Editing UNSC Leviathan

{{Status|Canon}}

|role=[[Flagship]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

|height={{Convert|375|m|ft|sp=us}}{{Ref/Reuse|model}}

|commission=After [[2510]]{{Ref/NoteReuse|age}}

|destroyed=[[2552#August|August 30, 2552]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}<ref name="enc270">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]''', ''page 270'' (2011)</ref>

|battles=*[[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]]{{Ref/Reuse|enc270}}

*[[Fall of Reach]]{{Ref/Reuse|enc270}}

|captains=[[Vice Admiral]] [[Michael Stanforth]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

'''UNSC ''Leviathan''''', affectionately known as the '''''Levi''''',<ref name="Drop">'''[[Data Drop]]''', ''#4''</ref> was a {{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}} in service with the [[UNSC Navy]], before and throughout the [[Human-Covenant War]]. The cruiser served as the [[flagship]] of [[Battlegroup Leviathan|Battlegroup ''Leviathan'']] and was commanded by [[Vice Admiral]] [[Michael Stanforth]], the former head of [[Office of Naval Intelligence#Section Three|ONI Section Three]]<ref name="TFoR">'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''page 188'' (2010)</ref> and the commander of [[FLEETCOM Sector Three]].{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

==Service history==

By [[2552#July|July of 2552]], ''Leviathan'' was one of the twenty cruisers remaining within the [[UNSC fleet]].{{Ref/Reuse|TFoR}}{{Ref/Note|According to ''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', as of July 2552, UNSC ''Leviathan'' was one of twenty cruisers left in the Fleet, possibly referring to either the [[FLEETCOM Sector One]] or the entire Navy. Despite that, this number remains clearly retconned in later media.}} Upon receiving warning of the [[Covenant]]'s intended attack on [[Sigma Octanus IV]], Stanforth and [[Battle Group Leviathan|Battle Group ''Leviathan'']] was the first to respond and arrived in [[Sigma Octanus system|the system]] on [[2552#July|July 17, 2552]].{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}{{Ref/Reuse|TFoR}} Leading UNSC naval forces aboard ''Leviathan'', Stanforth moved his fleet into a position between the planet and its [[moon]] to combat the oncoming [[Second Fleet of Solemn Accord|Covenant fleet]]. ''Leviathan'' and the rest of the fleet managed to fire upon the Covenant vessels with a massive volley of [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|MAC]] slugs. However, the UNSC fleet was unable to avoid the incoming salvo of Covenant [[plasma torpedo]]es. The {{UNSCShip|Cradle}} positioned itself between the two fleets and absorbed most of the torpedoes, leading to the [[refit station]]'s destruction. Stanforth ordered all ships to break formation and attack the Covenant vessels before they recharged their weaponry.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 215-222'' (2010)</ref>

As the engagement continued, the UNSC fleet managed to prevail over the Covenant and succeeded in destroying many hostile vessels. ''Leviathan'' was hit with a plasma torpedo, heavily damaging the ship's foredecks.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 224'' (2010)</ref> The cruiser took numerous other damages during the battle,{{Ref/Reuse|enc270}} moderately injuring Stanforth and several members of its crew. ''Leviathan'' and seven other ships later assisted the {{UNSCShip|Iroquois}} in combating a [[Covenant destroyer]], upon Captain [[Jacob Keyes]]' request. As ''Leviathan'' and the other ships attacked the destroyer, the ship disengaged ''Iroquois'' and left the system along with the rest of the Covenant fleet.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 227-229'' (2010)</ref> After the battle, several [[dropship]]s of [[UNSC Marines]] returned from Sigma Octanus IV and docked with ''Leviathan''; the cruiser left the system once the Marines were aboard.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 242'' (2010)</ref>

After the battle, ''Leviathan'' returned to [[Reach]] on [[2552|July 18, 2552]], where a boatswain determined that repairs would take at least two months. Stanforth then sent a request to [[UNSC Fleet Command|FLEETCOM]], asking for the ship's crew to be transferred to the {{UNSCShip|Coenwulf}} while he "made rounds" at [[HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6]] in [[Sydney]], [[Australia]] on [[Earth]].{{Ref/Reuse|Drop}}

UNSC ''Leviathan'' was presumably repaired and operational during the final weeks of the [[Fall of Reach]]. Stanforth led Battlegroup ''Leviathan'' throughout the [[Epsilon Eridani system]] in battle against the Covenant.{{Ref/Reuse|journal}}<ref>'''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''', ''[[ONI memorial]]''</ref> On [[2552#August|August 12, 2552]], the [[battlegroup]] returned to Reach for emergency repairs and refit.{{Ref/Reuse|journal}} Soon after the arrival of the Covenant's [[Fleet of Particular Justice]], Stanforth organized the remnants of the [[Epsilon Eridani Fleet]] over Reach aboard ''Leviathan'' on [[2552#August|August 30, 2552]]. However, the Covenant fleet eventually managed to destroy Stanforth's final line of defense and ''Leviathan'' was destroyed, resulting in Stanforth's death.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}{{Ref/Reuse|enc270}}

**''[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]''{{Ref/Note|Id=age|According to the ''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]'', the ''Marathon'' class was introduced as a replacement for the aging [[Halcyon-class light cruiser|''Halcyon'' class]]. The ''Halcyon'' was designed in 2510 and likely did not enter service until years later. However, ''The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole'' depicts a ship called the ''Leviathan'' under the command of then-Admiral Harold Stanforth in [[2503|June 2503]]. One may infer that the ''Leviathan'' mentioned in the story was an earlier ship that served as the ''Marathon''-class ''Leviathan''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s namesake, as well as a previous flagship for the same commanding officer. See [[Michael Stanforth#Age|here]] for more details.}}

==Notes==

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[[Category:UNSC ships]]