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Human-Covenant War: Difference between revisions
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====Arrival of the Flood and Sangheili/human victory==== | ====Arrival of the Flood and Sangheili/human victory==== | ||
[[File:Final meeting 7.png|thumb| | [[File:Final meeting 7.png|thumb|250px|The Sangheili and humans make ready to finish Truth and the Covenant.]] | ||
{{Quote|In memory of those fallen in the defense of Earth and her colonies - March 3, 2553|[[Voi Memorial]]}} | {{Quote|In memory of those fallen in the defense of Earth and her colonies - March 3, 2553|[[Voi Memorial]]}} | ||
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After several weeks of combat, the UNSC Home Fleet was nearly wiped out. However, the attacking Covenant armada was also vastly reduced, and focused on securing an enormous unearthed Forerunner structure near the ruins of New Mombasa. With the arrival of John-117, the remaining UNSC forces launched an assault on the area, sweeping aside all Covenant resistance and finally launching an all-out attack on the Prophet of Truth's [[Forerunner Dreadnought]]. Unfortunately, even in-atmosphere MAC strikes proved ineffective against the ancient ship's hull, as Truth quickly activated [[the Portal]] and escaped. Events were further complicated by an unexpected attack by the Flood. Thanks to the timely arrival of the Sangheili, the Flood force was vanquished but not before Master Chief recovered a recording from Cortana, who had stayed behind on ''High Charity''. Cortana's message told of a means to stop the Flood on the other end of the portal. | After several weeks of combat, the UNSC Home Fleet was nearly wiped out. However, the attacking Covenant armada was also vastly reduced, and focused on securing an enormous unearthed Forerunner structure near the ruins of New Mombasa. With the arrival of John-117, the remaining UNSC forces launched an assault on the area, sweeping aside all Covenant resistance and finally launching an all-out attack on the Prophet of Truth's [[Forerunner Dreadnought]]. Unfortunately, even in-atmosphere MAC strikes proved ineffective against the ancient ship's hull, as Truth quickly activated [[the Portal]] and escaped. Events were further complicated by an unexpected attack by the Flood. Thanks to the timely arrival of the Sangheili, the Flood force was vanquished but not before Master Chief recovered a recording from Cortana, who had stayed behind on ''High Charity''. Cortana's message told of a means to stop the Flood on the other end of the portal. | ||
[[File:H3 E3 Orbital Battle.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The battle between Covenant separatists and loyalists, raging over [[Installation 00]].]] | |||
The final battle of the war was fought in [[2552#December|December 11, 2552]].<ref name="fortitude"/> A small fleet of human and Sangheili forces was sent through the portal, leading them to the Ark, just outside the [[Milky Way]]. As they arrived, the Covenant fleet above the Ark immediately attacked. Though the joint human-Sangheili fleet was outnumbered 3-1, the battle ended in defeat for the Covenant loyalist fleet. At the same time, UNSC forces were deployed to the surface of the Ark in order to stop Truth, who was attempting to activate the Halo Array from the Ark's [[Forerunner Citadel|Citadel]]. | The final battle of the war was fought in [[2552#December|December 11, 2552]].<ref name="fortitude"/> A small fleet of human and Sangheili forces was sent through the portal, leading them to the Ark, just outside the [[Milky Way]]. As they arrived, the Covenant fleet above the Ark immediately attacked. Though the joint human-Sangheili fleet was outnumbered 3-1, the battle ended in defeat for the Covenant loyalist fleet. At the same time, UNSC forces were deployed to the surface of the Ark in order to stop Truth, who was attempting to activate the Halo Array from the Ark's [[Forerunner Citadel|Citadel]]. | ||
Led by the Master Chief, the UNSC forces smashed through the remaining Covenant resistance on the ground. The battle was complicated by the arrival of ''High Charity''. As the Flood began to spread, the Chief and the [[Thel 'Vadamee|Arbiter]] went on to thwart Truth, who died in mid-Flood-infection at the Arbiter's hand with the Flood helping to reach him. John-117 deactivated the Halo Array, preserving all life within its firing pattern. With the Covenant forces completely shattered, Truth's death marked the effective end to the war. The Flood still remained a threat, but were eliminated by John-117, the Arbiter, Cortana and Sergeant Johnson by firing the isolated replacement Halo over the Ark itself, destroying both installations. Although Forward Unto Dawn managed an emergency slipspace jump, the portal collapsed splitting the vessel in half. Trapped in the rear section of the frigate, John-117 placed himself into cryosleep until he could be retrieved, eventually drifting to the Forerunner shield world of [[Requiem]]. The UNSC's greatest soldier, and humanity's champion, was presumed dead. | Led by the Master Chief, the UNSC forces smashed through the remaining Covenant resistance on the ground. The battle was complicated by the arrival of ''High Charity''. As the Flood began to spread, the Chief and the [[Thel 'Vadamee|Arbiter]] went on to thwart Truth, who died in mid-Flood-infection at the Arbiter's hand with the Flood helping to reach him. John-117 deactivated the Halo Array, preserving all life within its firing pattern. With the Covenant forces completely shattered, Truth's death marked the effective end to the war. The Flood still remained a threat, but were eliminated by John-117, the Arbiter, Cortana and Sergeant Johnson by firing the isolated replacement Halo over the Ark itself, destroying both installations. Although Forward Unto Dawn managed an emergency slipspace jump, the portal collapsed splitting the vessel in half. Trapped in the rear section of the frigate, John-117 placed himself into cryosleep until he could be retrieved, eventually drifting to the Forerunner shield world of [[Requiem]]. The UNSC's greatest soldier, and humanity's champion, was presumed dead. | ||
