Control The Former in The Foundation DLC explained, including how to learn Shape and Fracture

How to gain the other new ability in The Foundation DLC for Control

After you've restored the second key, you'll find yourself transported back to the Astral Plane Challenge area that you first visited in The Foundation mission.

During your original trip, you were only allowed to pick one new ability, but now, thanks to the Former, you can learn the ability you left behind. Whether the Board likes it or not.

If you originally learnt how to use Shape, you'll be tasked with learning the Fracture ability for the Service Weapon. This involves shooting crystals to both clear your path and destroy enemies.

If you originally learnt how to use the Fracture ability, however, you'll learn how to use Shape. For this challenge, you'll learn how to create platforms to cross large gaps and how to use crystals to kill your enemies.

After you've completed the Astral Challenge for whichever ability you needed to learn, you'll be able to use it whenever you want, which means that it's time to return to the Foundation.

Visiting the Former in The Foundation DLC for Control explained

Once you've gained the missing ability - be it Shape or Fracture - in Control, you'll find yourself transported, not to the Foundation, but to a dark version of the Astral Plane.

This area might be familiar to anyone who's completed the Fridge Duty or Langston's Runways side missions in the main game of Control.

Walk to the end of this pathway and the being known as the Former will appear. Before you do anything, however, you should carefully consider your options, because you will gain very different benefits from talking or attacking the Former.

Talking to the Former in The Foundation DLC for Control explained

If you decide to talk to the Former, then you'll kind of learn some of it's backstory and might start to think that the Board aren't as benevolent as they seem.

Talking to the Former will also lead to it sending you reinforcements during the boss battle with Marshall. If you have trouble with the Control boss battles, then we highly recommend talking to the Former rather than attacking it, because these reinforcements will provide great assistance in defeating The Foundations DLC boss.

Personally, we decided that, despite our history, we would talk to the Former - it was, after all, being very polite.

Once your conversation is over you'll find yourself transported back to the etching that you originally touched.

From there you can either explore the Warehouse and Collapsed Department if you just unlocked the Shape ability or the Canyon's Rim and Deep Cavern if you just unlocked Fracture for the Service Weapon.

It’s time to journey into the mysterious Federal Bureau of Control. Our Control walkthrough can help you through the storyline missions, including Welcome to the Oldest House, Unknown Caller, Directorial Override, Old Boy’s Club, Threshold, My Brother's Keeper, The Face of the Enemy, Finnish Tango, Polaris and Take Control. You can also learn new supernatural powers by completing A Merry Chase, A Good Defence and A Captive Audience. We also have guides on upgrading the Service Weapon, your Abilities, how to use Weapon and Personal Mods, how to unlock every outfit and the solution to the Roulette Wheel puzzle.

Attacking the Former in The Foundation DLC for Control explained

If you decide to attack the Former in The Foundation, rather than talking to it, you'll begin the optional boss battle for this DLC. This boss battle will be quite similar to the previous encounters you have had with the Former in the side missions Fridge Duty and Langston's Runways.

It's important to note that this battle with the Former is more difficult than the previous ones you might have had, so, if you didn't like fighting the Former before, we suggest you have a chat with it instead.

Thankfully, the way you defeat the Former stays the same; you'll want to use a combination of your Service Weapon and launch powers to aim for it's open, spotlight, eye as much as possible. To cause the most damage, catch the balls of light it sends towards you using your launch powers and send them back into its eye.

The Former has two main attacks - hitting you with one of its arms and sending balls of energy towards you. Both of these attacks are well telegraphed, with the Former pulling backwards to attack you and the balls of energy only appearing when its eye is wide open.

This doesn't mean, however, that you can allow the Former to hit you, because any of its attacks will cost you a substantial amount of health.

You'll also have to contend with a number of Hiss enemies appearing as the battle continues; make sure you deal with these enemies as quickly as possible, else you risk being overwhelmed and easily killed off.

Finally, the Former will also begin to destroy the platform you're standing on, forcing you down the narrow corridor that makes up it's realm. For this reason, it's a good idea to either spend most of the match flying or atop one of the pillars. This will give you the best viewpoint of both the Former and any Hiss foes that may appear.

If you die during this fight, you'll find yourself at the beginning of the Former's realm again with the opportunity to talk to it, which means you won't be automatically forced back into the fight. Again, we highly suggest you talk to the Former, as it will provide assistance later on.

If you do defeat the Former, it will disappear into the Astral Plane and you'll receive a number of powerful mods.

No matter what decision you make, you'll be returned to The Foundation, where you'll either be tasked with exploring the Warehouse and Collapsed Department or Canyon's Rim and Deep Cavern.