Marcus Stacker: Difference between revisions

[[File:HTMCC - HCEA Stacker Onboard.jpg|thumb|right|Stacker repelling boarders on the ''Pillar of Autumn''.]]

When the ''Pillar of Autumn'' arrived at the [[Soell system]] and discovered Installation 04, it quickly came under attack by the [[Fleet of Particular Justice]], who had pursued it to the system. The ship was soon boarded by innumerable {{Pattern|Brhi Xur|Leech}} boarding craft, and Captain [[Jacob Keyes|Keyes]] was forced to give the order to abandon ship. Stacker was presumably among those who made it to the surface of the ring alive and intact, and was able to link up with other surviving elements of the ''Pillar of Autumn''{{'}}s crew and complement, who went on to mount a guerrilla resistance against the Covenant.<ref name="TF-Chptr4">''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', ''Section II: Halo'', Chapter 4</ref>

During the Battle for Earth, Stacker served in the [[7th ODST Battalion|7th Battalion]] of the [[105th ODST Division|105th Shock Division]]. He was dispatched from the In Amber Clad under the command of Sergeant Major Johnson, leading a squad of ODSTs in a [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelican]]. Upon entering a section of the city under heavy assault by the Covenant, Stacker's Pelican was shot down by a [[Protos-pattern Scarab|Scarab]] over [[Old Mombasa]] and crashed landed on an open beach near [[Hotel Zanzibar]], killing the pilots and [[O'Brien (Mombasa)|one of Stacker's squad]]. The surviving four ODSTs were immediately engaged by a Covenant patrol led by a [[Sangheili]] [[Special Operations Sangheili|Special Operations]]. During the brief assault, the Sangheili held [[Walpole|one of his troopers]] hostage momentarily before Stacker shot the Sangheili in the head.{{Ref/Reuse|H2-ADatB}}

Stacker and his squad then holed up in the nearby Hotel Zanzibar, following the instructions of UNSC [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] [[Cortana]] while Spartan John-117 cleared a path to them. They were soon attacked by another group of Covenant infantry, and were pinned down in the hotel's lobby by a [[Type-42 plasma cannon|plasma cannon]] by the time John-117 arrived. Stacker then assisted the Chief in clearing the nearby beaches and tunnels of Covenant.<ref name="H2-Outskirts">''Halo 2'', campaign level ''[[Outskirts]]''</ref>

Later in the battle, Stacker once again crossed paths with John-117 in [[New Mombasa]]. Caught alone behind enemy lines, Stacker was driving a [[Gauss Warthog]] through a Covenant-filled park when he encountered the Chief and a squad of Marines emerging from the nearby tunnels. He suggested the SPARTAN-II commandeer the [[M68 Gauss Cannon|Gauss cannon]], and assisted him in liberating the nearby Marine command post, which was under the bombardment of several [[Type-26 Wraith|Wraiths]], reinforced by waves of [[Type-32 Ghost|Ghosts]]. Clearing out the attacking Covenant, they reached the command post, where Stacker remained as John-117 lead survivor Sergeant [[Banks]] and a squad of marines in pursuit of the Scarab walker.<ref name="H2-metropolis">''Halo 2'', campaign level ''[[Metropolis]]''</ref>

[[File:StackerDeltaHalo.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Stacker and his ODSTs awaiting a vehicle delivery, moments after a perilous [[Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle|orbital insertion]].]]

[[File:Stacker Firing BR.jpg|thumb|right|Stacker, narrowly escaping a Covenant ambush on Tsavo Highway.]]

Stacker was present during the Covenant [[Attack on Crow's Nest|assault]] on Crow's Nest.<ref name="CrowsNest">''Halo 3'', campaign level ''[[Crow's Nest]]''</ref> During the battle, he was sent to lead a supply convoy escaping the base en route to nearby Voi. Shortly after leaving the besieged base, the convoy became under attack by [[Banshee]] fliers, losing multiple Warthogs to their continued strafing runs. They eventually ran into a Covenant blockade, and [[Type-25 Chopper|Choppers]], [[Type-26 Shade|Shade]] turrets and large numbers of infantry decimating the convoy and pinning the survivors down in several small structures.<ref>''Halo 3'', campaign level ''[[Tsavo Highway]]''</ref> Having received Stacker's distress call, John-117 arrived to assist, accompanied by Gunnery Sergeant [[Reynolds]] and other Marines fleeing the fallen Crow's Next. Stacker rallied his survivors and assisted the arriving forces in neutralizing the Covenant fortification. The UNSC convoy continued onward, but were forced to leave their vehicles shortly after, stopped by a destroyed section of the highway. Continuing on foot, Stacker, Reynolds and their men helped John-117 liberate another squad of Marines under attack in a nearby building complex. After holding off many waves of attacking Covenant troops, including a [[Type-26 Wraith|Wraith]] tank, several resupply Pelicans moved in, delivering multiple [[M12 Warthog|Warthogs]] and reinforcements. Mobilizing once again, the UNSC forces [[Assault on the Tsavo Highway|assaulted]] the Covenant-held [[Tsavo highway (location)|Tsavo Highway]], clearing a path to Voi.

