The Armory (Level)

The Armory is the first campaign level in Halo 2 in which a gamer plays from the first person. It is a short stage mainly to allow the player to get a feel for the game controls. It has no enemies or weapons, but it does have Marine allies.

One Size Fits All
{Gameplay}

(A Master Gunnery Sergeant inspects the Master Chief's new armor.)

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Well, I guess it was all obsolete, anyway."

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Your new suit's a Mark VI, just came up from Songnam this morning. Try and take it easy till you get used to the upgrades."

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Okay, let's test your targeting, first thing. Please look at the top light." (Once the Chief does as he's told)"Good. Now look at the bottom light." (Once the Chief does as he's told)"Alright. Look at the top light again." (Once the Chief does as he's told)"That's it. Now the bottom one." (Once the Chief does as he's told)"Okay."

(If the Chief doesn't pass the first diagnostic test.)

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Tracking looks sketchy, I'm gonna run you through the full diagnostic. The diagnostic software sets your targeting system to be normal. Go ahead and look at the four lights, Chief. You want me to leave it like that, or make it inverted?"

(If the Chief wants it to be Inverted as selected.)

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Okay, now it's inverted. Go ahead and target 'em one more time. Should I leave it inverted, or put it back to normal?"

(If the Chief wants it back to Normal as selected.)

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Okay, now it's back to normal. I'll leave your targeting set to normal. If you change your mind, you can switch the setting anytime."

(Once diagnostic tests are complete.)

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Stand by. I'm gonna offline the inhibitors. Move around a little, get a feel for it. When you're ready, come and meet me by the zapper."

(If the Chief explores the armory, jumping, and hitting stuff about.)

Master Gunnery Sergeant:"Hey, take it easy!"

or

"Careful, you'll pull a tendon doing that!"

or

"Fine, but don't come cryin' to me when you rip your leg out of its socket."

(The Master Chief moves over to the shield recharge station.)

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Pay attention, 'cause I'm only going over this once. This station'll test your recharging energy shields. Step on in, I'll show ya."

(If the Chief looks away from him.)

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Over here, Chief. Focus." "It's considered respectful to look at someone when they're talkin'."

(If the Chief keeps looking away from the Sergeant.)

"This is important. You could at least look at me when I explain it."

or

"I'm talkin' to you Chief. Look at me."

or

"I know you Spartans think you know everything, but it couldn't hurt you to at least look this way."

"Look, just 'cause the brass kisses your ass don't mean I will. Look at me when I talk to you."

(The Chief steps in the station.)

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Your new armor's shields are extremely efficient, very resilient. Much better than the Covenant tech we used for the Mark V."

(If the Chief waits.)

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Are you listenin' to me?"

"Step into the red square Chief, and we'll get started."

(If the Chief keeps waiting and over again.)

"Chief, stand in the red square."

"You have to stand in the red square before we can start the test."

"Go ahead and stand in the red square. It'll just take a minute."

"Come on, son. Step into the red square."

If the Chief steps into the red square but stalls and doesn't press the switch.

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Go ahead and press the red switch to start the shield test."

(If the Chief doesn't do as he's told and waits.)

"Just place your hand on the touch-pad to activate the switch."

"Hit the switch! It won't hurt... much."

"Go ahead and use that switch in front of you."

"The switch right in front of you will start the shield test."

"It's a switch. You press it."

(The Chief presses the red switch. The machine zaps the Chief's shields, and they slowly recharge.)

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Bingo! As you can see, they recharge a lot faster!"

(The elevator door opens, and a Sergeant, known as Sergeant Johnson steps out wearing a dress uniform.)

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "If your shields go down, find some cover, wait for the meter to read fully charged."

Sergeant Johnson: "That, or he can hide behind me. You done with my boy here, Master Gunns? I don't see any training wheels."

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "His armor's working fine, Johnson, so shut your chili-hole. You're free to go, son, just remember, take things slow."

Sergeant Johnson: "Don't worry, I'll hold his hand."

