I have been around the Destiny block long enough to know that seasonal challenges can be a blessing or a total slog. In 2026, the live game has moved on to newer episodes, sandbox overhauls, and a whole lot of power creep, but I still get nostalgic for Season of Plunder. Week 2 of that pirate-themed season was a proper mixed bag: close-range brawls, Cosmodrome busywork, and one very familiar Gambit grind. If you are diving into this legacy content for collection purposes, or just want a blueprint for how Bungie used to design weekly challenges, here is the lowdown.
Back in Week 2, Eramis and her new pirate allies were still raising hell across the system. Mithrax, Eido, and Spider needed me to hunt down artifacts, and the weekly checklist reflected that. The challenges were not exactly rocket science, but they demanded a bit of planning. You had to bounce between the H.E.L.M., the Cosmodrome, Nessus, Europa, and whatever playlist the game shoved in front of you. In other words, it was classic Destiny: a little raiding, a little grinding, and a lot of loading screens.
Week 2 Challenges at a Glance ⚔️
| Challenge | What I Had to Do | Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Antiquarian II | Return the second relic to the H.E.L.M.; defeat Fallen, with precision final blows giving bonus progress | Repute, Challenger XP+ |
| Expert Expedition I | Complete Expeditions and gather treasure in the treasure haul; 3 Expeditions, 25 treasure | Repute, Challenger XP |
| Seeker's Cache I | Complete bounties from the Star Chart or on Nessus, Cosmodrome, or Europa; decipher the Small Treasure Beacon | Challenger XP |
| Fusillade | Defeat targets with Submachine Guns; bonus progress in Ketchcrash and against Guardians | Challenger XP |
| Cosmodrome Activities | Earn progress via bounties, patrols, public events, and Lost sectors in the Cosmodrome | Challenger XP+, Bright Dust |
| Lost In The Legend | Complete a Lost Sector on Legend or higher | Challenger XP+, Bright Dust |
| Close-Range Calibration | Calibrate Sidearms, Submachine Guns, Shotguns, Glaives, and Swords in the Cosmodrome; bonus for rapid defeats | Challenger XP+, Bright Dust |
| Bank, Kill, Repeat | Earn points by banking Motes, defeating Blockers, and defeating Guardians in Gambit | Challenger XP+, Bright Dust |
| Arc of History | Defeat Guardians with Arc damage; bonus for defeating blinded opponents | Challenger XP+, Bright Dust |
| Anti-Cabal Sweep | Defeat Cabal in Vanguard playlists or strikes; bonus for tougher combatants | Challenger XP+, Bright Dust |
The headline act, for me, was Antiquarian II. Returning the second relic to the H.E.L.M. sounds simple, but it was gated behind steps of the Sails of the Shipstealer week 2 quests. I had to put in the work before the challenge even showed up properly. Then came the Fallen slaughter. Precision final blows were the fast track, so I pulled out a hand cannon and went to town. If you are chasing efficiency in 2026, the same principle applies: crits are king, and anything that boosts precision damage will save you time.
Expert Expedition I was the seasonal activity grind. I needed three Expeditions and 25 treasure gathered in the treasure haul. It was not hard, just repetitive. My advice? Throw on a podcast, grab a fireteam, and knock it out in one sitting. The rewards were Repute and Challenger XP, which fed into the Star Chart progression. If you were smart, you paired this with Seeker's Cache I. That challenge asked for 15 bounties from the Star Chart or on Nessus, Cosmodrome, or Europa, plus deciphering the Small Treasure Beacon. The beacon itself was a Star Chart rank 7 reward, and you needed to finish the Cryptic Quatrain 1 quest to make it happen. It was a classic case of one challenge feeding another, which is either elegant design or a sneaky way to keep you logged in. I will let you decide.
Fusillade was the fun one. Submachine Guns were the name of the game, and Ketchcrash plus Guardian kills gave bonus progress. I loaded up a good SMG and treated every pirate encounter like a close-quarters blender. In 2026, SMGs are still meta-adjacent in plenty of activities, so this challenge aged pretty well. If you are replaying it, pick an SMG with a stability perk and go wild. You will be done before you know it.
Then there was the Cosmodrome block. Cosmodrome Activities wanted bounties, patrols, public events, and Lost sectors. It was the usual destination busywork, but it paid out Challenger XP+ and Bright Dust, so I could not complain too much. Lost In The Legend asked for a Lost Sector on Legend or higher. That was a nice difficulty spike. If you were underleveled, it could be a rough ride, but a decent build made it a cakewalk. Close-Range Calibration overlapped nicely with Cosmodrome Activities. I had to calibrate Sidearms, Submachine Guns, Shotguns, Glaives, and Swords in the Cosmodrome, with bonus progress for rapidly defeating combatants. I just ran a shotgun and a sword, chained kills, and watched the percentage climb.
The PvP and Gambit challenges were where the sweat started to drip. Bank, Kill, Repeat was pure Gambit: bank Motes, kill Blockers, kill Guardians. If you have ever played Gambit, you know the drill. It is a love-it-or-hate-it mode, and this challenge forced me to play nice with randoms. Arc of History sent me into the Crucible with Arc damage, and bonus progress came from defeating blinded opponents. That meant Arc abilities, blinding effects, and a bit of luck. I am not ashamed to admit I got blinded more than I blinded others on my first attempt. Anti-Cabal Sweep was simpler: defeat Cabal in Vanguard playlists or strikes, with bonus progress for tougher combatants. I queued into a few strikes, focused down the big guys, and called it a day.
Looking back from 2026, Week 2 of Season of Plunder is a neat time capsule. It shows how Bungie used to mix seasonal story progression, destination chores, playlist duties, and a dash of PvP. It was not always elegant, but it kept the pirate fantasy alive. If you are a collector, a lore nerd, or just someone who misses the days of Eramis scheming in the background, this checklist is worth revisiting. My final tip: stack your challenges, use the right weapons, and do not let the grind get you down. Destiny is always a marathon, not a sprint. Now go get that treasure, Guardian. The pirates are not going to stop themselves.