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EspañolCHARACTERS IN THE HALO SERIES
This is a list of major fictional characters from the ''Halo'' franchise. This includes the video games '' and ''Halo 2'', as well as the expanded universe, which consists of the novels '', '', '', '', as well as the ''Halo Graphic Novel''. Characters are organized by their respective factions in the Halo universe- the humans of the United Nations Space Command, the alien Covenant, the ancient Forerunner, and the parasitic Flood.
In the foreword for a collection titled ''The Art of Halo'', Jason Jones noted that bringing together the elements of a video game is unmistakably "art". The Art of Halo: Foreword, , Jason, Jones, Del Ray Publishing, 2004, . However, Jones also noted that the character designers and artists had to make a "living, breathing world" and populate it with interesting characters and places. The game's development which spanned four years brought numerous evolutions and revisions to the character's designs and personalities.[1] Characters were also updated to take full advantage of new graphics technologies; for instance, the Master Chief's armor was redesigned in a lengthy conceptual process and the final model was bump mapped.[1]
''Halo''' s characters were continually refined through development, as the company was bought by Microsoft and the platform shifted from the Macintosh to the Xbox. Other Bungie developers would often add input to the progress of characters in ''Halo'', even if they were not working on the game itself.[1] For example, an outside artist, Shi Kai Wang, developed the early concept sketches of what would eventually become the Master Chief. However upon developing a 3D model, the artists decided the Chief looked too slender, almost effeminate, and subsequently bulked up the character.[1] Early Covenant Elites had a more natural jaw rather than the split mandibles they would later sport; at one point, Jason Jones was also insistent about having a tail on the Elites, but this idea was eventually dropped.[1]
Designers decided to hand-key animations, rather than attempt motion capture.[1] The animators also often video taped themselves to have reference footage for the movement of game characters. Art Director Marcus Lehto had his wife videotape him "running around a field with a two-by-four, playing soldier" while working on the human marines. The Art of Halo, , Eric, Trautmann, Del Ray Publishing, 2004, Many of the subsequent human character's features were based off Bungie designers, while character animators looked to simian, ursine, insectoid and reptilian features for the various races of the Covenant.[1]
Main articles: Master Chief (Halo)
Master Chief Petty Officer Spartan-117, known as "Master Chief" or "John-117", is the protagonist and main playable character in all the ''Halo'' games. He is voiced by actor Steve Downes. One of the last SPARTAN-II supersoldiers still in active service, the Master Chief is awed and feared by even the Covenant, who see him as a demon. [8] Assisted by the AI Cortana, he almost singlehandedly prevents the firing of Installation 04 in '', an event which the player is told would have destroyed all sentient life in the galaxy.'Cortana': You have no idea how this ring works, do you? Why the forerunners built it? Halo doesn't kill flood, it kills their food. Humans, covenant, whatever! We're all equally edible. The only way to stop the flood is to starve them to death. And that's exactly what Halo is designed to do; wipe the galaxy clean of all sentient life. You don't believe me? Ask ''him''. / 'Master Chief': Is this true? "hell yes i love kicking those little fuckers from here back to hell." / '343 Guilty Spark': More or less. Technically, this installation's pulse has a maximum effective radius of twenty-five thousand light years. But, once the others follow suit, this galaxy will be quite devoid of life, or at least any life with sufficient biomass to sustain the flood. (pause) But you already knew that. I mean, how couldn't you? -
Joseph Staten noted that until the Master Chief was created, Bungie had not paid any attention to how to make people want to play in the world. "Master Chief is really what kicked off the creativity," he said, "in terms of how people react to him. He's a space marine in really cool green armor."[9]
Main articles: Sergeant Major A.J. Johnson
Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson, voiced by David Scully, is a Marine who leads human forces against Covenant and Flood assaults throughout the first and second games. Whereas Johnson played a minor role in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', the character plays a much larger role in ''Halo 2'', by joining forces with the Arbiter to stop Tartarus from activating Delta Halo.[10] Johnson is also the only human seen to survive a Flood infestation, due to a pre-existing medical condition.[11] In ''Halo 2'', he is awarded the Colonial Cross for his heroic actions,[12] and led UNSC forces to drive the Covenant from New Mombasa. Johnson is the sole character featured in the Halo Graphic Novel story, "Breaking Quarantine", which details Johnson's escape from the Flood in ''.See the ''Halo Graphic Novel''.
In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and ''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', Captain Jacob Keyes (voiced by Pete Stacker) is a commander in the UNSC. As a young Lieutenant, Keyes accompanied Catherine Halsey on her mission to screen possible SPARTAN-II Project subjects.[13] By 2552, Keyes was commander of the ''Iroquois'', a UNSC destroyer.[13] Keyes realizes that a strange mass approaching Sigma Octanus IV is in fact a Covenant armada;[13] with reinforcements hours away, Keyes' ship alone takes on four Covenant ships. However, Keyes' tactical brilliance makes up for the disparity in numbers; using the Covenant's own plasma torpedoes against them, Keyes executes a roll around the Covenant ship, hitting them with their own weapons;[13] the maneuver, dubbed the "Keyes Loop",[13] makes the Commander a hero.
Newly promoted to Captain,[13] Keyes leads his ship along with fellow UNSC forces against an even larger Covenant fleet that arrives at Octanus IV. Having successfully defended the colony from the Covenant, the ''Iroquois'' is recalled to Reach, unwittingly carrying a Covenant spy drone which relays their location of the human colony.[13] At Reach, Keyes is given command of the cruiser ''Pillar of Autumn''. The ship is to undertake a mission with a complement of SPARTAN-IIs to capture a Prophet and end the war with the Covenant. ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' Instruction Manual, , , , Microsoft Game Studios, 2001, However, the Covenant attack first, and the ''Autumn'' follows Cole Protocol and arrives at Halo. There, Keyes leads a guerilla insurgency against the Covenant, until he is captured and assimilated by the Flood in ''Halo''' s sixth mission, "343 Guilty Spark". He is posthumously awarded a medal for his bravery in ''Halo 2''.[20]
Commander Miranda Keyes is the daughter of Captain Jacob Keyes and first appears in ''Halo 2''. She is the commanding officer of UNSC frigate ''In Amber Clad'', which is later taken over by the Flood. She is referred to by 343 Guilty Spark as a "Reclaimer",[21] like the Master Chief was in ''Halo''. Thus, she is able to retrieve the Index from the Delta Halo Library. Miranda is voiced by Julie Benz in ''Halo 2'', but Bungie has stated they are recasting Miranda's voice actress because they want someone with an accent.[22]
At the beginning of ''Halo 2'', Keyes is present at an awards ceremony onboard the Cairo defense platform above Earth to accept a medal (Colonial Cross) posthumously for her father, who had been consumed by the Flood during the events of ''Halo''. Soon after, a Covenant fleet launches an attack on Earth, and Commander Keyes links up with the rest of the fleet aboard the ''In Amber Clad''. She is able to retrieve the Master Chief and deploy him, along with many of her marines, to assist in the defense of New Mombasa. When the High Prophet of Regret retreats from Earth by initiating a slipspace jump, Keyes orders the pilots of ''In Amber Clad'' to follow Regret's ship, resulting in the ship's arrival near Delta Halo.See the synopsis of ''Halo 2'' for more information.
Keyes decides to deploy two teams to the surface of Halo: one, led by the Master Chief, would locate and assassinate Regret, while Keyes and Sergeant Johnson would locate the Index before the Covenant. She and Johnson are able to reach the Index, but are captured by Tartarus. As a Reclaimer, only she can insert the Index into Halo's control panel, and Tartarus attempts to force her to do this. When the Arbiter tries to stop the firing, Tartarus forces Keyes to insert the Index, initiating Halo's firing sequence. After the Arbiter and Johnson engage and kill Tartarus, Keyes successfully removes the Index and prevents Halo from activating, but inadvertently causes all remaining Halo installations to enter standby mode, enabling the remote detonation of these installations from The Ark.[23]
Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey is a civilian scientist in the UNSC, in which she holds a prominent position. A flash clone of her brain tissue was the basis for the construction of the "smart" AI Cortana.[13] As the creator of the SPARTAN-II Project, she was responsible for the kidnapping of the seventy-five Spartan children, along with their training and the subsequent death of thirty of them due to the dangerous augmentation process.[13] She is viewed by the SPARTAN-IIs as a "mother" figure. Because of the overnight success of the project, she quickly rose through the ranks of the UNSC, despite quarrels with one or two members of the Admiralty.
Halsey enjoys the time she spends with her Spartans, each of whom she addresses by first name rather than designation.[26] Little is known of her personal life, but it is implied that she is a lonely workaholic, and highly criticized for her involvement with the SPARTAN-II project. Halsey justifies her actions through her belief that the suffering of a few is acceptable for the benefit of many. Sergeant Johnson, however, unknowingly causes Halsey to rethink her position, and she decides to "save each and every member of humanity beginning with herself".[26]
During ''First Strike'' Dr. Halsey hijacks a shuttle for her own private mission to the planet Onyx.[26] There, she assists in deciphering the surrounding Forerunner ruins on the planet and leads the surviving humans within a Dyson Sphere contained within the spatially compressed core of the planet, in actuality a "shield-world" construct left unused by the Forerunners.
