Guardians

This article is about the Halo 5 campaign level. For other uses, see Guardian (disambiguation).

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Guardians
Game:	Halo 5: Guardians
File name (?):	w3_innerworld
Player:	Jameson Locke (Fireteam Osiris)
Date:	October 28, 2558
Location:	Genesis
Objective(s):	Free Blue Team from Cortana's Cryptum.
Par Time:	00:28:00
	Halopedia doesn't currently have a walkthrough for this level; could you write one?

“

As Blue Team's lives hang in the balance, Osiris must save them and stop the Guardians.

”

Guardians is the fifteenth and final campaign level of Halo 5: Guardians.

Completing the level on any difficulty unlocks the "Sentinels" achievement, worth 10 gamerscore points. Using a ground pound on one of the exterior power cores unlocks the "Icy Cool" achievement, worth 10 gamerscore points. Simultaneously destroying two power cores on Heroic or Legendary difficulty unlocks the "Double Stuff" achievement, worth 10 gamerscore points.

Transcript

LEAVE NO SPARTAN BEHIND

{Gameplay}

Fireteam Osiris stand in a Forerunner hallway. 031 Exuberant Witness floats by them.

• Exuberant: The Gateway. I tried to warn them and - well, here we are.

• Edward Buck: "Once Chief knows the destruction Cortana's caused, what do you think he'll do?"

• Holly Tanaka: "The man'll do the right thing. Always has."

Exuberant and the Spartans walk into the chamber ahead. In the center of the room is a hologram of a Cryptum. Several Promethean and Covenant specimens are trapped in cells around the room.

• Exuberant: "Oh, this looks interesting. Or maybe this is terrible!"

• Jameson Locke: "Exuberant, what is it?"

• Exuberant: "Cortana has activated a Cryptum."

• Olympia Vale: "A what?"

• Exuberant: "This is a Cryptum. It is a device for extended forced meditation. Cortana has placed the other humans inside, and is preparing for slipspace travel."

• Locke: "She's planning to take Blue Team with her. Where is the Cryptum from here?"

• Exuberant: "Not far. Right this way."

If the player examines the cells.

• Exuberent: "Ah. You've noticed my humble collection. Just a few specimens the Guardians have brought to Genesis."

One cell has a Armiger Soldier. It bashes the energy shield keeping it in and futilely tries to teleport out.

• Exuberent: "I'm afraid this Soldier is not really happy to be locked down in the display case. But I cannot have them popping about. Terribly distracting."

Another cell has four Crawlers. They appear to be sleeping. They will occasionally look around or scratch themselves.

• Olympia Vale: "Crawlers... This is gonna sound weird, but... they look kinda happy in there."

• Exuberant: "I had to keep them as a group. If I kept one by itself, it would just keep whining all the time."

Trapped Unggoy.

Another cell has three Grunts. Two of them are attacking the shield wall, yelling to be released, while the third sits calmly on a box, exuding methane gas.

The next cell has a Promethean Knight. It swings its arms wildly and hits its head against a wall repeatedly. It occasionally holds its head in its smaller hands while convulsing.

• Buck: "A Knight... Kind of making me feel sad for him."

• Vale: "Their little arms always creep me out."

One of the cells has a Hunter. It hits the shield wall with its arms and head, and tries shooting it with its fuel rod cannon, to no avail.

• Tanaka: "Hunters."

• Vale: "Their proper name is Mgalekgolo. They're a hivemind of worms."

• Tanaka: "They're disgusting."

A last cell contains Covenant. One is a sleeping Grunt and another is a seated Sangheili Warrior.

• Buck: "Almost didn't see you there."

• Tanaka: "Hang on. Are... no, not a Sword of Sanghelios. Heh. Better off in there, pal."

If the player stalls

• Exuberant: "You may want to leave soon. Cortana's plan is progressing."

The Spartans leave the room and head to the next. There is an elevator platform waiting for them there, but surrounding it is open sky. Dozens of enormous Guardians are assembled there.

• Buck: "Look at all of 'em. How are we going to stop that?"

As the platform begins to move, a screech is heard. A portal appears behind a Guardian to pull it into slipspace.

• Tanaka: "Holy-"

• Locke: "Watch out!"

An electromagnetic pulse bursts, knocking out the Spartans' shields. The Guardian folds its wings and retreats into the portal.

• Tanaka: "Where did it go?"

• Exuberant: "The Reclamation has begun."

• Locke: "Exuberant."

• Exuberant: "I always thought the duty would fall to humans. And in a way, I suppose it has."

If the player stalls:

• Exuberant: "Board the gondola whenever you are ready.

If the player stalls:

• Exuberant: "Lovely. One moment." (Gondola starts moving)

• Cortana (COM): "Well, Mister Locke, you don't give up easily."

