Zero Hour

Zero Hour
Information
Season	6
Type	Exotic Mission
World Quest	No
Quest	Outbreak Perfected
Starting NPC	Mithrax, the Forsaken (Narrative Lead), Ada-1 (Reprisal Quest Giver)
Start	The Farm (Original) / The Tower & Director (Reprisal)
Location	Old Tower, Earth
Recommended Power	690 (Normal), 700 (Heroic) (Original); Scales with Into the Light activity power (Reprisal)
Description	Investigate a mysterious signal originating from the old Tower and recover a dangerous piece of technology before the Fallen escape with it.
Friendly NPCs	Mithrax, the Forsaken
Enemy Types	Fallen, House of Dusk (Original)/House of Salvation (Reprisal), Shanks, Servitors, TR3-VR (Security Robot)
Bosses	Siriks, Loyal to Eramis
Prerequisite	Fallen Transponder (Original) / "Asset Protection" quest (Reprisal)
Rewards
Equipment	Outbreak Perfected

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Zero Hour is a secret Exotic Mission that was originally introduced in Destiny 2s Season of the Drifter. The mission takes place in the ruins of the original Tower from Destiny 1, which was destroyed during the opening mission of Destiny 2. Players must navigate through the decaying structure while fighting Fallen enemies and overcoming environmental hazards, including the infamous TR3-VR security construct. Completion of this timed mission rewards players with the Outbreak Perfected Exotic Pulse Rifle, a reimagined version of Destiny 1's Outbreak Prime.

The mission was initially available from May 2019 until the launch of the Beyond Light expansion in November 2020, when it was vaulted along with other content. It was later reintroduced on May 14, 2024, as part of the Into the Light update, featuring some slight modifications while preserving the core experience.

Background

Following the events of the Destiny 1 expansion Rise of Iron, SIVA – a dangerous nanotechnology created during the Golden Age – was believed to be contained after Guardians destroyed the SIVA Replication Chamber and defeated the Devil Splicers. However, a fragment of SIVA technology remained hidden in the vaults of the Tower.

In Season of the Drifter, players discovered that Eramis had dispatched her loyal captain, Siriks, to raid the ruins of the Tower and steal this SIVA technology. The operation was detected by Mithrax, the Forsaken, a Fallen captain who had aligned himself with the Guardians. Mithrax alerted the player to this threat, beginning the quest to stop Siriks and recover the technology.

Acquisition

Original Version (2019)

In the original version of the quest, players needed to:

1. Complete the "Enemy of My Enemy" World Quest on Titan.
2. Return to Titan and access a previously locked room in the Tidal Anchor area to find the Fallen Transponder device.
3. Locate and collect six nodes hidden throughout Lost Sectors on Earth and Nessus to activate the transponder.
4. Visit The Farm and locate Mithrax hiding in a basement, who would then start the Zero Hour mission.

Reprised Version (2024)

In the reintroduced version during the Into the Light update:

1. Players speak with Ada-1 in The Tower to obtain the "Asset Protection" quest.
2. The Zero Hour mission can then be launched directly from the Into the Light node on the Director.

Mission Structure

The original mission had a 20-minute timer for both Normal and Heroic difficulties. The reprised version has a time limit of 40 minutes on Normal difficulty and **30 minutes** on Legend difficulty, requiring players to move efficiently through each section.

The Old Tower

The mission begins in the ruins of the original Tower from Destiny 1. As players enter, they witness Mithrax eliminate a Dreg before disappearing. Players then fight through waves of Fallen enemies in the once-familiar areas of the Tower.

Players progress through:

• The Tower Courtyard
• The Speaker's Area
• The Hall of Guardians
• The Tower Plaza

Each area requires clearing all enemies before progression barriers are removed, with some areas featuring minibosses like Brigs (in the reprised version) that must be defeated.

Platforming Sections

After clearing the combat areas, players enter a series of platforming challenges that test mobility and timing:

• Air Duct Network: A maze of ventilation shafts that players must navigate.
• Exterior Traversal: Players climb along the exterior walls of the Tower, with different paths for Normal and Legend difficulties in the reprised version.
• Fan Room: A vertical shaft with spinning blades that players must carefully descend through.

