Banks

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

- Staff Sergeant Marcus Banks

Staff Sergeant Marcus Banks was a UNSC Marine Non-commissioned officer in the 405th, who commanded many Marines during the Battle of Mombasa and had a significant role in the Battle of Installation 05.

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

- Marcus Banks

After his unit's deployment to New Mombasa, Banks was in command of "A" Company after their original commander (an unnamed Lieutenant) was hit when they dropped in. As the ranking surviving officer, he was forced to take command of the marines in the area, though he was likely under the command of the Colonel in charge of the defense of the city.

After the Master Chief broke through Covenant defenses, Corporal Perez guided Cortana and him to Banks while briefing them. Staff Sergeant Banks was found on the roof of a building (an impromptu command center) held by the Marines of "A" Company. After seeing the Master Chief, Sergeant Banks expressed surprise at his appearance. After a Scarab crushed most of his defenses, he called on the Master Chief to help him take out the Scarab. Along with his platoon he fired upon the Scarab from the cover of a nearby bridge while the Chief dove onto the Scarab, killing its crew and disabling it.

Battle of Installation 05
After the Battle of Mombasa, Banks was quickly transferred to the, which left Mombasa with the Prophet of Regret's Assault Carrier as it jumped into slipspace. In the Battle of Installation 00, Sgt Banks was one of the NCOs dispatched from In Amber Clad. He was later captured by Brute forces, along with Sergeant Major Johnson and Gunnery Sergeant Pete Stacker to be used to activate the installation. However, the three managed to break free when the Arbiter and several other Elites attacked the Brutes. The three then helped the Arbiter take back a Scarab walker. Stacker and Banks then boarded the Scarab along with Johnson.

Battle of Installation 00
Banks returned to Earth with the survivors from Installation 05, and participated in the Battle of Voi. When the Covenant Separatist Fleet of Retribution and the UNSC forces under the command of Lieutenant Commander Miranda Keyes traveled through the Portal to the Ark, Banks was among the Marines stationed aboard the UNSC ships. When the battle broke out, he was deployed to the surface of the installation, where he fought alongside John-117.

Trivia

 * His name was possibly taken from Marcus Banks, a basketball player who in 2006, played in the NBA for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
 * In the level Regret, Sergeant Banks is sometimes one of the Master Chief's Marine allies. A glitch may also happen on the level Regret, where his voice is that of Stacker's or vice versa.
 * In the E3 Video and demo, Banks appears to be of Caucasian descent. In the final game however, Banks appears to be of African descent.
 * Unlike in the E3 demo, he is found with a Battle Rifle instead of a SMG and is no longer wounded.
 * It is possible that, while on the roof, a radio antennae will fall and kill him (or wound him).
 * On Cairo Station, Banks is seen wearing his service uniform with a major emblem instead of a staff sergeant emblem, like any other Marine (e.g. Avery J. Johnson and Pete Stacker wearing his/her service uniform).
 * On Cairo Station, it may also be seen that he has been awarded the Purple Heart.
 * He is voiced by Orlando Jones.
 * If you kill him his backpack disappears.
 * Banks appears in Halo 3, though his voice appears to have changed.

Quotes

 * "When I asked for reinforcements, I didn't think they'd send a Spartan." - Level Metropolis.
 * "We got trouble!"
 * "Marine, did I give you permission to bitch?" - After Scarab destroyed the Scorpion in New Mombasa.
 * "I don't think it's stopping, get your heads down."
 * "This thing is really starting to PISS ME OFF!"
 * "Marines, time to kill us a Scarab."
 * "Chief, I thought we were cool." - When he's given a bad weapon.
 * "Need something?" - If stared at.
 * "What's this? Chief, I'm not a young man anymore." - If given a bad weapon.
 * "How do you feel, partner?" - To the other Marine.
 * "We follow your lead."
 * "Marine, were you ordered to do that?" - When shot or hit by an ally.
 * "We got to take that thing out. Cover me!" - Only in the Halo 2 E3 Demo.