{{Clear}} | |||
=====Aftermath===== | =====Aftermath===== | ||
{{Quote|Decades from now, when historians evaluate the war, what will they say about us? Will they claim that our victory was ultimately fruitless? That it failed to secure a lasting peace, or worse, that it was only a prelude to far greater horrors that now lay ahead?|[[Codename: SURGEON]] prefacing the first [[Eleventh Hour reports|Eleventh Hour report]].<ref>'''[[Eleventh Hour reports]]''': ''Aftermath (1/5)''</ref>}} | [[File:Attend2.PNG|thumb|right|250px|The ceremony held to honor the fallen.]] | ||
{{Quote|Decades from now, when historians evaluate the war, what will they say about us? Will they claim that our victory was ultimately fruitless? That it failed to secure a lasting peace, or worse, that it was only a prelude to far greater horrors that now lay ahead? My hope -- OUR HOPE -- is that history would instead view this war as a catalyst. That the last thirty years were a crucible, a threshing floor for our species, sifting out our fears and frailties. And that ultimately it made us stronger and more vigilant in the end, fully prepared for whatever will come next. After all, what good is struggle if there is no change? What good is a fire if the sword is not made stronger?|[[Codename: SURGEON]] prefacing the first [[Eleventh Hour reports|Eleventh Hour report]].<ref name="EH">'''[[Eleventh Hour reports]]''': ''Aftermath (1/5)''</ref>}} | |||
On [[2553|March 3, 2553]], a [[Voi Memorial|monument was erected on a hillside]] near the Portal to the Ark to commemorate the billions of men and women killed during the war, and [[John-117]]'s tag was included as he was presumed MIA by the UNSC, as no Spartan could be declared dead. Lord Hood shook hands with the Arbiter to signify an end to hostilities. | On [[2553|March 3, 2553]], a [[Voi Memorial|monument was erected on a hillside]] near the Portal to the Ark to commemorate the billions of men and women killed during the war, and [[John-117]]'s tag was included as he was presumed MIA by the UNSC, as no Spartan could be declared dead. Lord Hood shook hands with the Arbiter to signify an end to hostilities. | ||
The Great Schism would continue for at least another six years between Elite and Brute factions, further depleting their now crumbling infrastructure. Their blind reliance upon the sciences and technology of the Forerunners, while neglecting their own, proved a fatal weakness. The fate of the Prophets proved especially ironic, as the infestation of High Charity resulted in the near-extinction of their race, while the survivors fled to unknown space. The most destructive conflict in human history had ended in victory, but at a staggering cost. Both the UNSC and the former members of the now-broken Covenant then turned to the enormous task of rebuilding their once great societies. | The Great Schism would continue for at least another six years between Elite and Brute factions, further depleting their now crumbling infrastructure. Their blind reliance upon the sciences and technology of the Forerunners, while neglecting their own, proved a fatal weakness. The fate of the Prophets proved especially ironic, as the infestation of High Charity resulted in the near-extinction of their race, while the survivors fled to unknown space. The most destructive conflict in human history had ended in victory, but at a staggering cost. Both the UNSC and the former members of the now-broken Covenant then turned to the enormous task of rebuilding their once great societies. | ||
After the war, [[Codename: SURGEON]] authored [[Eleventh Hour reports|a series of reports]] detailing the impact of the Covenant War and the postwar status quo. In light of predicted resurgences of the Covenant and the Insurrection, as well as new discoveries regarding the Forerunners and their complex relationship with humanity, SURGEON concluded that the war should be viewed as an experience which served to strengthen the resolve of humanity as a whole and prepared them for even worse struggles yet to come.<ref name="EH"/> This is similar to SURGEON's conclusions regarding the Insurrection's impact on humanity's survival in the Covenant War in ''[[Historical/Psychological Analysis of Cole, Preston J.]]''.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''' - ''The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole'', ''page 457''</ref> | |||
The end of the war only provided a short period of calm for humanity, before new threats began to emerge. [[Shipmaster]] [[Jul 'Mdama]] eventually reunited some of the disparate factions which had surfaced in the wake of the Great Schism and [[Covenant remnant|reformed the Covenant]]. At some point after early 2553, this new Covenant started a [[Second human-Covenant war|second war with humanity]], which later saw the involvement of reawakened [[Forerunner]] [[Promethean]]s led by the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]]. This war would be fought as late as [[2558|February 2558]].<ref name="Reed"/><ref>'''Halo 4'',' ''Spartan Ops''</ref> | |||
{{Clear}} | |||
==Timeline== | ==Timeline== | ||
===2524 ''(Pre-war)''=== | ===2524 ''(Pre-war)''=== | ||