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Takedown at Hadron Abyss launched on June 25, 2026 as Borderlands 4‘s first endgame gauntlet, while Subjugator and Thol the Invincible arrived earlier in Patch 1.7 on May 28, 2026. This guide covers both activities separately—how to clear the Takedown’s brutal enemy waves and bosses, how to counter the Subjugator and Thol raid phases without perfect gear, and where to farm Pearlescent loot including the new Jail-Broken Gatling SMG.
TL;DR
- Takedown at Hadron Abyss is a multi-stage gauntlet ending with Child of Terramorphous—requires level 60 builds, no quick boss farming via Moxxi machine
- Subjugator and Thol is a separate dual raid in the Fadefields Lair—tag-team then ascended Heaven/Hell phases based on kill order
- Jail-Broken Gatling Pearlescent SMG drops from Subjugator/Thol at 0.6% chance; Patch 1.7 increased Pearlescent world-drop rates
- Destroy all 17 cameras in Hadron Abyss to unlock bonus three-chest loot room for higher legendary density
- Both activities scale to party size; co-op balanced teams outperform glass-cannon stacks
What Are Takedown at Hadron Abyss and Subjugator & Thol in Borderlands 4?
Takedown at Hadron Abyss is an extremely difficult gauntlet of enemies in a brand new zone: Hadron Abyss, a secret, fully submerged lab facility developed by Gearbox and published by 2K Games. The format includes a sprawling area crawling with mobs, a midboss, more mobs, and a fight against the Child of Terramorphous, the abyssal offspring of the iconic Borderlands 2 raid boss. Separately, Subjugator and Thol the Invincible is the second raid boss of Borderlands 4, spawning at the end of Lair of the Subjugator off the Fadefields coast. This fight is unique as a duo encounter, ending in a 1v1 against either Subjugator or Thol depending on which one you defeat first during the initial tag-team phase. Both pieces of content represent the toughest endgame challenges in Borderlands 4, demanding optimized builds, strong co-op coordination, and knowledge of one-shot mechanics.
Where to Access Hadron Abyss Takedown and Subjugator & Thol Raid
Takedown at Hadron Abyss is free for all Borderlands 4 players, though you must complete the main campaign first. Grab the Takedown quest from any main hub Mission Board and progress through the quest to eventually face both boss encounters. The entrance is located in the Hadron Abyss zone. For Subjugator and Thol, check any of Kairos’ major hubs for a new Raid Board with a mission to execute these powerful servants of the Timekeeper in their own domain. The brothers are isolated on an island off the coast of the Fadefields. Gearbox recommends at least Level 50 before taking on the dual fight, with strong builds and well-honed skills, but level 60 with Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode progression is ideal for the best loot. Both activities scale to your party size and levels, though difficulty remains high regardless of setup.
Step-by-Step: Surviving the Takedown at Hadron Abyss
Warning
The speedrun timer starts when you open the front door, not when the final boss begins—so camera-hunting adds time. Silver/Gold/Platinum chests unlock based on completion speed.
Follow this sequence to get it done fast.
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1
Optimize your build for sustained combat
Bringing fellow Vault Hunters and optimizing builds is advised; balanced teams with add-clear, boss damage, and utility roles outperform identical glass-cannon setups.
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2
Fight through the first mob waves
Clear sprawling areas crawling with mobs; you must clear areas or the next section won't unlock.
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3
Defeat the midpoint trio bosses
Face three minibosses: Tidebreaker, Gilgathresh, and Crackclaw; focus one at a time and manage adds between phases.
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4
Push through the second mob stretch
More forced mobbing sections; conserve ammo and keep positioning tight to avoid wipes during long hallway engagements.
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5
Destroy all 17 security cameras
Find and destroy 17 Security Cameras throughout the facility to unlock the room with three chests at the end for bonus legendary drops.
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6
Fight the Child of Terramorphous final boss
The final challenge is a fight against the colossal Child of Terramorphous; you cannot farm individual bosses via quick reset; you must click the mission board and re-run the entire gauntlet.
