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| {{Title|Cortana}} | | {{Ratings}}{{Era|H3}} |
| {{Status|Gameplay}} | | <center>''Looking for [[Cortana]], the Human AI?''</center> |
| {{Disambig header|the Halo 3 campaign level|the human AI|Cortana}} | | {{Article Quote|Cleanse [[High Charity]]. Save [[Cortana]].}} |
| {{Level infobox | | {{Level infobox |
| |pagegamelabel=H3
| | |prev=''[[The Covenant (Level)|The Covenant]]'' |
| |prev=''[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]'' | | |next=''[[Halo (Level) (Halo 3)|Halo]]'' |
| |next=''[[Halo (Halo 3 level)|Halo]]'' | | |game=''[[Halo 3]]'' |
| |name='''''Cortana''''' | | |name='''''Cortana''''' |
| |image=[[File:H3 Cortana Loadscreen.png|300px]] | | |image= |
| |game=''[[Halo 3]]'' | | [[Image:High_Charity_Infested.jpg|300px]] |
| |devname=<code>110_hc</code>{{Ref/File|Id=H3EK|H3EK|H3EK\tags\levels\solo\110_hc\110_hc.scenario}} | | |player=[[SPARTAN-117]] |
| |player=*[[Master_Chief_(gameplay)#Halo_3|Master Chief]] (player 1) | | |date= [[2552]] |
| *[[Arbiter_(player_character)#Halo_3|Arbiter]] (player 2) | | |place= [[High Charity]] |
| *[[Elite (co-op)|N'tho 'Sraom]] (player 3) | | |Objective= Save [[Cortana]] |
| *[[Elite (co-op)|Usze 'Taham]] (player 4) | | |enemies=[[Flood]] (Elite combat form, Brute combat form, Human combat form, infection form, carrier form, Ranged pure form, Stalker pure form, Tank pure form) |
| |date=[[2552#December|December 11, 2552]]<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/intel/featured/video/herofortitude/bfe5038b-314a-4f17-a6be-f7613e0e3788 '''Halo Waypoint''', ''Hero-Fortitude'']</ref>
| | |weapons=*[[Assault Rifle]], *[[Shotgun]], *[[Brute Shot]], *[[Plasma Pistol]], |
| |place=[[Installation 00]], inside the crash site of [[High Charity]]
| | *[[Rocket Launcher]], *[[Energy Sword]], *[[Gravity Hammer]] *[[Plasma Rifle]], *[[Spiker]], |
| |objective=Rescue [[Cortana]] and destroy [[High Charity]].
| | *[[Mauler]], *[[Needler]], *[[Carbine]], *[[Flamethrower]], *[[SMG]], All grenade types |
| |partime=00:15:00 {{C|''Master Chief Collection''}}
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| |parscore=17,000 {{C|''Master Chief Collection''}}<br/>15,000 {{C|''Halo 3''}}
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| }} | | }} |
| | '''Cortana''' is the eighth [[campaign]] mission of ''[[Halo 3]]''. |
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| | It takes place in a [[Flood]] infested ''[[High Charity]]''. Your mission is to find [[Cortana]] in order to activate [[Installation 04 (II)|the New Halo ring]]. |
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| {{Article quote|Cleanse [[High Charity]]. Save [[Cortana]].}}
| | Upon completing it on the [[Normal]], [[Heroic]], or [[Legendary]] difficulties, the player will earn the [[The Key (Achievement)|"The Key" achievement]] and 40 [[Gamerpoint]]s. |
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| '''Cortana''' is the ninth [[campaign]] level of ''[[Halo 3]]''. It takes place in the [[Flood]] infested [[High Charity]]. The player's mission is to find [[Cortana]] in order to activate [[Installation 08]].
| | A curious note to add to this level is that if you listen carefully, Cortana will say some quotes by [[Dr. Halsey]] from [[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]. Also when you recover Cortana, she says the phrase "Just keep your head down. There's two of us in here now," which is reminiscent of the phrase she says on the first level of Halo: Combat Evolved when you lose a bar of health. |
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| Upon completing it on the [[Normal]], [[Heroic]], or [[Legendary]] difficulties, the player will earn [[the Key|"The Key" achievement]] and 40 [[Gamerscore]]. Earning over 15,000 points in the campaign meta-game on this level will give the player the [[Orpheus]] achievement, and 10 Gamerscore.