(If the Chief stalls)

Sergeant Johnson: "C'mon, Chief. They're waiting for us on the bridge."

If the Chief continues to stall again and again.

"Get on the lift, Chief. We're gonna be late."

"I don't want to keep the brass waiting, Chief."

"Fine, you can tell Lord Hood why we're late!"

"Get your shiny green posterior on this elevator!"

"Would it help if I said, "Please"?"

(Note that the above statement triggers the Unknown Skull)

(The Master Chief enters the elevator.)

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "So, Johnson, when you gonna tell me how you made it back home in one piece?"

Sergeant Johnson: "Sorry, Gunns! It's classified."

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Huh! My ass! Well, you can forget about those adjustments to your A2 scope! And you're surely...

(The doors close and the elevator rises.)

Sergeant Johnson: "Well, he's in a particularly fine mood. Maybe Lord Hood didn't give him an invitation."

(The elevator stops, the doors open and the Chief and Johnson get out to board a small tram. It starts to move, with a view of the crew of the Cairo Station going about their business and a backdrop of windows displaying the station and the stars. The planet Earth comes into view. As the tram starts moving, Sergeant Johnson comments on the things passing by the windows.)

Sergeant Johnson: "Earth... Haven't seen it in years. When I shipped out for Basic, the orbital defense grid was all theory and politics. Now look! The Cairo is just one of three hundred geosync platforms. That MAC gun can put a round clean through a Covenant capital ship. With coordinated fire from the Athens and the Malta, nothing's getting past this battle cluster in one piece. Ships have been arriving all morning. Nobody's saying much, but I think something big ' s about to happen."

(The tram stops, and they walk out to join a crowd of cheering Marines.)

Walkthrough
Not that anyone would need this walkthrough, as this level is extremely easy on any difficulty. All you have to do is do what the Sergeant tells you to do. Eventually, Sergeant Johnson will come in through the elevator. He will pause for a moment to talk to the other Sergeant, but eventually, he will go back into the elevator. Follow him in. Once the elevator is done moving, the doors will open. Move out and follow Johnson into a side-moving elevator. He will talk to you, and when it stops moving, Marines will be cheering for you and him. Follow him out and Cairo Station will follow.

Trivia

 * If you look away from the Gunnery Sergeant during the basic introductions, he will ask if your paying attention and/or stop talking knowing that your not listening.
 * In the armory there are canisters labeled with food products such as rice and bacon and in the corner there is one that says BBQ ribs.
 * The MAC (Magnetic Accelerator Cannon) Platform Battle cluster, the Malta, the Athens and the Cairo spell out MAC in order of destruction. The Malta blew up first, followed by the Athens, until only Cairo was left.
 * If you look down at the floor before you take a ride in the elevator, the Master Chief's shadow looks as though he's holding a gun, specifically a SMG.
 * Johnson's line of "That, or he can hide behind me", is probably an allusion to the fact that he cannot be killed at any point in the game. However, he only appears in-game in the first section and near the first airlock in Cairo Station, first part of Outskirts, and during the last section of The Great Journey.
 * Aside from The Heretic and Arrival, this is the only level of the entire Halo series where you don't face any enemies.
 * While looking at space you could see ships pass by.
 * When getting out of the elevator look to your left, there should be a trash can, get on top of it and jump, keep on jumping, sometimes you will hear dead Jackal noises, while jumping you get damaged and doing so you will die from jumping on the trash can. Easier in legendary.
 * When you get to the part with the trash can, look to your left, there should be a faded look like a skeleton.
 * Johnson's cigar is found under the trash can.
 * If you have the Black Eye Skull activated, your shields will not recharge, during the shield test.
 * Before you go on the elevator ride, find a bin. The bin will have three bullet-casings next to it. The bin can be pushed out of it's spot, and occasionally, there will be an explosion and your shields will drop. It is unknown why this happens.
 * This level is similar to the start of the Pillar of Autumn level in Halo:CE.
 * The unnamed skull can be found on this level, on Legendary.