Editing Strato-Sentinel

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Under construction}}
'''Strato-Sentinel''' is the name applied to a large type of [[Forerunner]] [[Sentinel]].

==Summary==
Strato-Sentinels are part of a group of Forerunner Sentinels that were made to build structures or assist/oversee with these tasks. They also performed tasks relating to this such as gathering materials e.g. Other tasks include [[terraforming]] projects, and are capable of mining [[moon]]s, [[asteroid]]s, or other planetary bodies.<ref name="EVG">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 167''</ref><ref name="AH3">'''[[The Art of Halo 3]]''', ''page 32''</ref> They were notably used to help in the construction of the [[Halo Array|Halo rings]], such as the newly constructed [[Installation 08]] in [[2552]] in the modern era.{{Ref/Reuse|AH3}} Strato-Sentinels may be employed in military roles and outfitted with naval weapons and defenses. In these contexts, they may be considered a form of [[weapon-ship]].{{Ref/Site|Id=OD|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/outpost-discoveries|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Outpost Discoveries|D=05|M=11|Y=2019}}

Strato-Sentinels were also used by the Forerunners as escorts to [[keyship]]s and [[Unidentified Sentinel variant|larger Sentinel variants]].<ref name="legends"></ref> In times of crisis, some of them would assist in combat duties.

Dark gray in color, Strato-Sentinels are massive and powerful [[Sentinel]]s that are slightly smaller than the average [[human]] [[UNSC frigate|frigate]],<ref name="hitd103">''[[Halo: Hunters in the Dark]]'', Chapter 6</ref> which are about 478 meters in length.<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]''', ''page 259'' (2011)</ref> The upper section of a Retriever is vast and wide, while the lower section is lined with numerous mechanical, tentacle-like "legs" that move in pursuit of objects. Glowing eye-like lights are installed on the front of each Sentinel.{{Ref/Reuse|hitd103}}

==Variants==
===Assembler Sentinel===
{{main|Assembler Sentinel}}
The Assembler is similar in design to the Steward, but it is used in the creation and maintenance of Forerunner structures such as the [[Excession]].{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22P328-329|Enc22|Page=328-329}}<ref name="cradle">''Halo 3: The Cradle of Life''</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/franklez/status/1179076414487662592?s=19 ''Twitter'', franklez - "They are deliberate variants created by the Studio4°c in partnership with us - and they are canonical and in that sense those variants could show elsewhere. They are tweaked as new designs to infer re-seeding and general array and repopulation maintenance duties. See also Iris"]</ref>
<gallery>
File:HL Origins Stewards 2.png|The Assembler Sentinel.
</gallery>

===Excavator Sentinel===
{{main|Excavator Sentinel}}
The [[Excavator Sentinel]] is a class of Sentinel used to construct Halo rings.{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=343}}{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=356}}

===Extractor Sentinel===
{{main|Extractor Sentinel}}
The [[Extractor Sentinel]] is equipped with [[grappler]]s, and is presumably employed for the purpose of resource extraction.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=335}}

===Retriever Sentinel===
{{main|Retriever Sentinel}}
The [[Retriever Sentinel]] is considered to be one of the more powerful variants of the Sentinel, Retrievers are massive, ship-sized drones that were utilized to construct installations of the Halo Array from Installation 00, as well as to provide maintenance to the Ark itself.<ref name="pl retriever">''[[Halo Wars 2]]'', [[Phoenix Log]]: Retriever Sentinel</ref>
<gallery>
File:HW2 Retriever.png|A Retriever variant.
</gallery>

===Steward Sentinel===
{{main|Steward Sentinel}}
The [[Steward Sentinel]] is a variant used to accompany other Forerunner machines and assist them with their tasks.<ref name="steward">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/outpost-discoveries Canon Fodder: Outpost Discoveries]</ref>
<gallery>
File:HOD Steward Render.png|A Steward variant.
</gallery>

