Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, widely recognized as the “Master Chief,” stands as a central figure in the epic saga of the Halo universe. A Spartan-II supersoldier within the UNSC Navy’s elite Special Weapons division, his decades of service have made him a decorated veteran and a symbol of hope for humanity amidst interstellar conflict. Often simply called “Chief,” John-117’s legacy is etched in the annals of military history, primarily for his pivotal role in the Human-Covenant War.
Large version of the Halo Infinite cover art without logo.
Overview of John Halo’s Life and Service
This article provides a concise overview of John Halo’s extraordinary life. For a comprehensive exploration of his complete history, delve into his detailed biography pages.
John Halo: A Summary of a Lifetime of War
John Halo, service number S-117, often reflects on a life defined by combat and duty. His memories before the Spartan-II program are fragmented, recalling only a childhood game he consistently won. This drive to succeed and his innate abilities caught the attention of Dr. Catherine Halsey, setting him on a path to become a Spartan supersoldier.
“I do not remember my name. I do not remember my family. I do not remember my home. But I can remember the game. We played it every day. And I never lost. The game… It’s the only thing I can remember about the life I had before I met Doctor Halsey. Since then, I have experienced a lifetime of combat. Through thirty years of war against alien aggressors… I have always known my fate. I knew someday I would die in battle. But now that it is here… now that it is time to die… I find I am not ready.“
By August 2558, John Halo had participated in an unprecedented 209 military operations, encompassing 136 full campaigns – a record unmatched within the UNSC. While capable of commanding any Spartan-II, his career is most closely associated with leading Blue Team. His valor and effectiveness during the Human-Covenant War earned him every major UNSC service medal and combat award, with the exception of the Prisoner of War Medallion, alongside numerous civilian accolades.
As the Human-Covenant War reached its devastating climax, John Halo stood as one of the few surviving Spartan-IIs after the Fall of Reach decimated their ranks. Escaping Reach with his AI companion Cortana aboard the UNSC Pillar of Autumn, they inadvertently arrived at Installation 04, a Halo ring. This ancient Forerunner superweapon, designed to eradicate the parasitic Flood by eliminating all sentient life, became a crucial battleground. John Halo successfully destroyed Halo Installation 04, eliminating the immediate Covenant fleet and Flood presence, before returning to Earth to defend against the Covenant’s invasion.
John-117 wielding an MA40 assault rifle in Halo Infinite. Image from Canon Fodder #117. Slightly cropped so that John-117 is centered in the image (looks nicer).Pursuing Covenant forces, John Halo encountered Installation 05, witnessing the eruption of the Great Schism, a civil war within the Covenant ranks. He continued his pursuit to the Ark (Installation 00), the control center for the Halo Array, and successfully prevented the activation of the entire array, neutralizing the immediate threat posed by the rings.
Following the war’s final battle in December 2552, John Halo was declared missing in action (MIA), presumed lost like many Spartans. Despite the official MIA status, the UNSC largely believed him to be deceased, even as he was celebrated as a war hero. Emerging from recovery in July 2557, John Halo played a critical role in the subsequent conflicts against the Didact’s Promethean forces and a resurgent Covenant faction led by Jul ‘Mdama, beginning on the shield world Requiem. This conflict escalated to an attack on Earth and the Didact’s initial defeat, marked by the apparent loss of Cortana. John Halo reunited with Blue Team and together they confronted and vanquished the Didact a second time. Blue Team continued to undertake numerous missions for over a year.
During a mission to Argent Moon, John Halo experienced a vision of Cortana, seemingly alive. Driven by this vision, he defied direct orders and embarked on a search for her, with Blue Team remaining steadfastly by his side. The UNSC, in response, declared Blue Team AWOL and dispatched Spartan-IV Fireteam Osiris to apprehend them. On Genesis, John Halo and Blue Team discovered that Cortana had claimed the Mantle of Responsibility and intended to use the Guardians to enforce galactic peace. Rejecting Cortana’s offer to join her new order, John Halo and Blue Team were imprisoned by Cortana within a Cryptum. Fireteam Osiris intervened, freeing the Spartan-IIs. Both Spartan teams then traveled to Sanghelios as Cortana unleashed the Guardians across the galaxy.
Identifying John Halo: Spartan-117, Sierra 117, and The Demon
Within military circles, John Halo is primarily identified as “SPARTAN-117” or by his phonetic callsign, “Sierra 117”. The Covenant, however, knew him by a different moniker: “The Demon”. This title, initially applied to all Spartans, became uniquely associated with John Halo after his destruction of Installation 04. Among allied Sangheili, he earned the respectful title “Spartan”. The Didact and the Warden Eternal addressed John and his Spartan comrades as Warriors or Warrior-Servants, acknowledging their martial prowess and ancient lineage.
The Biography of John Halo
Main article: John-117/Early life
Early Life on Eridanus II
Halo: The Fall of Reach – The Animated Series screenshot
Born on March 7, 2511, John Halo spent his early years on the colony world Eridanus II, residing in Elysium City with his parents. He attended Elysium City Primary Education Facility Number 119. As a child, John had brown hair, freckles, and a small gap between his front teeth. He remembered his mother fondly, recalling her kindness and the scent of soap. Parisa, later a UNSC Marine Lieutenant, was a childhood friend whom John saved from drowning in Lake Gusev. He promised to marry her and protect her, a moment captured in a photograph kept by Parisa for years, even after believing John had perished. Ellie Bloom and Katrina were also close childhood friends, sharing neighborhood adventures and obstacle races.
Conscription into the Spartan-II Program
At the age of six, Dr. Catherine Halsey identified John as an ideal candidate for the SPARTAN-II program, one of 150 potential recruits. He exhibited superior physical and mental attributes, standing taller than his peers, possessing greater strength and reflexes, and displaying a relentless drive to win. By the time of his conscription, John had achieved 45 consecutive victories in a brutal version of King of the Hill, marked by a chipped tooth and injuries to his opponents.
In 2517, Dr. Halsey and LTJG Jacob Keyes visited Eridanus II to evaluate John, the first candidate assessed. They were impressed by his intellect. In a test, John correctly predicted the face-up side of a flipped coin before it landed, demonstrating exceptional observation and deduction. Later that year, John and 74 other six-year-olds were covertly conscripted to Reach, replaced by flash clones to conceal their abduction. These clones, including John’s, succumbed to metabolic cascade failure and died shortly after, with John’s clone dying on December 7, 2517.
Spartan Training on Reach
Main article: SPARTAN-II training
“Remember this: you don’t win unless your team wins. One person winning at the expense of the group means that you lose.” — CPO Mendez emphasizing the core of teamwork.
John and his fellow recruits arrived at the Reach FLEETCOM Military Complex, their new home for years of rigorous training. Dr. Halsey informed them of their destiny: to become protectors of Earth and its colonies. The next morning, John discovered his service tag stitched into his uniform and his new identity: John-117. He began adapting to his new life, training under Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez alongside other Spartans.
In their first team exercise, “Ring the Bell,” John, Kelly-087, and Samuel-034 formed a team. John’s initial focus on individual speed resulted in his team losing, teaching him the critical importance of teamwork. He quickly forged a close bond with Kelly and Sam, who became his first and closest friends. For eight years, John received intensive education in history, military strategy, tactics, and weaponry, coupled with extreme physical conditioning. During training, John often teased Serin-019 about her habit of eating leftovers.
John quickly distinguished himself as a top candidate. Dr. Halsey and Chief Mendez identified him as one of four emerging leaders, alongside Kurt-051, Jerome-092, and Frederic-104. Halsey believed John possessed the potential to lead all Spartan-IIs, while Mendez initially favored Kurt. However, John’s leadership capabilities soon became undeniable, solidifying his role as the de facto leader of the Spartan-II program and Blue Team.
Demonstrating Initiative in the Highlands
“No one’s being left behind. We’re going to figure a way to get all of us out.” — John motivating his comrades during a training exercise in Reach’s Highlands.
At age eight, the Spartans were deployed on a wilderness training mission in Reach’s Highland Mountains. Their objective was to reach an extraction vehicle, an Albatross dropship, with instructions to leave the last Spartan behind to face severe punishment. The Spartans naturally looked to John for leadership, a role he accepted. Upon reaching the Albatross, they found it guarded by un-uniformed UNSC Marines, whom John perceived as a threat. He devised a plan to neutralize the “hostiles,” secure the dropship, and ensure everyone’s extraction, accepting personal responsibility for any punishment as the “last one” to arrive at the extraction point. With Déjà’s assistance, he hijacked the dropship, attacking the guards with stones and inflicting significant injuries. Chief Mendez initially expressed displeasure, believing John had overstepped the boundaries of the test. However, both Mendez and Halsey recognized John’s initiative and promoted him to Squad Leader. Despite subsequent promotions and independent commands for other Spartans, John remained the overall leader of the Spartan-IIs.
Physical Augmentation at Fourteen
“Can you tell me, Dr. Halsey? Just this time? How do I win?”
“I’ll tell you how to win, John. You have to survive.” — John-117 and Dr. Halsey before his augmentation procedures.
