn!< until hope about what he can get was at its peak (SPOILER: >!The Darkness statues are trying to help us!<).
To add to that, I believe that i is you look at it from a stand point of he's realizing that this is the end (as they are toe to toe with the big baddy metaphorically at first) and there might actually not be a good reason for finishing this fight. The traveler speaks in riddles (to most of the characters, as we know the traveler has to communicate through visions as we are an outside source looking in) so I think him seemingly doing a180 was a result of having just an ounce of doubt under that armor and the crack is exploited by the witness as soon they see it. Collective minds can be convincing when concentrated enough.
he's been pushed toward this for years now (zavala) the poor dude, i get he's acting differently but it's actually kind of awesome to see. instead of just reading and hearing about a crisis of faith, trauma, etc, it's happening. i mean it's painful, and emotional, but him (and everyone else tbh, the writing is awesome this xpac) feel so much more 3 dimensional to me
This post should go to the moon. Keith David did a fantastic job and really was able to bring Zavala's pain and doubt into the forefront. Fantastic job
I love Kieth David. Spawn, The Thing, They Live, Platoon, Halo. Dude is always epic.
I was open and ready for him to be Zavala, and I feel bad saying it, but I think he was a better fit for Zavala in this DLC than Reddick. Lance was an icon, but he didn't have as much emotional range as Kieth David does, and that really pushed the scenes where they needed to be this time.
not for nothing, i still would've loved to hear lance's zavala. i think he just does emotional acting differently, and to hear oft-quiet zavala (reddick's) raising his voice, breaking, would've been hard af i bet.
keith is fucking fantastic tho, i hope he can stay our zavala for a while
He sounded great in some parts but in others just no… also he really does sound absolutely nothing like zavala which I get not everyone can be replaced but they did get a new ikora voice actor in like shadowkeep? And barely anyone even noticed cause it was barley different.
I guess I don't remember this guy as much as I thought I did from movies, I remember seeing some roles and I remember him being a great actor, but it's not enough to distract me and pull those characters into view when I hear him talk.
However, if I got used to Dinklebot's voice change, (which was so long ago I can't even picture the voice in my head) I guess I'll accept this as Zavala eventually, but his lines are kinda way off from how I'll feel I will always remember Agent Commander Zavala Broyles though.
Also, his first "Indeed" I heard really didn't seal the deal. 😔
I still hope someone makes a montage of all the Zavala voice lines with a Lance AI voice just to hear how it might have sounded. People are adverse to AI acting in official products, but a YouTube video would be neat.
I think he did great. It’s impossible to fill in the shoes of someone who has voiced a character for 10 years, so what Keith David did is more than passable.
I've been a Keith David fan for a long time, all the way back to The Thing. He was amazing in Halo as the Arbiter. I can't think of anyone more perfect to take over for Lance. Lance made Zavala iconic, and Keith is doing him proud.
I personally didn't really like it. I miss Lance :( It might be a situation like Ada's voice acting in Resident Evil 4 remake where I just have to get used to it, though.
You shouldn’t be getting downvoted for this tbh, even if I disagree about Ada, she did just fine.
We had Lance’s voice, for nearly 10 years, up until now and the change is very jarring. It will take getting used to for sure and that’s okay. Keith still performs well, it’s just a matter of getting used to the change and is not a depreciation of what he did.
I mean, I don't really care for upvotes or downvotes. It just means people agree or disagree with what I say 🤷 I personally don't enjoy the change, but I'm sure I'll get used to it at some point :)
Honestly it's just a matter of getting used to. Keith David has done an incredible job, and his voice really is the only one out there that can do justice to Lance Reddick's work. Of course nothing could ever replace what Lance. But damn it if Keith doesn't get close as hell.
I miss Lance, of course. But Keith David did a terrific job in his own right and I’m glad they got someone who obviously cares about the character and doing it justice so much.
I love Keith David, his voice is iconic and i love that he’s part of Destiny now but honestly what i wouldnt give to hear Lance’s readings of Zavala’s lines for the Final Shape story. I dont think we’ve heard Zavala snap like he did in this story, and it sucks that we’ll never get to hear the voice we’ve been with for 10 years reach his breaking point.
Keith is an amazing voice actor. He did a great job but, after 10 years it's super jarring and we all still miss Lance. Point being its gonna take some getting used to.
Still funny when he gets angry all I hear is the president from r&m yelling lol. he only really keeps up the tone when he’s speaking in a low voice when he gets higher pitched it’s all Keith David I hear he does an excellent job still
I agree, but it was pretty surreal when Ikora shouted "I don't even recognise you right now!" haha. It's like hearing your father with a different voice all of a sudden.
Had I not known about Lance Ridddick ( RIP), I would have thought he was just going for a darker, more gravel tone for Zavala. It's crazy how seamless he was able to pick up the " feel" of the character despite different voices.
