How Many Spartan IIs are Still Standing After Halo Infinite?

The Short Answer – Only 1: Master Chief Petty Officer John-117

If you‘re looking for a quick and clear-cut response to the question posed in the title, the current known answer based on the Halo games and expanded lore is that there is only 1 active Spartan II left after the events of Halo Infinite in 2560 – the iconic Master Chief himself.

So while the famous supersoldier is still going strong, the rest of his Spartan II brothers and sisters in arms have been confirmed as either killed in action (KIA) or missing in action (MIA) over the years according to current information from 343 Industries.

Of course, this could certainly change in potential future game or media storylines. But for now, John-117 stands as the last of the original 33 children kidnapped and augmented into physically and mentally superior soldiers. Their once mighty ranks now live on through the Master Chief‘s continuing defense of humanity.

Read on for more context and specifics around the Spartan II program‘s numbers over the years, confirmed deaths vs. potential MIA survivors, as well as my own speculation and theories as a Halo insider and lore enthusiast!

Overview – The Rise and Fall of the Spartan IIs

Let‘s start from the beginning and quickly chart the course of the secretive Spartan II program‘s numbers through the Human-Covenant War and beyond:

• 33 children successfully "conscripted" and augmented as the first Spartan IIs without being crippled or killed in the dangerous process

• 27 Spartan IIs still active by 2535 after some early losses during training

• Through years of successful missions, number stabilizes around 25 to 22 from 2535 onward

• Just 15 known Spartan II survivors by 2552 on the eve of Halo‘s activation

• Mass Spartan II deaths/disappearances during the Created uprising in 2555-2558

• Only John-117 confirmed by 343 Industries to still be alive after the events of Halo Infinite in 2560

So over 35+ years of continuous combat engagements, we‘ve seen the legendary Spartan II ranks fall from 33 strong all the way down to the iconic last green-armored soldier still carrying on the fight.

Next let‘s dive deeper into the individual status of those original supersoldier trainees who made it through augmentation.

The 15 Spartan IIs Still Standing as of 2552

Right before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved kicked off in 2552, here were the named Spartan II warriors confirmed by official sources like 343‘s Halo Waypoint to still be alive and active:

• John-117
• Fred-104
• Kelly-087
• Linda-058
• Naomi-010
• Jai-006
• Adriana-111
• Michael-120
• Leon-011
• Robert-025
• August-099
• Randall-037
• Otto-031
• Victor-101
• Margaret-053

So while 15 battle-hardened veterans is still an impressive special forces unit, that‘s less than half of the 33 children who originally embarked on the program. And unfortunately, even these names would see further losses in the ensuing years.

Created Conflict Claims More Spartan Lives

When Cortana activated the Guardians and created chaos across human space during 2558, additional Spartan II warriors likely met their end attempting to combat her technologically superior forces.

The problem is – with so many marked MIA after confronting the Guardians, it‘s impossible to know exactly who or how many died before Halo Infinite kicks off in 2560.

Veterans like Blue Team could still potentially be deployed on covert missions outside the galaxy as far as fans know. But certain deaths have been confirmed over the years in expanded universe lore sources, showing just how few of the original indomitable heroes of Reach still remain.

John-117 – Last Spartan Standing

After the Banished destruction of much of the UNSC Infinity‘s fighting force throughout the events of Halo Infinite, only one unyielding Spartan II supersoldier is definitively shown still battling against humanity‘s enemies:

Petty Officer First Class John-117

The iconic Master Chief lives up to his title as humanity‘s greatest champion and last hope against threats like Atriox‘s formidable Banished.

And though the UNSC propaganda machine loves to trumpet John‘s legendary escapades with typical Spartan hyperbole about never dying, the truth is that the vast majority of his fellow once-invincible soldiers have now fallen or simply vanished without a trace…

Confirmed Spartan II KIAs Over the Years

Here is the full list of the 13 Spartan II candidates confirmed to have made the ultimate sacrifice since being conscripted as children before we even factor in those still potentially listed as MIA:

• Spartan-008: First to die during training after failed augmentation procedures crippled nervous system
• Spartan-029: Killed during combat training against armed ODSTs in 2525
• Spartan 104: Listed as killed in action sometime before 2535
• Spartan-062: Killed in 2544 during Successful Raid against rebel base
• Spartan-077: Reportedly died during Battle of Sigma Octanus IV in 2552
• Spartan-043: Killed by Brute weapons fire during Fall of Reach in 2552 while buying time for Autumn‘s escape
• Spartan-058: Critically wounded in Fall of Reach op, passed away after cryo pod damaged
• Spartan-093: Shot down in space battle over Onyx in 2552 during attempt to deny Covenant fleet
• Spartan-041: Killed by Sentinels while fighting alongside Blue Team on Onyx
• Spartan-024: Listed as killed in action sometime prior to 2589
• Spartan-150: Killed by Promethean Knight during battle on Gamma Halo Installation 09
• Randall-037: Reported KIA during the Battle of Delta Halo in 2558
• Margaret-053: Killed during Created Guardians uprising in 2557 per Halo: Fractures anthology backstory

Spartans Still Potentially Alive – "Missing in Action"

With so many top-tier Spartan assets listed as MIA rather than confirmed KIA over the years, fan speculation runs rampant about whether a few of John‘s comrades may still rejoin him in future adventures.

For example, what about legends like:

• Gray Team: Went missing along the outer colonies back in the 2540s but possess the specialized skills and grit needed to survive behind enemy lines against overwhelming odds
• Naomi-010: A lone wolf Spartan known for dark classified missions who could certainly still be operating in the shadows
• Blue Team: No concrete word yet on their status after escaping the destruction of the Infinity

My personal theory is that while most probably perished either during Cortana‘s takeover, the Created conflicts, or at some point over 36+ years of continuous warfare, at least 3-5 of the more seasoned and resourceful Spartan IIs from the 15 known to be alive in 2552 simply slipped back into the classified darkness they emerged from rather than being confirmed dead.

What do you think? Any Spartans you hope to see reunited with the Master Chief down the road? Let me know in the comments!

I‘ll wrap up with a quick snapshot in table form summarizing Spartan II casualties over the key years:

So in the end, while the Master Chief epitomizes the best of the legendary Spartans in our collective gaming memory, I sincerely hope 343‘s future plans involve bringing a few more of his old team back into the fold!

What do you think? Let me know in the comments which fallen or missing in action Spartan you‘d love to see brought back into Infinite or future games!