Avery Johnson

"What's the matter, big shot? Can't start your own party?"

- Johnson, before the assassination of Truth.

Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson (Service Number 48789-20114-AJ ) was an energetic commander in the UNSC Marine Corps. He played a vital role in all three Halo games, providing assistance to the Chief at very opportune times. He also had a strange liking to Flip Music.

Early Career
Avery J. Johnson was born in the industrial section of Chicago, Illinois near the Great Lakes of the former United States of America. His family broke up when he was at the age of six and he was raised by his Aunt whose holy beliefs resonated within Johnson and often made him question his own decision to kill other human beings, even long after her death. His name was associated with dozens of black operations and programs, including the ORION Project. After a brutal mission in Operation: TREBUCHET that killed all of Staff Sergeant Byrne's team, he found his Aunt dead, and soon went on a drinking binge. He got into a fight with bouncers, and ended up in a gutter until he was found by a UNSC Marine Corps recruiter. He was re-assigned to Harvest by Jilan al-Cygni. Officially, he was re-assigned to raise a Colonial Militia on Harvest, in response to mysterious attacks on human freighters near the planet. While stationed at Harvest, Johnson was one of the first human beings to encounter the Covenant, specifically the Kig-yar, destroying the ship Minor Transgression when the Kig-yar ship mistress fired an overcharged plasma pistol shot into the ship's methane suite. He aided Staff Sergeant Byrne and ONI operative Jilan al-Cygni in repelling the Brute ship Rapid Conversion long enough to allow most of the planet's population to escape in the Tiara, seven different Space elevators stationed on the planet. He, along with the surviving members of his militia, escaped the planet and prepared for the new threat to humanity.

Paris IV/Boren's Syndrome
A query by Cortana into Johnson's medical history revealed he had a condition known as Boren's Syndrome that enabled him to resist Flood infection. This disease was gained while he was stationed at Paris IV. When the Covenant attacked Paris IV, Sergeant Johnson fought valiantly: during the battle, he captured a crate of plasma grenades when his troops needed it and used them all against the enemy troops to keep them at bay so his fellow soldiers could evacuate. He received a commendation for bravery, and a twelve-hundred-rad cumulative dose of radiation as an unanticipated "bonus" from the plasma grenades However, the Boren’s Syndrome had an unexpected side effect: it made him effectively immune to the flood because the radiation changed his DNA structure. This meant that the flood infection form could not force a match between its DNA structure and his, rendering it unable to control him. However, the Boren’s Syndrome may be a fake to cover up his plausible involvement in the SPARTAN-I Program.

After being promoted to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant, he was assigned to Reach Station Gamma, a military station above the planet Reach. While stationed there, a massive Covenant armada arrived, beginning the Battle of Reach. During the battle, Johnson led a search and destroy team aboard the station, where they were picked up by John-117. He escaped onto the Pillar of Autumn, which fled the battle into Slipspace.

Halo
"Men, we led those dumb bugs out to the middle of nowhere to keep 'em from gettin' their filthy claws on Earth. But, we stumbled onto somethin' they're so hot for, that they're scramblin' over each other to get it. Now I don't care if it God's own anti-son-of-a-bitch machine or a giant hula-hoop; We're not going to let them have it! What we will let them have is a belly full of lead and a pool of their own blood to drown in!"

- Sergeant Johnson ('Pillar of Autumn' level on Legendary)

Coming out of Slip space, the Pillar of Autumn came across Installation 04. The Covenant, too scared to damage the ring world, began boarding actions to "cleanly" neutralize the Autumn. On board, Johnson helped defend the Autumn from the invading Covenant troops, but like everyone else was forced to abandon ship when Captain Jacob Keyes issued the order.

Johnson’s escape pod and his squad successfully landed on the ring with few injuries to the passengers. However, as soon as they geared up, they were viciously attacked by the Covenant strike teams. With his platoon scattered all over the valley, he was glad to see SPARTAN-117 coming up to assist. .

Johnson and Fire Team Charlie were evacuated by Echo 419, and remained at Alpha Base for some time.

Escape from the Flood
The crew intercepted a Covenant transmission detailing the transport of numerous weapons to somewhere in the swampy regions of the ring. This, as well as a captured Elite's testimony of a large weapons cache located in a swamp, prompted Captain Keyes to investigate. Johnson and his squad accompanied the captain for this mission.

