Rescuing the captured crew members of Station 17 forms one of the most compelling Most Wanted side quests in Batman: Arkham Knight, titled The Line of Duty. As Gotham City falls under siege, sixteen brave firefighters and Chief Underhill are held hostage across Bleake Island, Miagani Island, and Founders' Island by armed thugs. Tracking down every hostage requires a mix of keen observation, strategic combat planning, and steady story progression throughout the main campaign.
Finding Firefighters on Bleake Island
Bleake Island serves as the starting area for your rescue mission, holding six crew members in distinct locations. Players can easily locate the first few hostages near the docks, the GCPD building, and Chinatown by listening for police scanner chatter or observing hostile groups guarding tied-up captives. Utilizing Detective Vision from high perches helps isolate enemy numbers before swooping in to clear the area safely.
Subduing the guards on Bleake Island generally involves basic predator tactics or direct hand-to-hand combat against standard thugs. Once all surrounding enemies are knocked unconscious, Batman can untie the hostage to collect critical dialogue clues regarding the crew's missing chief. Rescuing these early firefighters helps establish the pattern necessary to track down the remaining personnel across the rest of the city.
Locating Hostages Across Miagani Island
Miagani Island features four firefighters who are held under heavier security, often guarded by armed militia forces or shielded by automated turrets. Searching areas like Grand Avenue, the Elliott Center, and the Gotham Herald building will reveal hostage situations that require precise gadget usage. Players often need the Remote Electrical Charge or Smoke Pellets to neutralize armed threats quickly without endangering the hostage.
As you glide through the neon-lit streets, listening closely to police helicopters can provide general directions toward remaining targets. Taking out armed sentinels silently ensures that the thugs cannot use the firefighter as a human shield during combat. Successfully clearing these encounters brings Batman one step closer to uncovering the conspiracy behind the station fires.
Clearing Founders' Island and Unlocking the Chief
Founders' Island contains the final five crew members, but several locations remain inaccessible until the Batmobile can be transported across the bridges. High-tech thugs equipped with brutes, shields, and optical deflection armor guard these last hostages around Port Adams and Ryker Heights. Careful planning and full utilization of Batman's combat arsenal are required to overcome these heavily fortified enemy positions.
After freeing all fifteen firefighters across the three main islands, Chief Underhill's hidden location is revealed on Founders' Island. The Chief is guarded by a massive crew of armed militia members, requiring a full predator approach to secure the area. Freeing Chief Underhill uncovers the surprising truth regarding his involvement with Firefly, ultimately completing the Most Wanted mission.
Tips for Efficient Searching and Rescue
Progressing through the main story is essential, as certain firefighter locations only unlock after major plot milestones are completed. If a hostage does not appear at a designated spot, continue advancing through main story objectives before returning to search again. Scanning the skyline for hovering police helicopters often highlights nearby trouble spots where firefighters are being held.
Upgrading Batman's combat and predator skills early simplifies the task of dealing with larger, better-equipped enemy mobs. Using environmental takedowns and fear multi-takedowns allows you to clear hostage sites efficiently without sustaining unnecessary damage. Completing this side quest grants valuable upgrade points while bringing full justice to the streets of Gotham.