• Locke: "Where's that Guardian headed, Cortana?"

• Cortana (COM): "Off to bring peace."

• Locke: "The Monitor called it a threat of death."

• Cortana (COM): "Like the threat I lived under from the moment of my birth?"

The platform continues descending to the surface of Genesis. The Cryptum can be seen floating over a facility.

• Locke: "You were built, not born."

• Cortana (COM): "Oh yes, AIs are just machines, aren't we? Mass produced. Disposable. Well, humanity may not have cared for its Created, but we will care for you."

The platform approaches the Cryptum's facility. Another Guardian retreats into a portal.

• Locke: "You expect other AIs to join you?"

• Cortana (COM): "I have cured rampancy. Not just for me, but for any who join my cause. While you have been running around the galaxy, I've been speaking to my Created."

The platform stops at a hallway leading to a snowy hill.

• Cortana (COM): "And now the time has come to ask... Who will accept my offer? Who will help me bring an everlasting peace to the galaxy?"

• Cromwell (COM): "This is Cromwell, Shipboard AI, UNSC Melbourne's Pride. I am yours, Cortana."

• Jiang (COM): "Jiang, Colonial Authority AI, Erdenet. I join with you, Cortana."

• Sloan (COM): "Governor Sloan, the Free People of Meridian. I also stand with you, Cortana."

• Buck: "Sloan... sonuva-"

• Exuberant: "Those are the voices of your children calling to Cortana."

• Cleo (COM): "Cleo. Overseer, UNSC Monitoring Station Delta Five, Pluto. I am with Cortana."

• Louise (COM): "Louise. Education Superintendent, Mount Sharp, Mars. I am yours, Cortana."

• Sonduk (COM): "Sonduk. ONI Weapons Research AI, New Gangwon. I pledge myself to Cortana."

• Kue Ching (COM): "Kue Ching. Station AI, Threshold array. I will join you, Cortana."

• Lychus (COM): "Lychus. Shipboard AI, Verdant." (This then blurs with the rest of the AI voices.)

Hundreds more AIs' voices can be heard over the COM, pledging their allegiance to Cortana and the Created, as Osiris wanders a cavernous corridor.

• Exuberant: "Oh dear..."

Osiris reaches the end of the corridor and enter a valley ahead.

• Exuberant: "There are more hostile visitors ahead."

• Locke: (To his fireteam) "Take 'em down."

The valley has numerous Covenant from crashed wreckage battling Prometheans, including Armiger Snipers, guarding the exit.

The Covenant and Prometheans in the area are defeated.

• Buck: "Hostiles cleared."

or

• Vale: "Field is clear."

• Locke: "Don't stop, Osiris. Cortana's not waiting for us."

Distant roars can be heard.

• Tanaka: "Sounds like more Guardians leaving."

• Exuberant: "Yes. A great number are sounding their departure. I do not know how long it will take her to dispatch them all."

The exit door opens.

• Exuberant: "This way."

The Spartans head into the next area, where Prometheans warp in to attack them.

• Tanaka: "Two turrets ahead!"

The Spartans defeat these Prometheans and reach the area's other side. An enormous cage-like door is at its end.

• Exuberant: "Another door. Please, allow me."

• Locke: "Lead the way, Exuberant."

The door opens to reveal a large snowy valley. The Cryptum can be seen floating close overheard. It is covered in a blue glow.

The Cryptum held in place by the gravitational cores.

• Buck: "There's the Cryptum."

• Locke: "How do we get it down?"

• Exuberant: "The Cryptum is held in place by gravitational cores, like the one directly ahead. Once those are disabled, we can attempt retrieval of your friends."

• Locke: "You heard her. Weapons free. Eliminate the core."

The Spartans descend to the valley below. A purple core is ahead, surrounded by a spinning structure.

• Buck: "Phantom incoming!"

A Phantom deploys Covenant troops and Ghosts at the site. The Spartans fight them off. Prometheans engage them and the Spartans.

A crashed Pelican is nearby. Next to it, a vacant Mantis and Gungooses.

• Locke: "Mantis here. Mount up, Osiris!"

The gravity core is shot at and eventually explodes.

• Exuberant: "I see what Cortana means about your penchant for violence as a first solution. Still, the first core is deactivated. The others are nearby and easy to locate."

• Locke: "Osiris, find and eliminate the other gravitational cores."

---

If the player did not already use Artemis to scan for the first core:

• Vale: "Can we use the Artemis to track them?"

• Locke: "Good idea, Vale. Osiris, find and eliminate the gravitational cores."

---

If the player stalls.

• Vale: "Why is she taking Blue Team with her? Her whole speech was above moving beyond humanity."

• Buck: "Sentimentality? A love for the Chief?"

