Long Night of Solace (level): Difference between revisions

{{Era|RW}}

{{Title|Long Night of Solace}}

{{Level Infobox

|next = ''[[Exodus (level)|Exodus]]''

|image = [[File:Level - LNoS.jpg|300px]]

|date = [[2552#August|August 14th, 2552]]

 

'''Long Night of Solace'''<ref>[http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/109/1098266p1.html '''IGN''': ''E3 2010: Halo: Reach Campaign Preview'']</ref> is the sixth [[campaign]] level in ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.<ref>[http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=BWU_073010 '''Bungie.net''': ''Bungie Weekly Update 30.07.10'']</ref><ref name="interview">[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJqw6QvSzXQ '''YouTube''': ''E3 2010 Extended Reach Campaign Mission HD'']</ref><ref name="PM">[http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/digital/gaming/sneak-peak-of-halo-reach '''PopularMechanics''': ''Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Sneak Peak of Halo: Reach'']</ref> This was the first level in the ''Halo'' series to feature playable ship-to-ship combat in space.<ref name="interview"/>

 

 

The level opens a day after the events of [[Tip of the Spear]], with [[NOBLE Team]] making their way into a cave at [[Ütközet]]. While the UNSC appears to be helpless against the newly-emerged [[Covenant supercarrier]] ''[[Long Night of Solace]]'', [[Catherine-B320]] comes up with a plan to destroy the ship by using a [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine|Slipspace drive]] as a makeshift bomb. Requiring considerable support from UNSC fleet assets in the area to safely deliver the bomb to within range of the supercarrier in addition to a military-grade slipspace drive (a very expensive piece of equipment in itself), the rest of the team is skeptical of the plan, but [[Urban Holland|Colonel Holland]] approves it. NOBLE Team travels to [[Sabre Program Launch/Research Range|a Sabre launch facility]], currently under attack by the Covenant. Once they fight their way inside, [[SPARTAN-B312|Noble Six]] and [[Jorge-052]] enter a Sabre that is immediately launched into the planet orbit, along with several other Sabres.

In orbit, they join the other [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] forces in defending the [[refit station]] ''[[Anchor 9]]'' until its defenses come back online. Meanwhile, the Slipspace drive of the [[Paris-class heavy frigate|frigate]] ''[[UNSC Savannah|Savannah]]'' is removed in order to be used in the mission, codenamed [[Operation: UPPER CUT]]. After the Sabres successfully defend the station from waves of Covenant fighter craft, Jorge is dropped off at ''Anchor 9'', just to witness the Covenant glass large areas on the planet below.

Jorge then boards a [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelican]] transporting the Slipspace drive, joining Six, the rest of the Sabres and the ''Savannah'' as they move to Covenant-occupied space over Reach to execute the mission. The plan is to board a Covenant {{Class|SDV|heavy corvette}}, place it on an automated refueling course with the supercarrier, and then activate the slipspace drive inside the corvette's hangar in close proximity of the supercarrier, effectively tearing most of the ship apart. Upon locating the Covenant corvette ''[[Ardent Prayer]]'', the ''Savannah'' and the Sabres begin their assault on the ship.

After disabling its engines and eliminating its fighter escort, Six and the Sabre crews board ''Ardent Prayer'', disable its communications and make their way into the [[hangar bay|hangar]], allowing the Pelican carrying Jorge and the Slipspace drive into the ship. Six and the Sabre crews then make their way to the [[bridge]] of the ''Ardent Prayer'' and, after eliminating the command crew, initiate the corvette's refueling run with the ''Long Night of Solace''. Upon returning from the bridge, Six finds Jorge engaged against Covenant forces in the hangar. The Covenant are neutralized, but Jorge soon realizes that the Pelican was damaged in the fighting, leaving it unable to escape the ship. The Slipspace drive is also damaged, and has to be activated manually. Jorge decides to stay behind and activate the drive, sacrificing his own life but saving Noble Six by throwing him/her out of the corvette and down onto Reach, just before the corvette reaches its destination and the Slipspace drive is activated. The activation generates a Slipspace rupture that engulfs Jorge, the corvette, and the central section of the supercarrier and transports them into oblivion. For a very brief period of time, it is believed that the Covenant naval attack force at Reach was entirely neutralized by Jorge's sacrifice, but a massive [[Covenant fleet]] arrives in orbit over Reach just moments later.

''Screen fades into a dust cloud as a [[Type-47 Ultra Heavy Assault Platform|Scarab]] walks by. After passing offscreen, it can be heard firing its main cannon.''

''The two looks at Carter and Kat.''

*'''Catherine-B320''': "How converted?"

*'''Catherine-B320''': "You can say no."

*'''Catherine-B320''': "You don't even want to hear it?"

*'''Catherine-B320''': "Remember that accident a couple years back? Colony ship en route to [[Cygnus system|Cygnus]]. [[Seven]] hundred dead?"

