iron skull

Need help finding the Iron Skull in Halo: Reach? Follow our guide to locate Johnson and survive the Covenant assault. Learn enemy tactics and key objectives.

Alright, let's get this done. You're going to work your way around this dam and follow that little navigation icon. It'll lead you straight to Sergeant Johnson, who's been captured. Your job is to free him by interacting with the force field holding him.

Right after that, Pelicans will start showing up to get Johnson and his crew out. But, wouldn't you know it, more Covenant ships warp in. This is where things get hairy – you'll need to hold off the Covenant forces and survive until extraction arrives. You'll be armed with Dual Wield Spikers and a Brute Shot for this part.

Here's the plan:

• Stick close to your troops. They're great for soaking up enemy fire that would otherwise be heading straight for you, and they put out decent supporting fire.
• Backtrack around the U-shaped area and make your way up onto the dam itself.
• Keep an eye out for a shield regenerator equipment cache hidden up there. Grab it – you'll want that extra protection.
• Once you've got that, just hunker down for the rest of the fight. Don't stress about clearing out every single enemy; the story progresses once the Pelicans arrive, not when the area is totally clear.

You'll see the Pelican unleash a barrage of missiles, taking out a Covenant dropship in a spectacular explosion. Honestly, it makes you wonder why they didn't have that kind of firepower earlier, right?

Crow's Nest (x02)

After that, you'll get a cutscene. Two guys, one with a missile launcher and another scouting, spot the incoming Pelican and give each other a fist bump. The flight traffic controllers will radio the Pelican, saying, 'Sorry for the tight squeeze, tell the commander her ace is in the hole.' Pretty cheeky.

Then, Master Chief, the Arbiter, Johnson, and the rest of the troops unload from the Pelican. Some injured soldiers see this and get a real boost of hope knowing Master Chief is on the ground. They probably haven't heard about my legendary accuracy with sticky grenades, or how I sometimes accidentally shoot my own teammates in the back if they get in the way.

Miranda Keys, the one with the distinctive mascara, is in charge of this operation. She'll give you the rundown on what's been happening: she stopped the Halo from firing, but then the Covenant broke through Earth's defenses. Their leader, 'Truth,' then focused his forces on East Africa to dig for the Ark. If they find it, they can fire all the Halos and wipe out all life in the galaxy.

Lord Hood calls in for an update and is happy to hear Master Chief is present. After Hood asks for his status ('Green, sir' – classic Chief), Miranda lays out the plan: take out the Covenant's anti-air defenses so Lord Hood can provide aerial support.

Suddenly, the power cuts out, and the face of 'Profit Truth' appears on all the screens in the command center. He threatens to glass the surface and specifically mentions killing 'the demon' – that's you, Master Chief. Chief voices his concern, which is a bit odd for a cybernetic bad-ass, but hey, maybe he's just worried about his mortality. Miranda orders the base evacuation.

Know Your Role (x02a)

The Covenant ships are closing in, and it's your job to secure the perimeter so the escape ships can get away safely. Think of it as a Hoth mission, but without the snow or the tow cables.

SKULL BLACK EYE (s02a)

Okay, here's how to snag this skull. Head all the way to the back of the operations center. You'll see two guards standing next to a red locked door. Turn around and look for two floodlights. The one on the right is positioned in front of a red steel beam. You'll need to jump onto this right floodlight, then hop onto the red steel girder. From there, walk forward until you're positioned directly above the big screen.