Complete Expunge Mission Guide

Expunge is one of the seasonal activities that was added during Season of the Splicer. This activity has Guardians infiltrating the Vex network to help put an end to the Endless Night and free the Last City from the Vex’s grip. You’ll be tasked with making your way through jumping puzzles, breaking down barriers, and defeating powerful Vex enemies.

Below is our complete guide to every version of the Expunge mission including their corrupted variants where applicable. If you’re looking for information on a specific

Quick Links

• How to Start Expunge
• Expunge Mission Guide
• Initial Jumping Puzzle
• Platforming Section
• Expunge: Labyrinth Section
• Expunge: Styx Section
• Expunge: Tartarus Section
• Expunge: Delphi Section

How to Start Expunge

Expunge is part of the Path of the Splicer storyline. Each week you’ll be tasked with entering the Vex network to weaken their hold on the last city. As you progress with this storyline, you’ll unlock new versions of Expunge all with their own unique objectives and boss battles.

• Expunge: Labyrinth – Located on the Tangled Shore in the Jetsam of Saturn. Unlocked as part of the Path of the Splicer III quest.
• Expunge: Styx – Located on the Moon below Sorrow’s Harbor. Unlocked as part of the Path of the Splicer III quest.
• Expunge: Tartarus – Located on Europa in the Asterion Abyss. Unlocked as part of the Path of the Splicer III quest.
• Expunge: Delphi – Located on Europa in the Nexus. Unlocked as part of the Path of the Splicer III quest.

On top of these different versions of Expunge are Corrupted variants where the Taken have infiltrated and Corrupted the Vex network. We’ll also cover how to complete the Corrupted versions of Expunge under their respective sections.

Expunge Mission Guide

There are three different versions of Expunge (Styx, Labyrinth, and Tartarus), but they all begin with the same jumping puzzle. We’ll detail this section first and then cover the different Expunge missions individually.

Initial Jumping Puzzle

When you zone in, you’ll be in a giant green room with a waypoint directly ahead of you. Run to the waypoint.

There is a small hatch that needs to be hacked in order to open it. Hack the hatch and go through.

Follow this corridor and you’ll come to a shaft that drops down. Hop on down.

Directly ahead will be a crawl space with a scannable node in front of it.

Bottom Path

If you don’t have the Wirewalker upgrade, crawl into the tunnel ahead of you and follow the lines on the ground.

This will go down a drop off that will put you in a room that, seemingly, has no exit. A hidden door will open after a few seconds into a green lit room. This door will be on your left after you land in the room as seen below.

Go through this door and follow the corrido to another drop off.

You’ll land in a room similar to the one before that appears to not have an exit. Another hidden door will slide open showing you where to go. Hop down here to the next room.

After this drop off, you’ll land in a triangular shaped corridor that’s segmented into 3 sections by triangular doors. Make your way to the shaft at the end of this hallway and hop down.

You’ll land in a pure white, triangular hallway with no clear exit. The first alcove on your left has a hidden compartment that will open up and lead you to a room below.

After landing, turn to your left to see the exit to this room.

Go through this hallway and turn around at the top of the incline. There are two pathways. Take the one to the right.

Follow this path until it leads to a T-intersection. Hang a right while listening for the insta-death wall. You’ll know it when you hear it. You can either wait here for it to pass or take your chances while you head towards the platforming section.

Jump to the Platforming Section.

Top Path

If you have the Wirewalker upgrade, you can use the node and this will open up a corridor above the tunnel in front of you.

If you take the top path, follow the lines on the ground down the decline and around the corner.

This will lead you to another drop off that will put you right in front of the main platforming section.

This is where the top and bottom paths combine.

Platforming Section

Directly ahead of you will be an expanse of nothingness. If you go to the edge of the platform in front of you and look down, you’ll see a skinny platform hundreds of feet below you. Get a running start and jump down there. Be sure to ration your jump ability because you will be coming in hot and will take lethal falling damage if you aren’t careful.

