Mastering Time Travel & The Anderson Log – Effect and Cause – Titanfall 2 Walkthrough & Story Breakdown
The fifth mission in Titanfall 2 Effect and Cause, takes place in the mysterious ARES Division research facility on Typhon. Many players consider this the best level in the game because of its unique time-manipulation mechanics, which change how you interact with the world. As Jack Cooper and his Titan, BT-7274, explore the ruins of the IMC facility, they discover a story that connects a broken present with a high-tech past, making this mission a standout example of great level design and storytelling.
Arrival and the Initial Temporal Anomalies
Jack Cooper and BT-7274 arrive at the coordinates for Special Operation 217, hoping to meet Major Eli Anderson. When they reach the ARES Division research facility, they find it completely ruined and abandoned. As they start searching, things get strange—Cooper begins to experience sudden “time distortions” that make him jump between the overgrown ruins of the present and the facility’s clean, working past.
When these time shifts happen, the facility changes from a deserted ruin to a busy place full of IMC staff and activity. Cooper hears echoes from the past and sees the facility as it once was, hinting that time is breaking down around the research center. These early events set up a mission where nothing is as it seems, and Cooper must move through a world that keeps switching between two very different times.
The Gruesome Discovery of Major Anderson’s Fate
Early in Chapter 1, Cooper’s search for Major Anderson ends in a shocking way. In the reception lobby, he finds not a living veteran, but the upper half of Major Anderson’s body stuck in the ceiling—a gruesome result of a time anomaly. This moment breaks the usual “save the veteran” story found in many shooters and sets a dangerous, unpredictable tone for the rest of the mission.
With Cooper as the only SRS member left, BT-7274 takes Major Anderson’s helmet and uses its data to make Cooper the Acting Commanding Officer. A recording from the helmet includes a briefing from Sarah Briggs, who explains that Anderson’s mission was to investigate a secret IMC weapon. This weapon is powered by a mysterious artifact called “The Ark.” Now, it’s up to Cooper and his Titan to find out what it really does.
Acquiring and Utilizing the Time Gauntlet
To continue the investigation, Cooper needs to get a special wrist device called the Time Gauntlet from the lower half of Major Anderson’s body, found in the past version of the facility. With this device, Cooper can switch between the past and present whenever he wants. This becomes the main mechanic of the mission, letting players solve puzzles and move through places that would be blocked in just one timeline, like getting past fires in the present or locked doors in the past.
The Time Gauntlet also changes combat. Cooper faces different enemies depending on the timeline. In the past, the facility is full of IMC Grunts and security Turrets on high alert. In the present, the ruins are home to wild alien Prowlers and broken robotic Stalkers. To survive, Cooper must quickly switch between times to get an advantage or escape tough fights.
Uncovering the Fold Weapon and General Marder’s Plan
As Cooper goes deeper into the ARES complex, he finds three holographic logs left by Major Anderson. These logs reveal that the IMC is building a huge device called the Fold Weapon. This machine can change space and time on a large scale and is powerful enough to destroy whole planets. This discovery turns the mission from a simple investigation into a race to stop a possible extinction event.
At a key moment in the past, Cooper enters a lecture hall and sees a holographic talk by General Marder, the head of the ARES Division. Marder says the Ark powers the Fold Weapon and that the IMC plans to use it to destroy the Militia for good. Their target is the Militia’s home planet, Harmony, so if Cooper and BT fail, their people will be wiped out.
The Great Fracture and the Reactor Test Fire
In the last part of the mission, Cooper heads to the outer reactor rings, where the IMC is testing the Fold Weapon. When the test starts, time distortions hit their peak, causing a huge event called the “Great Fracture.” The explosion freezes time, trapping the facility and its people in one moment of destruction. Cooper has to move through this frozen scene, jumping over debris and explosions to reach the reactor’s center.
As Cooper moves through the chaos of the Great Fracture, his main goal is to scan the Ark right when it activates. This information is vital for the Militia fleet to learn how the weapon works and how to stop it. The mission shows how actions in the past, like moving platforms or turning off security, change what Cooper can do in the present. The scan works, giving the Militia what they need to fight the Fold Weapon.
