Halo: A Fistful of Arrows: Difference between revisions

{{Title|''Halo: A Fistful of Arrows''}}

{{Status|RealWorld}}{{Status|Featured}}

{{Novel infobox

|image=[[File:Halo AFoA - Cover.jpeg|300px]]

===Act One===

The scene moves to the present, August 30, 2552, the [[Fall of Reach]], where a Pelican, piloted by Doctor [[Catherine Halsey]] and with Jun on board, flies over a mountain range to [[CASTLE Base]]. Jun voices his concern about their current flight path, since they're heading straight for a [[Covenant]] fleet. Halsey explains to him that since the fleet is headed for the HIGHCOM headquarters, they'll soon be distracted by the impending battle. However, [[Type-26 Banshee|Banshees]] are quickly approaching,and  Jun takes down a few with the Pelican's rear turret, before Halsey's "distraction", a UNSC fleet, arrives. However, one last hurdle remains, a Covenant [[CAS-class assault carrier|Assault Carrier]]. Several [[UNSC frigate]]s manage to bring down its shields, but are unable to destroy it until the [[Marathon-class heavy cruiser|''Marathon''-class heavy cruiser]] UNSC ''Daedalus Wing'' sacrifices itself by ramming into the carrier while simultaneously detonating its [[Shiva-class nuclear missile|''Shiva''-class nukes]]. Jun, staring at the explosion, experiences a flashback.

Halsey is greeted by ONI Captain Laird MacLean at CASTLE Base's landing pad. MacLean's [[ODST]]s, near the base's entrance, show their distastes in Spartans immediately. Halsey tells MacLean that only one personnel is required for [[Operation: WHITE GLOVE]], and MacLean should leave with his ODSTs if they know a safe extraction point. MacLean argues that he and his ODSTs are staying, declaring that many of his men died in the drop to the mountain and they will not let them have died for nothing. Their conversation is cut short as they see a Covenant [[Ceudar-pattern heavy corvette|SDV-class Heavy Corvette]] being shot down.

They look up into the sky, and witness the UNSC [[Paris-class heavy frigate]] responsible for the destruction of the Covenant corvette, the UNSC ''Forlorn Bell'', being shot down by a Covenant ''Ket''-pattern battlecruiser. Numerous Covenant aircraft scatter around the area, hunting for survivors. Jun tells Halsey they need to get inside the base, and as long as they don't draw attention then the Covenant will never notice them. However, MacLean just ordered his ODSTs to ready for battle, including activating the [[M71 Scythe]] guns. One of the ODSTs, Jeffery "Grim" Easterling, destroys a Banshee fighter with his [[M6 Spartan Laser|Spartan Laser]]. Halsey tells MacLean that "''[he] just kicked the hornet's nest''".  

<div class="tabbox">

<div class="tab">Credits</div>

On the credits page, two [[Spartan-II]]s, both clad in [[MJOLNIR Mark V]] armor, can be seen near CASTLE Base. One of them is pointing at the mountain, looking at someone off-screen, while the other is looking at the sinking wreckage of the UNSC ''Forlorn Bell''. According to Hoffmeier they are either [[Frederic-104]] and [[Kelly-087]] before they hijacked Covenant [[Wraith]]s, or [[Isaac-039]] and [[Vinh-030]] while they retreated to Menachite Mountain.<ref>[http://comments.deviantart.com/1/266807597/2263349052 '''DeviantArt.com''': ''comment on 11/02/11'']</ref> The author's note reads:

<big>'''Adjunct B: Insurrection Interception'''</big>

In the message, the Skald reassures his companions that it is not wrong to ask why they are fighting, as doubt is a sign that they are committed to doing the right thing. Asking that question is how they initially came to distrust the UNSC. The answer, according to him/her, is obvious, as the UNSC's forceful influence can be seen all around them, comparable to terraforming society itself. The Skald then recounts the various reactions to the arrival of the Covenant, how some believed that they were a hoax, or that humanity would be forced to end its civil war and unite to defeat them. The former theory was disproven as glassings became more widespread, and for the latter, the Skald admits that the Human-Covenant War has indeed hindered the Insurrection. Despite this, he praises the most faithful to the cause for continuing to fight for it, even though they must now work from ruins of networks and coalitions.

<big>'''Adjunct C: Faces of the Ghost'''</big>

Jeddah writes that Emile's artistry began as early as his training days, starting with small symbols painted on his [[Semi-Powered Infiltration armor]]. Eventually this habit grew into fiercer forms, and progressed from a mere expressions of amusement into carved nightmarish faces, intended to frighten his enemies. Jeddah expresses surprise that a Spartan, usually characterized as stoic and unfeeling, would have such a bold trait as artistry. To him, it may be the reason why Emile is remembered by the public after the war while other Spartans have been forgotten. One evidence of this is that many other UNSC soldiers have now carved images onto their helmets like his, as a way of carrying on his legacy.

<big>'''Adjunct E: Quezon: The [---corrupted file]— City of //—[life] and [death]—//</big>'''

The [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] notes one of the newsnet articles has been flagged by ONI for modification. The article, ''UNSC Causes Roadrage'', reports the shutdown of Highway 05 portions leading to the city's spaceport. Many civilians were forced to take detours resulting in crowded roads for the whole night. The UNSC's statement is that a training exercise was being done in the area, but the article notes that reports of gunshots and explosions have created suspicion that it was actually a coverup for a thwarted rebel plot. The AI bitterly muses that they'll never know what actually happened. He mentions that Eliza Ingrid was interrogated with unknown methods and during it spoke of "the big picture". Afterwards she was taken off of Reach.

<big>'''Adjunct G: Catherine'''</big>

Kalmiya recalls that many claimed Halsey to be cold, unfeeling, and that her experiments had caused her to forget human ethics. But Kalmiya claims that this is not true, and she loved all her "children". The reason for her coldness was because losing any of her Spartans was a painful experience for her, even loss of her AIs, when most viewed them as tools. Thus, since she was always there for them, Kalmiya does not blame her decision to kill her, because she knows it was just as hard for Halsey. In fact, knowledge of this pains Kalmiya more than her death itself, since her death serves a greater good. In her last seconds, Kalmiya remembers her last feelings: missing her "sister" and "mother".</div>

On December 11, [[2011]], Jessica Shea, as part of the Weekend Webcomic section on Halo Waypoint, posted the first page of ''Halo: A Fistful of Arrows'',<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/post/2011/12/11/Weekend-Webcomic-A-Fistful-of-Arrows-p1-.aspx '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Weekend Webcomic: A Fistful of Arrows p.1'']</ref> and it continued to appear intermittently since then. This, however, does not mean that 343 Industries has accepted it as canon material. 343 Industries franchise writer Jeff Easterling (the namesake of one of the ODSTs in the graphic novel) later made a reference to ''A Fistful of Arrows'' in a Canon Fodder blog post, stating that ''"the details of [Jun's] survival and escape from Reach remain buried under fistfuls of black ink and red tape".''<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-clarity-grace '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Clarity & Grace'']</ref> On September 14, 2017, on the seventh anniversary of ''Halo: Reach'', Easterling once again gave recognition to ''A Fistful of Arrows'' and mentioned that the graphic novel is ''"not technically canonical, but ONI has also covered up a whole lot of things that didn’t technically exist."''<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/infusion-invasion ''Halo Waypoint News - Infusion Invasion'']</ref>

==Trivia==