Editing Avery Johnson

{{Status|Canon}}

{{New content|[[Halo: Legacy of Onyx]] and [[Halo: Silent Storm]]}}

{{Character infobox

|variant=Human

|homeworld=[[Chicago]], [[United Republic of North America|URNA]], [[Earth]]{{Ref/Reuse|CH37}}

|birth=[[2474#November|November 23, 2474]]{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22P91|Enc22|Page=91}}

|death=[[2552#December|December 11, 2552]]  

|mass={{Convert|95.5|kg|lb}}{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}

*[[Sergeant Major]]{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}

|sn=48789-20114-AJ{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}

'''Sergeant Major Avery Junior Johnson''' ([[service number|'''SN''']]: 48789-20114-AJ<ref name="GN122>'''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]''', ''[[Halo Graphic Novel, Page 122|Page 122]]''</ref>) was a [[Sergeant Major|senior non-commissioned officer]] of the [[UNSC Marine Corps]] who served during in the fight against the [[Insurrection]] and the [[Human-Covenant War]]. Johnson was a highly trained marine, who also served with various units of the [[UNSC Special Forces|Naval Special Warfare Command]], most notably the highly classified [[ORION Project]], the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]]'s first super-soldier program.  

Avery Junior Johnson was born on [[2474#November|November 23, 2474]] on [[Earth]] in the [[United Republic of North America]]'s [[Greater Chicago Industrial Zone]], a sprawling metroplex covering regions that once were part of the [[United States of America|American]] states of [[Wikipedia:Illinois|Illinois]],  [[Wikipedia:Indiana|Indiana]], and [[Wikipedia:Wisconsin|Wisconsin]].{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22P91}}<ref name="CH37">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 37''</ref> From the time he was six years old, he was raised by his aunt, [[Marcille Johnson|Marcille]], after [[Zone Protective Services|Zone social services]] placed him in her care due to an angry end to his parents' marriage.<ref name="CH42">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 42''</ref> His father had left his mother so distraught that she could no longer care for herself, let alone an active, six-year-old boy. Marcille's sons were already grown by the time she adopted Avery and consequently he was dressed with many of the worn-out clothes they had worn at his age, which did not always fit due to his tall, broad-shouldered frame. His aunt worked hard to patch and sew so that Avery always looked his best, however, especially for church. Aunt Marcille was [[Evangelical Promessic]] and her religiosity resonated with the young Avery, who accompanied her to church services. Avery's first day of attendance left him with memories he would carry for the remainder of his life: the suffocating pinch of his white, freshly starched oxford shirt, a little paisley tie, argyle socks beneath neatly cuffed tan slacks, and the smell of carnauba wax, liberally applied, to mask the scuffs in his oversized, wingtip shoes. Avery and his aunt lived in a walkup apartment on [[Blackstone Avenue]] for the entirety of Avery's upbringing.

Avery enlisted with the [[United Nations Space Command]] [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] when he was nineteen years old. His aunt bid him farewell by telling him to make her proud and reminding him to always do what was right. He had become convinced that innocent people, like his aunt, were threatened by those involved in the [[Insurrection]], an undeclared civil war between the [[Unified Earth Government]] and disparate groups resisting its authority that had kicked off in earnest in [[2496]].<ref name="CH45">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 45''</ref> Avery excelled as a marine and often warranted special training and special missions. By the first few years of the twenty-sixth century, he had been handpicked to become part of the [[ORION Project]], a joint effort by the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] and the [[Colonial Military Authority]] to create [[biological augmentation|biologically augmented]] super-soldiers to quell the [[Insurrectionist]] tide. Avery traveled to the planet [[Reach]] where he underwent a series of bioengineering protocols and grueling physical and mental tests. As part of ORION and [[UNSC Special Forces|NavSpecWar]], he was granted entrance into the [[Naval Special Warfare Sniper School]], where he exceeded the expectations of his superiors. In addition to training as a [[sniper]], he also learned to deploy in [[Drop pod|orbital drops]]<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 350''</ref> and became an accomplished [[Wikipedia:Close quarters combat|close quarters battle]] fighter. In [[2502]], then-Corporal Johnson deployed to [[Harvest]] as part of [[Operation: KALEIDOSCOPE]], a campaign with the goal of assassinating key rebel leaders. On March 13, Avery acquired a position on a rooftop and with the assistance of a spotter, used an [[M99 Stanchion]] rifle to kill [[Jerald Ander]], the leader of the [[Secessionist Union]] on the planet, as a truck carrying him passed by. Johnson was involved in numerous other classified operations against the [[Insurrection]] during his years with ORION. The final of these for the project was [[Operation: TANGLEWOOD]]. Due to unmet expectations and exorbitant costs, the ORION Project was then deactivated in [[2506]]. Johnson was reassigned to a position in the Marine Corps once again. Avery was a leader during many black operations missions over the course of the Insurrection.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 76''</ref>  

