Give the head scientist five fish to receive the Fish Bucket. Catch and defeat the Bowhead Whale, carry its body to the volcano, and throw it into lava. The Mutated Bowhead Whale adds lava pools, meteorites, aggressive stomps, and a harder second phase. Return its tail to the scientist after the fight.
- Quest hand-in
- 5 different fish
- First bait
- Fish Bucket
- Final trigger
- Throw whale into lava
- Recommended
- Maxed Assault Rifle + full food
Prepare Island 5 before the quest
Island 5 raises weapon damage and fish values sharply. Do not rush the scientist's hand-in simply because any five fish qualify. Buy the Assault Rifle, push ammunition and attachment upgrades, and fill expanded inventory slots with healing before starting the whale sequence.
Lava cooks items to the 1.5x value point without the same timing loop as the grill. Use it for profitable catches and for a supply of strong healing food, but keep dropped items away from active combat paths so they do not become hard to recover.
Get the Fish Bucket
The head scientist asks for five fish. Community routes use quick Dynamite catches, but ordinary Scientific Lure fish also work and are safer. Deliver the requested group and the scientist gives you the Fish Bucket bait for the Bowhead Whale.
Before casting, reload, place healing in known hotbar slots, and clear the path from the beach to the volcano. You will need to move the whale body after the first fight.
Fight the Bowhead Whale
The regular Bowhead Whale charges across land and can launch upward for a heavy stomp. Keep a medium-distance circle so the body remains visible, dodge laterally when the charge commits, and fire during recovery rather than standing still for long magazines.
Once it dies, locate the body before reorganizing loot. Carry or drag it up the mountain and drop it into the volcano. This transforms the catch and begins the real final encounter.
Mutated Bowhead Whale phases
The mutated version combines rolling movement, stomps, lava meteorites, and persistent lava pools. The arena becomes progressively harder to cross, so move around the outside and preserve clean ground instead of cutting through every opening.
In the later phase the boss becomes more aggressive, stomps more often, and can attack from the sky. Short controlled bursts are safer than emptying the magazine while a meteor cue is active. Heal early enough that a single stomp cannot finish the run.
- Use a fully upgraded Assault Rifle with the attachments you control best.
- Enter with every practical inventory slot holding cooked fish.
- Move out of lava pools immediately; do not trade damage for one extra burst.
- Keep the camera high enough to read airborne attacks and ground hazards together.
Complete the ending
The final boss drops a tail. Killing it does not immediately complete the game. Take the tail back to the scientist, receive the RHIB keys, enter the RHIB, and start it to trigger the ending.
After the credits, your completed save returns to Island 1 with late-game gear and open access to all islands. This is the best state for collection, trick-shot, cooking, and remaining boss achievements.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get the Fish Bucket?
Give five fish to the head scientist on Island 5. The resulting Fish Bucket summons the regular Bowhead Whale.
How do I start the final boss?
Defeat the Bowhead Whale, carry its body to the top of the volcano, and throw it into the lava.
Why did the game not end after the final boss died?
Pick up the tail, return it to the scientist for the RHIB keys, and start the RHIB to play the ending.
Sources
Facts were normalized and independently rewritten from the references below. Community strategies can become outdated after patches.