==History==
===Prehistory===
[[File:IRIS H3 Cradle of Life Page 3.JPG|thumb|300px|N'chala watches the construction of the portal.]]
Strato-Sentinels were used as escorts during the [[Forerunner-Flood war]].<ref name="legends">''[[Halo Legends]]'', [[Origins]]</ref> Strato-Sentinels were also used at [[Installation 00]] at its stripmining moon, harvesting precious raw construction materials.<ref>''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)|Halo:Encyclopedia]]'', p. 166 (2009 edition), p.176 (2011 edition)</ref> Following [[Great Purification|the firing]] of the Halo Array, Strato-Sentinels assisted the [[keyship]]s with the [[reintroduction]] of species throughout the [[Milky Way]], as per the [[Conservation Measure]], accompanying the vessels back to species' homeworlds.{{Ref/Reuse|legends}} Strato-Sentinels assisted with the excavation and construction of a massive [[Excession|slipspace portal]] on [[Earth|Erde-Tyrene]], in the present-day country of [[Kenya]], that had been set into motion by the Librarian before her death. These Strato-Sentinels were spotted by the [[human]] tribe elder [[N'chala]], in the years after the reintroduction, who mistook the sentinels for gods.<ref>''[[Halo 3: The Cradle of Life]]'', page 2</ref>

==Production notes==
Strato-Sentinels were originally planned to appear in ''[[Halo 3]]'', but were ultimately cut from the game.<ref name="AH3">'''[[The Art of Halo 3]]''', ''page 32''</ref> One of the early settings for the maps "[[Construct]]"<ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=Construct_Postmortem '''Bungie.net''': ''Deconstructing Construct'']</ref> and "[[Blackout]]" was the interior of a damaged Strato-Sentinels in orbit around the [[Foundry (location)|Foundry]], where other Strato-Sentinels could be seen in the distance harvesting materials from the Foundry's resource [[moon]]. However, this idea was scrapped.<ref>'''The Art of Halo 3''', ''page 128''</ref> During production, they were known as "Strato-Sentinels", a name that would later be adopted in subsequent canon. The Strato-Sentinels were also intended to be included in ''[[Halo 4]]'', though they were removed from the game during the pre-production stages.<ref>''[[Awakening: The Art of Halo 4]]''</ref>

[[Vic DeLeon]] indicated that the Strato-Sentinels in ''Halo 3'' were intended to be of a similar size to the similarly-cut [[Guardian Sentinel|Guardian]] enemy in the cut [[Guardian Forest]] level.{{Ref/Site|Id=Vic1|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=https://twitter.com/vicdeleon/status/1304910772313575424|Site=Twitter|Page=Vic DeLeon|Quote=Fwiw this is almost exactly what the Guardians looked like back when they were first imagined on Halo 2, only they were much larger, almost like the Strato-Sentinel.}} This level was intended to feature the Strato-Sentinels heavily, with one rising out of the ground with the player riding it.{{Ref/Site|Id=Doc|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=https://twitter.com/dmiller360/status/881997799046258697?s=19|Site=Twitter|Page=Dan Miller|Quote=#halo3 original 'guardian forest' (cut map):}}  Further information provided by campaign lead [[Rob Stokes]] indicates the Strato-Sentinels would have been featured in the ending of Guardian Forest wherein the Master Chief would activate them to destroy [[Truth's fleet]] above The Ark, as well as in the ending of [[Forerunner City]] and [[Halo (Halo 3 level)|Halo]], in both cases being shown constructing [[Installation 08]]. {{Ref/Site|Id=Stokes|URL=https://rpstokes53.wixsite.com/work-of-rob-stokes/halo-3|Site=Work of Rob Stokes|Page=Halo 3|D=25|M=05|Y=2023}}

==Gallery==
===Concept art===
<gallery>
File:H3 StratoSentinel Concept_2.png|Concept art of the Strato-Sentinels for ''Halo 3'' for Guardian Forest.
File:H3 StratoSentinel Concept_3.jpg|Concept art of the Strato-Sentinel in ''Halo 3'' for Guardian Forest.
File:H3 GuardianForest Strato Concept.jpg|Concept art for Guardian Forest, featuring a Strato-Sentinel.
File:H4-Concept-Sentinel-Retriever.jpg|Concept art of the Strato-Sentinels in ''[[Halo 4]]''.
</gallery>

===Images===
<gallery>
File:HL_Origins_Stewards_1.png|Strato-Sentinels in "[[Origins]]"
File:HL_Origins_Stewards_2.png|A group of Strato-Sentinels.
File:Origins H3 Sentinels.png|A number of large Strato-Sentinels. Notably, all three designs seen in this image are based on reused ''Halo 3'' designs, including that of the [[Guardian Sentinel|Guardian]] and the [[Unidentified Sentinel variant|central unidentified Sentinel]].
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Iris]]''
**''[[Halo 3: The Cradle of Life]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
**''[[Origins]]''
*''[[Halo: Hunters in the Dark]]
*''[[Halo Mythos]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Renegades]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Outpost Discovery]]''
**''[[The Ring Experience]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources|2}}

{{Forerunner|sentinel}}

[[Category:Sentinels]]