In [[2513]], the UNSC launched [[Operation: TREBUCHET]], an extensive campaign to crush insurrectionists in the [[Outer Colonies]]. As part of this ongoing offensive, then-Staff Sergeant Johnson led [[Alpha Squad|a unit]] of Marines on June 16, [[2524]] during an effort to neutralize the bomb-making capabilities of rebels on [[Tribute]]. Before dawn, the two four-man squads took to the air with [[AV-14 Hornet]]s. At fifty-seven minutes and sixteen seconds into the mission, the hornets crested a line of crumbling hills the marines got their first line-of-sight view of their objective: one of Tribute's struggling industrial settlements; and, somewhere inside the town, a suspected Insurrectionist bomb-shop. The hornets dropped the strike force off on the edge of town and Johnson took point for his squad. He set a brisk pace and led them over a chain-link fence and around piles of plastic crates and pallets until they reached the front of what looked like nothing more than a rundown vehicle repair shop. After signaling their position to Byrne and receiving a similar confirmation, Avery kicked in the thin metal door that led inside. Most of the surprised insurrectionists were unarmed at the moment of the breach and those that were had nothing more than snub-nosed automatic pistols that did little against the marines' body armor. Johnson personally neutralized a triggerman before he could detonate any explosives. The firefight lasted less than ten seconds and resulted in the deaths of twelve insurrectionists. Four others surrendered. Avery attempted to use an [[ARGUS]] device to detect any significant chemical compounds of interest in the vicinity, but the recent firefight made it impossible to nail down the location of any hidden bombs. Johnson relayed this complication to the tactical operations center aboard the {{UNSCShip|Bum Rush}} and received approval from [[Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Aboim]] to extract information from their hostages by any means necessary. Byrne selected one unlucky man and proceeded to break both his legs before he confessed they had been mixing explosives into the synthetic rubber treads of tires. The explosive compound in nearby tires was quickly uploaded to the database of similar materials used by the rebels. Less than a minute later, an [[ARGUS drone]] patrolling one of the highways leading into [[Casbah City]], the planet's capital, identified the compound in skid marks left by a sixteen-wheel hauler. The truck was located as it pulled into the parking lot of a [[Jim Dandy]] roadside diner. More of the explosive was also detected inside the diner. Byrne killed the other three insurrectionists that had surrendered but kept the one who talked as a prisoner, per orders from the operation's ONI representative. He and Avery both led their squads back to the hornets.  

Twenty-eight minutes elapsed during their flight. The craft took up positions behind a smoked-glass, multistory office building across the highway from the Jim Dandy. The drone provided Avery with thermal imaging of the situation. Now armed with a stanchion sniper rifle, he took aim at the man that had been the driver of the truck. He waited for the individual to finish his meal and exit the building before sending a round straight through two of the office building's steel-reinforced, polycrete floors and into him at fifteen thousand meters per second. The target was torn asunder by the shot. The ARGUS was still showing a bomb within the restaurant, so Byrne's team made to land and enter while Avery's continued to provide coverage from above. The source of the reading was a purse near where the man had been sitting. As Byrne was about to retrieve it, the woman to whom it belonged exited one of the diner's bathrooms. Realizing what was happening, she grabbed a young boy to turn him into a human shield and produced a detonator, threatening to use it if the marines did not back off. Avery was ordered to kill the woman from his position, but he hesitated due to the risk he would be putting the child at. Byrne yelled that if Johnson would not take the shot, then he would kill her himself. Johnson affirmed that he was firing, but as he waited for an opening that would minimize the chances of harming the boy, the boy's father lunged at the woman and she detonated the bombs. Both her purse and tires on the truck outside engulfed the diner in fiery explosions that killed everyone inside but Staff Sergeant Byrne. In total, the dead numbered thirty-nine civilians, (including the woman) and three marines.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 20''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 86''</ref>

After the incident, Johnson came home and found his aunt dead of natural causes,<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 41''</ref> and soon went on a massive drinking binge. He started a brawl with bouncers at a [[Dog and Pony|Chicago club]],<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 44''</ref> and ended up in a gutter until he was found by [[Downs|Lieutenant Downs]], a [[UNSC Marine Corps]] [[Enlistment Officer|recruiter]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 47''</ref> He was reassigned to the planet Harvest by [[Jilan al-Cygni]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 123''</ref>