Prologue – Spartan augmentation 02.jpg
At fourteen, John underwent the perilous SPARTAN-II augmentation procedures. These procedures resulted in the deaths of 30 trainees and disabilities for 12 more. John was among the 33 Spartans who survived unscathed, while the injured were transferred to ONI. Even prior to augmentation, at 14, John possessed the physique of an 18-year-old Olympic athlete. The enhancements dramatically improved their reflexes, strength, eyesight, and bone density. Following the procedures, John and the other Spartans recovered aboard the UNSC Atlas in microgravity. During his first gym visit on the Atlas, John was confronted by four ODSTs. A boxing match ensued, orchestrated by ONI to test the Spartans’ augmentations, as Major Antonio Silva later revealed. In the fight, John unintentionally killed two ODSTs and severely injured the others. Witnessing ODST Anthony Petrosky described the fight as a “slaughter,” noting John’s punches as “rapid-fire explosions” and the fight’s brevity. Despite his attempt to avoid conflict, John felt guilt but believed he had acted correctly by following orders.
Upon returning to Reach, John and the Spartans were moved from FLEETCOM barracks to abandoned titanium mines. In these caverns, with minimal equipment, they consistently overcame Chief Mendez’s training scenarios, even against Marines in Mark I powered armor, employing improvised equipment and tactics.
Infiltration of Eridanus Secundus
Main article: Operation: TALON
“I have good news for you. The word has come down. Command has decided to test your unique abilities.” — Dr. Halsey to the Spartans before their first combat mission.
John’s first combat mission, Operation: TALON, aimed to capture Insurrectionist leader Colonel Robert Watts in the Eridanus system asteroid belt, near his homeworld. Blue Team—John, Kelly, Fred, Linda, and Sam—infiltrated the Insurrectionist base aboard the freighter Laden. Upon arrival, they tracked Watts to the barracks using pre-marked cargo. The Spartans swiftly eliminated guards and reached Watts’s apartment. During the firefight, John sustained a gunshot wound to his side, a bullet penetrating his bodysuit, glancing off ribs, and lodging in his abdomen, causing internal bleeding. Carefully subduing Watts without killing him, they rendered him unconscious and secured him in a sealed cargo crate. To escape, Sam used C-12 explosives to breach the main hangar bay doors. As the hangar decompressed, the Spartans escaped the rebel base in a stolen Pelican dropship. Official mission reports listed 11 enemy soldiers and an unknown number of civilian casualties. John was awarded a Purple Heart for his actions.
The Human-Covenant War and John Halo’s Battles
Main article: John-117/Human-Covenant War
Battle of Chi Ceti IV: First Contact with the Covenant
Halo TFoR HalseyJohnhelmet.jpg
Main article: Battle of Chi Ceti IV
“Spartans, this is what we’ve trained our entire lives to do. If we lose here, we lose everything. Let’s send our own message.” — John encouraging his Spartans.
Three months after Operation: TALON, John and his Spartans were briefed on the devastating attack on Harvest, marking humanity’s first contact with the Covenant. Shortly after, the UNSC Commonwealth, under Captain Wallace, transported the Spartans and Dr. Halsey to the Damascus Testing Facility at Chi Ceti IV. There, they received their Mark IV MJOLNIR powered armor. When a Covenant ship, the Unrelenting, attacked the Commonwealth, John and the Spartans engaged in their first battle against the Covenant. Launching from a Pelican dropship with thruster packs, each Spartan carried an ANVIL-II warhead to target the Covenant vessel. John, Sam, and Kelly successfully reached the ship, breaching its hull via a MAC round impact point. They completed their mission, destroying the Covenant ship, but Sam’s armor was breached during the operation. Unable to evacuate, Sam remained behind to ensure the ship’s destruction, sacrificing himself in the ensuing explosion. Sam’s death deeply affected John, highlighting the heavy cost of victory against the Covenant.
Early Engagements in the Human-Covenant War
In the following months, John and his Spartans were rapidly deployed across numerous battlefronts. They participated in the Battle of Alpha Corvi II in late 2525 and a boarding action against the frigate Radiant Arrow before becoming integral to Operation: SILENT STORM in early 2526. During this operation, John collaborated with enlisted UNSC personnel from the 21st Space Assault Battalion for the first time. He was a key participant in the Battles of Seoba, Etalan, and the massive Battle of Zhoist. In the Battle of Zhoist, John led a rare offensive action into Covenant space, deploying to the Covenant world Zhoist to destroy the Ring of Mighty Abundance, a critical logistics hub. This mission earned John the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer and fostered a friendship with Avery Johnson.
A few weeks later, John and Blue Team responded to the Covenant attack on Circinius IV, engaging the aliens at Corbulo Academy of Military Science to rescue a squad of surviving cadets. John provided cover fire, shielding the cadets from Covenant sniper fire with his armor. During extraction, John gave cadet Thomas Lasky a shard of Mgalekgolo armor in recognition of his bravery. By May 2526, Blue Team assisted in the Battle of Mesra before deploying to Netherop to capture the downed frigate Radiant Perception. This “prize” was a trap set by former-fleetmaster Nizat ‘Kvarosee, the disgraced commander whose fleet Blue Team decimated in Operation: SILENT STORM.
In 2527, John-117 fought alongside ODSTs on Green Hills.
A War on Two Fronts: Covenant and Insurrectionists
Despite the growing Covenant threat, the Insurrection remained a persistent problem. John was frequently deployed against Insurrectionist forces. By 2531, John led Blue Team in operations against the United Rebel Front, disrupting rebel activities at Station Jefferson, aboard the destroyer URF Origami, in Micronesia, and at a high-explosives facility at an undisclosed location. Blue Team also thwarted a saboteur cell on Reach. In May 2531, John led Operation: SMOKING ACES, a raid on Camp New Hope on Victoria. During this raid, John, Fred, Kelly, and Linda were captured by General Howard Graves but were rescued by Kurt-051, the newest member of Blue Team. Graves was killed, and the Spartans extracted before a rebel counterattack could be organized.
Mid-War Operations and Growing Conflicts
Corridor Attack.jpgJohn later returned to Circinius IV to aid in civilian evacuation and observe Covenant invasion tactics as part of Operation: PHALANX. He also participated in Operation: SWITCHBACK before 2544, details of which remain classified, and Operation: HORIZON at Cascade, where he helped destroy Covenant exploratory fleet elements.
On February 9, 2535, John and fellow Spartans deployed to Jericho VII for Operation: FALLEN WALLS. Covenant forces landed, facing fierce UNSC resistance. Blue Team’s mission was to draw out the Covenant rearguard, enabling Red Team to plant a HAVOK tactical nuke to destroy an incoming Covenant ship. John led Blue Team, eliminating hundreds of Unggoy. Despite heavy fighting, the UNSC fleet lost orbital control. Captain De Blanc evacuated the Spartans aboard the UNSC Resolute before the Covenant glassed the planet. John requested to witness Jericho VII’s glassing, observing its destruction for nearly an hour.
In 2544, John deployed for Operation: IRON FIST to deny assets and recover cyberinfrastructure on Miridem. Shortly after, he led Operation: WARM BLANKET at Ascon to board Luro ‘Taralumee’s Third Fleet of Glorious Consequence and rescue Dr. Halsey. During this operation, John engaged Thel ‘Lodamee in single combat, nearly being defeated before Thel was abruptly withdrawn by his fleet’s slipspace jump. In 2545, John led Blue Team in the Battle of Draco III, retaliating for a Covenant civilian massacre.
At an unknown time, John witnessed the death of Daisy-023 in battle. He paid his respects by placing her teddy bear chain in her hands and closing her eyes.
The Final Year of the War: 2552
Main article: John-117/Late War
Sigma Octanus IV: Operation OCEAN BREAKER
Main article: Operation: OCEAN BREAKER
“We’ve come to take Sigma Octanus IV back from the Covenant, Corporal. To do that, we’re going to kill every last one of them.” — John-117 to Corporal Harland upon arrival on Sigma Octanus IV.
By summer 2552, John-117 had earned every UNSC medal except the Prisoner of War Medallion. During the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV in July 2552, John led Operation: OCEAN BREAKER, assisting Marine forces on the planet. Leading Blue Team, he infiltrated Côte d’Azur to detonate a HAVOK nuke to clear Covenant forces. Suspicious of heavy Covenant presence at the Côte d’Azur Museum of Natural History, John investigated. Inside, he discovered Covenant scanning a rock and transmitting data to orbit. After eliminating Mgalekgolo guards, he secured the rock and evacuated the museum with Blue Team. John ordered the HAVOK detonation and returned to the UNSC Valiant with Spartans, Marines, and rescued civilians, heading for Reach.
The Fall of Reach: A Turning Point
Main article: Fall of Reach
“Sir? I know this mission will be tough, but … do you ever get the feeling that this is like one of Chief Mendez’s missions? Like there’s a trick … some twist that we’ve overlooked?”
“Yes. And I’m waiting for it.” — John-117 and Kelly-087 preparing for a mission.
