The Great Journey

''This article is about a campaign level. For the Covenant belief, see Great Journey.''

The Great Journey is the final level in Halo 2 campaign. As Thel 'Vadam, you will fight alongside other Sangheili, and several Hunters, to reach the Brute Chieftain Tartarus and stop him from activating the rings. You will work alongside a Scarab being controlled by Sergeant Major Johnson to break the door to Delta Halo's Control Room where Tartarus is located. Finally, you must enter the Control Room and slay the Brute Chieftain.

Transcript
{Cutscene}

''Scene fades in on Thel 'Vadam and Rtas 'Vadum, who is in a Wraith with its hatch open, conversing. The two are looking towards the Control Room of Delta Halo''


 * Thel 'Vadam: "What is that place?"


 * Rtas 'Vadum: "Where the Councilors were meant to watch the consecration of the Icon. The start of the Great Journey."

Focus on 'Vadam:


 * Gravemind (flashback): "There is still time to stop the key from turning."


 * Thel 'Vadam: "I must get inside."


 * Rtas 'Vadum: "Then mount up, Arbiter. I know a way to break those doors."

 'Vadam turns to face the Control Room as Rtas 'Vadum enters his Wraith and closes the hatch behind him.

{Gameplay}

Your Ass, My Size-24 Hoof
''The Arbiter takes the Wraith or the Spectre (on Legendary, the player cannot take the Wraith). He and Rtas 'Vadum then fight past multiple waves of Brute-controlled Ghosts, Wraiths and even a Phantom. A CCS-class battlecruiser can be seen in the distance.''

As they travel to where a Scarab is visible, docked up on a ledge:


 * Rtas 'Vadum: "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:


 * Rtas 'Vadum: "The Brutes control that cruiser, Arbiter. I'll remain here, make sure no reinforcements get in behind you. Then, I'm going to take the cruiser back!"

 'Vadam walks into a room where a Sangheili and two Mgalekgolo are waiting.


 * Spec Ops 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."

'' 'Vadam and his allies fight their way through several areas guarded by Brutes, Jackals, and Drones. Eventually they reach a room where two Elite Councilors and two Hunters are being held prisoner behind force field doors.''

If the Spec Ops Elite lives at this point and follows you to the room:


 * Spec Ops Elite: "Free our brothers! Death to the Brutes!"

Once you clear the room, free the Hunters and Councilors, then head to the top floor to the Scarab.

 'Vadam and his Elites step out onto the platform and discover a group of Brutes preparing to execute some Marine prisoners, including Sergeant Johnson.


 * Tartarus (COM): "Mine will do. Kill the others."


 * Brute 1: "Yes, Chieftain. (to other Brute) A day's ration says I can do this in one cut."


 * Brute 2: "Two cuts at least."


 * Brute 1: "Done. Wait, movement!"


 * Brute 2: "Elites!"


 * Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson: "Go, go, go!"

''Gunnery Sergeant Pete Stacker and Staff Sergeant Marcus Banks start fighting the Brutes, while Johnson jumps into the Scarab and disappears. The Scarab starts moving.''

After all the Brutes on the platform are dead:

{Cutscene}



'Vadam turns around to see the Scarab's main cannon aimed at him.


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "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 a close-up of 'Vadam.


 * Thel 'Vadam: "Tartarus has locked himself inside the Control Room."


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Well, I just happen to have a key." (The Scarab's cannon opens) "Come on. Grab a Banshee and give me some cover. He's gonna know we're comin'."

{Gameplay}

Backseat Driver
Two Banshees arrive and the Elite pilots jump out


 * Elite: "Take my Banshee, Arbiter!"

 'Vadam does so, Johnson fires on enemy Wraiths.


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Ha! How do you like it?!"

They approach the Control Room, fighting off more Wraiths, Spectres, Shade Turrets and hostile Banshees.

When the Scarab comes in firing range of the Control Room.


