Avery Johnson: Difference between revisions

===Early military career===

The files that contain the records of his involvement with the ORION Program were subsequently covered up by [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI Section Zero]], and anyone who tries to access them is automatically sent a fake file marked "\P_BS48789-2011-AJ.txt", also known as the "Paris/BS Spoof" File.<ref>'''Halo: Graphic Novel''', ''page 122''</ref> He was a graduate of the [[Naval Special Warfare Sniper School]], where he exceeded the expectations of his superiors, and received training in [[Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle|Human Entry Vehicle]] orbital drops,<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest|Halo:Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 350''</ref> and [[Wikipedia:Close quarters combat|close quarters battle]], while serving in [[UNSC Special Forces|NavSpecWar]]. He also served as a squad leader on many black operations missions during the Insurrection.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 76''</ref>  

After the incident, Johnson came home and found his aunt dead of natural causes,<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 41''</ref> and soon went on a massive drinking binge. He started a brawl with bouncers at a [[Dog and Pony|Chicago club]],<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 44''</ref> and ended up in a gutter until he was found by [[Downs|Lieutenant Downs]], a [[UNSC Marine Corps]] [[Enlistment Officer|recruiter]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 47''</ref> He was re-assigned to the planet Harvest by [[Jilan al-Cygni]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 123</ref>

===Human-Covenant War===

{{Main|Human-Covenant War}}

Officially, Johnson was re-assigned to train the [[Harvest militia|Colonial Militia]] on Harvest, but their actual mission was to create a covert anti-insurgency unit, and to lay an ambush on insurgent forces suspected in the disappearances of DCS freighters around [[Harvest]]. However, while lying in wait on a bait freighter, he and Sergeant Byrne, who was also assigned to the position, fought and defeated four [[Kig-yar|bird-like extraterrestrials]] in the first official battle between the UNSC and the alliance of alien species known as the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]]. Johnson and Byrne (with the rest of the militia of Harvest) were also present at the initial negotiations between the [[Jiralhanae|Brutes]] and the [[human]]s. They also fought Brute Chieftain [[Maccabeus]], his nephew [[Tartarus]], and several [[Unggoy|Grunts]]. He aided [[Staff Sergeant]] Byrne and ONI operative [[Lieutenant Commander|Lt. Cdr.]] [[Jilan al-Cygni]] in repelling the [[Jiralhanae|Brute]] ship ''[[Rapid Conversion]]'' long enough to allow most of the planet's population to escape into the [[Tiara]], a station attached to seven different space elevators stationed on the planet. Later, he would become romantically involved with al-Cygni after escaping from the planet. Although Johnson and al-Cygni seemed quite taken with each other it is unclear whether they formed a relationship, or how long it lasted. After Harvest, his UNSC career is unknown, but he is presumed to have served on many planets between 2525 and 2549, when the [[Siege of Paris IV|Battle of Paris IV]] took place.

A query by the [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] [[Cortana]] into Johnson's medical history revealed that he had a false condition known as [[Boren's Syndrome]]. This disease was supposedly contracted while he was stationed at [[Paris IV]]. When the Covenant [[Siege of Paris IV|attacked]] Paris IV, Johnson fought valiantly; during the battle, he repossessed a crate of Covenant [[type-1 Antipersonnel Grenade|plasma grenades]] when his troops needed them and used them all against the enemy troops to keep them at bay so his fellow soldiers could evacuate. He received a commendation for bravery, and a twelve-hundred-rad cumulative dose of radiation as an unanticipated "bonus" from all the plasma detonations.<ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page 244''</ref> Allegedly, the Boren's Syndrome had an unexpected side effect, as it made him effectively immune to infection by the sentient alien parasite known as [[the Flood]] because the radiation scrambled his nervous system so much that Flood [[Flood infection form|infection forms]] could not force a match. This rendered the Flood unable to control him. However, the Boren's Syndrome story (referred to as the "Paris/BS Spoof"), was a hoax to cover up Johnson's involvement in the ORION Project, and his survival from the Flood was due to a combination of ORION augmentations and his exceptional fighting skills as a result of the procedures performed on him during the ORION project.<ref>'''Halo: Graphic Novel''', ''page 122''</ref><ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 81''</ref>

Johnson was later present in the [[Fall of Reach|fall]] of the planet [[Reach]]. During the final stages of the battle on [[2552#August|August 30, 2552]], Johnson led a search-and-destroy team aboard the orbital [[Gamma Station|Reach Station Gamma]], made up of [[Private First Class|PFC]] [[Wallace A. Jenkins|Wallace Jenkins]], and [[Private]]s [[Bisenti]] and [[O'Brien (Marine)|O'Brien]]. They were almost killed by the attacking Jackals and [[Sangheili|Elites]], but were later picked up by [[SPARTAN-II Program|SPARTAN-IIs]] [[Master Chief Petty Officer]] [[John-117]] and [[Petty Officer Second Class]] [[Linda-058]].<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''pages 325, 328, and 349''</ref> He escaped onto the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}, which fled the battle into [[Slipstream space|slipspace]].