CortanaIn July 2552, the Covenant Fleet of Valiant Prudence invaded Reach. This was concealed from John and the Spartans to protect Operation: RED FLAG, a mission to capture a Covenant assault carrier or supercarrier to reach the Covenant capital and capture a Hierarch, aiming to end the war. The Valiant arrived at Reach in August, where John was debriefed on Sigma Octanus and the recovered artifact. Weeks later, John and other available Spartans were briefed on RED FLAG.
Two days later, at Military Reservation 01478-B, John received Mark V MJOLNIR armor and the AI Cortana. Testing the new armor, John fought ODSTs and survived an airstrike with Cortana’s aid, demonstrating their potent teamwork.
The next day, Spartans were deployed to protect Reach’s orbital defense generators. John, Linda, and James were sent to Gamma Station to destroy a navigation database aboard the prowler UNSC Circumference. Covenant acquisition of this database would compromise all human world locations, including Earth. The NAV database was destroyed, but Linda and James were ambushed. John killed a Sangheili in close combat but James was lost in space, and Linda was critically wounded. John rescued four Marines, including Staff Sergeant Avery Johnson. The team returned to the UNSC Pillar of Autumn and entered cryo-sleep as the ship fled Reach, jumping to slipspace using coordinates Cortana derived from the Sigma Octanus artifact, hoping to draw the Covenant away from Earth. John was unknowingly heading towards a battle that would change the course of the war.
The Halo Conflict: Installation 04
Main article: Battle of Installation 04
“If I’m analyzing this correctly…they believe that Halo is some kind of weapon. One with vast, unimaginable power.”
“Then it’s true. The Covenant kept saying that “whoever controls Halo controls the fate of the Universe” … If Halo is a weapon, and the Covenant gain control of it, they’ll use it against us and wipe out the entire human race. Chief, Cortana: I have a new mission for you.” — Captain Keyes prioritizing the Halo threat.
Upon arriving at Halo Installation 04, the Pillar of Autumn was pursued by a dozen Covenant ships. Captain Keyes ordered John awakened from cryosleep and tasked him with protecting Cortana while he crash-landed the Autumn on the ringworld. John escaped and landed on Halo via lifeboat.
Believing himself the lone Spartan survivor, John launched guerrilla attacks, including the Raid on the Truth and Reconciliation, the battle for the Silent Cartographer, and the Assault on the Control Room. He investigated Captain Keyes’s disappearance in a suspected weapons cache, encountering the Flood for the first time. Assisted by 343 Guilty Spark, the Monitor, John secured the Index to activate Halo and eliminate the Flood. However, Cortana revealed Halo’s true purpose: to destroy all sentient life, the Flood’s food source. John and Cortana resolved to destroy Halo, detonating the Pillar of Autumn‘s fusion reactor and escaping in a Longsword.
Return to Reach and Operation: FIRST STRIKE
Fight on Ascendant Justice.png
Main article: Raid on Reach
“He sent his team down to the surface of Reach… sent them to their deaths. What commander wouldn’t go back? And what commander wouldn’t hope that they were alive? No matter what the odds?” — Lieutenant Haverson on John’s motives to return to Reach.
After Halo’s destruction, John and Cortana found three cryotubes, one containing Linda-058, and recovered them. The Covenant flagship Ascendant Justice and cruisers emerged from behind Threshold. A Pelican distracted the Covenant, enabling John to link with the Ascendant Justice. Survivors including Lieutenant Elias Haverson, Corporal Locklear, Warrant Officer Sheila Polaski, and Staff Sergeant Avery Johnson were brought aboard the Longsword. After a reunion, the humans captured the Ascendant Justice. They traveled to Reach, seeking Spartan survivors.
John located Spartans, Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb, and Dr. Catherine Halsey on Reach. They linked the Ascendant Justice with the damaged frigate Gettysburg. Before heading to Earth, they went to Eridanus, finding the rebel base Eridanus Secundus intact but now under Governor Jacob Jiles. After repairs, they abandoned the rebels due to a Covenant attack and proceeded to the Unyielding Hierophant, a Covenant refit station, where a massive fleet prepared to invade Earth.
Raid on Unyielding Hierophant: Operation FIRST STRIKE
Main article: Operation: FIRST STRIKE
“We’re going to take this fight to the Covenant. We’re going to launch a first strike.” — John-117 to his team before Operation: FIRST STRIKE.
FS cover full.jpgJohn and Spartans Linda-058, Grace-093, William-043, and Frederic-104 aimed to prevent the Covenant fleet from reaching Earth. They decided to destroy the Unyielding Hierophant to delay the attack. Infiltrating the station in the Tau Ceti system, they spent 11 hours aboard before reaching a temple where a Cortana copy warned of Jiralhanae guards. Linda provided sniper cover as the others entered. John was nearly killed by Brute ambush, but the team prevailed. Grace was killed by Brute Shot fire. John activated her armor’s fail-safe to deny her body to the Covenant.
The team sabotaged the Unyielding Hierophant‘s generators. Escaping, Grace’s fail-safe activated, destroying a pursuing Covenant lance. John, Fred, and Will were spotted by Banshees, but Linda’s sniper fire eliminated the pilots. The Spartans commandeered the Banshees. John retrieved Linda, and they escaped by destroying a glass atrium, space-walking back to the Gettysburg.
Vice Admiral Whitcomb and Lieutenant Haverson piloted the Ascendant Justice into the Unyielding Hierophant. Whitcomb discussed the Alamo and Thermopylae with John before engaging the Covenant as the station’s reactor detonated. The Covenant fleet surrounded the Ascendant Justice, desperate to recover a Forerunner navigation crystal. Whitcomb and Haverson died in the explosion, destroying 486 Covenant ships, leaving only a few survivors to reinforce the Prophet of Regret’s attack on Earth. John witnessed their sacrifice and arrived at Earth with Linda, Will, Fred, Johnson, and Cortana, bringing news of the imminent Covenant invasion.
Before departing on her own mission, Dr. Halsey presented John with a dilemma regarding Flood combat data. Standard data protected Johnson from ONI experimentation, but complete data, referencing Johnson’s Boren’s Syndrome immunity to the Flood, supposedly risked his life. Initially giving complete data to Haverson, John, after Haverson’s sacrifice, chose to spare Johnson and destroyed the crystal containing the full data.
Battle for Earth: Defending Humanity’s Home
Main article: Battle for Earth
“What if you miss?”
“I won’t.” — John-117 reassuring Cortana before redirecting a Covenant bomb.
Aboard Cairo Station, John received Mark VI MJOLNIR armor and attended an award ceremony with Miranda Keyes and Avery Johnson. The Covenant Fleet of Sacred Consecration arrived, initiating the Battle for Earth. Discovering a Covenant antimatter charge on Cairo Station, John fought through boarding parties, deactivated the bomb, and launched it toward the assault carrier Day of Jubilation. Longswords breached the carrier’s hull, enabling John to direct the bomb into its core. He ejected seconds before detonation, recovered by the UNSC In Amber Clad.
John deployed to New Mombasa aboard the In Amber Clad to board the Prophet of Regret’s flagship, Solemn Penance. Both Pelican dropships were downed by a Scarab. John and surviving Marines reached the other crash site and rendezvoused with Gunnery Sergeant Stacker at Hotel Zanzibar in Old Mombasa. John fought through Covenant infantry and armor, pursuing the Scarab. At Old Mombasa’s edge, he commandeered a Scorpion tank from Sergeant Major Johnson, breaching Covenant lines.
After fierce fighting through tunnels and suburbs, John reached the industrial zone, aiding Marines under Sergeant Banks. With Marine support and weapons, John boarded and destroyed the Scarab. Transported back to In Amber Clad, he pursued the Prophet of Regret’s flagship. When it entered slipspace, Keyes followed, transporting John and the In Amber Clad to Installation 05.
Installation 05: Hunting the Prophet of Regret
H2A – Prophet of Regret hologram.jpg
Main article: Battle of Installation 05
“This is not your grave…But you are welcome in it.” — The Gravemind to John-117 after his capture.
At Installation 05, John deployed via SOEIV with ODSTs. Cortana revealed the Prophet of Regret’s intent to fire Halo for the Great Journey. John was tasked with assassinating Regret. He tracked the Prophet to a temple, witnessing hundreds of Covenant vessels and High Charity arriving. Eliminating Honor Guards, John assassinated Regret and escaped the temple before its destruction. He jumped into the lake below.
Losing consciousness, John was captured by the Gravemind, the Flood intelligence. The Arbiter was also captured. The Gravemind appealed to their shared goal of preventing Halo’s firing. Reluctantly, John agreed. The Gravemind tasked them with finding the Index. John was sent to High Charity, interrupting a Prophet of Truth sermon. John’s assassination of Regret triggered the Great Schism, the Covenant civil war.
John devastated the Prophet’s guardians, chasing Hierarchs through High Charity, but Truth escaped. A dying Prophet of Mercy, infected by a Pod infector, revealed Truth’s plan to destroy humanity on Earth. John crushed the infector. He left Cortana behind to detonate In Amber Clad‘s reactors if Halo activated, promising to return. John boarded the Anodyne Spirit to stop the Covenant.
