Maria-062

''"Maria" redirects here. For other uses of the name, see Maria (disambiguation).''

"Once John gets a hold of this armor, we'll all start sleeping a little better at night."

- Maria-062

Maria-062 was a SPARTAN-II super soldier of the UNSC Naval Special Warfare Command. She tested the Mark VI MJOLNIR armor suit that would later be issued to John-117.

Special Warfare Center
Prior to the Battle of Earth in October 2552, Maria tested the new Mark VI MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor in Seongnam in the Kyonggi Province of Korea.

She fought against a squad of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers from the 340th ODST Combat Training Unit with Tactical Training Rounds in a mock battle near the Special Warfare Center. After the exercise, the armor was approved for battle and was sent up to Orbital Defense Platform Cairo Station. There, it was issued to Master Chief Petty Officer John-117.

Personal and Family Life
At the time of the exercise, Maria claimed that she had retired with the intent of starting a family.

Theory
Prior to the Fall of Reach, one of the SPARTAN-IIs had been wounded too critically to continue active duty. It is likely that this wounded SPARTAN was Maria, and that she did not participate in the Fall of Reach. If this is the case, it is possible that she attempted to live a normal life and start a family. It is likely that her wounds had healed sufficiently by that point for her to test the Mark VI MJOLNIR armor. It is also possible, given the seeming unlikelihood of a SPARTAN being allowed to retire, that she served with the Office of Naval Intelligence in some capacity following her alleged retirement.

Trivia

 * Maria-062 is the first SPARTAN-II whose face was visually depicted.
 * Maria is the first SPARTAN ever depicted to retire, the second being Ralph-303.