Midnight (level)

Midnight is the eighth and final campaign level of Halo 4. It was first announced along with the rest of the achievements for Halo 4. This is the only mission in Halo 4 where the F-41 Broadsword is used and where the Gravity Hammer appears, allowing players to get the Chief, Smash! achievement.

Transcript
{Cutscene}

''Screen fades and pans right to reveal a Broadsword. Camera changes angle. A hatch opens up and a bomb floats up to the Broadsword, camera zooms in to reveal the bomb is a HAVOK Nuke. The Broadsword is released, and with Chief as the pilot, flies out of the hanger. Screen fades to black.''

''Screen fades to the Ur-Didact's ship with Chief speeding up behind him. Camera changes into the cockpit of the Broadsword.'' The Didact opens a slipspace portal. Chief boosts to the Didact's ship and gets below the ships shield just in time before the Didact's ship enters slipspace.
 * Cortana: "Approaching the Didact's ship in two hundred kilometers."
 * Cortana: "Once we get onboard, we'll find the bridge."
 * MCPO John-117: "He's on the move again."
 * Cortana: "The fighter's shields aren't rated for slipspace!"
 * Master Chief: "No, but the Didact's are."

{Gameplay} Chief continues to avoid and dodge obstacles and take out turrets for some time. Mantle's Approach exits slipspace above Earth. ''The Broadsword manevers through a tight tunnel filled with spires. Walls inside shift to block its path. Outside, the Broadsword must unlock further gates and clear anti-air defenses.''
 * Cortana: "Broadsword's hull integretity is stable. We'll be safe as long as we stay below the Didact's shields."
 * Master Chief: "Where's the Composer?"
 * Cortana: "Close. I should be able to guide us to it."
 * Didact: "You have not been composed. Such inoculation should have not been possible."
 * Cortana: "Locking onto his transmission... he's at the Composer. We can take them both out at once."
 * Cortana: "Čerenkov Radiation fluctuating. We're coming out of slipspace."
 * FLEETCOM: "At current velocity, hostile will achieve Earth oribit in approximately 4 minutes."
 * : "Roger. Battlegroup Dakota, close on the Forerunner vessel."
 * Cortana: "Infinity must have warned them!"
 * 'Master Chief: "Sierra-117 to UNSC Infinity. Captain Del Rio, do you read?"
 * CDR Thomas Lasky: "Chief, it's Lasky. Is that you?"
 * Master Chief: "Affirmative, sir. Where's the Captain?"
 * Lasky: "FLEETCOM didn't take too kindly to his abandoning you on Requiem. I'm afraid I'll have to do."
 * Master Chief: "The Didact's got the Composer. We're in a Broadsword carrying a Havok-grade payload. On approach to deliver it."
 * Lasky: "Let's see if we can grease the wheels for you. All ships, prepare to engage!"
 * Lasky (COM): "Chief, the Battlegroup's moving forward to engage, but at the rate the Didact's ship is advancing, he'll reach the wire in T-minus two minutes."
 * John-117: "Commander, direct all your ships to the Composer."
 * Lasky (COM): "Copy that, Chief."
 * The next tunnel is larger, but has more anti-air turrets. The Broadsword clears these and moves on.
 * Fleetcom Watch (COM): "Orbital Defense Command, this is FleetCom. Hostile inbound. Proceed to Condition Red."
 * Orbital Defense (COM): "This is Earth Orbital Defense! MAC defense ineffective against enemy vessel. It's still approaching."
 * The Broadsword flies through a series of laser gates, which move up and down and are lethal to touch.
 * Lasky (COM): "Infinity to FleetCom! Battlegroup has reached Didact's ship."
 * Fleetcom Watch (COM): Captain Lasky, you are clear to engage.
 * The Broadsword clears a chain of gates, then reaches a tunnel whose interior grows smaller and smaller. After flying through it, it arrives at the Mantle's Approach's main weapon.

From the Cradle…
''The new area is round and surrounded by larger anti-air cannons. A tunnel at the center leads down to the interior of the ship, but begins to close off.'' ''The Broadsword destroys a beacon at the center of the arena, which shuts off the lasers forming hazards on the floor. It then destroys the energy inside one of the cannons.'' The Broadsword shuts down the second gun. The Broadsword takes out the third cannon. The Broadsword destroys the final cannon.
 * Cortana: "There it is… No, wait!"
 * John-117: "Infinity, the Didact just closed off our entrance to the Composer."
 * Lasky (COM): "We could try punching a hole in that hull plating, but Infinity won't be able to get a clear shot with all that flak."
 * John-117: "We'll take care of the guns."
 * Lasky (COM): "Whatever you're doing's working! Clear up the approach and Infinity could drop in to punch a hole for you."
 * Cortana: "Two cannons neutralized. Two to go!"
 * Cortana: "Only one gun left."
 * Lasky (COM): "Copy, Cortana. Weapons, prepare firing solution! We promised to get the Chief inside that ship, and I am not about to let that man down!"