Colonel James Ackerson is a high ranking officer in the Office of Naval Intelligence, who has seen many years of service and has survived several battles with the Covenant. Such is his influence that he dominates the Security Committee and can talk down most higher-ranking officers without fear of reprisal.[26] Due to the competition between Ackerson and other departments, most notably Section Three and the SPARTAN-II project, Ackerson harbors a strong resentment toward his opponents and toward the Spartans in particular. In '', he attempted to sabotage the MJOLNIR Mark V testing process by using ordnance far above the established guidelines, including Lotus anti-tank mines, a full squad of ODSTs ordered to shoot to kill, automated gun turrets, and an airstrike with a Skyhawk jump jet fighter. However, Cortana soon got back at Ackerson by forging a letter requesting a reassignment to the front lines, following planting evidence of illicit activities in his bank records. In ''Halo: First Strike'', it is revealed that Ackerson managed to weasel his way out of Cortana's mess,[26] and is in charge of the SPARTAN-III program. In '' Ackerson falls into the hands of Covenant orbiting Mars, is tortured and is slated to die, revealing the presence of a "key" on Earth to his interrogators.[31]
Senior Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez is the SPARTAN-II's trainer on Reach during the early events of ''. He provides his trainees with excellent weapons and physical lessons, as well as tactical and mental training. He is not very talkative, but possesses a brilliant mind for warfare, and this shows through in the Master Chief's abilities. He is described as neither tall nor muscular, with close-cut hair that has a dash of gray at the temples.[13] Also, he looks very ordinary for a man who has seen such extensive combat. His walk is described as being slow and graceful, as though he were not bound by gravity as much as others. He leaves after the discovery of the Covenant to train the next batch of Spartans.[13]
Chief Mendez was recruited by Colonel Ackerson to assist Lieutenant Commander Kurt Ambrose with training the SPARTAN-III supersoldiers at the secret world of Onyx after a few years of combat duty (receiving two Purple Hearts in the process).[34] He trained three companies of Spartan-IIIs. During ''Ghosts of Onyx'' he participated in the events that occurred on the planet between October 31 and November 4, 2552 and was sealed inside the Forerunner Dyson Sphere at the heart of the planet, with the remaining human survivors. , , Eric, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood (voiced by Ron Perlman) first appears in the novel, ''. He is a member of the UNSC Security Committee and is the Chief of Naval Operations. He greatly respects the Spartans, not only because of their record, but on two occasions his life has been saved by the Spartans. [26]
When ''Halo 2'' begins Admiral Hood presents the Master Chief, Sergeant Johnson, and Miranda Keyes with medals aboard the Cairo Station. Captain Keyes' medal is posthumous and thus presented to his daughter, Miranda. Lord Hood was in overall command of the battle when Prophet of Regret's fleet attacked Earth (this is made clear when he orders Fleet Admiral Harper to defend the Cairo, Athens, and Malta MAC stations instead of attacking the Covenant ships directly). Later, at the end of ''Halo 2'', he is seen commanding the defense of Earth aboard the Cairo as he finds out that Master Chief is aboard the High Prophet of Truth's Forerunner flagship. In '', Hood receives an urgent message by Dr. Halsey requesting for him to send Spartans to assist her, and obliges by ordering Fred-104, Will-043, and Linda-058 to Onyx.
Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb is deputy chief of naval operations in the UNSC. When Reach falls under Covenant attack before the events of '', he is rescued by Gamma Team, a division of the Spartans sent to defend Reach from the Covenant invasion.[26]
He is later picked up by the Master Chief and escaped in ''Gettysburg-Ascendant Justice''. Whitcomb sacrifices himself to destroy the bulk of the Covenant invasion fleet near the ''Unyielding Hierophant''. Broadcasting a challenge to fight along with a picture of a Forerunner artifact the Covenant had been searching for, Whitcomb uses the captured Covenant cruiser ''Ascendant Justice'' to cluster the Covenant around the ''Hierophant'', whose reactors are about to detonate.[26] The station explodes, destroying almost all of the Covenant fleet.[26]
Flight Officer Captain Carol Rawley, referred to in-game by the callsigns ''Foehammer'' or ''Echo 419'',[39] is the pilot of a dropship on the UNSC cruiser ''Pillar of Autumn''. She assists the protagonist in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' numerous times, providing troop extractions and dropped reinforcements. Foehammer is voiced by Tanya Pettiford-Wates. She is technically an unseen character, as players can only see her ship and not the pilot inside.
Not long after the ''Pillar of Autumn'' makes a blind jump to Threshold, Covenant forces descend upon the ship. Foehammer, along with a group of fellow pilots, escape the ''Autumn'' by taking some of the Pelican dropships to the surface of the ring. There, she helps Spartan-117 and Cortana pick up scattered Marines and rescue Captain Jacob Keyes, allowing the humans to wage a guerilla war against the Covenant.[40] She inserts the Master Chief and Marines into several tough spots, including an assault to find Halo's control room. Later, she is killed after her ship is hit by a Covenant Banshee, as she attempts to aid the Master Chief in escaping the ''Autumn'' before its imminent detonation.[41]
Major Antonio Silva is commander of the Marine Helljumper battalion on the ''Pillar of Autumn'' when it crashes on Halo in ''. An Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, Silva harbors little love for the SPARTAN-II program, bearing a grudge from when several of his fellow Helljumpers were killed as a test of a Spartan's willingness to obey orders.[26] Though a brilliant tactical commander, Silva is ambitious to a fault, and is also very protective of his own troops. and his subordinates feel his ambition clouds his judgement.[43] At the end of '', he led the assault and capture of the Covenant ship ''Truth and Reconciliation'', and, blinded by his own ambitions, refused to exterminate the remaining Flood specimens on board, believing that humanity needed to see live specimens of the parasite.[43] He is killed when his subordinate, Lieutenant McKay, destroys the cruiser rather than let the Flood escape.
Lieutenant Melissa McKay is Major Silva's executive officer during the events of '' and ''. A brave and stalwart officer who fought in several battles on the Halo construct, McKay was driven close to the breaking point as the battle wore on and the Flood parasite began to emerge. At the end of the novel, McKay attempted to convince Silva that they could not leave Halo with live Flood specimens on board their captured ship, but Silva refused to listen to her. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003, Taking matters into her own hands, McKay destroyed a critical control line to the cruiser's bridge, causing the ship to crash and killing everyone on board to contain the spread of the Flood.
Private Wallace A. Jenkins is one of many UNSC forces that survives the initial Covenant attack in ''. In '', Jenkins assists in defending the human stronghold under the command of Major Antonio Silva. He is also part of an assault team led by Sergeant Avery Johnson and Captain Jacob Keyes, sent to recover a Covenant arms cache during ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. The team is overwhelmed by the Flood, leaving the entire squad except Sergeant Johnson infected and resulting in the eventual death of Captain Keyes. In the video game, the Master Chief recovers Jenkins' helmet, and reviews the recording of the mission that it contained, introducing the Flood to the player through the soldier's eyes. In ''Halo'', the soldier's fate is left unknown.
'' reveals the fate of Jenkins; the Private is transformed into a Combat Form of the Flood along with the rest of his squad, but he is able to exercise a certain degree of control over the infection, due to the mind of the parasite being weakened by its long hibernation.[43] He uses this limited control in an attempt to end his own life, charging at UNSC Marines in the hope that they would shoot him.[43] Instead he is captured, as a live specimen for study. He is brought aboard the Covenant cruiser ''Truth and Reconciliation'' as part of a mission under ODST Major Silva to capture a Covenant vessel and return it to Earth intact. Jenkins successfully convinces Silva's second-in-command, Lieutenant McKay, that such a mission would spread the Flood to Earth, and she destroys the conduit connecting the ship's controls to the engines, destroying the vessel as it crashed into Halo.[43] The 12th track of the ''Halo'' soundtrack is titled "''Lament For Pvt. Jenkins''".
Corporal Locklear is an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper who was involved in the battle on Installation 04 in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. Not much is known of his efforts or achievements in the fight. In ''Halo: First Strike'', it is revealed that he escaped Halo on a Pelican with Sergeant Major Avery Johnson, Lieutenant Elias Haverson, and Warrant Officer Shiela Polaski, who he seems to have been attracted to.[11] He meets his death when he blows up Dr. Halsey's Slipspace-altering crystal in grief of the death of Polaski, destroying himself and protecting the rest of the crew on the ''Gettysburg-Ascendant Justice'' from the Covenant, who would have tracked the crystal's radioactive emissions in Slipspace.See the novel '' for details.
The SPARTAN-II Project is a top-secret project to create human super-soldiers who were originally planned to crush revolts in the human colonies. After the Covenant attack, the Spartans experience a priority shift. In an effort to boost support for a war humanity is losing, the UNSC High Command reveals the existence of the Spartans to the general public. While the Master Chief is the only soldier of the SPARTAN-II Project seen in the game, many others are featured or mentioned in the ''Halo'' novels. In the books, all Spartans are recorded as MIA even if they are dead; this is because the UNSC High Command does not want civilians to think that Spartans can be killed, in an effort to boost morale.[11]
Most Spartans are now listed as Missing in Action; only a handful remain on active duty. John-117, the Master Chief, is on Earth following the events of ''Halo 2''. Linda-058, Kelly-087, and Frederic-104 are inside a Dyson Sphere after the events of ''. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006, ; Kurt-051 is killed after staying behind to stop the Covenant from following his comrades into the Sphere. [50]
Li-008 is killed covering those repairing the ''Ascendant Justice'' in slipspace during '', as is Anton-044.[26] Later on, Grace-093 is killed by Brutes on board the ''Unyielding Hierophant'' in an effort to destroy the station.[26] William-043 is killed in Onyx by a Hunter. Other Spartans mentioned (and now MIA) include Joshua-029, Vinh-030, Sam-034, Isaac-039, Malcolm-059, and three unidentified SPARTAN II's designated "Gray Team",[13] , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006, who at the time of '' were in fields of battle too distant to be recalled, [13] and hasn't contacted command for a year , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
Kurt-051 is one of the primary characters of ''. Kurt originally graduated with the original class of SPARTAN-IIs. Kurt was much more social than the other Spartans, going to lengths to be friends with not only his fellow Spartans but also the support personnel who trained and aided them. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006, Although some (particularly John-117, the leader of the Spartans) found this quality to be detrimental to his duties, he proved to be an able leader and often led the Green Team in training exercises. After the death of Sam-034 in 2531, Kurt was assigned to replace him as a member of Blue Team under the command of John-117. Later that year, on a mission in the Groombridge 34 system, his thruster pack apparently malfunctioned while EVA. He was recovered by the UNSC Prowler ''Point of No Return'', unbeknownst to his teammates.[55] In actuality, the "accident" had been elaborately staged by Colonel James Ackerson of the Office of Naval Intelligence in order to recruit Kurt to head up the SPARTAN-III program without anyone else knowing. He is given a new name and an officer's commission, effectively starting a new life as Lieutenant Kurt Ambrose.[55]
Kurt is assigned to head up the selection and training of the next generation of Spartans, training three companies of approximately three hundred SPARTAN-IIIs each at Onyx, and for his efforts and the success of the program, he was eventually promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Driven by the guilt of watching two generations of his SPARTAN-IIIs die in combat, he worked to protect them at any cost, taking extreme measures to ensure their survival. When the Forerunner Sentinels began attacking in Zone 67, Kurt withdrew to the camp armory and his house, where he retrieved his suit of SPI armor, consciously choosing it instead of his vastly superior MJOLNIR armor in a show of solidarity with his troops. After the arrival of Dr. Halsey and the SPARTAN-II Blue Team, Kurt along with the remaining 7 SPARTAN-IIIs accompanied them to the center of Zone 67 - a recently unearthed Forerunner city - to protect the Forerunner technology from falling to the Covenant forces who had just entered orbit. Eventually, he realized that Dr. Halsey's actual plan was to take the remaining Spartans into the safety of the core of Onyx, an advanced Forerunner shelter which existed in slipspace. He led the Spartans in defending the core against the Covenant forces, but ordered the rest of the Spartans into the shelter along with Dr. Halsey and Chief Mendez when it was clear that they could no longer hold their position. Kurt was killed at the end of ''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx'' by detonating a series of FENRIS nuclear warheads to prevent the Covenant from pursuing his comrades.
