John-117: Difference between revisions

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{{quote|This child could be more useful to the UNSC than a fleet of destroyers, a thousand Lieutenants -- or even ''me''. In the end, one child could be the difference between peace and an unwinnable war.|Dr. Catherine Halsey referring to John-117.{{Ref/Reuse|HTFORTAS}}}}

By [[2558#August|August of 2558]], John had completed two hundred and nine military operations, including one hundred and thirty-six full campaigns; more than anyone other UNSC personnel on record at the time.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GLED}} Though John has commanded nearly every [[Spartan-II]] at one time or another, the lion's share of his career has been spent as [[fireteam]] leader of [[Blue Team]]. His actions during the [[Covenant War]] earned him every major [[UNSC]] service medal and combat award, save for the [[Prisoner of War Medallion]], as well as several dozen [[civilian]] honors.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GLED}}<ref name="HTFOR28">''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', Chapter 28</ref>{{Ref/Note|As John is subordinate to Naval Special Weapons, it is unlikely that he could have earned exclusive service medals from the Army, the Marine Corps, and the Air Force. These medals may have been bestowed on behalf of the Office of Naval Intelligence in order to boost morale.}}  

John went missing after the [[Battle of Installation 00|war's final battle]] in [[2552#December|December 2552]], having stymied the threat of the Covenant, the Flood, and the Halos.<ref name="H3H">''Halo 3'', campaign level [[Halo (Halo 3 level)|Halo]]</ref> In the interbellum, John was lauded as a hero, and though he was officially declared [[missing in action|MIA]] like all Spartans,<ref name="H4P">''Halo 4'', [[Prologue]]</ref> he was ostensibly believed by the UNSC to have perished.{{Ref/Reuse|H3H}} After his recovery in [[2557#July|July 2557]], he played a key role in the [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|conflict]] between the UNSC and the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]]'s [[Promethean#Mechanical Prometheans|Promethean]] forces and a [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|new "Covenant" faction]], beginning on the [[shield world]] [[Requiem]]. This culminated in an [[New Phoenix Incident|attack on Earth]] and the Didact's temporary defeat, as well as the apparent loss of Cortana.{{Ref/Reuse|midnight}} John subsequently reunited with Blue Team and with their help, [[Skirmish on Installation 03|vanquished the Didact]] a second time. John and his Spartan compatriots went on to participate in numerous new missions for over a year.

Within the military he is most commonly identified as "SPARTAN-117" or the phonetic callsign "Sierra 117". As with all Spartans, John was regarded by the Covenant as a "[[Covenant religion#Demons|Demon]]". However, John specifically was known as "''the'' Demon", an epithet he earned after the destruction of Installation 04, though [[Fleet of Retribution|allied Sangheili]] soon came to address him as "Spartan". The Didact and the [[Warden Eternal]] addressed John and his Spartan teammates as Warriors or [[Warrior-Servant]]s.{{Ref/Reuse|HE10}}<ref name="H5GR">''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', ''[[Reunion]]''</ref>

{{Quote|no=three|John|Ellie|John|q1=Maybe [[Covenant|someone]] up there is wondering what it's like here.|q2=I guess? Do you think we'll ever [[Human-Covenant war|meet]] them?|q3=I hope so. Don't you?|John stargazing philosophically with his friend Ellie.}}

{{Main|Skirmish on Installation 03}}

On [[2557#July|July 25, 2557]] John was debriefed by the [[UNSC Security Council]], though this questioning session as well as his survival were kept secret from Doctor Halsey.<ref>''Spartan Ops'', [[S1/Invasion|S1E7 ''Invasion'']]</ref> John confirmed that Cortana and the Composer were both destroyed over Earth, but he was unable to confirm the Didact's death. With there being no proof of a living [[Forerunner]], the Council decided to tell the general public that the attack on New Phoenix was caused by the [[Covenant remnants]] and ended by the return of a hero, the Master Chief. Following his meeting with the Security Council, the Master Chief met with [[Terrence Hood|Lord Terrence Hood]]. Hood asked the Master Chief if he could advise a team on Installation 03 to investigate the loss of contact with a science team escorted by Spartan [[Black Team]] on the ring. The Master Chief then reunited with [[Blue Team]], consisting of [[Frederic-104]], [[Kelly-087]], and [[Linda-058]].

