Completing the main quest on Origins requires precise coordination, resource management, and strict adherence to a specific order of operations. Whether you're playing the original Black Ops 2 version or the Black Ops 3 Zombies Chronicles remaster, this guide cuts through the confusion to help you secure the Little Lost Girl achievement.
Origins remains one of the most mechanically dense maps in Call of Duty history. Success depends on building the four elemental staffs, upgrading them, and progressing through six distinct phases of the main easter egg. If you miss a step or trigger an action out of sequence, you can easily waste rounds fighting giant robot stomps and dense swarms of panzer soldats.
Building and Upgrading the Elemental Staffs
Before you can tackle the primary quest steps, you'll need to construct all four elemental staffs: Fire, Wind, Lightning, and Ice. Each staff requires a specific Gramophone and Disc combination found in the lower tunnels or the underground excavation site.
Constructing the Staffs
- Fire Staff: Located in the tunnel accessed from Church, requiring the Gramophone placed in the tunnel and the red disc found near Gen 3 or the tank path.
- Wind Staff: Located in the tunnel near Gen 4 or Stamin-Up, requiring the yellow disc found around the-giant-robot footprints near Gen 5.
- Lightning Staff: Located in the tunnel near Gen 5, requiring the blue disc found near the church or tank platform.
- Ice Staff: Located in the tunnel near Gen 6, requiring the white disc found around the excavation site trenches when it's snowing.
Once you have the gramophone and corresponding parts, bring them to the Crazy Place to assemble the staff pieces.
Upgrading the Staffs
Upgrading requires solving specific puzzles inside the Crazy Place and matching symbols on the walls. For instance, the Ice Staff puzzle requires shooting ceiling tiles based on a specific math chart found near the church spawn, while the Wind Staff requires turning rings in the Crazy Place to match specific sequences of smoke and arrows. After completing the corresponding cipher puzzle for each staff on the surface, place them back into their respective pedestals in the Crazy Place and soul-saturate them by defeating zombies nearby.
Main Quest Progression Steps
With the upgraded ultimate staffs secured, you can begin the primary quest phases inside the underground excavation site.
Phase 1: Freeing Samantha
Place all four upgraded elemental staffs into their designated robot-head pedestals inside the Crazy Place. Once placed, interact with the stone slate in the tunnels to spawn the Maxis drone. You'll need to activate the Maxis drone at the excavation site so it can fly into the giant robots and retrieve the necessary items.
Phase 2: Deploying the G-Strike and Maxis Drone
Grab the G-Strikes (monkey bomb replacements) from the fiery pit outside the church if you haven't already. Toss a G-Strike into the glowing hole located near the foot of robot Odin or Thor while it's walking through the map. This opens up a pathway beneath the footprint. Send the Maxis drone down this hole to retrieve the Maxis piece.
Phase 3: Activating the Crazy Place Runes
Return to the Crazy Place and place the Maxis piece onto the central platform. You must now fill the four corner portals of the Crazy Place with zombie souls. Stand near each portal and eliminate zombies until the floating stone slabs drop down. Once all four portals are saturated, the final cutscene sequence triggers, rewarding all players with all perks active for the rest of the match.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Rushing the Panzer Soldat: The Panzer Soldat spawns on Round 8. Don't waste early points on wall weapons; save your points to purchase the Ray Gun or build the STG-44 early.
- Ignoring Staff Placement: If you leave an upgraded staff in the Crazy Place while transitioning rounds without picking it back up properly, it can occasionally glitch out depending on your game patch version.
- Forgetting Generator Power: Keep generators powered across the map. Losing generators increases zombie spawn aggression and locks down fast-travel tunnels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you complete the Origins easter egg solo?
Yes, the Origins easter egg is fully completable solo. However, upgrading all four staffs by yourself requires significant round management, as you'll need to leave a single crawler alive while solving the complex cipher and math puzzles.
What is the best weapon for taking down the Panzer Soldat?
The Mark II Ray Gun and packed starter pistols are exceptional for melting the Panzer's faceplate quickly. Alternatively, placing claymores near your training path or using the Fire Staff charged shot will neutralize him efficiently.
Where do I find the Gramophone if it goes missing?
The Gramophone always spawns in the lowest level of the excavation site on top of a wooden crate next to the table where you build the shields and staffs. If a teammate picks it up and goes down, check the excavation site floor.
