Banks

"Marine, did I give you permission to bitch?"

- Staff Sergeant Banks countering a Marine's nervousness

Staff Sergeant Banks is a non-commissioned officer of the UNSC Marine Corps. He served in A Company First Platoon of an unknown regiment. Banks commanded First Platoon during the Battle of Mombasa, and later served on the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn, playing a role in several engagements during the Battle of Installation 05.

Defense of Cairo Station
On October 20, 2552, Banks was onboard Cairo Station when the Covenant Fleet of Sacred Consecration arrive at Earth via slipstream space. Banks was among the Marines who defended the station when it was boarded by the Covenant troops. Banks was combating the Covenant in Commons R-01 when Spartan-II John-117 arrived and provided assistance.

Battle of Mombasa
"When I asked for reinforcements, I didn't think they'd send a Spartan."

- Banks expressing his surprise at the Master Chief's appearance

Upon his unit's deployment to New Mombasa, Banks found himself in command of "A" Company's First Platoon after their lieutenant was incapacitated on arrival. Coming next in the chain of command, he was forced to take direct command of the Marines in Sector B. The company's command post soon came under heavy siege by a number of Wraiths, forcing the Marines to lock the building down to prevent Covenant entry. The entrenched Marines were unable to muster any response due to the presence of several Kig-Yar Snipers covering the building. Fortunately for the Marines, John-117 arrived in the area and eliminated all Covenant forces. With the enemy neutralized, Banks was able to open the command post again, allowing the arriving UNSC forces to enter. Banks and his men proceeded to assist John-117 in disabling an advancing Scarab walker, providing cover fire as the Spartan boarded the Scarab, killed its crew and disabled it from within.

Banks and the rest of his platoon were evacuated and transferred to the, which left Mombasa in pursuit of the Covenant Solemn Penance as the latter ship jumped into slipspace.

Battle of Installation 05
"Gunnery Sergeant Marcus Stacker"

- Sergeant Banks

Arriving at Installation 05 on board the UNSC In Amber Clad on November 2, Banks was among the first wave of ODSTs dropped onto Installation 05 as part of the First Platoon. Along with Gunnery Sergeant Marcus Stacker, Private First Class Chips Dubbo and several Marines, Banks supported John-117 as he made his way through Covenant-held ruins on his way to the Prophet of Regret's temple. Alongside most of First Platoon, Banks was pulled out via Pelican by Sergeant Johnson and reassigned to a mission to retrieve the index.

Banks was among a platoon of Marines deployed by the In Amber Clad to the Sentinel Wall surrounding the Quarantine Zone. The Marines moved through the outer wall with ease, unmolested by local Sentinel defenses - likely due to being recognized by the automated guardians as Reclaimers.

As the force moved through the inner wall however, the outer wall became besieged by Jiralhanae-led Covenant forces deployed from the recently arrived High Charity. Eventually, the Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee was able to deactivate the Containment Shield, and the inner wall quickly became overrun with Flood from the nearby Quarantine Zone.

Most of the Marines swiftly fell to the Flood parasite and the now-hostile Sentinels. While Gunnery Sergeant Stacker contacted In Amber Clad, Banks directed the surviving Marines as they staged a desperate defense, attempting to hold their position. Banks, Stacker and their Marine survivors were ultimately captured by Covenant forces.

Later, as High Charity was overrun by the Flood-infested In Amber Clad, captive Sergeants Johnson, Stacker and Banks were brought to a series of structures held by the Jiralhanae on Installation 05. The three were moments away from execution when the Jiralhanae were attacked by Sangheili forces led by the Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee. Taking advantage of the confusion, Johnson managed to board the nearby Scarab walker, and forged a hasty alliance with 'Vadamee in order to stop Tartarus from activating the installation. The UNSC-operated Scarab cleared a path to the Installation's Control Room, while the Arbiter provided air support. After the neutralization and subsequent blockading of Installation 05, Banks was presumably evacuated by the Arbiter and his allies alongside Johnson, Miranda, and Stacker, returning to Earth around November 15, 2552.

Trivia

 * Banks is voiced by Orlando Jones, who is best known for his work on the sketch comedy series MadTV.
 * In the Halo 2 E3 demo, Banks is Caucasian and is voiced by Pete Stacker. He calls an airstrike onto a Covenant artillery platform before giving the Master Chief his M7 SMG. This version of Banks is heavily wounded and does not aid the Master Chief in driving the Covenant out of New Mombasa, standing in stark contrast to the character's retail incarnation.
 * In the level Regret, Sergeant Banks is sometimes one of the Master Chief's Marine allies. A glitch may also happen on the same level, where his voice is that of Stacker's or vice versa.
 * Banks was nicknamed "Sergeant Catious" by Bungie staff, and at one point, was going to be named Sergeant Jones, after his voice actor.

List of appearances

 * Halo 2
 * Halo 2: Anniversary