A SPARTAN-II who chose to retire from the SPARTAN-II program to start a family. Armor Testing, , Jay, Faerber, Marvel Comics, 2006, After doing so she had tested out a new model of MJOLNIR Mark VI armor before it was sent to be used by the Master Chief Petty Officer Spartan John-117 in ''Halo 2''. This event is depicted in the ''Halo Graphic Novel'', entitled ''Armor Testing'', by W. Andrew Robinson (pencils), Ed Lee (colors), and Jay Faerber (Story).
A common presence on UNSC worlds and fleets, advanced artificial intelligences serve as highly capable computerized assistants in everything from naval warfare and military planning to accounting. UNSC AIs come in two types, "dumb" and "smart." "Dumb" AIs are specialized in one specific field and cannot improve their knowledge in regards to any other field or grow in terms of processing power. "Smart" AIs are unlimited in their ability to expand and learn, though their rapid rate of self-advancement results in a cognitive "death" after roughly seven operational years, due to critical system functions being used up by the AI to think and process, analogous to a human using so much of their brain to think that they no longer breathe.[13]
Main articles: Cortana
Cortana, voiced in the games by Jen Taylor, is the AI who assists the Master Chief throughout '' and ''Halo 2''. She is one of many smart AIs, and is based on Dr. Halsey. Her actions during '' help prevent the activation of the ringworld. She escapes Halo along with the Master Chief in a fighter, and is instrumental in helping the UNSC survivors capture the Covenant flagship ''Ascendant Justice'' during the events of ''. During ''Halo 2'' Cortana is put in charge of the MAC defense platform ''Cairo'' over Earth when the Covenant attack;[58] she then follows the Chief on ''In Amber Clad'' to Delta Halo, where she further assists in intelligence work. Cortana stays behind on High Charity to detonate ''In Amber Clad''' s engines in case Halo is activated; she is last seen in the clutches of Gravemind.
Kalmiya was Dr. Catherine Halsey's "test" experiment, to see whether an AI could handle the code-breaking abilities that were required for the Spartan II's mission. Kalmiya is a "smart" AI - copied directly from the neural patterns of a human brain. She also contributes a portion of her core programming to the making of Cortana. She is erased according to UNSC protocol when the ONI Castle Base on Reach self-destructs to prevent the Covenant from discovering any human secrets, such as the location of Earth.[26]
Wellsley is a Class-C Military A.I. who assisted Helljumpers Major Silva and Lt. McKay on Halo to set up and operate Alpha Base, the center of the human resistance on the ringworld. He is only mentioned in ''Halo: The Flood'' and is effectively erased when Lt. McKay destroys the ''Truth and Reconciliation'' in an attempt to stop her superior's plans to capture and examine the Flood. He is also a "dumb" A.I. - meaning he was only created for one type of position, in this case being a military assistant. His name and personality come from the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley (original, correct spelling), who won the Battle of Waterloo.[43] The A.I. Wellsley often refers to victories that the Duke made as though he was the Duke and not an artificial recreation.[43]
Araqiel is the personal AI of Colonel James Ackerson, a rival of Dr. Catherine Halsey and strong critic of the Spartan-II program. Since the overnight success of the program threatened Ackerson, he deployed Araqiel to attack the files of Dr. Halsey, stealing data (such as every Spartan's DNA) for the SPARTAN-III program's study. Araqiel is only mentioned in the book, ''Halo: First Strike'', and is erased by Dr. Halsey and Kalmiya during the Covenant assault on the planet Reach after threatening to report Halsey to the ONI for treason.[26] His appearance is that of an elongated skull with long, demon-like horns, fire-filled eyes and jagged teeth. His voice is a low bestial growl or rumble containing a trace of far-off thunder, probably evoking the demon for which he is named.
Deep Winter became the functioning A.I. for the training camp of the new Spartan III soldiers. He replaced Eternal Spring. Deep Winter became aware of illegal drugs being used on the new soldiers and tried to warn Spartan Kurt-051, even though Kurt-051 was the one responsible for them being used in the first place. Fortunately for Kurt, the A.I. was at the end of its lifespan, and was replaced by the A.I. Endless Summer. Deep Winter appeared as an old man with snow blowing around him.
Main articles: Hierarchs (Halo)
The 'High Prophets' or 'Hierarchs' are the supreme leaders of the theocratic Covenant. In ''Halo 2'', there are shown to be only three; the Prophets of 'Mercy', 'Truth', and 'Regret' (voiced by Hamilton Camp, Michael Wincott and Robin Atkin Downes, respectively). During the course of ''Halo 2'', Regret attacks Earth, then retreats to Delta Halo. There, he calls for reinforcements, but is killed by the Master Chief. Later, Mercy is attacked by Flood, and abandoned by Truth. Based on Gravemind's comments during the level "High Charity", both Mercy and Regret have been assimilated into the Flood intelligence.[63]
Main articles: Arbiter (Halo)
The 'Arbiter' is a rank given to special Covenant Elite soldiers, who undertake suicidal missions on behalf of the Hierarchs. They are revered amongst the Covenant for their bravery and skill. In ''Halo 2'', the rank of Arbiter is given to the disgraced former Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice. Under his watch the ''Ascendant Justice'' was captured by the Master Chief and Installation 04 was destroyed. Rather than killing him, the Prophets allow the Commander to become the Arbiter, and to carry on his missions.[64]
The Arbiter succeeds in silencing the heretic leader Sesa ‘Refumee before traveling to Delta Halo. Here, he succeeds in capturing the Index, vital for the Covenant's "Great Journey" to occur. However he is betrayed by the Brutes and the Prophets, sparking the Covenant Civil War, and subsequently learns from Gravemind that the Halos are weapons of destruction, not salvation. The Arbiter then leads fellow Elites and other Separatist forces against the Brutes, joining forces with Miranda Keyes and Sergeant Johnson in stopping Tartarus from activating Delta Halo.
'Tartarus' (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson) is the most prominent of the Jiralhanae (also known as Brute) commanders of the Covenant, easily recognized by his albinism and distinctive mohawk. He is named for the deepest part of the Ancient Greek underworld, where the Titans are imprisoned. He represents his entire species as their Chieftain: rough, arrogant and disdainful of the Covenant Elite, and completely dedicated to the Prophets' "Great Journey".
Tartarus made his first chronological appearance in the novel '', in the chamber of the High Prophet of Truth. Tartarus reports that the Covenant Fleet preparing to attack Earth has been destroyed. He had scoured the wreckage of the Covenant attack coordination station ''Unyielding Hierophant'' after its destruction at the hands of the Master Chief, and recovered an artifact that had almost been lost but for three small chips, which he presented to Truth. He is instructed to reward the surviving pilots well, and then to "execute them all. Quickly. Quietly."[11]
In ''Halo 2'', Tartarus brands the Elite who would later become the Arbiter with the "Mark of Shame", and takes him to the Mausoleum of the Arbiters to carry out his execution. When the Prophets give the same Elite the role of the Arbiter, Tartarus is displeased, but does not openly voice his objections to the Prophets. He later appears when the Arbiter tries to retrieve the Index of Delta Halo. On the Prophets' orders, Tartarus takes the Index and pushes the Arbiter to what was intended to be his death in the deep central chasm of the Library.[66] The Brute then returns to High Charity with the Index with captives Commander Miranda Keyes and Sergeant Avery Johnson in his possession.
While trying to get the Reclaimer (Miranda Keyes) to activate Halo, Tartarus is confronted by the Arbiter. Blind to the Prophets' deception, he activates Delta Halo and guards the Index from all comers.[67] Tartarus is ultimately killed by the Arbiter and Sergeant Johnson, successfully preventing the firing of Delta Halo.
Making his debut in ''Halo 2'', the Special Ops Commander is never named in the game itself, leading to the unofficial nickname of "''Half-Jaw''" by fans.[68]
With the release of the Halo Graphic Novel however, the character was finally named in the story ''Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor'' as Rtas 'Vadumee. 'Vadumee is voiced by Robert Davi.
'Vadumee is a veteran Covenant Elite who is missing half of both his left mandibles. ''The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor'' explains how he incurs this injury; he is injured after fighting one of his friends, who has been infested by the Flood.[69] 'Vadumee frequently fights beside the Arbiter throughout ''Halo 2''. However, he often leaves the Arbiter with lesser Elites to go fight other battles on his own throughout the game. At one point Tartarus references this pattern of behavior and calls 'Vadumee a coward.[70]
During the early events of ''Halo 2'' 'Vadumee also serves as a messenger between the Hierarchs and the Elite Council, as he is seen relaying messages between the two parties in the Prophets' chamber.[71] The player as the Arbiter encounters 'Vadumee again after being betrayed by Tartarus. 'Vadumee helps the Arbiter break into the control chamber of Delta Halo to stop Halo from being fired. 'Vadumee is last seen in game going off to capture a Covenant cruiser which had been taken over by the Brutes.[72]
Sesa 'Refumee (voiced by Miguel Ferrer) is an enemy and 'boss' present in ''Halo 2'' fought by the Arbiter. He commanded an Artifact Retrieval Group attached to the Covenant fleet at the first Halo. Busy investigating a retrofitted Forerunner mining facility in the upper atmosphere of the gas giant, Threshold, 'Refumee was fortunate not to be on the ring when the Master Chief detonated the ''Pillar of Autumn's'' fusion engines, destroying the ring and everything on it.
'Refumee first encounters Halo’s monitor, 343 Guilty Spark, a few days after Halo's destruction. The Monitor informs him about the true nature of Halo, the fate of the Forerunners, and the origins of the Flood. This knowledge inspires 'Refumee and his Elites to rebel against the Prophets[73] – a decision that led to outright civil war. The Arbiter is sent on his first mission as the "blade of the Prophets" to silence the leader, braving not only Heretic soldiers but also Flood forms.[74] 'Refumee attempts hiding behind a shield, but the Arbiter causes the facility to go into a free fall into Threshold's atmosphere. 'Refumee is driven into the open and eventually is killed by the Arbiter. In the course of his defeat, 'Refumee gives the Arbiter hints that Halo's purpose is destruction, not salvation, a truth the Arbiter finally confirms for himself upon meeting both Gravemind and the Master Chief.