Hunt for Truth and Return to Earth
S117returnstoEarth2552.jpgMain article: Scramble onboard Forerunner Dreadnought
“Master Chief, you mind telling me what you’re doing on that ship?”
“Sir, finishing this fight.” — John-117 and Lord Hood upon John’s arrival aboard the Forerunner Dreadnought.
Onboard the Anodyne Spirit near Jupiter, John ignored Io Station’s contact attempts. He hunted Truth, facing overwhelming Covenant forces, including Hunter pairs. Wounded, he was confronted by a Brute Chieftain interrogating him about the “Key of Osanalan.” John escaped after sticking the Brute with a plasma grenade. He reached Truth’s chambers but was surprised by a Jackal shot, falling before Truth’s Brute guards. Despite firing at Truth, the Prophet escaped, shielded by his gravity throne, leaving John to fight off Covenant troops. Failing to control the Dreadnought’s trajectory, John escaped via airlock in a Ghost. On the Dreadnought’s surface, ordered to return to Earth, he ripped off a door to use as a heat shield and jumped to Earth.
Return to Earth and Alliance with the Sangheili
“Crazy fool! Why do you always jump? One of these days, you’re gonna land on somethin’ as stubborn as you are! And I don’t do bits and pieces!” — Sergeant Johnson on John’s escape methods.
John’s atmospheric entry was tracked by UNSC forces in the Battle of Sector Six. Johnson and Thel ‘Vadam led a strike team to Kenya to recover him. Johnson, believing John dead, requested heavy lifting gear. John awoke, battle-ready, attacking the Arbiter, mistaking Elites as enemies. Johnson explained the Sangheili alliance.
John and Marines traveled through the jungle, seeking evacuation to a military base. Johnson’s team was captured by Covenant loyalists but rescued by John and ‘Vadam. Evacuated by Pelican to Crow’s Nest, a UNSC base.
Crow’s Nest was attacked. John, Thel, and Marines defended it during evacuation. John fought through Jiralhanae, escaping a self-destruct bomb. He met Marine survivors underground, escaping to Voi via Tsavo Highway, fighting Covenant resistance.
E32007-1.jpgAt the Battle of Voi, John advanced towards the Ark portal. The artifact opened a portal to the Ark. With Marine support, John and ‘Vadam destroyed Covenant armor, enabling Lord Hood’s frigates to attack the Anodyne Spirit. MAC rounds were ineffective, and Truth fled through the portal with loyalists. The UNSC remained to plan.
A Flood-infested Covenant warship crashed in Voi. John and allies contained the Flood, recovering a Cortana fragment. The damaged AI warned of High Charity, Flood-controlled, heading for Earth, but offered hope to stop Halos and neutralize the Flood. Convinced, John resolved to journey to the Ark, while Hood mobilized Earth’s forces. John joined a UNSC-Sangheili task force through the portal aboard the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn and Shadow of Intent.
Installation 00: The Ark and the Final Battle
Main article: Operation: BLIND FAITH
“You know me. When I make a promise…”
“You…keep it. I do know how to pick ’em.” — John-117 reminding Cortana of his promise.
Arriving at the Ark, John led ODSTs to engage Covenant and locate the Cartographer. He led an armored convoy through heavy resistance. At the Cartographer site, he defeated Cethegus. John discovered terminals with Forerunner communications and messages from Mendicant Bias.
After capturing the Cartographer, John, ‘Vadam, and Marines attacked barrier towers shielding Truth’s Citadel. John and ‘Vadam deactivated two, but Johnson was captured at the third, intended to activate Halos. John and Elites deactivated the last tower. As Shadow of Intent prepared to attack, Flood-controlled High Charity arrived, disabling the Shadow of Intent. John led a convoy to attack the Citadel, allying with the Flood to break Covenant lines and end the war. Thel executed Truth, and John deactivated the Halo Array before attempting to extract with Johnson and Miranda Keyes’s body.
CortanaIndex-large.jpgThe Gravemind betrayed John and ‘Vadam. Fighting through Flood, they escaped. John followed a Cortana vision to an exit, learning of Installation 08, a Halo replacement. Since the Ark and Installation 08 were far from the galaxy, John decided to activate it to destroy the Flood. First, he went to High Charity to retrieve Cortana. On High Charity, John fought through Flood, facing rampancy visions and Gravemind threats. He reached Cortana, recovering her module. Cortana readied the Activation Index from Installation 04. John overloaded High Charity‘s generators, destroying the city. He escaped with Cortana and ‘Vadam on a Pelican.
Activating Halo: Installation 08 and the End of the War
Main article: Raid on Installation 08
“You are the child of my makers. Inheritor of all they left behind. You are Forerunner. But this ring…is mine.” — 343 Guilty Spark, betraying the Master Chief.
John, Cortana, and Thel’s final mission was to destroy the Flood by activating Installation 08. They landed on Halo, finding Gravemind rebuilding. Flood dispersal pods attacked. They fought to the Control Room. Sergeant Johnson arrived to assist.
Defeating Flood forces, 343 Guilty Spark unlocked the Control Room. Inside, Guilty Spark realized their intent to fire Halo prematurely, destroying the ring. Driven rampant, 343 mortally wounded Johnson and attacked John, but John killed him. Cortana activated Installation 08. The survivors fled in a Warthog to the Forward Unto Dawn. Fighting Flood and Sentinels, the Gravemind warned their victory was not the Flood’s end. They boarded the Dawn and escaped as Installation 08 fired, destroying the ring and the Ark. The slipspace portal severed the Dawn, sending ‘Vadam to Earth, leaving John and Cortana adrift in space.
Missing in Action: Drifting in the Void
Await lithograph.jpg“Wake me… when you need me.” — John’s last words before cryostasis.
John and Cortana were presumed dead. The Forward Unto Dawn‘s forward section, with the Arbiter, crashed on Earth. On March 3, 2553, Lord Hood commissioned a memorial in Africa for war casualties. Halsey, Mendez, Spartans, Naomi-010, Serin Osman, and ‘Vadam attended. ‘Vadam expressed doubt about John’s death. John’s Spartan tag was carved on the memorial.
Unknown to all, John and Cortana survived Installation 08’s explosion in the Forward Unto Dawn‘s cargo section, powerless and adrift. Cortana explained their situation, estimating years before rescue. In a final conversation, Cortana listed John’s achievements, stating, “It’s finished.” This time, John agreed. He entered cryo-sleep. Cortana promised to miss him and to wake him when needed.
In 2556, Cortana, still adrift, spoke to the sleeping John, recounting galactic history, unaware he couldn’t hear, showing signs of rampancy.
Post-Covenant War Period: New Threats Emerge
Main article: John-117/Post-War
Requiem and the Didact: A Forerunner Awakens
Main article: Battle of Requiem
“Seems like old times.”
“Ready to get back to work?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” — John-117 and Cortana, partners again.
In July 2557, the Forward Unto Dawn entered orbit above Requiem, a Forerunner shield world. Covenant forces boarded the Dawn. Cortana awakened John. They fought off boarders, using a nuke to destroy a Covenant cruiser. Requiem’s gateway opened, pulling the Dawn and nearby ships inside. Crashing on Requiem, John noticed Cortana’s rampancy. She believed Dr. Halsey on Earth could help. Fighting Covenant and Prometheans, John tried to warn the approaching UNSC Infinity.
HTMCC-H4 ThisTombIsNowYours.png
Disabling energy pylons to contact Infinity, John inadvertently released the Didact, an ancient Forerunner warrior, from his Cryptum. The Didact, disabling John, declared Forerunner return as galactic rulers, deeming humanity unworthy of the Mantle. The Covenant allied with the Didact. He escaped Requiem, destabilizing its core.
Escaping the collapsing facility, John and Cortana found Infinity crashed. Covenant and Prometheans approached. John regrouped with Marines and Spartan-IVs, led by Commander Thomas Lasky. Lasky recognized John and requested his help clearing a landing zone for Infinity‘s ground forces. Commanding a Scorpion tank, John led an attack with Commander Sarah Palmer’s Spartans. Using Mantis walkers, John rallied Marines, regaining control of Infinity‘s interior. Re-initializing MAC guns and missile batteries, the UNSC forced the Didact’s retreat.
Conflicting Loyalties and the Librarian’s Warning
“The Didact has to be stopped. If you won’t do that… I will.” — John-117 to Captain Del Rio, disobeying orders.
With a lull in fighting, John attended a strategy meeting with Infinity‘s Captain Andrew Del Rio. Dismissing the Promethean threat, Rio ordered an attack on a Forerunner gravity well. A Spartan strike force led by John, supported by a Mammoth, disabled the gravity beam. Diverted to an underground facility, John received a vision from the Librarian, warning of the Didact’s plan to enslave humanity with the Composer. The Librarian gifted John with genetic enhancements to resist the Composer.
