Homecoming

"The Last City is under attack by the Red Legion. It's time to fight back."

- In game description

Homecoming is the first story mission of Destiny 2, and begins with the Red Legion invading the Last City. After losing access to the entire surveillance network, Commander Zavala, Ikora Rey and Cayde-6 prepare to hold the Tower against a fleet of Red Legion ships that have begun an assault on Earth.

Enemies
Cabal - Red Legion
 * Bracus Drung (Solstice of Heroes Redux only)
 * Pashk, the Searing Will
 * Unsanctioned Blasters (Solstice of Heroes Redux only)
 * Brann, the Unbent Blade
 * Kreth, the Living Skyfire
 * Valus Zullug (Solstice of Heroes Redux only)

Objectives

 * Defend your home.
 * Find a way into the Tower and repel the attack.


 * Find Zavala
 * Fight your way to Zavala to help him defend the plaza.


 * Gear up for the fight
 * Acquire a weapon from Lord Shaxx’s personal armory.


 * Fight with Zavala
 * Rendezvous with the Vanguard Commander and repel a Red Legion attack.


 * Defend the Tower
 * Assaults repelled
 * [0-3] of 3


 * Leave the Plaza and find the Speaker
 * Meet Ikora Rey in the Tower Boulevard and join her search for the Speaker of the City.


 * Board the command ship
 * Fight to the north side of the Tower and rendezvous with Amanda Holliday


 * Disable the shields
 * Locate the Cabal command ship’s shield generator and destroy it.


 * Download Schematics.


 * Reach the shield generator
 * Fight your way through the Cabal command ship.


 * Overload the generator.
 * Exhaust turbines destroyed
 * [0-3] of 3


 * Escape the command ship
 * Find a way off the Cabal command ship and rejoin the fight for the Last City.

Cutscene

 * The Bungie logo appears and disappears. A vast amount of stars fade into view. A low voice begins to speak.

Player's Ghost: I never knew you in life. Your first life, anyway.

Ghost: You died on a battlefield long before my time.

Ghost: Something special brought us together.


 * An animation plays which builds to show the Traveler.

Ghost: They called it "the Traveler". And when it arrived it changed your world forever.


 * The camera pans out to show the Traveler hovering above the Earth.

Ghost: It was a Golden Age. And for centuries humanity thrived...


 * Three Arcadia Class jumpships fly up on the screen.

Ghost: ...until it didn't.


 * Everything fades from view leaving the starscape behind. A top-down view of the City and the Traveler form, only to be overtaken by an ominous dark triangle.

Ghost: An ancient enemy pursued the Traveler across the universe.

Ghost: Humanity faced extinction.


 * The camera zooms into the dark triangle. The Traveler fades back into view.

Ghost: But the Traveler made a choice. Its sacrifice destroyed its ancient enemy...


 * A white energy flows from the Traveler, eventually enveloping the screen. The speaking voice modulates into the voice we know as the Ghost as an animation plays forming a Ghost.

Ghost: ...and brought life to the Ghosts.

Ghost: I am a Ghost. More importantly, I'm your Ghost.

Ghost: And you are one of the Traveler's chosen.


 * Illustrations appear showing a Hunter, the Traveler and the Last City, followed by a Titan and a Warlock.

Ghost: You... are a Guardian.


 * Screen cuts to black.

Ghost: This is your Destiny.

{Cutscene ends}

Cutscene

 * Pan shot of The City showing Tower astride Wall, with The Traveler in the background. Camera moves to Cayde-6 walking into Hall of Guardians in Tower. A storm rages across the plain, music rises as lightning flashes ominously through the window.


 * Commander Zavala is hunched over the table reading reports while Ikora Rey stands to the side, scrutinizing a data screen. The hall buzzes with frantic activity as the Vanguard assemble.

Cayde-6: Ikora, if you tell me this is a practical joke… Well, it kills me to say it, but I - I would be really impressed.

Ikora Rey: Impressing you, Cayde, is the easiest thing I'll do all day.

Commander Zavala: Let's get serious, people.

Cayde: Zavala!

Cayde: This is my serious face. Can't you tell?

Zavala: Ikora, what have you got?

Ikora: Someone or something has sabotaged the Skyline Defense Systems.

Cayde: And comms have been spotty for the last few hours.

Cayde: Every sensor beyond the wall has gone dark.

Zavala: Hmm… Maybe it’s just the storm. Maybe it’s… What are the sat feeds telling us?

