Meridian: The Way Home

''Meridian was lost when the Scourge was launched against the Jardaan. As the heart of the vault network, it is the key to restoring worlds all across the cluster, Only when Meridian is found and secured will the future of Heleus be certain.''

Note: this mission concludes the main questline of the game. After concluding this mission some side missions will no longer be available. In partcular, all missions involving the Hyperion will be locked out.

Acquisition
Automatically acquired after the mission The Journey To Meridian is completed

Talk to Suvi
Suvi's plan is to map the Scourge's structure. With the Scourge analyzed, the effect it had on Meridian's path can be determined, which hopefully will lead to Meridian's current location. Cora reminds everyone that the Andromeda Initiative's Heleus charts will provide a baseline, since they show the cluster 600 years in the past. The Tempest must now place probes in the Scourge to determine what's changed since the Scourge appeared.

Plant Three Probes
Various star systems with Scourge targets are highlighted on the Galaxy Map. Fly to a system, scan for anomalies, and probe the Scourge. (Gain 270 XP per probe.) Any three systems will do. Once the third probe is in place, SAM announces that the analysis is complete.

Review Scourge Data
Note: the journal says "Speak to crew about Scourge research" now, but you actually do this by using a console behind Kallo on the Tempest bridge with the Scourge data. This starts a conversation with Kallo, Suvi, and SAM. While they haven't been able to determine the actual position of Meridian, they do have a correction for the Remnant navigation systems. If Ryder returns to the Remnant city and gives the corrected flight plan to the Remnant ships there, the ships will fly to Meridian, and the Tempest can follow them.

Return to the Remnant City
Warning: this is a point of no return which locks you into the final main plot sequence of the game.

Fly to Civki system and board Khi Tasira. SAM has located a tower which can override Remnant ship controls and send them on the way to Meridian. Unfortunately, this section has a separate energy grid from the rest of the complex, and may not recognize Ryder as the Administrator of the station. Sure enough, as Ryder and party proceed they are jumped by a Remnant force of one Nullifier and a few Observers and Assemblers.

Proceed forward to the control node. Activate the node and Remnant ships will fly to Meridian, which is revealed to be a gigantic hollow sphere, a "seed world." The plan has worked brilliantly... until the Archon congratulates Ryder on this success via his SAM implant.

The Archon is standing in front of SAM node on the Hyperion. Thanks to accessing Ryder's memories earlier, the Archon knows what he needs to control Meridian, and how to get it. Rather than bothering with Ryder, he'll capture Ryder's sibling, and use that implant to interface with Meridian. And through the SAM link, the Archon now has the location of Meridian too. The Archon now disconnects Ryder from SAM, leaving Ryder injured and barely able to walk. Ryder attempts to return to the Tempest for assistance, enduring the Archon's taunts all the while, only to collapse in front of a closing Remnant door.

Save Ryder
The scene switches back to the Hyperion, which has been boarded by kett. You're now playing as Ryder's twin; welcome back to level 1. SAM informs the twin that Ryder will die unless the twin manually reconnects SAM node to Ryder. First things first; with the kett prowling around the twin needs a weapon.

Proceed forward to an arms locker. A terminal next to the locker reveals some details of the kett attack. Grab a Phalanx from the arms locker and head towards Communications.

There will be a fight with two Chosen ahead. The twin has only Frag Grenade for use as a power, with one grenade, and the Phalanx. A Hyperion crewman in the room will shoot at them too. The Chosen are content to stay behind cover, so just be patient and wait for good shots. When they're defeated, proceed forward (the crewman stays behind), grab ammo and health from the containers, and keep going. The next area finds you fighting two more Chosen. Captain Dunn jetpacks in to help you fight them. You're higher up and have plenty of cover, so they'll be easy enough to kill. Once the kett are dead, head forward with Dunn towards a maintenance shaft leading to Communications. Ahead, you find Hyperion crew behind a barricade,  fighting off several Anointed and Destined. Dunn stays behind to hold off the kett. Joining the fight won't help. Instead, dash to the access tunnel and follow it to Communications.

Inside Communications, you'll find a terminal with details of the kett assault on the Hyperion's bridge, and the QEC controls. The QEC can send a reboot command to reset Ryder's implant, which will restore functions which SAM mistakenly took over, and hopefully keep Ryder from dying. Kett arrive at Communications as the twin prepares to send the command.