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Stay clear of the doors. Hey, bastards, knock knock!"

If the Arbiter stalls:


 * Johnson (COM): "Stay clear of the doors!"


 * Johnson (COM): "Are you trying to get killed? Gimme some room!"

If the Arbiter stalls:


 * Johnson (COM): "What, do I have to spell it out for you? MOVE!!!"


 * Johnson (COM): "Hey, listen, I'm gonna count to three. One... two... three! Don't say I didn't warn ya!"

If the Arbiter moves when Johnson is counting:


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Good! Now stay put!"


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Hey, bastards. Knock knock!"

If the Arbiter turns back:


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): (unamused) "Ha ha, that's real funny. I'm still shootin'!"

''The Scarab's cannon fires, destroying Control Room's door. 'Vadam enters the Control Room, runs into some Brutes.''


 * Brute: "Do not let the Arbiter into the chamber! The Chieftain must complete his holy work!"

(alternatively, the Brute might say "them" instead of "the Arbiter")

 'Vadam either kills the guards or sneaks past them, then heads into the main chamber of control room.

Delusions and Grandeur
{Cutscene}

Tartarus and four Brute Captains stand in front of the control panel, holding Keyes and 343 Guilty Spark.


 * Tartarus: "Come, human, it is easy." (He tries to get Miranda to insert the Index) "Take the Icon in your hands... (growls impatiently) And do as you are told!"

He slams the Index on the console, which flashes red lights.


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "Please, use caution! This reclaimer is delicate."


 * Tartarus: "One more word, Oracle, and I'll rip your eye from its socket!" (he turns to Keyes, pushes her forward)


 * Commander Keyes: (exhales sharply)


 * Tartarus: (soft menacing growl) "Which is nothing compared to what I will do to you."

Thel 'Vadam walks in.


 * Thel 'Vadam: "Tartarus, stop."


 * Tartarus: (gasps, jerks his neck up in surprise) "Impossible!"


 * Thel 'Vadam: "Put down the Icon."

Tartarus turns to face 'Vadam.


 * Tartarus: "Put it down? And disobey the Hierarchs?"


 * Thel 'Vadam: "There are things about Halo even the Hierarchs do not understand."

Brutes step forward menacingly, Tartarus waves them off


 * Tartarus: "Take care, Arbiter. What you say is heresy!"


 * Thel 'Vadam: "Is it? (gently) Oracle, what is Halo's purpose?"


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "Well collectively, the seven—"

Tartarus grabs 343 Guilty Spark and jerks him around.


 * Tartarus: "Not another word!"


 * Sergeant Johnson (off screen): "Please ...

''Tartarus lowers 343 Guilty Spark to see Johnson standing next to 'Vadam. He holds a Beam Rifle and aims it directly at Tartarus.''


 * Sergeant Johnson: "Don't shake the light-bulb."

Brutes growl and approach


 * Sergeant Johnson: (raises Beam Rifle to Tartarus' head) "If you wanna keep your brain inside your head, I'd tell those boys to chill."

Tartarus barks a command, and the Brutes back off.


 * Sergeant Johnson: (to 'Vadam) "Go ahead. Do your thing."


 * Thel 'Vadam: (to Guilty Spark) "The Sacred Rings, what are they?"


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "Weapons of last resort, built by the Forerunners to eliminate potential Flood hosts, thereby rendering the parasite harmless."


 * Thel 'Vadam: "And those who made the rings? What happened to the Forerunners?"


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "After exhausting every other strategic option, my creators activated the rings. They and all additional sentient life within three radii of the galactic center, died, as planned."

Close up on 'Vadam, he lowers his head in sadness.


 * 343 Guilty Spark: (slightly awkward) "Would you... like to see the relevant data?"


 * Thel 'Vadam: (turns his attention back to Tartarus) "Tartarus. The Prophets have betrayed us."

''Tartarus pauses, then throws 343 Guilty Spark at Johnson's head, knocking him down. He 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. Miranda jumps out of the way.''