Ikora: Nothing.

Cayde: Well, that's good, right?

Ikora: No! I mean, they’re not there. There are no satellites.

Cayde: And that's not good.


 * Zavala returns to the window, staring out as the clouds part to reveal an armada of Cabal

Zavala: Battle stations!


 * The Cabal open fire on the City defenses, bombarding the tower.

Zavala: Everyone with me! Now!


 * Zavala summons a Ward of Dawn, shielding those present in the hall from the attack. Cayde immediately summons a Golden Gun and attempts to singlehandedly shoot down every last heavy cruiser before Ikora, seeing this, jumps over the banister, grabs Cayde and teleports the two of them in to the safety of the Ward right as a slab of concrete debris smashes into the ground where Cayde would have been. Inside, Zavala struggles to maintain the barrier while more wounded reach safety and are treated.

Ikora: Hang on!


 * Outside, and the camera show the Cabal armada continuing on uninterrupted over the wall, to deploy the Traveler Cage, which latches onto The Traveler while more and more ships come into view and anti-air artillery and the signs of battle fill the air above the city.

''(Cutscene ends}

Cutscene

 * Pan of environment, with Hawk jet flying over the mountains and fields outside the City. Camera follows the plane, changing direction to show the dark storm clouds clouds mixed with smoke rising into the sky, their undersides lit by the coals of a burning civilization, obscured behind its encircling mountains. The view then moves to focus back in on the Hawk, and then inside the cockpit where The Guardian can be seen piloting the craft, with their Ghost over their shoulder.

Ghost: Repeat, Tower Approach, this is City Hawk seven-two-three. Anyone home...?

Ghost: No response on any channels, even the emergency frequencies.

Ghost: [Sigh] What is going on back there?

Ghost: Remember when I told you that you fly too fast? Forget I said that. Fly fast.


 * The Guardian grins knowingly then throttles the Hawk, which races across the sky as the clouds part to reveal a pan shot showing a thick plume of smoke rising from the Tower in the foreground, with the City aflame behind it. Cabal ships fill the sky as the Cage is set over the Traveler.

{Cutscene ends}

Gameplay

 * The Guardian transmats into the Hall of Guardians, which is on fire. A large hole has been torn in the floor by the bombardment and collapsed masonry prevents the player from proceeding directly into the foyer.


 * Tower Watch


 * Defend your home.
 * Find a way into the Tower and repel the attack.

Ghost: We need to find Ikora, Zavala and Cayde.


 * The player searches for an way out of the room. To the right a wall gives way in an explosion as Cabal Legionaries smash through and initiate combat.

Ghost: Cabal!


 * The Cabal are killed, and the player enters the new path.

Ghost: This doesn’t make sense. The Cabal conquer systems by blowing up planets. Whatever they want, it must be here - in the Last City.


 * Inside, a rack of eight Redjacks lie dormant, a few meters further along the corridor. A ninth Redjack is active, firing on the squad of Legionaries that close with it and impale it on their blades. The Guardian kills the Cabal and fights along the corridor.

Zavala: This is Commander Zavala. Civilians: report to evac points. Guardians: rendezvous in the Plaza. Our City will not fall.


 * At the end of the corridor is a closed door. It opens to reveal Cayde-6, pausing for breath as a trio of legionaries roar at him from the room beyond, the foyer to the Hall of Guardians, and former residence of the Crucible Handler Lord Shaxx.

Ghost: Cayde!

Cayde: Hey, you two! Give me a sec.


 * Cayde summons a Golden Gun, dispatching the Cabal, and twirls his Ace of Spades nonchalantly as he turns to face the player.

Cayde: Zavala’s doing the hero thing in the Plaza. Me? I’ve got a date with whoever’s behind this. It’ll be a short date.


 * Cayde transmats out. The player moves towards the exit to the Plaza but the staircase has been blocked by fallen masonry. The area is filled with civilian refugees being guarded by more Redjacks, Lord Shaxx, and until just now, Cayde-6.


 * Find Zavala
 * Fight your way to Zavala to help him defend the plaza.

Lord Shaxx [Ah Saladin’s Young Wolf! {Veterans}| Over here, Hunter/Titan/Warlock!{New player accounts}] My armoury is open to you. Follow the path from there. It will lead you through the Hangar to the Plaza. I’ll take care of these people. If the Cabal want war, give them war.


 * Shaxx opens the door to his armory, allowing the player to arm themselves and exit through the door behind it.