*'''Catherine-B320''': "Actually, it worked fine. The drive was mounted improperly after a service haul-out. When it fired, it...teleported half the ship to oblivion."

*'''Catherine-B320''': "A certain Covenant supercarrier could, with some assistance, suffer the same unfortunate accident..."

*'''Catherine-B320''': "Inspired?"

*'''Catherine-B320''': "May I?"

[[File:Noble 2.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Kat explaining her plan to the rest of NOBLE Team.]]

*'''Catherine-B320''': "Objective? Destroy Covenant Carrier in geosynchronous orbit above us."

*'''Catherine-B320''': "Method? A slipspace drive in lieu of the nukes we don't have. Delivery system? Us. Solvable? Getting us up there. That, and getting our hands on a slip-space drive."

*'''Catherine-B320''': "Thank you for sharing."

*'''Catherine-B320''': "As a soldier in the field I couldn't ''possibly'' have access to those kinds of resources - that said, a good place to look might be... I don't know, the nearest nonexistent launch site in the nonexistent [[Sabre Program]], dismissed by three administrations as preposterous rumor... And in which our newest member was ''certainly'' never a pilot."

*'''Catherine-B320''': "All we need is a green light from [[Urban Holland|Holland]]."

*'''Catherine-B320''': "You're the one asking him."

*'''Catherine-B320''': "Copy that, Commander."

[[File:NobleBeach.jpg|thumb|right|300px|NOBLE Team charging up the beach.]]

 

''NOBLE team moves up the beach, eventually reaching an open area where a [[Type-25 Troop Carrier|Spirit]] Dropship is dropping off several Covenant troops. The launch station is now in view.''

*'''Catherine-B320''': "Launch facility, dead ahead."

''Several [[Orbital Insertion Pod]]s hit the ground near Noble Team. After eliminating the enemy forces, Noble Team moves up the beach. As they do, a [[Seraph]] fighter is shot down by an anti-air turret and crashes into the base.''

*'''Catherine-B320''': "Well, some plans are too good to say no."

''They walk past the destroyed area inflicted by the downed Seraph earlier.''

*'''Army Trooper #4''': "We got a [[Type-25 Assault Gun Carriage|Wraith]] on the lower platform!"

''Noble Team reaches the control room, which is filled with dead troopers. A hologram of a Covenant [[SDV-class heavy corvette]] hovers above a [[Holotank|holo-table]]. As they reach the far side of the room, a bulkhead opens to reveal the [[Sabre]]. The building shakes as a pair of Seraphs fly over it.''

[[File:Halo- Reach - Saber Launching.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Noble Six's Sabre takes off from the launch facility.]]

[[File:Reach E310 Campaign10.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Cannon and plasma fire flood the void as Sabres defend Anchor 9 from swarms of Covenant craft.]]

*'''[[Colonel]] Urban Holland (COM)''': "Noble Actual to Sabre [[Bravo 029|Bravo Oh-Two-Niner]], over."

''Multiple [[Type-27 Exoatmospheric Multi-role Fighter|Banshee Interceptors]] enter the area and are immediately engaged by the Sabres.''

*'''Anchor 9 (COM)''': "Anchor 9 to Sabre teams: Phantoms are inbound on vector [[List of "seven" references in Halo|Seven Mark Four Niner]]."

[[File:HaloReach - Uppercut Slipspace Drive.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Jorge and two marines prepping the slipspace drive.]]

*'''Auntie Dot (COM)''': "Gladly. ONI [[Sword Base]]: [[Sector 18G]]."

*'''Jen (COM)''': "''{{UNSCship|Savannah}}''. Our wings may be clipped, but we've got your back."

[[File:HaloReach - Nav Beacon RA-15.jpg|thumb|right|300px|NAV Beacon RA-15 observing the ''[[Ardent Prayer]]''.]]

[[File:UNSC Savannah Firing.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The ''Savannah'' trading broadsides with the ''Ardent Prayer''.]]

''Noble Six arrives at the landing pad, along with three other Sabres. Noble Six gets out of the Sabre along with several [[UNSC Air Force]] [[pilot]]s in vacuum sealed suits from the other Sabres.''

''Noble Six and the pilots pass through the shield and enter the [[Zealot (level)|communication center]] of the Corvette, to find that the room's artificial gravity and life support are offline (most likely due to damage from the battle), and that any Covenant without vacuum-sealed armor have died, leaving only [[Unggoy Ultra]]s and more Sangheili Rangers. Noble Six and the strike team quickly dispatch them.''

*'''Air Force Pilot #1 (COM)''': "Colonel, on our way to the hangar."

''Six and the troopers engage a large number of enemy troops in the hangar, including an [[Engineer]] which provides the Covenant with overshields. They are eventually neutralized; air and gravity subsequently return to the interior of the corvette.''