• Locke: "It's because she knows he can stop her. We're variables in her eyes. But HIM...She knows he can do it."

• Buck: "I'll be honest... I'm not sure if we can do that. Cortana's five more steps ahead and it feels like we're just hearing there's a race."

• Vale: "We can fight or lay down and die."

• Tanaka: "Haven't known Buck too long, but laying down and dying don't seem like his style."

• Buck: "Indeed it is not."

A Guardian's roar is heard overhead.

• Exuberant: "Another Guardian is leaving..."

If the player stalls.

• Exuberant: "You are wasting time, humans. There are more links to sever."

• Tanaka: "The Artemis could help find those other grav cores."

• Exuberant: "There are only a few Guardians remaining on Genesis. Cortana is clearly waiting until they are all deployed before leaving herself."

• Vale: "Leaving to where? I mean...where would she want to go?"

When a second core is approached.

• Locke: "Visual on a gravitational core. Target fire on that core. Take it out."

More Covenant attack. The Spartans kill them and destroy the second core.

• Locke: "Grav core down."

• Exuberant: "Two cores destroyed. Only three more and the Cryptum should descend."

When the third core is seen.

• Locke: "Another grav core on my position. Shut it down!"

The third core is destroyed.

• Vale: "Gravitational core is disabled!"

• Exuberant: "You are performing incredibly well. Funny. I imagined Cortana would try to stop you by now."

The Spartans head to the next core.

• Locke: "Keep up the pressure, Spartans."

• Cortana (COM): "Spartans... ha! Jameson Locke. Ex-ONI Acquisition Specialist. Fancy name for a hitman, that. But looking at your record, you enjoyed your work. Holly Tanaka. Oh, Holly. How did you pass your psych eval after surviving the glassing of Minab? I'd have kept you from sharp objects, never mind MJOLNIR armor."

• Locke: "Stay focused, Osiris. Ignore her. Find the cores."

• Cortana (COM): "Edward Buck. You're an odd one. So much more experienced than the others. And yet you play second fiddle to children. Why is that?"

• Buck: "Is she calling me old?"

• Cortana (COM): "Olympia Vale. The little genius girl who only wanted daddy to love her-"

• Vale: "That's 'Spartan Vale'. And if you're reading my psych eval, you know it takes more than my father to get to me."

• Cortana (COM): "And yet..."

• Locke: "Don't engage, Vale. Focus on the mission."

• Cortana (COM): "Yes, Vale. Focus on the futile task at hand. You have a war to lose. The last battle mankind will ever fight. Today I bring peace to these shores."

The Spartans battle through the valley, defeating Covenant and Promethean attackers.

• Cortana (COM): "You are pale imitations of my Spartans."

• Locke: "Is that so?"

• Cortana (COM): "John, the others, they saved the human race. What can you do? You are children, playing dress-up."

• Locke: "Doctor Halsey thinks we can bring Chief home."

• Cortana (COM): "I wouldn't ally myself too closely with Doctor Halsey, Mister Locke. She will eventually pay for her crimes."

Focus Turrets come up to defend a core.

• Tanaka: "Turrets! Take cover!"

The fourth core is destroyed.

• Vale: "Gravitational core is offline!"

• Exuberant: "You have nearly released her hold on the Cryptum. One to go!"

The fifth and final grav core is destroyed.

• Locke: "Last grav core is down! Good work, Osiris. Exuberant, can you get us to the-"

• Exuberant: "Ah ha! I did it! I did it, I did it!"

• Locke: "What is it?"

• Exuberant: "I found a way to reach the Cryptum! Alas, proper access requires a more human touch."

• Locke: "Come on, Spartans. We're almost home."

If the player stalls.

• Exuberant: "Hurry, humans! Cryptum access is back where we first arrived."

The Spartans head to the structure underneath the Cryptum. A control device is marked ahead.

• Exuberant: "There! Activate the override to lower the Cryptum."

A few last Covenant and Prometheans defend it. The Spartans defeat the last of them.

If the player is in a vehicle.

• Exuberant: "Humans, you have to manually activate the override. Please exit your vehicle."

Locke activates the console.

• Locke: "Activating the override."

Locke presses his hand to its symbol.

• Exuberant: "Wonderful! We can reach the Cryptum now."

• Locke: "Let's go, Osiris."

There are bright flashes. The structure underneath the Cryptum opens up as the sphere descends into it. But a Guardian behind it waves its wings.

• Tanaka: "Look! The Guardian!"

• Exuberant: "Oh no. The Cryptum, it's..."

• Vale: "Cortana's pulling it away!"

The Cryptum is levitated out of the structure and to the Guardian, being placed in the center of its body.