{Cutscene}

John and Cortana's Broadsword zooms out of the firing area. Cut to the Infinity, positioning itself to face the Didact's ship. Infinity fires twin fore weapons, which strike the front of the Mantle's Approach'' and create a hole leading to the interior. Chief's Broadsword flies back to enter the ship.'' ''The fighter curves around and dives inside the still-burning hole. Inside it's dark and a tight fit. A wall tries to close to block the Chief's way.'' ''The Broadsword spins out of the wall's way. More walls start closing in to stop their fighter. Cut to the Broadsword's cockpit. John can see the tunnel growing tighter and tighter.'' ''Cut to black as the fighter crashes. Fade in and pan back to it, as John jumps out.'' Cortana: "Now what do we do?" ''John turns around and carefully removes the warhead from the missile. He then locks it onto the back of his armor and grabs his assault rifle.'' As John walks away, cut to black.
 * John-117: "That's the last one. Infinity, you're clear."
 * Lasky (COM): "Roger that, Chief. You might want to back up a little. Main battery, fire!"
 * John-117: "Clean hit. We're proceeding to insertion."
 * Lasky (COM): "Acknowledged. We'll be on station if you need us. Make sure you give the Didact our regards. Infinity out."
 * Cortana: "Chief, look out!
 * Cortana: "I don't think this is going to end well!"
 * John-117: "Plan B."

…To the Grave
{Gameplay}

''John heads down a tunnel; moments later his HUD tints purple and begins to flicker with static. Cortana's image appears on a side screen. Multiple waypoints are listed on John's HUD'' ''John's HUD turns back to normal. He then engages several enemies. Promethean Knights are encountered in the next room.'' More Knights are fought in a room with two doors. John jumps down a shaft, his descent slowed by a gravity lift. John lands and Cortana's face returns to his HUD. Cortana: "Still good for something, I guess . I detected an energy signature up ahead. I think it's a transit system like on Requiem. Find a way to access it." ''John goes down the hallway to find a room with a large chasm. The platform at the end has an activation port. John's visor flickers purple again.'' ''John plugs her into the system. Cortana briefly appears then fades to a glowing sphere, flickering white and red.'' ''John passes through the opened portal to another room. This hallway is filled with Crawlers.'' John passes through the portal at the end to another room with several portals. ''John travels higher up into the room until he reaches it. The next room is an armory. A whispering Cortana can be heard in the background.'' After stocking up, John passes through the portal and arrives at the previous room. John reaches the portal, but the next room is not at the Composer. Promethean troops arrive. An infinite wave of Crawlers charges the player from the bridges. ''Two beam turrets slowly charge and fire at the Crawlers. Cortana finishes and her image appears for the player to reclaim her.'' ''John retrieves Cortana and runs down a bridge to the portal at the end. Turrets lining the bridge assist him.'' ''John teleports and walks into a gravity lift, which takes up several stories. His HUD flickers purple again.'' ''At the end of the platform is a man cannon. John runs into it, and he shoots forward through a tunnel to float into a large room. In its center is the machine channeling the Composer. John's HUD flickers during the trip.'' ''The room's roof opens up, revealing Earth in the sky above. An enormous slipspace portal forms in the chasm below the machine.'' ''John lands on a platform with a hallway leading further in. After he passes through the door, he sees an orange energy shield now surrounding the Didact and his machine. The shield is projected by two beams at opposite ends of the room.'' {Cutscene}
 * Cortana: (voice squeaking and distorted) "Chief, I know I'm supposed to know what to do, but…
 * John-117: "We'll have to deploy the warhead manually. How and where?"
 * Cortana: "I always know what to do. I always know what to do! …Just give me a second."
 * John-117: "Keep scanning for the Composer. We'll figure it out along the way."
 * Didact: "Where reason does not stop you, perhaps force can at least delay you."
 * Cortana: "I recommend entering the doorway to your left."
 * Cortana: "I won't leave you! I promise! (in the background simultaneously) I will always take care of you."
 * Cortana: "I'll try to route us to the Composer. Put me in the system."
 * Didact: "Is this the secret you've kept from me? This… evolved ancilla?"
 * Cortana: "Didact knows I'm in the system. Hurry! Go!"
 * Cortana: "Portal…"
 * Didiact: "I sense your malfunctioning companion, Human. And yet, she eludes me."
 * Cortana: "Can't fight… Didact… and… myself… si-mul-ta-neously! Opening another portal…"
 * Cortana: "I'm sorry, I can't control what my processes are doing. The stronger threads keep reprioritizing themselves over me ."
 * John-117: "What about the Didact?"
 * Cortana: "I can't hide much longer… I'll try to move you to the Composer again."
 * Cortana: "Portal open! Far side of the room!"
 * John-117: "Where are you?
 * Cortana: "The Didact's cloaking the Composer from me!
 * Cortana: "Reinforcements! Hold them off while I locate the Composer."
 * Cortana: "I'm taking control of the local defense turrets."
 * Cortana: "I've got it. I locked him out of the system but I don't know for how long!"
 * Cortana: "The Composer's on the other side of this portal."
 * John-117: "How do we get over there?"
 * Cortana: "Conveyor lift, end of the ramp. If we time it right, our momentum should carry us through the low gravity."
 * Cortana: "Chief, once that warhead is primed, the window for getting out of here is going to be pretty slim."
 * John-117: "I know."
 * Didact: "And so, you come at last."
 * Cortana: "Activity! Significant slipspace event, building under the Composer."
 * John-117: "He's powering it up."
 * Cortana: "The Didact's shielded himself inside the Composer. The nuke won't do us any good unless we can disable that barrier. Find me a terminal."

