Terrence Hood

"You will take our city back. And drive the enemy into the grave they've been so happily digging."

— Lord Terrence Hood, referencing SPARTAN-117 in the Tsavo Highway final cut-scene

Fleet Admiral Sir Terrence Hood is the de facto leader of the UNSC, flag officer of the UNSC Navy and the Commanding Officer of the UNSC Home Fleet.

Background

General Information

Admiral Hood is the chairman of the HIGHCOM Security Committee and is the commanding officer of all UNSC Defense Forces in 2552. He commands the planet's defenses from ODA-142 Cairo Station.

Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood (voiced by Ron Perlman) first appears in the novel, Halo: First Strike. He is a member of the UNSC Security Committee and is the Chief of Naval Operations. He is said to generally have a commanding and powerful voice. He greatly respects the SPARTANS, not only because of their record, but on two occasions they saved his life. When Halo 2 begins Admiral Hood presents the Master Chief, Sergeant Johnson, and Miranda Keyes with medals aboard the Cairo Station. In Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, Hood receives an urgent message by Dr. Halsey requesting for him to send Spartans to assist her, and obliges by ordering Fred-104, Will-043, and Linda-058 to Onyx. In Halo 3, Hood is in overall command of Earth's defense with Commander Miranda Keyes reporting directly to him. He accepts the need for humanity to ally with the Elites, but is not entirely happy about it. He leads the remaining human naval forces in an attack on the Prophet of Truth's dreadnought,[40] but the attack fails when the Forerunner artifact under New Mombasa activates, creating a portal to the Ark. When the Master Chief, Keyes, and several Elite and human forces choose to follow the Prophet of Truth through the portal, he decides to stay behind to make a final stand on Earth.[41] At the end of the game, he commemorates a small monument to the war and the sacrifices it had involved.

"Lord Hood", is seen wearing The Medal of Honor, The Purple Heart, and The Navy and Marine Corps Medal along with a number of service ribbons and citations.

Pre-First Battle of Earth

Hood served on the UNSC Security Committee, and was present when Lieutenant Wagner presented his legitimate report on the destruction and fall of Reach. Before that, during his service, his life was saved twice by the Spartan-II supersoldiers. His service and life before that is currently unknown.

First Battle of Earth

In October 2552, Admiral Hood presents the Master Chief, Sergeant Johnson, and Commander Keyes with medals aboard the Cairo Station. Lord Hood was in overall command of The First Battle of Earth, when Prophet of Regret's fleet attacked Earth (this is made clear when he orders Fleet Admiral Harper to defend the Cairo, Athens, and Malta stations instead of attacking the Covenant ships directly). It is unknown how and when he escaped Cairo Station, as the platform is assumed to be destroyed.

During November 2, 2552, Admiral Hood gets a transmission from Doctor Catherine Halsey that is piggy-backed by Cortana's update to command and was requested to send Spartans to Onyx. Hood obliges by ordering Spartans -104, -058, and -043 to the planet.

Second Battle of Earth

Lord Hood grimly watches Miranda Keyes and the Master Chief as his Pelican leaves the Shadow of Intent's hangar just before the team enters the Slipspace portal.

Later, during The Second Battle of Earth, he is seen commanding the defense of Earth aboard a damaged Cairo Station as he finds out that Master Chief is aboard the High Prophet of Truth's Forerunner flagship. He asks the Chief what he was doing aboard the (Forerunner) ship. The Chief replies, "Sir, finishing this fight."^[1]. During the Battle of Voi, the UNSC forces on Earth have been stretched to their limits during John-117's absence. Hood only has a few units fighting the Covenant. In addition, Hood kept several units in reserve including UNSC Frigates, single-ship fighters and several elements of ground forces.

File:1577764849 15135bb85c b.jpg

Lord Hood on his last communication to Crow's Nest.

After John-117 and a selection of Marines are able to shut down Covenant AA defenses, Hood launched an attack on the Ark Portal with all his available assets. He fails, however, and the Prophet of Truth is able to activate the spatial rift to Installation 00, far outside the Milky Way galaxy.

Battle of the Ark

At the end of the Battle of Voi, Hood appears to have little faith in Cortana's "solution", and believes that following Truth through the portal could possibly turn out to be a Flood trap. However, he eventually authorizes Miranda Keyes to do so once the Arbiter comments that if Cortana is wrong, then the battle would already be lost. Hood then departs the Sangheili carrier, Shadow of Intent in a Pelican before it, along with all other Covenant Separatists ships, make for the portal.

His last appearance in the series to date is in the final cut-scene of Halo 3, where he conducts the memorial service near the city of Voi, Kenya and the Portal. He states that he cannot forgive the Arbiter for what he had done, but gives the Arbiter his thanks for standing by John-117 and the UNSC until the end.

