Banks

"Marine, did I give you permission to bitch?!"

— Staff Sergeant Marcus Banks

Staff Sergeant Marcus Banks originally appears in the E3 preview of Halo 2. In both the preview and Halo 2, Sergeant Banks is in command of "A" Company after their original commander (an unnamed Lieutenant) was killed when they dropped in (in the E3 preview, his unit is identified as "the 405th out of Diego Garcia").

In the Halo 2 E3 Demo, Sergeant Banks is at a forward position that is under Covenant attack and is rescued by the Master Chief. He appears to be wounded and calls for an air strike on a nearby Covenant plasma artillery cannon, while the Master Chief protects him. He then gives the Master Chief his SMG in order to demonstrate the new dual-wielding feature. In Halo 2, Sergeant Banks (who is now black instead of white like in the trailer and is voiced by Orlando Jones), is found on the roof a building being held by the Marines of "A" Company. This time, he calls on the Master Chief to help him take out the Scarab that has been on a rampage in New Mombasa. In the E3 preview and in Halo 2, Sergeant Banks famously says, "When I asked for reinforcements, I didn't think they'd send a Spartan". In the Battle of Delta Halo, Sgt Banks helped SgtMaj Johnson, Gunnery Sergeant Pete Stacker and The Arbiter take back the Scarab.

Also the COM pack on his back shows a yellow shield with a black stripe, and horse in the top right corner (probably a reference to the U.S. 2nd Brigade, 1st Air Cavalry Division).

Trivia

• Marcus Banks is the name of a basketball player who in 2006 played for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA.

• In the level Regret, Sergeant Banks is sometimes one of the Master Chief's Marine allies. A glitch may also Happen on the level Regret where his voice is that of Stacker's or vice versa.

• In the E3 Video, Banks appears to be of caucasian descent. In the final game however, Banks appears to be of African descent.

Quotes

• "When I asked for reinforcements, I didn't think they'd send a Spartan."
• "We got to take that thing (Covenant Artillery) out. Cover me!"(only in the Halo 2 E3 Demo)
• "Marine, did I give you permission to bitch?"
• "I don't think it's (The Scarab) stopping, get your heads down."
• "This thing (The Scarab) is really starting to PISS ME OFF!"
• "Marines, time to kill us a Scarab."