Editing Thom-A293

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Character infobox
|variant=Human
|name=Thom-A293
|image=[[File:Thom-293 Profile.png|300px]]
|homeworld=[[Dwarka]]{{Ref/Site|Id=CFPhoenixBlog|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-phoenix-blog|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Phoenix Blog|D=22|M=02|Y=2023}}
|birth=[[2525#October|October 15, 2525]]{{Ref/Reuse|CFPhoenixBlog}}
|death=[[2552|April 22, 2552]]{{Ref/Marketing|Id=dh|HR|Deliver Hope}}{{Ref/Site|Id=kat|URL=http://halo.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=personnel&cid=24525|Site=Bungie.net|Page=Halo: Reach - Intel - Kat-B320 Profile|D=13|M=10|Y=2014|LocalArchive=Noble Team performance reports}}
|causeofdeath=Sacrificed his own life to detonate a [[nuclear weapon]].{{Ref/Reuse|dh}}
|parents=
|siblings=
|spouses=
|children=
|species=[[Human]]
|gender=Male
|height={{Convert|7|ft|cm|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|CFPhoenixBlog}}
|mass={{Convert|250|lb|kg|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|CFPhoenixBlog}}
|hair=
|eyes=
|affiliation=*[[UNSC Navy]] {{C|formerly}}
**[[UNSC Special Forces|Naval Special Weapons]]
***[[SPARTAN-III program]]
*[[UNSC Army]]
**[[Special Warfare Group Three]] {{C|operationally under [[NOBLE Team]]}}
|rank=[[Lieutenant]]{{Ref/Reuse|CFPhoenixBlog}}
|sn=S-A293{{Ref/Site|Id=catalog|URL=https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm3015253_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post3015253|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Catalog Interaction (Page 51)|Quote=Query Answer: Human naval records list requested individual as Thom-A293.|Quotee=Catalog|D=13|M=10|Y=2014}}
|notable=
}}
{{Quote|I'm not gonna lie to you, Lieutenant. You're stepping into some shoes the rest of the squad would rather leave unfilled.|[[Carter-A259|Commander Carter-A259]] to [[SPARTAN-B312]] on replacing Thom on [[NOBLE Team]]{{Ref/Level|Id=actual|HR|Noble Actual}}}} 
'''Thom-A293''' was a [[SPARTAN-III Program|SPARTAN-III commando]] and a member of the [[UNSC Navy]] during the [[Human-Covenant War]]. He served as a member of [[Noble Team]] under the call sign Noble Six until his death on [[2552#April|April 22, 2552]].{{Ref/Reuse|dh}}{{Ref/Reuse|kat}}{{Ref/Reuse|WC}}

==Biography==
===Childhood and training===
Thom was born on [[2525#October|October 15, 2525]], on the [[Human colonies|colony world]] of [[Dwarka]]. He spent his early life there until the [[Siege of Dwarka|attack]] on the colony by the [[Covenant]] in [[2530]]. During the battle, [[Jiralhanae]] forces were dispatched to ransack the planet's residential sectors though Thom was able to join a number of evacuees and escape the planet's [[glassing]] aboard a [[freighter]]. This freighter eventually made contact with a [[Human starship|vessel]] operated by the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]], at which point Thom "volunteered" for induction into the [[SPARTAN-III program]] - having been identified as a potential candidate for the program at a young age.{{Ref/Reuse|CFPhoenixBlog}} Thom was taken to the classified world [[Onyx]] for training under [[Lieutenant]] [[Kurt Ambrose]] and [[UNSC rank structure|SCPO]] [[Franklin Mendez]] in late [[2532]]. Thom was identified by Ambrose and Mendez as one of a handful of exceptional specimens within the [[SPARTAN-III Alpha Company]] and was extracted from the group before the disastrous [[Operation: PROMETHEUS]]. He and a small number of other Spartans were given [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]] and were assigned to smaller special operations units and eventually [[NOBLE Team]].{{Ref/Reuse|CFPhoenixBlog}}{{Ref/Site|Id=Bnet|URL=http://halo.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=personnel&cid=24040|Site=Bungie.net|Page=Halo: Reach - Intel - Personnel|D=13|M=10|Y=2014}}