Quotes

Halo 2

"Gentlemen, we're lucky to have you back." - To the Master Chief and Avery Johnson, the beginning of level Cairo Station.
"I apologize, but we're going to have to make this quick."
"Sergeant Major, The Colonial Cross is awarded for acts of singular daring and devotion, for a soldier of the United Earth Space Corps..." - To Avery Johnson.
"Commander Miranda Keyes. Your father's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service. His bravery in the face of impossible odds reflects great credit, upon himself, and the UNSC. The Navy has lost one of its best." - To Miranda Keyes.
"Negative, Admiral. Form a defensive perimeter around the cluster." - To Fleet Admiral Harper engaging the enemy.
"Commander, get to your ship, link up with the fleet." - To Miranda Keyes.
"You have the MAC gun, Cortana. As soon as they come in range, open up."
"Somethings not right... The fleet that destroyed Reach was fifty times this size." - Looking at the screen, level Cairo Station.
"They're going to try to take our MAC guns offline, give their capital ships a straight shot at Earth. Master Chief, defend this station."
"Find the borders' point of entry, Chief. Cut them off at the source." - To the Master Chief, about Covenant boarding craft.
"Then they sure as hell brought one here. Chief, find it." - About Covenant Bomb.
"Chief, get to the bomb, double time! Cortana, prioritize targets and fire at will."
"Cortana! Concentrate your fire on the first carrier. Admiral, do what you can against the second." - To Cortana and Fleet Admiral Harper.
"Negative, Commander. Not against a ship that size. Not on your own." - To Miranda Keyes.
"Master Chief, get aboard that carrier, and secure the Prophet of Regret. This is the only place on Earth the Covenant decided to land. That Prophet is going to tell us why." - In the beginning of level Outskirts.
"Negative, Commander. I'll vector two heavies for starside intercept." - When Miranda Keyes asked for permission to engage the cruiser of the Prophet of Regret.
"Green light! Green light to engage!" - When Miranda Keyes told him that there is no time.
"It isn't one of ours, take it out." - When the Forerunner ship with the Master Chief aboard jumped out of slipspace, level The Great Journey.
"Isolate that signal! Master Chief? You mind telling me what you're doing on that ship?"

Halo 3

"Glad to hear it. The Commander's come up with a good plan. But without you, I wasn't sure we could pull it off."
"I'll initiate a low-level strike. Hit 'em right where it hurts. I only have a handful of ships, Master Chief. It's a big risk. But I'm confident-" - From the main view screen, just before the power cuts.
"Music to my ears, Commander. What about the Ark?" - COM, to Miranda Keyes in the level Tsavo Highway.
"Then we don't have much time. Marines... The Prophet of Truth doesn't know it yet, but he's about to get kicked right off his throne. You will take our city back. And drive our enemy into the grave they've been so happily digging. One final effort is all that remains." - COM, Tsavo Highway.
"Kilo 23, this is Forward Unto Dawn. I need a sit-rep, Commander." - The beginning of the level (The Storm).
"Just one? What is its range and position?" - To Miranda Keyes about single Covenant ship.
"Proceed as planned, Commander. We’re not going to get another shot at Truth." - To Miranda Keyes, level The Storm.
"All ships, fire at will!" - Ordering to engage the Forerunner Dreadnought.
"What did Truth just do?! Did he activate the rings?!" - When the Forerunner Dreadnought went to the Portal.
"Evac wounded and regroup. Wherever Truth went-" - Just before the Flood infected ship jumped out of slipspace.
"How do we contain it?" - To Miranda Keyes, about the Flood, level Floodgate.
"Do it." - To Miranda Keyes, who's going to overload the engine core of Flood crashed CCS-class Battlecruiser.
"Fine. We'll remain here...hold out as long as we can."
"And you, Ship Master, just glassed half a continent! Maybe the Flood isn't all I should be worried about." - To Rtas 'Vadum.
"Cortana? Did you see her condition? How damaged she is?" - To Miranda Keyes.
"She could be corrupted for all we know. Her "solution" could be a Flood trap." - About Cortana.
"What we should do, Commander, is understand - clearly - that this is humanity's final stand - here - at Earth. We go, we risk everything; every last man, woman, and child. If we stand our ground, we might just have a chance." - To Miranda Keyes.
"Earth... is all we have left. You trust Cortana that much?" - To the Master Chief.
"This is either the best decision you've ever made or the worst. Hell, if it is, Chief. I doubt I'll live long enough to find out which."
"For us, the storm has passed. The war is over. But let us never forget those who journeyed into the howling dark and did not return. For their decision required courage beyond measure..." - Memorial speech, March 3 2553.
"...sacrifice, and unshakable conviction that their fight; our fight, was elsewhere."
"As we start to rebuild, this hillside will remain barren, a memorial to heroes fallen. They ennobled all of us, and they shall not be forgotten."
"I remember how this war started. What your kind did to mine. I can't forgive you. But... you have my thanks, for standing by him to the end." - He holds out his hand, the Arbiter shakes it.
"Hard to believe he's dead." - To the Arbiter.

Trivia

His Command Neural Interface port is clearly visible on the back of his head.
Hood was voiced by Hollywood actor Ron Perlman in Halo 2 and in Halo 3 as well as Hood's appearance being based off of Ron.
Hood is said to be both a Lord and a Knight. This is unusual as under the British system of peerages, when one is made a Lord, the title of Lord supersedes that of Knight.
Lord Hood's flagship is said to be the Forward Unto Dawn, which he bestowed to Commander Miranda Keyes prior to the Covenant Separatists and UNSC forces going through the Ark's portal.
Lord Hood's name is most likely based upon Admiral Hood who fought Napoleon at the Battle of Toulouse.

Sources

^ Halo 2

[1] Halo 2

[1]