Destiny 2 The Final Shape Exegesis mission guide: Puzzles, boss & more

Destiny 2 The Final Shape is out and you can enjoy the entire campaign right now. This campaign is different from previous expansions as, apart from boss fights, there are some tricky puzzles as well. Here is a guide to the third mission of The Final Shape Exegesis covering the puzzles, boss fights, and more.

Exegesis is the mission where you are tasked with searching for Ikora Rey inside the Pale Heart. If you want to save the Warlock Vanguard, you need to go through a bunch of puzzles and fight through the servants of the Witness similar to the previous mission, Temptation.

If you play on Normal difficulty, the fights will be quite easy. However, if you want the extra reward and play on Legend difficulty, the fights will be tough, and combined with the puzzles, you will have a hard time.

However, if you want to make your run easier, here is a detailed guide that you must follow.

Full guide to Destiny 2 The Final Shape Exegesis mission

Step 1: Launch the mission Exegesis

The first step is to launch the mission Exegesis from the Pale Heart. You can choose the Normal or Legends version depending on how you want to play. Launching the mission will drop you at a region called The Refraction. The mission tab will say “Locate Ikora’s Ship”.

Step 2: Pick up the Crystalline Key

Once you proceed a little, you will notice a locked door with a pressure plate on the ground. Don’t try jumping as it won’t work. Instead, look behind and you for a Crystal Formation.

Upon walking close to it, you will be able to pick up a Crystalline Key. Slam it on the pressure plate to unlock the door.

Step 3: Unlock the Darkness barrier

It is now time to get used to a new mechanic. Once you unlock the door and proceed, you’ll find a Darkness barrier. In front of the barrier are two plates, one Light and one Dark. There will also be a Hive Knight in front of the Dark plate.

Kill the Hive Knight and it will drop Dark motes. Pick these up and deposit them on the Dark plate to unlock the barrier. Remember this mechanic as it will come in handy in the following sections.

Step 4: The Light Relic

After unlocking the Darkness barrier, you’ll enter a room where multiple Dread enemies spawn. Defeat these and the game will point you to break three Red spherical formations toward the end of the room.

The first one is on the ground floor and the other two are on the first floor. Simply shooting them will do the job. Once the formations are destroyed, the Light Relic from the Vault of Glass raid will spawn in the middle of the room.

Pick it up and defeat all the enemies. Now, a few Hive Knights will spawn on the first floor. Defeat the Hive Knights with the Relic in hand. If you do that, the Hive Knights will spawn Light motes.

Deposit these on the Light Plate to unlock the path forward.

To recap, defeating the Hive Knights with bare hands drops Darkness motes. Defeat them with the Light Relic in hand for Light motes.

Step 5: Open the locked door once again

After you proceed from this area, it is time to repeat the mechanics once again. There will be a few Dread enemies combined with Hive Knights. Defeat the Hive Knight normally and deposit the Dark motes. Once you do that, the Light Relic will spawn.

Use the Relic and collect Light motes to deposit them. There will also be one Dread Psion with a Prismatic shield. Defeat that enemy while Prismatic is activated. Once the motes are deposited and enemies are defeated, a Darkness barrier will open on the right side.

Inside the barrier, you’ll find a Crystalline Key. Deposit that on the pressure plate by the locked door to open it.

Step 6: Unlock the bigger Darkness door

One more Darkness door awaits, this time with a twist. Once you reach the next area, you will notice a bunch of Dread enemies, a Subjugator with a Prismatic shield, and a massive Darkness barrier. Defeat the enemies and get ready for more puzzle-solving.

Before beginning, you will notice four deposit plates here. Two Dark; two Light. However, first, you need the Light Relic to get Light motes. You will get it from inside a locked door in that same area (it is hard to miss).

While facing the locked door, look for a small area on the left glowing with Light to find a Crystalline Key. Deposit this Key and unlock the door. Walk inside and pick up the Light Relic.

Now, these four plates need to be activated but in an order. Defeat a Knight and deposit the Dark motes on a plate. It doesn’t matter if it’s wrong — you’ll notice Darkness beams coming from every plate.

The number of beams the plates have is the order in which you must deposit the motes. Once you know the order, defeat the Hive Knights with the Relic and bare hands, and deposit the motes on the plates.

This will unlock the big Darkness barrier and spawn a Prismatic chest unlocking new abilities for your Prismatic class.

Step 7: Scan Ikora’s Ship

Emerging on the other side of the caves, you’ll notice Ikora’s ship. Walk up and scan it. After some dialogue, more combat is on the cards.

Proceed forward after scanning the ship and a massive Hive Ogre called Pillar of Silence will spawn. The Ogre has a shield that can only be removed by the Light Relic dropped by a nearby Ogre.

Take down one-third of the Pillar of Silence’s health bar and it’ll disappear.

Step 8: Defeat the Hive Ogre

Once you encounter the Ogre for the first time, proceed forward and you will soon notice a spot for Rally Banner. It is now time to take down the Ogre.

The process is simple. Follow the same mechanics as previously and activate the Light and Dark plates. Once that is done the Ogre will reappear. Use the Relic to break the Ogre’s shield and deal damage.

Once the second HP bar is gone, it will disappear again. Repeat the same mechanics and take down the final HP bar to finally put the Pillar of Silence to rest.

Step 9: Take down the horde

Once the Ogre is defeated, follow the Light to reach a massive open area with a corrupted Tree of Silver Wing. Rally, load your weapons, and proceed to defeat the Dread before you.

These are not very difficult, but annoying as the Grim will silence you, while the Psions will pull you across with Strand powers. A Supremacy Sniper with Kinetic Tremors and a Sunshot Handcannon will be handy here.

Once the initial horde is defeated, you will notice a few Prismatic shielded enemies and a Tormentor. Fortunately, you can keep a long distance from them provided you have a Sniper. Take down the Prismatic shields with your Prismatic Power and defeat the Tormentor.

Step 10: Meet Ikora

After the Tormentor is defeated, you will notice Ikora standing over a ledge. Talk to her and a cinematic will begin. This will end the mission and trigger a cutscene which leads into the next mission – Requiem.

For all other missions in The Final Shape, check out the full mission list. Be sure to also see the new Exotics, what each edition of the expansion gets you, and when you can dive headfirst into the new raid.