Talk:Plasma

Check the third bullet of "Trivia." Really, plasma bolts can be stopped with hot-pads? So the UNSC marines should geared up in kitchen hot-pads to avoid being injured by plasma weapons, including the energy sword! Please check the source of that claim.

I agree, the third bullet needs to be removed or changed.

The author tries to make it seem like the games aren't canon (while they obviously are), while suggesting that the books and the games are from two different series. They aren't. When analyzing Halo (since both the books and games are cannon), there has to be a cannon explanation for any said power disparities.

But, in spite of that, I'd dispute his claim that there are power disparities. Yes, in the game, plasma weapons are less effective than projectile weapons against unshielded targets, but that isn't unreasonable. If I take a 2 lb. projectile, and accelerate to 40% of the speed of light (what some Gauss guns do), it will have nearly 2 megatons of energy when it hits it target! That's about the energy of a small nuclear bomb. Though I in no way suggest that UNSC machine guns have that kind of yield, it stands to reason that a handheld projectile weapon can be just as powerful as a handheld plasma weapon.

Moreover, he claims that the weakness of plasma weapons in the games conflicts with the strength of plasma in the books. But we do see plasma weapons killing people in the books. We do see marines get killed by the Elite's plasma rifles. Plasma rifles can cut through armor, just like we see in the book.

So, really, there is no reason to conclude a break in canon here. The information in the books agrees with the video games.

The author has a point though. Often it seems in the book that being touched by any plasma means your screwed. Marines and machines are destroyed nigh instantaneously by plasma in the books but soak the same amount like sponges in the game.

Background
Maybe I shouldn't be questioning this, but shouldn't a little background on Plasma as a substance be added i.e.: "Plasma is a fourth state of matter in the universe?" Anyone agree, disagree?