===Operation: OFFSET EYE===
{{Main|Operation: OFFSET EYE}}
In [[2551#December|December 2551]], Thom and the rest of NOBLE were sent to [[Concord]] to [[Defense of Concord|defend]] the [[Human colonies|colony]] from [[Covenant]] invasion. By December 12, a joint effort between the [[UNSC Army Rangers|Army Rangers]] and the [[Concordian militia]] had denied the Covenant air superiority, and also drove the invaders from the major cities. Following this, the unusually small number of Covenant [[Covenant starship|warship]]s in orbit had been neutralized by a UNSC strike group. After being rerouted from one of the cities, NOBLE's [[Pelican]] was downed in the mountains of the [[Hinterlands region]] during a particularly brutal snowstorm. They made their way to the town of [[Skathi]], which was under imminent threat from a contingent of Covenant ground forces. As the others were preparing the citizens of the town for the coming battle, [[Jun-A266]] informed them that a {{Pattern|Zashk|Draugr}} siege platform was leading the charge. Formulating a plan, [[Kat-B320]] had Thom and [[Rosenda-A344]] join her in their [[M862 Arctic Warthog]] while the rest of NOBLE stayed in town as a rear guard.{{Ref/Reuse|WC}}

Kat drove their treaded Warthog straight at the approaching convoy, attracting the attention of the Draugr's escort of six {{Pattern|Karo'etba|Ghost}}s and mortar fire from two {{Pattern|Zurdo|Wraith}}s. During the drive, Thom joked about the overconfident nature of Covenant ground forces to deploy into winter environments while bearing their usual multicoloured armour, making them easy pickings for human forces. The Ghosts began to flank the Spartans' Warthog, with Thom supporting the defence of the vehicle from the cargo bed by throwing [[M9 fragmentation grenade]]s at the attackers. As the Warthog neared one of the Ghosts, Thom leapt to the vehicle and took it for himself. Kat directed him to draw the fire of the Draugr as she and Rosenda prepared to board the siege engine in spectacular fashion. Kat used a nearby rocky outcropping to launch the Warthog into the lower troop bay of the Draugr. Immediately after their vehicle came to a rest, Rosenda launched from her seat and killed multiple Kig-Yar with her [[combat knife]]. With the welcome party eliminated, Kat got to work opening the Draugr's forward loading ramp so that Thom could get inside as well. As Rosenda and Thom provided cover, Kat used the siege engine's own [[focus cannon]]s to obliterate the remaining Ghosts and Wraiths. Knowing that the remaining Covenant infantry would frantically attempt to reclaim the Draugr, Kat reopened the loading ramp and the three Spartans prepared to ambush the boarders.{{Ref/Reuse|WC}}

After dealing with the rest of the infantry, the Spartans brought the Draugr back to the outskirts of Skathi, where a pair of Pelicans would land a few hours later. As some of the others unloaded supplies from the dropships, Rosenda talked with [[Jorge-052]] about what the citizens of the town would do following the battle. She worried that this victory would not last long, and that the Covenant would return with a much more sizable force. [[Carter-A259]] then called them over for a situation update, where he stated that [[Colonel]] [[Urban Holland]] was sending them to [[Fumirole]], which was expected to be [[Battle of Fumirole|attacked]] in short order. NOBLE exchanged formal goodbyes and saluted before they boarded their Pelicans—Rosenda in one of the dropships alone, and the rest of NOBLE in the other. Before the Pelicans lifted off, Thom pinged Rosenda on [[TEAMCOM]] to wish her luck and to say that he would see her on the other side.{{Ref/Reuse|WC}}

===Death===
Thom was later deployed during the [[Battle of Fumirole]] on [[2552#April|April 22, 2552]], in which he participated in an operation put together by [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Catherine-B320]] to destroy the {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}, ''[[Sanctity of Purification]]'', - which had been maintaining position above a city.{{Ref/Reuse|kat}}{{Ref/Reuse|FictionFriday}} However, Kat, who carried the [[Fury tactical nuclear weapon]] intended to destroy the Covenant ship, was incapacitated while on her way to the objective by an enemy [[Type-26 Banshee|Banshee]].{{Ref/Reuse|dh}}