 * Gear up for the fight
 * Acquire a weapon from Lord Shaxx’s personal armory.


 * If the player delays arming themselves Ghost will say:

Ghost: We should really grab a gun and get moving.


 * The player acquires the Auto Rifle Origin Story and the Sidearm The Last Dance. Player opens armoury door and continues through Tower Military District, fighting the few Cabal as they go. The area is filled with munitions, missiles and other armaments from Dead Orbit, New Monarchy and the Future War Cult, and foundries such as Hakke, Suros, Omolon, Daito and Tex Mechanica.

Tower PA (in background): Evacuation order seven-seven is in effect. This is not a drill. All civilians report to designated evacuation areas immediately.


 * Tower Hangar


 * The player continues on towards the Hangar. They enter a corridor with a window set in the side looking out to the Hangar. On the other side a group of Redjacks are engaged in battle against some Cabal and are suffering heavy casualties.


 * The player continues through into a darkened room adjacent to the Hangar, where they are introduced to the concepts of energy shielding and elemental matching in the form of more Cabal, now including some shielded Centurions. The player defeats the Cabal and moves on towards the exit of this area into the Hangar proper.


 * The door opens revealing The Immortal, a heavy cruiser and flagship of Dominus Ghaul, making its way into the City, flanked by several warships. Around them the skies are filled with dogfights between City Hawks and Cabal Threshers

Ghost: Look at the size of that thing. It must be their command ship.


 * The player clears the Hangar of enemies and climbs the rubble up towards the exit. If the player doesn't exit immediately but turns to the right they will find the the dead Redjacks and Cabal seen fighting earlier. If they enter this area, which used to be the site of the Dead Orbit and Future War Cult vendors as well as the Vanguard Quartermaster and the Tower Shipwright (Amanda Holliday), Ghost will say:

Ghost: I don’t want to be around when Amanda sees what happened to her tools.


 * If the player doesn't exit immediately but moves towards the open end of the Hangar facing the Traveler and the City below, Ghost will say:

Ghost: They’re not just assaulting the Tower. Look at the Traveler!


 * The player exits the Hangar. The corridor towards the Plaza has collapsed, and the player crawls and jumps their way through the collapsed masonry while the Vanguard speaks over the radio:

Cayde: OK. My Ghost keeps tagging these Cabal as “Red Legion.” Ikora, what do you got?

Ikora: They’re elite. Ruthless. And rumor is, they have never known defeat.

Zavala: Until today. Today, they face Guardians.

Ikora: But Zavala! They’re attacking the Traveler!

Zavala: The Traveler waits! We protect our people. At any cost.


 * Fight with Zavala
 * Rendezvous with the Vanguard Commander and repel a Red Legion attack.


 * Tower Plaza


 * The player makes their way through the rubble, reaching the Plaza, with a good view of the Traveler and the Cage.

Ghost: The Traveler… what is that… thing they’re attaching to it?


 * The Tower Plaza is full of Cabal, being reinforced in waves by Ripper Pods launched from The Immortal which has now come around the other side of the Tower and is bombarding it further. A barrage of missiles slams into one of the two ∆ shaped pillars that go several dozen meters into the air above the Tower. The pillar breaks and falls to the side, with the collapsed rubble to later be visible in Tower North.


 * Commander Zavala is at the back of the Plaza, atop a flight of stairs in front of a large, closed door. He is fighting the Cabal with the player, and will at the end of each wave be bombarded by The Immortal during which he will deploy a Ward of Dawn to protect himself and nearby players who enter it from the missiles. This area is a public instance and can have multiple Guardians fighting at the same time. If Zavala is somehow killed, his Ghost will enable you to revive him, same as any other Guardian.


 * Defend the Tower
 * Assaults repelled


 * [0-3] of 3

Zavala:These Red Legion are well trained. But we are better. We will hold this line until the last civilian is safely away.
 * 1 of 3


 * The first wave is defeated, the cruiser fires missiles.

Zavala: Incoming! Fall back to my shield!


 * Bombardment ends.

Zavala: Don’t let them past the gate! The evac shuttles are back there!
 * 2 of 3

Zavala: We hold here. That command ship - it’s next on my list.
 * Another salvo

Zavala: Missiles! Stay inside my shield!
 * Bombardment ends. Final required wave. Cabal will continue to spawn until player leaves due to being a public instance.