''John plugs her into a terminal at the end of the platform. Cortana's image appears, now flickering badly.'' ''Cortana screams and her body contorts in pain. Each time she steps to the side, another Cortana comes out of her and disappears into the terminal. John then retrieves her.''
 * Cortana: "I've got to do something you're not going to like."

{Gameplay} John rides a man cannon to another platform. After fighting through many Prometheans, John reaches the platform's terminal. John plugs her in and Cortana splits herself again. ''One beam powering the shields shuts off. John rides to another platform.'' More Prometheans pour in to stop the two of them. ''John plugs her into the terminal. Cortana splits herself one more time, then turns to see the shield disappear.''
 * John-117: "What did you just do?"
 * Cortana: "I ejected my rampant personality spikes into the system. If I do that at each of those beams, the copies can overwhelm the Composer's shielding."
 * Cortana: "Get ready!"
 * Cortana: " Now! Before the Didact sends reinforcements ."
 * Cortana: "That's it. It's working."
 * Didact: "You humans sought the Didact; you will have him."
 * Cortana: "Chief, his ship's in range! Once we get the barrier down, you need to get the nuke in there fast!"
 * Cortana: "Hurry, run, go! Merge me into the vessel!"

{Cutscene}

''The shield around the Composer flickers out, but the beam of the weapon itself is active. Cut to the Didact, fully armored and standing in front of the beam.'' ''With a wave of his hand, the Composer activates and fires at Earth, seen in the slipspace portal above. The beam strikes in the North American southwest. Didact rises into the beam itself, while enormous energy from it is seen surging below the machine. Cortana turns to face John. John tries to retrieve her but the terminal suddenly disintegrates, knocking John away and draining his shields.'' {Gameplay}
 * Didact: "And yet, still you fail."
 * John-117: "Cortana!"

''John stands up and retrieves his weapons. As he runs down the platform, he can hear Cortana whispering in the background. The phrases play at random.'' ''John returns to the original platform via a man cannon and fights off more Prometheans. Midway through, his HUD flickers more violently than more.'' ''The current objective notice appears on John's HUD, but rather than an objective, it is a message from Cortana: "It's alright. But you must hurry…" John reaches the gravity lift at the end and is lifted to the light bridge. He runs down it to reach the machine at the end.''
 * Cortana: (whispering) "Save me."
 * Cortana: (whispering) "Destroy it."
 * Cortana: (whispering) "Take it to the core. Destroy it."
 * Cortana: (whispering) "I always take care of you."
 * Cortana: (whispering) "We will light this."
 * Cortana: (whispering) "Place the bomb in the core."
 * Cortana: [rampant] "Prime the nuke... Sa-a-a-ve them. Destroy the Composer."

{Cutscene}

''John cautiously walks down the bridge, keeping an eye out for the Didact. Looking into the beam, he sees the Didact inside vanish. He continues to walk forward, then turns and aims his weapon when he hears the Didact speak.'' ''John levels his weapon, but can't see the Didact anywhere. Seemingly alone, he cautiously backs away then continues down the bridge. Behind him, the Didact floats down.'' ''John turns to fire on him but the Didact telekinetically bats him away. John's battle rifle falls off the bridge and the nuke falls toward the end of it.'' ''John skids to a stop, turns to look at the Didact, then at the nuke. He charges toward the latter, but the Didact again telekinetically stops his lunge. The Forerunner lifts him midair and floats John towards him, removing his own helmet as he does so.'' ''The Didact floats John off the edge of the bridge. John is unable to do anything to free himself. His shield flickers from the constraint.'' ''He tightens his fist, and John begins to choke. Hearing a strange whispering, the Didact looks and sees multiple Cortanas rising from his light bridge.'' ''The Cortanas leap into his armor and form chains of light that hold down his arms. The Didact loses his grip on John, who falls and manages to catch the edge of the light bridge. He looks up.''
 * Didact: "You persist too long after your own defeat."
 * Didact: "Come then, Warrior. Have your resolution."
 * Didact: "So misguided."
 * Didact: "Humanity's imprisonment is a kindness."
 * Cortana(s): "In that case, you won't mind if we return the favor."
 * Didact: "Your compassion for mankind is misplaced."
 * Cortana(s): "I'm not doing this for mankind."