''Jorge's Pelican enters the hangar. In the background, the UNSC ''Savannah'' can be seen engaging the Corvette. Jorge and several more Air Force pilots emerge from the Pelican.''

''Six turns and joins the Air Force pilots who are securing the area.''

*'''Air Force pilot #2''': "Got plenty of arms and ammo if you need 'em, Spartan."

[[File:UNSC Savannah moments before explosion.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The ''Savannah'' explodes, being torn into multiple sections.]]

''Noble Six arrives at the plasma battery, finding a lone Sangheili gunner (or multiple gunners if playing Co-op). Outside the viewport, multiple plasma torpedoes can be seen impacting the fleeing frigate. Explosions blossom along the ''Savannah'''s hull.''

*'''Air Force pilot #3''': "Looks like the bridge, Spartan. Let's clear it out."

''Noble Six and the troopers enter the bridge. The bridge crew are managing the controls, unaware of the human presence. The supercarrier ''Long Night of Solace'' can be seen outside the window. Noble Six and the Air Force pilots eliminate the bridge crew, including Shipmaster [[Ardo 'Moretumee]], to gain control of the bridge.''

''Noble Six makes it back to the hangar, and finds Jorge and the Slipspace bomb under heavy attack. Six helps take care of the majority of the attacking troops.''

*'''Jorge-052''': ''Savannah'' did a number on the door. There's no way back up to the Sabres. Noble Six, form up on me."

*'''Jorge-052''': "We all make it sooner or later. Better get going, Six, they're gonna need you down there. Listen, [[Reach]] has been good to me..."

''Jorge removes his dog tags and gives them to Noble Six, grasping his/her hand in farewell.''

[[File:LNoS ends.jpg|thumb|right|300px|With Jorge's sacrifice, the ''Long Night of Solace'' is destroyed.]]

''Before Six can protest, Jorge tightens his grip, lifts the Spartan up with one hand and carries him/her to the shield door. The screen switches to Six's point of view.''

[[File:Reach AssaultCarriers.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Another Covenant fleet arrives above Reach.]]

[[File:HReach-SignalLost.jpg|thumb|right|300px|''Loss of signal'']]

*ATC 1's exclamation, ''"They're everywhere!"'' is a [[List of Marathon references in Halo#Halo: Reach|reference]] to an iconic line of the [[Marathon|''Marathon'' trilogy's]] [[w:c:marathongame:BOB|BoBs]].

*There are [[List of "seven" references in Halo|seven]] space structures: six [[UNSC construction platform]]s, and one [[refit station]], ''Anchor 9''.

*This level has a total of six cutscenes, of which only four can be skipped. This is the highest number of cutscenes in a single level in any ''Halo'' game.

*A section of the level, the Sabre launch pad, is the setting of the multiplayer map ''[[Countdown]]''. The maps ''[[Zealot (level)|Zealot]]'', and ''[[Corvette (level)|Corvette]]'' are also derived from this level. The map ''[[Anchor 9 (level)|Anchor 9]]'' is based of this level, though it is not included in any part of the mission.

*This level was the first campaign level of ''Halo: Reach'' to be unveiled to the public. A shorter version of the level was first showcased in the ''[[Halo: Reach E3 Campaign Demo]]'' during the [[Microsoft]] press conference at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3 2010]]. Some minor parts of the level have changed, such as the player's initial weapons, Carter's line that was moved to ''[[Winter Contingency (level)|Winter Contingency]]'' in the final game (''"We've been engaged!"''), and the [[Ghost]] dropped on the beach by the Spirit dropship.

*This is the first and only level in the series where the player directly engages Seraphs, [[Type-27 XMF|Space Banshees]], and a Covenant starship, a Corvette.

*This level is also the only campaign level in which the player can receive the [[Unfrigginbelievable Medal]] due to the [[Unlimited enemies|unlimited amount of enemies]] being deployed in front of the Sabre launch facility.

<gallery widths="150" orientation="landscape" captionalign="left">

File:SabreBeachConcept.jpg|Finalized concept art of the launch facility.

File:SabreLaunchControl.jpg|Concept art of the launch control terminals inside the facility.

File:SpaceBattleConcept.jpg|Concept art of the level's space battle.

File:CorvetteHangarConcept.jpg|Concept art of the ''Ardent Prayer'''s hangar bay.

File:Solace_Destroyed.jpg|Concept art of the ''[[Long Night of Solace]]'''s destruction.

File:Reach E310 Campaign02.jpg|A [[Type-25 Troop Carrier|Spirit]] dropping Covenant reinforcements as a [[Type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle|Ghost]] passes [[SPARTAN-B312]].

File:HaloReach - Space Battle.jpg|A Sabre and the {{UNSCship|Savannah}} attack a [[Covenant corvette]].

<references/>