Thom was the first to arrive to where Kat was laying wounded, picking up the nuke for her and using his [[Series 8 jetpack|jetpack]] to fly into the battlecruiser's [[gravity lift]]. Once inside, he threw the nuke into a crowded [[Hangar bay|hangar]] and attempted to escape the ship before it went off, without success. The nuke detonated before Thom could safely make it out, destroying the ship and killing him.{{Ref/Reuse|dh}}{{Ref/Site|URL=http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=BWU_082710|Site=Bungie.net|Page=Bungie Weekly Update 08/27/10|D=13|M=10|Y=2014}}{{Ref/Reuse|FictionFriday}}

===Replacement===
Both [[Commander]] [[Carter-A259]] and Lt. Commander Kat took responsibility for Thom's death, unable to admit that his death was his own decision. The team's commanding officer, [[Colonel]] [[Urban Holland]], asserted that Thom died because he chose to attack Covenant forces without waiting for backup.{{Ref/Reuse|kat}}{{Ref/Site|Id=WPKat|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/kat-b320|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Kat-B320|D=28|M=07|Y=2021}} Thom was replaced on Noble Team by [[SPARTAN-B312]] in July 2552, only days prior to the [[Fall of Reach]].{{Ref/Reuse|actual}}

==Personality and traits==
Thom-A293 served in Noble Team, and was considered to be youthful and humorous individual, who served as the "heart" of Noble Team during his service.{{Ref/Twitter|Id=FictionFriday|Halo|1624120215628877824|Halo|Quote=CHARACTER DATABASE - THOM-A293<br>The former Noble Six, who sacrificed himself to destroy the Covenant battlecruiser Sanctity of Purification in April 2552. For his youthful exuberance and humor, we honor him as the stalwart heart of Noble Team. #FictionFriday|D=11|M=02|Y=2023}} Even during high-stakes firefights, he displayed a joking attitude and a penchant for ribbing his fellow teammates.{{Ref/Reuse|WC}} As such, his death hit the remaining members of NOBLE hard, with both Carter and Kat blaming themselves for his death{{Ref/Reuse|kat}}{{Ref/Reuse|WPKat}} - resulting in his position in the team being something several personnel felt uneasy about replacing only a few weeks later.{{Ref/Reuse|actual}}

==Equipment==
During Operation: OFFSET EYE, Thom employed a [[CQS48 Bulldog]] shotgun and wore [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark V|Mark V MJOLNIR armor]] with green-orange colouration. The suit was up-armored with the [[UA attachments|D0-01-CCR Breaching Kit]] and a [[B-class Mjolnir|Mark V<nowiki>[B]</nowiki>]] helmet with a [[UA attachments|UA/Type O5 attachment]]. He wore a [[HAZOP-class Mjolnir|HAZOP]] shoulder pad for his left shoulder and a UA/Multi-Threat shoulder pad for his right shoulder. Thom also had a [[SRT Universal Global Positioning System Device|SRT UGPS]] wrist piece on his wrist, the [[TAC attachments|M10 Tactical Soft Case]] attached to his thigh, and UA/Type KT knees guards.{{Ref/Game|Id=kitdescription|HI|Armor customization (Halo Infinite)|Armor Hall|Detail=Thom-A293 Kit}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=WC|Winter Contention}}{{Ref/Twitter|Id=Colours|haruspis|1623762754946404359|Alex Wakeford|Quote=Both his Halo Infinite coating (based on the original Halo: Reach concept art) and the "default grey" we see him sporting in the Deliver Hope trailer are canon 🙂|D=08|M=02|Y=2023}}

During the Covenant attack on Fumirole, Thom wore gray Mark V MJOLNIR armor and a Mark V[B] helmet with a UA/Type B1 attachment, and [[FJ/PARA attachments|FJ/PARA]] knee guards. He was also seen with a [[Series 8 jetpack]] on his back.{{Ref/Reuse|dh}}{{Ref/Reuse|Colours}}

