Vladimir Scruggs

"I am a Spartan. But what you fight for isn't always the same as who you fight for."

- Vladimir Scruggs

Vladimir Scruggs was a SPARTAN-IV supersoldier who at some point in his career defected to the New Colonial Alliance.

Becoming a Spartan
After the Human-Covenant War, Scruggs was recruited as one of the first members of the SPARTAN-IV program. Scruggs was knocked out during a training exercise in January 2553. After Spartan Sarah Palmer completed the objective, their trainer, Jun, berated them for nearly losing to the Marines they were competing against. Scruggs complained that if he had MJOLNIR armor he could take on twice as many enemies. While Spartan Joel Thomas agreed with him, Commander Musa said they would get the armor when they deserved to wear it.

Days later, Scruggs and his fellow Spartans embarked on the. There, he was struck by the enormity of the ship. However, an Insurrectionist attack led by Ilsa Zane, the first SPARTAN-IV, interrupted the tour and locked the Spartans on S-deck. While Spartans Palmer and Davis headed to Infinity ' s bridge from space, Scruggs, Thomas, and Holst repelled the Insurrectionists. At one point, Scruggs wanted to vent a group of trapped Insurrectionists into space, though he was stopped by Commander Thomas Lasky.

After the rebel attack on Infinity, Scruggs was assigned to Fireteam Jackknife.

Battle of Ealen IV
In March 2558, Scruggs and the rest of Fireteam Jackknife, along with Fireteam Bailey led by Paul DeMarco, were assigned to escort and provide security for Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood and Kaidon Thel 'Vadam on a diplomatic mission to Ealen IV. While Hood and 'Vadam were negotiating with the Jiralhanae Chieftain Lydus, Covenant mercenaries led by Shipmaster Vata 'Gajat attacked the delegates. Commander Palmer ordered Scruggs and the other SPARTAN-IVs to clear the chamber and help the delegates evacuate. After their evacuation ship was destroyed, the Spartans escorted the delegates to a nearby parts depot. Once everyone was inside, DeMarco sealed the depot to halt the incoming Covenant forces.

Inside the depot, the Arbiter informed the party of a redoubt in which they could take refuge. Spartan Naiya Ray of Jackknife left with Captain Lasky to reestablish communication with Infinity. As the party attempted to escape the storage depot, Scruggs and the rest of Jackknife were tasked with ensuring the safety of Lydus and his Jiralhanae bodyguards. Soon after their escape, they were intercepted by a Covenant Lich. Commander Palmer destroyed the Lich but was attacked by a surviving Sangheili. Scruggs killed the Elite, saving Palmer just in time.

Jackknife and the alien bodyguards then left the delegates to ensure that the redoubt was safe to use as shelter. As the party arrived at the redoubt, Scruggs killed his team and the Brute bodyguards. He then notified Captain Daniel Clayton, a member of the New Colonial Alliance who had leaked the location of the peace talks, of Fireteam Jackknife's elimination. After that he radioed Palmer to inform her that it was safe to bring the delegates into the redoubt.

When the party arrived, Scruggs ambushed the delegates and took Admiral Hood hostage, using him as a human shield. Palmer was shocked by Scruggs' treachery, urging him that as a Spartan he was above such behavior. Scruggs accepted that he was a Spartan but insisting that he was fighting for something else. When Palmer accused him of being an Insurrectionist, Scruggs scoffed at her and told her she was unaware of a grander scheme surrounding the UNSC, mentioning the attack on New Phoenix, the Arbiter's inability to make peace, and the disappearance of Spartan John-117. Palmer then shot Hood in the leg, causing Scruggs to lose his grip on him, and quickly tackled Scruggs out of a window onto a platform below. Scruggs tried to take aim at Palmer but she threw a knife into his wrist, forcing him to drop his pistol. When he tried to use his own combat knife, Palmer quickly disarmed him and stabbed him in the throat, killing him.

Personality and traits
During his SPARTAN-IV training, Scruggs was very headlong and rash. He charged the UNSC Marines he was competing against without any weapons, allowing the Marines to quickly eliminate him from the training exercise. After being berated by Jun-A266, Scruggs complained that he deserved to wear armor, since he was a Spartan. Scruggs became disillusioned with the Unified Earth Government and the UNSC's post-war involvement. He began questioning the events that were occurring throughout the galaxy, such as why the attack on New Phoenix was blamed on Covenant remnants, why Thel 'Vadam was unable to make peace with his species, and the disappearance of Spartan John-117. Scruggs claimed to be a Spartan, but he stated that he was not affiliated with the UNSC or the "Insurrectionists".

Equipment
Scruggs wore the Soldier variant of the MJOLNIR GEN2 armor with FOTUS forearms, Recruit legs, and a Solar visor. During the Raid on UNSC Infinity, he wielded an MA5D assault rifle and a M739 SAW during the Battle of Ealen IV.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Initiation
 * Halo: Escalation