Return to the Tempest
The scene shifts back to Khi Tasira, where Ryder's heart restarts (that makes three deaths in the game). The squad is still trapped behind the closed door, but even without a connection to SAM,  Ryder is able to use a console to open the door, although the process is painful and difficult. Proceed through the complex to the Tempest, as reports come in of the kett fleet heading to Meridian, including the stolen Hyperion.

Outside the Tempest the crew debates what options are left, if any. Meanwhile, Ryder walks up to a nearby console and interfaces with it. While the process is, again, draining, Ryder is able to command a Remnant fleet. There's nothing left to do but have the Remnant fleet and everything else the Heleus cluster can bring to bear head for Meridian and a final confrontation with the Archon.

Aboard the Tempest
Ryder now appears aboard the Tempest. As crew members prepare for battle and talk over comms to their various allies and contacts, Ryder has the option to briefly talk to them. AVP rewards are still available, but the crafting, strike team, merchant, email, and SAM terminals are disabled. Ryder's love interest, if one is on the Tempest, is on the bridge; the minimap may report an incorrect position.

Going to the bridge triggers a cutscene conversation with the love interest.

Arrive at Meridian
As the kett fleet approaches Meridian, the Archon is on the bridge of the captured Hyperion, with Ryder's twin and Captain Dunn. As the Archon tells them of his plan -- as expected, he'll use the power of Meridian to compel everyone in Heleus to submit to exaltation or be destroyed -- Ryder arrives with the Remnant fleet. Battle ensues. Kett forces outnumber the Remnant. However, Ryder uses the Scourge's affinity for Remnant technology against the kett, by luring Scourge tendrils into Remnant ships towards. (How Ryder comes up with the idea differs depending on how much progress was made with the Ryder Family Secrets mission.)

With the bulk of the kett fleet immobilized, the Archon has no choice but to immediately go for Meridian Control. Overriding the twin's implant with his own device, he commands Meridian's outer wall to open and flies the Hyperion through. The Tempest pursues. Inside, the interior of Meridian is revealed to be inhabitable; it's a golden world itself, only inside-out, with artificial gravity holding everything on the inner surface of the sphere. The Archon flies the Hyperion towards the control center as other kett ships fly to intercept Ryder, who drops in with the Nomad as various allies arrive to help.

Race to the Control Center
This sequence is highly variable depending on previous decisions and missions.

Ryder must now chase the Archon to the control center in the Nomad. Along the way, various allies can be heard over comms. Eventually Captain Dunn radios into tell Ryder that the Archon has left the Hyperion with Ryder's twin, leaving Dunn aboard the Hyperion to crash. Dunn attempts to control the Hyperion's decent as Ryder races on. Eventually some sort of EMP effect disables the Nomad near the entrance to the command center, and Ryder and squad must proceed on foot. This leads to a fight with some Chosen and Anointed, later reinforced by more kett including a Behemoth. Various allies show up to assist Ryder, possibly including Kandros, Evfra, and either Reyes Vidal or Sloane Kelly.

After defeating the kett, proceed inside. As Ryder does so, a aerial battle erupts overhead. The other Pathfinders secure the airspace over the entrance. Ryder's allies will secure the entrance, while Ryder heads after the Archon.

If Dissension in the Ranks has been completed and the Primus' deal accepted, there will be an opportunity to contact her here and put it into action, or to reject the deal. If Ryder goes through with the deal, enemies will be weaker throughout the following section, but the final results will not change.

Enter Meridian Control
Inside the door a console activates a gravity well. As Ryder proceeds down, Suvi radios in with the news that there's an energy spike ahead; the Archon is up to something. Following a small skirmish with an Anointed and a couple of Chosen, Ryder emerges into a large open area with a balcony overlooking a catwalk, and a fight in progress between kett and allied angaran and Initiative soldiers. (Apparently they arrived by shuttle; the space is open to the sky on one side.) Melee-oriented squadmates can get themselves into trouble here by charging down to the catwalk, which is full of kett. Keep them under control if you don't want to end up sniping all the enemies yourself. When everybody's down, proceed into the central structure.

The path inside seems to dead-end. Use a nearby console to activate a bridge to the east, Cross it, head south, and use another console to head back west. To the north, you'll find health and shield  powerups, and past them  a fight with an Ascendant and several Destined and Anointed. Captain Hayjer and  a salarian force will intervene on your side here.

