SPARTAN-B312: Difference between revisions

|name=SPARTAN-B312

|gender=Male{{Ref/Reuse|evg}}{{Ref/Reuse|TwitterHaloNobleSixDead}}{{Ref/Twitter|Id=TwitterHaloNobleSixNA|Halo|1164900347619364865|Halo|Y=2019|M=10|D=23|Quote=#TodayInHalo, 2552 – Noble Six makes his way to New Alexandria to help the city evacuate its citizens as the Covenant assaults it. #FictionFriday}}{{Ref/Note|Id=gender|While Bungie avoided gender pronouns in reference to SPARTAN-B312 in promotional and in-game material of ''Halo: Reach'', media released by 343 Industries between 2011 and 2019 have referred to B312 as a man. However, with the release of the  ''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)]]'', 343 Industries has similarly avoided the use of gendered pronouns in reference to B312, though none of the recent media has explicitly retconned the gender established in previous media. See [[#Gender|here]] for more details.}}

[[Lieutenant]] '''SPARTAN-B312'''{{Ref/Site|Id=profile|URL=http://halo.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=personnel&cid=24527|Site=Bungie.net|Page=SPARTAN-312 Personnel Profile|D=13|M=10|Y=2014}} was a [[SPARTAN-III program|Spartan-III supersoldier]] attached to [[Special Warfare Command|Special Warfare]] [[Special Warfare Group Three|Group Three]] of the [[UNSC Army]].{{Ref/Reuse|evg}} During the [[Fall of Reach]] in summer [[2552]], B312 served as a member of [[NOBLE Team]] under the call sign '''"Noble Six"'''.{{Ref/Generic|Id=award|[[Halo: Reach Video Games Awards Trailer]]}} Although unknown to most of the UNSC military and humanity in general due to the classified nature of their operations, Dr. Catherine Halsey stated that B312 shared a "hyper-lethal" rating with only one other [[Spartan]]{{Ref/Reuse|rise}}{{Ref/Note|1=By "hyper-lethal", Halsey presumably refers to [http://halo.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=personnel&cid=24527 Noble Six's file], in which [[Urban Holland|Colonel Urban Holland]] describes B312 as ''"...more akin to a hyper-lethal vector than a soldier."'' Ostensibly, the "one other Spartan" Halsey mentions is meant to draw parallels between Noble Six and the ''Halo'' series protagonist [[John-117]], as both characters' exploits in gameplay are defined by the player's actions. Given the wording in Six's file, however, it is somewhat questionable whether "hyper-lethal" is a legitimate "rating" at all, or merely a descriptive phrase used by Colonel Holland. The information sheet for Spartans in ''[[Halo: Ground Command]]'' suggests the latter, mentioning that ''"each Spartan is a hyper-lethal special forces operative"''. In this light, assuming every Spartan is indeed regarded as "hyper-lethal", Halsey's remark in the ''[[Halo: Reach ViDoc: A Spartan Will Rise|A Spartan Will Rise]]'' vidoc could even be interpreted as sarcasm.}} and served just as essential a role in securing humanity's victory in the [[Human-Covenant War]].

Since his file was heavily redacted by the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]], much of SPARTAN-B312's early life is unknown. The Spartan was originally a [[SPARTAN-III Beta Company|Beta Company]] candidate whose performance so impressed his superiors that B312 (along with a small number of their peers, designated "cat 2") was reassigned immediately after training before the inevitable bloodbath of [[Operation: TORPEDO]]. As one of the few remaining contemporary Spartan-IIIs, B312 was repurposed as a counter-terrorist operator, performing black operations. After several years of being fielded against [[Insurrectionist]]s, B312 was transferred from his ONI handlers to Spartan NOBLE Team, where B312 took the deceased [[Thom-A293]]'s place as "Noble Six". B312's transfer to NOBLE came immediately at the start of the [[Fall of Reach]], placing the Spartan in a new territory of teamwork against the Covenant.

