View source for User:Document/Class II

Originally posted at [http://xbox.answers.wikia.com/index.php?title=Was_there_a_second_class_of_Spartan-IIs Wikianswers], but it became unreadable. Bold type used for skimmability.

* In October 2001, Fall of Reach introduced the original 75 Spartan-IIs, conscripted in 2517 from a pool of 150 candidates who were assigned the tags Spartan-001 through Spartan-150. Mendez leaves to train a new class in 2525, but no mention of this is made after the time skip to 2552; the number of Spartan killed during the gap would have to exactly equal the number trained ([http://halostory.bungie.org/spartanroster.html minus five?]) for it to work out. Thus it was '''unclear''' whether Class Two was in or out.
* In November 2001, Halo 1 was released. In all material directly surrounding the game (and later Halo 2), a big deal was made of John-117's status as the last or essentially the last Spartan, with no indication that more Spartans after him could be in training. Class Two was '''out'''.
* In 2004, I Love Bees introduced Yasmine Zaman, conscripted in 2537. Class Two was '''in'''.
* ILB was [http://halostory.bungie.org/staten102204.html declared non-canon] partway through its run. Class Two was '''out'''.
* In 2005, Dead or Alive 4 featured a Spartan named Nicole-458; she was declared to be non-canon from the beginning, but elements of her backstory (the Spartan program itself and the Earth Defense Grid) were clearly canon, suggesting that Class Two might be as well.
* In July 2006, references to ILB showed up in the Halo Graphic Novel, and Frank O'Connor told an interviewer that ILB was going to be [http://halopedian.com/I_love_bees#Canon.3F recanonized]. Class Two was '''in'''.
* In October 2006, Ghosts of Onyx talked about how Class Two had been "postponed indefinitely", replaced by the allegedly more efficient Spartan-III program. Fans speculated that Yasmine Zaman was now canonically a Spartan-III. Class Two was '''out'''.
* In June 2009, the first Halo: Reach trailer mentioned the callsigns Sierra-259 and Sierra-320, consistent with the established callsigns for Spartan-IIs and inconsistent with those for Spartan-IIIs. Some fans argued that there was no way to be sure they were even Spartans, but otherwise Class Two appeared to be '''in'''.
* In October 2009, the Halo Encyclopedia was released, featuring detailed coverage of the Spartan-II and III programs with no mention of a second class. Yasmine was listed as part of Class One despite this being chronologically impossible. Class Two was '''out'''.
* In December 2009, the second Halo: Reach Trailer revealed that Sierra-259 and Sierra-320 were Spartans, wearing the Mjolnir armor characteristic of Spartan-IIs. Although blaming the writers might not be fair for this one, Class Two was '''in'''.
* Later in December or in January 2010 (not sure), further material was released that presented them as Spartan-IIIs, with the armor being thanks to subterfuge. Class Two was '''out'''.
* In February 2010, the Halo Legends short Homecoming introduced a Class One S-II named Ralph-303, implying '''a massive retcon''' whereby rather than there being two classes, Class One was now much larger than originally presented.