==Production notes==
Thom  was originally intended to play a larger role in ''Halo: Reach'' as a member of Noble Team, as a part of the team's original roster of [[seven]] members alongside [[Rosenda-A344]]. Ultimately, the team was cut down to six members, with Thom being replaced with a [[SPARTAN-B312|custom player character]] and Rosenda cut from the game entirely. Both Spartans were retained in ''Halo'' canon, with Thom's death taking a central role in the ''[[Deliver Hope]]'' trailer for ''Reach'' and Rosenda referenced offhandedly in the [[Noble Team performance reports]] as a potential replacement for [[Emile-A239]].{{Ref/Reuse|kat}} During development, Thom was designed to have a "cowboy-like" personality, and concept art produced by [[Isaac Hannaford]] depicts him in yellow-orange and blue MJOLNIR armour with a nondescript machine gun.{{Ref/YouTube|Id=PAX|1aOb6Nn8egA|CMNeir|PAX 2010: *Bungie Panel*|Quote=And yes, originally, there were seven Spartans. A little trivia for you guys; Rosenda and Thom were two Spartans that didn't make the cut...|Quotee=Marcus Lehto}} "Thom" remained one of the name options for customized [[loadout]]s in ''Halo: Reach'', along with the names of the members of Noble Team and several [[SPARTAN-II Program|Spartan-IIs]].{{Ref/Game|HR|Custom Games|Detail=Gamemode loadout settings}}

While Thom was kept nominally in canon via his depiction in ''[[Deliver Hope]]'' he remained outside of the spotlight for over a decade except for a brief mention by [[Catalog]] confirming his service tag of A344 - something first associated with the [[license plate Easter eggs]] in ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''. In ''ODST'', the license plate "''KNT 293T''" was long assumed to stand for "Thom-293, Noble Team". Catalog confirmed his tag several years later in addition to identifying him as a member of Alpha Company.{{Ref/Reuse|catalog}}

Thom was given his first major spotlight since his introduction in ''Deliver Hope'' in [[2023]], in the [[Noble Intention]] event for ''[[Halo Infinite]]''. The event features an [[Armor customization (Halo Infinite)|armour kit]] based on Thom's original concept art (alongside one for Rosenda), with the original concept art colouration as opposed to the grey-white suit depicted in the live action trailer.{{Ref/Reuse|kitdescription}} The ''[[Winter Contention]]'' short story released to celebrate the event centred on Rosenda and Thom, and fleshed out their characters and history with NOBLE team.{{Ref/Reuse|WC}}

While Thom's appearance in ''Halo Infinite'' and ''Winter Contention'' is based on his original armour design, both iterations remain fully-canon, with [[Alex Wakeford]] later clarifying that they are simply the result of Thom changing his suit between missions.{{Ref/Reuse|Colours}}

==Gallery==
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes}}
<gallery>
File:HR_NobleTeam_Concept_2.jpg|Concept art of NOBLE's full originally-intended roster, including Rosenda and Thom.
File:HR_ThomFace_Concept.png|Early concept art of Thom for ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.
File:HR_Thom-A293_Concept.png|Concept art of Thom in his MJOLNIR armor.
File:DeliverHope - ThomJetpack.png|Thom-A293 using a jetpack to plant a Medium Fusion Destructive Device on a Covenant ''Ket''-pattern battlecruiser.
File:Thom.png|Thom gazes into the cruiser's hangar bay just as he is about to deploy the MFDD.
File:Thom-293.png|Thom during the Battle of Fumirole in April 2552.
File:HINF Thom-A293 Armor Kit Icon.png|The Thom-A293 armor kit in ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.
File:HINF - NobleIntention Header.jpg|Thom alongside Rosenda-A344.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Remember Reach]]''
**''[[Deliver Hope]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Reach]]'' {{C|Mentioned as a [[loadout]]}}
*''[[Halo Infinite]]'' {{mo}}
*''[[Winter Contention]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Noble Team}}
{{Spartan III}}

[[Category:Human characters]]
[[Category:UNSC Navy personnel]]
[[Category:Spartan-IIIs]]