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However, while lying in wait on a bait freighter, he and Sergeant Byrne, who was also assigned to the position, fought and defeated four [[Kig-yar|bird-like extraterrestrials]] in the first official battle between the UNSC and the alliance of alien species known as the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]]. Johnson demonstrated exceptional bravery during the battle, succeeding in eliminating the initial enemy Kig-yar contacts and pursuing the Kig-yar ship mistress (the final survivor of the boarding) into her ship. He subsequently survived the ships detonation of the ships Ungoy methane suite at the hands of the Kig-yar ship mistress's plasma pistol. His survival was secured thanks to Sgt. Byrne's quick evacuation of Johnson before the ship and the situation onboard was lethal. Following first contact, Johnson and Byrne were both involved in the training of Harvest colonial militia, despite being held to secrecy regarding first contact, both sergeants did their best within their restrictions, and only revealed the alien threat (and its potential scope) when it was imminent. The recruits during the briefing on the alien threat were privileged to witness the battle through the suit cameras of Sgt. Johnson vacuum-rated battle armor, the recruits were obviously impressed by the Sergeants courageous attack on the Covenant ship, and most were emboldened to fight. Johnson and Byrne (with the rest of the Harvest colonial militia) were present at the initial negotiations between the [[Jiralhanae|Brutes]] and the [[human]]s. Their initial plans coordinated with al-Cygni were spoiled as they expected the same aliens as they faced during first contact (Jiralhanae instead of Kig-yar) and misjudged the circumstances surrounding the 'ideal' true first contact. This was due to the Brute ship, Rapid Conversion, finding the survivors of the destruction of the Kig-yar ship, and as such, decided to prod at Harvest. As such, it was the only ship to initially attack Harvest following the incidental first contact. They fought Brute Chieftain [[Maccabeus]], his nephew [[Tartarus]], and several [[Unggoy|Grunts]] during their first formal contact. He aided [[Staff Sergeant]] Byrne and ONI operative [[Lieutenant Commander|Lt. Cdr.]] [[Jilan al-Cygni]] in repelling the [[Jiralhanae|Brute]] ship ''[[Rapid Conversion]]'' long enough to allow most of the planet's population to escape into the [[Tiara]], a station attached to seven different space elevators stationed on the planet. Following the battle of Harvest, he would become romantically involved with al-Cygni after escaping from the planet. Although Johnson and al-Cygni seemed quite taken with each other it is unclear whether they formed a relationship, or how long it lasted.  

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On [[2526#March|March 7, 2526]], Johnson was called to a meeting on the {{UNSCShip|Everest}} with [[Vice Admiral]]s [[Preston Cole]] and [[Michael Stanforth]] as well as Doctor [[Catherine Halsey]]. With the war with the [[Covenant]] getting desperate, the three discussed options and revealed that they wanted Johnson, as a veteran of the [[First Battle of Harvest]] and a member of the [[ORION Project]], to be a part of whatever solution they came up with. Based on his own experiences on Harvest, Johnson offered his opinions on the various Covenant races he had encountered. Johnson was informed of the existence of the [[SPARTAN-II]]s and their enhanced abilities. As the Spartans were only fifteen, Stanforth felt that they needed a sergeant to help lead and teach the Spartans, albeit one who wouldn't give orders. Though disgruntled about being effectively made into a babysitter, Johnson agreed to take up the role.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS4|HSS|Chapter=4}}

 

Johnson subsequently took part in Operation: SILENT STORM, a counterattack against the Covenant aimed at buying humanity time to develop effective countermeasures against their seemingly unstoppable enemy.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS4}} During [[Task Force Yama]]'s slipspace journey to their [[Biko|first destination]], Johnson began working with the [[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers|ODSTs]] of the [[21st Space Assault Battalion]], also known as the "Black Daggers." At first, the marines had proved to be no match for the Spartans during their training exercises, but that changed when Johnson introduced new and unorthodox strategies. While the Spartans continued to outclass the individual ODSTs, victory was no longer certain when facing large numbers that now knew how to coordinate an effective assault. Four days into the training, [[Colonel]] [[Marmon Crowther]] had the Spartans and the entire battalion of Black Daggers gather to be briefed on his plan to board and destroy Covenant vessels. When Crowther presented a plan that made poor use of the Spartans' abilities, [[John-117]] spoke out and Johnson backed him up, helping to convince the colonel to consult with John before making his decision.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS5|HSS|Chapter=5}}

 