Appearing in the book ''Halo: The Flood'', Zuka 'Zamamee is an Elite who is wounded aboard the ''Pillar of Autumn'' and is saved by Yayap the Grunt. After recovering, 'Zamamee is granted permission by the Prophets to hunt down and kill the Master Chief. With Yayap, 'Zamamee attempts to assassinate the Master Chief several times throughout the course of ''The Flood''. After a failed raid on the human encampment on Halo, 'Zamamee is forced to leave the scene by Yayap, impersonating another Elite at the ''Autumn''' s crash site.[43]
'Zamamee is seen only once in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. After the Master Chief sets off the ''Autumn's'' engines, he prepares to take an elevator to a maintenance corridor. On this elevator is a Shade turret, a few Grunts who helped wrestle it aboard and one Spec Ops Elite, who is 'Zamamee. In the novel, 'Zamamee meets his demise when Cortana drops the lift he is on, which is followed by a rain of grenades by the Chief. This kills the Grunts and sends the Elite out of the turret and into the air, giving him one last look at the Chief before falling to his death.[43]
Voro 'Mantakree is a Major Domo Covenant Elite who is forced to kill his Ship Master when the superior officer goes mad from the "glory" of the ring world known as Delta Halo.[55] When Voro assumes control of the Covenant destroyer, he engages several Brute vessels and narrowly escapes[55]. Voro is then summoned to a meeting, along with his fellow Ship Masters. Once there, Xytan 'Jar Watinree, a high-ranking Elite, promotes him for his wisdom. The newly promoted Voro assembles a Covenant armada, and invades the planet Onyx. On the surface 'Mantakree encounters Kurt-051, injured from previous fighting and on the verge of death. 'Mantakree treats him honorably and respectfully, allowing him to stand and die a warrior's death. Kurt activates a pair of nuclear warheads, annihilating himself along with all the Covenant present, including 'Mantakree, in order to stop them from reaching Onyx's Dyson Sphere.
A cowardly but smart Grunt file leader, Yayap always tried to steer his squad away from danger by avoiding combat. After saving Zuka 'Zamamee aboard the ''Pillar of Autumn'', the Elite conscripted Yayap to accompany him on a mission to assassinate the Master Chief.[43] Yayap infiltrated the UNSC base camp on Halo, posing as a wounded Grunt in order to be captured. During the ensuing Covenant assault on the camp, Yayap confronted 'Zamamee with a plasma pistol and forced him to commandeer a captured Banshee to escape. Later, he deserted his post at the ''Pillar of Autumn's crash site, taking a Ghost, a day's worth of food and a spare methane tank. On the run, he finally discovered the sense of peace he'd sought. He died on Halo after the Master Chief detonated the ''Autumn's'' engines, destroying the ship and much of Halo.
When playing Cooperatively in ''Halo 3'' the third player to join a lobby in System link or Xbox Live, will play as an Elite named N'tho 'Sraom. In the game N’tho ‘Sraom is the youngest member of a Special Operations unit and is sympathetic of the human cause. He is a described as fairly typical young male adult Sangheili—he began compulsory military service at the end of adolescence, and remains unmarried with no close, non-familial relationships outside of his martial order. N’tho Sraom refuses to stand by while the Prophets replace the Elites with Brutes.80
Usze 'Taham is one of two new cooperative characters featuring in ''Halo 3''; The fourth player to join a cooperative game lobby over system link or Xbox Live plays as this character.
According to the official Bungie bio, Usze 'Taham graduated with honors from the top War College. Shortly after receiving his first post within the Covenant Navy he is offered a place on the Prophets’ Honor Guard but he declines, citing “lack of practical experience”. Although he has no desire to be part of a largely ceremonial unit, Usze ‘Taham refuses the post again—a potentially dangerous move as his refusal can be seen as apostasy.[80]
Main articles: 343 Guilty Spark
343 Guilty Spark is the Monitor of Installation 04. He is first encountered by the player at the end of ''Halo''' s sixth level, "343 Guilty Spark", after the Flood breach containment. He enlists the help of the Master Chief, whom he calls a "Reclaimer", to activate Halo's defenses-[81] neglecting to tell the protagonist that Halo's "defenses" would cause the destruction of all sentient life in the galaxy. He attempts to stop the Master Chief and Cortana from disabling Halo and from destroying the ''Pillar of Autumn'', but is ultimately thwarted (though his goal of preventing the Flood's escape was fulfilled.) He escapes the ring's destruction, and informs the Covenant Hierarchs of how to access Installation 05 in ''Halo 2''.
2401 Penitent Tangent, voiced by John Michael Higgins, first appears in ''Halo 2'' as the Monitor of Installation 05. While Penitent Tangent's screentime is quite limited in comparison with his Installation 04 counterpart, 343 Guilty Spark, his brief scenes reveal that his personality and overall behavior are nearly identical. It speaks with a similar voice and the same style as Guilty Spark, as well. Penitent Tangent, like Guilty Spark, quickly identifies the Master Chief as a "Reclaimer" which can activate the facility and contain the outbreak of the Flood.[82]
Further similarities between the two Monitors are shown during a brief argument with the High Prophet of Regret. 2401 Penitent Tangent displays the same amount of regulation and protocol when it comes to dealing with the threat of the Flood as Guilty Spark does, chastising the Prophet's disregard of protocol and misinterpreting his attachment to prayer. This is much to the dismay of Regret, who insists that "[...] of all the objects our lords [the Forerunners] left behind, there are none so worthless as these Oracles [Monitors]! They know nothing of The Great Journey!"[83]
2401 Penitent Tangent is also seen in the ''Halo 2'' multiplayer map "Backwash" (obtained in the multiplayer map pack Maptacular Pack) which can be obtained via Xbox Live, or the Halo Multiplayer Map Pack. Here he simply flies around the sky, occasionally humming cheerily as 343 Guilty Spark often does.
Main articles: Gravemind
The Gravemind is a large sentient creature of Flood origin, introduced during the events of ''Halo 2''. The creature saves both the Master Chief and Arbiter from their deaths, bringing the two face to face in the bowels of Delta Halo. Gravemind reveals to the Arbiter that the "sacred rings" are actually weapons of last resort; a fact the Master Chief confirms.[84] In order to stop Halo from being fired, Gravemind teleports each character away to "stop the key from turning". He sends the Master Chief to High Charity in an attempt to capture the key necessary to fire Halo; likewise, Gravemind sends the Arbiter to the location of Halo's control room to stop the firing of the ring, which the Arbiter does. However at the same time, Gravemind infects the human ship ''In Amber Clad'', using the ship to invade High Charity.[85] As of the end of ''Halo 2'', Gravemind has appeared on the alien ship and is questioning Cortana.
1. The Art of Halo, , Eric, Trautmann, Del Ray Publishing, 2004,
2. The Art of Halo, , Eric, Trautmann, Del Ray Publishing, 2004,
3. The Art of Halo, , Eric, Trautmann, Del Ray Publishing, 2004,
4. The Art of Halo, , Eric, Trautmann, Del Ray Publishing, 2004,
5. The Art of Halo, , Eric, Trautmann, Del Ray Publishing, 2004,
6. The Art of Halo, , Eric, Trautmann, Del Ray Publishing, 2004,
7. The Art of Halo, , Eric, Trautmann, Del Ray Publishing, 2004,
8. 'Prophet of Truth': You were right to focus your attention on the Flood, but this Demon, this 'Master Chief'... -
9. E3 Report: Developing Better Characters, Better Stories Cifaldi, Frank
10. 'Sgt. Johnson' (Radio): Listen. You don't like me, and I sure as hell don't like you. But if we don't do something, Mr. Mohawk's gonna activate this ring... And we're ''all'' gonna die. -
11. , , Erc, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
12. 'Lord Hood': Sergeant Major, the Colonial Cross is awarded for acts of singular daring and devotion, for a soldier of the United Earth Space Corps…
-
13. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
14. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
15. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
16. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
17. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
18. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
19. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
20. 'Lord Hood': Commander Miranda Keyes. Your father's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service. His bravery in the face of impossible odds reflects great credit, upon himself, and the UNSC. The Navy has lost one of its best. -
21. '343 Guilty Spark': Please! Use caution! This reclaimer is delicate! -
22. Julie Benz Previews a Killer Finale Mitovich, Matt
23. '343 Guilty Spark': Fail-safe protocol: in the event of unexpected shut-down, the entire system will move to standby status. All platforms are now ready for remote activation. / [...] 'Keyes': Then where? Where would someone go to activate the other rings? / '343 Guilty Spark': Why... the Ark, of course. -
24. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
25. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
26. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
27. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
28. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
29. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
30. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
31. , Book 1, , Brian Michael, Bendis, Marvel Comics, 2007,
32. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
33. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
34. , , Eric, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
35. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
36. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
37. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
38. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
39. 'Foe Hammer': This is Pelican Echo 419. Anybody readin' me? Repeat. Any UNSC personnel respond. / 'Cortana' (radio): Roger, Echo 419. This is Fire Team Charlie. We read you 5-by-5. That you, Foe Hammer? -
40. 'Cortana': New traffic on the Covenant battlenet...a lot more crew made it off the Autumn than I had expected—the Captain must have really gave them hell! If we can find Captain Keyes and the other survivors, we have a chance to coordinate an effective resistance. -
41. 'Cortana': Cortana to Echo 419! Two Covenant Banshees are approaching on your six! Evade, say again, evade! / 'Foe Hammer': I'm hit! Mayday! Mayday! Airfoil structures have been shot to hell! I can't hold her! I can't hold her! / 'Cortana': Echo 419! (Pause) She's gone. [...] -
42. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
43. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
44. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
45. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
46. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
47. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
48. , , Erc, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
49. , , Erc, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
50. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
51. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
52. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
53. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
54. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
55. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
56. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
57. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
58. 'Lord Hood': You have the MAC gun, Cortana. As soon as they [Covenant] come in range, open up. -
59. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
60. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
61. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
62. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
63. 'Truth' (over loudspeakers): Whosoever is gripped by fear, take heed: I am the Prophet of Truth, and I am not afraid. Noble Mercy is here, at my side, his wise counsel ever in my ears. / 'Gravemind': We exist together now. Two corpses in one grave. -
