Editing UNSC Leviathan

{{Title|UNSC ''Leviathan''}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Individual ship infobox
|name=UNSC ''Leviathan''
|image=[[File:HFB-UNSCLeviathan.png|300px]]
|manufacturer=
|class={{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}}<ref name="universe">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/michael-stanforth '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Michael Stanforth'']</ref>
|role=[[Flagship]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}
|length={{Convert|1192|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name="EVG">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 42''</ref>
|width={{Convert|293|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name="model">3D model data</ref>
|height={{Convert|375|m|ft|sp=us}}{{Ref/Reuse|model}}
|engine=
|slipspace drive=[[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]]
|hull=
|countermeasures=
|armament=*Two [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]s
*[[Point-defense gun]]s
*[[Archer missile]] pods
|firstuse=
|commission=After [[2510]]{{Ref/NoteReuse|age}}
|lastsight=
|destroyed=[[2552#August|August 30, 2552]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}<ref name="enc270">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe]]''', ''page 270'' (2011)</ref>
|battles=*[[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]]{{Ref/Reuse|enc270}}
*[[Fall of Reach]]{{Ref/Reuse|enc270}}
|fleet=[[Battlegroup Leviathan|Battlegroup ''Leviathan'']]<ref name="journal">'''[[Halo: Reach]]''', ''[[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]]''</ref>
|namedcrew=
|captains=[[Vice Admiral]] [[Michael Stanforth]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}
|affiliation=[[UNSC Navy]]
}}

'''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==
===Battle of Sigma Octanus IV===
{{Main|Battle of Sigma Octanus IV}}
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>

===Fall of Reach===
{{Main|Fall of Reach}}
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}}

==Trivia==
The cruiser is named after a [[Wikipedia:Leviathan|leviathan]], a mythical sea creature.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Invasion; Leviathan.png|''Leviathan'' in ''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]''{{Ref/Note|Id=age|According to the ''[[Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe]]'', 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.}}
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
**''[[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Covenant]]''
*''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]''

==Notes==
{{Ref/Notes}}

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leviathan}}
[[Category:Marathon-class heavy cruisers]]
[[Category:UNSC ships]]