Shortly after they were dropped off, the squads came across a structure leading underground. As they ventured further into the facility they came across several Elite corpses, with scrambled innards. Passing them off as friendly fire, they proceeded deeper into the facility until they entered a seemingly empty room. Annoyed with Private Mendoza’s whining, Johnson passed off the situation until little balloon-like creatures barged out of the nearby holding cells and attacked the squad. As each marine fell, he was one of the victims of an assimilation attempt into a Combat Form, but the mutations caused by his Boren's Syndrome stopped the process. This encounter also seems to have left him with some curious regenerative abilities. Alive and well, Johnson was forced to attack and kill his own Marines, who were mutating before his eyes, and would kill him. Johnson fought his way out of the nightmare through sheer tenacity and firepower. He was presumed dead after SPARTAN-117 found a helmet recorder entry from Private Wallace Jenkins, showing the gory details of the Marines' fates, but may have been extracted from the swamp with Private Bisenti and the rest of Corporal Loviks surviving marines by Echo 419.

Return to Earth
"Hell, Chief, it’ll take more than that pack of walking alien horror-show freaks to take out Sergeant A. J. Johnson."

- Avery J. Johnson

Johnson met up with Lieutenant Elias Haverson, Corporal Locklear, and Sheila Polaski, after escaping the destruction of the ring in a Pelican, moments before it collapsed in a series of fiery explosions.

Polaski piloted the dropship away from the ring, meeting up with a C709 ‘‘Longsword’’-class Starfighter carrying SPARTAN-117 and the AI, Cortana. Having seen Jenkins’s video himself, John was alarmed by Johnson’s appearance and promptly pulled Johnson's own M6D Pistol and pointed it to his head. It took Cortana to convince him that Johnson hadn’t turned into Flood.

Ascendant Justice
"Those Covenant sissies are going to have to tango with me before they set one foot in this room."

- Avery J. Johnson

Without a viable way to return to the nearest safe outpost, it was decided that the new crew would take over the nearest Covenant ship in the vicinity: the Covenant flagship ‘‘Ascendant Justice’’. The Master Chief assumed command although Lieutenant Haverson was the ranking officer, and Johnson backed him up by helping him assert control over Locklear and Haverson. After they boarded, Johnson and the others made their way through the ship towards the bridge, where he witnessed a showdown between SPARTAN-117 and a Sangheili, where he brought down the alien’s shields in order for Spartan-117 to win.

Reach
"You still want to go, I got your back Chief."

- Avery J. Johnson

When they arrived at Reach, it was almost completely glassed. Using a Covenant drop ship, they traveled to the surface of the dead planet, and Johnson was becoming nervous. After they landed, they found the surviving Spartans and Dr. Catherine Halsey.

Johnson accompanied the new and growing crew as the ship moved through Slip space. Unknown to him, Dr. Halsey and the Master Chief were reviewing his medical files. They matched Johnson’s survival with the Flood to his Boren’s Syndrome: Flood DNA was present in Johnson’s blood, but was dormant and noninfectious. Halsey also confirmed that Johnson had gained some unique regenerative abilities as a side affect from the attempted assimilation back on Halo. Halsey had prepared two separate documents for ONI Section Three to review: Halsey placed the decision of which data crystal to give to ONI in the Chief's hands. If he gave them the second crystal, ONI would have probably dissected Johnson in order to figure out how he resisted the Flood, killing the Sergeant. The Chief later decided to save Johnson's life by discarding the second crystal.
 * All relevant data on Halsey’s analysis and the possible technology to counter an initial Flood infestation.
 * The file above, as well as Jenkins’s and Johnson’s mission logs as well as Johnson’s medical files.

Operation: FIRST STRIKE
"I'm not sure what that thing is. Don't look like any 'uneven elephant' to me—more like two squid kissing."

- Avery J. Johnson

Although Johnson's involvement in Operation: FIRST STRIKE was minimal, he came up with the idea to attack the Covenant ship Unyielding Hierophant in order to delay the Covenant from finding Earth. Johnson continued to be of assistance when the Spartans launched Operation: FIRST STRIKE, staying behind with Cortana in the damaged UNSC Gettysburg while they charged head-on into the Covenant ship after the operation.

The First Battle of Earth
"The message just repeats. 'Regret, Regret, Regret.'"