John and the rest of Blue Team took a Longsword fighter to Gamma Halo and landed in near the science team's camp. There, the Spartans found the corpses of both the science team and Spartan Black. After being attacked by Promethean Knights, Blue Team discovered the former location of the Composer and within, the [[Composer's Abyss]], a facility used to store the Composer's victims.<ref name="HE8">''Halo: Escalation'', [[Halo: Escalation Issue 8|Issue #8]]</ref> The Spartans entered a [[slipspace portal]] at the end of the Abyss and were [[Slipspace translocation|teleported]] to the [[Composer's Forge]], housing six new Composers, where they were confronted by the Didact and his Promethean constructs. During the battle, [[859 Static Carillon]], the Forge's [[monitor]], transported Installation 03 over the Forge by the Didact's request. The Didact subsequently took one of the Composers and departed for the Halo, intending to use the ring to eradicate humanity. Infuriated by the Didact bringing his "abominations" to the Composer's Forge, Static Carillon allied with the Spartans and escorted them back to the portal, holding off the hordes of Promethean machines.<ref name="HE9">''Halo: Escalation'', [[Halo: Escalation Issue 9|Issue #9]]</ref>

Blue Team returned to the surface of Gamma Halo from the Composer's Abyss, arriving just in time as the Didact's new Composer rose from the pit. John fell behind while the Didact attacked and prepared to kill the others, starting with Kelly. Before he could do so, the Master Chief snuck up behind the Didact and stabbed him in the eye with his combat knife. Intending to correct his mistake of not having killed the Spartan when he had the chance, the Didact grabbed John by the helmet, lifted him up in the air and squeezed, cracking his visor.{{Ref/Reuse|HE9}} However, the rest of Blue Team intervened, forcing the Didact to throw John aside. The Forerunner quickly and easily subdued all four Spartans, but Static Carillon arrived and teleported the Didact into the Halo's [[Control Room (Installation 03)|control room]] before he could finish them off.<ref name="HE10">''Halo: Escalation'', [[Halo: Escalation Issue 10|Issue #10]]</ref>

After recovering, John picked up the ring's [[Activation Index]] the Didact had dropped and intended to confront the Forerunner in the control room while the rest of the team returned to their Longsword. Using the Index to override the system's safeties, the Master Chief gave control of the Halo to Static Carillon who then ejected the section of the ring housing the control room, causing it to plunge toward the planet below. The monitor teleported John away just as the segment struck the Composer's Forge and the Didact was disintegrated by the Composers. John and Static Carillon materialized aboard Blue Team's Longsword, where the monitor bade farewell to the Reclaimer before departing to take Gamma Halo to an undisclosed location.{{Ref/Reuse|HE10}}

Before the two Spartan teams could team up, Cortana separated Blue Team from Osiris in separate parts of the installation.<ref name="h5 genesis">''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', campaign level [[Genesis (level)|Genesis]]</ref> Blue Team fought an uphill battle through Promethean forces and multiple bodies of the Warden Eternal before physically meeting Cortana. There she revealed to them her plan to use the Guardians as a means of enforcing a forced peace upon the galaxy, giving sentient beings "a chance to be more than they are naturally". Comparing Cortana's behavior to that of Doctor Halsey's SPARTAN-II program, John pointed out a flaw in Cortana's plan: high collateral damage and a loss of free will. John pleaded with Cortana to stand down and return to Earth with the team. Cortana refused and forcibly sealed Blue Team in a Cryptum, intending to keep them in stasis for 10,000 years.<ref name="H5GTB">''Halo 5: Guardians'', campaign level [[The Breaking]]</ref> With the aid of [[031 Exuberant Witness]], Fireteam Osiris narrowly managed to free Blue Team from the Cryptum. Upon his release, John asked Locke where Cortana was; Locke could only respond, "''Gone, sir.''"{{Ref/Reuse|H5GG}}  