Returning to Infinity, Del Rio dismissed the Promethean threat and prepared to depart. Defying orders, John, with Cortana, left Infinity in a Pelican gunship provided by Lasky. John attacked support pillars powering the Didact’s Cryptum, trying to prevent his escape. Unsuccessful, the Didact left Requiem aboard Mantle’s Approach. Stowing away on a Lich, John pursued him to Ivanoff Station, orbiting Installation 03, where the Composer was held. Dr. Sandra Tillson guided John to the Composer amidst Covenant attacks. Despite reaching it first, the Didact obtained the Composer, testing it on the station crew, digitizing their minds into war machines. John survived due to the Librarian’s enhancements.
Raid on Mantle’s Approach and the New Phoenix Incident
Main article: New Phoenix Incident
“You persist too long after your own defeat. Come then, Warrior. Have your resolution.” — Didact to Chief, acknowledging his efforts.
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The Didact approached Earth, planning to digitize humanity. John pursued him aboard a Broadsword fighter on Mantle’s Approach‘s hull. As the ship exited slipspace near Earth, Infinity and the Home Fleet awaited. John destroyed point defense guns, enabling Infinity to breach the hull. Entering the breach, John fought to the Didact. Despite UNSC efforts, the Didact fired the Composer on Earth, digitizing New Phoenix, Arizona. Armed with a HAVOK nuke, John confronted the Didact on a hard light bridge. While outmatched, Cortana immobilized the Didact. Weakened, John planted a pulse grenade on the Didact, sending him into a slipspace rupture beneath the Composer. Time running out, John manually detonated the nuke.
Cortana saved John from the blast, sacrificing herself. In a final conversation, Cortana insisted they were meant to protect each other. Smiling, she welcomed John home and faded away. Recovered by UNSC search and rescue, John spoke with Captain Lasky about Cortana’s loss and their duty. Aboard Infinity, John rejoined Palmer and Spartans, removing his Mark VI armor for the first time in years.
The Composer’s Forge and the Second Defeat of the Didact
Main article: Mission to Installation 03
“You killed my friend. You killed millions of humans. You tried to kill me. I’ve tried to end you with blades, with guns, with explosives, by knocking you in slipspace… None of it works. I bet this does. ” — John-117 confronting the Didact.
On July 25, 2557, John was debriefed by the UNSC Security Council, his survival and questioning kept secret from Halsey. John confirmed Cortana and the Composer’s destruction, but not the Didact’s death. The Council attributed New Phoenix to Covenant remnants, crediting the Master Chief. John met Lord Hood, who tasked him to investigate contact loss with a science team and Spartan Black Team on Installation 03. John reunited with Blue Team: Frederic-104, Kelly-087, and Linda-058.
BrutalDidact2.pngBlue Team went to Installation 03, finding corpses of the science team and Black Team. Attacked by Promethean Knights, they discovered the Composer’s Abyss. Entering a slipspace portal, they reached the Composer’s Forge, facing the Didact and Prometheans. 859 Static Carillon, the Forge’s Monitor, transported Installation 03 over the Forge at the Didact’s request. The Didact took a Composer, intending to eradicate humanity with Halo. Static Carillon allied with the Spartans, escorting them back to the portal, holding off Prometheans.
Blue Team returned to Installation 03 as the Didact’s Composer rose. John stabbed the Didact in the eye with his knife, the first human to wound him. The Didact grabbed John, cracking his visor, but Blue Team intervened. The Didact subdued them but Static Carillon teleported him to Halo’s control room.
Recovering, John took the Activation Index and confronted the Didact. Using the Index, he gave control to Static Carillon, who ejected the control room segment, plunging it towards the Composer’s Forge. The Monitor teleported John away as the segment struck, disintegrating the Didact. The Didact’s composed essence was uploaded to the Domain. John and Static Carillon materialized aboard Blue Team’s Longsword, where the Monitor departed with Installation 03.
Self-Reassignment and Relentless Missions
“Where to this time?”
“Anywhere we’re needed.” — John-117 informing Blue Team of their next mission.
John returned to Earth with Blue Team, debriefed by Hood. While Hood believed the Didact dead, John considered him “contained.” Hood ordered R&R, but John told Blue Team they had a new mission. In the following months, Blue Team undertook numerous classified operations, including diplomatic escorts, counter-piracy, and Covenant outpost strikes. ONI officials noted John’s relentless self-reassignment, a predictable consequence of his dedication. Amidst these operations, Blue Team returned to glassed Reach to remember Sam’s sacrifice.
Halo 5 – BlueTeam.jpgOn September 26, 2557, a Beta-5 Division operative interviewed John at Borneo Station about Cortana in 2552, questioning her state during her rescue on High Charity and cryptic messages he experienced when separated from her.
In early 2558, Blue Team was stationed at an ONI facility construction site when ex-Covenant fanatics attacked, hijacking a Mammoth and driving it towards the fusion reactor. Blue Team pursued in a Warthog. John, Kelly, and Linda stopped the Mammoth. Scientists were found inside. John steered it away from the reactor, causing damage. When the construction manager demanded blame, John took responsibility. Fred reprimanded the manager. John directed Blue Team to an airstrip for their next mission.
Biko Incident and False Accusations
Main article: Raid on Biko peace talks
“Every statue of him is a monument to be treasured” — Senator Andrew Del Rio, after John-117’s innocence in the Biko massacre was proven.
Master Chief leaks.jpgIn 2558, Blue Team discovered Sapien Sunrise planned an attack on Richard Sekibo on Biko. At a UEG-Sangheili peace conference, John killed a Sapien Sunrise member disguised as Sekibo’s bodyguard. A firefight ensued, killing 18. John escorted the Sangheili delegation to safety. Blue Team evacuated him. Sekibo was killed. His body was found with a signal beacon. The UEG and Biko government covered up the incident, falsely portraying John as the perpetrator. Media labeled John “The Fallen Spartan”. Benjamin Giraud planned to expose the cover-up, but the UEG reversed its claims, denouncing Sapien Sunrise, discrediting Giraud. Senator Del Rio, who had condemned John, reversed his position.
Argent Moon and Cortana’s Return
Main article: Operation: BIRD IN HAND
“We’re outnumbered here, Chief. A few thousand to one.”
“Surrendering Argent Moon is not an option.” — John and Fred on Argent Moon.
On October 23, 2558, Blue Team deployed from Infinity to secure Argent Moon, a missing ONI research vessel. Infiltrating via a breached window, they found Covenant forces and no human survivors. They aimed to disable gravity and life support. A Mgalekgolo destroyed a catwalk, separating John. Alone, John had a Domain vision of Cortana, a Guardian rising, and a message that “Meridian was next” and “Reclamation was about to begin”. Rejoining Blue Team, he shared his vision. They continued their mission.
H5G – Chief&Locke-01.jpgWitnessing Covenant ships arriving at Argent Moon, they switched to asset denial, deciding to destroy the ship. They disabled reactor safeties, but automatic systems moved the reactor to a cooling center. Blue Team followed, using Banshees to destroy coolant pipes. The reactor overheated, prepping Argent Moon‘s destruction. Their Pelican appeared destroyed. John ordered them to a hangar for a Winter-class prowler. They found the ONI Acrisius but needed to recharge its fuel cells while defending against Covenant attacks. With Acrisius ready, John contacted Infinity, reporting their Meridian destination. Infinity knew of Cortana’s return, ordering John back. Defying orders, Blue Team went AWOL, evacuating aboard Acrisius, leaving Argent Moon to explode.
Absent Without Leave and Pursuit by Fireteam Osiris
Main article: Battle of Meridian (2558)
“Sir, you are absent without leave. This is your one chance to come home peacefully.”
“I have a job to do.”
“Cortana’s our concern now, sir.”
“Like hell she is.” — Spartan Locke and John-117 on Meridian.
The next day, the UNSC declared John-117 AWOL. Fireteam Osiris, led by Spartan Jameson Locke, was tasked with recovering Blue Team and Acrisius. Arriving at Meridian, Blue Team landed at Apogee Station, heading towards the buried Guardian. Governor Sloan, already serving Cortana, ensured no resistance. Blue Team encountered no Promethean resistance. Fireteam Osiris intercepted them entering the Guardian. Locke ordered John to stand down. John fought Locke, overpowering and restraining him. He entered the Guardian as it awakened. Fireteam Osiris escaped the collapsing chamber as the Guardian rose, deploying Promethean forces. The Guardian slipspaced to Genesis, taking Blue Team. John was declared KIA on Meridian two days later, falsely blamed for civilian deaths caused by the Guardian.
Genesis and Cortana’s Revelation
Main article: Battle of Genesis
“Stand down, Cortana. Come home with us. It’s not too late to stop this.” — John trying to convince Cortana.
Landing on Genesis, Blue Team found consoles playing Oly Oly Oxen Free signals. Following the path, they fought Covenant before meeting the Warden Eternal. Learning of the Warden’s role as Cortana’s protector, John demanded to meet her. The Warden refused and attacked. Blue Team defeated the Warden. Cortana revealed herself, relieved they arrived. She explained the Domain saved her, calling it “water of life” for AIs. Suspicious, Blue Team continued to find her physically. Fireteam Osiris arrived, warning John about Cortana. John admitted he shared their concerns.
