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MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor

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Mark VI MJOLNIR armor, being worn by Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, John-117.

The MJOLNIR (Pronunciation: ˈmjɔlˌnɪɹ 'my-all-'nhr) Powered Assault Armor is a technologically advanced combat exoskeleton system designed to vastly improve strength, speed, agility, reflexes, intelligence and protection of a Spartan-II supersoldier.

Introduction

Created parallel to the SPARTAN-II Program, the MJOLNIR Armor is currently the most advanced piece of tactical military hardware in human hands. Each suit alone costs as much as a small starship. The brainchild of Dr. Catherine E. Halsey, MJOLNIR is Halsey's attempt to create a powered exoskeleton capable of taking full advantage of the physical capabilities of a SPARTAN-II. The battlesuit is constructed in overlapping layers. It is a sealed system, capable of extravehicular activity or operations in toxic atmosphere. It is hardened against EMPs and radiation, and has filters that are completely effective at removing toxins and bacteria from local atmosphere.

The armor's shell is composed of a multilayer alloy of remarkable strength and has been augmented with a refractive coating capable of dispersing a limited amount of Covenant energy weapons. The suit contains a gel-filled layer underneath a thick black armored bodysuit. The gel layer regulates temperature and can reactively change its density. The inner skinsuit is made of a moisture-absorbing synthetic material linked to an environment control computer and the occupant's UNSC-issue neural interface.

Each human being has a molecular fiber network called the nervous system within their brain. An upgrade to the standard Neural Interface is issued to all high ranking officers; another modified version of the neural lace is issued to all SPARTAN-IIs in the UNSC. This network translates electrochemical signals to digital code and routes them through an interface connection at the rear of the skull. Through this interface, the user's thoughts command the armor's movement and weapons; and input from the on board sensors comes directly to the user's mind. The synthesis of machine and mind is so fast that it is almost impossible to chart reaction time.

Sandwiched between the external armor and the internal padding is the most devastating weapon the suit carries: a layer of reactive metal liquid crystal. Woven by molecular tools into a superdense optical computer memory, this revolutionary crystalline layer forms a network, capable of supporting the kinds of artificial intelligence usually reserved for starships — a piggyback system. An A.I.'s personality and processing matrices can be carried by the armor and delivered to the suit via onboard storage in a crystal data chip no larger than a personal credit card. Such technology did not exist when work began on the Mark I prototypes. At the same time it is amorphous, yet amplifies force, doubling lifting capability and increasing reaction time by a factor of five.[1] Unfortunately the system is so reactive that normal human beings cannot use the suit without injuring themselves.[2] Only humans who have carbide ceramic ossification, a skeletal augmentation, such as a SPARTAN-II, can safely wear the suit.

The suit also possesses other features that enhance its wearer's abilities. It has numerous clips, belts, and magnetic holsters for the attachment of additional weapons and ammunition; an advanced Heads-Up-Display(HUD) linked to sensors in the gloves detects the type of weapon and devices held, and to project shield strength, ammunition count, a targeting reticule, waypoints, a radio uplink for communication, health monitoring and restoration system, regenerative food materials and other helpful data.

In its final phase the MJOLNIR battlesuit weighs half a ton, or 1000 Lbs and when in use, is a fully neural-linked system. With an on board A.I using the human mind for parallel processing, the SPARTAN-II/MJOLNIR combination is designed to be the most devastating intelligence tool ever created.

The armor line is named for the mythical weapon Mjölnir, the hammer of Thor[3], the Norse god of lightning, thunder, wind, and rain. The origin of the word "Mjölnir" is unknown. The Icelandic verbs mölva (to crush) and mala (to grind) have been suggested as possible translations. Another theory suggests that MJOLNIR might be related to the Russian word молния (molniya) and the Welsh word melt (both words being translated to the term as "lightning"). This second theory parallels with the idea that Thor, being a son of the Chief God, Odin, and the God of Thunder himself, might have used lightning as his weapon.

Armor Versions

Mark I Prototype Exoskeleton

The Mark I Exoskeletons were one of the Navy's first experiments with powered exoskeletons. The Mark I battle armor was a bulky titanium exoskeleton suit that improved the strength and stamina of the user's muscles. A user could lift two tons (4,000 pounds) and run at 32 KPH (19.88 MPH). The armor was nearly impervious to standard light weapons. It could mount a 30mm mini-gun that fired on self-targeting armatures. It could also be equipped with motion sensors and infrared scopes. The armor used a hydraulic system for movement. The downfall to this system was that the device consumed enormous amounts of energy, so it required a connection to a fusion generator which hindered movement or the use of inefficient broadcast power, and was thus never seen in battle. It was, however, later used to carry heavy equipment in docking bays, and dozens of others were dumped into Reach's titanium mines.