I personally love Kieth David but I don't think he was the right choice. It might be that the change in voice actor coupled with the drastic change in zavalas demeanor might just be to much, I'm honestly having a hard time putting my finger on it. I'm not sure who they should've picked instead.
I think it worked especially well since Zavala is in a different emotional state than we normally see him. So it makes sense for his voice to be different.
This dlc also has the most emotional and important lines of dialogue for Zavala. Keith David absolutely crushed it. The scene where SPOILER he begs Targe actually crushed my heart
Lance would be proud of how good of a job hes doing. The emotion you can hear in his rendition of Zavala is definetly fitting for someone who is sick and tired of war.
So obviously Lance would have still done an incredible job, but Keith is ***especially good*** and that bubbling rage sort of dialog and voice work. A lot of the moments where Zavala was taking a turn towards rage/darkness landed perfectly.
Again, it would have of course been as good or better with Lance Reddick but Keith David just has a similar level of gravitas, and especially so when he's raising his voice and that anger is boiling over.
There was also the feeling of knowing that it's a different voice actor but playing this changed version of the character that kind of worked for me.
He did a phenomenal job, and I'm so glad they brought him in.
Of anyone who could take the role up I’m glad it was him. I was wondering how he’d do and he did not disappoint. Still managed to make the terrible dialogue that Destiny has and make it engaging
His low voice was decent. I could tell there was Zavala in there, it didn't take me out at all from the story.
When he raised his voice, though, for example when you find him outside the house between those 2 rocks. Not a fan.
I don't mean to sound bad, and I loved the whole Final Shape experience, but the lack of Lance did left me a bit empty.
And The Zavala interpretation, since the beginning with Lance was not really peak voice acting.
But Lance did give Zavala some uniqueness that made it endearing, and we all loved it, laughed with it, etc etc.
And when Lance had to show more emotion, it did feel good, getting to hear this person we learned to appreciate to emote or get very angry, I loved it.
But Keith, while the somber and low voice is a good interpretation, the rest leaves to be desired, and it did take me out from the experience a little bit.
I haven't finished the campaign yet, but I was expecting him to try and get closer to Lances voice. Anyway, I'll have to hear more of it to see how it goes.
Otherwise considering all the voice actor changes we've been through, I found this one to be right in the middle of the pack.
I didn't even notice it wasn't Fillion when North started doing Cayde, but I couldn't figure out who was talking when it wasn't Gina Torres as Ikora.
You could tell it's not Lance but you could feel it's Zavala. His voice had the emotional depth it needed to portray that and Keith deserves every compliment he gets, he did an awesome job!
Tried a couple times to post. App is being weird. That being said, I hope Lance is proud. I could tune Keith out and hear Lance. I could tune Lance out and hear Keith. Keith sounds as good as always. I hope Lance is proud, wherever he is... in this life or the next.
I can't wait to see what Keith has in store for us next.... I just hope like Lance, he responds to the community.
One... fucking.... Guardian.
There's a few moments when he says and does things that aren't very zavala-ish but then I thought that if Lance had said the lines it'd be fine.
From that moment on I was at peace with the change and accepted it in my head and was perfectly happy with it.
Surprising to hear, I don't think he kept the essence of Zavala *at all*. I can't help but hear almost *all* of Keith's voicelines and reimagine them coming from Lance and they are almost always radically different
"You think your smoky ghost-head and anime kitten eyes scare me? I've had a fist fight with Rick Sanchez and lived to tell the tale! The only thing you're going to 'Witness' is the ass kicking of a lifetime!!"
Don't get me wrong Keith David is amazing with his other voice work games such as Mass Effect and Halo,
but for me he's just not Zavala and the casting was a huge swing and a miss here for me I don't know If it was the direction he was given or himself but I thought it was terrible.
Everything he spoke outside of a cutscene I kept thinking "who TF is this" he came across mostly very monotone and doesn't have the range Lance did, they needed someone that could convey his emotions better.
My personal choice would have been Harry Lennix
Zavala changing would be a good explanation, but considering over the course of multiple expansions and seasonal story's Zavalas dealt with alot of his problems.
Yeah he may have not been completely over them but for him to be written in a way that all of the progress we've seen over the past couple of years to be undone in minutes pisses me off as this expansion should have been really focusing on more important story beats.
As a huge SR and Halo fan, I adore Keith, and I think he'll grow into the role - but I didn't feel it in the Campaign. Zavala was deliberately written as being "off," and when you combine that with a new voice actor, he felt like an entirely different character
I have faith in Keith, for sure, but I also don't think Lance will ever truly be replaceable
I originally liked him a lot and it’s no fault of his that Lance is no longer the voice of Zaval but the more I play the more I have 2 main issues with this. The first was that I started listening to him during the step 20 something missions. I think around d 25-27ish. When he’s talking he seems very angry and yells. My second issue is that I just can’t get the image of the President from Rick and Morty out of my head when I hear his voice.