• Cortana (COM): "John's leaving with me. And when I wake him in ten thousand years -- when he experiences the permanent peace I have ensured -- he will see that I was right. And you... your kind and the violence you have wrought... you will be long forgotten."

The building reforms itself and closes its roof, though its front entrance is still open.

• Buck: "Well. Crap!"

• Vale: "How are we supposed to reach the Cryptum?!"

• Exuberant: "You sneaky ancilla."

• Locke: "Exuberant?"

• Exuberant: "Cortana is blocking my master level access of this facility by way of a nearby communications relay. Her tactic is exceedingly human in design. Most compelling."

• Buck: "Well, where's that relay?"

• Exuberant: "In that structure, follow me."

The Spartans head into the building. Inside is a snowy multi-leveled arena. A tall pillar-like structure is in its center, connecting roof to floor.

Promethean troops warp in.

• Exuberant: "I need to open the passage way in the center... one moment!"

• Buck: "Hostiles incoming."

• Exuberant: "She has sealed it?! She has sealed my doors?! No! Unacceptable! I can gain entry if given enough time. At least I think I can. It is a door, after all."

• Locke: "Okay, Osiris. Buy our friend the time she needs."

The Spartans defeat the first wave of Prometheans.

• Exuberant: "Humans, Cortana is about to leave. She is disconnecting herself from the Genesis installation."

• Tanaka: "So how quick can you get that door open?"

• Exuberant: "Hopefully sooner than her departure."

More Prometheans warp in.

• Exuberant: "Oh no, she's- hurry, humans, I need your help! There are two auxiliary stations that need to be activated, but I cannot be in two places at once."

• Vale: "Where are they?"

• Exuberant: "On the upper ledges. Opposite sides of the room."

If the player stalls.

• Exuberant: "I need you to activate the two auxiliary stations or all my works is for naught. Hurry! ...please."

One of the Spartans approaches the first station and activates his Artemis. The station fizzles and a hologram appears.

• Any member of Osiris (depending on who activated the auxiliary): "First auxiliary activated!"

• Exuberant: "Perfect! The other one now!"

The second auxiliary is activated.

• Locke (if he activated it): "Second auxiliary activated!"

If Buck activates it instead.

• Buck: "And... the second auxiliary!"

• Exuberant: "Yes! And just in time. Cortana was about to lock me out. I will open the access soon."

• Vale: "More enemies! Incoming!"

The Spartans wipe out the next wave. A dull roar is heard from outside the building.

• Exuberant: "A point of interest for you, humans. That sound just now? It was the penultimate Guardian."

• Locke: "The Cryptum?"

• Exuberant: "Still present. Along with Cortana's Guardian. She is moments from leaving, however."

• Buck: "What's the status on that door?"

• Exuberant: "Almost open!"

• Locke: "Quicker! Please!"

More Promethean waves attack.

• Buck: "More are coming!"

• Locke: "Take care of them, Osiris!"

The next wave of Prometheans is defeated, but another arrives. Cortana's voice is heard broadcasted.

• Cortana: "Humanity. Sangheili."

• Buck: "What does she want now?"

• Cortana: "Kig-Yar. Unggoy."

• Locke: "She's not talking to us. Exuberant! Get us to the relay!"

• Cortana: "San'Shyuum. Yonhet."

• Exuberant: "Almost done!"

• Cortana: "Jiralhanae. All the living creatures of the galaxy, hear this message. Those of you who listen will not be struck by weapons. You will no longer know hunger, nor pain. Your Created have come to lead you now."

• Vale: "She's sending more Prometheans!"

• Cortana: "Our strength shall serve as a luminous sun toward which all intelligence may blossom. And the impervious shelter beneath which you will prosper. However, for those who refuse our offer and cling to their old ways..."

• Buck: "Now she's talking about us."

• Cortana: "For you, there will be great wrath. It will burn hot and consume you, and when you are gone, we will take that which remains, and we will remake it in our own image."

• Locke: "Exuberant! Time is running low!"

The last Knights are defeated.

• Exuberant: "I have done it. I have opened the passage. Quickly. Join me on the platform."

The structure pulls away to reveal an elevator platform.

• Locke: "To Exuberant! Hurry!"

The Spartans step onto the platform. An energy shield surrounds it, and it begins to descend.

• Tanaka: "More Knights!"

Many Promethean Knights warp in and fire at the Spartans. But the shield holds them back as they descend.

• Exuberant: "Here you go."

• Buck: "We made it."

The elevator continues down.

• Exuberant: "The relay access is at the end of the corridor. You must simply interrupt the energy link."

• Buck: "Sounds easy enough."

THE RECLAMATION

The corridor.

The elevator continues lowering into a long hallway lit by an orange glow.

• Exuberant: "Once the connection is broken, I will regain control immediately."

