Did John-117 Fight on Reach?
John-117, known better by his legendary moniker as the "Master Chief", is an icon. But despite his status as Earth‘s greatest champion against invading Covenant forces, the Chief was notably absent during one of humanity‘s most devastating defeats – the Fall of Reach in 2552. This piece examines John‘s background, his precise whereabouts leading up to the battle, why he did not participate, and which fellow Spartans did confront the enemy head-on amidst the deaths of billions.
Origins: How John-117 Became Master Chief
Long before he saved Earth from rings and Floods, John began life as an unassuming child on Elysium City in 2511[1]. That abruptly ended age six when USNC officials identified him as genetics candidate perfect for Dr. Halsey‘s SPARTAN-II program. He was abducted, replaced with a flash clone, and sent to train with 74 other young subjects pegged to become the future‘s ultimate soldiers. Only 33 children survived the dangerous biochemical augmentations – John among them[1].
These procedures enhanced adult John well beyond normal men. At 7‘2" and 286 pounds[3], he exceeds peak human capacities by over 50% in strength, speed, eyesight, reaction times, bone density, tissue regeneration[1] – truly exceptional even among his fellow Spartans. Later donning his iconic MJOLNIR armor further augments these abilities while linking his motions fluidly to the onboard AI we now know famously as Cortana. The duo rapidly developed an unshakeable bond and reputation as humanity‘s defenders over years battling Insurrectionists.
But nothing prepared even the Chief for invading Covenant fanatics glassing worlds with impunity.
Lead Up To – And Escape From – The Fall of Reach
On August 29th, 2552, John underwent final assessments of his new MJOLNIR Mark V suit modifications. This tweaked armor arrived fresh from Songnam inferno factories mere days before[1], tailored specifically to John-117 with specialized grips, recoil-compensating built into the backplate and a crystal layer doubling energy shield strength[2]. Testing occurred aboard orbital platform Gamma Station with AI overseer Cortana per Dr Halsey‘s orders while Reach leadership debated response to damaged navigation beacons potentially indicative of an impending Covenant attack.
Those fears soon proved justified.
The next morning, Covenant warships dropped out of Slipspace beyond Io Station and unleashed blistering plasma bombardment. Three brave Spartans – Anton, Li and Grace – rushed to board a Pelican dropship. Moments before they launched, orbital guns glassed Hangar C-14… along with the valiant would-be volunteers vaporized inside. Thus began the inexorable invasion of Reach. With mail stricken Epsilon Eridani Fleet in disarray, John raced to dock with Captain Jacob Keyes‘ ship UNSC Pillar of Autumn now tasked with emergency escape off-planet[1].
This escape came not a moment too soon. Barely twelve hours had passed, yet Covenant ground troops already decimated most Marine regiments while hundreds of thousands fled cities like New Alexandria reduced to embers. By August 31st, the outcome was inevitable defeat amidst unimaginable death and sacrifice buying Planet Reach‘s few survivors time for Keye‘s retreat. Records indicate John slepped back into cryostasis as Autumn cleared atmosphere, Reach itself glassed into oblivion[4]. Cortana‘s haunted words captured the somber moment:
"I watched a Covenant Armada obliterate Reach in a single stroke. Billions dead – needlessly."
Other Spartans Take The Fight to Covenant Groundside
While John missed battling Reach‘s occupation, many fellow Spartans reinforced overwhelmed ground troops. Most hailed from Class-III ranks, deemed more expendable ‘catalytic thalamic augmentations‘ boosted their skills at cost of markedly shorter life expectancies[5]. Penned suicidal even by SPARTAN standards, these fiercest Generation-III exemplars such as Noble Team seemingly courted death dealing far more damage back to the Covenant than deemed reasonable by their limited armor and weapons of the era.