64. 'Truth': Not as you are. But become the Arbiter . . . And you shall be set loose against this heresy, with our blessing. -
65. , , Erc, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
66. 'Tartarus': A bloody fate awaits you and the rest of your incompetent race... and I, Tartarus!, Chieftain of the Brutes, will send you to it. / 'Arbiter': When the Prophets learn of this, they will take your head! / 'Tartarus': Learn of it? (laughs) Fool, the ordered me to do it. -
67. 'Tartarus': No, Arbiter! The Great Journey has begun! And the Brutes, not the Elites, shall be the Prophets' escort! -
68. HBO Character Profiles
69. The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor, , Lee, Hammack, Marvel Comics, 2006,
70. 'Tartarus': I see that coward didn't join you. I'll do what I can to keep the Flood off your back. -
71. 'Spec Ops': I shall relay your . . . decision . . . to the Council. -
72. 'Spec Ops' (Radio): That cruiser is controlled by Brutes. I'll remain here; make sure no reinforcements get in behind you. Then, I'm going to take the cruiser back. -
73. 'Heretic Leader': Our Prophets are false! Open your eyes, my brothers! They would use the faith of our Forefathers to bring ruin to us all! The Great Journey is- (cut) -
74. 'Truth': This heretic, and those who follow him, must be silenced. / 'Mercy': Their slander offends all who walk the Path. -
75. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
76. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
77. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
78. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
79. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
80. The Tru7h About Co-Op in Halo 3 Luke Smith (Lukems)
81. 'Master Chief': Yes... Activate Halo's defenses, and destroy the flood, which is why we brought the index to the control center. -
82. '2401 Penitent Tangent': A Reclaimer? Here? At last. We have much to do. This facility must be activated if we are to control this outbreak. -
83. ''Halo 2'' Level Transcripts: Gravemind
84. 'Gravemind': Your Prophets have promised you freedom from a doomed existence, but you will find no salvation on this ring. Those who built this place knew what they wrought; do not mistake their intent or all will perish as they did before. / 'Master Chief': This thing is right. Halo is a weapon. Your Prophets are making a big mistake. -
85. 'Cortana': Flood-controlled dropships are touching down all over the city. That creature beneath the Library, that "gravemind", used us. We were just a diversion; In Amber Clad was always its intended vector. There's a conduit connecting this tower to the ship- head back inside, I'll lead you to it. -
In the foreword for a collection titled ''The Art of Halo'', Jason Jones noted that bringing together the elements of a video game is unmistakably "art". The Art of Halo: Foreword, , Jason, Jones, Del Ray Publishing, 2004, . However, Jones also noted that the character designers and artists had to make a "living, breathing world" and populate it with interesting characters and places. The game's development which spanned four years brought numerous evolutions and revisions to the character's designs and personalities.[1] Characters were also updated to take full advantage of new graphics technologies; for instance, the Master Chief's armor was redesigned in a lengthy conceptual process and the final model was bump mapped.[1]
Character design and creation
''Halo''
Designers decided to hand-key animations, rather than attempt motion capture.[1] The animators also often video taped themselves to have reference footage for the movement of game characters. Art Director Marcus Lehto had his wife videotape him "running around a field with a two-by-four, playing soldier" while working on the human marines. The Art of Halo, , Eric, Trautmann, Del Ray Publishing, 2004, Many of the subsequent human character's features were based off Bungie designers, while character animators looked to simian, ursine, insectoid and reptilian features for the various races of the Covenant.[1]
United Nations Space Command
Master Chief
Main articles: Master Chief (Halo)
Master Chief Petty Officer Spartan-117, known as "Master Chief" or "John-117", is the protagonist and main playable character in all the ''Halo'' games. He is voiced by actor Steve Downes. One of the last SPARTAN-II supersoldiers still in active service, the Master Chief is awed and feared by even the Covenant, who see him as a demon. [8] Assisted by the AI Cortana, he almost singlehandedly prevents the firing of Installation 04 in '', an event which the player is told would have destroyed all sentient life in the galaxy.'Cortana': You have no idea how this ring works, do you? Why the forerunners built it? Halo doesn't kill flood, it kills their food. Humans, covenant, whatever! We're all equally edible. The only way to stop the flood is to starve them to death. And that's exactly what Halo is designed to do; wipe the galaxy clean of all sentient life. You don't believe me? Ask ''him''. / 'Master Chief': Is this true? "hell yes i love kicking those little fuckers from here back to hell." / '343 Guilty Spark': More or less. Technically, this installation's pulse has a maximum effective radius of twenty-five thousand light years. But, once the others follow suit, this galaxy will be quite devoid of life, or at least any life with sufficient biomass to sustain the flood. (pause) But you already knew that. I mean, how couldn't you? -
Joseph Staten noted that until the Master Chief was created, Bungie had not paid any attention to how to make people want to play in the world. "Master Chief is really what kicked off the creativity," he said, "in terms of how people react to him. He's a space marine in really cool green armor."[9]
Avery Johnson
Sergeant Major A.J. Johnson.
Main articles: Sergeant Major A.J. Johnson
Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson, voiced by David Scully, is a Marine who leads human forces against Covenant and Flood assaults throughout the first and second games. Whereas Johnson played a minor role in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', the character plays a much larger role in ''Halo 2'', by joining forces with the Arbiter to stop Tartarus from activating Delta Halo.[10] Johnson is also the only human seen to survive a Flood infestation, due to a pre-existing medical condition.[11] In ''Halo 2'', he is awarded the Colonial Cross for his heroic actions,[12] and led UNSC forces to drive the Covenant from New Mombasa. Johnson is the sole character featured in the Halo Graphic Novel story, "Breaking Quarantine", which details Johnson's escape from the Flood in ''.See the ''Halo Graphic Novel''.
Jacob Keyes
Jacob Keyes, mutated by the Flood and assimilated into a Brain form.
In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and ''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', Captain Jacob Keyes (voiced by Pete Stacker) is a commander in the UNSC. As a young Lieutenant, Keyes accompanied Catherine Halsey on her mission to screen possible SPARTAN-II Project subjects.[13] By 2552, Keyes was commander of the ''Iroquois'', a UNSC destroyer.[13] Keyes realizes that a strange mass approaching Sigma Octanus IV is in fact a Covenant armada;[13] with reinforcements hours away, Keyes' ship alone takes on four Covenant ships. However, Keyes' tactical brilliance makes up for the disparity in numbers; using the Covenant's own plasma torpedoes against them, Keyes executes a roll around the Covenant ship, hitting them with their own weapons;[13] the maneuver, dubbed the "Keyes Loop",[13] makes the Commander a hero.
Newly promoted to Captain,[13] Keyes leads his ship along with fellow UNSC forces against an even larger Covenant fleet that arrives at Octanus IV. Having successfully defended the colony from the Covenant, the ''Iroquois'' is recalled to Reach, unwittingly carrying a Covenant spy drone which relays their location of the human colony.[13] At Reach, Keyes is given command of the cruiser ''Pillar of Autumn''. The ship is to undertake a mission with a complement of SPARTAN-IIs to capture a Prophet and end the war with the Covenant. ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' Instruction Manual, , , , Microsoft Game Studios, 2001, However, the Covenant attack first, and the ''Autumn'' follows Cole Protocol and arrives at Halo. There, Keyes leads a guerilla insurgency against the Covenant, until he is captured and assimilated by the Flood in ''Halo''
Miranda Keyes
Cmdr. Miranda Keyes aboard the ship ''In Amber Clad''.
Commander Miranda Keyes is the daughter of Captain Jacob Keyes and first appears in ''Halo 2''. She is the commanding officer of UNSC frigate ''In Amber Clad'', which is later taken over by the Flood. She is referred to by 343 Guilty Spark as a "Reclaimer",[21] like the Master Chief was in ''Halo''. Thus, she is able to retrieve the Index from the Delta Halo Library. Miranda is voiced by Julie Benz in ''Halo 2'', but Bungie has stated they are recasting Miranda's voice actress because they want someone with an accent.[22]
At the beginning of ''Halo 2'', Keyes is present at an awards ceremony onboard the Cairo defense platform above Earth to accept a medal (Colonial Cross) posthumously for her father, who had been consumed by the Flood during the events of ''Halo''. Soon after, a Covenant fleet launches an attack on Earth, and Commander Keyes links up with the rest of the fleet aboard the ''In Amber Clad''. She is able to retrieve the Master Chief and deploy him, along with many of her marines, to assist in the defense of New Mombasa. When the High Prophet of Regret retreats from Earth by initiating a slipspace jump, Keyes orders the pilots of ''In Amber Clad'' to follow Regret's ship, resulting in the ship's arrival near Delta Halo.See the synopsis of ''Halo 2'' for more information.
Keyes decides to deploy two teams to the surface of Halo: one, led by the Master Chief, would locate and assassinate Regret, while Keyes and Sergeant Johnson would locate the Index before the Covenant. She and Johnson are able to reach the Index, but are captured by Tartarus. As a Reclaimer, only she can insert the Index into Halo's control panel, and Tartarus attempts to force her to do this. When the Arbiter tries to stop the firing, Tartarus forces Keyes to insert the Index, initiating Halo's firing sequence. After the Arbiter and Johnson engage and kill Tartarus, Keyes successfully removes the Index and prevents Halo from activating, but inadvertently causes all remaining Halo installations to enter standby mode, enabling the remote detonation of these installations from The Ark.[23]
Catherine Halsey
Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey is a civilian scientist in the UNSC, in which she holds a prominent position. A flash clone of her brain tissue was the basis for the construction of the "smart" AI Cortana.[13] As the creator of the SPARTAN-II Project, she was responsible for the kidnapping of the seventy-five Spartan children, along with their training and the subsequent death of thirty of them due to the dangerous augmentation process.[13] She is viewed by the SPARTAN-IIs as a "mother" figure. Because of the overnight success of the project, she quickly rose through the ranks of the UNSC, despite quarrels with one or two members of the Admiralty.
Halsey enjoys the time she spends with her Spartans, each of whom she addresses by first name rather than designation.[26] Little is known of her personal life, but it is implied that she is a lonely workaholic, and highly criticized for her involvement with the SPARTAN-II project. Halsey justifies her actions through her belief that the suffering of a few is acceptable for the benefit of many. Sergeant Johnson, however, unknowingly causes Halsey to rethink her position, and she decides to "save each and every member of humanity beginning with herself".[26]
During ''First Strike'' Dr. Halsey hijacks a shuttle for her own private mission to the planet Onyx.[26] There, she assists in deciphering the surrounding Forerunner ruins on the planet and leads the surviving humans within a Dyson Sphere contained within the spatially compressed core of the planet, in actuality a "shield-world" construct left unused by the Forerunners.
