Preston Cole
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
| Preston Cole | |
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Homeworld: |
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Born: |
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Died: |
Officially April 18, 2543[2] (aged 72) |
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Parents: |
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Siblings: |
Michael Cole (brother) |
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Species: |
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Gender: |
Male |
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Height: |
180.3 centimeters (5 ft 11.0 in)[3] |
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Weight: |
86.2 kilograms (190 lb)[3] |
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Hair color: |
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Eye color: |
Dark brown[1] |
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03956-26127-PC[2] | |
- "Even if you pierce the veil of propaganda and discount the vast number of Cole's victories, promotions, and decorations as nothing more than engineered drama to prop up our population's then-sinking morale—Preston Cole still has an unparalleled battle record… even far and away more impressive than the legendary Spartan-IIs. He was the greatest hero in modern times, a legend before, and in spite of, our meddling."
- — Codename: SURGEON's report, Historical/Psychological Analysis of Cole, Preston J.[1]
Vice Admiral Preston Jeremiah Cole (service number 03956-26127-PC)[2][Note 3] was a human officer of the UNSC Navy who served during both the Insurrection and the Human-Covenant War. Cole is best known for being the commander of the majority of the UNSC Navy from 2525 until 2543 and for his role in creating the Cole Protocol, a central UNSC law responsible for defending Earth's location for decades.[2] A military genius, he defeated the Covenant in every major battle he fought and his battle record was considered to be without equal, even more impressive than that of the Spartan-IIs.[1]
Originally born on a small farm on Earth, Cole eventually enlisted in the UNSC Navy and quickly accelerated through the ranks after his graduation at the Luna OCS Academy. As the Insurrection began, Cole was hailed as a hero throughout human space by the Navy as he led numerous battles and campaigns against insurrectionist and pirate forces. However, after beginning a relationship with Lyrenne Castilla—a rebel leader, unbeknownst to Cole—he was relegated to a desk job for the rest of the war, where he eventually retired and faded into relative obscurity.[1]
However, after the Human-Covenant War began in 2525, the Office of Naval Intelligence elected to have Cole lead a battle group against the Covenant at Harvest, leading to Cole's victory at the Battle of Harvest. For the following decades, Cole led numerous campaigns against the Covenant with moderate success.[4] In 2543, at the Battle of Psi Serpentis, Cole was presumably killed after he caused a gas giant to go nova to destroy a massive Covenant fleet. Nonetheless, some UNSC officers believe that Cole survived the battle and choose to privately retire away from the UNSC.[1]
Biography[edit]
Early life and education[edit]
- "How long can Earth and its close colonies extend without producing offspring that differ sufficiently to want to break away from the parent? As William Butler Yeats said: "The center cannot hold.""
- — Preston Cole's report on colonial expansion, written at age fourteen[1]
Preston Jeremiah Cole was born on November 3, 2470, to Jennifer and Troy Cole, in the rural reconstituted township of Mark Twain, Missouri, URNA on Earth. He was the third child of seven, having three sisters and three brothers. While his father was a dairy farmer with no criminal record or military background, his mother was once arrested at the age of twenty-one for protesting taxes, though she was released on one-year parole. Both of Cole's maternal great-grandfathers served in the Rainforest Wars; one surviving, Captain Oliver Franks, received the Bronze Star. Tax records show that despite living in a period of prosperity, Cole's family struggled to make ends meet as the family's small farm was largely unable to compete with colonial worlds essentially created for agriculture. As his father refused to accept government financial aid, Cole was often tasked with a large amount of chores to help support his family, giving him little time to rest or play.[1]
Cole attended Wallace Fujikawa Elementary School in the Missouri Rain River School District. Preston's fifth grade homeroom teacher, Doctor Lillian Bratton, reported Cole as "…a boy of high natural intellect, [who] tends to work too hard even when he plays." She noted his tendency to over-analyze, and stated he had a lack of imagination. That same year he achieved an unprecedented perfect test score in Mr. William Martin's pre-algebra class. Upon being accused of cheating and retesting, he once again produced a perfect score. A social worker was sent to Cole's home to investigate the school's claims that Preston was being overworked at home, though they found no evidence of physical or psychological abuse. When he was fourteen, Cole wrote a paper in his high school English class entitled "The Viability of Extended Colonization." Although it was not particularly well received by his teacher, Miss Alexander, it turned out to be prophetically accurate in predicting the Insurrection about a decade before it is generally considered to have begun. Cole's grades continued to falter throughout his high school career, likely due to lack of interest and increasing demands on his family's farm.[1]
Cole soon gained interest in traveling to the human colonies and interstellar exploration. However, due to his family's financial situation, Cole saw the UNSC Navy as his only opportunity to pursue this desire. Upon his graduation from high school, his low grades in high school and lack of connections kept him from immediately attending a prestigious military college. Instead, Cole decided to enlist as a Crewman.[1]
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