The Mark I Prototype Exoskeleton was also used by trainers to protect them when training Spartan IIs under Chief Petty Officer Mendez's orders. Otherwise, the training may have killed those trainers, as evidenced by the first day back at Reach when three trainers were accidentally killed during hand to hand combat exercises[4]. Dr. Halsey's team scrapped this concept and redesigned the battle armor from the ground up for Project: MJOLNIR.[5]

Mark II Prototype

The Mark II battle armor utilized a dramatically slimmed-down profile, but still required a tethered connection to a fusion reactor for power.

Mark III Prototype

The next prototype, the Mark III, incorporated a wireless power transmitter and receiver so that power could be transmitted directly to it, much like the Orbital Defense Platforms used to defend UNSC colonies. This design was quickly rejected for two reasons: first, the main reason being that the armor still had a limited operational range as it had to remain within range of a bulky, immobile generator, and second, the destruction of the generator would result in the incapacitation of the unit. In the end however, all of the first three prototypes had one thing in common: They were impractical on the battlefield, as large exoskeleton units did not have a substantial use in any form of combat. While the Cyclops Powered Exoskeleton has many design similarities to the early MJOLNIR, it was developed separately by the Marine Corps and eventually abandoned.

MJOLNIR Mark IV Powered Assault Armor

Main article: MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark IV

Although earlier attempts at developing high-powered armor produced designs that were impractical for battlefield deployment, the MJOLNIR powered exoskeleton would be the first successful powered armor that saw deployment onto the battlefield. Developed by Dr. Catherine E. Halsey, the MJOLNIR Mark IV was a radical redesign of powered exoskeletons making use of technological innovations that did not exist when work on the first MJOLNIR exoskeleton suit began. The Mark IV MJOLNIR armor was fielded November 27th, 2525 to August 29th, 2552.

MJOLNIR Mark V Powered Assault Armor

Main article: MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark V

The MJOLNIR Mark V would be the first major upgrade of the system and introduced two revolutionary technologies for battlefield purposes: the first being energy shielding back engineered from Covenant technology providing the user added protection against Plasma weapons. And the second is the ability to link a soldier and an A.I together to provide the soldier instant Intel in the field along with other functions, for example, Master Chief and Cortana. In addition to major changes between the Mark IV, hundreds of other technical improvements are incorporated into the Mark V. The Mark V was fielded August 29th, 2552 to October 20th, 2552.

MJOLNIR Mark VI Powered Assault Armor

Main article: MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark VI

The MJOLNIR Mark VI is the third and final upgrade to the MJOLNIR system, the Mark VI once again introduces several technical improvements while refining technology introduced in the previous system. The first improvement made to the system is a faster recharge time on the suits energy shield system so that the SPARTAN-II super soldier does not have to remain in cover for an extended period of time. The second is improved synchronization between the suit and user, this allows the SPARTAN-II to jump higher run faster and hit harder then he could previously.

Armor Components

Helmet

Main article: Heads Up Display

One of the most important parts of the MJOLNIR armor units was the MJOLNIR Helmet and Visor with its HUD. The helmet also had a small flashlight, which was useful in combat situations that were in poorly lit areas. It was solar-powered, recharging its energy from the sun when possible, or from the armor itself if necessary. Like the previous Marks, the helmet of this armor features a small cap-like protrusion above the visor. This "cap" may serve to deflect rain from the visor, protect the visor should the wearer fall on his face, or serve to physically impact enemies.