UNSC forces lead by Reynolds and Stacker supported John-117 in the [[Battle of Voi|assault]] on [[Traxus Factory Complex 09]] in [[Voi|South Voi]].<ref name="H3-Sstorm">''Halo 3'', campaign level ''[[The Storm]]''</ref><ref group="Note">The specifics of Stacker and Reynolds' participation in the first half of the Battle of Voi are unclear, as only one or the other will spawn. However both will spawn and enter the forward operating base, regardless of who spawned at the beginning of the level. (Tested in both Xbox 360 and Master Chief Collection versions)</ref> There, they eliminated a heavy Covenant presence, including multiple [[Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Wraith|Anti-Aircraft Wraiths]] and a [[Deutoros-pattern Scarab|Scarab]]. Passing through a UNSC forward operating base, Stacker preceded to aid John-117 in fighting through a Covenant-held factory interior, rescuing multiple civilians in the process.<ref group="Note">Either Stacker or Reynolds will spawn in this sequence, however as Stacker's scripted dialogue always occurs, this is possibly an iteration of the pair's model-swapping bug.</ref> After eliminating a [[Mgalekgolo]] pair and two [[Jiralhanae War Chieftain]]s, the UNSC troops were able to neutralize an anti-air battery, paving the way for what remained of [[Terrence Hood|Lord Hood]]'s [[UNSC Home Fleet|Home Fleet]] to engage the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] above [[the Portal]].  

Moments later, when a [[Indulgence of Conviction|Flood-infested]] {{Class|CCS|battlecruiser}} crashed in the area, Stacker and his retreating men were pinned down in the factory interior as [[The Flood|Flood]] [[Flood combat form|combat forms]] and [[Pod infector|infection forms]] assaulted them.<ref group="Note">Stacker and Reynolds can alternate in their spawns in floodgate, however as Reynold's scripted dialogue always occurs in the exterior spawn, and with the exterior Sergeant model always having Reynolds' voice, this is likely an iteration of the pair's model-swapping bug.</ref> No stranger to battling the parasite, Stacker valiantly used a [[M90 Close Assault Weapon System|shotgun]] against the Flood until the Master Chief and the Arbiter returned to the factory complex. After liberating two large warehouses, the Marine survivors held their position as the Spartan and Elite proceeded to the crash site. Stacker was evacuated to the [[UNSC Forward Unto Dawn|''Forward Unto Dawn'']], before the [[Covenant Separatist]] Carrier ''[[Shadow of Intent]]'' [[glassing|glassed]] the city and surrounding area. .<ref name="floodgate">''Halo 3'', campaign level ''[[Floodgate]]''</ref>

[[File:H4-E3-Campaign-10.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[John-117]] is teleported near the Gravity Well, while Stacker's forces battle Covenant vehicles.]]

{{semicanon}}

The full extent of Stacker's participation in the Battle of Installation 04 are unknown, as he does not appear in ''[[Halo: The Flood]]'' depiction of events, nor is his presence guaranteed in his [[Halo: Combat Evolved]] appearances (with the exception of his appearance representing [[Waller]].) He was also not on-board John-117's [[GA-TL1 Longsword|Longsword]] or [[Shiela Polaski]]'s [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelican]] in ''[[Halo: First Strike]]'' the only two known UNSC craft to escape the destruction of the ring, despite participating in the [[Battle of Earth]] a month later.{{Ref/Reuse|H2-ADatB}}

Stacker can appear as one of a pair of Marines guarding the first lifeboat bay encountered. The door will explode outwards via a plasma grenade detonation, killing both Marines as a Covenant lance boards the Pillar of Autumn.

*Stacker was first named in ''Halo 2''{{'}}s credits, where Pete Stacker is credited for portraying "Sergeant Stacker".<ref>''[[Halo 2 credits]]''</ref> Despite this, ''Halo 3''{{'}}s credits listed him as "Marine Sergeant"<ref>''[[Halo 3 credits]]''</ref>

*Stacker's face bitmap used to portray him in ''Halo Reach''{{'}}s Armory is shared with several generic Army Troopers throughout Reach's campaign. His "model" shown in the Armory appears to actually be a combination of this face bitmap with ''Duvell''{{'}}s character model.

*The Anniversary editions of both ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and ''Halo 2'' give Stacker a new, unique face bitmap that is not shared with generic Marines. Additionally, the Anniversary edition of Combat Evolved actually has two different face bitmaps for Stacker. If encountered in his full combat armor (as pictured above) his face will bear a resemblance to his original face (i.e. beard and scar). If encountered in combat fatigues he will not have a beard or scar, instead he more closely resembles how he looks in Halo 2. The only two levels that the difference can be seen in are ''Halo'' and ''343 Guilty Spark'' as he will always wear his combat armor in other missions.