Upon their arrival at Sanghelios, now mostly in the dark due to the Guardian attack at Sunaion, they correctly deduced they’d find their allies near the region of [[Nuusra]].{{Ref/Reuse|BB}} There they regrouped with [[Thel 'Vadam]] and his [[Swords of Sanghelios]] who had just [[Battle of Sunaion|destroyed]] the remaining cell of [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]]. In 'Vadam's [[Sangheili hut|field command post]], John and Locke also met up with Spartan Commander [[Sarah Palmer]] and Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]], whom John had not seen since before [[Operation: FIRST STRIKE]] in 2552.<ref name="H5GG">''Halo 5: Guardians'', campaign level [[Guardians]]</ref> Spartans then were invited to join Sangheili in a celebratory meal commemorating their victory, while the Arbiter and the Master Chief subsequently spent part of the night reminiscing about their past. Also the Arbiter reassured the Chief in his support in the coming fight against the Created. The next day, the humans left the planet for a rendezvous with the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} near [[Suban]], one of the moons of Sanghelios.<ref name="BB">'''[[Halo: Bad Blood]]''', ''Chapter 1''</ref>

====Battle of Installation 07====

{{Main|Installation 07 conflict}}

John is also noted for his exceptional luck, which, along with his combat skills and unyielding persistence, has allowed him to emerge victorious from situations many would consider impossible. Because of his many years of constant combat and military conditioning, John is not as emotional or sensitive as he once was, especially to fear. Although he is not devoid of fear, he simply acknowledges the feeling and puts it aside.<ref name="HTFOR22">''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', Chapter 22</ref> He is calm in the face of danger but not foolhardy, as demonstrated during his first encounter with the Gravemind, when he warned the Arbiter that his arrogance was likely to get him killed.{{Ref/Reuse|H2G}} John is generally stoic and taciturn, but not devoid of a sense of humor and often makes dry remarks about the situation in hand to his teammates and allies.

He does not see himself as a superior being and fears for the lives of others before his own, putting himself in harm's way for the safety of civilians, and fellow soldiers, and does not judge others. Indeed, he is known to show an exceptional care for soldiers under his command and has shown great respect for the baseline humans he has fought alongside. An example of this is during the Battle of Installation 04. When making his way up to the [[Silent Cartographer]], two Helljumpers, PFC [[Hosky]] and [[Unnamed Corporal|another Corporal]], were killed by two Hunters. Afterward he regretted their loss, blaming himself for their deaths.<ref name="HTF6">''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', Chapter 6</ref> This, and his reaction to [[Avery Johnson|Johnson]]'s death on [[Installation 08]] show that he does exhibit care and sympathy for soldiers under his command, even if he does do a good job of concealing his feelings. In the first two days of training on Reach, John learned two lessons that affected him personally and which he took to heart: you win if the team wins, and the team is stronger together than any one individual alone. He never endangers the lives of those under his command if it is unnecessary. He would rather risk his own life instead of the others. During the [[Battle of Circinius IV]], he drew a Hunter's attention in order to give the cadets a chance to run away, even with him running out of ammo. Deciding to follow Cortana's lead to [[Meridian]] on his own, John wanted to keep other Spartans from violating the UNSC regulations, though they decided otherwise and chose to remain by his side. He was also impressed by the humans who comprised his team following his escape from Installation 04, including [[Sheila Polaski]] and [[Locklear|Corporal Locklear]], both of whom he considered to have been worthy of being Spartans.<ref name="HFS36">''Halo: First Strike'', Chapter 36</ref><ref name="HFS26">''Halo: First Strike'', Chapter 26</ref>

