Halo (Halo 3 level)

Halo is the ninth and final campaign mission of Halo 3.

Plot
After making it to the Installation near the Ark on a UNSC Frigate, Johnson, Master Chief and the Arbiter attempt to activate the ring using the Index from Alpha Halo. 343 Guilty Spark resists, killing Johnson and is destroyed by Master Chief and the Arbiter, who then activate the ring. What follows is an extended Warthog race back to the ship, in reference to The Maw. Cortana is uploaded to the frigate and guides it out towards the slipspace portal located above the Ark. Due to the incomplete nature of the Installation, the firing mechanism destroys both that Halo and the Ark. Only the front half the ship makes it through the portal, with the Arbiter in tow; the other half is floating somewhere in deep space with Master Chief and Cortana. Cortana sends out a tracking beacon, while Master Chief puts himself in a cryogenic chamber, the same type he emerged from in the beginning of the first game. Back on Earth, in March of 2553, a monument is dedicated to the war and all those who perished in it. The Arbiter pledges his friendship with humanity before leaving the system with the remnants of the Covenant fleet. The cutscene ends showing "117" carved into the memorial.

After the credits, Master Chief is seen, still alive, on the back end of the ship because it didn't make it through the portal. Cortana sends out a signal and says it could be years before they on found. Master Chief then puts himself in a cryotube to await rescue.

In the Legendary ending, the part of the ship Master Chief is on is seen drifting towards an unknown planet.

Transcript
(Pelican with the Chief, Arbiter & Cortana leaves the Ark's atmosphere, passing the Shadow of Intent)

Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum: "We are aboard. Humans and Elites. Will you not come with us brother?"

Arbiter: "No. This is our fight. And I will see it finished."

(The Pelican begins it's approach to the ring)

Cortana: "Johnson, do you have the Frigate?"

Johnson (Visual Radio): "Yes ma'am. I'll land her as close to the control room as I can."

Cortana: "Safe is better than close Sergeant Major."

Johnson (Visual Radio): "..Roger that. And ma'am. It's good to have you back."

(Master Chief makes a crash landing in a snowy canyon near the control room. The Chief and Arbiter collect the weapons dropped)

Cortana: "This ring. It's so new... unfinished. I'm not exactly sure what will happen when we fire it."

(Arbiter tosses the Chief an MA5C)

Master Chief: We'll head for the Portal. And we'll all go home."

Full Circle
Upon completing it on the Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulties, the player will earn the "Return" achievement and 50 Gamerpoints.


 * Halo 3 Achievements

Walkthrough
Congratulations--you've reached the end of Halo 3. The Halo's lovely, dark, and deep, but you've got promises to keep--and miles of Flood until you sleep.

When the level starts, simply follow the corridor until you reach the installation. It's here that Gravemind starts his final offensive, air-dropping Flood units on you. If you're hurting for ammo after the last level, take out any armed Flood first and cut them down. Depending on your skill and the difficulty level, try stocking up on a Gravity Hammer, Energy Sword, or even a Brute Shot--anything with a strong melee attack. There's lots of Flood and only so much ammo you can scavenge.

Wind your way up the Citadel as Cortana instructs you to do. You can run straight ahead and let the Arbiter (or your friends) deal with the Flood, but it helps to do your part and cut down their numbers. At least you won't have as many monsters at your back. The way up to the next level of the citadel is always at the opposite end of where you first climb up, so you're in for a lot of action.

When you hit the top of the fortress, you'll hear from 343 Guilty Spark that he won't open the door until all the Flood attacking you are destroyed--security, you see--so be ready to go on the defensive. In single player mode, give the Arbiter plenty of room to do his thing and do your part in killing some Flood. A good strategy for dealing with the tides of Flood is to melee any Flood-form you see in the midst of resurrecting or upgrading; it'll prevent them from getting back up, and, if you hit them bad enough, it'll shatter their corpse, rendering it useless for reanimation. If you have any incendiary grenades, use them to burn away corpses. Another way to ease the pressure being put on you is to take the two Auto Turrets that are conveniently placed right in front of the door. Pick them up and activate them in approximately the same place they were laying, facing the Flood opposition, of course.

After clearing the infestation, you have a few moments to calm down and breathe. Follow Guilty Spark into the control room, watch the cinematic, and prepare for what could be considered the only boss in Halo 3: 343 Guilty Spark.

Guilty Spark has two main combat modes: one is a massive spherical shield that pushes you back and protects him from harm, and the other is a massive energy beam. Play defensive--even without that shield, Guilty Spark's mighty construction keeps him from harm. When Johnson blasts him with the Spartan laser, switch over to the weapon you can most easily give up and take the laser from Johnson. Time to take your revenge. Guilty Spark is just the right size to fit into the reticle of your non-linear rifle--convenient! That beam can smash you good if you get hit, so stay defensive. Blast 343 to defeat him... and get ready to run.

First things first: be ready to alternate between shooting and running. You should be doing more running than shooting, as there are waves of Flood coming your way. When you blast your way to the exit, turn right. Be careful though, if you set up those Auto Turrets, they are now against you and will shoot at you so take them out as you leave. Take the ice bridge directly to the right of the entrance and follow it to a cave. Work your way down, ping whatever Flood you can--remember, you're almost at the end, now's not the time to die--and hop a ride in the Warthog at the end of the tunnel.

Escape is, to say the least, tricky. Trust in the Arbiter (or your multiplayer pals) to shoot any oncoming Flood, and watch where you're driving. I can't emphasize this enough--Halo is in the middle of shaking itself to pieces. When you see an explosion, stay away from where it was. Those panels are gone now, and the only thing underneath them is death by falling. Keep your cool and watch for where the ground is solid. You'll only find Flood in straightaways, so feel free to pound on the gas and dodge the falling debris.

You'll eventually reach a series of roundabouts. Follow the red-brick road to find the path off of 'em before they get blown off their hinges and plummet to the Ark below, taking you with them. You'll reach the end of the path eventually--when you see the ship over in the distance, you'll know you're near the end. When you finally see the freighter pull in front of you, go straight and fast and take the jump.

Watch the ending, stay for the credits--and hit the next level of difficulty! Halo 3 is short, but sweet, and there's always one more challenge over the hill.

Trivia

 * On September 17, shakey-cam footage of the ending was leaked and uploaded onto YouTube.

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 * The last part of gameplay on this level is a clever remake of the Warthog escape on the last level of Halo: Combat Evolved,The Maw.


 * This level is home to the only known Big Screen TV.