SPARTAN-B312 was born in the city of [[Damask]] on the [[human]] [[Human colonies|colony]] of [[Jericho VII]] on [[2530#January|January 30, 2530]].{{Ref/Reuse|Background}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22P99}} B312 ultimately survived the colony's [[Battle of Jericho VII|glassing]] by the [[Covenant]] on [[2535#February|February 12, 2535]],{{Ref/Novel|Id=HTFORP|TFoR|Chapter=Prologue}} presumably becoming orphaned like many of the [[Spartan-III]]s. Circa [[2539]],{{Ref/Anthology|Id=LL|Fra|Story=Lessons Learned}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22P106|Enc22|Page=106}}{{Ref/Note|Id=Beta|''[[Lessons Learned]]'' establishes that Beta Company members Tom-B292 and Lucy-B091 were six years old when they started their training. Page 106 of the ''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)]]'' establishes that Tom and Lucy were born on April 14, 2533 and January 28, 2533, respectively. This makes Beta Company's start date somewhere between April 2539 and January 2540.}} B312 was one of the 418 candidates recruited in the Spartan-III program's [[SPARTAN-III Beta Company|Beta Company]] by ONI's [[Beta-5 Division]] with the promise of revenge. During his training, B312 and a few other Spartan-IIIs (designated "cat 2") outshone their teammates well enough that these select few were handpicked by Lieutenant Commander [[Kurt Ambrose]] to be assigned to separate special force units outside the general population of Beta Company. Thus, these Spartans did not participate in [[Operation: TORPEDO]], the suicide mission that resulted in the deaths of almost all of Beta Company. Because of the concealed nature of his survival, B312's existence became classified and the Spartan was deployed as a black operator and assassin under the Office of Naval Intelligence.

B312's former superior allegedly used the Spartan as "his own private grim reaper"; because of this, he was reluctant to have B312 assigned to NOBLE Team. Several of NOBLE were also resistant to receiving a new teammate, due to the recent loss of the previous Noble Six [[Thom-A293]] [[Battle of Fumirole|just two months earlier]]. Regardless, the Spartan's reassignment went forward, and on [[2552#July|July 24, 2552]], SPARTAN-B312 was presented to NOBLE Team under the callsign "Noble Six".{{Ref/Reuse|profile}}  

[[File:Noble Briefing.png|left|thumb|250px|SPARTAN-B312 is introduced to NOBLE Team on Reach.]]

On August 29, SPARTAN-B312 and the remaining members of NOBLE Team proceeded to Sword Base, under supposed instructions to destroy the base as the Covenant had taken control of it. Leading a fireteam of [[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]], Noble Six cleared a path into the base, destroying multiple anti-air guns with an [[M808 Scorpion]] tank. The rest of NOBLE Team then took to their Falcon to the ground, regrouping and then fighting their way into the facility. Upon arriving at their destination, though, the team's demolition was abruptly canceled, as their directives were suddenly revised by an unknown UNSC AI. As the team was escorted to their revised location, they encountered Dr. Halsey once more, who had interpreted the data held in the chip and [[Babd Catha Forerunner vessel|the Forerunner artifact]] it led to. Her laboratory was under attack by an incoming army of Covenant troops, who were also after the sacred treasure. Using the wealth of weaponry available at the lab's entrance, Six and his teammates battled the Covenant hordes; they were allowed inside only once all of the hostiles were dead.{{Ref/Reuse|package}}

With the Covenant having overwhelmed Reach's defenses, SPARTAN-B312 was among the few surviving UNSC troops left fighting the Covenant forces on the ground. Stranded on the Covenant-occupied planet, B312 escaped the drydocks on foot, moving toward nearby hills, but was surrounded by Covenant ground forces. After taking on an enormous force of [[Sangheili]] and [[Unggoy]], the Spartan was eventually outnumbered and mortally wounded by plasma fire, yet continued fighting even after being disarmed. Noble Six was finally pinned to the ground and killed by a group of high-ranking Sangheili.{{Ref/Reuse|TwitterHaloNobleSixDead}} His helmet, which had been dropped shortly before his death, was left in the glassed wasteland and remained alone there for [[2589|37 years]], by which time the surrounding area had been [[Terraforming|re-terraformed]].{{Ref/Reuse|lonewolf}}