The main platform at the center of the Control Room splits into three as Halo charges up, emitting a massive beam of energy.

{Gameplay}

''Elite reinforcements show up and wipe out the Brute Captains. Tartarus jumps to the central platform. The Elites pursue him. Johnson hangs back, firing on Tartarus with his Beam Rifle.''

Commander Keyes and Guilty Spark talk


 * 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 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! (when knocking off Tartarus' shield for the first time) Hey, Mohawk! How'd that feel?"

If the Arbiter stalls:


 * Tartarus: "You want revenge? Well, here I am. Come and take it!"

or


 * Tartarus: "What's the matter, Arbiter? Afraid of my little hammer?"

or


 * Tartarus: "Beneath that fancy armor, you're nothing but a coward!"

If the Arbiter further stalls:


 * Tartarus: "Just like the rest of your race, cowardly and weak!"

After the Arbiter scores a hit on Tartarus for the first time:


 * Tartarus: (slams his hammer on the ground) "A lucky hit. You shall not land another."


 * Sergeant Johnson: (when knocking off Tartarus' shield for the second time) "His shield is down, let 'em have it!"

If the fight goes on long enough, Guilty Spark and Keyes will continue to argue


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "Secondary generators charging. All systems are performing well within operational parameters."


 * Commander Keyes: "You're telling me that you can't stop the sequence?"


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "Reclaimer, please understand that interrupting the wave generation process will severely damage this installation."


 * Commander Keyes: "Give me a direct answer!"


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "I am but a Monitor. The Reclaimer can do as it likes."


 * Sergeant Johnson: (knocking down Tartarus' shield for the third time) "There goes his shield!"

(knocking down Tartarus' shield for the fourth time)


 * Sergeant Johnson: "Got his shield! Hit him now!"

(knocking down Tartarus' shield for the fifth time)


 * Sergeant Johnson: "Quick while his shield is down!"

The fight continues


 * 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: "Firing sequence initiated. And may I say, Reclaimers, it has been a pleasure to serve you both. Goodbye."


 * Sergeant Johnson: "I can keep his shield down, but you've gotta finish the job!"

 'Vadam finally kills Tartarus.

{Ending}



Ending
''Keyes jumps onto a rotating platform, ducks to avoid one of the other platforms passing right above her, jumps onto the main platform, and grabs the Index. The entire room shakes, making Miranda hold the Index up to her chest in fear.''

''Cut to exterior of Control Room. All the built up energy fires into space.''

Cut to Halo's exterior, a large pulsing ball of energy is being formed in the center, the shot from the Control Room reaches it, the ball glows, explodes, then dissipates.

''Cut to interior of Control Room, which seems to be running on emergency power, as many of the lights are dimmed or not functioning. Keyes stands in front of a holographic depiction, Johnson rides 343 Guilty Spark to her.''


 * Commander Keyes: "What's that?"


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "A beacon."


 * Commander Keyes: "What's it doing?"


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "Communicating. At superluminal speeds with a frequency of—"


 * Commander Keyes: "Communicating with what?"


 * 343 Guilty Spark: (a bit surprised) "The... other installations."


 * Commander Keyes: "Show me."

343 Guilty Spark interfaces with the hologram, it depicts the seven Halos, a red message points to one ring (most likely either Installation 05, where they are, or Installation 04, which has been destroyed).


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "Fail-safe protocol: In the event of unexpected 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?"

343 Guilty Spark is truly baffled.


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "...Why, the Ark, of course."

 'Vadam comes up behind Johnson and Miranda Keyes.


 * Thel 'Vadam: "And where, Oracle, is that?"

Fade to black.

''Fade in on the Forerunner Dreadnought exiting Slipspace, and heads straight to Earth. Covenant and UNSC ships are engaging each other.''


 * Officer (COM): "We've got a new contact, unknown classification!"

