Canon

Flashlight

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 There is more information available on this subject at Flashlight on the English Wikipedia.
The flashlight, or torch, is located under the barrel of the MA5 Series and on the left side on M90 Shotguns.

A Flashlight is a portable device used to provide illumination. They are a common piece of equipment within the United Nations Space Command and see use with the Covenant and its remnants.

Flashlights can be used on their own or be mounted to other equipment such as weapons and helmets.

Types[edit]

Handheld[edit]

Fernando Esparza running diagnostic onboard Echo 216. From Halo Infinite campaign level Warship Gbraakon.
Fernando Esparza uses a handheld flashlight to calibrate John-117's armor.

Handheld flashlights are among the more common types of flashlight, capable of being used independent of other gear. Some models of handheld flashlight can be paired to a data pad to be used in the calibration of MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor. This same model can also provide both white and green light.[1]

Weapon-mounted[edit]

Weapon-mounted flashlights are common in the UNSC. The MA5 series of rifles and M90 shotgun come standard with flashlights, among several others.

Although less common, some weapons include both a flashlight and laser sight, including the M7S SMG and the M6C/SOCOM pistol.

Helmet-mounted[edit]

Arbiter Jeht 'Lcmutee uses armor-mounted flashlights on the planet Te

Helmet-mounted flashlights are also commonly used by the UNSC. Many helmets compatible with MJOLNIR armor feature integrated flashlights, and most that do not can support the addition of an external flashlight attachment.

Though not as common, the Covenant also make use of flashlights, integrating them with certain armor systems.

Night vision devices are an alternative to helmet-mounted flashlights that provide an illuminated field of view without emitting visible light.

Gameplay[edit]

While the MJOLNIR armor canonically possesses various visual modes, including night vision, this technology is unusable in many of the games in which a flashlight is the player's only means of providing illumination in dark areas.

Halo: Combat Evolved[edit]

A screenshot demonstrating the flashlight in a dark area of the level The Pillar of Autumn.
A HUD view of the flashlight featured in Halo: Combat Evolved.

In Halo: Combat Evolved, the flashlight was originally intended to be only usable while carrying the MA5B Assault Rifle or M90 Shotgun, both of which have built in flashlights mounted beneath the barrel. However, this was eventually changed. The only flashlight usable in the game is that mounted on the right side of the MJOLNIR Mark V helmet, which can be used at any time. This change was incomplete at release, as the flashlight's beam will still swing with the gun's movement while melee-attacking or reloading. Marines can be seen to use the gun-mounted flashlights on the level, The Truth and Reconciliation. The MJOLNIR Mark V's flashlight has a limited battery pack which will slowly deplete while in use and recharge while turned off. The flashlight turns off when it has been activated for around a minute. Pressing the flashlight button while zooming in with a Sniper Rifle activates the rifle's night vision feature instead.

Halo 2[edit]

An example of the flashlight in use inside Hotel Zanzibar on the level Outskirts in Halo 2, which is shining upon an Elite Minor.
The flashlight illuminating a Sangheili warrior in Halo 2.

The MJOLNIR Mark VI armor in Halo 2 also contains a built-in flashlight. However, unlike the flashlight in Halo: Combat Evolved, it no longer has a limited battery and can be used for any length of time. However, it also has a light sensor which causes it to turn off automatically in well-lit areas, such as outdoors. Although the assault rifle is absent from the game, the Shotgun still possesses its underbarrel flashlight, although it cannot be used and no Marines are ever seen doing so.

Halo 3[edit]

The flashlight functions in much the same way in Halo 3 as it did in Halo 2. Like in Halo: CE, both the Assault Rifle and Shotgun possess inbuilt flashlights. However, the Shotgun's flashlight is now mounted on the weapon's left side rather than underneath the barrel. As before, neither are usable, and only the light built into the armor functions. Unlike Halo 2, however, the flashlight in Halo 3 does not turn itself off in well-lit conditions, and can be left on indefinitely without any negative side effects. The Arbiter, controlled by Player 2 in Co-Op mode, has a light source built into the armor over his left shoulder and it functions identically to the Master Chief's light. N'tho 'Sraom and Usze 'Taham, Player 3 and 4's characters, respectively, do not appear to possess any light-emitting feature at all, however the players can still toggle a light on and off, and this light functions identically to those used by the Master Chief and the Arbiter.

Halo: Reach[edit]

No player-armor integrated flashlight appears in Halo: Reach, instead being replaced by a usable helmet-integrated night vision device. The flashlight, however, still appears as weapon attachments on the MA37 Assault Rifle and on the M45 Tactical Shotgun.

Trivia[edit]

  • The light of the flashlight can be used to easily spot opponents using active camouflage, since the light reflects off of them. This is most noticeable in Halo: Combat Evolved, and when the contrast is turned up high, Stealth Elites can be clearly seen. The same concept works for Multiplayer.
  • In Halo: Combat Evolved, when a SPARTAN reloads his weapons or melees, the light moves with the gun rather than staying where it is, suggesting that the helmet light has no effect and is merely cosmetic.
  • In Halo: Combat Evolved, if a player acquires Active Camouflauge and have the flashlight turned on, not only does the flashlight have no visual effect, it also negates the effect of the camouflauge to enemies. So when using camouflauge always remember to turn off the flashlight.
  • The flashlight was only usable in Multiplayer in Halo: CE and its PC counterpart. In Halo 2, the same button is used for voice chat in Multiplayer and the flashlight cannot be used. In Halo 3, the controls moved to the D-pad and in Multiplayer activates chat or forge mode. Halo 3: ODST's replacement of the Flashlight, known as VISR mode, is usable in the Firefight multiplayer game-type, being the only flashlight-derivative that can be used in multiplayer. This is the first example ever seen of a regular soldier having more advanced technology than a Spartan-II. The flashlights on the shotgun and the assault rifle remain, but they are not usable. Mickey has a helmet-mounted flashlight, but it is never seen being used. It is probably used for specific functions such as bomb defusing, although this is not shown in-game.
  • In Monitor mode in Forge, looking at a surface may reveal a built-in light, shining out of the Monitor's single eye, which may have been created to shine in front of shadows to see better. It is not present if the player sets the monitor camouflage to 'good'.

Gallery[edit]

List of appearances[edit]

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ Halo Infinite, campaign mission Ringfall: Warship Gbraakon
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