- Cortana

"Catchy. Any idea what it means?"

- Commander Keyes

"Dear Humanity... we regret being alien bastards. We regret coming to Earth. And we most definitely regret the Corps just blew up our raggedy-ass fleet!"

- Avery J. Johnson

"Ooh-Rah!"

- Marine Pilots

The crew returned to Earth safely, and they were given time to rest and were debriefed on their experiences. Aboard the Cairo, Johnson was promoted to Sergeant Major and was awarded the Colonial Cross for his actions on Halo. During the ceremony, a Covenant excavation fleet headed by High The Prophet of Regret arrived at Earth, sparking the battle.

Johnson aided the defense of the Cairo along with John-117. As the Spartan led the human forces deeper into the station, Johnson and Commander Miranda Keyes boarded the UNSC Frigate In Amber Clad.

As they arrived on the surface, Cortana intercepted data that pointed towards one of the Covenant’s spiritual leaders. Johnson led the Pelicans into battle, but they were shot down by a Covenant Scarab before they got close to the ship that carried the High Prophet of Regret. Using a SRS99C-S2 AM, Johnson fought in the residential district of the city, providing cover fire and serving as a lookout. As John-117 went on to find ODSTs from another downed Pelican, Johnson stayed back and joined the rescue units to provide cover. Viewing the Scarab as a threat to the mission, he returned to In Amber Clad to bring a Scorpion tank for John-117 to use in a front line assault against the Covenant invasion force. Together, they attacked the giant walker, as Johnson provided supplemental troops to back up SPARTAN-117 in his attack.

After the destruction of the Scarab, Johnson picked up the Chief and brought him back into In Amber Clad, just as the massive Covenant ship took off into Slip space.

Delta Halo
"Woah... It's like a postcard... Dear Sarge, kickin' ass in outer space, wish you were here."

- Marine ODST

"I heard that...jackass!"

- Avery J. Johnson

Coming out of Slip space, Johnson was shocked to learn that there was another Halo. Determined to find and capture the Prophet of Regret, Commander Keyes ordered SPARTAN-117 and the Sergeant to land on the ring and secure a landing zone. Johnson took two flights of Pelicans and followed SPARTAN-117 and a small detachment of elite Orbital Drop Shock Troopers onto the surface, providing artillery and troops to fight the Covenant stationed in the ring’s ancient temples.

During the mission, Cortana translated a message from Regret being broadcast on the Covenant network: Regret planned to activate Halo. Pulling information gathered from the previous ring visited, Keyes found the location of Delta Halo’s library housing the Index. She ordered Johnson to extract his troops and return to In Amber Clad for reassignment.

Search for the Index
"You know, your father never asked me for help either!"

- Avery J. Johnson to Commander Keyes Johnson and a group of his best Marines joined Keyes on a search for the Index. As they neared the center of the massive structure, the small pack was attacked by a large amount of Flood. They dug in and fought the creatures off, finally locating the Index. Johnson helped Miranda grab the key, but before they headed out, they were attacked by a Sangheili in special armor. Johnson was quickly incapacitated, and was captured by the Brute Chieftain Tartarus.

The Fight to Deactivate Halo
"Listen. You don't like me, and I sure as hell don't like you. But if we don't do something, Mr. Mohawk's gonna activate this ring... we're all gonna die."

- Avery J. Johnson

Johnson and Keyes were held in the Covenant city of High Charity, until The High Prophet of Truth told Tartarus to activate the ring to initiate the Great Journey. Tartarus ordered the Jiralhanae to split Johnson, Keyes, and the captured Oracle into two different Phantoms. Johnson was joined by Sergeant Banks and Sergeant Stacker for an execution by a pack of Jiralhanae. Moments before their deaths, the Arbiter and his squad burst out of the nearby structure and attacked the Jiralhanae, distracting them long enough for Johnson and his marines to board the nearby Scarab walker.

After the executioners were killed, Johnson confronted the Arbiter in his new Scarab. They both agreed that Tartarus needed to be stopped. Johnson suggested that the Arbiter commander a Banshee to provide air support. After that, they joined forces and traveled through the canyon towards the Control Room. Knowing the brute strength of the Scarab's main weapon, Johnson fired at the heavily armored door, shattering it with ease. Arming himself with a Beam Rifle, Johnson followed the Arbiter inside.