Zavala: More Red Legion! Show them what Guardians are made of!
 * 3 of 3

Ikora: Zavala, the last of the shuttles is away. But the Speaker - he never made it. I’m going to look for him.


 * Leave the Plaza and find the Speaker
 * Meet Ikora Rey in the Tower Boulevard and join her search for the Speaker of the City.

Zavala: I’ve got the Plaza. Go with Ikora. Find the Speaker!

Ghost: We’re on it, Commander!


 * If the player delays leaving the Plaza and continues fighting the following lines can be heard.

Zavala: More drop pods! Go now!

Zavala: Rip Pod inbound! Get to the Speaker!

Ghost: Probably should catch up to Ikora.

Ghost: Now! We need to leave now!

Ghost: The Speaker - we can’t lose him.

Zavala: Another barrage! Incoming!


 * The player exits the Plaza towards Tower North. In the connecting corridor a Frame, Sweeperbot, can be seen happily whistling as he sweeps away the suspiciously large number of dead Cabal surrounding him. The door opens and the player enters Tower North.


 * Tower North


 * A squad of Cabal standing between the entrance from the Plaza, and the the wreckage of the ∆ pillar from earlier, is atomized by a Nova Bomb thrown by Ikora Rey as she enters the scene. A Thresher gunship draws near.

Ikora: Red Legion, you will take no more from us. And you will find no mercy in me!
 * Ikora sees the gunship, rising into the air where she shoots another Nova Bomb into the ship's engine, before landing on the burning, crashing ship, riding it to the ground as detailed in the Voidwalker lore entry.

Ghost: Zavala -

Zavala: She’ll find the Speaker. We need to move on that command ship. Now head to the North Tower. I’m sending Amanda Holliday to pick you up.
 * Board the command ship
 * Fight to the north side of the Tower and rendezvous with Amanda Holliday


 * A door on the other side of the crashed pillar opens, revealing the street beyond and introducing the player to the Incendior flamethrower unit.

Zavala: Holliday is inbound. We need that ship off the field!


 * The player fights through to the Cabal to the courtyard at the end of the street. The last enemies are killed and Holliday's Hawk appears, ready to pick the player up.

Amanda Holliday: Someone told me you need a ride.

Cutscene

 * The City aflame. Battle rages through the night sky as Holliday races through the flak and enemy aircraft towards The Immortal, Dominus Ghaul’s flagship.

Holliday: Zavala, picked up that Guardian you never shut up about.

Zavala: Get them on that command ship - Now!
 * A view of The Immortal, right in the center of the chaotic melee of aircraft and artillery.

Holliday: Hold on back there!
 * Holliday zooms towards the ship, gunning down a Thresher that gets in her way, dodging past a squadron of fighters. She looks out the cockpit window towards the Traveler, encased in the Traveler’s Cage, concerned and afraid.

Holliday: Come on, big guy. Do something.
 * Holliday comes in to close to the command ship which raises its shields, almost vaporizing Holliday who swerves hard to avoid them.

Holliday: Urrgh!
 * Successfully avoiding The Immortal’s energy shields, Holliday swings around to the bow of the ship where the Rip Pods are launching along an unshielded rail and drops off the Guardian there to board the ship.

HollidayAll right, Guardian! Time to kick ‘em where it hurts!

{Cutscene ends}

Gameplay

 * The Immortal.
 * Command Ship.


 * The player exits the Hawk onto The Immortal's Ripper Pod launch guidance rail and proceeds to enter the ship.

Holliday: Let us know when the shields are down and we’ll hit that ship with everything we’ve got.
 * Disable the shields
 * Locate the Cabal command ship’s shield generator and destroy it.


 * The player engages a group of Cabal guarding the launch bay. Further progression is blocked by an energy shield. In the middle of the platform a hologram depicts The Immortal and other warships above the Tower.

Ghost: That hologram could help. Let me take a look.


 * Download Schematics.


 * The player interacts with the hologram as Ghost downloads the ships schematics and disables the energy barrier.

Ghost: OK, the shield generator should be at the bottom of the ship.


 * Reach the shield generator
 * Fight your way through the Cabal command ship.


 * The player continues further into the ship, encountering Pashk, The Searing Will, an Incendior and an introduction to boss enemies, among other Cabal who are then defeated. The Player proceeds through a series of stairwells leading up to the deck level.

Zavala: Cayde! What’s your status?

Cayde: Uh… A little low on ammo. The whole flaming pistol [static] kept burning out. Anyone heard from Ikora?