James Ackerson
Colonel James Ackerson is a high ranking officer in the Office of Naval Intelligence, who has seen many years of service and has survived several battles with the Covenant. Such is his influence that he dominates the Security Committee and can talk down most higher-ranking officers without fear of reprisal.[26] Due to the competition between Ackerson and other departments, most notably Section Three and the SPARTAN-II project, Ackerson harbors a strong resentment toward his opponents and toward the Spartans in particular. In '', he attempted to sabotage the MJOLNIR Mark V testing process by using ordnance far above the established guidelines, including Lotus anti-tank mines, a full squad of ODSTs ordered to shoot to kill, automated gun turrets, and an airstrike with a Skyhawk jump jet fighter. However, Cortana soon got back at Ackerson by forging a letter requesting a reassignment to the front lines, following planting evidence of illicit activities in his bank records. In ''Halo: First Strike'', it is revealed that Ackerson managed to weasel his way out of Cortana's mess,[26] and is in charge of the SPARTAN-III program. In '' Ackerson falls into the hands of Covenant orbiting Mars, is tortured and is slated to die, revealing the presence of a "key" on Earth to his interrogators.[31]
Franklin Mendez
Senior Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez is the SPARTAN-II's trainer on Reach during the early events of ''. He provides his trainees with excellent weapons and physical lessons, as well as tactical and mental training. He is not very talkative, but possesses a brilliant mind for warfare, and this shows through in the Master Chief's abilities. He is described as neither tall nor muscular, with close-cut hair that has a dash of gray at the temples.[13] Also, he looks very ordinary for a man who has seen such extensive combat. His walk is described as being slow and graceful, as though he were not bound by gravity as much as others. He leaves after the discovery of the Covenant to train the next batch of Spartans.[13]
Chief Mendez was recruited by Colonel Ackerson to assist Lieutenant Commander Kurt Ambrose with training the SPARTAN-III supersoldiers at the secret world of Onyx after a few years of combat duty (receiving two Purple Hearts in the process).[34] He trained three companies of Spartan-IIIs. During ''Ghosts of Onyx'' he participated in the events that occurred on the planet between October 31 and November 4, 2552 and was sealed inside the Forerunner Dyson Sphere at the heart of the planet, with the remaining human survivors. , , Eric, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
Terrence Hood
Admiral Hood aboard the ODP Cairo
Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood (voiced by Ron Perlman) first appears in the novel, ''. He is a member of the UNSC Security Committee and is the Chief of Naval Operations. He greatly respects the Spartans, not only because of their record, but on two occasions his life has been saved by the Spartans. [26]
When ''Halo 2'' begins Admiral Hood presents the Master Chief, Sergeant Johnson, and Miranda Keyes with medals aboard the Cairo Station. Captain Keyes' medal is posthumous and thus presented to his daughter, Miranda. Lord Hood was in overall command of the battle when Prophet of Regret's fleet attacked Earth (this is made clear when he orders Fleet Admiral Harper to defend the Cairo, Athens, and Malta MAC stations instead of attacking the Covenant ships directly). Later, at the end of ''Halo 2'', he is seen commanding the defense of Earth aboard the Cairo as he finds out that Master Chief is aboard the High Prophet of Truth's Forerunner flagship. In '', Hood receives an urgent message by Dr. Halsey requesting for him to send Spartans to assist her, and obliges by ordering Fred-104, Will-043, and Linda-058 to Onyx.
Danforth Whitcomb
Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb is deputy chief of naval operations in the UNSC. When Reach falls under Covenant attack before the events of '', he is rescued by Gamma Team, a division of the Spartans sent to defend Reach from the Covenant invasion.[26]
He is later picked up by the Master Chief and escaped in ''Gettysburg-Ascendant Justice''. Whitcomb sacrifices himself to destroy the bulk of the Covenant invasion fleet near the ''Unyielding Hierophant''. Broadcasting a challenge to fight along with a picture of a Forerunner artifact the Covenant had been searching for, Whitcomb uses the captured Covenant cruiser ''Ascendant Justice'' to cluster the Covenant around the ''Hierophant'', whose reactors are about to detonate.[26] The station explodes, destroying almost all of the Covenant fleet.[26]
Carol "Foehammer" Rawley
Rawley's dropship, picking up UNSC survivors on Alpha Halo.
Flight Officer Captain Carol Rawley, referred to in-game by the callsigns ''Foehammer'' or ''Echo 419'',[39] is the pilot of a dropship on the UNSC cruiser ''Pillar of Autumn''. She assists the protagonist in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' numerous times, providing troop extractions and dropped reinforcements. Foehammer is voiced by Tanya Pettiford-Wates. She is technically an unseen character, as players can only see her ship and not the pilot inside.
Not long after the ''Pillar of Autumn'' makes a blind jump to Threshold, Covenant forces descend upon the ship. Foehammer, along with a group of fellow pilots, escape the ''Autumn'' by taking some of the Pelican dropships to the surface of the ring. There, she helps Spartan-117 and Cortana pick up scattered Marines and rescue Captain Jacob Keyes, allowing the humans to wage a guerilla war against the Covenant.[40] She inserts the Master Chief and Marines into several tough spots, including an assault to find Halo's control room. Later, she is killed after her ship is hit by a Covenant Banshee, as she attempts to aid the Master Chief in escaping the ''Autumn'' before its imminent detonation.[41]
Antonio Silva
Major Antonio Silva is commander of the Marine Helljumper battalion on the ''Pillar of Autumn'' when it crashes on Halo in ''. An Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, Silva harbors little love for the SPARTAN-II program, bearing a grudge from when several of his fellow Helljumpers were killed as a test of a Spartan's willingness to obey orders.[26] Though a brilliant tactical commander, Silva is ambitious to a fault, and is also very protective of his own troops. and his subordinates feel his ambition clouds his judgement.[43] At the end of '', he led the assault and capture of the Covenant ship ''Truth and Reconciliation'', and, blinded by his own ambitions, refused to exterminate the remaining Flood specimens on board, believing that humanity needed to see live specimens of the parasite.[43] He is killed when his subordinate, Lieutenant McKay, destroys the cruiser rather than let the Flood escape.
Melissa McKay
Lieutenant Melissa McKay is Major Silva's executive officer during the events of '' and ''. A brave and stalwart officer who fought in several battles on the Halo construct, McKay was driven close to the breaking point as the battle wore on and the Flood parasite began to emerge. At the end of the novel, McKay attempted to convince Silva that they could not leave Halo with live Flood specimens on board their captured ship, but Silva refused to listen to her. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003, Taking matters into her own hands, McKay destroyed a critical control line to the cruiser's bridge, causing the ship to crash and killing everyone on board to contain the spread of the Flood.
Wallace Jenkins
Footage from Jenkins's helmet camera, showing his squad being overrun by Flood Infection forms.
Private Wallace A. Jenkins is one of many UNSC forces that survives the initial Covenant attack in ''. In '', Jenkins assists in defending the human stronghold under the command of Major Antonio Silva. He is also part of an assault team led by Sergeant Avery Johnson and Captain Jacob Keyes, sent to recover a Covenant arms cache during ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. The team is overwhelmed by the Flood, leaving the entire squad except Sergeant Johnson infected and resulting in the eventual death of Captain Keyes. In the video game, the Master Chief recovers Jenkins' helmet, and reviews the recording of the mission that it contained, introducing the Flood to the player through the soldier's eyes. In ''Halo'', the soldier's fate is left unknown.
'' reveals the fate of Jenkins; the Private is transformed into a Combat Form of the Flood along with the rest of his squad, but he is able to exercise a certain degree of control over the infection, due to the mind of the parasite being weakened by its long hibernation.[43] He uses this limited control in an attempt to end his own life, charging at UNSC Marines in the hope that they would shoot him.[43] Instead he is captured, as a live specimen for study. He is brought aboard the Covenant cruiser ''Truth and Reconciliation'' as part of a mission under ODST Major Silva to capture a Covenant vessel and return it to Earth intact. Jenkins successfully convinces Silva's second-in-command, Lieutenant McKay, that such a mission would spread the Flood to Earth, and she destroys the conduit connecting the ship's controls to the engines, destroying the vessel as it crashed into Halo.[43] The 12th track of the ''Halo'' soundtrack is titled "''Lament For Pvt. Jenkins''".
Corporal Locklear
Corporal Locklear is an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper who was involved in the battle on Installation 04 in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. Not much is known of his efforts or achievements in the fight. In ''Halo: First Strike'', it is revealed that he escaped Halo on a Pelican with Sergeant Major Avery Johnson, Lieutenant Elias Haverson, and Warrant Officer Shiela Polaski, who he seems to have been attracted to.[11] He meets his death when he blows up Dr. Halsey's Slipspace-altering crystal in grief of the death of Polaski, destroying himself and protecting the rest of the crew on the ''Gettysburg-Ascendant Justice'' from the Covenant, who would have tracked the crystal's radioactive emissions in Slipspace.See the novel '' for details.
SPARTAN-IIs
SPARTAN-IIs clad in early MJOLNIR battle armor.
The SPARTAN-II Project is a top-secret project to create human super-soldiers who were originally planned to crush revolts in the human colonies. After the Covenant attack, the Spartans experience a priority shift. In an effort to boost support for a war humanity is losing, the UNSC High Command reveals the existence of the Spartans to the general public. While the Master Chief is the only soldier of the SPARTAN-II Project seen in the game, many others are featured or mentioned in the ''Halo'' novels. In the books, all Spartans are recorded as MIA even if they are dead; this is because the UNSC High Command does not want civilians to think that Spartans can be killed, in an effort to boost morale.[11]
Most Spartans are now listed as Missing in Action; only a handful remain on active duty. John-117, the Master Chief, is on Earth following the events of ''Halo 2''. Linda-058, Kelly-087, and Frederic-104 are inside a Dyson Sphere after the events of ''. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006, ; Kurt-051 is killed after staying behind to stop the Covenant from following his comrades into the Sphere. [50]
Li-008 is killed covering those repairing the ''Ascendant Justice'' in slipspace during '', as is Anton-044.[26] Later on, Grace-093 is killed by Brutes on board the ''Unyielding Hierophant'' in an effort to destroy the station.[26] William-043 is killed in Onyx by a Hunter. Other Spartans mentioned (and now MIA) include Joshua-029, Vinh-030, Sam-034, Isaac-039, Malcolm-059, and three unidentified SPARTAN II's designated "Gray Team",[13] , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006, who at the time of '' were in fields of battle too distant to be recalled, [13] and hasn't contacted command for a year , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
Kurt-051
Kurt-051 is one of the primary characters of ''. Kurt originally graduated with the original class of SPARTAN-IIs. Kurt was much more social than the other Spartans, going to lengths to be friends with not only his fellow Spartans but also the support personnel who trained and aided them. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006, Although some (particularly John-117, the leader of the Spartans) found this quality to be detrimental to his duties, he proved to be an able leader and often led the Green Team in training exercises. After the death of Sam-034 in 2531, Kurt was assigned to replace him as a member of Blue Team under the command of John-117. Later that year, on a mission in the Groombridge 34 system, his thruster pack apparently malfunctioned while EVA. He was recovered by the UNSC Prowler ''Point of No Return'', unbeknownst to his teammates.[55] In actuality, the "accident" had been elaborately staged by Colonel James Ackerson of the Office of Naval Intelligence in order to recruit Kurt to head up the SPARTAN-III program without anyone else knowing. He is given a new name and an officer's commission, effectively starting a new life as Lieutenant Kurt Ambrose.[55]
Kurt is assigned to head up the selection and training of the next generation of Spartans, training three companies of approximately three hundred SPARTAN-IIIs each at Onyx, and for his efforts and the success of the program, he was eventually promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Driven by the guilt of watching two generations of his SPARTAN-IIIs die in combat, he worked to protect them at any cost, taking extreme measures to ensure their survival. When the Forerunner Sentinels began attacking in Zone 67, Kurt withdrew to the camp armory and his house, where he retrieved his suit of SPI armor, consciously choosing it instead of his vastly superior MJOLNIR armor in a show of solidarity with his troops. After the arrival of Dr. Halsey and the SPARTAN-II Blue Team, Kurt along with the remaining 7 SPARTAN-IIIs accompanied them to the center of Zone 67 - a recently unearthed Forerunner city - to protect the Forerunner technology from falling to the Covenant forces who had just entered orbit. Eventually, he realized that Dr. Halsey's actual plan was to take the remaining Spartans into the safety of the core of Onyx, an advanced Forerunner shelter which existed in slipspace. He led the Spartans in defending the core against the Covenant forces, but ordered the rest of the Spartans into the shelter along with Dr. Halsey and Chief Mendez when it was clear that they could no longer hold their position. Kurt was killed at the end of ''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx'' by detonating a series of FENRIS nuclear warheads to prevent the Covenant from pursuing his comrades.