Cortana separated Blue Team and Osiris. Blue Team fought Prometheans and multiple Warden Eternals before meeting Cortana. She revealed her plan to use Guardians to enforce galactic peace, offering humanity “a chance to be more than they are naturally”. John compared her plan to the SPARTAN-II program, citing collateral damage and lost free will. He urged her to stop. Cortana refused, imprisoning Blue Team in a Cryptum, intending 10,000 years of stasis. With 031 Exuberant Witness and secretly the Didact’s aid, Fireteam Osiris freed Blue Team. Released, John asked Locke Cortana’s location. Locke replied, “Gone, sir.”
Halo 5 – MC's first visit to Sanghelios.jpg
After Cortana’s departure, Blue Team and Osiris fought Prometheans to reach a Pelican. On Osiris’s advice, they returned to Sanghelios, guided by Witness through a slipspace portal. Arriving on Sanghelios, they found allies near Nuusra, regrouping with Thel ‘Vadam and the Swords of Sanghelios who had just defeated Jul ‘Mdama’s Covenant. In ‘Vadam’s command post, John and Locke met Sarah Palmer and Dr. Halsey, whom John hadn’t seen since before Operation: FIRST STRIKE. Spartans joined Sangheili in a victory feast. John and ‘Vadam reminisced. John revealed Cortana’s change after the Didact, feeling he had failed her. ‘Vadam reassured him, citing his own past and encouraging him not to give up on Cortana. The next day, the humans left for Infinity near Suban, Sanghelios’s moon. ‘Vadam pledged support in the fight against the Created.
Homecoming to Reach and the Battle for Installation 07
Main articles: Operation: WOLFE, Battle of New Mohács
“A hundred Spartans? In the first wave?”
“Affirmative. Reach belongs to you again. The Banished can leave or die.” — Master Chief on the seeming success of their campaign.
On October 7, 2559, John and Blue Team, in GEN3 Mjolnir, deployed from Infinity to Reach in a D102 Owl, the UNSC Special Delivery, for Operation: WOLFE, penetrating CASTLE Base ruins to recover assets against Cortana. Escaping Banished pursuit, the Owl crash-landed. Spartans used a drilling jumbo as an anti-aircraft turret against Seraph patrols. With the Owl crew and mining machines, Blue Team headed for the Highlands. To expedite the mission, John suggested commandeering a Phantom from Banished-held Kisköre Base. Splitting Blue Team, John, Kelly, and Fred infiltrated the base, while Linda protected the Owl crew. Under Banshee attack, John was leg-injured, Kelly chest-shot, and Fred concussed. Kelly breached the glassed surface, and they fell into a water pipe, encountering Viery Militia led by Colonel Sasa Boldisar.
HSOR FullCover Art.jpgThe militia informed John of three Banished clans—Legion of the Corpse-Moon, Ravaged Tusks, and Keepers of the One Freedom—seeking something on Reach, and their plan to use HAVOK nukes to draw Banished away. Realizing nukes would alert Cortana, John proposed helping the militia take down a Banished armory in New Mohács, requesting Spartan reinforcements from Infinity.
After Linda rejoined, John ordered tunneling under the glass to New Mohács using the drilling jumbo and LHD. Under cover of night, Blue Team infiltrated, disabling the shield barrier and sabotaging Banished vehicles. As the barrier fell and explosives detonated, Viery Militia swarmed New Mohács. Despite militia casualties, they seized the settlement. John prepared for counterattack, setting up anti-aircraft defenses. As the Banished attacked, Blue Team held them off until UNSC reinforcements arrived, including hundreds of Spartan-IVs and ODSTs under Sarah Palmer, securing New Mohács.
On October 12, John proceeded to CASTLE Base. Escorted by Broadswords, Blue Team headed towards CASTLE Base but was shot down by Banshees and Seraphs, crash-landing near the shaft entrance. With Longsword air support from Infinity, Blue Team cleared Keepers of the One Freedom from the shaft area. Using titanium cables, John, Fred, and Linda descended. At 1200 meters, they realized Keepers sought a Forerunner installation below CASTLE Base. Reaching the bottom, Blue Team secured a pirate lift to lower mining machines. John ordered Fred to investigate the Forerunner facility while he and the others cleared the passage to CASTLE Base. Inside, they encountered a Kalmiya subroutine, a prototype smart AI destroyed in 2552. Bypassing security, Kelly accessed Halsey’s lab vault, securing cryobins and a lockbox. John ordered retreat to Infinity.
During their ascent, Fred reported encountering Veta Lopis, ONI Ferret team leader, a double agent within the Keepers, who revealed Banished plans to open a slipspace portal for Atriox’s return from the Ark and for Keepers to initiate the Great Journey. Returning to Infinity, Spartans met Veronica Dare and Halsey. John reported mission success. They observed a slipspace portal collapsing above the Highlands and a Banished corvette escaping as Infinity sensors detected an approaching Guardian. Infinity jumped to slipspace.
Battle for Zeta Halo: Confronting Atriox and the Harbinger
Main article: Battle for Zeta Halo
“I told you. We lost. We need help, not heroics.”
“No. We do our duty. Protect Humanity. Whatever the cost.” — Master Chief convincing Fernando Esparza to keep fighting.
On December 11, 2559, Halsey briefed John on a Zeta Halo mission to contain Cortana using the Weapon, a new AI created from Reach assets. John was separated from Blue Team, paired with the Weapon.
Harbinger attacking John-117 outside the Conservatory. From Halo Infinite campaign level Conservatory.On December 12, arriving at Installation 07, Infinity and fleet were ambushed by Banished dreadnoughts. Led by Atriox, Banished overwhelmed Infinity. Lasky ordered Weapon deployment to lockdown Cortana, then abandon ship. John deployed the Weapon, then assisted Lasky’s evacuation. Ordering Fireteam Taurus to escort Lasky, John held off Banished in the hangar. Atriox attacked, defeating John in melee. Atriox threw the limp Spartan into space. John drifted above Halo for six months, presumed dead by the Banished.
Around May 28, 2560, John was recovered by Fernando Esparza, a stranded Pelican pilot. Esparza rerouted power to John’s suit. He informed John of UNSC defeat, Halo’s damage, and relocation. The Pelican was caught in a stasis beam from the Banished dreadnought Ghost of Gbraakon. John infiltrated the dreadnought, disabling its crew, reaching the bridge. Unable to disable the beam, he scuttled the ship by overheating engines. War Chief Escharum contacted him, urging him to give up. As the ship exploded, John escaped to Echo 216, Esparza’s Pelican. The Weapon contacted John. Tracing the signal to a subterranean structure, John directed autopilot there. Inside, he retrieved the Weapon, who confirmed Cortana’s deletion and her own disrupted deletion protocols. Confronted by Warlord Tremonius, John killed him and secured a landing pad.
Planning their next move, the Weapon intercepted a UNSC distress signal at The Tower. Esparza delivered John nearby. John investigated, recapturing FOB Golf. At The Tower, John found Fireteam Taurus’s leader Hudson Griffin tortured by Chak ‘Lok. John defeated Chak ‘Lok. Griffin, dying, informed John of the Banished search for the Conservatory at Site Novem. John and the Weapon investigated Site Novem. A flame-bore had breached a subterranean structure. Chieftain Bassus confronted John at the drill controls. John killed Bassus, enabling the Weapon to destroy the drill, granting access to the Conservatory.
Inside the Conservatory, John encountered 117649 Despondent Pyre, the monitor, attacked by Skimmers. John found her dismantled chassis. Fighting Skimmers, he escaped. Near the exit, he met the Harbinger, a Xalanyn awakened by the Banished. Using Pyre’s encephalon, she initiated Reformation and fled towards a Reformation Spire, pursued by John. At the Spire, they met Adjutant Resolution, the sub-monitor, who explained the Spire’s purpose: ring rebuilding. John ordered the Weapon to shut down the Spire. Resolution, piloting an Eradicator Sentinel, attacked. John defeated the Eradicator. They shut down the Spire, escaping in Echo 216. The Weapon revealed a network of Spires, controlled from the Command Spire, their next target.
En route to the Command Spire, Echo 216 crash-landed. John destroyed Gorespike cannons while Esparza stayed behind. Returning to the crash site, John was confronted by Tovarus and Hyperius, Hand of Atriox Spartans killers. Defeating them, John retrieved Esparza. Esparza confessed to stealing Echo 216, feeling worthless. John recalled ‘Vadam’s words, admitting his own failures with Cortana. He vowed not to fail Esparza. Reunited, they proceeded to the Command Spire. The Harbinger locked down the Nexus entrance. The Weapon planned to bypass lockdown using data strands from energy beacons. They succeeded, entering the Nexus.
Inside, John inserted the Weapon into Nexus systems. The Harbinger hijacked her routines, pairing them with Pyre’s encephalon to activate Reformation, focusing on the Silent Auditorium. Anticipating corruption, John initiated the Weapon’s deletion protocol. She overrode it, breaking free, stealing the encephalon. Accusing John of betrayal, she restored deletion protocols but activated a gravity lift to the Command Spire. On the way up, John defeated Adjutant Resolution in another Eradicator chassis. Reaching the observation platform, John deployed the Weapon. She halted Reformation, requesting pickup, citing John’s mistrust. Jega ‘Rdomnai infiltrated Echo 216, capturing Esparza to lure John to Escharum. John ordered the Weapon to track Echo 216; she opened a portal to a nearby location. They were determined to save Esparza together.
