Summary
The Great Journey is the final level in the Halo 2 campaign. As the Arbiter, working alongside Grunts, other Elites, and Hunters, you must battle your way to a Scarab, guide Sergeant Johnson to the door of Delta Halo's Control Room, and bring down Tartarus.
A prior misconception must be made clear - Gravemind, not this one, is the first level in which Elite Councillors enter a combat capacity.
Transcript
First Cinematic: "Your ass, my size-24 hoof"
{Scene fades in on the Arbiter and "Half-Jaw", who is in a Wraith with its hatch open, conversing. The two are looking towards the Control Room of Delta Halo}
Arbiter: "What is that place?"
Half-Jaw: "Where the Councillors were meant to watch the consecration of the Icon." {Zooms in on Half-Jaw's face} "The start of the Great Journey."
{Focus on the Arbiter}
Gravemind {in a memory of the Arbiter's}: "There is still time to stop the key from turning."
{Arbiter turns to face Half-Jaw}
Arbiter: "I must get inside."
Half-Jaw: "Then mount up, Arbiter. I know a way to break those doors."
{Arbiter turns back to face the Control Room as Half-Jaw enters his Wraith and closes the hatch behind him}
Gameplay
{they travel to where a Scarab is visible}
Half-Jaw: "There, Arbiter. That Scarab's main gun will break the Control Room's door. At the far end of the beach there's a passage into the cliff. It'll take you up to the Scarab."
{after clearing the area}
Half-Jaw: "The Brutes control the cruiser, Arbiter. I'll remain here, make sure no reinforcements get in behind you. Then, I'm going to take the cruiser back!"
{Arbiter walks into a room with Elites and Hunters}
Elite: "The Arbiter? I thought he was dead! Hold your fire. The Hunters have come to our aid, Arbiter. They will fight by our side."
{Arbiter fights his way to the platform where the Scarab is docked}
Tartarus (radio): "Mine will do, kill the others."
Brute: "Yes, Chieftain."
{Marines start fighting the Brutes, the Scarab starts moving}
Second Cinematic: "Backseat Driver"
{Arbiter turns around to see the Scarab's cannon aimed at him}
Sergeant Johnson (radio): "Listen, you don't like me and I sure as hell don't like you."
{cut to Scarab's helm, Johnson at the controls}
Sergeant Johnson: "But, if we don't do something, Mr. Mohawk's gonna activate this ring. And we're all gonna die."
{cut to Arbiter}
Arbiter: "Tartarus has locked himself inside the Control Room."
Sergeant Johnson (radio): "Well, I just happen to have a key." {the cannon powers up} "Grab a Banshee and give me some cover. He's gonna know we're comin'."
Gameplay
{Arbiter does so, Johnson fires on Wraiths}
Sergeant Johnson (radio): "Ha! How do you like it?"
{they approach the Control Room}
Sergeant Johnson (radio): "Stay clear of the doors. Hey, bastards. knock knock!"
{Scarab cannon fires, destroying Control Room's door, Arbiter enters the Control Room, runs into some Brutes}
Brute: "Do not let them enter the chamber! The Chieftain must complete his holy work!"
{Arbiter kills the guards, heads farther into the Control Room}
Third Cinematic: "Delusions and Grandeur"
{Tartarus and some Brutes stand in front of the control panel, holding Keyes and 343GS}
Tartarus: "Come, it is easy." {he tries to get Keyes to insert the Index} "Take the Icon in your hands, and do as you are told!"
{he slams the Index on the console}
343 Guilty Spark: "Please, use caution! This Reclaimer is delicate."
Tartarus: "One more word, Oracle, and I rip your eye from its socket!" {he turns to Keyes} "Which is nothing compared to what I will do to you..."
{Arbiter walks in}
Arbiter: "Tartarus, stop!"
Tartarus: "Impossible!"
Arbiter: "Put down the Icon."
Tartarus: "Put it down, and disobey the Hierarch?"
Arbiter: "There are things about Halo even the Hierarchs do not understand."
{Brutes start to engage, Tartarus waves them off}
Tartarus: "Take care, Arbiter, what you say is heresy!"
Arbiter: "Is it? Oracle, what is Halo's purpose?"
343 Guilty Spark: "Collectively, the seven-"
{Tartarus grabs 343GS, shakes}
Tartarus: "Not another word!"
Sergeant Johnson (off screen): "Please..."
{Tartarus lowers 343GS to see Johnson with a beam rifle and standing next to Arbiter}
Sergeant Johnson: "Don't shake the light bulb."
{Brutes growl, approach}
Sergeant Johnson: "If you want to keep your brain inside your head, I'd tell those boys to chill."
{Tartarus barks a command, Brutes back off}
Sergeant Johnson: "Go ahead, do your thing."
Arbiter: "The Sacred Rings, what are they?"