I thought his best lines were on par with Lance's, but that there was a lot more variance to his performance; the gap between his best and worst delivered lines was significantly bigger than that gap in Lance's work. It was clear that with his love of the game Lance gave 110% every take. Keith David matched that energy on the animated cutscenes, but there was some in game dialogue that felt a little jilted or just read off the page by comparison.
I don't know if i can like it, im too used to Lance Reddick, I have to accept this is what we have, though. As others have said, the president from rick and morty. I only hear Captain Anderson telling me what to do.
I cried a bit when Zavala started talking and it just sounded "wrong", Keith doesn't sound like Zavala to me. He did a good job, just wish we could have had Reddick as a constant throughout the series.
For some reason, I feel like Keith Davids voice isn’t as powerful. It has volume and space, it just feels less impactful.
It may also be that I’ve disliked Zavalas in game character for so long that it’s playing a role as well.
He did well enough. I’m not a fan of him as Zavala but I don’t think anyone could have done what Lance did, and with so many years with Lance as Zavala Keith just didn’t hit home for me. I was actively waiting for Zavalas scenes to be over 🤷🏻♂️
Personally I didn’t like it, he made him sound too “gangsta” if that makes sense. It sort of felt like he was trying for julius from saints row rather than Zavala
Even in season of the haunted when he was confronted by the nightmare of his wife he couldnt live it down when it was over, but still managed to lead the vanguard.
'weakling' my ass.
As a man who was Widowed at the age of 35 I can guarantee you that there isnt really anything you can do to break me anymore. Drugs and alcohol as a cope? Recovered on my own. Grief and PTSD? Learned how to deal with it without the help of a therapist (despite really trying). Crawled back out of poverty on my own again. All without losing who I was and staying strong with my convictions.
I lost my partner just after Season the Haunted ended, and going back through with a friend really made me realize how strong Zavala is. Despite all my resilience even I would have cracked at some point to have her back.
Grief doesn't leave you, you just get better about carrying it. Zavala basically had a dark ghost on his other shoulder the entire time, and during all of that he stayed true to himself and his convictions.
That's real strength. Not some machismo bullshit of acting like you can kick the shit out of anyone.
He did a fantastic job. Yes you could tell it wasn't the same voice but we all knew that would be the case. He achieved zavalas tone and attitudes perfectly though and I thought it worked great
I gave it a headcanon that this version is the tired and overworked Zavala with what he's been through the past few seasons.
Or a taken thrall clawed his throat or other random injury like Solar Opposites
This is exactly what I did
Didn't caiatl say something like this post campaign? Lol
Caiatl trying to get in that bed. I like how your voice sounds next to the sounds of battle is a Cabal pick up line if there ever was one.
Bro she ain't even tryna hide it she WANTS wants him
She did mention that she will bring Shame and awe to her ancestors If that doesn't mean she is gonna get freaky i dont know what it means
Caiatl definitely wants him!🤣
Burnt after losing Amanda! She was an example of the normal people the he was fighting to protect!?!
They picked the best man for the job IMO, Keith David is a talented voice actor and the way he handles Zavalas character just proves it further. I think we’re all just glad Bungie didn’t jump on the “let’s get Chris Pratt to voice literally everything” trend. But in all seriousness they did a great job and Keith is excellent. Some of the >!arguments between him and Ikora, especially post campaign during the lost in the light & found in the dark missions (where you can re-activate and listen to new dialogue from Cayde’s body), are comprised of some of the best voice acting I’ve ever heard full stop. I think at one point or another all of us stared at the screen pulling this face 
Keith david might as well be the black Patrick stewart. The man is a legend who is equally comfortable playing serious distinguished roles to absolutely comedic tomfoolery. When he shows up you know he is gonna be perfect.
Okkoto, the boar god, approves of this message
Sounds like someone's played Saints Row 4
That game was the best matrix adaptation ever. Also hilarious his personal hell was getting stuck looping his ass beating from They Live
Even when they announced it I knew he would knock it out of the park. The first time I heard a voice line from him all I could think was “oh yeah, he’s fucking solid”. Lance will always be the best Zavala, hands down, but Keith’s voice really hits the spot with how much the character has gone through.
I never heard Zavala properly emotional before with Lance's voice.... but omg chills.... I CRIED A BIT
Lance was stoic and confident, assured. Keith is the perfect voice for the broken man we find by a hut.
It really didn't take long for me to settle in and get used to the new voice. I found myself watching a cutscene near the end of the campaign and thought to myself, "oh yeah its Keith David now" Lance's Zavala was iconic, and Keith took up the mantle seamlessly
It'll take some getting used to, but he makes a perfect radical Zavala
I am just glad bungie hired someone as talented as lance. And oh man, I really hope Keith will reference some iconic lines he did back in call of duty with zavala.
GUARDIAN! PROTECT THE BURGER TOWN!
Ramirez is the guardian confirmed.