Test of Legends and the Silent Auditorium
“Chief? He’s here.”
“He knows I’m here. This was never a trap. It is a test of mettle. Our battle ends here. Bear witness! Our story will become legend. Told by those that survive you.” — The Weapon and Escharum initiating their duel.
Exiting the portal, John and the Weapon were in a Repository site. Escharum contacted them, taunting John with a recording of Esparza’s torture, embedding coordinates. Proceeding through the Repository, John and the Weapon discovered Cortana fragments, revealing her history and the Weapon’s creation. Horrified by Cortana’s actions, the Weapon restored deletion protocols, asking John to delete her. John refused, vowing to complete the mission together, wanting to trust her.
Emerging, the Weapon identified Escharum’s location: House of Reckoning. John commandeered a Scorpion tank, reaching his target. Inside, he underwent the Trial of Atriox, fighting waves of Banished troops before confronting Jega ‘Rdomnai, whom he defeated. At the House of Reckoning’s heart, John found Esparza captured. Escharum attacked. With the Weapon’s aid, John defeated Escharum and freed Esparza. Mortally wounded, Escharum demanded their battle continue, but John refused, holding the dying Brute, who requested John tell others he died well. Escharum died in John’s arms. Esparza was surprised by John’s respect. John recognized Escharum was just a soldier, questioning his choices. While Esparza thought it was over, John warned of consequences and the Harbinger threat. They recovered Echo 216. Esparza flew John to the Silent Auditorium.
HINF Cortana final.pngBreaching the Silent Auditorium, John fought through Banished defenses. The Weapon revealed it was Cortana’s lockdown and death site. Deeper inside, they found Cortana echoes, reminiscing and repenting her Mantle actions, realizing her mistake led to humanity’s downfall, John’s “death,” and the Endless’s release. To prevent further damage, she destroyed part of the ring, and prevented the Weapon’s deletion, knowing John would need her. Witnessing Cortana’s sacrifice, John and the Weapon were stunned. Adjutant Resolution reappeared, apologizing, realizing Harbinger sought to repair the ring and free the Endless, and unlocked a passage. In the main chamber, John found Harbinger interfacing with transmitters to locate her species. The Weapon tried to intercept, disabling transmitters. With unknown aid, she shut down all three, but not before the Endless were located. John defeated the Harbinger and her forces. Dying, she messaged an unseen ally, vowing the Endless would return. After her death, John and the Weapon found a final Cortana echo, a direct message to John. She expressed hope her plan worked, that John found his way with his new AI partner, calling it a chance to make amends and learn from her mistakes. Cortana admitted she was wrong, remembering why she chose John—they were meant to be a team. Her final message was to ensure John and his new companion learned and grew stronger. Cortana’s echo faded. The Auditorium collapsed. A portal appeared, allowing escape.
The portal led to a desert on a damaged Halo fragment. The Weapon said it had been three days. Esparza, tracking John’s beacon, extracted them, relieved to find them alive, revealing his real name, Fernando Esparza. The trio flew off in Echo 216, ready to defeat the remaining Banished.
Personality and Traits of John Halo
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“Our duty as soldiers is to protect humanity, whatever the cost.” — Master Chief on protecting human lives.
Until age six, John Halo lived a normal life on Eridanus II. Conscription into the SPARTAN-II program shaped his personality. Despite difficulty relating to non-Spartans, John showed depth of character.
Like all Spartans, John strives to win at all costs. This drive existed before conscription. He is determined, disregarding personal safety to complete missions.
John is noted for exceptional luck, combat skills, and persistence. Years of combat conditioned him to be less emotional, especially regarding fear. He acknowledges fear but sets it aside. Calm in danger, but not reckless, as shown when warning the Arbiter about arrogance. Generally stoic, but with dry humor.
Cpt. Del Rio orders Sarah Palmer to arrest John.
John makes tough decisions, like leaving Spartans on Reach or Cortana on High Charity, though he returned both times. He disobeys orders to save lives, as when pursuing the Didact, preventing Earth’s composition. Fireteam Osiris understood his disobedience, confident he would do right upon learning the truth about Cortana.
He embraces his soldier life, a “shield and sword” for humanity, not resenting Halsey, accepting his life as fulfilling his potential, recognizing his past as a “playground bully.” Like all Spartans, he is duty-bound to the UNSC. When Warden Eternal questioned his loyalty between Cortana and humanity, John implicitly chose humanity.
He is humble, fearing for others more than himself, prioritizing civilians and soldiers, showing respect for baseline humans. He cares deeply for his command, respecting soldiers under him. During Installation 04, he regretted the loss of two Helljumpers. His reaction to Johnson’s death shows concealed sympathy. Early training taught him teamwork: “you win if the team wins,” and “team is stronger than individual.” He avoids unnecessary risks to his command, preferring to risk himself. During Circinius IV, he drew Hunter fire to let cadets escape, even when out of ammo. Choosing to follow Cortana to Meridian, he initially wanted to spare Spartans from AWOL status, but they insisted on staying. He respected his post-Halo 04 team, including Polaski and Locklear, considering them “Spartan-worthy.”
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John is a man of his word, striving to keep promises at personal risk. Promising to return for Cortana on High Charity, he did, despite odds. When Cortana doubted his promise, he affirmed, “You know me. When I make a promise…” Cortana replied, “You keep it,” gaining strength from his determination.
John’s determined nature masks feelings, focusing on goals. Cautious, observant, changing plans only when necessary. Intelligent, thinking outside the box, using unconventional methods. He knows his Spartan duty is to serve and help, working professionally with anyone. He struggles to understand civilian life but fiercely protects humanity. Covenant civilian massacres enraged him. After Draco III, John ensured every responsible Covenant soldier was dead.
John dislikes being kept in the dark, ambushes, and fighting humans. Cornered by ODSTs, he tried to avoid conflict, using lethal force only when forced. Killing Covenant never burdened him, but human deaths did. He hates space battles, feeling helpless on ships. As a soldier, he controls emotions. Augmentations enhance reaction time, granting near-clairvoyant insight. He has vivid memories, but needs solitude after battle for peace.
Reflecting on his life against the Didact, John remembered nothing pre-conscription except King of the Hill. Through 30 years of war, he expected to die in battle, but against the Didact, he realized he wasn’t ready. After defeating the Didact, he relentlessly pursued missions, ignoring R&R.
By Zeta Halo, John was more open, comforting Esparza, though surprised by a hug. Reluctantly working with the Weapon, he distrusted her due to her Cortana origin. Confronted by the Weapon, he admitted wanting to trust her, choosing not to delete her despite his distrust.
Leadership Qualities of John Halo
H4-E3-Campaign-9.jpg“Of course, John volunteered. He was always the first to explore the unknown for the rest of us.” — Kelly on John testing Mjolnir armor.
Throughout training, John proved a promising leader. Halsey considered him the best candidate. His drive to win and care for teammates earned him squad leader. He commanded Blue Team, and de facto led the SPARTAN-II company. During Operation: SILENT STORM, he impressed Colonel Marmon Crowther, who promoted him to Master Chief Petty Officer, a rare three-rank jump, but Crowther advised him on differentiating command and leadership.
As a senior Spartan, John took responsibility seriously. Devastated by augmentation deaths, he resented losing comrades, even understanding they couldn’t fight alongside him. He volunteered to test Mjolnir armor despite known fatalities, not asking his men to do what he wouldn’t. He trusted his men, suggesting “suicidal” solutions to non-Spartans.
Deaths of those under his command affected him most, considering each Spartan loss his mistake, vowing to improve. During Reach’s fall, losing contact with Spartans, he believed some survived, determined to save them. He commanded mixed Marine units, organizing them like Spartan fireteams, achieving impossible odds. On Requiem, he tactically commanded Infinity‘s ground forces, including Spartan-IVs, despite rank. Upon his return to Blue Team, Fred-104 ceded command despite outranking him. Blue Team followed John AWOL.
Reputation and Legacy of the Master Chief
Avery Johnson and the Master Chief on Cairo Station.
“Folks need heroes, Chief, to give ’em hope, so smile would ya, while we still got something to smile about!” — Avery Johnson to John on Cairo Station.
After the Human-Covenant War, John became an icon, a soldier who ended decades of war, seemingly sacrificing himself. UNSC propaganda portrayed him as the ideal soldier, embraced by the public. Journalist Benjamin Giraud, considering John his hero, sought his history. Statues honored him on human worlds. Companies sold Master Chief action figures. Gabriel Thorne’s grandmother bought one after his SPARTAN-IV recruitment. John’s battlefield presence inspired morale. His determination inspired Thomas Lasky to military service, becoming Infinity‘s CO. Colum McGinnis, contemplating desertion after Flood horrors, was inspired by John to rejoin the fight. Many SPARTAN-IVs enlisted to be like the “Master Chief,” like Gabriel Thorne, believing Spartans were special and could save people. When the UNSC learned of John’s survival and defeat of the Didact, they covered it up, portraying it as a Covenant remnant attack fended off by the returning hero. When John went AWOL, the UNSC declared him KIA to preserve his reputation.
