Banks

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

- Staff Sergeant Marcus Banks

Staff Sergeant Marcus Banks was a Marine NCO who commanded many Marines during the Battle of New Mombasa and had a significant role in the Battle of Delta Halo.

Battle of New Mombasa
Staff Sergeant Marcus Banks is a UNSC Marine Corps Staff Sergeant. Sergeant Banks is in command of "A" Company after their original commander (an unnamed Lieutenant) was hit when they dropped in (in the E3 preview, his unit is identified as "the 405th out of Diego Garcia"). As the ranking surviving officer, he was forced to take command of all marines in New Mombasa.

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 famously says, "When I asked for reinforcements, I didn't think they'd send a Spartan". After a Scarab crushes most of his defenses, he calls on the Master Chief to help him take out the Scarab. Along with his platoon he fires upon the scarab from the cover of a nearby bridge while the Chief dives onto the Scarab, killing its crew and disabling it.

Battle of Delta Halo
After the Battle of New Mombasa, Banks was quickly transferred to the UNSC In Amber Clad, avoiding death in the slipspace rupture caused by the Prophet of Regret's Assault Carrier slipspace jump. In the Battle of Delta Halo, 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 as a reclaimer. However, the three managed to break free when Thel 'Vadamee 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. They presumably stayed onboard to guard it, as they were not seen afterward. It is unknown what happened to Sgt Banks after aiding Stacker and Johnson, although it is likely he escaped with Johnson and Stacker back to Earth and took part in the Second Battle of Earth.

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 or African-American descent.
 * Like Stacker and Johnson in Halo: Combat Evolved he can be killed many times during combat but will always come back to life in the next level.
 * Unlike in the E3 demo, he is found with a Battle Rifle instead of a SMG and is no longer wounded.
 * In the level Metropolis he carries a large radio on his back. At the bottom of the radio is the Hindi word for the number 7, which is incidentally Bungie's favorite number.
 * It is possible that, while on the roof, a pole will fall and kill him (or wound him).
 * If he was in command of A Company, that means all Lieutenants had been killed.

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.
 * "We got to take that thing out. Cover me!" - Only in the Halo 2 E3 Demo.