Marcus Stacker: Difference between revisions

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

{{Main|Battle of Installation 04}}

Both the extent of Stacker's participation in the battle<ref name="CE-Halo">''Halo: Combat Evolved'', campaign level ''[[Halo (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|Halo]]''</ref><ref name="CE-AotCR">''Halo: Combat Evolved'', campaign level ''[[Assault on the Control Room]]''</ref><ref group="Note">Sergeant Stacker can appear as the leader of the group of Marines hiding in the hills in the level ''[[Halo (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|Halo]]'', as part of the final group of Marines in ''[[Assault on the Control Room]]'', and the group of Marines encountered on the surface in ''[[343 Guilty Spark (level)|343 Guilty Spark]]''. However, whether he actually does is down purely to chance. As a result, it is unclear if he was actually present during these skirmishes. The novel ''[[Halo: The Flood]]'' substitutes Gunnery Sergeant [[Waller]] for Stacker in his role leading the beach assault in ''[[The Silent Cartographer]]''. For the record of all his appearances in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', see [[Marcus Stacker#Gameplay|here]].</ref> and the method of his survival are unknown, as he was not on-board John-117's [[GA-TL1 Longsword|Longsword]] or [[Shiela Polaski]]'s [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelican]], the only two known UNSC craft to escape the ring's obliteration.

A clean-shaven Stacker was present at the October 20th awards ceremony on Cairo Station, minutes prior to the Battle for Earth beginning. Outfitted in his official Naval uniform, he aided SPARTAN John-117 and Sergeant Major Avery Johnson in defending the station's command center from Covenant forces. While accompanying Johnson and Commander Miranda Keyes to board the frigate {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}}, the party was ambushed by Covenant and pinned down. John-117's timely arrival and aid allowed the ''In Amber Clad's'' leadership to board safely.<ref name="H2-Cairo">''Halo 2'', campaign level ''[[Cairo Station]]''</ref>

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 [[Shepsu-pattern 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>

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 [[Barukaza Workshop Chopper|Choppers]], [[Rizsheda-pattern 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 [[Zurdo-pattern 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.

Moments later, when a [[Indulgence of Conviction|Flood-infested]] {{Pattern|Ket|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>

=== Additional Appearances in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' ===

[[File:HTMCC-HCEA Terminal 3.jpg|thumb|300px|Stacker as a member of the ill-fated [[Fire Team Charlie]] on the level ''[[The Truth and Reconciliation]]''.]]  

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 for Earth]] a month later.{{Ref/Reuse|H2-ADatB}}

*Stacker takes his first name from [[Marcus Lehto]], whom his face was also modelled after in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' and ''Halo 3''.{{Ref/Reuse|H4-Reclaimer}}

*Stacker takes his middle initial{{Ref/Reuse|H4-Reclaimer}} and surname from [[Pete Stacker]], the voice actor who plays him in every one of his appearances. Pete Stacker also voices a number of other characters in the [[Halo universe|''Halo'' universe]], including [[Jacob Keyes]], [[Echo Four]], [[Oscar 18]], Gunnery Sergeant [[Waller]] and a number of unnamed NMPD officers and Marine Sergeants in ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''. Pete was not credited for playing Sergeant Stacker in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved|Halo: CE]]''; he only receives credit for his portrayal of [[Jacob Keyes]].<ref>''[[Halo: Combat Evolved credits]]''</ref>

*Stacker's rank of Gunnery Sergeant was first revealed in ''Halo: Reach''{{'}}s [[Armor customization (Halo: Reach)|Armory]]. While he was referred to as "GYSGT STACKER" in the Armory, Pete Stacker was only credited for voicing "TROOPER SGT 1"<ref>''[[Halo: Reach credits]]''</ref>

*Stacker appears outfitted in both [[UNSC Marine Corps Battle Dress Uniform|standard Marine attire]] and [[ODST armor|ODST Armor]] throughout ''Halo 2'' and ''3''. Strangely, he is depicted as a regular Marine during the ''Halo 2'' levels ''Outskirts'' and ''Metropolis'', yet he and his fireteam wear ODST armor in the cutscene ''[[Another Day at the Beach]]''. This is possibly a symptom of Bungie's hesitance to include Orbital Drop Shock Troopers in ''Halo 2'' during its development, despite pressure from the Microsoft Franchise Development Group.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20151109053509/http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/8/2/3/823a5cd1ac38d28e/Episode_005_final.mp3?c_id=3307764&expiration=1447051643&hwt=9c0743cdf3432035c7a154a6ebfa9d8e ''The Sci Fi Show'': Episode 005: DC Reboot/Eric Trautmann (Archived)]</ref> Stacker and his squad's appearance as Orbital Drop Shock Troopers in the remastered version of ''Another Day at the Beach'' likely confirms the cutscene as the definitive depiction of events.

*Stacker's dress uniform in Halo 2 features a gold star and 4 stripes. In ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'', this was amended to a gold star and 1 stripe. It is unknown whether or not this correctly reflects his rank at the time of Gunnery Sergeant.{{Ref/Reuse|H2-Cairo}}

*In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and ''Halo 3'' Stacker's in-game texture bitmap is named "[[Marcus]]", after the game's Art Director [[Marcus Lehto]]. He shares this bitmap with several generic Marines in both titles.

*In ''Halo 2'', Stacker's in-game texture bitmap is named "Morgan". He shares this bitmap with several generic Marines. Interestingly, Sergeant [[Reynolds]] uses an updated version of the "Morgan" bitmap in ''Halo 3''.

===Glitches===