Spoiler Alert: Only Jun-A266 Survived the Fall of Reach
As a hardcore Halo fan, I‘m here to give you the definitive breakdown on who survived the pivotal Battle of Reach in 2552. Of the Spartan super soldiers present during the fateful final days of this UNSC stronghold planet, Noble Team‘s Jun-A266 was the lone survivor.
The Fall of Reach marked the first major defeat for humanity in the war against the genocidal Covenant empire. It saw unbelievable acts of heroism from Noble Team and other Spartans as they faced impossible odds. Many paid the ultimate price to save countless civilian lives from the invading Covenant armadas.
Let‘s take a deeper look at the key survivors and tragic losses of those fateful days that changed the course of human history forever…
Surviving Spartan Heroes
Jun-A266
The quick-witted Noble Team sniper, Jun escaped Reach along with Dr. Catherine Halsey to protect the secrets in her head from falling into Covenant hands. His current status remains unknown, but some believe he may resurface in future games.
After losing his entire Noble squad, it couldn‘t have been easy for Jun to leave Reach. As a Spartan though, duty comes first – the information Dr. Halsey carried was deemed too valuable, giving the UNSC a fighting chance against the Covenant.
Team Gamma
This three-member splinter group composed of Spartan-II super soldiers Anton-044, Grace-093, and Li-008 had a crucial mission: rescue HIGHCOM leadership from the besieged headquarters in the underground Olympic Tower bunker.
Against all odds, the team successfully extracted Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb along with essential navigation databases despite heavy Covenant resistance. Their actions enabled a significant number of UNSC ships to escape the system.
By The Numbers: Spartan Survival Rate
The Fall of Reach saw some of the heaviest Spartan casualties to date. Prior to the invasion, records show 33 active Spartan-IIs out of the original 75 candidates trained under the ORION Project.
After the dust settled, the number of surviving II‘s was never firmly established but estimated to be less than 15%. Most continued fighting well after escaping Reach, including the legendary Master Chief himself.
A small number of Spartan-III‘s who escaped Onyx were also thought to endure past the Fall of Reach. Of the 400+ IIIs trained, many of Gamma Company shipped out from Onyx shortly before its glassing. Exact figures are unknown.
Not So Noble Losses
While a few Spartans emerged from the rubble, most were not so lucky… including all but one member of Noble Team:
- Jorge-052: Sacrificed himself aboard the Covenant supercarrier Long Night of Solace
- Carter-A259: Killed after crashing his Pelican during a mission to deliver Cortana off-world
- Kat-B320: Sniped by a Needle round straight through her visor
- Emile-A239: Impaled from behind while manning a Mass Driver cannon but took his killer out with him
- Thom-A293: The previous Noble Six who met his end prior to the game‘s events
The Invasion of Reach: How It Went Down
On July 24, 2552, a single Covenant recon ship emerged near Sigma Octanus, signaling the beginning of the end for Reach…
July – Covert Landings
Initial Covenant forces stealth inserted thousands of ground troops on Reach supported by landing craft. Early battles saw the UNSC badly outgunned by superior plasma weapons and armor.
By July 30th: OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE raises alert status to DEFCON 2 after detecting odd communications in civil infrastructure. Evidence of Covenant infiltration grows.
August – All Out War
The main invasion begins August 14th. Massive Covenant fleets arrive in the Epsilon Eridani system and annihilate defending ships and orbital platforms. Unrelenting bombardment opens fronts across all continents.
On August 23, the Covenant siege of NEW ALEXANDRIA erupts. Noble Team spearheads the evacuation of the city before it‘s utterly glassed from orbit. These final evacuations save over 100,000 civilians.
September-October – Fall of Reach
The battered remnants of the UNSC fleet make their final stand in a gigantic naval battle over Reach on August 29th. Over 100 human ships combine firepower to cripple the assault carrier Long Night of Solace.
But the sacrifice is in vain…
On August 30, Reach falls completely to the might of the seemingly endless Covenant armada. Incessant plasma bombardment and literal billions of invading troops overwhelm all remaining resistance.
Those final days saw some of the greatest acts of sacrifice and heroism in human history. So when you see a UNSC troop, be sure to shake their hand – they owe their life to those brave Spartans of Reach.
The War Rages On…
Reach was just the beginning of the Human-Covenant War‘s major battles. Many valiant souls, both human and Spartan alike, continued the fight after escaping the Fall of Reach.
The heroic Noble Six delivered a crucial package to the UNSC cruiser Pillar of Autumn – the AI Cortana. This key asset discovered the coordinates that eventually led the remnants of the fleet to Installation 04 Halo. There awaits a terrifying new enemy they never could have predicted…
But their grim discovery brought hope. Halo holds the very key to stopping the unstoppable Covenant forces.
And with Spartans like the Master Chief on our side – there‘s always hope!