Fade in on interior of Forerunner ship, John-117 listens in.


 * Lord Hood (COM): "It isn't one of ours, take it out."


 * Master Chief: "This is SPARTAN-117."

Cut to Cairo Station's bridge, everything looks damaged.


 * Master Chief (COM): "Can anyone hear me? Over."


 * Lord Hood: (to officer) "Isolate that signal! Master Chief? You mind telling me what you're doing on that ship?"

Cut to Master Chief.


 * Master Chief: "Sir. Finishing this fight."

Fades to black.

Level ends.

Credits play.

Epilogue
{Epilogue}

Fades in on the Flood-infested High Charity.

A Flood spore 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 have 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.

Close-up on Cortana's face


 * Cortana: "All right... shoot."

Fades to black.

Glitches

 * If you are able to keep your Hunters alive after the fight with the Phantom on the bridge and take them to the next room with the cells holding the Councilors and the Hunters, the Hunters in the cells will not be there. However, if you finish the battle in the prison then go back and get the Hunters, you will still have four Hunters, which is very helpful if the level is being done on Legendary. They will not be there only if you've ever played Xbox live, or connected, otherwise, you will be able to have the Hunters as soon as you force the other two in the prison room.
 * If you manage to bring a Spectre into the Control Room, you can get Johnson to ride onto it. If you drive it away towards the entrance and come back, there will be another Johnson in his place. Using this glitch, there can be up to four Johnsons (3 on the Spectre, 1 on the ledge) helping you for the mission which can be useful for taking out Tartarus' shields.
 * It is possible to get Rtas 'Vadum and the other Elites to go with you into the building. Get Rtas 'Vadume and the Elite into the Spectre and drive it into the building then get them out. They will usually follow you, though this could take a few tries.
 * You can jump to the platform where Miranda Keyes is standing and stick her with a plasma grenade. She should run to the platform where Tartarus is. This may take some tries. Tartarus will then attack Keyes repeatedly and she cannot die. Tartarus will be distracted and won't respond to any attacks except melees.
 * It is possible to get a Banshee into the spot where you fight Tartarus. If you shoot your Banshee's wings after Johnson destroys the door with some maneuvering you can use it to kill the pack of brutes and their leader. When it goes to the cutscene, you will be ejected out of your Banshee, but if you return to the hallway, it will be there, allowing you to kill Tartarus much easier. This can also be done without destroying the wings and going through the building to get to the control room. To save time, wait for Johnson to blow open the door. Afterward, fly the Banshee around the left side of the tower (near the door, on your right), and the Banshee will be there after the cutscene.
 * If you let Rtas 'Vadum drive the Wraith or Spectre and a Brute tries to board him, he will never succeed as Rtas 'Vadum is invincible.
 * At the start of the fight with Tartarus, look down to your left and you will see Miranda Keyes standing on the death barrier, but she cannot die. She will stay there for a while and later will appear next to the monitor.
 * The Great Journey Vacation can be done on this level.
 * It is possible to swap weapons with the Elite Counselors while they are still in their cells and behind the energy barrier.

Mistakes

 * If the player walks up to Banks and Stacker, Stacker will say something like, "Chief! Glad you could make it!" in the same way that Johnson does.
 * When inside the control room, go to the lowest level of the platform and crouch. You will hit the death barrier and die instantly.
 * In the cutscene in which the Arbiter talks to Johnson, the Arbiter is holding his weapon in his right hand, but when the scene switches to Johnson's POV, the Arbiter is holding it in the left hand.
 * In the first shot of the cutscene in which the Tartarus is attempting to force Miranda Keyes to activate Halo, there are three Brute Captains. However, when the Arbiter shows up, there are four Captains.

Easter Eggs

 * The Black Eye Skull can be found on this level.
 * There is a Heretic Banshee on this level. It will spawn near the cliff where the level starts off if no vehicles are used to reach the Control Room. The player can then use it after "Backseat Driver" begins.
 * On top of the control room's spire is the word "REX" splattered in blood.

