Completing Destiny 2's More Than a Weapon Week 1: My Season of the Seraph Walkthrough
Master Destiny 2 More Than a Weapon Week 1: launch Heist Battleground from H.E.L.M. and unlock Seraph Chest with 500 Seraph Key Codes.
Even in 2026, I still get questions from Guardians about the Warmind-themed Season of the Seraph weekly questline, More Than a Weapon. It brought back refurbished Ikelos weapons and a brand-new set of weekly challenges. When I replayed this questline recently, I noticed just how easy it is to make a simple mistake, especially with the Seraph Chest. So I decided to write down exactly how I completed Week 1 from start to finish.
How I Started More Than a Weapon Week 1
As is customary, the season began by thrusting my Guardian into the first mission, called Hierarchy. The opening cutscene showed Ana Bray working to restore Rasputin, and she reluctantly decided to accept help from her father, Clovis Bray. Together with Ana and the newly awakened Osiris, I headed to Europa and stumbled upon an attack by Xivu Arath's Hive. After I rescued Clovis, his consciousness was placed into a spare Exo Frame that Ana Bray had in the H.E.L.M. From that point on, the right side of the ship acted as the seasonal hub for my Guardian.
Once I was inside the H.E.L.M., I began helping Clovis repair Rasputin by speaking to Mara Sov at the nearby holoprojector. She informed me of a submind location on the Moon. Did that mean I had to fight through more Hive? Of course it did.
Step 1: Complete the Heist Battleground Activity
After the briefing, I opened the Moon destination map and launched the Heist Battleground activity. I infiltrated the facility while fighting off Xivu Arath's forces. Once I completed the activity, I needed to accumulate 500 Seraph Key Codes. This seasonal currency is best earned by completing core playlist activities in Destiny 2. Vanguard Ops, Crucible, and Gambit all worked well, but I found Vanguard Ops to be the most consistent for me.
Step 2: Unlock a Seraph Chest the Right Way
The next step required me to unlock a Seraph Chest at the end of a Heist Battleground activity. This is where many Guardians, including me, can get tripped up. Why? Because if you select the Heist Battleground from a planet destination like the Moon, the Seraph Chest simply will not appear at the end of the mission.
I made that mistake once. After spending my Seraph Key Codes, I realized I needed to launch the playlist activity through the H.E.L.M. destination map instead. When I did that, the playlist sent me to either the Moon or Europa. At the time, those were the only two locations, but more planets became available as the season progressed. Once the mission ended, I unlocked the Seraph Chest with my 500 Seraph Key Codes and grabbed the seasonal rewards inside.
Step 3: Launch Operation: Archimedes
After opening the Seraph Chest, I needed to launch Operation: Archimedes. This icon appeared next to the playlist on the H.E.L.M. destination map. My objective was to activate a Power Substation, but the path was blocked by Xivu Arath's Hive. Leading them was a large Ogre called Sumok, Ravager of Torobatl.
Like many Hive bosses in Destiny 2, Sumok received a shield at 50% health, making the Ogre completely immune to damage. I had to kill Wrathborn Knights and stand in the green energy pools they dropped. Only after picking up that energy could I break Sumok's shield and finish the fight. Once all the enemies were defeated, I activated the terminal and completed Operation: Archimedes.
Step 4: Return to the H.E.L.M. and Collect Rewards
After finishing the mission, I returned to the H.E.L.M. and spoke to Ana Bray at the holoprojector. Then I talked to Clovis at the Exo Frame and grabbed a reward for a job well done. Finally, I listened to a radio message between Osiris and Ana. At that point, my Guardian was asked to wait until Clovis discovered another source of submind data. That officially wrapped up More Than a Weapon Week 1, with the next step arriving the following week.
Quick Summary Table
| Step | Action | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Speak to Mara Sov | Holoprojector in the H.E.L.M. |
| 2 | Complete Heist Battleground | Moon or Europa playlist |
| 3 | Earn 500 Seraph Key Codes | Core playlists are fastest |
| 4 | Unlock Seraph Chest | Launch from H.E.L.M. only |
| 5 | Operation: Archimedes | Defeat Sumok, break shield |
| 6 | Return to H.E.L.M. | Talk to Ana, Clovis, then radio |
My Best Tips for Week 1
🛰️ Always launch the Heist Battleground from the H.E.L.M. if you want the Seraph Chest to spawn.
🛰️ Save your Super or heavy ammo for Sumok's shield phase, because the Wrathborn Knights can get overwhelming.
🛰️ Collect your 500 Seraph Key Codes before running the playlist version, otherwise you will need another run just to open the chest.
🛰️ Pay attention to the H.E.L.M. right-side hub. Clovis, Ana, and the seasonal interactables are all clustered there.
Even now, I find the More Than a Weapon questline to be a solid example of how Destiny 2 blends weekly storytelling with repeatable seasonal activities. Did I enjoy fighting through Xivu Arath's Hive again? Surprisingly, yes. The Warmind theme, the Ikelos weapon chase, and the slow restoration of Rasputin kept me invested week after week.