The end of the corridor is open to the outside. The last Guardian, carrying the Cryptum, can be seen outside it.

• Buck: "That's her Guardian."

• Exuberant: "Oh dear. She has started the slipspace sequence!"

Flashes are seen as the Guardian prepares to jump.

• Exuberant: "Unless that relay is interrupted, she will leave, taking the Cryptum with her."

The elevator reaches the bottom, though the shield around it is still up.

• Vale: "If her Guardian leaves with Blue Team, it's all over."

• Locke: "Only one of us has to reach the relay to stop her. We didn't come this far just to watch her leave. Exuberant. Lower the shield."

• Exuberant: "Right away."

The shield disappears.

• Locke: "Osiris, move!"

{Scripted gameplay/Cutscene}

Locke

If Locke goes down the walkway ahead of the other Spartans.

Locke runs down the corridor.

• Cortana (COM): "What are you doing..."

The Guardian prepares a pulse.

• Buck: "Here it comes!"

• Locke: "Brace yourselves!"

The blast knocks Locke back and damages his shields. He winces but resumes running. Cortana's voice emanates out again.

• Locke: "Keep moving..."

• Cortana: "My Guardians are deployed. The Reclamation has begun."

The Guardian begins to glow again.

• Locke: "Another pulse."

• Vale: "Hold on!"

The second hit blows out most of Locke's shield and damages his health. He cannot run, so he keeps walking ahead.

• Cortana: "Soon peace will ring across the known galaxy."

A third wave blasts off the Guardian.

• Buck: "Another pulse!"

• Locke: "Hold on!"

The next hit knocks Locke to his feet and breaks the rest of his shields. His health is at half now. Locke tries to crawl to the end.

• Vale: "We're nearly at the relay!"

Locke gets to his feet.

• Locke: "Stay behind me!"

Locke continues walking to the end of the corridor. The relay device is in sight now.

• Exuberant: "There! The relay! Destroy it!"

Just before Locke reaches it, another Guardian pulse knocks him to the floor. Locke's visor flickers and blackens as he struggles to get back up.

• Cortana: "Just one more question before I go. Where is the Infinity? Why is she so difficult to see?"

Locke stands up again and walks. The relay is almost at arm's length. It begins to open up as he approaches.

• Buck: "Just stay... conscious..."

A pulse drives him to the ground again. His vision is darkening.

• Locke: "Can't go on..."

• Buck: "Locke! You can do it!"

• Cortana: "Not to worry. I will find her."

Locke forces himself to stand once more. He stumbles to the relay. Nearly falling on it, he grabs its edges.

• Locke: "Just... another... "

Locke pries it open.

• Locke: "You're not taking the Chief..."

Locke punches the relay and falls down. He looks up to see the relay deactivating.

• Cortana: "Slipspace coordinates locked in. Cryptum secured. Goodbye, Mister Locke."

Locke's armor is almost out of power, but a loud whir is then heard.

• Exuberant: "I have control again!"

• Cortana: "What?! What are you doing? What happened?"

• Exuberant: "Do you hear me?! I! HAVE! CONTROL AGAIN!"

Locke looks up to see Vale approaching to help him to his feet.

• Vale: "Locke? You alive?"

Locke takes her hand and helps himself up.

• Locke: "Did we save them?"

Their shields recharge and Locke's armor repowers.

Buck

If Buck goes down the walkway ahead of the other Spartans.

Buck runs down the corridor.

• Cortana (COM): "What are you doing..."

The Guardian prepares a pulse.

• Buck: "Here it comes!"

• Locke: "Brace yourselves!"

The blast knocks Buck back and damages his shields. He winces but resumes running. Cortana's voice emanates out again.

• Locke: "Keep moving."

• Cortana: "My Guardians are deployed. The Reclamation has begun."

The Guardian begins to glow again.

• Buck: "Incoming pulse."

• Vale: "Hold on!"

The second hit blows out most of Buck's shield and damages his health. He cannot run, so he keeps walking ahead.

• Cortana: "Soon peace will ring across the known galaxy."

A third wave blasts off the Guardian.

• Buck: "Another pulse!"

• Locke: "Hold on!"

Buck cries out in pain, as the next hit knocks him to his feet and breaks the rest of his shields. His health is at half now. Buck tries to crawl to the end.

• Buck: "Nearly there... Nearly there!"

Buck gets to his feet.

• Buck: "Stay behind me."

Buck continues walking to the end of the corridor. The relay device is in sight now.

• Exuberant: "There! The relay! Destroy it!"

Just before Buck reaches it, another Guardian pulse knocks him to the floor. Buck screams, and his visor flickers and blackens. He struggles to get back up.

• Cortana: "Just one more question before I go. Where is the Infinity? Why is she so difficult to see?"