Trivia

  • MJOLNIR, or Mjølnir, as it is spelled in Norse, was the battle hammer of the Norse god Thor. Thor was the God of Thunder, and possessed incredible power. It is said that Mjölnir had the power to level mountains.
  • The MJOLNIR Mark IV seen in both Halo Wars and Halo: The Cole Protocol has been a subject of constant debate among fans, and is currently left to interpretation. Some believing that the version seen in Halo Wars is canon, while the version worn by Grey Team in The Cole Protocol is a variant, being more of a precursor to the CQB variant of the Mark VI, as evident by the low slung shoulder plates and mounted combat knife and positioning of the "vents" on the back. Others have argued that the Mark IV in The Cole Protocol is the official version citing that the design came from the creators themselves, while the version in Halo Wars version is merely artistic interpretation. No official source has credited or discredited which is official and why there are two very different versions.
  • Although a part of the MJOLNIR Mark VI Powered Armor series, the assumption that the Recon variant is only worn by Spartans is incorrect as Captain Veronica Dare wears a Recon helmet with her ODST armour in Halo 3: ODST.
  • MJOLNIR is not the only attempt at creating a powered exoskeleton to enhance soldier's capabilities. Project HAYABUSA, a rival project, also created a powered armor boasting energy shields, though whether it saw actual combat is unknown. Likewise, the initial failures of the Mark I, II and III MJOLNIR led to the UNSC Marine Corps developing its own suit, the Cyclops, though it would eventually fall out of use.
  • The Mark VI was the first suit to contain Automatic Biofoam Injectors, which negated the need for Spartans to use Health Packs[6], which explains why there were no health bars in Halo 2 and Halo 3.
  • The armor seen on page 93 of the Halo Graphic Novel looks strikingly similar to Shi Kai Wang's preliminary sketch of Master Chief.
  • In both game manuals and in the books it is said that the armor weighs in at 1000 pounds, or a half-ton. However, in Halo 2, on the level Regret, the armor begins to float when the Master Chief jumps into a body of water. It has been stated that the armor has a feature that enables the suit to change its density which can be activated by the occupant and that automatically activates upon the user going unconscious. This would prevent Spartans from sinking to the bottom of an ocean and having to walk to shore to get out. Some other theories suggest that the hydrostatic gel keeps the suit afloat, or that the shields repel the water. This can also be seen on the multiplayer map Valhalla when you die in the river.
  • In the Halo 3 Public Beta, a Spartan's face was visible under the helmet's visor, which could be seen by positioning a player a certain distance away from a Mongoose, and using the camera to view under the model. However, Bungie stated later that this was an Easter Egg Bungie made and that the face seen on the Beta was in fact modeled from the face of Bungie employee, Marcus Lehto.
  • Originally, the old design of the Mark V had an antenna on the shoulder. This is seen in the Halo:Combat Evolved trailer at E3 2000.
  • McFarlane Toys has produced Halo figures with interchangeable head, chest, and shoulder armor. The hands are also interchangeable, but aside for color effect, this will only matter with the release of the left gun hand released in February of 2009, which allows the Spartans to dual-wield a weapon.
  • The Limited Edition of the Xbox 360 action-RPG Fable II includes a set of MJOLNIR armor for your character to wear. It is called "Hal's Armor/Outfit". Additionally, the player can obtain a longsword with a crystal blade carved in the shape of the plasma envelope of the Energy Sword called "Hal's Sword". The name 'Hal' (obviously derived from 'Halo') is described in-game as the name the citizens of Albion gave to a mighty hero from another world. Also in the downloadable Knothole Island add-on, in the "Box of Secrets", you can unlock 'a rare ranged weapon', "Hal's Rifle", which is an Assault Rifle.
  • In Halo: Combat Evolved, the Master Chief has the initials 'MLR' engraved below his MJOLNIR Mark V boot. This can be seen in multi-player if a player stands on another.
  • Halo Wars portrays the Mark IV with energy shields though this should be considered an artistic liberty intended to enhance gameplay.
  • The MJOLNIR Mark VI was rated #12 in The 13 Most Badass Video Game Power Suits, a feature by Maxim.com[7]
  • The Mark VI was mentioned to have a "lock-down" mode which activates to prevent damage upon heavy impact, however in real life, this would cause additional damage to the body due to the fact that the human body's muscles have to be relaxed before impact, preventing the person from tearing muscles which would break on impact if they were tightened. It is possible that only the suit hardens, leaving the muscles relaxed; the lock-down mode is to prevent the user from moving and causing any more damage, therefore it is unlikely the suit would tense all the muscles in the body.

Gallery

  • Halowarsboxart2.jpg

    Official Halo Wars box art displaying the Mark IV armor.

  • Halo: The Cole Protocol official book cover, showing Gray Team's Mark IV armor.

    Halo: The Cole Protocol official book cover, showing Gray Team's Mark IV armor.

  • Pre Halo Suit.jpg

    The CMT mod team modeled and skinned a Pre-H1 MC, based on Halo: Combat Evolved's concept art designs.

  • News2 0.jpg

    The final version of Hal's armor in the collector's edition of Fable 2. Note that the character has Hal's sword on his/her back.

  • 1226682598 SpartanmarkIVarmor2.JPG

    Mark IV Armor from '360 Magazine' (Issue 41, Page 5).

  • Spartan.JPG

    The character model for the SPARTANs in the Halo Wars announcement trailer.

  • Masterchief sheik.png

    Shi Kai Wang's preliminary sketch of Master Chief in early design of MJOLNIR armor.

  • Gallery 6889 853 280617.jpg

    A redux of the MJOLNIR Mark V as seen in the Art of Halo 3. The design was later modified for the MJOLNIR Mark IV seen in Halo: The Cole Protocol.

  • Untitled-3.jpg

    Picture of MJOLNIR Composition


Links

Internal

External

Template:MJOLNIR Variations

Sources

  1. ^ Halo PC Strategy Guide Page 5
  2. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach Page 115
  3. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor
  4. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach Page 71
  5. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 70
  6. ^ Halo 2 game guide
  7. ^ The 13 Most Badass Video Game Power Suits, Maxim.com. Accessed on 2009-03-07
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