Maria-062
A SPARTAN-II who chose to retire from the SPARTAN-II program to start a family. Armor Testing, , Jay, Faerber, Marvel Comics, 2006, After doing so she had tested out a new model of MJOLNIR Mark VI armor before it was sent to be used by the Master Chief Petty Officer Spartan John-117 in ''Halo 2''. This event is depicted in the ''Halo Graphic Novel'', entitled ''Armor Testing'', by W. Andrew Robinson (pencils), Ed Lee (colors), and Jay Faerber (Story).
AIs
A common presence on UNSC worlds and fleets, advanced artificial intelligences serve as highly capable computerized assistants in everything from naval warfare and military planning to accounting. UNSC AIs come in two types, "dumb" and "smart." "Dumb" AIs are specialized in one specific field and cannot improve their knowledge in regards to any other field or grow in terms of processing power. "Smart" AIs are unlimited in their ability to expand and learn, though their rapid rate of self-advancement results in a cognitive "death" after roughly seven operational years, due to critical system functions being used up by the AI to think and process, analogous to a human using so much of their brain to think that they no longer breathe.[13]
Cortana
Main articles: Cortana
Cortana, voiced in the games by Jen Taylor, is the AI who assists the Master Chief throughout '' and ''Halo 2''. She is one of many smart AIs, and is based on Dr. Halsey. Her actions during '' help prevent the activation of the ringworld. She escapes Halo along with the Master Chief in a fighter, and is instrumental in helping the UNSC survivors capture the Covenant flagship ''Ascendant Justice'' during the events of ''. During ''Halo 2'' Cortana is put in charge of the MAC defense platform ''Cairo'' over Earth when the Covenant attack;[58] she then follows the Chief on ''In Amber Clad'' to Delta Halo, where she further assists in intelligence work. Cortana stays behind on High Charity to detonate ''In Amber Clad''
Kalmiya
Kalmiya was Dr. Catherine Halsey's "test" experiment, to see whether an AI could handle the code-breaking abilities that were required for the Spartan II's mission. Kalmiya is a "smart" AI - copied directly from the neural patterns of a human brain. She also contributes a portion of her core programming to the making of Cortana. She is erased according to UNSC protocol when the ONI Castle Base on Reach self-destructs to prevent the Covenant from discovering any human secrets, such as the location of Earth.[26]
Wellsley
Wellsley is a Class-C Military A.I. who assisted Helljumpers Major Silva and Lt. McKay on Halo to set up and operate Alpha Base, the center of the human resistance on the ringworld. He is only mentioned in ''Halo: The Flood'' and is effectively erased when Lt. McKay destroys the ''Truth and Reconciliation'' in an attempt to stop her superior's plans to capture and examine the Flood. He is also a "dumb" A.I. - meaning he was only created for one type of position, in this case being a military assistant. His name and personality come from the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley (original, correct spelling), who won the Battle of Waterloo.[43] The A.I. Wellsley often refers to victories that the Duke made as though he was the Duke and not an artificial recreation.[43]
Araqiel
Araqiel is the personal AI of Colonel James Ackerson, a rival of Dr. Catherine Halsey and strong critic of the Spartan-II program. Since the overnight success of the program threatened Ackerson, he deployed Araqiel to attack the files of Dr. Halsey, stealing data (such as every Spartan's DNA) for the SPARTAN-III program's study. Araqiel is only mentioned in the book, ''Halo: First Strike'', and is erased by Dr. Halsey and Kalmiya during the Covenant assault on the planet Reach after threatening to report Halsey to the ONI for treason.[26] His appearance is that of an elongated skull with long, demon-like horns, fire-filled eyes and jagged teeth. His voice is a low bestial growl or rumble containing a trace of far-off thunder, probably evoking the demon for which he is named.
Deep Winter
Deep Winter became the functioning A.I. for the training camp of the new Spartan III soldiers. He replaced Eternal Spring. Deep Winter became aware of illegal drugs being used on the new soldiers and tried to warn Spartan Kurt-051, even though Kurt-051 was the one responsible for them being used in the first place. Fortunately for Kurt, the A.I. was at the end of its lifespan, and was replaced by the A.I. Endless Summer. Deep Winter appeared as an old man with snow blowing around him.
The Covenant
The High Prophets
Main articles: Hierarchs (Halo)
The 'High Prophets' or 'Hierarchs' are the supreme leaders of the theocratic Covenant. In ''Halo 2'', there are shown to be only three; the Prophets of 'Mercy', 'Truth', and 'Regret' (voiced by Hamilton Camp, Michael Wincott and Robin Atkin Downes, respectively). During the course of ''Halo 2'', Regret attacks Earth, then retreats to Delta Halo. There, he calls for reinforcements, but is killed by the Master Chief. Later, Mercy is attacked by Flood, and abandoned by Truth. Based on Gravemind's comments during the level "High Charity", both Mercy and Regret have been assimilated into the Flood intelligence.[63]
Arbiter
Main articles: Arbiter (Halo)
The 'Arbiter' is a rank given to special Covenant Elite soldiers, who undertake suicidal missions on behalf of the Hierarchs. They are revered amongst the Covenant for their bravery and skill. In ''Halo 2'', the rank of Arbiter is given to the disgraced former Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice. Under his watch the ''Ascendant Justice'' was captured by the Master Chief and Installation 04 was destroyed. Rather than killing him, the Prophets allow the Commander to become the Arbiter, and to carry on his missions.[64]
The Arbiter succeeds in silencing the heretic leader Sesa ‘Refumee before traveling to Delta Halo. Here, he succeeds in capturing the Index, vital for the Covenant's "Great Journey" to occur. However he is betrayed by the Brutes and the Prophets, sparking the Covenant Civil War, and subsequently learns from Gravemind that the Halos are weapons of destruction, not salvation. The Arbiter then leads fellow Elites and other Separatist forces against the Brutes, joining forces with Miranda Keyes and Sergeant Johnson in stopping Tartarus from activating Delta Halo.
Tartarus
Chieftain Tartarus
'Tartarus' (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson) is the most prominent of the Jiralhanae (also known as Brute) commanders of the Covenant, easily recognized by his albinism and distinctive mohawk. He is named for the deepest part of the Ancient Greek underworld, where the Titans are imprisoned. He represents his entire species as their Chieftain: rough, arrogant and disdainful of the Covenant Elite, and completely dedicated to the Prophets' "Great Journey".
Tartarus made his first chronological appearance in the novel '', in the chamber of the High Prophet of Truth. Tartarus reports that the Covenant Fleet preparing to attack Earth has been destroyed. He had scoured the wreckage of the Covenant attack coordination station ''Unyielding Hierophant'' after its destruction at the hands of the Master Chief, and recovered an artifact that had almost been lost but for three small chips, which he presented to Truth. He is instructed to reward the surviving pilots well, and then to "execute them all. Quickly. Quietly."[11]
In ''Halo 2'', Tartarus brands the Elite who would later become the Arbiter with the "Mark of Shame", and takes him to the Mausoleum of the Arbiters to carry out his execution. When the Prophets give the same Elite the role of the Arbiter, Tartarus is displeased, but does not openly voice his objections to the Prophets. He later appears when the Arbiter tries to retrieve the Index of Delta Halo. On the Prophets' orders, Tartarus takes the Index and pushes the Arbiter to what was intended to be his death in the deep central chasm of the Library.[66] The Brute then returns to High Charity with the Index with captives Commander Miranda Keyes and Sergeant Avery Johnson in his possession.
While trying to get the Reclaimer (Miranda Keyes) to activate Halo, Tartarus is confronted by the Arbiter. Blind to the Prophets' deception, he activates Delta Halo and guards the Index from all comers.[67] Tartarus is ultimately killed by the Arbiter and Sergeant Johnson, successfully preventing the firing of Delta Halo.
Rtas 'Vadumee
Making his debut in ''Halo 2'', the Special Ops Commander is never named in the game itself, leading to the unofficial nickname of "''Half-Jaw''" by fans.[68]
With the release of the Halo Graphic Novel however, the character was finally named in the story ''Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor'' as Rtas 'Vadumee. 'Vadumee is voiced by Robert Davi.
'Vadumee is a veteran Covenant Elite who is missing half of both his left mandibles. ''The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor'' explains how he incurs this injury; he is injured after fighting one of his friends, who has been infested by the Flood.[69] 'Vadumee frequently fights beside the Arbiter throughout ''Halo 2''. However, he often leaves the Arbiter with lesser Elites to go fight other battles on his own throughout the game. At one point Tartarus references this pattern of behavior and calls 'Vadumee a coward.[70]
During the early events of ''Halo 2'' 'Vadumee also serves as a messenger between the Hierarchs and the Elite Council, as he is seen relaying messages between the two parties in the Prophets' chamber.[71] The player as the Arbiter encounters 'Vadumee again after being betrayed by Tartarus. 'Vadumee helps the Arbiter break into the control chamber of Delta Halo to stop Halo from being fired. 'Vadumee is last seen in game going off to capture a Covenant cruiser which had been taken over by the Brutes.[72]
Sesa 'Refumee
Sesa ‘Refumee shortly before fighting the Arbiter.
Sesa 'Refumee (voiced by Miguel Ferrer) is an enemy and 'boss' present in ''Halo 2'' fought by the Arbiter. He commanded an Artifact Retrieval Group attached to the Covenant fleet at the first Halo. Busy investigating a retrofitted Forerunner mining facility in the upper atmosphere of the gas giant, Threshold, 'Refumee was fortunate not to be on the ring when the Master Chief detonated the ''Pillar of Autumn's'' fusion engines, destroying the ring and everything on it.