"Come on Arbiter! Kick that guy's ass!"

- Avery J. Johnson

He arrived during a standoff between the Arbiter’s forces and Tartarus’ forces. He aimed at the Jiralhanae’s head, keeping him from forcing Keyes to insert the Index. Tartarus threw 343 Guilty Spark at Johnson, knocking him over. Quickly, he inserted the Index into the control panel, starting the firing process. The Arbiter and his squad challenged Tartarus, and Johnson provided backup, using his beam rifle to bring down the Chieftain’s shields. With his shields down, the Arbiter was able to kill the Jiralhanae, therefore allowing Miranda to grab the Index and stop Halo from firing. With the remainder of the Sangheili squad keeping the area secure, 343 Guilty Spark explained to Johnson and Keyes that the other Installations were ready to fire by remote activation. When asked where they could be fired, the Monitor told them that they could be fired from the Ark.

Rejoining the Chief
"Crazy fool. Why do you always jump? One of these days, you're gonna land on somethin' as stubborn as you are! And I don't do bits and pieces..."

- Avery J. Johnson

When Sierra-117 crash-landed on Earth, he was met by Johnson, the Arbiter, and a squad of Marines. After a few minutes of hiking through the jungle, he and his squad split off from the Master Chief and the Arbiter after encountering enemy Phantoms, reasoning that they would be safer apart than together. Johnson and his team proceeded to continue through the woods, and arrived at the evacuation site several moments before the John-117 and the Arbiter. However, enemy Banshees soon discovered the awaiting Pelicans, and he was shot down, crash landing about a kilometer away. He and the surviving Marines were forced to flee pursuing Brutes. At some point Johnson and his men were captured and tortured. After being freed by John-117, he grabbed a Needler and helped fend off incoming Covenant until Hocus, a Pelican pilot, could come to the rescue. Johnson was evacuated along with the John-117, the Arbiter and surviving Marines.

Defending the Base
"Go on, Chief. The Arbiter and I will guard the ops center."

- Avery J. Johnson

Johnson, John-117 and the Arbiter were brought to a UNSC base codenamed "Crows Nest", deep underground in the African jungle. There, they linked up with Miranda Keyes, who briefed them on the situation. He and the Arbiter stayed behind to defend the ops center from Covenant attacks, while John-117 went off to secure the perimeter. After a lengthy battle, he was forced to fall back as Jiralhanae overran the control room. He rendezvoused with Keyes and the Arbiter in a Pelican, and guided John-117 through the base to an elevator which would take him to the Pelicans. Unfortunately, the base exploded before John-117 could reach Johnson, and Johnson was forced to take off.

Battle of Voi
"The Brutes have a tight perimeter, Chief. These Warthogs should help you punch through."

- Avery J. Johnson

Johnson warned John-117 that the Covenant had uncovered the Ark, and that John-117 had to get to it. Johnson provided air support for the SPARTAN and the Marine survivors, dropping off Warthogs so the Chief and Marines could break through the Jiralhanae blockades. At one point, he dropped off a Mongoose ATV to assist the Master Chief in destroying a Covenant Scarab. Johnson remained in a Pelican drop ship for most if not all of the Battle of Voi, dispersing armor and troops throughout the city as necessary to help push the Covenant back. When the pelican made a crash-landing in Voi, Johnson probably docked on the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn along with Commander Keyes. He was present when the Master Chief retrieved Cortana and played back her message, and was one of the Marines that followed The High Prophet of Truth to The Ark

The Ark
"Shall I help you choose a vehicle, Reclaimer? This one seems in very good condition, about the standard. Primitive armor not withstanding."

- 343 Guilty Spark

"A tank's a tank, light bulb."

- Johnson

Johnson descended to the Ark with a few Pelicans along with John-117, and helped him secure a landing zone and stop the construction of an AA battery. He later brought in some tanks from the frigate, helping throughout the mission, until the location of Truth was discovered from the Cartographer.

He then went on to command the second squad in taking down the third tower which was projecting the shield barrier protecting Truth in the Citadel. There, he, along with his squad, were overrun and captured by overwhelming Jiralhanae forces.