Zavala: Not since she went for the Speaker. Form up! [static] on me!


 * The player reaches the top deck. The deck is full of Cabal, and introduces the Psions as combatants. The player encounters Brann, The Unbent Blade, a Centurion, before reentering the ship's interior across the topside. The player drops down from their level to the engineering level of the ship, and proceeds to the shield generator.

Ghost: The shield generator should be straight ahead.


 * The player encounters Kreth, The Living Skyfire, a Legionary, and more enemies guarding the generator. The player enters the generator room.

Ghost: All right. Destroy the turbines. The shields should fizzle.


 * Overload the generator.
 * Exhaust turbines destroyed


 * [0-3] of 3


 * Destroy the exhaust turbines to disable the Cabal command ship’s shields.


 * 1 of 3

Ghost: Yes! Just like that!


 * 2 of 3

Ghost: Heat levels rising! It’s working!


 * 3 of 3

Ghost: Zavala! We did it! The shields are down!

Zavala: [static]

Ghost: Zavala?


 * Escape the command ship
 * Find a way off the Cabal command ship and rejoin the fight for the Last City.

Ghost: Amanda! We’re headed topside!

Holliday: [Static and combat]

Ghost: Amanda!


 * The player exits the generator room, heading for the top deck along another corridor sealed at its end with a closed door and transition into cinematic.

{Gameplay ends}

Cutscene

 * The door snaps open as the player runs past, racing along the external deck. The camera shifts to show the player and their Ghost as they come to a stop and face the Traveler and the Cage device.

Ghost: How do we come back from this?

Dominus Ghaul: You don’t.


 * Camera shifts once more as Ghaul enters dramatically through the door, flanked by two Blood Guards. Dramatic and portentous music.

Ghaul: Welcome to a world without Light.


 * Ghaul gestures to The Traveler. The player turns to look in time to see the Traveler’s Cage activate, an orange force field spreading out and encompassing the Traveler as the music takes a turn for the ominous. The player is shocked as their connection to the Light is cut, and the Light of their soul is ripped out of their body.

Ghost:Guardian, something’s wrong…


 * Weak and without the Light, the player's Ghost falls exhausted to the ground. The player collapses next to it, and feebly tries to grab and protect their Ghost as Ghaul approaches them.

Ghaul: Do not look at me, creature!


 * Gaul kicks the player, sending them flying across the deck towards the edge.

Ghaul: You are weak. Undisciplined. Cowering behind walls.You’re not brave. You’ve merely forgotten the fear of death. Allow me to reacquaint you.


 * Ghaul smacks the player, sending them flying again. This time their Ghost slips from their fingers and is flung off the ship, falling to the City below.

Ghaul: Your kind never deserved the power you were given. I am Ghaul. And your Light… is mine.


 * Ghaul kicks the player off the ship, sending them falling after their Ghost. The camera fades out as the letters DESTINY 2 appear on screen.

{End Cutscene}

{End Mission: Homecoming}

Trivia

 * To the right of the exit to the Plaza in the Hangar, near the dead Redjacks, there is a sealed door with music playing behind it on a broken jukebox located in what was previously a lounge. The music is Hope for the Future, a song written by Beatles legend Paul McCartney in collaboration with Marty O'Donnell and Micheal Salvatori and released in 2014 as part of the soundtrack for the Destiny base game.
 * In the area where the Redjacks were seen fighting as the player entered the Hangar, any Redjacks that were animate during that battle scene continue to appear as alive and allied with the player on both the player's radar and the player's crosshairs, where they are blue and green respectively. These Redjacks also continue to have their sensors actively scanning although they are supposed to be dead. Any Redjacks which were not animate are not subject to this, suggesting the game believes the animate Redjacks are still alive. This is likely an oversight.
 * In the foyer to the now destroyed Hall of Guardians, where Cayde and Shaxx are seen, the Urn of Sacrifice can be seen knocked over under the rubble where Eris Morn used to be located.
 * On the wall in the foyer where Cayde shoots the three Legionaries, opposite the player's entry, a Phalanx shield can be seen in the old and thoroughly indestructible style of the Destiny 1 Cabal. This is the only such sighting, as all other Phalanxes and their shields in Destiny 2 belong to the Red Legion.
 * Documents, such as directional signage and post-it notes left on computer screens in certain areas, are written in multiple languages besides English. Chinese, Spanish, French, German and Dutch languages can all be found in this mission's environment, supporting the narrative of a cosmopolitan City.