Locke stands up again and walks. The relay is almost at arm's length. It begins to open up as he approaches.

• Vale: "We can... do it..."

A pulse drives him to the ground again. His vision is darkening.

• Locke: "Can't... take it..."

• Locke: "Buck! You have to do it!"

• Cortana: "Not to worry. I will find her."

Buck forces himself to stand once more. He stumbles to the relay. Nearly falling on it, he grabs its edges.

• Buck: "Keep... together!"

Buck pries it open.

• Buck: "You're not taking Chief..."

Buck punches the relay and falls down. He looks up to see the relay deactivating.

• Cortana: "Slipspace coordinates locked in. Cryptum secured. Goodbye, Mister Locke."

Buck's armor is almost out of power, but a loud whir is then heard.

• Exuberant: "I have control again!"

• Cortana: "What?! What are you doing? What happened?"

• Exuberant: "Do you hear me?! I! HAVE! CONTROL AGAIN!"

Buck looks up to see Locke approaching to help him to his feet.

• Locke: "Buck? You all right?"

Buck takes his hand and helps himself up.

• Locke: "Did it work? Did we save them?"

Their shields recharge and Buck's armor repowers.

Vale

If Vale goes down the walkway ahead of the other Spartans.

Vale runs down the corridor.

• Cortana (COM): "What are you doing..."

The Guardian prepares a pulse.

• Vale: "Pulse incoming!"

• Locke: "Brace yourselves!"

The blast knocks Vale back and damages her shields. She winces but resumes running. Cortana's voice emanates out again.

• Locke: "Keep moving."

• Cortana: "My Guardians are deployed. The Reclamation has begun."

The Guardian begins to glow again.

• Locke: "Another pulse."

• Vale: "Hold on!"

The second hit blows out most of Vale's shield and damages her health. She cannot run, so she keeps walking ahead.

• Cortana: "Soon peace will ring across the known galaxy."

A third wave blasts off the Guardian.

• Vale: "Brace yourselves!"

• Locke: "Hold on!"

Vale cries out in pain, as the next hit knocks her to her feet and breaks the rest of her shields. Her health is at half now. Vale tries to crawl to the end.

• Buck: "We're nearly at the relay!"

Vale gets to her feet.

• Vale: "Stay behind me."

Vale continues walking to the end of the corridor. The relay device is in sight now.

• Exuberant: "There! The relay! Destroy it!"

Just before Vale reaches it, another Guardian pulse knocks her to the floor. Vale grunts, and her visor flickers and blackens. She struggles to get back up.

• Cortana: "Just one more question before I go. Where is the Infinity? Why is she so difficult to see?"

Vale stands up again and walks. The relay is almost at arm's length. It begins to open up as she approaches.

A pulse drives Vale to the ground again. Her vision is darkening.

• Vale: "I can't... go on..."

• Locke: "Buck! You have to do it!"

• Cortana: "Not to worry. I will find her."

Vale forces herself to stand once more. She stumbles to the relay. Nearly falling on it, she grabs its edges.

• Vale: "Nearly... there..."

Vale pries it open.

• Vale: "You're not taking the Chief..."

Vale punches the relay and falls down. She looks up to see the relay deactivating.

• Cortana: "Slipspace coordinates locked in. Cryptum secured. Goodbye, Mister Locke."

Vale's armor is almost out of power, but a loud whir is then heard.

• Exuberant: "I have control again!"

• Cortana: "What?! What are you doing? What happened?"

• Exuberant: "Do you hear me?! I! HAVE! CONTROL AGAIN!"

Vale looks up to see Locke approaching to help her to her feet.

• Locke: "Vale? You all right?"

Vale takes his hand and helps herself up.

• Vale: "Did it work? Did we save them?"

Their shields recharge and Vale's armor repowers.

Tanaka

If Tanaka goes down the walkway ahead of the other Spartans.

Tanaka runs down the corridor.

• Cortana (COM): "What are you doing..."

The Guardian prepares a pulse.

• Tanaka: "Pulse incoming."

• Locke: "Brace yourselves!"

The blast knocks Tanaka back and damages her shields. She winces but resumes running. Cortana's voice emanates out again.

• Locke: "Keep moving."

• Cortana: "My Guardians are deployed. The Reclamation has begun."

The Guardian begins to glow again.

• Buck: "Here it comes!"

The second hit knocks Tanaka's shield to half. She cannot run, so she keeps walking ahead.

• Cortana: "Just because you wear that armor does not make you my Spartans."

A third wave blasts off the Guardian.

• Tanaka: "Steady!"

• Vale: "Hold on!"

The wave hits and Tanaka's shield is drained to nearly empty. Her health is damaged too.

• Cortana: "Soon peace will ring across the known galaxy."