Arriving at [[Seoba Ice Quarry|the ice quarry]] on [[Biko]]'s [[Natural satellite|moon]] of [[Seoba]] that had been selected as the staging point for their mission, Johnson was positioned in the troop bay of the {{UNSCShip|Ghost Song}} alongside John-117 for a practice deployment set up by Colonel Crowther. However, it was discovered that insurgents aligned with the [[Biko Independence Army]] were occupying the quarry already.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS7|HSS|Chapter=7}} With the insertion no longer a drill, [[Ghost Flight]] maintained its approach vector and began to drop off its first detachments of Black Daggers, which were immediately torn to shreds by enemy [[M41 Vulcan|weapon emplacement]]s. John disobeyed orders and jumped from the [[prowler]] before his designated time, knowing that he would withstand the fire long enough to take out the nearest bunkers. After John and [[Blue Team]] had softened up the insurgents, the ODSTs and Johnson deployed with little difficulty. Shortly afterward, Johnson regrouped with the Spartans in the shadow of a derelict [[mass driver]] as they formulated a plan to destroy a convoy of insurrectionist [[Civet]]s climbing out of the quarry to repair a communications relay that had been damaged during the insertion run.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS8|HSS|Chapter=8}} The convoy was eventually destroyed by [[Lieutenant]] [[Nelly Hamm]]'s ODSTs and the quarry was taken.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS10|HSS|Chapter=10}} A day later, Johnson was summoned by [[Captain (NAVCOM)|Captain]] [[Halima Ascot]] for a debriefing in the quarry's [[Assembly Chamber 4L430]]. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss what went wrong during the operation and what led to Alpha Company's unusually-high casualties. Ultimately, the conversation turned to the Spartans and their qualifications, which then led to a discussion about their true ages. It was revealed that they were only fifteen at the time, giving Crowther a reason to sideline them for the rest of the operation. Then, the group began to discuss the insurgents' seeming preparedness to defend the quarry. John-117 suggested that they had been waiting for the Covenant, not the UNSC. Just then, [[Bloodstar Flotilla|a Covenant flotilla]] arrived in-system. Johnson and the others rushed out of the room to prepare for battle.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS11|HSS|Chapter=11}}

 

The entire 21st Space Assault Battalion was loaded onto the prowlers of Task Force Yama, with Captain Ascot's {{UNSCShip|Starry Night}} and the rest of [[Night Flight]] receiving the last company.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS13|HSS|Chapter=13}} Johnson was among the Black Daggers who boarded the ''Starry Night''.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS15|HSS|Chapter=15}} As Night Flight prepared to launch, the alien flotilla began bombarding their berth within the quarry. Ascot was alerted of this, and she ordered the four prowlers to launch immediately. Before it could clear the edge of the quarry, the ''Starry Night'' was struck by the bombardment,{{Ref/Reuse|HSS13}} sending it crashing into the quarry's terraced ice walls, coming to a rest halfway up a fresh avalanche of ice.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS14|HSS|Chapter=14}} The prowler was heavily damaged, with its bow ripped off and the rest of its fuselage crumpled and warped. Johnson—now with a concussion—and four ODSTs survived the crash, but Captain Ascot and the rest of the crew were killed.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS15}} Because no other units were available to check on the status of the downed ''Starry Night'', John-117 diverted his Spartans to search for survivors.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS13}} By the time they reached the prowler, [[Worthy Silence|a]] Covenant [[intrusion corvette]] had already arrived to recover the human stealth vessel for study, deploying [[Extra-vehicular activity|EVA]]-equipped infantry to secure their prize. To delay them and also bring the ''Starry Night'' down to the quarry floor, John had [[Blue Team|his team]] fire just below the prowler with their [[M301 grenade launcher|grenade launcher]]s, causing another avalanche.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS14}} This allowed [[Fred-104]] to lead a team into the ''Starry Night'', secure Johnson and the other survivors, and prepare the vessel's [[Fury tactical nuclear weapon|nuclear]] [[self-destruct]] system. The Spartans fought off Covenant boarders and the concussed Johnson "guarded" the ship's escape pod as [[Linda-058]] finished arming the [[Nuclear weapon|nuke]]. With it set to detonate in thirty seconds, Fred led his two fellow Spartans, the ODSTs, and Johnson into the ''Starry Night''{{'}}s escape pod and ejected into the moon's low gravity. With everyone clear of the blast radius, the nuke blew, destroying the prowler and the corvette that had been drawing it upward via [[gravity lift]].{{Ref/Reuse|HSS15}}

