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"Waste Not Want Not" is the third mission of the The Brotherhood story arc in Saints Row 2.

Terrorists raid nuclear power plant
Stilwater Gazette newspaper headline

Overview[]

Playa meets with Carlos, but is dissatisfied with the little information Carlos has on The Brotherhood; Carlos has only heard word about an incoming shipment. Gazing outside, Playa sees the Nuclear Power Plant in the distance and suddenly has an idea.[2]

Playa raids the power plant and gathers some toxic waste. Carlos then appears in a helicopter to pick them up and they both escape. Back in the city, they drive towards a tattoo store Maero uses and swap the tattoo ink with the toxic waste - later that day, inside the Brotherhood hideout, Matt finishes inking a new tattoo on Maero's face and Maero screams in pain as the toxic waste burns him.[3]

Story[]

Upon completion of the Mission, this description is available at Newspaper Clipboards.

Security at the Stilwater nuclear power plant is expected to triple after an unknown assailant assaulted the island early this morning. The assailant purportedly assaulted members of the plant's security forces before escaping by helicopter. Earlier reports that the assailant had managed to obtain a small amount of radioactive waste have yet to be confirmed by plant officials.

Gameplay[]

Waste Not Want Not - Playa in Side Shooter above the Nuclear plant

There is a 15 minute timer to complete this mission.

Go to Friendly Fire

After going down the stairs, get in the 3rd Street Saints vehicle in the nearby parking lot, or any other vehicle close by, and drive to Friendly Fire.

Buy a geiger counter at Friendly Fire

Once inside, walk to the marker in front of the clerk to buy the Geiger Counter.

This is a custom trigger which immediately equips the Geiger Counter and does not open the store menu.

Take a vehicle to the power plant

Head to the Python marked by the GPS.

Get to the nuke plant

Once inside, drive to the Nuclear Power Plant.

There is a tunnel which leads under the island, with stairs to the surface. This may be convenient depending on the location of the toxic waste.

Checkpoint
Track down some toxic waste, but don't get spotted

Despite what the game advises, being spotted is not a problem and does not fail the mission.

There are 7 possible locations for the toxic waste, one is chosen randomly, with an on-screen hint to the approximate location.

When the Geiger Counter is equipped, there is a radiation meter in the HUD which shows the proximity of the toxic waste.

There are 4 different hints for the 7 locations:

  • The toxic waste is in a building on the east side of the island (1 location)
  • The toxic waste is located around the north docks (2 locations)
  • The toxic waste is somewhere near the cooling towers (3 locations)
  • The toxic waste is somewhere on the south side of the island (1 location)

When resuming from this checkpoint, there is a 11 minute timer to complete the mission.

Checkpoint
Get to the helipad

When the toxic waste has been collected, head to the helipad near the center of the island.

When resuming from this checkpoint, there is a 9 minute timer to complete the mission

Kill the security guards so the helicopter can land

There are 10 marked guards who must be killed to complete the objective. Homies can kill all 10.

After 4 are killed, Carlos and the helicopter do a flyby and leave.

Defend the helipad until the helicopter returns

When the timer runs out, Carlos arrives in a helicopter.

Get in the helicopter

Approach the helicopter and press the action button to enter it.

Checkpoint

Once in the helicopter, an AR200 SAW with infinite ammunition is provided to shoot down the pursuing helicopters and boats. When the helicopter reaches the city, it crashes, causing Playa to ragdoll through the air, but with no health loss.

When resuming from this checkpoint, there is a 7 minute timer to complete the mission

Deliver the toxic waste to the tattoo parlor

Finally, get in a vehicle and drive to Rusty's Needle with Carlos before the time limit expires to complete the mission.

Rewards[]

Trivia[]

Newspaper bh03 Waste Not Want Not

The Stilwater Gazette newspaper clipping from the completion screen and Newspaper Clipboard

  • "Waste not, want not" is both a common phrase, and a pun on the fact that Playa is retrieving nuclear waste.
  • The Geiger Counter can be kept after this level by switching to another melee weapon after obtaining it.
  • It is possible to use a helicopter to get to the nuclear plant, but there is an on-screen warning that the guards will hear them coming, and there is an automatic level 2 Notoriety when arriving.
  • It is possible to buy a HAZMAT suit from Let's Pretend which means the cops mistake Playa as a worker on the island.
  • The helicopter used in this mission is a Side Shooter - a helicopter with a similar appearance to the Oppressor, but has a more detailed interior and lacks a tail. The helicopter only appears in this mission and "Airborne Assault".
  • This mission is one of three gang-arc missions in Saints Row 2 which do not unlock a neighborhood. The others are "Assault on Precinct 31" and "Veteran Child". This may be due to the fact that this mission takes place within an Ultor neighborhood
    • However, an early map of Stilwater shows the Nuclear Plant coloured as a Brotherhood area, so it may have originally been planned as an reward for this mission.[4]
  • It is possible to know the approximate location of the toxic waste without any on-screen tips by selecting Map after the Python is entered. A blue marker shows the location.
Waste Not Want Not - Police Oppressor pursuing Playa and Carlos

The police Oppressor pursues Playa and Carlos despite no Notoriety.

