Alan Wake 2: How to defeat the final boss Scratch? Alan Wake 2 guide, walkthrough

The final boss appears in Return 7 in Alan Wake 2. On this guide page, we suggest how to defeat and cage the Scratch boss on the shore of Cauldron Lake while playing as Saga.

Last update: 14 November 2023

Scratch is the antagonist of Alan Wake 2 whom you had the opportunity to meet multiple times during the game and will be the final enemy for Saga Anderson. On this page of our guide, we describe the battle against Scratch happening in Cauldron Lake Shore during Return 7. Here you'll learn how to attack the boss, how to use the levers, and how to lock him in the cage.

• Boss fight location
• How to attack and lock Scratch in the cage?

Boss fight location

1. The final boss battle takes place in Return 7. Earlier in the chapter, Saga will have to to fight a large battle against Taken in Cauldron Lake Shore. After the battle, the action switches to Alan who has to complete a short final chapter of his story - Initiation 9.
2. After the action is taken back to Saga, Scratch will appear in Cauldron Lake Shore and the battle against him will be initiated immediately.

How to attack and lock Scratch in the cage?

1. The general idea for the fight is similar to the previous encounter that took place in Sheriff's Station - we describe it on a dedicated page of our guide.

1. You don't have to point the light to Scratch to remove the darkness, and instead, you can just start attacking him with firearms right away. For this, consider using the best weapons you have, such as Hunting Rifle or Pump-Action Shotgun.
2. If you are low on ammo following the previous large battle against the Taken, use weaker weapons until supplies appear in the arena. You'll be informed about their appearance thanks to remarks from your companions.

Scratch's main attacks are:

1. Melee weapon swings - to mitigate them, perform two dodges in a row.
2. Grab - you need to perform a dodge at the right moment to avoid this attack, but the safer way is to stay at a distance from the boss and escape as soon as he teleports near you. If Scratch manages to grab you, mash the action button to get free.
3. Shockwave - it can reach you even if you are standing behind the cage or any other obstacle. Dodge to one of the sides to escape its radius. If you got struck, return to an upright position as soon as possible.

1. After the boss is damaged enough, he will start standing still and Estevez will point the spotlight to him. Following the break in combat, you need to perform the actions described below.

1. Run to one of two levers located on the beach. Interact with the lever and then hold the interaction button (X on PlayStation, A on Xbox)
2. A circular bar will appear around the button that will slowly start to fill, but you won't be able to fill it completely during a single lever interaction.
3. When you receive a warning that Scratch is back into the fight, leave the lever. Otherwise, he will get close and attack Saga.

1. You must return to firing at the boss. Fight until Scratch once again stops in place. Run to the lever again to continue turning the mechanism. You should be able to fill the bar completely in 2 or 3 attempts.
2. You must do the same with the second lever, i.e. interact with it when you aren't attacking the boss.
3. With both levers active, run into the large cage. This will initiate a cut-scene that concludes the Scratch battle.