Johnson was still recovering from his concussion the next day, [[2526#March|March 20]], when he attended a funeral service for the two-hundred-and-three UNSC men and women killed at Seoba. The ceremony was held in the {{UNSCShip|Vanishing Point}}{{'}}s command hangar as it skulked in high orbit over Biko. After [[Ojombo|a chaplain]] gave the eulogy, [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Hector Nyeto]]—Task Force Yama's de facto commander following Captain Ascot's death—had Johnson call the two formations of the honor company to attention, order the hangar crew to raise the [[AlON pressure barrier|pressure barrier]], and then open the outer hatch. Johnson performed these duties with the appropriate pomp, and the capsules were lifted out into the void of space by the decompression wave. Nyeto saluted and recited the Committal he had prepared, having Johnson close the outer hatch and dismiss the honor company once he had completed his brief speech. Most of those present filed out of the hangar, only leaving the six Spartans well enough to attend and a few senior officers. When Nyeto promised to John-117 that he and his compatriots would continue to see action despite their young ages, Colonel Crowther contested this, saying that the Spartans reported to him. In response, Nyeto reminded Crowther that he now reported to ''him'', and that Admiral Cole surely knew about their unique situation before assigning them to the operation. What followed was a heated debate that ended in Nyeto conceding to Crowther after being threatened with a report to a UNSC board of inquiry.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS16|HSS|Chapter=16}}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the attack on [[Zhoist]], Johnson was stationed on the [[prowler]] {{UNSCShip|Ghost Song}} with Crowther and waited on the flight deck as backup for Crowther to relieve Hector Nyeto of command when he revealed his true colors. After Nyeto tried to betray Sierra Force to the Covenant, Crowther made his move to relieve Nyeto of his command and arrest him for [[treason]]. However, the entire Ghost Flight turned out to be Insurrectionists loyal to Nyeto and the bridge crew turned on Johnson and Crowther, killing Crowther. Johnson killed the sensor operator, Crowther's killer and fled, single-handedly taking down seven Insurrectionists on board the ''Ghost Song''. However, Nyeto blew the Black Daggers, who were all wearing sealed assault armor, into space. To stop Nyeto's plot, Johnson briefly activated his [[distress beacon]], drawing the Covenant's attention to Nyeto and ultimately forcing the [[Treason|traitor]] to flee into slipspace. Having realized what Johnson was up to, John managed to keep Sierra Force from giving away their position by reacting to the beacon and subsequent Covenant response.<ref>'''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]''', ''chapter 24-25''</ref>

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[[File:Anniversary Avery.JPG|thumb|left|250px|Sergeant Johnson on the ''Pillar of Autumn'' during the Battle of Installation 04.]]

After coming out of slipspace, the ''Pillar of Autumn'' came across a [[Forerunner]] artifact known as [[Installation 04|Halo]]. The Covenant, cautious not to damage the ring world by firing at the ''Autumn'' in space, began boarding actions to "cleanly" neutralize the ''Autumn'' by [[Naval boarding|boarding]] the ship and wiping out the crew and altering its course away from the Installation, before planting charges and blowing it up. On board, Johnson helped defend the ''Autumn'' from the invading Covenant boarding troops, but like everyone else was forced to abandon ship when [[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[Jacob Keyes]] issued the order.

[[File:JohnsonFlood.png|thumb|250px|Johnson was able to escape the Flood thanks to his skill and biological augmentations.]]

Johnson, however, was able to survive the ambush uninfected due to his skill, tenacity and physiological enhancement, though when asked how he survived, he claimed that the Flood had not been able to infect him. Later, a query by the [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] [[Cortana]] into Johnson's medical history claimed that he had a condition known as [[Boren's Syndrome]]. This disease was supposedly contracted while he was stationed at [[Paris IV]]. When the Covenant [[Siege of Paris IV|attacked]] Paris IV, Johnson fought valiantly; during the battle, he repossessed a crate of Covenant [[Anskum-pattern plasma grenade|plasma grenades]] when his troops needed them and used them all against the enemy troops to keep them at bay so his fellow soldiers could evacuate. He received a commendation for bravery, and a twelve-hundred-rad cumulative dose of radiation as an unanticipated "bonus" from all the plasma detonations.<ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page 244''</ref> Allegedly, the Boren's Syndrome had an unexpected side effect, as it made him effectively immune to infection by the Flood because the radiation scrambled his nervous system so much that Pod infectors could not force a match. This supposedly rendered the Flood unable to control him. However, the Boren's Syndrome story (referred to as the "Paris/BS Spoof"), was a hoax to cover up Johnson's involvement in the ORION Project,{{Ref/Reuse|GN122}}<ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 81''</ref> and his survival from the Flood was solely due to his ability to fight off the parasite before it could infect him thanks to his augmented physique and superior skill, as opposed to an actual immunity.<ref name="Catalog">[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2969315_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post2969315 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Catalog Interaction - Page 14'' (''"No known biological <nowiki>[scaffolding]</nowiki> augmentation impedes efficacy of parasite conversion process."'')]</ref><ref name="hgn">'''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]''', ''[[Breaking Quarantine]]''</ref>{{Ref/Note|Johnson's supposed biological immunity to the Flood as a result of Boren's Syndrome was originally presented as factual in the novel ''Halo: First Strike''. As stated by [[Joseph Staten]] {{Plain|[http://halostory.bungie.org/staten102204.html here]}}, Bungie disliked the notion of a Flood immunity and established the disease as being fictitious on page 122 of the ''Halo Graphic Novel''. As stated in the introduction to ''[[Breaking Quarantine]]'', the comic was intended to further cement Bungie's original vision for Johnson's escape from the Flood. The comic indicates that he simply fought his way out of the containment facility and did not suffer lacerations which would expose him to Flood infection in the process.}}