343 Guilty Spark: "Weapons of last resort. Used by the Forerunners to eliminate potential Flood hosts, thereby rendering the parasite harmless."
Arbiter: "Those who made the rings, what happened to the Forerunners?"
343 Guilty Spark: "After exausting every other strategic option, my creators activated the rings. They, and all additional sentient life in three radii of the galatic center, died as planned. Would you like to see the relevent data?"
Arbiter: "...Tartarus, the Prophets have betrayed us."
{Tartarus pauses, then throws 343GS at Johnson's head, knocking him down, then grabs Keyes' hand and forces the Index into the console}
Tartarus: "No, Arbiter! The Great Journey has begun and the Brutes, not the Elites, shall be the Prophets' escort!"
{Tartarus grabs his hammer as his energy shield turns on, the main platform splits into three as Halo charges up}
Gameplay
{Elite reinforcements show up, Tartarus jumps to the platforms}
343 Guilty Spark: "Charging sequence initiated. Primary generators coming online."
Commander Keyes: "Well, shut them down!"
343 Guilty Spark: "Apology. Protocol does not allow me to interfere with any aspect of this sequence."
Commander Keyes: "Then, how do I stop it?"
343 Guilty Spark: "Well, it will take some time to go over the proper procedures, I-"
Commander Keyes: "Quit stalling!"
343 Guilty Spark: "Under more controlled circumstances, I'd would suggest the Reclaimer simply remove the Index."
Commander Keyes: "That's it? Johnson, I'm on it!"
Sergeant Johnson: "Hang tight, ma'am! Not until that Brute is dead!"
343 Guilty Spark: "Secondary generators charging. All systems are performing well within operational parameters."
343 Guilty Spark: "Power generation phase complete. The installation is ready to fire. Starting final countdown."
Sergeant Johnson: "Come on, Arbiter, kick that guy's ass!"
343 Guilty Spark: "And may I say, Reclaimers, it has been a pleasure to serve you both. Goodbye."
{Arbiter kills Tartarus}
Fourth Cinematic
{Keyes jumps onto moving parts, ducks to avoid one, reaches a main platform, grabs the Index}
{cut to exterior of Control Room, all the pent up energy fires up into space}
{cut to Halo, a large pulsing ball of energy is in the center, the shot from the Control Room reaches it, the ball glows, explodes, then disipates}
{cut to interior of Control Room, Keyes stands in front of a holographic depiction, Johnson rides 343GS to her}
Commander Keyes: "What's that?"
343 Guilty Spark: "A beacon."
Commander Keyes: "What's it doing?"
343 Guilty Spark: "Communicating. At super-luminal speeds with a frequency of-"
Commander Keyes: "Communicating with what?"
343 Guilty Spark: {a bit surprised} "The... other installations."
Commander Keyes: "Show me."
{343GS interfaces with the hologram, it depicts the seven Halos, a red message points to one ring}
343 Guilty Spark: "Fail-safe protocal. In the event of unexplained shutdown, the entire system will move to standby status. All remaining platforms are now ready for remote activation."
Commander Keyes: "Remote activation? From here?"
343 Guilty Spark: {patronizing} "Don't be ridiculous."
Sergeant Johnson: "Listen, Tinkerbell, don't make me-"
{Keyes puts a hand on his shoulder}
Commander Keyes: "Then, where? Where would someone go to activate the other rings?"
{343GS is truly baffled}
343 Guilty Spark: "...Why, the Ark, ...of course."
Arbiter: "And where, Oracle, is that?"
{fade to black, fade in on a slipspace rupture in space, the Forerunner ship flies out and heads to Earth. Covenant and UNSC ships still engage each other}
Officer (radio): "We've got a new contact. Unknown classification.
{fade in on interior of Forerunner ship, Master Chief listens in}
Lord Hood (radio): "It isn't one of ours, take it out."
Master Chief: "This is Spartan-117, can anyone hear me? Over."
{cut to the Cairo's bridge, everything looks damaged}
Lord Hood: "Isolate that signal! Master Chief? You mind telling me what you're doing on that ship?"
{cut to MC}
Master Chief: "Sir, finishing this fight."
{fade to black}
{credits play}
Fifth Cinematic
{fade in on Flood-infested High Charity}
{a glowing ball (insect?) floats through the air, the camera pans off to the walkway outside the Council Chamber}
{cut to a damaged door that keeps trying to close, Gravemind's tentacles creep through}
Gravemind: "Silence fills the empty grave, now that I am gone."
{cut to Council Chamber, Gravemind's tentacles reach across}
Gravemind: "But my mind is not at rest, for questions linger on. I will ask and you will answer."
{Cortana's hologram appears, she holds up her hand, the tentacles stop and move off}
Cortana: "Alright, shoot."
