Stopping Marchenko

M16: Stopping Marchenko is the 16th main mission in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, and one of the last missions (depending if you did M17: Protecting the Future) first. Adam Jensen must stop Marchenko from detonating bombs that will kill hundreds of people, but at the cost of the UN delegates lives and letting the Human Restoration Act pass.

Objectives & XP Rewards
* See below for tips.

Achievements

 * He's [Not] Dead, Jim
 * Laputan Machine
 * Spokes in Two Wheels

Starting the Mission
This mission initiates after successfully completing M15: Securing the Convention Centre by meeting Jim Miller in the catering area. If you did M12: The Heist and got the Orchid antidote, you can use it to save Jim Miller or, if you do not think you will make it to the delegates in time, save it for them. Alternatively, this mission will also initiate if you were detected by the guards, caused panic and/or triggered an alarm in the convention hall. In this case, you can still find Miller in the catering area to save him using the Orchid antidote, but only if you do so before fighting Marchenko.

If you met with Miller, you are given a choice of either confronting Marchenko or instead proceed with M17: Protecting the Future to save the delegates. You may proceed either way.

Special items
The following special items may be used during the mission:


 * Signal Jammer. If you did M11: Confronting the Bomb-Maker and got Allison Stanek to give you the Signal Jammer, you can potentially use the item to prevent Marchenko from detonating the bombs.
 * Marchenko's Kill Switch ("Damocles' Sword"). This item can be first found in a secret locker in G.A.R.M. or, failing that, in the weapon case inside the room at the end of the catering hallway in London. You can use it during a cutscene prompt when entering the exhibition hall, or anytime during the fight with Marchenko. Note that using the Kill Switch voids the Pacifist achievement.

Stop Marchenko Before He Blows Up the Towers
Contrary to what Marchenko says, he will not immediately blow up the towers. If you have not yet completed M17: Protecting the Future, there are no time constraints prior to entering the exhibition hall where Marchenko is located. If you have already completed M17: Protecting the Future, then you normally have 10 minutes to get to the exhibition hall. This time limit is extended if you have the Kill Switch or Signal Jammer. For further details, see the "Detonation Conditions" section below. Using the Kill Switch is the easiest way to defeat Marchenko. However, if you do not have the Kill Switch or chose not to use it, you will then fight Marchenko.

An easy way to defeat Marchenko is to use an electric shock to stun him (such as the stun gun) and quickly proceed with a takedown. If using the stun gun, make sure you are in stealth, otherwise Marchenko will activate his TITAN aug, preventing the shock. Another method is to make EMP mines and lure him in, or throw an EMP grenade at him. When they go off, you can then run over and do a non-lethal takedown.

If you've defeated Marchenko but have not yet saved the delegates, there is a shortcut from the exhibition hall to the room with delegates. From the main entrance area of the exhibition hall, make your way up the stairs to where the turret is to find a switch underneath the table (near the mines) that will open a back entrance to the delegates. Follow the arrows to the executive lounge and enter. This path allows you to reach the delegates within a very short amount of time, making it easy to save the delegates. This path may also be used to exit the exhibition hall during the Marchenko fight.

Alternative Objective: Defeat Marchenko
If Marchenko detonated the bombs, then the objective simply becomes Defeat Marchenko. Do it to complete the mission and proceed to the ending.

Conditions for Detonation
Marchenko will blow up the towers only under the circumstances described below:


 * If you have already completed M17: Protecting the Future and have not yet entered the exhibition hall, then you normally have 10 minutes to get from the VIP room to the exhibition hall. If you have neither the Signal Jammer nor the killswitch, then Marchenko will detonate the bombs if the 10 minute period has elapsed.
 * If you have either the Signal Jammer or the killswitch, then you have an additional period of time to get to the exhibition hall. If you fail to reach the exhibition hall after the elapse of this additional period of time, Marchenko will detonate the bombs regardless of whether you have the Signal Jammer or not.
 * If you have not yet completed M17: Protecting the Future, Marchenko will not detonate the bombs unless you enter the exhibition hall to fight Marchenko, escape the exhibition hall via the main doors without defeating Marchenko, and were spotted by Marchenko while exiting from the exhibition hall. (To escape, the shutters blocking the main doors of the exhibition hall must be opened via a security hub on the east side of the second level.) In this situation, Marchenko will call you a coward for running from the fight.
 * If you then travel to the delegates room via the standard route (i.e., by taking the elevator from the meeting rooms floor to the VIP room), then Marchenko will detonate the bombs after you have completed "M17: Protecting the Future," regardless of the amount of time you take to reach the delegates.
 * However, Marchenko will not detonate the bombs if you re-enter the exhibition hall and travel to the delegates via the hidden direct path, assuming that you did not take the elevator down to the VIP room.
 * Marchenko will not detonate the bombs if his detonator was neutralized by the Signal Jammer.

Aftermath
If you complete this mission last, Jensen tells MacReady that "it's over," and steps toward the window of the exhibition hall. The game will then cut to the ending and you can see how your choices play out in your conversation with Alex and on the news.

Ghost and Smooth Operator
Ghost and Smooth Operator bonuses can be rather tricky to earn here, especially if you are going for a stealth takedown on Marchenko. Besides all the basic requirements, such as: not being seen directly until enemies turn hostile, not hurting Marchenko with lethal damage, not allowing Marchenko see you destroy any robot enemies, not triggering the laser mines, etc., two additional requirements unique to this encounter can spoil that.


 * 1) Marchenko has a special property where hurting him by a stun gun or TESLA instantly voids Ghost, even if he gets stunned and you immediately follow it up with a takedown, without seeing Alarmed or Hostile on the radar. This does not apply to stun effects produced by a tranquilizer rifle or EMP mines and grenades.
 * 2) If you initiate a melee takedown on Marchenko from the front it will void Ghost by itself, even if he was stunned by a safe method. Only do it when you are standing behind him.

The one guaranteed way to avoid these problems is to lure Marchenko to a secluded area in the south-east corner of Level 1, into the small room with a weak wall. Once you get him inside by baiting him with a loud noise or letting him see you briefly, you can cloak or throw a smoke grenade, then stun him by either a tranquilizer shot from behind or EMP mine/grenade, and quickly perform a takedown. None of the robots should be able to see the takedown or the body afterwards, even if they are still active.