Subjugator and Thol Raid Boss Mechanics
When you first start this encounter, you’ll battle the hovering Subjugator and the hulking Thol in a tag-team matchup—they take turns clashing with you, before joining up for a deadly dual attack. The fight is unique in being a duo, ending in a 1v1 against either Subjugator or Thol depending on which one you defeat first. Kill order determines the ascended phase: defeat Thol first to fight Subjugator’s ascended form, or defeat Subjugator first to fight Thol’s ascended form. Enemy health bars display immunities such as “cryo heals”—swap damage types immediately; choosing to kill Thol forces Subjugator into The Abyss, a sky-powered fight with floating platforms, flying heads, and a scorched-earth ray. Thol’s ascended Hell phase happens in a cramped lava arena with close-quarters melee pressure.
| Phase | Mechanic | Counter |
|---|---|---|
| Tag-Team (Both Alive) | Four giant Order Ocular Observers float in each corner, occasionally attacking and recharging the boss's shield | Destroy Observers completely or interrupt healing beams when active; prioritize shield-break weapons |
| Subjugator Ascended (Heaven) | Floating platforms, flying heads, scorched-earth ray that obliterates ground positions | Constant movement and gliding to dodge rays; use airborne positioning to avoid ground hazards |
| Thol Ascended (Hell) | Cramped lava arena with heavy melee pressure and one-shot leap attacks near walls | Keep distance from walls; watch for leap wind-ups; prioritize mobility skills and Second Wind opportunities |
| Elemental Immunities | Health bars read "cryo heals" or similar—certain elements restore enemy health | Swap to alternate element immediately; carry multi-element loadouts or Pearlescent Override weapons |
| Shield Strikers (Add Phase) | Shield Striker health and shield were reduced by 20% each to give better Second Wind opportunities | Focus Shield Strikers when low on health; they provide easier Second Wind targets during solo phases |
Best Pearlescent and Legendary Farming Methods
What You Unlock from Takedown and Raid Boss Farming
Jail-Broken Gatling Pearlescent SMG
The Jail-Broken Gatling is a Pearlescent Ripper SMG in Borderlands 4 and the newest Pearlescent weapon added with the raid. Jailbroken: On Hit, gain a stack of Backfire—for each stack of Backfire, gain increased Fire Rate and an increased chance to fire off additional projectiles. It is a random drop from Subjugator and Thol the Invincible with a 0.6% drop chance. The weapon features Ordonite-infused Elemental Override, which automatically swaps to the secondary element when hitting enemy health bars that match elemental vulnerabilities—ideal for raid bosses with shifting immunities.
Takedown-Exclusive Legendary Gear
Takedown at Hadron Abyss features all-new Legendaries for players to find, including weapons, ordnance, a shield, a repkit and class mods for every Vault Hunter—alongside a new Pearlescent weapon. Three minibosses drop loot: Tidebreaker, Gilgathresh, and Crackclaw, while the Child of Terramorphous serves as the final boss. Destroying all 17 Security Cameras unlocks a room with three chests that have better chances to spawn high-rarity gear. Speedrun tiers award Silver/Gold/Platinum chests with escalating legendary density.
Subjugator & Thol Raid Loot Pool
You can farm 4 legendary items, 1 Pearlescent item, and 1 Class Mod for each Vault Hunter from Subjugator and Thol the Invincible, with the 4 Legendaries divided over the two bosses but the rest of the loot able to drop from both. Guaranteed dedicated drop weapon rewards for the respective boss by beating the Platinum chest timer; there’s a chance for the weapon drop to instead be the Jail-Broken Gatling Pearlescent SMG. Farming on UVHM adds time-based reward chests—the faster you kill the boss, the better your rewards, rated Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum; Class Mods drop for Silver-tier or higher; a unique Legendary is guaranteed for Platinum-tier loot chest in UVHM.
Fastest Way to Farm Pearlescent Gear in Borderlands 4
The 1.7 Update on May 28th, 2026 added the option of getting certain Pearls from World Drop sources, meaning the chance to find Pearlescent weapons as World Drops has increased—check chests, lockers, and even toilets. For dedicated Jail-Broken Gatling farming, use Moxxi’s Encore Machine to reset the Subjugator and Thol encounter; Save-Quitting is no longer the method to respawn and farm bosses in Borderlands 4. Pearlescent drop rates scale with Ultimate Vault Hunter Ranks, so pushing UVHM Level 7 (unlocked by defeating Subjugator and Thol on UVHM Level 6) maximizes your odds. The Hadron Abyss Takedown does not allow individual boss farming—you will have to click the Child of Terramorphous mission board outside the door and re-run the entire gauntlet—so for pure loot-per-hour efficiency, the Subjugator and Thol raid with Moxxi resets is faster.