Using the door out of this area triggers a cutscene. The damaged Hyperion is crashing. Captain Dunn reroutes power to the cryo bay shielding and orders all hands to go there; the bridge will have to take its chances. The Hyperion crash-lands on the surface of Meridian. If the turian and asari Pathfinders are both present  they will shield the bridge, and Dunn survives. Otherwise, Captain Dunn is killed in the crash. Either way, the cryo bay and the other humans aboard survive.

Further in, Ryder's squad and Hayjer's salarians will have to engage kett Anointed, Destined, and Chosen guarding a gravity well, with a Fiend and a Destroyer further in. Unfortunately, this time the Fiend and Destroyer are probably going to fight your side rather than each other. Try to separate them. When everyone's defeated use the gravity well.

Below is a Remnant maze full of defenses. However, the defenses are offline, and the maze itself will tell Ryder how to get through; Ryder's twin is apparently helping out. Follow the maze to the final battle.

Defeat the Archon
The Archon and Ryder's twin are nearby. The Archon has hardwired himself into Meridian and is preparing to seize control with the aid of Ryder's twin's implant.

Round One is a fight between the squad and an Ascendant with supporting Destined, Chosen and Anointed. Defeating these enemies triggers a cutscene. The Archon has gained access to Meridian's systems, and activates an Architect and other Remnant in the room. But Ryder's sibling is also connected, and suggests a plan. The Archon is drawing power from conduits in the room. Break those connections and the Archon's control will fail.

The following combat sequence is long. Fortunately, autosaving here is fairly frequent. It's a step-by-step process, with Ryder's twin guiding you through with nav points. Your first target is a conduit on the northwest side of the area. Various Remnant types will intervene to stop Ryder from getting there, and the Architect will open fire occasionally as well, with an Architect's standard area of effect attacks  Once at the console, get into cover and kill Remnant, until Ryder's twin finishes the hack and makes the console active, so you can use it and deactivate the power conduit.

As for the Architect, dodge its fire as best you can. When the head's available as a target -- squadmates should tell you about this if you don't see it yourself -- take it out if you can. (Cobra RPGs would be a good choice.) Destroying the head will cause the Architect to cease fire for a little while. The Architect can be temporarily neutralized in this way, but not permanently destroyed. You may end up destroying the head multiple times.

With the first conduit down, your next route will be around the Architect in a counterclockwise direction --south, east, and back north. Again, plenty of Remnant will oppose you, as will the Architect if it isn't currently neutralized. A chasm full of electrical fluid will block progress. Ryder's twin tells you that there's a console nearby; look for it along the west wall and use it to raise a bridge.

Continuing around to the east side there will be another obstacle; this time a chasm rather than electrical fluid. There's no console this time, so you'll have to wait for Ryder's twin to raise some pillars, killing Remnant as best you can. Cover isn't very good in this area, so you'll probably want to back off from the chasm a bit and wait for the hack. Once the pillars are up, wait for an opportunity since Ryder will be really exposed on the top of the pillars. Then cross the pillars and make for the console.

The hard part's just about over. You'll have to wait again while Ryder's twin hacks the console, but cover is OK here and the remaining squadmates will fly in by shuttle to help out. Once the console is active and Ryder uses it, Ryder's twin puts up the location of a final console and passes out. Fortunately, the final console is active already. Retrace your steps to the south and activate the console to end the battle.

With his energy reserves cut off, the Archon is killed by feedback from his own wiring. Ryder is now able to bring Meridian online, and we see various worlds across Heleus blooming. (This doesn't actually change viability or activate any Vaults Ryder hasn't activated already, so all those missions are still available.) Ryder, his crew, and Ryder's twin emerge on the surface of Meridian, to be greeted by the rest of the Tempest crew and various allies. A victory speech, celebration, and the end credits follow.

After the credits, a cutscene shows that the Primus escaped the battle. She's aboard her ship, orbiting Meridian, but departs. Epilogue: Home and Away begins immediately.

Aftermath
The terraforming network is now active, and as long as the Initiative retains control of Meridian, can't be turned against the people of Heleus.

The Archon has been defeated and killed. While the kett are still out there, they no longer pose an immediate threat to the entire cluster

Ark Hyperion has crashed on inner surface of Meridian. Since Meridian is inhabitable, this will now be the new human colony.

Rewards
1000 Andromeda Viability Points

Ryder can be observed levelling up at the moment the Archon is defeated. The exact amount is not displayed, and may be variable.