====Operation: FIRST STRIKE====

[[File:Polaski cam.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Johnson and John-117 on a Covenant ship.]]

After they had captured the Covenant ship, not being able to return to Earth because of the [[Cole Protocol]], Master Chief suggested they return to Reach to regroup. They proceeded with this plan despite protests that Reach was almost certainly a dead world. When they arrived at Reach, the planet was almost completely glassed, except for a small portion. Using a [[Taaku Xur-pattern Spirit|Covenant dropship]], they traveled to the surface of the desecrated planet, where Johnson was becoming nervous. After they landed, they found the surviving [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-IIs]] and [[Catherine Halsey|Dr. Catherine Halsey]]. Johnson was the first to realize that they were surrounded by thousands of invisible Covenant, and pointed it out to [[Vice Admiral]] [[Danforth Whitcomb|Whitcomb]] before their dropship walked into the trap.

*All relevant data on Halsey’s analysis and the possible technology to counter an initial Flood infestation, as well as Jenkins’s and Johnson’s mission logs and Johnson’s medical files, focusing on the interaction between [[LF.Xx.3273 Flood Super Cell|Flood super cell]]s and Boren's Syndrome.

[[File:H2A-John&Johnson.jpg|250px|thumb|Master Chief John-117 and Sergeant Major Johnson salute Lord Hood during ceremony aboard Cairo Station.]]

Most of the crew returned to Earth safely, and they were given time to rest and were debriefed on their experiences. While aboard ''[[Cairo Station (station)|Cairo Station]]'' on October 19, Johnson was interrogated by Dr. [[Veronica Clayton]] of [[ONI]] in regards to the events surrounding [[Operation: FIRST STRIKE]].<ref>'''[[Halo Legendary Crate]]''', ''[[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops|Data Drop #10]]''</ref>

As they arrived on the surface, Cortana intercepted data that pointed towards one of the Covenant’s spiritual leaders being present in the invasion. Johnson led [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelicans]] full of marines into battle, but they were shot down by a Covenant {{Pattern|Protos|Scarab}} before they got close to the [[covenant assault carrier|ship]] that carried the High Prophet of Regret. Wielding a [[Sniper Rifle System 99C-S2 Anti-Matériel|sniper rifle]], Johnson fought in the residential district of the city, providing cover fire and serving as a lookout. As the Master Chief went on to find [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]] from another downed Pelican, Johnson stayed back and joined the rescue units to provide cover. Viewing the Scarab as a threat to the mission, he returned to ''[[UNSC In Amber Clad|In Amber Clad]]'' to bring a [[M808B Main Battle Tank|Scorpion]] tank for the Chief to use in a front line assault against the Covenant invasion force.

{{quote|multi=yes|q1=Whoa. It's like a postcard: Dear Sarge, kicking ass in outer space, wish you were here.|Chips Dubbo|q2=I heard that...'''jackass!'''|Avery J. Johnson|[[Private First Class|PFC]] [[Chips Dubbo]] joking around with Sergeant Avery J. Johnson  on [[Delta Halo]]}}

Johnson and a group of his best Marines joined Commander Keyes on a search for the Index deep inside the [[Quarantine zone (location)|Quarantine zone]]. As they neared the center of the massive structure, the small unit was attacked by a large amount of Flood. They dug in and fought the creatures off, finally locating the Index. Johnson helped Keyes grab the key, but before they headed out, they were attacked by [[Thel 'Vadamee]], the Covenant [[Arbiter]], who had emerged from [[active camouflage]] to attack the two. Johnson was quickly incapacitated and captured by [[Tartarus]], current [[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae]], and brought to the Covenant capital city, ''[[High Charity]]'', orbiting the ring.