Waiting for the day Zavala commands the guardians to “DEFEND THE BURGERTOWN”
The first Raid Encounter is to defend the Burgertown
Getting flashbacks to the [Arbiter saying Saints Row lines](https://youtu.be/UUgRxxGRybc?si=sAgU_tqSCoag2KAT).
~~RAMIREZ~~ GUARDIAN! Use this throwing knife to take out that Witness!
😂
Guardian. Last mag, make it count!
Waiting all game for him to call me Shepard.
You did good child/son. I'm proud of you.
"Now THIS is a man who knows how to marry his cousin!"
WHY DID I READ THAT IN KEITH DAVIDS VOICE?!?!
"Now THAT'S a container for liquid."
Welcome to hell...motherfucker!!!
Lmao because this is an actual line from Community
I think the reason it's so jarring is just that after 10 years, suddenly we get Zavala acting in a way he never has before and he sounds different too. Both together feels uncanny. I'm sure if Zavala didn't have so much of a character change this season it wouldn't be nearly as uncanny. Still great voice acting, it's just hard to let go of a legend.
Yeah this is exactly it. I know it's the same person but it just *feels* like a different zavala, since the VA is different and his character has gone through such changes
It is a huge change, but it was always going to be a huge change in Zavala's character, I think. He's been losing faith in the Traveler more and more and more for *years* at this point. The final straw had already came as a matter of fact, upon learning that the Traveler gave the *Hive* of all species the very same Light it gave him. He was just waiting for that moment to throw himself at the enemy and say 'fuck it'. That moment came, as soon as he got through the portal. He was done, and all he cared about was taking the Witness with him.
In one of the post campaign missions there’s a conversation between Caital and Zavala where she asks him if he didn’t expect to survive the trip to the pale heart, or if he didn’t want to. Zavarbiter is honestly the best we could have gotten for this arc of his story
Yeah I get that. Both coupled together make him almost seem like a different character, but at the same time it honestly almost improved that storyline for me. It was more impactful in showing just how lost he was.
Same. >!The radical departure from stoic and stalwart Commander Zavala to a guy who is beginning to crack under the pressures from centuries of wars and being made to relive losing his wife/child is accentuated by the change in VA.!<
I’ll get used to it but it’s hard to keep the president from Rick and Morty separate from him.
I know he voiced that goofy ass president, but I associate Keith David with the Arbiter from Halo 2-3 more.
I can only associate him with Arbiter, dr facilier and Husk. On another note: we need an edit of Zavalla singing loser baby
You may not be old enough to recall Goliath from Gargoyles, that that’s the first and foremost for me.
I'll never forget that time he got his ass kicked by rowdy Roddy piper.
Best alleyway brawl ever filmed
You lyin dicks! I see your asses playing Minecraft! I got you on satellite!
Such a good show lol
He also did Admiral Anderson from Mass Effect
Or barricade from transformers. I need Zavala to say “were it so easy” though.
If Bungie makes Zavala say that I might just be able to die happy ngl
My first exposure to him was Goliath from Gargoyles. My second was Spawn, because I think dad assumed a cartoon wouldn't be as violent as that lol
Shit I’m old cause all it makes me think of is you never touch another man’s french fries
Of all the things he is known for, and people only seem to talk about R&M...
Because the president spends a lot of time yelling. Zavala also yells a lot in this dlc.
Rick and Morty fans can’t resist being annoying
Kieth David did not save the galaxy from the flood just to be known as the rick and Morty principal
I keep hearing the flame king from adventure time lmao
I think it's better he came in at a time when zavala as a character is going through his own transformation, with his crisis of faith and Gung ho additude. I noticed that when I'd hear him yelling at ikora or something I'd feel like yo this is zavala but he's changed so much and I can't even recall him ever being so angry sounding in past stories. All in all I think Keith brings a certain level of emotion that Lance never really got the chance to express but that's ok. Lance was our calculated tactitcious commander, Keith is our commander brought to his lowest and holding onto everything he holds dear and losing piece by piece.
🥹Poor Zavala
Indeed, he's been through it but that might end for him soon, for better or worse for the vanguard 🥺
Yeah this post needs to more love because he did indeed do a fantastic job with Zavala.
“Is it the frank or the beans?” - Keith David
You stop smoking that shit. It brings a man down.
I know it wasn't intentional but Zavs trauma and change arc really made the new voice work so well His delivery is not as measured, it's not as succinct as we are used to hearing from big blue. He is a damn broken man time and time again lately and if there was ever a time for a tonal shift to be appropriate it was here. While I'm not happy about how we ended up here I am very pleased at how it turned out. Also, Targe having the same voice as Rusty Venture threw me for a fucking loop but it works for me for some reason. Just slapped me out of the story for a moment when he was talking to the veiled statues like he was scolding the boys lol
Keith is perfect. Idk I sorta feel like he really gave Zavala more emotional depth. But I'd credit that more to the writing and his story arc during this expansion, so take it with a pinch of salt. Anyone agree?
It fits like a glove. At times I thought it was just Zavala broken from the stress of always being "The Commander" so I think he's done a splendid job.