After landing, follow the lines on the ground to your right and run along the small walkway. Be mindful of the obstructions that can block your path.

Once you’re past that obstacle, you have something of a blind jump to the next platform that’s to the left. There are two paths that’ll get you there. The bottom one is a moving piston that you can use as a platform if you time your jump correctly. However, you can also jump to the top section (stay to the left) and then jump down to the platform from the other side.

Follow the lines on the ground along the left wall, but keep an eye out for the moveable shunts. They will push you into the chasm to your right and you’ll fall into a insta-death wall at the bottom.

Time your way through the shunts and leap across the chasm to the footpath along the right wall. However, watch out for the box on the front since it will shunt you into the depths.

Follow that path along the right wall to the end where there’s a portal waiting for you behind an oscillating wall.

This is where each Expunge mission diverts into their separate instances.

Expunge: Labyrinth Guide

The 2nd phase of Labyrinth is a platforming section with a jumping puzzle that’s intersperse with Vex enemies. You can navigate your way through this puzzle on your own by following the illuminated lines on the ground, but you can also follow our video walkthrough below.

Boss: Fantis, the Oppressive Mind Boss Strategy

• Once you reach the boss, there are 4 Oracle crystals with 1 in each corner of the room.
• Destroying one of these will create cover in that particular corner.
• Start the encounter by running into the center of the room to spawn the boss then choose which corner you want to fight out of.
• Fantis, the Oppressive Mind will spawn in as will ~8 Fanatics in 2 groups of 4.
• Handle the fanatics then DPS Fantis.
• Once you get Fantis down to 2/3 health, he’ll go immune, and adds will spawn. Specifically, 2 Nexus Guardians (Ultra Hydras) and 4 elite hobgoblins.
• The hobgoblins will have line of sight on you while you’re behind cover so be sure to take them down first. That’ll free you up to focus on the Nexus Guardians without being under pressure.
• Once you defeat a Nexus Guardian, they’ll drop a Data Spike that needs to be deposited.
• Deposit it, rinse, repeat.
• Fantis will no longer be immune and ready to be DPS’d all the way down.
• Defeat it and you’re done with Expunge Labyrinth.

Corrupted Expunge: Labyrinth Guide

The regular and corrupted versions of Labyrinth are functionally the same with some minor differences. The most prominent of which are the mines, which are armed by proximity and explode after a few seconds, and the taken enemies that spawn during the Fantis boss fight instead of Vex units.

The other major addition is the Taken goo that can be found on the floor and walls of the jumping puzzle. These puddles have timed explosions that can knock you off of the platform you’re on and into the abyss below. Be mindful of these patches and any particles effects that start forming around them. This warns you that an explosion is imminent.

In the boss fight, there will be Taken Phalanxes instead of Minotaurs and Taken Thrall instead of Fanatics. The Hobgoblins are still there, but they are their Taken variants instead of Vex and the Harpies are exactly the same.

The mines will be the biggest nuisance however. The corrupted version of Labyrinth is absolutely riddled with them throughout the jumping puzzle which forces you to move faster to avoid taking damage. If you have trouble with platforming in the regular version of Labyrinth, I recommend that you spend some extra time in there practicing and learning the pathways so the Corrupted version won’t be as punishing for you.

Expunge: Styx Guide

Unlike Labyrinth which was primarily a second jumping puzzle, stage 2 of Styx has you carrying multiple authentication keys through various obstacles, waves of enemies, and terrain to de-activate the boss’s shield. There’s a total of 3 locks that you need to de-activate and each one is located in a different wing of the instance.

This stage is fairly straightforward. Simply grab the Authentication Key, make your way to the marked waypoint, defeat Vex on your way there, and deposit the Key.

• Authentication Keys have a 10-second duration. Refresh this duration by standing on top of the floating Vex cubes. If the Key expires, simply return to the last cube and pick up a fresh Authentication Key.
• Watch out for the floating red cubes. These will spawn a small Vex unit that will trap and immobilize you in a suppression field. The only way out is dropping the Key and damaging it with your weapons. (Grenade Launchers will ricochet and kill you so don’t use them…like I did.)
• Have a barrier mod equipped. You’ll come across multiple Barrier champions throughout Expunge Styx and if you don’t have the DPS, you’ll have to counter them somehow.