Jun-A266 mentioned SPARTAN-B312 while trying to recruit [[Edward Buck]] into the [[SPARTAN-IV program]] in [[2553#February|February 2553]], with both soldiers reminiscing about how they fought alongside Noble Six on Reach. Jun remarked, "Noble Six was a good man".{{Ref/Novel|Id=HNBC7|NB|Chapter=7|Quote="That I did. Spartan-B312 helped me out of a pinch in New Alexandria." Jun bowed their head. "Noble Six was a good man."}}

SPARTAN-B312 was regarded as a skilled assassin and ''"... more of a hyper-lethal vector than a soldier,"'' evidenced by his heavily redacted personnel file. Noble Six had a tendency to "go solo" during missions, much to the dismay of his superiors.{{Ref/Reuse|profile}} Despite having an obscure past, highly potent skills, and a reserved, "lone wolf" personality, B312 showed care and compassion for his fellow humans; the Spartan often undertook life-threatening actions to assist soldiers, civilians, and the other members of NOBLE Team. Although Six became fairly close to the other members of NOBLE Team, he shared a great deal of camaraderie with Jorge, and the two soon became friends. This inspired Jorge to give his life in Noble Six's place, and may have, among Noble's other sacrifices, inspired Six to do the same when allowing the ''Autumn'' to escape. Six's bond with Jorge is noted by the fact that Jorge gave Six his dog tags before sacrificing himself and Emile later refused them when Six offered up the dog tags, telling Six that Jorge chose to give them to Six, so Six should keep them.

During the defense of SWORD Base on July 26, 2552, SPARTAN-B312 wore a standard [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark V (B)|Mark V[B]]] suit and helmet. At some point after joining NOBLE Team the Spartan requested a [[RECON-class Mjolnir|RECON-class helmet]]. Although this request was granted, whether they received the helmet before their death is unclear.{{Ref/Game|HR|Pre-order bonus|Detail=[[:File:Recon smg.jpg|Recon UA/HUL[3] helmet]]}}

SPARTAN-B312 is neither shown on the box art of ''Halo: Reach'' nor featured in any promotional image of NOBLE Team. This was done to avoid portraying Noble Six as outside the player's control, preventing them from building a definitive mental image for the character, as Noble Six's armor and gender can vary depending on the player's choice. Players can customize Noble Six's armor using a vast selection of armor permutations (including a robotic arm), colors, and emblems; the player's chosen character model is used in the campaign, multiplayer, and [[Firefight]], allowing players to better integrate themselves with the character. The version of Noble Six seen in early media was male, wearing a [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark V (B)|Mark V [B]]] armor and helmet with an Up-Armor plate, no shoulder pauldrons, no chest attachment, a wrist-mounted UGPS, no leg attachment, FJ/PARA knee guards, and colored steel. As it became apparent that Noble Six's appearance and gender would be entirely customizable, the Spartan's armor was changed to fully default armor in most promotional material afterwards. When displayed in most promotional material dated shortly before the game's release, SPARTAN-B312 is portrayed as wearing the default [[B-class Mjolnir|Mark V[B]]] armor and helmet with steel coloration. In addition, the Spartan's emblem is customized as the first emblem with the first background on their respective lists in the Armory: steel-colored [[Seventh Column]] with no background. This is done to avoid portraying Noble Six as a character outside the player's control, as Noble Six's appearance depends on the player's armor customization and gender choice. The only exceptions to this are when a screenshot was released to prove that cutscenes would display player customization, and in various concept art wallpapers, where Noble Six is shown with a plethora of armor combinations. However, the Noble Six [[McFarlane Toys/Halo: Reach Series 1#Noble Six|action figure]] was not redesigned with fully default armor.

*SPARTAN-B312 is the only member of NOBLE Team whose helmet is not available as an Avatar Award. Instead, the Spartan's helmet was obtainable only by attending Comic-Con 2010 and for a limited time through a special Xbox Live Gold offer.