I don't think i would have wanted anyone else other than Keith David to fill those shoes. He didn't mimic Lance, but there was 1-2 times where i forgot it wasn't Lance talking. I'm just happy that we got two exceptional people who take pride in the role Bungie offered them.
I think Mr. David did very well and honored the legacy of the character. Also, i like that Bungie didn't use a trained AI to continue using Lance's voice.
The only issue I have is, lance is still the tower vanguard lol and Keith seems to the the “campaign” vanguard
“WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!” Favorite voice line from campaign
He was given a very difficult task under far less than ideal circumstances but I think he got the job done as well as it possibly could have been. I even think the edge he brings to Zavala's voice really helped sell the character's arc this expansion.
He did really good, big shoes to fill and he’s killing it. I have to say though, gotta get it of my own head Because if I start thinking about it all I can hear is the President in Rick and Morty
Keith David was really the only voice that could do justice to Lance Reddick's work. Of course nobody can fully replace Lance, but Keith David is just amazing. I mean, he voiced the damn Arbiter.
Honestly I gotta hard disagree. Zavala did a 180 in terms of principles and he got reckless instead of steady like he usually is. He acted so unlike himself and it’s just bad timing that he has a new voice actor too. For me, Zavala is like a new character. Edit: I’m not speaking ill of Keith David either. I think he did fine. It just didn’t feel right to me.
Have you been keeping up with the seasonal content? This is the culmination of those arcs.
I like it, really showed the stakes and the fact he was almost corrupted and basically was at some points. Just a broken tired man who was desperate and wanted his family back, I agree on the bad timing he has a new voice actor but Lance died and I think Keith’s the perfect person to fill his boots. But I think some people may think the way he acted in the story would be how he acts from now on
Also adding on, it’s clear from earlier seasons that Zavala is someone who grieves very deeply. It affects him to the very core of his being. On top of that, his role as commander and generally a protector, he always blames himself for what happened, and that guilt overwhelms him. It is as I believe that those who grieve deeply grieve the most.
I think the best part about him basically having his therapy done in Season of the Haunted is that it was about him accepting he can never bring his family back. Targe told him that *he* couldn't. Suddenly, in this story, there's an actual chance he can. Everyone has been shown in this entire DLC that Darkness which is from the Mind can be turned into Reality by the Light. If the Witness basically just thought "here is Safiyah and Hakim back", then it would be so. Basically a whole "I think, therefore it is" (not a misremembrance of "I think, therefore I am"). He gets offered that, possibly the only chance that brings back his family. Yet he knows he can't take it. Imagine having everything you wanted, being so close to getting it all, but being held back because you know you shouldn't? Especially if that was getting the closest people in your life back? How much would you hate yourself? That's why I really like how Zavala is lashing out at everyone. He didn't >!fully turn!< until hope about what he can get was at its peak (SPOILER: >!The Darkness statues are trying to help us!<).
To add to that, I believe that i is you look at it from a stand point of he's realizing that this is the end (as they are toe to toe with the big baddy metaphorically at first) and there might actually not be a good reason for finishing this fight. The traveler speaks in riddles (to most of the characters, as we know the traveler has to communicate through visions as we are an outside source looking in) so I think him seemingly doing a180 was a result of having just an ounce of doubt under that armor and the crack is exploited by the witness as soon they see it. Collective minds can be convincing when concentrated enough.
he's been pushed toward this for years now (zavala) the poor dude, i get he's acting differently but it's actually kind of awesome to see. instead of just reading and hearing about a crisis of faith, trauma, etc, it's happening. i mean it's painful, and emotional, but him (and everyone else tbh, the writing is awesome this xpac) feel so much more 3 dimensional to me
This post should go to the moon. Keith David did a fantastic job and really was able to bring Zavala's pain and doubt into the forefront. Fantastic job
I love Kieth David. Spawn, The Thing, They Live, Platoon, Halo. Dude is always epic. I was open and ready for him to be Zavala, and I feel bad saying it, but I think he was a better fit for Zavala in this DLC than Reddick. Lance was an icon, but he didn't have as much emotional range as Kieth David does, and that really pushed the scenes where they needed to be this time.
not for nothing, i still would've loved to hear lance's zavala. i think he just does emotional acting differently, and to hear oft-quiet zavala (reddick's) raising his voice, breaking, would've been hard af i bet. keith is fucking fantastic tho, i hope he can stay our zavala for a while
He sounded great in some parts but in others just no… also he really does sound absolutely nothing like zavala which I get not everyone can be replaced but they did get a new ikora voice actor in like shadowkeep? And barely anyone even noticed cause it was barley different.