Throughout his training, John proved himself as one of the most promising leaders among Spartans, and Dr. Halsey considered him the best candidate in the entire program. His aspiration to win and his care of his teammates eventually helped him gain the position of squad leader. In years to come, many Spartan fireteams emerged with their own leaders. John took command of Blue Team, though he kept his commander role for the whole SPARTAN-II company. During [[Operation: SILENT STORM]], John so greatly impressed [[Colonel]] [[Marmon Crowther]] that the Colonel, who had previously expressed doubts about the Spartans, promoted John to the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer from the rank of Petty Officer First Class, a previously unheard of three-rank bump. However, Crowther recognized that John's inexperience left John having trouble differentiating between being a commander and a leader and gave the young Spartan advice that he would take to heart.<ref name="HSS23">''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]'', Chapter 23</ref>

As a senior Spartan, John took his responsibilities very seriously. After the augmentation procedures that took lives of nearly a half of Spartans, John was devastated; observing how his crippled brothers and sisters were transferred to other UNSC divisions almost made him furious.<ref name="HTFORTAS">''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series]]''</ref> He did not want to lose them, though he understood that they could no longer fight alongside him. John was the one who volunteered to test Mjolnir armor even after Dr. Halsey confirmed that all previous testers died in process. Being a leader, John would not order his men to do what he could not do in the first place. He was always confident in his men's capabilities, suggesting the most proficient ways to solve the matter, which were considered by non-Spartan personnel as suicide.

What affected John the most were the deaths of people under his command; John considered every Spartan lost during the war as his own mistake, swearing to become stronger the next time.{{Ref/Reuse|HLTP}} During the Fall of Reach, John lost contact with his Spartans, however, he was sure that some of them survived the glassing and was determined to save as many as he could. More than once John took command of mixed units or squads consisting of Marines. He was capable to organize them to act as a Spartan fireteam, achieving despite almost impossible odds. On Requiem, during the initial engagements between UNSC and Promethean forces, John assumed tactical command of ''Infinity''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s ground forces including Spartan-IVs, despite being outranked by many of them.{{Ref/Reuse|infil}} Upon his return to Blue Team, Fred-104 ceded command to John despite outranking him. Blue Team also willingly followed John when he chose to go AWOL.

In [[2590]], there was a ceremony for John-117 at an unspecified location near the areas of fighting during the Battle for Earth. However, his coffin is empty.<ref name="gravesite">[https://youtu.be/pOLR4WjJqIs ''Believe'': Gravesite]</ref> In [[2607]], the [[John-117 Monument]] began construction to commemorate the Spartan's service to mankind. In [[2610]], when the documentary ''[[Believe]]'' was being filmed, it had been over fifty years since the end of [[Human-Covenant War|the Great War]].<ref name="GameTrailers">[http://www.gametrailers.com/player/24952.html ''GameTrailers'': Making of the John 117 Monument]</ref>

*''[[Fable:Fable II|Fable II]]'' makes a reference to the Master Chief with a character of legend named "[[Fable:Hal|Hal]]", also called the Minstrel Chief. The armor featured (clearly inspired by ''Halo''<nowiki>s</nowiki> [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]]) is known as "[[Fable:Hal's Armor|Hal's Armor]]".<ref name="Fable2">[http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/master-chief-crash-lands-into-fable-2/ ''Joystiq'': Master Chief crash lands into Fable II]</ref> A sword resembling the [[Energy Sword]] is also featured in the game, known as [[Fable:Hal's Sword|"Hal's Sword"]]. In addition, with the Special Edition, the player can obtain the title [[Fable:Titles|"Master Chief"]] for their hero for free from any title vendor.

File:MasterChief FullBody Render H2A.png|A full-body model of John in ''Halo 2: Anniversary''.

*''[[Halo: Epitaph]]'' {{Mo}}