The Prophet of Truth attempted to use him to activate the Ark, but he only taunted the Jiralhanae, in particular a Chieftain and took their abuse. Miranda attempted to rescue him by crashing a Pelican through a large observatory window, but was surrounded. Realizing what the Prophet of Truth wished to use them for, Miranda and Johnson agreed that she should kill them both so they could not be used. This was interrupted by the Prophet of Truth, who shot Miranda in the back with a Spiker, killing her instantly. Johnson was rescued by John-117 and the Arbiter, along with a horde of flood. After the flood turned on the three, Johnson managed to escape on Miranda's Pelican, but the Arbiter and Chief could not get to it, and had to fight back through the flood.

Halo
"Don't let her go, Chief... don't ever... let her go."

- Johnson, handing Cortana over to the Chief

"Send me out... with a bang..."

- Johnson's last words

Johnson helped John-117 fight through hordes of flood to get to the control room of the newly rebuilt Installation 04, giving cover fire for the Chief and Arbiter with a Spartan Laser. Johnson tried to activate the ring despite Guilty Spark's suggestion that they wait for it to be finished, which could take several days. Driven rampant by his own intuition that the ring "Belonged to him", Guilty Spark fired his beam at Johnson, opening a hole in his chest, causing a fatal wound.

While John-117 fought the rogue construct, Johnson used his Laser to damage Spark, and told the Master Chief to "Kick his ass" while he handed John-117 his weapon. After Spark was destroyed, he gave John-117 the chip containing Cortana, and told him to "never let her go". Despite John's promise that they would not leave him behind, Johnson knew that he wasn't going to make it, and told the Chief to 'send him out with a bang'. Following his wishes, John-117 left his body in the control room as the premature ring activated and tore itself apart. Johnson's body, after the activation, fell into a large chasm, sealing his death.

Appearances

 * Halo: Combat Evolved
 * Halo 2
 * Halo 3
 * Halo: The Fall of Reach
 * Halo: The Flood
 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo: Contact Harvest

Trivia

 * Although Johnson is usually labeled as a sniper, he is only seen using a sniper rifle on the levels Assault on the Control Room (Halo 1) and Outskirts (Halo 2), and a Beam Rifle in The Great Journey, the Graphic Novel and the first chapter of Contact Harvest. In all of his other appearances, he is either wielding an MA5B Assault Rifle, a BR55 Battle Rifle, a Spartan Laser, or a Pistol.
 * In Halo 3, if you intentionally kill Johnson more than once, he will get back up and kill you in one shot, regardless of what weapon he has.
 * In Halo: Combat Evolved, he may scream exactly the same way as when an Elite is killed.
 * In Halo: Combat Evolved, the popular Elite quote "Wort, wort, wort!" is actually a slower reversal of Johnson saying "Go, go, go!"
 * It may be presumed that Johnson could be or was married according to a quote during gameplay on the level Cairo Station where it is said by Johnson himself that the Covenant was worse than his mother-in-law.
 * In Halo: Contact Harvest Johnson was involved in a romantic relationship with his Commanding officer, Jilan al-Cygni.
 * Johnson is the only marine to wield a Spartan Laser. Although he is the only marine in the game to automatically have a Spartan Laser, specifically the mission Halo, you can still give a Spartan Laser to normal marines in missions where the weapon is available.
 * If you kill Johnson almost immediately before you go into the control room, He will not only still be alive when you get into the room but after watching him die in the cinematic and then leaving, he will be right where you "killed" him, with the same weapon and fighting off the flood.
 * If you do the above glitch and let Johnson die by getting infected by Infection forms with the IWHBYD skull on, sometimes you can hear him scream "I did this for Hocus!" before becoming a combat form. It is possible to say that he has or had a relationship with the Pelican pilot.
 * Johnson last words before he died were, "Send me out... with a bang...", referring to activating Halo.
 * In Halo: First Strike, Johnson is shown to enjoy flip music.
 * In Halo: Contact Harvest, Johnson's call sign is Crawler.
 * Johnson prefers Sweet William cigars.
 * Johnson made a reference to Captain Keyes in the level "Truth and Reconciliation" when he took a Needler in Sierra 117.
 * The character of Sergeant Johnson first appeared in a short video shown to kick off the Halo Launch Party held in Chicago on November 10, 2001.
 * His voice is portrayed by David Scully in the games, who also voices a number of Elites as well.
 * Sergeant Johnson would appear to be partially based on the character "Gunnery Sergeant Al Apone" from the film Aliens, with whom Johnson shares many character and physical traits, as well as some dialogue.