Miscellaneous

 * When escorting the Scarab, you can get your Banshee stuck in the Scarab, and since the Scarab is invincible, you don't actually have to defend it.
 * It is impossible to drive the Wraith on Legendary.
 * Originally, there was a cutscene at the part of the level where you are on the Scarab platform in which there was a gathering of Brutes decapitating Marines. Joseph Staten explained that this cinematic had to be cut because at that time "real world events" made this a bit politically dangerous.
 * This is technically the first level in which the Elites and the UNSC fight alongside each other, and the only level in Halo 2 in which they do, though very briefly.
 * Sergeant Banks and Sergeant Stacker will disappear right after the cutscene. They probably entered the Scarab with Johnson. However, if you (or the Brutes) kill any of them, their corpses will not disappear after the cutscene.
 * After this level it is unknown what happens to the Fist of Rukt. It might have been destroyed by the Elites in disgust since it took the lives of many of their kind. More likely it was simply left behind on Delta Halo.
 * If you manage to hijack a Banshee after Johnson destroys the Control Room door, the Brute pilot will have no weapon and when you stand in front of him, he will walk towards you and won't attack. He will walk towards a Banshee and get in if one is nearby. It should be noted that if the other Brute (in a Banshee or not) is killed near the first one, the first Brute will go berserk.
 * This level is ironic in that, being the last Arbiter level, the Arbiter is trying to convince Tartarus about Halo's true purpose, when the Arbiter had silenced the Heretic leader for trying to say the same things in the second Arbiter level.
 * Strangely, if you board a Ghost or Wraith at the start of the level, the Brutes are holding Elite Plasma Rifles.
 * The last sentence said by the Master Chief was used as Halo 3's marketing slogan as "Finish the Fight".
 * If you fly to Johnson's Scarab and lose your Banshee, towards the end more and more Brute Banshees will strafe the Scarab. They fly very close, allowing you to hijack one and fly to the control room. This is so that you won't get stuck on the Scarab.
 * It is interesting to note that on Installation 04, the control room was in a temple in a snowy valley, but on Installation 05, it is in a structure in the ocean near the beach, seemingly complete opposites of each other.
 * Just before you reach the Control Room, there will be a flipped Wraith with a weaponless Brute on top of it below you. If you decide to go to him, he will let out a grunt and will walk up to you. Since he isn't armed with any weapon, he will be harmless to you.
 * When Johnson commandeers the Scarab, it starts moving even before he is able to go to the controls. He's only at the leg, when the Scarab moves so it should be restricted from the player, although with some luck, you can get inside the Scarab and see Johnson, who says something like "Glad you could make it, Chief", because in every level Johnson is an ally, and you can go very close to him, you're playing as the Master Chief.
 * The Forerunner structure encountered by the unmanned Scarab, is coincidentally designed with almost the exact same architecture as The Ark Cartographer.
 * It is possible to go through the first part of the level up to where you escort Johnson with a Ghost.
 * The beginning portion of the level is extremely similar in design to the Assault On The Control Room in which the player has to fight through a canyon with a group of surviving allies to take control of a structure.
 * The waves of Elites during the Control Room battle are seemingly endless, but eventually the waves of Elites will stop but Sergeant Johnson will shoot faster.
 * This is the only level in the Halo trilogy in which a pair of Hunters are the player's allies.
 * If you kill Tartarus while leaving a few of his Brutes alive, the cutscene will still progress but you can see the Brutes running around in the background. This can also be seen with Elites and other objects.
 * If you park a Banshee in the place that Miranda Keyes is running across to get the Icon, you will see her running through the Banshee during the cutscene.
 * The player can use their own Particle Beam Rifle to lower Tartarus' shields, however, they will only be able to do so if they are on the same platform as Tartarus. Thus, the player cannot simply snipe Tartarus from a safe distance.