Johnson, Keyes and other UNSC soldiers were held prisoner in the city, until the [[Prophet of Truth|High Prophet of Truth]] instructed Tartarus to activate the ring and initiate the [[Covenant religion|Great Journey]]. Tartarus ordered his Jiralhanae to split Johnson, Keyes, and the captured [[343 Guilty Spark|Oracle]] into two different [[Kez'katu-pattern Phantom|Phantoms]] as they descended back towards the ring. Johnson was joined by [[Staff Sergeant]] [[Banks]] and [[Gunnery Sergeant]] [[Stacker]] for execution by a pack of Jiralhanae at the [[Bastion of the Brutes]] near Halo's [[Control Room (Installation 05)|control room]]. Moments before their deaths, the Arbiter and his squad burst out of the nearby structure and attacked the Jiralhanae, distracting them long enough for Johnson and his Marines to board the nearby Scarab walker.  

The release of the Flood from the ring, however, would put their plans to get to Earth on hold. The new allies would rendezvous with the Arbiter's comrade, [[Rtas 'Vadumee]], now shipmaster of the recently captured [[assault carrier]] ''[[Shadow of Intent]]'', flagship of the separatists' fledgling [[Fleet of Retribution]].<ref name="universe">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/shadow-of-intent '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Shadow of Intent'']</ref> Together, they formulated a plan for sterilization and quarantine. Spark remained with the fleet to coordinate containment efforts while Johnson, Keyes and the Arbiter raced back to Earth aboard one of the fleet's vessels to warn humanity and to locate the Ark.{{Ref/Marketing|Id=LongRoad|Halo Waypoint|The Long Road Home}}<ref name="lootcrate2">'''[[Halo Legendary Crate]]''', ''[[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops|Data Drop #2]]''</ref>

Upon their return to Earth around November 15, 2552, Johnson met with [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] [[Captain]] [[Veronica Dare]] aboard the [[Quito Terminus]] to interrogate [[Quick to Adjust|a Covenant Engineer]] that [[Alpha-Nine|her squad]] had captured during the [[Battle of New Mombasa]] almost a month prior. With clearance from [[Lord Hood]], Johnson plied the creature with questions regarding the current [[Portal at Voi|excavation]] near Voi and the Ark. Despite his best efforts, ultimately they were unable to obtain any actionable intelligence before the [[Prophet of Truth]] and his [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] arrived two days later.{{Ref/Reuse|lootcrate2}}<ref name="Bulletin">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/the-halo-bulletin-knowledge-drop '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Halo Bulletin: 9.24.14'']</ref>

Johnson warned the Chief that the Covenant had uncovered what he thought was the Ark, and that the humans had to get to it. Johnson provided air support for the Spartan and the Marine survivors, dropping off Warthogs so the Chief and his Marines could [[Assault on the Tsavo Highway|break through]] Jiralhanae blockades on the [[Tsavo highway (location)|Tsavo Highway]]. During the [[Battle of Voi]], he dropped off several [[M274 Ultra-Light All-Terrain Vehicle|Mongoose]] ATVs to assist the Master Chief in destroying a Covenant {{Pattern|Deutoros|Scarab}}. Johnson remained in a Pelican dropship for most, if not all of the Battle of Voi, dispersing armor and troops throughout the city as necessary to help push the Covenant back. When the Pelican made a crash-landing in Voi, Johnson probably docked on the {{UNSCShip|Forward Unto Dawn}} along with Commander Keyes. He was present when the Master Chief retrieved a message from Cortana, who had been left behind on the Flood-infested ''High Charity''. Johnson was one of the Marines that followed the High Prophet of Truth to the ''real'' Ark, which was located past the [[slipspace portal]] generated by the [[Portal at Voi|device]] the Covenant uncovered on Earth.

The Prophet of Truth attempted to use Johnson to activate the Ark, and set off the Halo array, but he only taunted the Jiralhanae, in particular a [[Chieftain]], in hopes of angering the Brute to the point where he would kill him, and deny Truth the ability to activate the array. Miranda Keyes attempted to rescue him by crashing a Pelican through a large observatory window. Keyes was able to kill one brute, a Chieftain, and fatally wounded another, but was surrounded. Realizing what the Prophet of Truth wished to use them for, Johnson told her that she should kill them both so they could not be used. While Keyes hesitated, Truth shot her in the back with a [[Paegaas Workshop Spiker|Spiker]], killing her instantly and used the demoralized Johnson to activate the Array. Johnson was rescued by John-117 and Thel 'Vadam, along with a horde of Flood. After the Master Chief deactivated the array, the Flood turned on the three, and while Johnson managed to escape on Keyes' Pelican with her body, the Chief and the Arbiter were knocked off by the Gravemind, forced to fight their way back through the Flood.