====Battle of Installation 04====

{{Main|Battle of Installation 04}}

Johnson and Fire Team Charlie were evacuated by Captain [[Carol Rawley|Carol "Foe Hammer" Rawley]] and remained at [[Alpha Base (Installation 04)|Alpha Base]] for some time until asked to join a mission, led by Captain Keyes, into the inner workings of Installation 04. The crew intercepted a Covenant transmission detailing the transport of numerous weapons to somewhere in the swampy regions of Installation 04. This, as well as a [['Qualomee|captured Elite's]] testimony of a large weapons cache located in a swamp, prompted Keyes to investigate. Johnson, being an experienced and respected sergeant, accompanied the captain along with his squad.  

Shortly after they were dropped off, the squad came across a structure leading underground. As they ventured further into the facility, they came across several Sangheili corpses with scrambled innards. Passing them off as friendly fire, they proceeded deeper into the facility until they entered a seemingly empty room. Annoyed by [[Private]] [[Manuel Mendoza]]'s paranoia, Johnson shrugged off the situation until massive numbers of [[Flood infection form|Flood Infection Forms]] barged out of the nearby holding cells and attacked the squad. As each Marine fell, Johnson was forced to kill a few of his own men, who were mutating before his eyes and would have killed him if he had done otherwise. Johnson, however, was uninfected, either because of Boren's syndrome or his ORION augmentations, or simply sheer tenacity and fighting skill.<ref name="hgn">'''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]''', ''[[Breaking Quarantine]]''</ref> John-117 presumed Johnson dead after finding [[Wallace A. Jenkins|Private Jenkins']] helmet recorder log, showing the gory details of the Marines' fates. However, Johnson escaped after Master Chief found [[Corporal]] [[Lovik]] and the remains of his team.

====Operation FIRST STRIKE====

{{Main|Operation: FIRST STRIKE}}

Without a viable way to return to the nearest safe outpost, it was decided that the new crew would take over the nearest Covenant ship in the vicinity, the ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'', a Covenant capital ship. The Master Chief assumed command due to his higher-priority mission, although Lieutenant Haverson was the ranking officer, and Johnson assisted Master Chief by helping him assert control over Corporal Locklear and Haverson. After they boarded the ''Ascendant Justice'', Johnson and the others made their way through the ship towards the bridge, where he witnessed a showdown between the Master Chief and a [[Sangheili]], where he brought down the alien’s shields in order for SPARTAN-117 to push the Elite into an escape pod and send it away from the ship.

After a harrowing escape, Johnson accompanied the new and growing crew as the ship moved through Slipspace. Unknown to him, Dr. Halsey and the Master Chief were reviewing his medical files. They matched Johnson’s survival against the Flood to his Boren’s Syndrome. Flood DNA ''was'' present in Johnson’s blood, but it was dormant and non-infectious. Halsey also confirmed that Johnson had gained some unique regenerative abilities as a side effect from the attempted assimilation back on Halo when they accidentally opened the Flood Containment Facility. Halsey had prepared two separate documents for [[Office of Naval Intelligence#Section_Three|ONI Section Three]] to review:

Halsey placed the decision of which data crystal to give to ONI in the Chief's hands. If he gave them the first crystal, ONI would probably have dissected Johnson in an attempt to figure out how he resisted the Flood, killing the Sergeant. The Chief had thought at first that the first crystal held the better solution, despite it essentially being a death sentence for his friend, but later decided to save Johnson's life by crushing the first crystal.

====Invasion of Earth====

After the executioners were killed, Johnson and his Marines commandeered the Scarab, and confronted 'Vadamee. They both agreed that Tartarus needed to be stopped. Johnson suggested that 'Vadamee commandeer a [[Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft|Banshee]] to provide air support. After that, they joined forces and traveled through the canyon towards the [[Control Room (Installation 05)|Control Room]]. Knowing the brute strength of the Scarab's main weapon, Johnson fired at the heavily armored door, shattering it with ease. Arming himself with a [[Type-50 Sniper Rifle System|Particle Beam Rifle]], Johnson followed the Arbiter inside alone.

With the remainder of the Sangheili squad keeping the area secure, [[343 Guilty Spark]] explained to Johnson, Keyes, and 'Vadamee that the other Installations were in a sort of "standby mode", still ready to fire. This is a fail-safe if one of the Halo installations misfires. This allowed them all to be activated remotely from "[[Installation 00|the Ark]]".

While most of the [[Fleet of Retribution]] remained to maintain the quarantine of High Charity, Johnson, Commander Keyes and the Arbiter returned to Earth on one of the fleet's vessels and arrived before the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] with John-117 onboard.<ref>'''[[Halo Waypoint]]''', ''"The Long Road Home"''</ref>

When John-117 crash-landed on Earth, he was met by Johnson, the Arbiter, and a squad of Marines. After a few minutes of hiking through the jungle, he and his squad split off from the Master Chief and the Arbiter after encountering enemy Phantoms, reasoning that they would be safer apart than together. Johnson and his team proceeded to continue through the woods, and arrived at the evacuation site several moments before John-117 and 'Vadam. However, enemy Banshees soon discovered the awaiting Pelicans, and he was shot down, crash landing about a kilometer away. He and the surviving Marines were forced to flee pursuing Brutes. At some point Johnson and his men were captured. After being freed by the Spartan, he grabbed the nearest weapon and helped fend off incoming Covenant until [[Hocus]], a Pelican pilot, came to the rescue. Hocus eventually arrived, destroying two Phantoms that were pinning Sergeant Johnson, the Chief, the Arbiter, and the surviving Marines down. Johnson was evacuated along with the Master Chief, the Arbiter, and surviving Marines.