| | This level has been infamous among the community for being overly difficult, frustrating and generally not very fun.<ref>[http://www.xbox360forum.com/forum/halo-3/52037-whats-annoying-about-level-cortana.html]</ref><ref>[http://forum.8bitbrigade.com/showthread.php?t=4009]</ref>. The entire level is covered with Flood 'sludge', meaning that enemies easily blend into the scenery, thus making the level very difficult. Some fans have even claimed it is one of the worst Halo single player missions ever made and few have even labeled it as the 'worst video game level ever designed'.<ref>[http://forum.8bitbrigade.com/showthread.php?t=4009]</ref> |
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| ==Summary==
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| With the [[Prophet of Truth]] dead and the [[Covenant]] defeated at last, the Master Chief must now infiltrate the Flood-infested [[High Charity]] and rescue [[Cortana]], who possesses the [[Activation Index]] needed to activate [[Installation 08|the new Halo]]. The Chief flies into High Charity in a Banshee and journeys into the depths of the city, searching for his lost AI companion. During this mission, not only does the Chief encounter stiff resistance from the Flood, he is constantly plagued by disturbing visions of Cortana being tortured, as well as taunts and threats from the [[Gravemind]]. Despite this, he finally locates and retrieves Cortana, finally fulfilling the promise he made to her before departing for [[Earth]]. The Chief then overloads High Charity's backup reactor to destroy the city. The Arbiter unexpectedly shows up and aids the Chief in his escape. The pair find a crashed Pelican and use it to escape from High Charity just before the city is destroyed.
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| ==Transcript== | | ==Transcript== |
| [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQtAv7HmhK0 '''{''Cutscene''}''']
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| ''The [[John-117|Master Chief]] flies a [[Type-26 Banshee|Banshee]] to [[High Charity]]. He finds an opening into the hive. (In co-op, [[Thel 'Vadam]] will follow the Chief and land his Banshee next to the [[Spartan]]'s Banshee)'' | | '''{''Cutscene''}''' |
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| *'''[[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery Junior Johnson]] (COM)''': "Chief, I'll round up our survivors, fall back to the ''[[UNSC Forward Unto Dawn|Dawn]]''."
| | ''The [[Master Chief]] flies a [[Banshee]] to High Charity. He finds an opening into the hive. (In co-op, the [[Arbiter (character)|Arbiter]] will follow the Chief and land his Banshee next to the Spartan's)'' |
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| ''The Chief drops down onto a wide platform from a hole above ('Vadam follows him in co-op)'' | | *'''[[Johnson]] (COM)''': "Chief, I'll round up our survivors, fall back to the Dawn." |
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| *'''Johnson (COM)''': "Arbiter will do the same with the [[Sangheili|Elites]]."
| | ''Master Chief drops down (The Arbiter follows him in co-op)'' |
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| ''(Co-op Change)'' '''Johnson (COM)''': "[[Rtas 'Vadum|The Shipmaster]] will do the same with the Elites."
| | *'''Johnson (COM)''': "Arbiter will do the same with the Elites." |
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| [[File:H3-MC-Boot-FloodBiomass.jpg|thumb|300px|Flood organic materials stuck on the Chief's boot.]]
| | -(Co-op Change) '''Johnson (COM)''': "[[Shipmaster]] will do the same with the Elites." |
| ''The Chief shakes off some organic material sticking to his boot.'' | |
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| *'''Johnson (COM)''': "[[Cortana]]'s in there somewhere..."
| | ''The Chief shakes off organic material that stuck to his boot.'' |
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| '''{''Gameplay''}''' | | *'''Johnson (COM)''': "[[Cortana]] is in there somewhere." |
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| ===Rampant=== | | ===Rampant=== |
| '''''Graverobber.'''''