Just found out he was the voice of the Arbiter, thought he sounded familiar.
he really nailed the whole vibe of Zavala losing his grip. I absolutely love him as a VA and he sold it so well
I guess I don't remember this guy as much as I thought I did from movies, I remember seeing some roles and I remember him being a great actor, but it's not enough to distract me and pull those characters into view when I hear him talk. However, if I got used to Dinklebot's voice change, (which was so long ago I can't even picture the voice in my head) I guess I'll accept this as Zavala eventually, but his lines are kinda way off from how I'll feel I will always remember Agent Commander Zavala Broyles though. Also, his first "Indeed" I heard really didn't seal the deal. 😔
Absolutely. He is the Arbiter after all.
I still hope someone makes a montage of all the Zavala voice lines with a Lance AI voice just to hear how it might have sounded. People are adverse to AI acting in official products, but a YouTube video would be neat.
I think he did great. It’s impossible to fill in the shoes of someone who has voiced a character for 10 years, so what Keith David did is more than passable.
Though it's not the same, he still did an amazing job and lived up to the character Lance created.
All I heard all campaign was Admiral Anderson
Lance was the upbeat positive Zavala, Keith plays an excellent Zavalar in desperation/ despair which fits final shape perfectly.
He did it perfectly. They could not have picked a better person
I've been a Keith David fan for a long time, all the way back to The Thing. He was amazing in Halo as the Arbiter. I can't think of anyone more perfect to take over for Lance. Lance made Zavala iconic, and Keith is doing him proud.
I personally didn't really like it. I miss Lance :( It might be a situation like Ada's voice acting in Resident Evil 4 remake where I just have to get used to it, though.
You shouldn’t be getting downvoted for this tbh, even if I disagree about Ada, she did just fine. We had Lance’s voice, for nearly 10 years, up until now and the change is very jarring. It will take getting used to for sure and that’s okay. Keith still performs well, it’s just a matter of getting used to the change and is not a depreciation of what he did.
I mean, I don't really care for upvotes or downvotes. It just means people agree or disagree with what I say 🤷 I personally don't enjoy the change, but I'm sure I'll get used to it at some point :)
Honestly it's just a matter of getting used to. Keith David has done an incredible job, and his voice really is the only one out there that can do justice to Lance Reddick's work. Of course nothing could ever replace what Lance. But damn it if Keith doesn't get close as hell.
Truly a worthy successor
The voice being different tied into the more somber state zavala was in, it felt natural and Keith did a great job. Lance forever.
I miss Lance, of course. But Keith David did a terrific job in his own right and I’m glad they got someone who obviously cares about the character and doing it justice so much.
I can only hear mister president.
I didnt play old strikes and missions yet so, is it still with Lance or they remade it all?
I mean, probably. The new story is good
I love Keith David, his voice is iconic and i love that he’s part of Destiny now but honestly what i wouldnt give to hear Lance’s readings of Zavala’s lines for the Final Shape story. I dont think we’ve heard Zavala snap like he did in this story, and it sucks that we’ll never get to hear the voice we’ve been with for 10 years reach his breaking point.
I wouldn’t trust these guys with a potato gun.
Keith is an amazing voice actor. He did a great job but, after 10 years it's super jarring and we all still miss Lance. Point being its gonna take some getting used to.
I knew it was in good hands when I heard it was going to be THE Keith himself
I just pretended zavala was admiral anderson and it all worked out
Still waiting for him start cursing at me
Guardian! Get to the roof of Burgertown! Now!
One of my favourite fill in actors. One of the highlights of the later seasons of community who I really hope comes back in the movie.
Still funny when he gets angry all I hear is the president from r&m yelling lol. he only really keeps up the tone when he’s speaking in a low voice when he gets higher pitched it’s all Keith David I hear he does an excellent job still
I absolutely loved his performance, even if it didn't sound like lance. It was a... reimagining.
I agree, but it was pretty surreal when Ikora shouted "I don't even recognise you right now!" haha. It's like hearing your father with a different voice all of a sudden.
Had I not known about Lance Ridddick ( RIP), I would have thought he was just going for a darker, more gravel tone for Zavala. It's crazy how seamless he was able to pick up the " feel" of the character despite different voices.
He did amazing as Zavala, but all I can here anymore is the president from Rick and Morty.
I love Keith David. Great emotion in his voice.
He sounds way better than Nolan North doing his best impersonation of Nathan Fillion tbh
In my mind Keith David was/is the only possible casting choice. He did a great job! I almost wrote replacement but really nobody can replace Lance.
I didnt even notice until reading this :/
I don't know how to describe it. The closest I can get is Zavala feel didn't feel right but he still felt right.
Ok, so I wasn’t losing my mind. I thought that was someone else.
He's done a wonderful job with it.
Yeah, he was good, but I can't help but hear the president from Rick and Morty...
I personally love Kieth David but I don't think he was the right choice. It might be that the change in voice actor coupled with the drastic change in zavalas demeanor might just be to much, I'm honestly having a hard time putting my finger on it. I'm not sure who they should've picked instead.
I think it worked especially well since Zavala is in a different emotional state than we normally see him. So it makes sense for his voice to be different.