The TR3-VR Maze

Perhaps the most infamous section of the mission is the maze patrolled by TR3-VR (colloquially called "Trevor" by players). TR3-VR is an unkillable security construct that instantly eliminates any player it touches.

Players must navigate the maze while avoiding TR3-VR, using small cubby holes to hide from it when necessary. The objective is to activate four switches located throughout the maze to unlock the exit. The maze includes a monitor at the entrance that displays the layout and switch locations.

According to Bungie developers, the TR3-VR encounter was inspired by the Japanese game show "Takeshi's Castle," specifically a challenge where contestants had to run up a ramp while avoiding rolling obstacles by ducking into alcoves.

The Cryptarch's Vault

After escaping TR3-VR, players proceed through more platforming sections, eventually reaching the Cryptarchs' Vault. This area contains the puzzle used in the original Heroic version for the Configuration mission and the reprised Legend version for the Vaulted Obstacles puzzle.

Boss Fight

The final encounter takes place in a large chamber where players face Siriks, Loyal to Eramis, accompanied by waves of Fallen reinforcements. The boss fight has multiple phases:

1. Initial combat with Siriks and standard Fallen enemies
2. Two Servitors (Mimiks-0 and Mimiks-1, Devils Scion) appear, making nearby enemies immune until destroyed
3. Two Fallen Walker tanks deploy in the later stage
4. Final confrontation with Siriks

After defeating Siriks and all other enemies, Mithrax appears one final time, teleporting to a Fallen Skiff and departing. Players are rewarded with the Outbreak Perfected Exotic Pulse Rifle upon completion.

Rewards

Outbreak Perfected

The primary reward for completing Zero Hour is the Outbreak Perfected Exotic Pulse Rifle. This weapon fires SIVA nanites that attach to enemies and cause additional damage over time. Precision kills with the weapon spawn additional SIVA nanites that seek out nearby targets.

In the reprised version (2024), completing Zero Hour rewards the Outbreak Perfected along with its crafting pattern, allowing players to craft the weapon with additional perks such as Outlaw, Rapid Hit, Rewind Rounds, and Headseeker.

Catalyst and Ship

Original Version (2019)

In the original version, completing the Heroic version of Zero Hour would reward players with the Outbreak Perfected Catalyst. Additional completions of the Heroic version would award SIVA Particulates needed to complete the catalyst.

Additionally, players could engage in a special puzzle called the "Configuration" puzzle in the Heroic version:

1. Players needed to collect a keypad and three colored keycards hidden throughout the mission. 2. In the Cryptarch's Vault, players had to complete a complex 49-node puzzle that changed weekly between Void, Arc, and Solar configurations. 3. Completing all three elemental puzzles over three weeks would reward players with the "SCRAP CF-717-91" Exotic Ship.

Reprised Version (2024)

In the reintroduced version, completing the Legend difficulty of Zero Hour rewards the Outbreak Perfected catalyst. Additionally, there is a series of "Vaulted Obstacles" puzzles that reward the "Vimana Junker" Exotic Ship (a renamed version of the original SCRAP ship) and grant upgrades to the Outbreak Perfected intrinsic trait.

Trivia

• Zero Hour is often compared to "The Whisper," another secret Exotic Mission that rewarded the Whisper of the Worm Exotic Sniper Rifle.
• TR3-VR (also known as "Trevor") became one of the most memorable and feared elements in Destiny 2, gaining a cult following among players.
• The mission's development reportedly took seven months to complete.
• According to Bungie's art director Rob Adams, TR3-VR's design was partly inspired by centipedes, one of his personal phobias.
• Mithrax, who features in this mission, would later become a significant ally to Guardians in the Season of the Splicer.
• The mission name "Zero Hour" refers to both the urgent nature of stopping the Fallen from escaping with SIVA technology and the time-limited structure of the mission itself.