  • This is one of two missions in the game where there are enemies that use the AR200 SAW; during the helicopter escape midway in the mission, opposing enemy Oppressors have gunmen sitting on the sides that use the weapon. The only other mission where enemies use the SAW is the "New Hennequet Rec Center" Stronghold.
  • If police Oppressors are not destroyed before Playa and Carlos arrive to the mainland, they will continue chasing them.
    • Sometimes helicopters blow up even without attacking them.
    • Removing Notoriety does not help getting rid of pursuing helicopters.

Transcript[]

"Insult to Injury" cutscene[]

Playa: "Why are we meeting on the el?"
Carlos: "I wanted to get outta the goddamn sewer..."
Playa: "Why are you looking away?"
Carlos: "In case you're, ya know, bein' followed."
Playa: "This isn't a goddamn spy movie Carlos...can ya turn around?"
Carlos: "Sorry..."
Playa: "Whaddaya got for me?"
Carlos: "Nothing."
Playa: "Are you shitting me?"
Carlos: "Listen, I tried everything I could. What was I supposed to do?"
Playa: "Try harder."
Carlos: "After that shit you pulled with Donnie, The Brotherhood are keepin' a tight lid on what they got cookin'...I've heard one guy mention a shipment, but beyond that it looks like we're back to square one."
Playa: "Which is?"
Carlos: "We know they like trucks and tattoos."
Playa: "You were on my short list and you're givin' me tattoo's and trucks?"
Carlos: "And the shipment."
Playa: "Which you know nothing about."
Carlos: "Right."
Playa: "Carlos: I like you. I do. But you got a lot to learn about bein' a Lieutenant."
Carlos: "I wish I had more to give ya."
Playa: "Believe me, so do I. But fuck it, we'll figure somethi--"
Playa - Male 2: "Believe me, so do I. But fuck it, we'll figure out somethin'."
Carlos: "What is it?"
Playa: "I think I got an idea..."
Playa: "Maero said he had a lotta canvas left... I'm gonna splatter paint all over it."
Playa: "Carlos, don't worry, I'm gonna make a banger outta you if it kills me."
— "Insult to Injury" cutscene

Gameplay[]

Playa (Male Voice 1): "Carlos, I'm planning on bringing a little souveiner back from the nuke plant...be ready to pick me up when I give the call."
Playa (Male Voice 2): "Carlos, I'm headin' over to the nuke plant. I don't think the cops are gonna be too happy about it so I need you to be ready to pull me out when I give you the call."
Playa (Male Voice 3): "Carlos, once I get my hands on the shit I need, you gotta be ready to pick me up."
Playa (Female Voice 1): "I doubt Ultor is gonna like me sneakin' around their nuke plant, so when I give you the call you gotta be ready to get me the hell outta here."
Playa (Female Voice 2): "I'm counting on you Carlos, once I pick up that radioactive shit I need you to be ready to pick me up."
Playa (Female Voice 3): "Alright Carlos, here's the deal...I'm gonna go get Maero a little present from the nuke plant but you gotta be ready to pick me up quick when I give the call."
Carlos: "No problem boss, I'll get you a helicopter."
Playa (Male Voice 1): "I got the stuff we need Carlos."
Playa (Male Voice 2): "I got what I came for, I need to get picked up..."
Playa (Male Voice 3): "The cops are on my ass Carlos, we gotta move."
Playa (Female Voice 1): "I got Maero's present, I'm ready when you are..."
Playa (Female Voice 2): "Carlos, you ready to do this?"
Playa (Female Voice 3): "You ready to do this Carlos?"
Carlos: "I'm on my way."
— After picking up the toxic waste
We're almost to the nuke plant
— Carlos, after 1 guard has been killed

It's still too hot down there
— Carlos, after 4 guards have been killed

OK, we're landing now
— Carlos, after all guards have been killed

It's too hot down there, if you don't clear off that helipad I won't beable[sic] to land this thing...
— Carlos, can't land - unused subtitle[5]