Once you get to the boss area, you’ll need to deposit 3 keys in order to disable the shield and start fighting Dikast, Oppressive Mind.

Boss: Dikast, Oppressive Mind

• Once you’ve lifted the shield, you can DPS right away.
• Dump as much damage as you can on Dikast before adds start spawning in. There’s not a lot of cover and there will be a lot of them.
• Take care of the adds and switch back to the Cyclops.
• Once Dikast is down to 50%, he’ll go immune and an Oracle will spawn.
• Destroy the Oracle and an Authentication Key will spawn.
• Make your way across the room and deposit the Key to deactivate the boss’s shield.
• You’re now free to DPS the boss or handle the adds however you please.
• Defeat Dikast.

Corrupted Expunge: Styx Guide

Just like the Corrupted Labyrinth variant, the main change to Styx is the addition of the mines and various Taken mobs added throughout the mission. There isn’t enough of a fundamental change to the mission to warrant rehashing the whole guide.

If you’ve run the regular version of Expunge Styx, the Corrupted version shouldn’t give you too much trouble. Simply be mindful of the mines, puddles of Taken goo, and managing your Authentication Key timer. If you can do those three things, you’ll sail through this corrupted variant.

Expunge: Tartarus Guide

Tartarus’ main gameplay mechanic is the addition of barriers that prevent you from progressing further into the mission. These barriers can be de-activated by destroying a specific number of shielded Vex cubes.

Each time you come to one of these barriers, look around for a Vex conflux. These are basically Vex-ified pillars of light than can be scanned by your Ghost.

Activating the confluxes will give you up to 30 stacks of a buff called Stabilized Security Access. This buff will bypass the shield on the Vex cubes, allowing it to be damaged and destroyed. The number of cubes you need to destroy to drop a barrier will be notated by the number of diamonds to the side of that barrier.

Now that you understand the main mechanic, we’ll get to the mission guide.

• Make your way from platform to platform until you come to the first barrier
• Activate the conflux and then get the Stabilized Security Access buff
• Destroy the first Vex cube that’s directly in front and slightly above you
• Jump across the expanse to the platform in front of the barrier and turn around
• The next Vex cube is beneath the platform you jumped from. Destroy it and head to the next Conflux that’s directly ahead.
• You’ll need to destroy 3 cubes to de-activate this barrier.
• Activate the conflux and get the buff.
• The first is directly ahead of you and the other two are out of your line of sight.
• Head to the platform on the left side of the barrier and turn to face the direction you came. These cubes are above and below you to your left. Destroy both and go to the next room.
• This barrier has 5 cubes that are keeping it active.
• Activate the conflux and get the buff.
• The first cube is up and to your left.
• Jump out to the middle platform and look to your right.
• The second cube is to your bottom right. Destroy it.
• The third cube is to your left. Destroy it.
• The fourth cube is up and to your left. Destroy it.
• Turn around is down and to your left. Destroy it.
• With the barrier down there are two paths to take. The left one will let you skip the combat encounter, but there’s a wire energy wall that will damage you. You can avoid damage by dodging through it on your hunter, shoulder charging on your Titan, or Icarus dashing on your Warlock. If you’ve upgraded your Splicer Gauntlet, you can just tank it.
• The combat encounter pits you against a Barrier Hobgoblin, Minotaur, and a handful of Goblins. Dispatch them.
• Activate the conflux. Get the buff.
• You only need to destroy one cube to drop this barrier and it will be up and to your left. Destroy it and go to the next section.
• This barrier also only need a single cube, but it’s guarded by a Barrier Hobgoblin and a few Goblins. Dispatch them.
• Head back to the Conflux. Get the buff.
• The cube is directly ahead and above you. Destroy it and head into the boss fight. Scan the Conflux and Dimio will spawn in.