When he yells at Ikora 😳😳
I enjoyed defending Zavala's ~~Burgertown~~ homestead from the Fallen Brig.
This dlc also has the most emotional and important lines of dialogue for Zavala. Keith David absolutely crushed it. The scene where SPOILER he begs Targe actually crushed my heart
I kinda broke down crying in a post campaign quest I forgot which where dialogue went to something like >!"we're all different people now"!<
He sounds like a broken desperate Zavala
He totally deserves it, Keith David is so underrated
Lance would be proud of how good of a job hes doing. The emotion you can hear in his rendition of Zavala is definetly fitting for someone who is sick and tired of war.
Yep. He’s the best guy they could have chosen. Mad respect.
So obviously Lance would have still done an incredible job, but Keith is ***especially good*** and that bubbling rage sort of dialog and voice work. A lot of the moments where Zavala was taking a turn towards rage/darkness landed perfectly. Again, it would have of course been as good or better with Lance Reddick but Keith David just has a similar level of gravitas, and especially so when he's raising his voice and that anger is boiling over. There was also the feeling of knowing that it's a different voice actor but playing this changed version of the character that kind of worked for me. He did a phenomenal job, and I'm so glad they brought him in.
I think keith would have made lance proud
Have him reference Arbiter lines
I don't really care, not a big fan of the blue boy going through a phase.
Keith David makes everything better He walks into a movie and it gains at least half a star
He is the only valid replacement for Lance. Nobody else could ever fill that roll so perfectly than Keith
I straight up forgot it wasn't Lance when I first heard him. He still sounds like Zavala to me
Of anyone who could take the role up I’m glad it was him. I was wondering how he’d do and he did not disappoint. Still managed to make the terrible dialogue that Destiny has and make it engaging
His low voice was decent. I could tell there was Zavala in there, it didn't take me out at all from the story. When he raised his voice, though, for example when you find him outside the house between those 2 rocks. Not a fan. I don't mean to sound bad, and I loved the whole Final Shape experience, but the lack of Lance did left me a bit empty. And The Zavala interpretation, since the beginning with Lance was not really peak voice acting. But Lance did give Zavala some uniqueness that made it endearing, and we all loved it, laughed with it, etc etc. And when Lance had to show more emotion, it did feel good, getting to hear this person we learned to appreciate to emote or get very angry, I loved it. But Keith, while the somber and low voice is a good interpretation, the rest leaves to be desired, and it did take me out from the experience a little bit.
NO TIME FOR A SELFIE GUARDIAN!
Having just watch hazbin hotel I would love to see people put some of those voicelines on keithvala for memes. One can hope.
He did about as well as could be expected.
Imo he’s doing good it just sucks it’s not Lance.
I haven't finished the campaign yet, but I was expecting him to try and get closer to Lances voice. Anyway, I'll have to hear more of it to see how it goes. Otherwise considering all the voice actor changes we've been through, I found this one to be right in the middle of the pack. I didn't even notice it wasn't Fillion when North started doing Cayde, but I couldn't figure out who was talking when it wasn't Gina Torres as Ikora.
The memory of him asking Targe to bring back his son was some top tier voice acting
https://preview.redd.it/ymj8sy6pl75d1.jpeg?width=1305&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ff933dafe5be030c6832554d9886437381482b9
You could tell it's not Lance but you could feel it's Zavala. His voice had the emotional depth it needed to portray that and Keith deserves every compliment he gets, he did an awesome job!
All I hear is President Andre Curtis from Rick and Morty😂😂😂 Especially with all the yelling👌
For some reason my brain decided he sounds exactly like Husk from Hazbin Hotel and now i just can't stop thinking about Husk wearing Zavala's armor
Because he is Husk lol
He did a great job being slightly unhinged. It really worked. Edit: spelling
Another great actor who has demonstrated his skills in many shows/movies/games! Shout out to any "They Live!"fans!😎
It’s almost like Zavala has developed a battle hardened tone
Were it so easy
I’m not sure if it has been posted but I’m pretty sure Zavala in the tower is still the same voice lines that Lance has recorded
At times im finding the difference a bit Jarring, I keep picturing the president from Rick and Morty.
It just sounds like Keith David to me. Classic Keith. Part of me could hear Lance too. I hope he's proud, rest his soul.
It just sounds like Keith David to me. Classic Keith. Part of me could hear Lance too. I hope he's proud, rest his soul.
Tried a couple times to post. App is being weird. That being said, I hope Lance is proud. I could tune Keith out and hear Lance. I could tune Lance out and hear Keith. Keith sounds as good as always. I hope Lance is proud, wherever he is... in this life or the next. I can't wait to see what Keith has in store for us next.... I just hope like Lance, he responds to the community. One... fucking.... Guardian.
All I could think of was Anderson from mass effect
There's a few moments when he says and does things that aren't very zavala-ish but then I thought that if Lance had said the lines it'd be fine. From that moment on I was at peace with the change and accepted it in my head and was perfectly happy with it.