How to Build for Hadron Abyss and Subjugator & Thol Raid
Level 60 is the current cap; prioritize balanced builds over pure damage output. Co-op changes the math—one player can run a safer add-clear build, one can focus boss damage, and someone should bring utility that keeps the team from falling apart during long hall fights; the mistake is everyone showing up with the same glass-cannon setup. For Hadron Abyss, the Takedown adds its own Mayhem challenge system—higher Mayhem levels scale enemy health and attack strength, and you unlock tougher tiers by beating previous tiers fast enough; the Takedown’s Mayhem setting overrides your normal difficulty and UVHM effects. Carry multi-element weapons or Pearlescent gear with Elemental Override to handle shifting immunities in the Subjugator and Thol fight. Mobility skills and Second Wind opportunities are critical—Shield Striker adds have reduced health and shield by 20% to give better Second Wind opportunities during solo phases.
Tip
For Hardcore Mode in Hadron Abyss, the entire squad must restart if even one party member dies—coordinate rezzes and avoid risky plays near the 35-minute cap.
Common Misconceptions About Borderlands 4 Endgame Farming
Myth: You Can Quick-Farm Individual Takedown Bosses
Not true. The individual bosses don’t have a Moxxi’s Encore Machine—you need to rerun the Takedown to farm them. You cannot farm individual bosses; you will have to click the Child of Terramorphous mission board outside the door and takedown the enemies and minibosses before reaching the Child of Terramorphous. This makes Takedown farming significantly slower than the Subjugator and Thol raid, which does support Moxxi Encore resets.
Myth: Pearlescent Drops Only Come from Dedicated Bosses
Partially wrong after Patch 1.7. As Ordonite corruption spreads across Kairos, the chance to find Pearlescent weapons as World Drops has increased—be sure to check chests, lockers, and even grody toilets. The 1.7 Update on May 28th, 2026 added the option of getting certain Pearls from World Drop sources. Dedicated farms still offer much higher rates, but world-drops are now viable for casual loot hunting.
Myth: Kill Order Doesn’t Matter in the Subjugator & Thol Raid
Wrong. Loot drops are affected by which fight you end up with on the second phase—defeat Thol first to fight Subjugator’s ascended form, or defeat Subjugator first to fight Thol’s ascended form. The 4 Legendaries are divided over the two bosses, so if you’re chasing a specific legendary, check which boss drops it and plan your kill order accordingly.
Our Take: Is Borderlands 4 Endgame Worth the Grind?
Our Take
Hadron Abyss and the Subjugator/Thol raid finally give Borderlands 4 the endgame challenge it needed, but the time-investment gap between them is vast.
Takedown at Hadron Abyss is legitimately tough—full clears can take just under an hour for optimized teams, and the forced mobbing sections weed out builds that rely purely on boss burst. The Mayhem challenge system unlocks tougher tiers by beating previous tiers fast enough, which adds meaningful replayability if you’re chasing Platinum chests. The problem is the no-quick-farm structure: you cannot farm individual bosses and must re-run the entire gauntlet. That’s great for first-time bragging rights, grindy for loot chasers. Destroying all 17 cameras for the bonus room adds another layer of scavenger-hunt tedium, though the three chests have better high-rarity spawn chances.
The Subjugator and Thol raid is far more farmable. Moxxi’s Encore Machine resets the encounter instantly, and the 0.6% Jail-Broken Gatling drop is painful but manageable with fast kills. The battle focuses on mechanical execution as the duel intensifies with each phase, and there’s a tactical element to identifying which ascended form your build has the best chance of defeating. The elemental-immunity health bars are a huge UX improvement—you’ll see “cryo heals” and know to swap damage types—but ascended-phase one-shots still feel unfair without telegraphs. Level 50 minimum is recommended, though strong builds are essential, and the UVHM Level 7 unlock gated behind UVHM 6 clears is a real skill test.
Honestly, if you only have time for one, farm Subjugator and Thol for loot efficiency. If you want the full endgame gauntlet experience and don’t mind hour-long runs, Hadron Abyss is the better stress test. Both are miles better than the content drought Borderlands 4 launched with.