Boss: Dimio, Oppressive Mind

Dimio is your standard Vex Hydra unit with 2x immunity phases. The space you’re in is symmetrical with a central area flanked by two identical platforms with a column on the far platform and a shielded Vex cube on the other side of the column.

• DPS Dimio until it goes into its first immunity phase. Dimio will go invulnerable and teleport to a further platform.
• Vex units will spawn in on both sides of the area. Dispatch them and then head back to the Conflux.
• Take the buff and then destroy the Vex cubes to bring Dimio back and drop his immunity shield.

Corrupted Expunge: Tartarus Guide

The only demonstrable difference between Tartarus and Corrupted Tartarus are the puddles of Taken goo and Taken enemies. Other than that, the two missions are effectively identical. However, you can still watch the guide for Corrupted Tartarus below.

Expunge: Delphi Guide

Expunge Delphi is the final variant of Expunge where Guardians take the fight to Quria, Blade Transform to end the Endless Night once and for all. As for the Delphi mission itself, you’re actually going to fight through slices of the 3 other versions of Expunge before getting to the boss fight. For that reason, this section will only cover the boss fight with Quria, Blade Transform.

Boss: Quria, Blade Transform

The Quria fight makes use of mechanics you should already be familiar with from previous versions of Expunge. Specifically the Oracle cover mechanic from Labyrinth and the Authentication Code from Styx. Keep these in mind during the fight.

Once Quria spawns in, take cover. Quria is a Panoptes sized Ultra Hydra that has two shields that rotate in opposite directions so you have a very tiny window to deal DPS while it’s pelting you with void bolts. Just like in Labyrinth, there are red Oracles in front of you that spawn cover when destroyed. Pick one and fight from behind it.

Now that you’re behind cover, there are going to be waves of Taken Thrall spawning and rushing you. Quickly deal with them when they jump on your platform. You’re going to be pinned down by Quria so you don’t have much real estate to play with when they rush you.

After they’ve been dealt with, you’ll have 2x Vex Hobgoblins taking pot shots at you from sniper perches above you to both your left and right. Dispatch them.

Now that all the other threats are dealt with, you can now throw some DPS at Quria. I highly recommend that you use a barrier weapon mod. This will make your shots penetrate Quria’s rotating shields so you don’t have to wait for the shields to be in the correct positions. Getting Quria down to about 2/3 health will make it go immune and now you’ll need to deal with the 2x Swoltheon level threats that have been just standing there…menacingly…and flanking the central platform the whole time.

One of which is an Evaluator of Savathun, which isn’t ominous at all. Not even a little bit. You totally aren’t being watched by the Witch Queen. Don’t worry about it.

Regardless of which way you go, on the next platform in their direction is a magenta Oracle. Destroying them will spawn an Authentication Code. You’ll need to take this token and deposit it to drop the shield on the Gate Lord. If you have high enough mobility, you can make a bee-line for the waypoint in the distance. (You can also hitch a ride from the Gate Lord’s stomp effect.)

If you don’t, you’ll have to take the long way. Carry the Authentication Code the same way you did in the Styx mission going from node to node until you’re able to deposit it. You’ll be under fire the whole time so be sure to either clear out the mobs before carrying or be ready to drop the code and clear them out then.

After depositing the code, the Evaluator’s shield will be down and you can DPS them down. Do it and then cycle to the other side to repeat this process.

Now that the Evaluators are down, Quria will transition into the final phase. Go back up to the central platform where you landed and take cover.

There’s a lot going on in this phase. Not only will you have to deal with suppression fields, hobgoblins, and Taken Thrall rushing your platform, Quria will start sending red energy walls your direction. Avoid these walls, the Thrall, the hobgoblins taking pot shots, and pop the suppression fields ASAP while DPS’ing Quria.

When you’ve done enough damage, you’ll be treated to a unique death animation that begs a lot of questions to Quria’s true fate.