Come on, get in
— Carlos, after landing the helicopter

Playa (Male Voice 1): "Who the hell's this guy?"
Playa (Male Voice 2): "Who's your new friend?"
Playa (Male Voice 3): "Why do you have a gun to the pilots head?"
Playa (Female Voice 1): "I can't help but notice you're threatening our pilot..."
Playa (Female Voice 2): "When did I tell you to take a hostage Carlos?"
Playa (Female Voice 3): "When I asked you to pick me up taking a pilot hostage wasn't what I had in mind...."
Carlos: "You think I know how to fly a helicopter? I had to pull a gun on the pilot to get him to fly here."
— After entering the helicopter
Pilot: "Maybe I'd handle this thing better if I didn't have a gun to my face..."
Carlos: "Shut up!"
Pilot: "Jesus, how many people are trying to kill you?"
Carlos: "Can ya just fly this thing?"
Pilot: "Ya know if people would stop trying to kill me I'd have a better chance at getting us back"
Carlos: "bitch bitch bitch..."
— Pilot arguing
Carlos: "We're going down, hang on!"
Playa (Male Voice 1): "I think that could've went better, don't you agree Carlos?"
Playa (Male Voice 2): "Nice getaway plan Carlos..."
Playa (Male Voice 3): "Hell of a getaway plan Carlos"
Playa (Female Voice 1): "Carlos, remind me to sit you down for a talk about planning a getaway..."
Playa (Female Voice 2): "Helicopters work a lot better if you don't crash 'em into the ground..."
Playa (Female Voice 3): "Well that coulda went better..."
Carlos: "Hey we walked away from the crash, that's good enough for me. So whadda we do now?"
Playa: "We jack a car and get the hell outta here."
— Crash

"Flash" cutscene[]

Matt: "Bro, you are gonna look like a bad mother fucker."
Maero: "That's good, 'cause I was beginning to think I looked like an investment banker."
Jessica: "I'm glad you two are having fun, 'cause god forbid we do something about the Saints..."
Maero: "I'm gonna take care of them babe..."
Jessica: "Sure you are."
Maero: "You think I'm afraid?"
Matt: "No she doesn't Maero, now can you stay cool? I'm almost done..."
Maero: "I think you should stick to tattooin' and drop the guitar."
Matt: "Whatever, The Feed Dogs fuckin' rock."
Maero winces slightly
Jessica: "Baby..."
Maero: "Screams in anguish"
— "Flash" cutscene


Gallery[]

Waste Not Want Not - Playa and Carlos in the train

Playa and Carlos

Waste Not Want Not - Playa and Carlos talking on the train

Playa and Carlos

Waste Not Want Not - The El Train pulling into Cecil Park station

The subway

Waste Not Want Not - Carlos on the train

Carlos

Waste Not Want Not - 7 Toxic Waste locations

Waste Not Want Not - 7 Toxic Waste locations

Waste Not Want Not - Goo 1 location

Waste Not Want Not - Toxic Waste 1 location

Waste Not Want Not - Goo 2 location

Waste Not Want Not - Toxic Waste 2 location

Waste Not Want Not - Goo 3 location

Waste Not Want Not - Toxic Waste 3 location

Waste Not Want Not - Goo 4 location

Waste Not Want Not - Toxic Waste 4 location

Waste Not Want Not - Goo 5 location

Waste Not Want Not - Toxic Waste 5 location

Waste Not Want Not - Goo 6 location

Waste Not Want Not - Toxic Waste 6 location

Waste Not Want Not - Goo 7 location

Waste Not Want Not - Toxic Waste 7 location

Waste Not Want Not - Matt tattooing Maero while Jessica watches

Maero, Jessica and Matt

Waste Not Want Not - Maero with full face tattoo

Maero

Waste Not Want Not - Maero holding his face

Maero and Jessica

Waste Not Want Not - Maero's face burning

Maero and Jessica

Waste Not Want Not - closeup of Maero's face burning

Maero

Loading screen bh03 01 Waste Not Want Not

Loading screen used after "Waste Not Want Not"

Loading screen bh03 02 Waste Not Want Not

Loading screen used after "Waste Not Want Not"

Loading screen bh03 03 Waste Not Want Not

Loading screen used after "Waste Not Want Not"


References[]

  1. Note: Homies can kill all 10
  2. Cutscene: Insult to Injury
  3. Cutscene: Flash
  4. Image: Early map, showing Stilwater Nuclear as The Brotherhood neighborhood
  5. Note: CARLOS_BR03_CANT_LAND_HELI_01: "It's too hot down there, if you don't clear off that helipad I won't beable to land this thing..." - this subtitle is not used, the shorter "It's still too hot down there" is used instead.


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