'Refumee first encounters Halo’s monitor, 343 Guilty Spark, a few days after Halo's destruction. The Monitor informs him about the true nature of Halo, the fate of the Forerunners, and the origins of the Flood. This knowledge inspires 'Refumee and his Elites to rebel against the Prophets[73] – a decision that led to outright civil war. The Arbiter is sent on his first mission as the "blade of the Prophets" to silence the leader, braving not only Heretic soldiers but also Flood forms.[74] 'Refumee attempts hiding behind a shield, but the Arbiter causes the facility to go into a free fall into Threshold's atmosphere. 'Refumee is driven into the open and eventually is killed by the Arbiter. In the course of his defeat, 'Refumee gives the Arbiter hints that Halo's purpose is destruction, not salvation, a truth the Arbiter finally confirms for himself upon meeting both Gravemind and the Master Chief.
Zuka 'Zamamee
Appearing in the book ''Halo: The Flood'', Zuka 'Zamamee is an Elite who is wounded aboard the ''Pillar of Autumn'' and is saved by Yayap the Grunt. After recovering, 'Zamamee is granted permission by the Prophets to hunt down and kill the Master Chief. With Yayap, 'Zamamee attempts to assassinate the Master Chief several times throughout the course of ''The Flood''. After a failed raid on the human encampment on Halo, 'Zamamee is forced to leave the scene by Yayap, impersonating another Elite at the ''Autumn''
'Zamamee is seen only once in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. After the Master Chief sets off the ''Autumn's'' engines, he prepares to take an elevator to a maintenance corridor. On this elevator is a Shade turret, a few Grunts who helped wrestle it aboard and one Spec Ops Elite, who is 'Zamamee. In the novel, 'Zamamee meets his demise when Cortana drops the lift he is on, which is followed by a rain of grenades by the Chief. This kills the Grunts and sends the Elite out of the turret and into the air, giving him one last look at the Chief before falling to his death.[43]
Voro 'Mantakree
Voro 'Mantakree is a Major Domo Covenant Elite who is forced to kill his Ship Master when the superior officer goes mad from the "glory" of the ring world known as Delta Halo.[55] When Voro assumes control of the Covenant destroyer, he engages several Brute vessels and narrowly escapes[55]. Voro is then summoned to a meeting, along with his fellow Ship Masters. Once there, Xytan 'Jar Watinree, a high-ranking Elite, promotes him for his wisdom. The newly promoted Voro assembles a Covenant armada, and invades the planet Onyx. On the surface 'Mantakree encounters Kurt-051, injured from previous fighting and on the verge of death. 'Mantakree treats him honorably and respectfully, allowing him to stand and die a warrior's death. Kurt activates a pair of nuclear warheads, annihilating himself along with all the Covenant present, including 'Mantakree, in order to stop them from reaching Onyx's Dyson Sphere.
Yayap
A cowardly but smart Grunt file leader, Yayap always tried to steer his squad away from danger by avoiding combat. After saving Zuka 'Zamamee aboard the ''Pillar of Autumn'', the Elite conscripted Yayap to accompany him on a mission to assassinate the Master Chief.[43] Yayap infiltrated the UNSC base camp on Halo, posing as a wounded Grunt in order to be captured. During the ensuing Covenant assault on the camp, Yayap confronted 'Zamamee with a plasma pistol and forced him to commandeer a captured Banshee to escape. Later, he deserted his post at the ''Pillar of Autumn's crash site, taking a Ghost, a day's worth of food and a spare methane tank. On the run, he finally discovered the sense of peace he'd sought. He died on Halo after the Master Chief detonated the ''Autumn's'' engines, destroying the ship and much of Halo.
N’tho ‘Sraom
When playing Cooperatively in ''Halo 3'' the third player to join a lobby in System link or Xbox Live, will play as an Elite named N'tho 'Sraom. In the game N’tho ‘Sraom is the youngest member of a Special Operations unit and is sympathetic of the human cause. He is a described as fairly typical young male adult Sangheili—he began compulsory military service at the end of adolescence, and remains unmarried with no close, non-familial relationships outside of his martial order. N’tho Sraom refuses to stand by while the Prophets replace the Elites with Brutes.80
Usze ‘Taham
Usze 'Taham is one of two new cooperative characters featuring in ''Halo 3''; The fourth player to join a cooperative game lobby over system link or Xbox Live plays as this character.
According to the official Bungie bio, Usze 'Taham graduated with honors from the top War College. Shortly after receiving his first post within the Covenant Navy he is offered a place on the Prophets’ Honor Guard but he declines, citing “lack of practical experience”. Although he has no desire to be part of a largely ceremonial unit, Usze ‘Taham refuses the post again—a potentially dangerous move as his refusal can be seen as apostasy.[80]
Forerunner
343 Guilty Spark
Main articles: 343 Guilty Spark
343 Guilty Spark is the Monitor of Installation 04. He is first encountered by the player at the end of ''Halo''
2401 Penitent Tangent
2401 Penitent Tangent, captured by Gravemind.
2401 Penitent Tangent, voiced by John Michael Higgins, first appears in ''Halo 2'' as the Monitor of Installation 05. While Penitent Tangent's screentime is quite limited in comparison with his Installation 04 counterpart, 343 Guilty Spark, his brief scenes reveal that his personality and overall behavior are nearly identical. It speaks with a similar voice and the same style as Guilty Spark, as well. Penitent Tangent, like Guilty Spark, quickly identifies the Master Chief as a "Reclaimer" which can activate the facility and contain the outbreak of the Flood.[82]
Further similarities between the two Monitors are shown during a brief argument with the High Prophet of Regret. 2401 Penitent Tangent displays the same amount of regulation and protocol when it comes to dealing with the threat of the Flood as Guilty Spark does, chastising the Prophet's disregard of protocol and misinterpreting his attachment to prayer. This is much to the dismay of Regret, who insists that "[...] of all the objects our lords [the Forerunners
2401 Penitent Tangent is also seen in the ''Halo 2'' multiplayer map "Backwash" (obtained in the multiplayer map pack Maptacular Pack) which can be obtained via Xbox Live, or the Halo Multiplayer Map Pack. Here he simply flies around the sky, occasionally humming cheerily as 343 Guilty Spark often does.
Flood
Gravemind
Main articles: Gravemind
The Gravemind is a large sentient creature of Flood origin, introduced during the events of ''Halo 2''. The creature saves both the Master Chief and Arbiter from their deaths, bringing the two face to face in the bowels of Delta Halo. Gravemind reveals to the Arbiter that the "sacred rings" are actually weapons of last resort; a fact the Master Chief confirms.[84] In order to stop Halo from being fired, Gravemind teleports each character away to "stop the key from turning". He sends the Master Chief to High Charity in an attempt to capture the key necessary to fire Halo; likewise, Gravemind sends the Arbiter to the location of Halo's control room to stop the firing of the ring, which the Arbiter does. However at the same time, Gravemind infects the human ship ''In Amber Clad'', using the ship to invade High Charity.[85] As of the end of ''Halo 2'', Gravemind has appeared on the alien ship and is questioning Cortana.
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9. E3 Report: Developing Better Characters, Better Stories Cifaldi, Frank
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-
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40. 'Cortana': New traffic on the Covenant battlenet...a lot more crew made it off the Autumn than I had expected—the Captain must have really gave them hell! If we can find Captain Keyes and the other survivors, we have a chance to coordinate an effective resistance. -
41. 'Cortana': Cortana to Echo 419! Two Covenant Banshees are approaching on your six! Evade, say again, evade! / 'Foe Hammer': I'm hit! Mayday! Mayday! Airfoil structures have been shot to hell! I can't hold her! I can't hold her! / 'Cortana': Echo 419! (Pause) She's gone. [...] -
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49. , , Erc, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
50. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
51. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
52. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
53. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
54. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
55. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
56. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
57. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2001,
58. 'Lord Hood': You have the MAC gun, Cortana. As soon as they [Covenant] come in range, open up. -
59. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
60. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
61. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
62. , , Eric, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
63. 'Truth' (over loudspeakers): Whosoever is gripped by fear, take heed: I am the Prophet of Truth, and I am not afraid. Noble Mercy is here, at my side, his wise counsel ever in my ears. / 'Gravemind': We exist together now. Two corpses in one grave. -
64. 'Truth': Not as you are. But become the Arbiter . . . And you shall be set loose against this heresy, with our blessing. -
65. , , Erc, Nylund, Ballantine Books, 2003,
66. 'Tartarus': A bloody fate awaits you and the rest of your incompetent race... and I, Tartarus!, Chieftain of the Brutes, will send you to it. / 'Arbiter': When the Prophets learn of this, they will take your head! / 'Tartarus': Learn of it? (laughs) Fool, the ordered me to do it. -
67. 'Tartarus': No, Arbiter! The Great Journey has begun! And the Brutes, not the Elites, shall be the Prophets' escort! -
68. HBO Character Profiles
69. The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor, , Lee, Hammack, Marvel Comics, 2006,
70. 'Tartarus': I see that coward didn't join you. I'll do what I can to keep the Flood off your back. -
71. 'Spec Ops': I shall relay your . . . decision . . . to the Council. -
72. 'Spec Ops' (Radio): That cruiser is controlled by Brutes. I'll remain here; make sure no reinforcements get in behind you. Then, I'm going to take the cruiser back. -
73. 'Heretic Leader': Our Prophets are false! Open your eyes, my brothers! They would use the faith of our Forefathers to bring ruin to us all! The Great Journey is- (cut) -
74. 'Truth': This heretic, and those who follow him, must be silenced. / 'Mercy': Their slander offends all who walk the Path. -
75. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
76. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
77. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
78. , , Erc, Nylund, Tom Doherty Associates, 2006,
79. , , William, Dietz, Ballantine Books, 2003,
80. The Tru7h About Co-Op in Halo 3 Luke Smith (Lukems)
81. 'Master Chief': Yes... Activate Halo's defenses, and destroy the flood, which is why we brought the index to the control center. -
82. '2401 Penitent Tangent': A Reclaimer? Here? At last. We have much to do. This facility must be activated if we are to control this outbreak. -
83. ''Halo 2'' Level Transcripts: Gravemind
84. 'Gravemind': Your Prophets have promised you freedom from a doomed existence, but you will find no salvation on this ring. Those who built this place knew what they wrought; do not mistake their intent or all will perish as they did before. / 'Master Chief': This thing is right. Halo is a weapon. Your Prophets are making a big mistake. -
85. 'Cortana': Flood-controlled dropships are touching down all over the city. That creature beneath the Library, that "gravemind", used us. We were just a diversion; In Amber Clad was always its intended vector. There's a conduit connecting this tower to the ship- head back inside, I'll lead you to it. -
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