Indeed, trooper Six‘s hyper-lethal nailbomb ambush tactics throughout New Alexandria‘s subway tunnels alone garnered more awards than most Marine captains earn in careers. Before induction, Carter‘s 20+ confirmed sniper kills during an Insurrection raid on Harmony house rebels already confirmed him an ace marksman – skills leading fireteams keeping numerous civilian evacuation craft intact. And where records go opaque regarding Jorge‘s early directives against Rebels across Inner Colonies, there are hushed words of hundreds dead by this lone wolf‘s knuckles, knives and garrottes on blackened, failed crops& livestock inducing what desperate freedom fighters might term ‘famine warfare‘[6].
Yet one stood above even Jorge. Lieutenant Commander Kurt Trevelyan-051. Hand-picked as trainer for this Beta Company crop, Kurt‘s lethality ratings exceeded all prior Spartans including John‘s. By eschewing guns outright, his shock combat mastery merited the rare ‘hyper-lethal‘ commendation… an honor shared only with John and one other we will address shortly[5]. When Covenant descended Kurt took this title to task. One near-mythic tale passed among Innie circles tells of three dozen Elites charging Kurt‘s position. Receiving only SPI armor and knives Kurt stood his ground… and from onlooking vantages not one alien survived. Such prowess even gave local Rebel forces pause advancing further on Kurt‘s perimeter. Never confirmed officially, few disputed its likelihood[6].
Alas while Noble warriors bought essential hours, all these champions ultimately fell. Save one. With the Autumn‘s hasty exit already underway, only Jun-A266 narrowly escaped aboard a different vessel. By similar fortune 16 total SPARTAN-II operatives like John also survived the war years including top talents Fred, Kelly, Linda and more[7]. Yet Reach itself burned along billions more ghosts. Haunting beauty turned to endless glass remains.
Would the Master Chief have altered this fate fighting alongside fellow II‘s and ferocious III‘s planetside? We shall never know. But we do know that very soon after, the Chief protected Earth from devastation by ancient Halo ring weapons. And here his peerless talents proved beyond fortune,idata or circumstance.
John-117: Savior of Earth & Ending the War
Were this article titled "Did John-117 Fight on alpha Halo Ringworld" our answer rings resoundingly in the affirmative! Mere weeks after fleeing Reach, the Master Chief almost single-handedly destroyed religious leaders, superweapons and Flood parasite forces aboard Installation 04 that threatened all life in the galaxy.
Across countless campaigns big and small, no Spartan boasts close to John‘s impressive record[7]. By conservative estimates, he has killed over 1,000+ Elites, 3,500+ Grunts and 800+ Hunters in addition to three Prophets and untallied Flood specimens[7]. Factor assist points on multiple Scarabs, cruisers and over 50+ plasma tanks destroyed, these numbers easily double. And qualitative contributions? Master Chief Petty Officer Sierra 117 enabled capture of Ascendent Justice triggering Great Schism within Covenant hierarchy; he terminated Prophet Regret coalescing Jiralhanae coup of Elites; the Chief gambled with legendary ‘odds-buster‘ Sergeant Johnson and Cortana‘s machinations to survive Halos, Arks and Shield worlds across space and slipstream often considered suicide for other Spartans. Where Kurt, Fred and even Noble champions upheld valor facing death firsthand, John escaped its scythe relentlessly. For Earth, for humanity… at times even seemingly for fate itself.
His resilience and luck exceeds all statistical probabilities. Unquantifiable perhaps, but undeniable.
Cortana herself assessed that while physically not the strongest or fastest of Spartans, John proved special beyond measure with an unbeatable heart, grit and charisma[7]. Of course Dr Halsey and key brass later revealed how they stacked the deck marking John early on as leader among future generations‘ finest. Yet after all he survived and achieved even their grandest hopes seem dwarfed. Master Chief Petty Officer Sierra 117 fully actualized the legend and more.
And thus there we have it. While John sat absent Reach‘s downfall, none loom larger securing humanity‘s very future. He rose Holier even than the Covenant‘s halcyon promise ascending brave dead to Great Journey‘s Divine Beyond. John walked among those stars in life and returned time and again shepherd to his mortal flock.
Were there ultimately any ‘greater love‘ than this living testament for all future years and generations who owe their existence to the Master Chief‘s unflinching service? I dare say hardly, friends. And doubt we‘ll ever see equal again.