{fade to black}
Walkthrough
Normal Walkthrough
(needs to be written)
Speed Run Walkthrough
Note: The techniques utilised in this walkthrough require correct Camouflage usage, precision and... speed. This walkthrough is good for Legendary, and is based on the current fastest Speed Run at High Speed Halo, Flechette's 12:48 Legendary run. It may be altered as and when faster runs emerge.
Take the Spectre. As soon as it's yours, activate the boost and charge straight for the first Wraith in the level, ignoring the Elite that gave it to you as well as the Brute-driven Ghosts that will pay a visit. You may want to use Active Camouflage when attempting to hijack the Wraith.
As soon as the Wraith's yours, make a beeline for the Scarab and take out the two Wraiths in front of the door, ignoring the fire from the Phantom that may attack. Now go around the right rock and assault the Brute waiting there. Get out and swap out your Plasma Rifle for his Brute Shot once he's dead. Now charge for the door. If you've been fast enough, you should get a checkpoint as you enter.
Swap out your Plasma Pistol for the Carbine and run right past the reinforcements. Once you get to the first room with Brutes, run right past them and activate Active Camouflage as you near the door. Skip the two Brutes that will run in, as well as the Brute in the turret. As you get to the other side of the chasm, you may come under fire. Use Active Camouflage once again and vault the low wall. Open fire on the enemy reinforcements with your Brute Shot, then run on. You will get a checkpoint as you reach an open-air bridge.
Jackals will arrive to greet you. Use your Active Camouflage once again to bypass them and slaughter the Jackal sniper at the end with your Carbine before he can get his deadly shot off. Then run on. If you've been following to the letter, you should get another checkpoint two rooms before the next enemy encounter.
As you reach the room with the prison cells, take the lower floor's right route and destroy the generator for the cell with the Hunters in it. Then take the left route and free the Elite Councillor. Feed the Brutes two Plasma Grenades, then head to the upper floor. Trade out your now-empty Brute Shot for the Energy Sword and free the last Councillor, then assail the Jackal waiting on the platform. As the next group of Brutes enter through the door, activate Active Camouflage and run through. You will get a checkpoint one door before the next encounter.
Backstab the Brute with his back foolishly to you, then stick the nearest Brute Captain with a Plasma Grenade. Camouflage yourself once more and stick the Brute nearest to the Scarab, then kill the final Brute with a Sword Lunge. Enjoy the cinematic if you want... Or skip it. You are, after all, on a speed run, and every second counts. Wait for the Elites to land the Banshees, then get into one. You get a checkpoint as soon as you're in the air.
Fly low to the ground as you engage the Wraiths. You will want to be close enough to the Wraiths to make them use their plasma turrets. Let them hurt your Banshee until it loses either wing, then retake to the skies and wipe them out from up high. As soon as you destroy the last of the three Wraiths, immediately start boosting towards the Control Room. You should get a checkpoint as you fly over the spare Banshee.
Ignore the Spectre charging towards the Scarab and head straight for the Control Room. If you've been boosting all the while, you should receive another checkpoint just before you go off the cliff.
Find a spot on the exterior of the Control Room and start... waiting. For Johnson to get the Scarab to the door. If you've been following to the letter and dashing madly on, the wait will take about two minutes. Watch Johnson blow up the door to the Control Room.
Here, you have two choices. Firstly, you can find the spot on the Control Room's exterior which will instantly teleport you into the final battle. If you followed this method, skip the next two paragraphs.
Or if you don't know where that is, don't despair, because Flechette didn't use it either. Fly the Banshee into the interior and head to the ceiling. Squeeze the Banshee through the hole in the rafters and down to the door. If you set off on the second method as soon as the door blew, you should get a checkpoint on the way down after squeezing past the rafters.
Get out of the Banshee and make the door open, then get back in and fly the Banshee past the Brutes that enter the next chamber, on to the next chamber.
Here is where both routes meet. Enjoy the cutscene if you want... Or not. You get a checkpoint as soon as the cutscene ends.
Leave the Brute Captains guarding Tartarus for Johnson and the Elite reinforcements that show up, and make a beeline for your Banshee. Get in and fly over to Tartarus.
It's mostly smooth sailing from here on. Simply pummel Tartarus with the Banshee Bomb and a bit of plasma fire whenever Johnson brings his shield down and dodge him as he jumps around. Luckily, he's too stupid to hit the Banshee with his Hammer. However, at times in the fight Brute reinforcements will arrive to aid their Chieftain and, ironically enough, they're not as stupid. However, they are much easier to wipe out. Feed them your firepower before they can take out your ride. Rinse and repeat until Tartarus is dead.
That's the end of The Great Journey... And Halo 2 as a whole. The current record is Flechette's 12 minutes 48 seconds. If you think you can best it, go record your own run and submit it!