Project Magnes (trailer)

This article is about the trailer for Halo Infinite. For the project that developed the Grappleshot, see Project Magnes.

"Discover the untold story behind the Master Chief's newest upgrade, the Grappleshot, and the civilian engineer who changed Spartan 117's arsenal forever."

— Official description

Project Magnes is a Halo Infinite trailer under the UNSC Archives series. It was released on November 6, 2021.

Plot summary

A UNSC Archive is accessed. It tells the story of how a civilian engineer created the prototype for the Grappleshot under the name "Project Magnes", and the many iterations the prototype the equipment went through. The video also showcases the relationship between the engineer and her daughter.

Transcript

The trailer starts with a United Nations Space Command logo with the text below it saying "UNSC Archives" and "Orion II: MJÖLNIR DEVELOPMENT". The archive opens with a load of data.

After the data loads, the following text appars, and a model of John-117 in his MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor (GEN3) Mark VI is rendered, before focusing on the Grappleshot module on his arm.

SYSTEM COMPONENT
[GRAPPLESHOT]

SPARTAN OPERATIONS
MJÖLNIR POWERED ASSAULT ARMOR
GEN 3
MARK VI

The following text appears.

[GATHERING DATA...]
ENTRY DATE: 2549.10.16

AT THE HEIGHT OF THE HUMAN-COVENANT CONFLICT, A CIVILIAN ENGINEER BUILT A PROTOTYPE FOR THE RAPID MASS MANIPULATION OF HEAVY OBJECTS.

A DEVICE SHE HOPED THE UNSC WOULD ADOPT AND INTERGRADE INTO THE MASTER CHIEF'S COMBAT ARSENAL.

The scene cuts to a room inside a home with prominent skylights and greenery. An engineer is sat on a desk in the center of the room, working on the Grappleshot's reel mechanism with a soldering iron.

• Engineer: "Okay..."

The engineer continues assembling the Grappleshot, and tests its mechanics with a screwdriver. She then addresses a camera wearing the Grappleshot without its outer shell; the video displays information that this is Log Entry 01, and that the recording was made on 2549.08.26 at 22:43.

• Engineer: "First I'd like to thank the UNSC for rejecting my proposal. This time, rather than show you schematics I thought I'd show you the real thing: Project Magnes. The conductive transfer of unequal mass and high-tensile fibre. Or, as one of you call it, a rope."

She aims the grappleshot at a cluster of scrap paper blueprints stuck to her wall.

• Engineer: "Test 1.0..."

The engineer tries to fire the Grappleshot, but the firing mechanism weakly spins with no result. The engineer looks dejected, and turns off the camera. Cut to her practicing her strength on a rowing machine, before continuing to work on the device on her desk. She replaces one of the reel mechanisms, before going back to her camera. She is now making Log Entry 04 on 2549.08.27 at 23:18.

• Engineer: "Test 4.0..."

The Grappleshot once again fails to fire its projectile.

• Engineer: "Technically this part... is supposed to go much further. Technically..."

Cut to the engineer in her bed, making a video call to her daughter on a data pad.

• Daughter: "Hi mom!"

• Engineer: [Audibly tired] "Hi..."

• Daughter: "How are you?"

• Engineer: "Um, I'm fine, I'm fine. And you?"

• Daughter: "Yeah, I'm really good, thanks."

The engineer searches through her plant bed, before making another recording. This is Log Entry 17, made on 2549.08.29 at 10:37.

• Engineer: "Conductive transfer, test 17."

The engineer continues to examine her plants while soaked from a sprinkler, creates Log Entry 39 on 2549.09.01 at 02:18, uses her rowing machine, harvests a set of leaves from a plant, and returns to conversing with her daughter in bed.

• Daughter: "I've got a new riddle for you mum."

• Engineer: "Ah, go for it."

• Daughter: "Alright, so you have 50 freighters. Each freighter has enough fuel to travel 100 parsecs..."

The engineer continues to refine her schematics.

• Daughter: "...using all 50 freighters, what is the maximum distance you can travel?"

• Engineer: "What class are the freighters?"

• Daughter: "Mum, it doesn't matter, I don't know!"

• Engineer: "It might matter..."

The engineer makes Log Entry 44 on 2549.09.03 at 13:22.

• Engineer: "Test 44."

The Grappleshot again fails to fire. The camera returns to the engineer on her bed.

• Engineer: "350 parsecs."

• Daughter: [Whispering and smiling] "Correct!"

• Engineer: "Fly them 50 parsecs, drain half the fuel..."

• Daughter: "...into the other half, fly, rinse and repeat, I know."

• Engineer: "Honestly, honey, nothing..."

• Daughter: "Nothing in the current fleet would ever fly that far. I know."

The engineer continues working at her desk, nervously listening to a news broadcast echo thorughout the room.

• Newscaster: "A harrowing report from the Outer Colonies this evening: Covenant warships have glassed Arcadia. Stay with us for continuing updates."

The engineer makes Log Entry 63 on 2549.09.09 at 15:43.

• Engineer: "Test 63."

The engineer continues using her rowing machine, and makes Log Entry 70 on 2549.09.10 at 12:18.

• Engineer: "Test 70."

The engineer makes Log Entry 72 on 2549.09.10 at 17:33.

• Engineer: "Test 72?"

The engineer continues adjusting the Grappleshot, before making Log Entry 75 on 2549.09.12 at 23:43. This time, the Grappleshot successfully fires a short distance. The engineer glances at both the Grappleshot's dart and the camera before turning it off. She continues to intensively use the rowing machine and modify the Grappleshot.

• Daughter: "Mum, just talk to me..."

The engineer makes Log Entry 78 on 2549.09.14 at 13:38.

• Engineer: "Test... 78? 78."

• Daughter: "I know it may not seem it but you are getting there. You are."

The engineer takes aim at the paper targets, and fires. The dart embeds itself into the wall, and pulls the engineer towards it with great force, knocking her onto the floor. The enginner looks around at both her Grappleshot and the wall impact, and begins to laugh while crying tears of joy.'

• Engineer: "I miss you so much..."

• Daughter: "I miss you too. I can't wait to see you and what you've done."

BECOME

HALO INFINITE

Production notes

The trailer's thumbnail.

Credits

• Production Company: Biscuit
• VFX: Method Studios
• Music: Human
• Starring: Lubna Azabal