Sgt. Johnson, John-117, and 'Vadam were brought to a UNSC base codenamed [[Crow's Nest]], deep underground in the African jungle. There, they linked up with Commander Miranda Keyes, who briefed them on the situation. Johnson and the Arbiter stayed behind to defend the ops center from Covenant attacks, while the Master Chief went off to secure the perimeter. After a lengthy battle, he was forced to fall back as Jiralhanae overran the control room. He rendezvoused with Keyes and 'Vadam in a Pelican, and guided the Chief through the base to an elevator that would take him to the Pelicans. Unfortunately, the base exploded before the Chief could reach Johnson, forcing the Sergeant to leave him to meet up with [[Gunnery Sergeant]] [[Reynolds]] under the base instead.

====Assault on the Ark====

After the Fleet of Retribution's arrival at Installation 00 on [[2552#December|December 11]],<ref name="Fortitude"/> Johnson descended to [[installation 00|the Ark]] with a half a dozen Pelicans along with the Master Chief, and helped him secure a landing zone and stop the construction of an AA battery. He later brought in a platoon of Marines lead by Gunnery Sergeant Stacker, and some tanks from the frigate, helping throughout the mission, until the location of Truth was discovered from the [[Cartographer]].

The Prophet of Truth attempted to use Johnson to activate the Ark, and set off the Halo array, but he only taunted the Jiralhanae, in particular a [[Chieftain]], in hopes of angering the Brute to the point where he would kill him, and deny Truth the ability to activate the array. Miranda Keyes attempted to rescue him by crashing a Pelican through a large observatory window. Keyes was able to kill one brute, a Chieftain, and fatally wounded another, but was surrounded. Realizing what the Prophet of Truth wished to use them for, Johnson told her that she should kill them both so they could not be used. While Keyes hesitated, Truth shot her in the back with a [[Type-25 Carbine|Spiker]], killing her instantly and used the demoralized Johnson to activate the Array. Johnson was rescued by John-117 and Thel 'Vadam, along with a horde of Flood. After the Master Chief deactivated the array, the Flood turned on the three, and while Johnson managed to escape on Keyes' Pelican with her body, the Chief and the Arbiter were knocked off by the Gravemind, forced to fight their way back through the Flood.

===Death===

[[File:DeathofAveryJohnson.jpg|right|thumb|343 Guilty Spark mortally wounds Johnson in front of the Master Chief.|250px]]

After it was discovered that [[installation 04B|a Halo]] was located within the Ark, a plan was developed to activate that ring and that ring alone, which would destroy the Flood on the Ark, including the Gravemind, ending their threat once and for all, while simultaneously sparing the rest of the life in the galaxy. This was possible because Cortana still held within her the code to the Index from Installation 04, the first Halo. After John-117 invaded ''[[High Charity]]'' to recover Cortana, destroying the city on his way out, Sergeant Johnson helped the Master Chief and the Arbiter fight through hordes of Flood to get to the control room of the new Halo, providing cover fire with a [[M6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle|Spartan Laser]]. Johnson tried to activate the ring despite [[343 Guilty Spark]]'s suggestion that they wait for it to be finished, which could take several days. Realizing that "his" ring was about to be destroyed ''again'', the Monitor turned on his allies, firing his sentinel beam into Johnson's front armor piece and fatally wounding him.

He was best known for his typical "[[Wikipedia:Gung-ho|gung-ho]]" attitude towards life, personal goals, and as a leader to his fellow Marines. This earned him a reputation, respect, and admiration from his subordinates and superiors alike. Johnson was a noted fan of "[[flip music]]", a style of music similar to the [[Wikipedia:Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] from the 21st century. He was also known as being one of a select few outside of the [[SPARTAN-II Program]] to befriend [[Master Chief Petty Officer]] [[John-117]], a soldier with whom he fought alongside many times throughout the final months of the Human-Covenant War; ultimately dying in his arms after being critically injured. He has a large amount of respect for the SPARTAN-IIs, and appears to respect ''every'' human fighting for humanity, as well as the Sangheili when they joined forces with the UNSC.. In return, Thel 'Vadam respects him as well as after his death, offering condolences to John, "I am sorry, Spartan" and "even in death, your Sergeant guides us all."

In ''Halo 3'', his serious side is seen more often, and he seems to fight more for the sake of getting it done, rather than enjoying himself as he did in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and ''Halo 2''. This may be due to age, his encounters with the Flood, the Human-Covenant War finally taking its toll on him, or a combination of the three.{{fact}}