The War Within Quest Walkthrough (2026): Every Stage, the Queens Fight and Every Choice

Reviewed September 12, 2026, current through Update 43.5. Stage names and order checked against the official wiki; this page is re-checked after every major patch.

What you need first

Bring

• A strong melee weapon (for the final boss fight, as primary/secondary are nullified)

Stage by stage

1. Investigate the Reservoir on Lua: Zeipel, Lua: Track down and capture Teshin's Specter on Lua. Watch: Teshin's Specter fights back and must be captured like a Capture target.
2. Track Teshin: Carpo, Jupiter: Track Teshin's signal to Jupiter and capture another of his Specters. Watch: This is another Capture mission where the Specter fights back.
3. Pursue Teshin into the Asteroid Field: Naga, Sedna: Disable the security matrix of a Grineer asteroid base and clear the hangar. Watch: Avoid red laser scanners by staying behind a moving transport ship; the console defense must not fail.
4. Infiltrate the Grineer Asteroid Fortress: Dakata, Kuva Fortress: Infiltrate the Kuva Fortress, activate an elevator, and reach the Queens' throne room. Watch: This section is solo only and cannot be aborted; collect three Elevator Keys to activate the main elevator.
5. The Purge Precept: Reestablish the Somatic Link with Void energies and escape the Orbiter before Ordis purges it. Watch: Use Void Beam on the Somatic Link receptacle; escape to the front of the Orbiter within 1 minute while avoiding the Sentinel and steam vents.
6. The Mountain Pass: Earth: Navigate a snowy mountain path, find a cave, and destroy ice around an Ayatan Sculpture. Watch: Avoid falling off the mountain; use Void Beam to destroy ice and activate the sculpture.
7. The Ravenous Golden Maw: Cross bone chambers, acquire new Operator abilities, and use Transference on a Golden Maw. Watch: Avoid the Golden Maw by sprinting and jumping to safe areas; use Void Sling to stun a Maw and then Transference to control it.
8. The Yuvan Theater: Navigate the mountain side to a Yuvan Theater and fire a Void Beam at a mirror. Watch: There are no specific gameplay 'gotchas' here, primarily narrative progression.
9. Confronting the Grineer Queens: Defeat Kuva Guardians and Teshin, then confront the Elder Queen. Watch: Kuva Guardians are invulnerable until Void Slinged through; Warframe powers and most weapons are nullified, use melee and Operator abilities. Operator death applies Transference Static.
10. Return to the Mountain Pass: Earth: Revisit the mountain pass, use new Operator powers to clear obstacles, and activate the Ayatan Sculpture. Watch: Use Void Sling to destroy ice walls and Void Beam to open Orokin doors.

Choices and what they change

• Four dialogue picks shift your Sun, Moon or Neutral alignment. They colour later dialogue and nothing else.

Rewards

Frames in this quest

ExcaliburBringNidusBring

Weapons in this quest

Broken ScepterReward

OrviusReward

Tips that save runs

• Bring a good melee weapon; primaries and secondaries are nullified in the Queens' chamber.
• Kuva Guardians: Void Sling through them first, then they can be hit.
• The Golden Maw cannot be fought. Sprint between safe rocks, stun one with Void Sling, then Transference into it.
• Ordis purges the Orbiter: run to the front of the ship inside a minute, avoiding the vents.

Mistakes that waste runs

• Starting the Fortress stage with a build that depends on guns.
• Dying as the Operator repeatedly; Transference Static stacks and keeps you out longer.

What it unlocks

• Sorties
• Kuva Siphons and Floods, so Riven rerolls
• Kuva Liches (Kuva Larvlings)
• Full Transference from anywhere
• The Quills in Cetus
• Conjunction Survival on Lua

Where it sits

Before it: The Second Dream. After it: Chains of Harrow. The full order is on the quest hub.

Related

• Kuva farming guide
• Kuva Lich hunting guide
• Excalibur Umbra guide
• The Second Dream walkthrough
• Chains of Harrow walkthrough
• Every Warframe quest in order
• Best weapons for 2026
• Warframe tier list 2026