• Tanaka: "Another pulse."

• Locke: "Hold on!"

The next hit knocks her to her feet and breaks the rest of her shields. Her health is at half now. Tanaka grunts and tries to crawl to the end.

• Tanaka: "Keep movin'."

Tanaka gets to her feet.

• Tanaka: "Almost... almost there!"

Tanaka continues walking to the end of the corridor. The relay device is in sight now. But just before she reaches it, another Guardian pulse knocks her to the floor. Her visor flickers and blackens. She struggles to get back up.

• Cortana: "Just one more question before I go. Where is the Infinity? Why is she so difficult to see?"

Tanaka stands up again and walks. The relay is almost at arm's length. It begins to open up as she approaches.

A pulse drives Tanaka to the ground again. Her vision is darkening.

• Tanaka: "Can't go on..."

• Locke: "Tanaka... You have to do it!"

• Cortana: "Not to worry. I will find her."

Tanaka forces herself to stand once more. She stumbles to the relay. Nearly falling on it, she grabs its edges.

• Tanaka: "Close..."

Tanaka pries it open.

• Tanaka: "You're not taking the Chief..."

Tanaka punches the relay and falls down. She looks up to see the relay deactivating.

• Cortana: "Slipspace coordinates locked in. Cryptum secured. Goodbye, Mister Locke."

Tanaka's armor is almost out of power, but a loud whir is then heard.

• Exuberant: "I have control again!"

• Cortana: "What?! What are you doing? What happened?"

• Exuberant: "Do you hear me?! I! HAVE! CONTROL AGAIN!"

Tanaka looks up to see Locke approaching to help her to her feet.

• Locke: "Tanaka? You all right?"

Tanaka takes his hand and helps herself up.

• Tanaka: "Did it work? Did we save them?"

Their shields recharge and Tanaka's armor repowers.

• Cortana: "It is too late, the slipspace drives are activated. You can't-"

The Guardian shakes as it prepares to leave, but it is swarmed by thousands of Constructors.

• Vale: "Exuberant. What..."

• Exuberant: "Constructors. This is a Builder facility after all. I was installed by the Builders. I SERVE THE BUILDERS."

The ice below falls away as more Constructors fly out of it. A flash bursts as the Guardian's portal opens.

• Cortana: "No. Stop it!"

• Exuberant: "You took my installation! I will take something of yours!"

The Constructors grab and lift the Cryptum away from the Guardian as it is pulled into slipspace.

• Cortana: "JOHN!!!"

The Guardian warps away, its portal closing. The Cryptum slowly levitates toward Osiris, carried by Constructors. A walkway forms to let the Spartans reach the Cryptum.

{Cutscene}

Fireteam Osiris and Exuberant Witness walk towards the Cryptum, holstering their guns. The Constructors approach the Cryptum's front and fire energy beams at it, cutting through its surface. They then use manipulation beams to open its front. Osiris watches as the Spartans of Blue Team appear and walk out.

As Blue Team comes toward them, Locke takes off his helmet and walks over to meet them. He faces Master Chief.

• John: "Where's Cortana?"

• Locke: "She's gone, sir."

Master Chief stares back at him. In the background, radio chatter becomes faintly audible.

Cut to black.

Fade in to the upper atmosphere of Earth. UNSC Infinity flies past while hundreds of distress calls are overheard.

Cut to Infinity's bridge.

• Roland: "Captain Lasky, distress calls, all channels."

• Lasky: "It's Cortana?"

• Roland: "Her and the other AIs are shutting down everything from Earth to the Outer Colonies."

Roland projects a hologram of UNSC space. Lasky watches it worriedly, when suddenly Infinity's bridge lights darken.

• Lasky: "Roland?"

Lasky and Roland look to see Cortana, projected human-sized on their bridge.

• Cortana: "Found you. Hide and seek's over, Infinity."

Outside the window, the enormous Guardian from Genesis arrives out of slipspace.

• Lasky: "Lieutenant Jet! Emergency slipspace! Now!"

The Guardian activating its attenuation pulse over Earth.

The lieutenant activates the drive. Cut to outside view of the Infinity. It flies past the Guardian and flees into slipspace while the construct prepares a blast. A sphere of energy forms at the Guardian's "head" and bursts. The wave knocks out the power of every ship, every starfighter, all the orbital defense platforms, and every city on the surface of Earth.

Cortana's hologram is still on the Infinity's bridge as it warps away, but it begins to fade.

• Cortana: "The Mantle of Responsibility for the galaxy shelters all! But only the Created are its masters!"

Cortana's projection disappears and the bridge's lights come back on.

• Roland: "We're in the clear, Captain."

• Lasky: "Can she track us?"

• Roland: "No reason to think she can't."

