Is Buck Dead in Halo Infinite?

Short answer: No, the popular Spartan Edward Buck survives the events of Halo Infinite according to all available canon information. Last appearing in 2559‘s novel Halo: Bad Blood, his exact whereabouts in 2560 are unknown, but there is nothing to suggest he was killed offscreen before or during the game.

With 10 million players in the first week, Halo Infinite introduced the legendary Master Chief to a new generation. However, many longtime fans eagerly await the return of Blue Team‘s Buck, who has cemented himself as an iconic Halo hero over the past decade.

So Where Does Buck Stand in Halo Infinite?

Let‘s piece together Buck‘s status as of 2560 when the campaign events kick off:

• Last seen in 2559 returning to the UNSC Infinity after a mission

• Does not appear during the main story of Infinite, but no named Spartan corpses match him

• Both Fireteam Osiris and Blue Team were caught off-guard by the Banished attack on the Infinity

• Buck could have escaped capture similar to his survival of Reach back in the war

So while Buck sits out the spotlight in Halo Infinite, no evidence points to his death. Like Master Chief, he has a knack for making it through overwhelming odds.

Perhaps Buck was on a classified assignment away from the Infinity when Atriox launched his offensive. Maybe even investigating clues related to the endless threat that would resurface soon after. There are any number of plausible explanations for an in-universe excuse not to include him.

But from a story perspective, focusing solely on the Chief and the Weapon‘s journey allows their bond to take center stage. It also enables the surprise return of Cortana‘s sinister evolved rampancy threat to land harder.

Who is Buck Again?

For those less familiar with his background, let‘s recap who Buck is exactly beyond just another Spartan foil for Master Chief:

• Edward Buck – Born in 2510 as an orphan from Earth
• Joined famous 505th ODST squad led by GySgt Foucault
• Survived Fall of Reach and befriended Spartan-II Noble Six
• Continued battling Covies as lead of Alpha-Nine squad
• Helped rookie "Rook" investigate New Mombasa slipspace portal accident
• Promoted to ODST strike team leader Sergent Major by 2552
• Accepted into Spartan-IV program in 2553, joined Fireteam Osiris
• Foiled袖amid, the Didact‘s Hand of Atriox, and other threats as Spartan

His exploits span various mediums:

• Halo 3: ODST (game)
• New Blood novel
• Nintendo DS Halo Legends animated episode
• Multiple comic series
• Live action Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
• Halo 5: Guardians (game)
• Halo: Bad Blood novel

Simply put, Buck as an ODST and Spartan-IV has been through a lot alongside Master Chief. And his return would excite many once again.

Catch Up with Buck Post Halo 5

In Bad Blood taking place shortly after Halo 5 concludes, we learn:

• Fireteam Osiris faced judgement but cleared for duty after debrief
• Buck struggled with ONI‘s propaganda take crediting Chief saving Earth from Cortana‘s Guardian fleet in media
• Assigned with Osiris to Sargasso space station to hunt fugitives linked to ex-Covie Jul ‘Mdama
• Discovered ‘Mdama still alive there, ended up allying to escape prison together when ambushed
• Helped lead refugees from Cortana/Guardian assault through portal back to Earth
• Returned to Admiralty aboard Infinity with Osiris’ status updated ‘Operational’

This provides the last concrete intel on Buck’s whereabouts leading into Halo Infinite in 2560. While Osiris’ brush with court martial delayed their next mission deployment, they recovered their standing within UNSC command through redemption.

We can reasonably presume Buck remained stationed aboard the Infinity with Osiris team through 2560. When Atriox mounted his sneak attack, Osiris and Blue Team scrambled to repel borders alongside UNSC forces.

Perhaps Buck once again narrowly survived disaster by evacuating the ship amidst the unfolding chaos. His confirmed return would surely reveal an epic escape story of resiliency paying homage to his fighting spirit exhibited back during the Fall of Reach in 2552.

What Next for Our Favorite Helljumper?

Wherever Buck has been hiding and whatever his status, the door remains wide open for his comeback down the road. Having been such a staple across multiple Halo eras to date, his absence leaves big combat boots to fill moving forward.

Potential Story Avenues

• Team up with Chief providing intel on UNSC losses from Atriox’s ambush
• Join campaign missions against resurgent Banished forces
• Cameo appearance debriefing Fireteam Osiris’ escape efforts
• Play pivotal role investigating endless/Harbinger alliance truth
• Run Spec Ops mission tracking missing Spartans from Infinity roster
• Head back to Earth defending outer colonies from Cortana-loyal AI dangers
• Recurring character in a Halo TV series inspired by ODST squad hooks

These represent just some of the intriguing narrative possibilities for Buck’s reemergence.

As Halo Infinite’s expansions introduce new environments, equipment, and threats, a good squad is pivotal. And Buck leading Osiris would bolster Chief’s forces significantly at a time when humanity hangs in the balance on Zeta Halo.

Other Key Characters – Alive or Dead?

• The Arbiter (Alive): Left out of Infinite, but last was marshaling Swords of Sanghelios to contain Created in 2559
• Atriox (Alive): Survived losing custody of endless entity weapons and returns for revenge in ending
• Locke (Unknown): Chief discovers his helmet with Hyperius; fate unclear but looks grim after botched mission
• Cortana (Destroyed): Wanted to entomb endless as prizes, overpowered by Atriox and deleted by Weapon

These major figures all play into the expansive plot landscape moving ahead. While Atriox and the Banished firmly cement themselves as heirs to the iconic Covenant threat mantle, humanity still relies on old stalwart heroes.

And Buck answering the call once more would be a welcome sight in future content. Whether leading Osiris or running solo black ops, his renewal stands among the most anticipated possibilities Infinite could grant fans.

Until stated otherwise, seasoned Spartan-IV Buck remains ready and waiting in the wings. When Halo needs its veteran ODST hero to report for duty again, he will undoubtedly leap back into action not missing a beat.

For now, speculation runs rampant about where he has been since 2559 and what epic return awaits down the road. But make no mistake – whether confronting Endless unleashed experiments gone awry or finishing what Osiris started against Atriox, Buck’s next mission creeps closer by the hour.