The Commander
- Chapter
- 13 · ARK: Arrival
- Where
- ARK B1: Storage (with a cutscene first in the Guest Corridor, as Leon heads for the eastern door).
Weak point
Only the Hatchet after a parry. Bullets don't hurt him (some guides say a quick shot lands when he's stunned).
The Elite Guard's leader: red-lensed gas mask and balaclava. He looks like HUNK, but the game never confirms it. He carries a hatchet, a karambit-style knife and an SMG or pistol.
Guns don't work: Game8 and KeenGamer say they deal no damage even when you see the bullets hit, and drawing a gun lets him close in and bat it aside (IGN). You win with parry (L) + hatchet strikes, only after each parry: if you attack without parrying first, he parries you.
Reward
The Mortal Edge: loot it from his body before you leave and equip it. A wider parry window and more base power than the Hatchet (IGN: its maximum power is below a fully upgraded Hatchet).
No published HP. Max out the Hatchet beforehand (PCGamesN). Insanity: faster and more relentless; there's 1 extra Elite Guard on the Storage Entry stairs and 2 more Elite Guards storm Storage right after he dies: heal and take cover. Steam players say Body Armor Lv.III (Insanity only) makes the fight much easier (unconfirmed). His body later disappears, so his fate is unclear.
Step by step
- He chains up to 3 strikes: parry each one at the last moment. After the first scripted clash he attacks twice in a row; the next time, three times. If you attack at the same time as him, the weapons clash, you grapple and everything resets.
- The spinning hatchet strike (alone or inside a combo) has a delayed parry timing. Feints: he fakes right, then slashes up with the knife. Don't parry early.
- A parry can open a melee prompt (a single execution-style hit; no time for anything else).
- Phase 2: after enough damage he throws a flashbang and goes for a neck-snap grab: mash the button on screen or it's instant death.
- He slashes a pipe and fills the room with low steam: he crouches, hits and runs, shoots from cover and throws more flashbangs. When he runs to the opposite corner to shoot, sprint after him: if you catch him, you get free hits. Or wait for him to come to you.
- In first person, aim the camera slightly down: he strikes low (Game8).
- Final stretch: a delayed feint with a spin to the other side and a 3-hit hatchet combo ending in a delayed jump attack. After enough parries and hits, a button sequence ends it.
- Between segments, sharpen the Hatchet (L + Y): a dull edge can't parry. Heal (R) between segments.