Nina Kovan: Difference between revisions

'''Nina Kovan''', nicknamed the '''Stoic''',{{Ref/Reuse|rp14}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=rp31|TRP|31}} is a [[SPARTAN-IV program|SPARTAN-IV]] supersoldier of [[Fireteam Shadow]] in the [[United Nations Space Command]],{{Ref/Site|Id=rundown|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-rubicon-rundown|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder: Rubicon Rundown|D=3|M=8|Y=2022}} operating under the callsign '''Shadow Four'''.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFFourward|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-fourward-unto-dawn|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder: Fourward Unto Dawn|D=10|M=11|Y=2022}}{{Ref/Note|In ''Halo: The Rubicon Protocol'', other than Nina Kovan and Bonita Stone, the two remaining members of Fireteam Shadow were only identified as Shadow One and Shadow Two. This article assumes only the callsigns of Nina Kovan and Jason Kidman—formerly Shadow Two and Shadow Four in ''Halo: Vertical Umbrage''—were swapped, while Bonita Stone retained the callsign of Shadow Three.}}

Nina Kovan was born on [[Gilgamesh]] on [[2534#March|March 21, 2534]]. For her entire military career, Kovan was considered an exemplary marksman. Eventually, when knowledge of the heroic Spartan supersoldiers like [[Linda-058]] began to be more widely known, Kovan became obsessed with the study of the Spartan's records and methods, hoping to glean anything she could apply to her own battlefield approach.{{Ref/Reuse|EN}} Circa [[2550]], Kovan served on the {{UNSCShip|Relentless Watch}}, where she met [[Bonita Stone]]; the two would later go on to serve in Fireteam Shadow.{{Ref/Novel|Id=TRP30|TRP|Chapter=30|Quote='Ten years,' Kovan finally said. 'We met on the reconnaissance starship ''Relentless Watch'' before joining the SPARTAN-IV program. Recon was hardwired into her DNA from the beginning.'}} When offered the opportunity to become a Spartan herself, Kovan jumped at the chance, eager to follow in the footsteps of her heroes.{{Ref/Reuse|EN}} After joining the program, Kovan and Stone ran trials and tested [[HIVEMIND-class Mjolnir]] at [[ANVIL Station]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=rp1|TRP|1}}

Holding a reputation among other Spartans as a nut they could never crack, Nina Kovan is nicknamed the "Stoic" due to her lack of external emotion and often expressionless face,{{Ref/Reuse|rp14}} though Horvath noted she has a perpetual frown.{{Ref/Reuse|rp31}} Because of her stoicism, Kovan stays calm and even-keeled in any situation,{{Ref/Reuse|rp1}} as well as never responds to sarcasm. However, if something Kovan planned had gone wrong, Stone noted that Kovan would take it the hardest, though she would refuse to let it show in her demeanor or let it affect her work.{{Ref/Reuse|rp14}} Kovan also holds a reputation that [[Henri Malik]] remained unfazed when Kovan claimed she intended to board a Phantom by ramming her drop pod into the dropship.{{Ref/Reuse|rp2}}{{Ref/Reuse|e4}} In addition to being an exceptional marksman,{{Ref/Reuse|rp31}} Kovan is also known for her stealth ability, capable of avoiding detection even by other Spartans.{{Ref/Reuse|rp14}}

Due to the camaraderie between Kovan and her longtime friend and squad mate Bonita Stone, the latter is often able to prompt Kovan to joke, smirk, or even snort.{{Ref/Reuse|rp14}}{{Ref/Reuse|rp24}} Kovan empathized and reassured Stone when they considered whether Fry and Kidman survived the battle over Installation 07;{{Ref/Reuse|rp14}} when the two reunited after the battle of the ''Mortal Reverie'', Kovan revealed her weakened condition—due to her armor's malfunctioning density regulator—to Stone.{{Ref/Reuse|rp24}} Kovan was visibly sad and grieving when she found Stone's body,{{Ref/Reuse|rp30}} and upon hearing the name of Stone's killer from Horvath, she dropped her calm demeanor and gripped the edges of Horvath's chestplate, allowing him to see the pain and fury in her eyes.{{Ref/Reuse|rp31}} Although Kovan was initially quite cold and blunt to members of the boat crew,{{Ref/Reuse|rp14}}{{Ref/Reuse|rp15}} she grew to care for each member, especially for Browning—who saved the lives of the boat crew by distracting Banished pursuers while Kovan's armor locked her in place—the guilt and pain made her consider launching a rescue on Browning when she learned that he was being held at Outpost Tremonius. When she could not escape with Browning, she made a promise to rescue him and felt heartbreak.{{Ref/Reuse|rp26}}  

*In ''Halo Infinite'', Nina Kovan was portrayed by voice actress [[Wikipedia:Sarah Elmaleh|Sarah Elmaleh]], who also lent her voice to [[117649 Despondent Pyre]],{{Ref/Game|HI|Halo Infinite credits|credits}} along with the Spartan Voiceprint 2FP4 in the [[multiplayer]] component of ''Halo Infinite''.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://sarahelmaleh.com/project/haloinfinite|Site=Sarah Elmaleh|Page=Project - Halo: Infinite|Quote=Sarah was very honored to join the cast of Halo: Infinite, and delighted to see the response from fans and critics alike. The game features a range of accents from Sarah: for special-reveal Despondent Pyre, Monitor of Zeta Halo, she deploys an imperious British RP; gutsy sniper Spartan Nina Kovan hails from Russia; and she's all good old-fashioned US grit for selectable Spartan Multiplayer voiceprint 2FP4.|D=4|M=12|Y=2022}}

*Nina Kovan, along with [[Tomas Horvath]], was set to be killed in the ''Halo Infinite'' audio logs. [[Kelly Gay]], while writing ''[[Halo: The Rubicon Protocol]]'', discussed with [[343 Industries]] to cut the audio logs that depicted their deaths, allowing Gay to expand on the fates of the two Spartans in the novel.{{Ref/Twitter|KellyHGay|1626704260959199232|Kelly Gay|Quote=Glad you enjoyed it! :D Fun Fact: During game development Kovan & Horvath were originally KIA in the campaign audio logs story. Writing the book during development, gave me the chance to work w/343 to pick certain Spartans to keep alive & kicking. 🤗}} As with other Spartans in the audio logs, the bodies of Kovan and Horvath are available as Forge objects; [[Bertold Vettel]]'s body is similarly available in Forge while being unused in the campaign, but his fate was not expanded in the novel. Additionally, their armor configurations are depicted differently from their canon appearances in the ''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)|Halo Encyclopedia]]'' and on the cover of ''Halo: The Rubicon Protocol''. In Kovan's case, the in-game version employs UA/Agathius shoulder pads—similar to other Spartans whose bodies ''are'' depicted in the campaign—and, like Horvath's [[ANUBIS-class Mjolnir|Anubis]] helmet, the Stormfall helmet on Kovan's body is equipped with the [[Hardened Uplink#Model 990101-1 FLAMINGO|HUL-I/XFTREC/FLAMINGO]] attachment.

File:H5G_NinaKovan_Gen2.png|Kovan in her GEN2 GUNGNIR armor, wielding ''[[Selene's Lance]]'' during [[Operation: VERTICAL UMBRAGE]].

File:HINF_Coating_Wild_Kovan_Armor.png|Kovan's appearance and [[Armor coatings (Halo Infinite)|armor coating]], Wild Kovan, available in ''Halo Infinite's'' multiplayer.