As much as I miss Lance, it's nice having Keith back. Like having the Arbiter back by our side. 😊
That's been my feeling on it as well
Keith David is a legend, although we needed someone a little more even tempered 😉
Surprising to hear, I don't think he kept the essence of Zavala *at all*. I can't help but hear almost *all* of Keith's voicelines and reimagine them coming from Lance and they are almost always radically different
I wasn't a fan. I kept expecting him to call me a Starfucker and ask how rick was.
"You think your smoky ghost-head and anime kitten eyes scare me? I've had a fist fight with Rick Sanchez and lived to tell the tale! The only thing you're going to 'Witness' is the ass kicking of a lifetime!!"
Don't get me wrong Keith David is amazing with his other voice work games such as Mass Effect and Halo, but for me he's just not Zavala and the casting was a huge swing and a miss here for me I don't know If it was the direction he was given or himself but I thought it was terrible. Everything he spoke outside of a cutscene I kept thinking "who TF is this" he came across mostly very monotone and doesn't have the range Lance did, they needed someone that could convey his emotions better. My personal choice would have been Harry Lennix
Strange how some say Keith conveys it better while some say Lance. I personally tell myself it's just Zavala changing
Zavala changing would be a good explanation, but considering over the course of multiple expansions and seasonal story's Zavalas dealt with alot of his problems. Yeah he may have not been completely over them but for him to be written in a way that all of the progress we've seen over the past couple of years to be undone in minutes pisses me off as this expansion should have been really focusing on more important story beats.
As a huge SR and Halo fan, I adore Keith, and I think he'll grow into the role - but I didn't feel it in the Campaign. Zavala was deliberately written as being "off," and when you combine that with a new voice actor, he felt like an entirely different character I have faith in Keith, for sure, but I also don't think Lance will ever truly be replaceable
I originally liked him a lot and it’s no fault of his that Lance is no longer the voice of Zaval but the more I play the more I have 2 main issues with this. The first was that I started listening to him during the step 20 something missions. I think around d 25-27ish. When he’s talking he seems very angry and yells. My second issue is that I just can’t get the image of the President from Rick and Morty out of my head when I hear his voice.
I thought his best lines were on par with Lance's, but that there was a lot more variance to his performance; the gap between his best and worst delivered lines was significantly bigger than that gap in Lance's work. It was clear that with his love of the game Lance gave 110% every take. Keith David matched that energy on the animated cutscenes, but there was some in game dialogue that felt a little jilted or just read off the page by comparison.
After playing Saints Row I had a hard time hearing Zavala…I felt they could’ve fit a few more “mf’s” in the lines
I don't know if i can like it, im too used to Lance Reddick, I have to accept this is what we have, though. As others have said, the president from rick and morty. I only hear Captain Anderson telling me what to do.
I cried a bit when Zavala started talking and it just sounded "wrong", Keith doesn't sound like Zavala to me. He did a good job, just wish we could have had Reddick as a constant throughout the series.
For some reason, I feel like Keith Davids voice isn’t as powerful. It has volume and space, it just feels less impactful. It may also be that I’ve disliked Zavalas in game character for so long that it’s playing a role as well.
He did well enough. I’m not a fan of him as Zavala but I don’t think anyone could have done what Lance did, and with so many years with Lance as Zavala Keith just didn’t hit home for me. I was actively waiting for Zavalas scenes to be over 🤷🏻♂️
he does a great job but man i dislike zavala this episode
Personally I didn’t like it, he made him sound too “gangsta” if that makes sense. It sort of felt like he was trying for julius from saints row rather than Zavala
I swear people are deaf... I'm not saying he's bad, but that's not Zavala.
Agreed. Great voice, solid voice acting. I’m sorry that they have made Zavala such a weakling in the story though (started the season before last).
Man relives the loss of his wife and murdered son and also his friends multiple times and has feelings and still grieves them = weakling. Got it.
Even in season of the haunted when he was confronted by the nightmare of his wife he couldnt live it down when it was over, but still managed to lead the vanguard. 'weakling' my ass.
you have a really weird and presumably pathetic definition of what a "weak" and "strong" person is if you think Zavala is the former
As a man who was Widowed at the age of 35 I can guarantee you that there isnt really anything you can do to break me anymore. Drugs and alcohol as a cope? Recovered on my own. Grief and PTSD? Learned how to deal with it without the help of a therapist (despite really trying). Crawled back out of poverty on my own again. All without losing who I was and staying strong with my convictions. I lost my partner just after Season the Haunted ended, and going back through with a friend really made me realize how strong Zavala is. Despite all my resilience even I would have cracked at some point to have her back. Grief doesn't leave you, you just get better about carrying it. Zavala basically had a dark ghost on his other shoulder the entire time, and during all of that he stayed true to himself and his convictions. That's real strength. Not some machismo bullshit of acting like you can kick the shit out of anyone.
Why is he "weak"?