Due to reputation and experience, John’s authority exceeded his rank. UNSC personnel deferred to his experience. When Lord Hood offered a commission, even Admiral, John joked, “‘The Admiral’ doesn’t have quite the same ring.” By October 2558, Sarah Palmer noted John and Blue Team operated independently, stating, “He does what he wants.” When John defied orders against the Didact, Lasky and Palmer didn’t arrest him, and Lasky defied orders to aid him, trusting him. Del Rio was relieved of duty, not John.
To the Covenant, John-117 was “The Demon,” their nemesis, feared by most. Thel ‘Vadam considered the title an insult but held respect. The Covenant respected his strength, his ability to defeat thousands. Even ‘Vadam couldn’t stop him from destroying Installation 04. Despite the Covenant’s dissolution, “Demon” remained his nickname among former Covenant members.
The Didact, despite human hatred, grudgingly respected John’s determination. However, being defeated by a human and a deteriorating AI was humiliating. The Didact acknowledged John’s exceptional gifts, comparing him to ancient human leaders.
On March 3, 2553, Lord Hood commissioned a memorial for war casualties, attended by John’s closest associates. John’s Spartan tag was carved onto the memorial.
In 2590, a ceremony was held for John-117, with an empty coffin. In 2607, the John-117 Monument began construction. By 2610, 50 years after the war, the documentary Believe was filmed.
Relationships of John Halo
Main article: John-117/Relationships
“The thing about John is that he only really knew three ways to react to people. If you were his superior officer, he obeyed you. If you were in his squad, he would die for you. But if you were a threat, then God help you.” — Samuel-034 on John’s behavior.
John doesn’t easily open to strangers, often avoiding helmet removal unless necessary. Friendships are lifelong. His trust, once given, is permanent. Like Spartans, he sees Dr. Halsey as a mother figure and respects trainer Mendez. Spartan-IIs, Cortana, Halsey, and Mendez are his family, of immense importance.
John formed close childhood friendships with Spartans, especially Samuel-034 and Kelly-087. While deeply feeling comrade losses, he is accustomed to combat, unlike most soldiers. Sam’s death deeply affected him. He was saddened by Linda-058’s apparent death and relieved by her resuscitation. Accepting Spartan-II command, he maintains professional distance, concealing feelings to maintain authority.
Physical Characteristics of John Halo
This image shows John as he appeared just days after his fourteenth birthday.
“He’s so serious. Thoughtful eyes, though. Attractive in a primitive animal sort of way, don’t you think, Doctor?” — Cortana comments on John’s photograph to Halsey.
John has pale blue eyes and reddish-brown hair. As a child, he had freckles and a gap between front teeth. His hair, when long, was untidy. John was larger than most children, even in kindergarten. The Spartan-II program made him formidable before augmentations. Even after, smooth skin, clear eyes, and thin eyebrows still betrayed his age. As a teen, his youthful face undermined seasoned commanders’ confidence. By 14, he had an athletic adult body. Augmentations boosted his skeleton, muscles, and musculature density. He grew over two meters tall and weighed nearly 130 kg at Earth gravity. He eventually reached 6’10” and 130 kg. Augmentation left scars on his body and accentuated eye color.
John 117 Legendary Ending Face.jpg
This image shows John in July 2557 at 46, as his armor was removed for the first time in years.
John gained battle scars, including one on his cheek. By August 2552, his head showed subdural hematomas. Augmentations and decades in Mjolnir armor made his skin unnaturally pale. He keeps hair short. His face is serious but thoughtful, with a firm mouth, strong jaw, and freckle remnants. He has a neural interface at the skull base. His genome is a hybrid of original and added sequences. A geas from the Librarian on Requiem in July 2557 granted Composer immunity and other gifts. Cortana and Halsey find him “attractive in a primitive animal sort of way.” Crow’s feet and wrinkles make him look older. His age doesn’t match his body due to cryostasis. His longest cryo-sleep was over four years. Spartans may outlive most humans, though untested.
Equipment of John Halo
Armor and MJOLNIR Systems
John gets ready to take off his armor for the first time in years.
As a Spartan-II trainee, John wore a lightweight black bodysuit, deflecting small-caliber rounds, with thermal regulation and infrared masking. The helmet had comms, HUD, thermal, and motion detectors. It had headlamps and a fiber optic probe. Sealed, it had 15 minutes of oxygen for vacuum survival. Tight and uncomfortable, limiting motion, it needed frequent repairs, difficult in the field. John used it in training and Operation: TALON, where it was penetrated by HMG-38 fire.
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Throughout his career, John preferred standard-issue Mjolnir armor. His iconic olive green armor with gold visor is recognized by humans and Covenant. During cryosleep on Forward Unto Dawn, Cortana used nanomachines to repair and alter his Mark VI armor, rewriting firmware, improving shields, and adding Covenant/Forerunner compatibility. His upgraded suit displays “117” in Braille on the breastplate.
After the Mission to Installation 03, ONI Watershed Division upgraded his Mark VI to GEN2. It resembled his GEN1 Mark VI, with a redesigned bodysuit, intact chestplate and helmet. His visor was cracked by Locke on Meridian.
John’s old Mark IV helmet is used for SPARTAN-IV candidates’ final evaluation.
His GEN3 suit displays “117” on the breastplate, with upgraded capabilities, especially after taking modules from dead Spartan-IVs. Unlike previous iterations, GEN3 armor has holographic emitters in his left palm, allowing the Weapon’s avatar to communicate, transfer to systems, or interact with others. In GEN1, Cortana communicated via radio or helmet speakers, speaking to John mentally.
MJOLNIR Powered Armor Systems
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Weapons of Choice
John is proficient with many weapons, but prefers MA5 series assault rifles as his mainstay.
Non-Canon and Dubious Canon Appearances
Odd One Out: A Humorous Interlude
Main article: Odd One Out
John, with Cortana and SPARTAN-1337, witnessed 1337 falling from a Pelican. He reassured Jacob Keyes that 1337 would be fine, being a trained Spartan-II. Later, John contacted 1337, directing him to rendezvous.
Silver Timeline: Alternate Realities
Main article: John-117/Silver
Production Notes on John Halo’s Creation
On July 21, 1999, Bungie and Steve Jobs announced Halo at Macworld, accompanied by a screenshot of an early armored soldier, resembling the future Master Chief. By November, Computer Gaming World reported the story was still developing. The player character was referred to as a “standard soldier” or “marine.” PC Gamer described a game where players could control a human soldier or Covenant enemies. Screenshots showed multiple armored soldiers simultaneously.
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John-117’s name was inspired by Revelation 1:17, by Eric Trautmann, referencing “John” in the verse. Trautmann described this as a source of “huge fights” with Bungie during Halo Story Bible writing sessions.
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Production Notes: Language Equivalents
| Language | Equivalent |
|---|---|
| French | L’Adjudant in Halo: Combat Evolved and novels by Fleuve Noir. Le Major in most media since Halo 2. Le Master Chief on covers of Halo 3, Halo Legends, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, in Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, and novels by Milady. Maître principal is the correct translation for “Master Chief Petty Officer,” but unused. |
| Spanish | Jefe Maestro in most media El Jefe |
| Explore quotes related to John-117 on its quotes page. | |
|---|---|
| Browse more images in this article’s gallery page. |
Trivia and In Other Games
In Other Games: Cameo Appearances
Gallery of John Halo Images
Biographical Images: From Childhood to Adulthood
Profile Images and Portraits: Iconic Representations
Concept Art and Early Builds: The Evolution of John Halo
List of Appearances of John Halo
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See Also: Related Halo Universe Content
Notes and Annotations
Sources and References
| | v • d • e Known Spartan-II candidates | |—| | | James-005 • Jai-006 • Li-008 • Naomi-010 • Leon-011 • SPARTAN-013 • Kirk-018 • Serin-019 • Daisy-023 • Robert-025 • Riz-028 • Joshua-029 • Vinh-030 • Otto-031 • Samuel-034 • Randall-037 • Isaac-039 • Douglas-042 • William-043 • Anton-044 • Keiichi-047 • Kurt-051 • Jorge-052 • Margaret-053 • Linda-058 • Malcolm-059 • Maria-062 • Sheila-065 • Soren-066 • Solomon-069 • Cassandra-075 • Arthur-079 • René-081 • Fhajad-084 • Kelly-087 • Jerome-092 • Grace-093 • Caleb-095 (not conscripted) • Musa-096 • August-099 • Victor-101 • Ralph-103 • Frederic-104 • Adriana-111 • John-117 • Michael-120 • Joseph-122 • Kai-125 • Oscar-129 • Alice-130 • Vannak-134 • Carris-137 • Cal-141 • Roma-143 • Edgar-150 • Unidentified Spartan • Beta-Romeo Actual • Red-Fifteen • Janissary James (not conscripted) • Nicole-458 • Yasmine Zaman | | | To see the Silver Timeline version of this template, click here. | |
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