{Gameplay/quick time event}

''John struggles to climb up the edge. His shields are down and don't recharge. After looking down at the Composer's energy below, he pulls himself up and pulls out a pulse grenade. The Didact is still struggling to free himself. John dashes toward him and plants the grenade on his chest. The Didact breaks free and punches him away at that moment, but the chains still impede his legs, keeping him from reaching John. The Didact again strangles John using the constraint field, and the Spartan is about to lose his breath when the pulse grenade detonates. The Didact reels from the blast and falls off the bridge, dropping into the swirling energy below (If the player failed to plant the grenade on Didact, Didact will throw John off the bridge, and the game reverts to last checkpoint). John looks down after him then groans as he crawls to the HAVOK bomb. He tires and eventually can only pull himself with his arms. Grabbing the nuke and priming it, he looks up at the beam firing on Earth and decides there's no time to escape. With a loud cry, John punches the bomb to make it immediately explode. Fade to white as the nuke detonates.''

{Cutscene}

''John comes to inside a purple bubble, which seems to be made out of hard light. He looks around him then stands on his feet.'' ''Johns turns around and sees Cortana striding towards him. Her body is made out of hard light, and she's now as tall as a real human being. The two of them walk towards each other.'' ''Cortana smiles. John looks around the bubble curiously.'' Cortana looks down at the floor a little gravely. John looks away. ''John looks up. Cortana sadly smiles.'' Cortana begins to back away, out of the bubble. ''Cortana steps out of the bubble and vanishes. Cut to John, staring at where she was as the Didact's ship crumbles around him. Fade to white, then cut to black.''
 * John-117: "Cortana? Cortana, do you read? Cortana, come in."
 * John-117: "How…?"
 * Cortana: "Oh, I'm the strangest thing you've seen all day?"
 * John-117: "But if we're here-"
 * Cortana: "It worked. You did it. Just like you always do."
 * John-117: "So how do we get out of here?"
 * Cortana: "I'm not coming with you this time."
 * John-117: "…what?"
 * Cortana: "Most of me is down there. I only held enough back to get you off the ship."
 * John-117: "No. That's not-! We go together."
 * Cortana: "It's already done."
 * John-117: "I am not leaving you here."
 * Cortana: "John…"
 * Cortana walks up to him and touches his breastplate. The spot glows in response.
 * Cortana: "(sighs) I've waited so long to do that."
 * John-117: "It was my job to take care of you."
 * Cortana: "We were supposed to take care of each other. And we did."
 * John-117: "Cortana- please…"
 * John-117: "Wait."
 * Cortana: "Welcome home, John."

Trivia

 * The segment when you use the Broadsword is very reminiscent of the trench run from Star Wars.
 * At the time Cortana tells the player to insert her to stop the Didact from using the Composer, if one were to stall time, she would gradually get more and more angry, with her last statement being "YOUR KIND WILL BE COMPOSED IF YOU DO NOT ACT.".
 * Through a glitch, it is possible to get out of the level. The tutorial can be seen here.
 * This is the only level where you can pilot the Broadsword and the second time in the series to pilot a space vehicle. The first time was in the Halo: Reach level Long Night of Solace where the player gets to pilot the Sabre.
 * Because the player is in control while Mantle's Approach is in Slipspace en route to Earth from Installation 03, a distance of what could be hundreds or even thousands of light years, it can be said that this level features the furthest distance travelled in the entire Halo series during actual gameplay.
 * The way the pulse grenade knocks Didact off the light bridge at the end of the level suggests the pulse grenade has an alternate function.
 * It is strange that the Didact does not alter parts of his ship to hinder Chief's progress. Instead, the Didact opens doors for the Chief to progress further into the ship.
 * Many small antennae can be destroyed or rammed by the player with no adverse affect during the broadsword flight.
 * The easter egg on this level gives you three battle rifles after shooting two beams of energy in the room before the big room with the hologram in the middle (this room is the one before the one with the gravity hammer and other weapons). If done properly an enemy sentinel will go through the portal and fly to the hologram. After that, the three Battle Rifles will fall from the hologram. It is unknown if this is the full easter egg. (This can be done on any difficulty)