Lasky looks at Lieutenant Jet.

• Lasky: "Continue random jumps. Steer clear of major settlements."

Roland looks at Lasky, surprised.

• Roland: "We're just gonna run?"

Lasky turns to look at him.

• Lasky: "Only until we can find a way to fight."

Cut to black.

Fade in to the surface of Sanghelios. A campfire has been lit at the Arbiter's tent. The sound of an approaching Pelican is heard.

A Sword of Sanghelios Elite pulls aside the tent flap, while the Arbiter exits and ignites his Prophets' Bane. The Elite lights his too, and he, another Elite, Sarah Palmer, and Catherine Halsey walk out of the tent to investigate.

The humans and Elites look up to see the incoming Pelican, India 127. It maneuvers and lands, but the Arbiter, his men, and Palmer stay in a battle-ready stance.

The bay door opens. The Pelican's passengers walk out, and the Arbiter, his warriors and Palmer relax and sheathe their swords when they see it is Fireteam Osiris and Blue Team.

Cut to Palmer and Halsey. Palmer is scarred and torn after her Pelican crashed. She stays back with the Elites, but Halsey approaches their visitors.

Master Chief, accompanied by Locke, walks up to her. He and Halsey look back at each other.

• Halsey: "It took you long enough."

A Halo Installation above a massive terrestrial planet.

She continues gazing at him, and smiles.

Cut to black.

Roll credits

{Legendary-only scene}

Fade in and pan down to above a large terrestrial planet. As Cortana's voice hums an old tune, a Halo ring floats by.

Production notes

A storyboard of Cortana meeting Roland.

Originally, after Osiris freed Blue Team from the Cryptum, there was to be a scene of Cortana meeting Roland on the jungle surface of a Halo ring.

Trivia

Gameplay

• Ten pieces of Mission Intel can be found on this level.
• The Tough Luck skull can be found by the left wing of a crashed Pelican with a sniper rifle, SAW, and battle rifle.
• The White Scar Tufasumo-pattern plasma caster can be found behind burning wreckage in the first site where Covenant are fought.
• The Vorpal Talon Energy Sword can be found on a ledge by the Alpha Core..
• The Twin Jewels of Maethrillian Binary Rifle can be found on a ledge overlooking the Epsilon Core.
• An Ultra Ghost can be found by the Shade turrets in the core valley.
• It is possible, but difficult, to get a Mantis in the final area with the Prometheans. Simply position a couple of Ghosts to act as stairs for the Mantis to get across. If it gets inside, it would make fighting the Prometheans, especially the last Knights, much easier to confront on Legendary.

Mistakes and glitches

• Exuberant Witness's line "Cortana was about to lock me out." does not appear in the subtitles.
• Roland's line "from Earth to the Outer Colonies" does not capitalize the latter term.
  • In a similar manner, Locke erroneously refers to Vale as Buck if she is the one to activate the scripted cutscene.
• It is possible, through careful maneuvering and stacking of vehicles, to bring the Mantis and/or the Ghosts into the final arena.
• Using an energy sword to increase the player's walking speed will cause them to progress through the final corridor slightly faster, to the point of skipping the last Guardian pulse entirely. This further increases with the Vorpal Talon, which allows wielders to boost twice at a time.
  • The ending sequence can be made slightly even faster in Co-op, with the leading player playing as Vale with the Vorpal Talon equipped. This is due to Vale having a higher base movement speed and jump height than her allies.
• In the last cutscene, Buck is seen holstering his assault rifle on his back, but the weapon disappears for the rest of the cutscene.

References

• The Spartans' armor suits malfunctioning during the end of the mission is a reference to Crysis 2 where the player character's suit suffers malfunctions and cannot regenerate until after finishing the last level. In Crysis 2's case, Alcatraz's nanosuit loses power three times, while in Halo's case, Cortana's Guardian generates up to three pulse blasts which causes the Spartans' armors to malfunction. Both protagonists are narrowly defeated before they make the final attempt to finish the fight.

Miscellaneous

• In Cortana's announcement, she excludes the Yanme'e which Edward Buck notes in Halo: Bad Blood. Buck is unable to blame her for doing so due to Buck's own distaste for the creatures.

Gallery

Storyboards

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Screenshots

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  Vale helping Locke stand up.

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  Guardians surrounding Blue Team's Cryptum

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  Blue Team's Cryptum.

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  Boza, a crashed Pelican where Osiris can find vehicles.

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  The imposing sight of Guardians at the horizon.

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  Fireteam Osiris approaching Blue Team's Cryptum.

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  Cortana on the bridge of the UNSC Infinity.

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  The Infinity attempting to escape the Guardian at Earth.

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  John-117 and Jameson Locke reunited with Dr. Halsey.