[[File:DeathofAveryJohnson.jpg|thumb|343 Guilty Spark mortally wounds Johnson in front of the Master Chief.|250px]]

[[File:H3JohnsonDead.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Sergeant Johnson dying with a bloody hole burnt through his chest.]]

While the Master Chief fought the rogue construct, Johnson used the last of his life and fired his laser, rendering Spark vulnerable. With a few choice words ("Kick his ass") he handed the Chief his weapon and fell unconscious. After the rogue AI was destroyed, Johnson gave John-117 the [[data crystal chip|chip]] containing Cortana, and told him "Don't ever let her go". Despite John's promise that they would not leave him behind, the dying sergeant knew that he wasn't going to make it, requesting that the Chief "send [him] out with a 'bang'" before dying of his injuries. Following his wishes, [[John-117]] left his body in the Control Room as the ring activated, its unfinished state meaning that the activation sequence tore itself apart. Johnson's body was disintegrated in the explosion while Chief and Thel 'Vadam took Johnson's Warthog to escape on the ''Forward Unto Dawn''. Johnson's death brought condolences from Cortana and Thel 'Vadam, whom Johnson aided in his fight against [[Tartarus]].

===Legacy===

[[File:Memorial pictures.PNG|250px|thumb|Johnson's picture was included in the legacy of fallen heroes and leaders during the Human-Covenant war.]]

On [[2553|March 3, 2553]], a portrait of Johnson was seen among the fallen and dead on the [[Voi Memorial]]. The [[Avery J. Johnson Academy of Military Science]], where members of the [[SPARTAN-IV program]] practice live fire training, was named in his honor.{{Ref/Map|INF|Academy map}}

 

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He was best known for his typical "[[Wikipedia:Gung-ho|gung-ho]]" attitude towards life, personal goals, and as a leader to his fellow Marines. This earned him a reputation, respect, and admiration from his subordinates and superiors alike. Johnson was a noted fan of "[[flip music]]", a style of music similar to the [[Wikipedia:Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] from the 21st century. He was also known as being one of a select few outside of the [[SPARTAN-II Program]] to befriend [[Master Chief Petty Officer]] [[John-117]], a soldier with whom he fought alongside many times throughout the first and final months of the Human-Covenant War; ultimately dying in his arms after being critically injured. He has a large amount of respect for the SPARTAN-IIs, and appears to respect ''every'' human fighting for humanity, as well as the Sangheili when they joined forces with the UNSC. In return, Thel 'Vadam respects him as well as after his death, offering condolences to John, "I am sorry, Spartan" and "even in death, your Sergeant guides us all."

[[File:H2A-SgtAveryJohnson-Main.jpg|250px|thumb|A close up of Sergeant Major Johnson's face.]]

Johnson has received three known medals in his service: The [[Colonial Cross]] and the [[Purple Heart]],<ref name="ReferenceA">[[Halo 2]], ''[[Cairo Station]]''</ref> as well as the [[UNSC Legion of Honor]], which may have been a posthumous decoration.<ref>[[Halo 3]], ''[[Halo (Halo 3 level)]]''</ref> Johnson was not awarded any medals during his time with the ORION detachment, due to the sensitive nature of its missions.{{citation needed}}

{{Linkbox|quote=yes|gallery=yes|gameplay=yes|gameplaypage=Johnson (disambiguation)#Gameplay}}

*Johnson is a playable character in ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Firefight (Halo 3: ODST)|Firefight]]. In the original Xbox 360 release, he is available only to those who pre-ordered the game from participating retailers, while in ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'', he is unlocked at rank 50 of [[Series 3: Recon]].

*Johnson's dress uniform in Halo 2 features a gold star and 4 stripes. In ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'', this was amended to a gold star and two stripes. It is unknown whether or not this correctly reflects his rank of Sergeant Major.{{Ref/Reuse|ReferenceA}}

*With the Sputnik skull activated on the ''Halo 2'' level "[[Cairo Station (station)|Cairo Station]]", the player can push Johnson into outer space when at the station's umbilicals. It is very difficult, however, as Johnson will keep attempting to run back to his assigned position.

File:HR Johnson Firefight Icon.png|Johnson's profile in ''[[Halo: Reach]]''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> Firefight.

{{Ref/Notes}}

{{Ref/Sources|2}}

[[Category:Human characters|Johnson, Avery]]