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| ''The Chief begins his journey through the hive, killing any Flood in his path.'' | | {''Gameplay''} |
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| *'''[[Gravemind]] ([[Character interludes|Gravemind Moment]])''': "Child of [[Forerunner|my enemy]], why have you come? I offer no forgiveness: a [[Forerunner-Precursor war|father's sins]] [[Reclaimer|pass]] to his [[Humanity|son]]."
| | ''Chief begins searching, further in the hive.'' |
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| ''The Chief drops down a [[porta]].'' | | *'''[[Gravemind]] (Gravemind Moment)''': "Child of mine enemy, why have you come? I offer no forgiveness; for [[Forerunners|father's]] sins passed to his son." |
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| *'''[[Cortana]] ([[Character interludes|Cortana Moment]])''': ''(A strange mix of cries of agony and psychotic laughter)''
| | ''A little later.'' |
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| ''The Chief passes through the area where the [[High Council Chamber]] once was. Exploring further, the Chief goes to an outside area where he finds a crashed, but intact [[D77H-TCI Pelican|Pelican]], possibly from the {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}}.'' | | *'''[[Cortana]] (Cortana Moment)''': (Cries of agony) |
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| *'''Cortana''' ''(coming from a speaker within the crashed Pelican)'': "I ran, tried to stay hidden, but there was no escape! [[Gravemind|He]] cornered me, wrapped me tight... and brought me close."
| | ''Deeper into the hive.'' |
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| ''As the Chief goes deeper into the hive.'' | | *'''Gravemind (Gravemind Moment)''': "Of course, you came for her. We exist together now. Two corpses in one grave." |
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| *'''Gravemind (Gravemind Moment)''': "Of course, you came for ''[[Cortana|her]]''... [[Prophet of Mercy|We exist together now. Two corpses, in one grave...]]" | | *'''Cortana''': "A collection of lies; that's all I am! Stolen thoughts and memories!" |
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| *'''Cortana''': ''(distant)'' "A collection of lies; that's all I am! ''Stolen'' [[artificial intelligence|thoughts and memories]]!" | | *'''Gravemind (Gravemind Moment)''': "And yet, perhaps a part of her... remains!" |
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| *'''Gravemind (Gravemind Moment)''': ''(intrigued)'' "And yet, perhaps a part of her...remains?" ''(maniacal laughter, fades into Cortana's voice)'' | | *'''Cortana''': (Laughs) |
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| *'''Cortana''': ''(deranged laughter)''
| | ''(In the large room where the [[Tilt skull]] is located, a Terminal can be activated, but does not count towards the Marathon achievement. If activated, it displays another Cortana Moment)'' |
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| ''In the large room where the [[Halo 3 skulls|Tilt skull]] is located, a [[Terminal (Halo 3)|Terminal]] can be activated, but does not count towards the Marathon Man achievement. If activated, it displays another Cortana Moment.'' | | *'''Cortana (Terminal)''': It was the coin's fault! I wanted to make you strong, keep you safe. I'm sorry, I can't. |
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| *'''Cortana (Terminal)''': "[[SPARTAN-II program|It]] was the [[Quarter|coin]]'s [[Halo: The Fall of Reach|fault]]! I wanted to make you strong, keep you safe...''(drop in tone)'' I'm sorry, I can't..."
| | ''Cortana begins to show clear signs of malfunctioning.'' |
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| ''Cortana begins to show signs of [[rampancy]].'' | | *'''Cortana''': "May I speak with you, please? What's your name? It's very nice to meet you. Oh, you like games? So do I." |
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| *'''Cortana''': ''(casually and kindly, as though nothing is wrong and mimicking Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]])'' "May I speak with you, please?... What's your name? It's very nice to meet you!... You like games? So do I."
| | ''The Chief struggles through into more narrow, Flood contaminated tunnels.'' |
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| ''The Chief fights through more narrow, Flood-contaminated tunnels.'' | | *'''Cortana''': "I'm just my [[Catherine Elizabeth Halsey|Mother]]'s shadow... don't look at me, don't listen! I'm not who I used to be..." |
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| *'''Cortana''': ''(upset and frightened)'' "I'm just my [[Catherine Halsey|mother's]] [[Cognitive Impression Modeling|shadow]]... don't look at me, don't listen! I'm not who I used to be..."
| | ''As the Chief nears a large room {with the route to the reactor room at the top}.'' |
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| ''As the Chief nears a large room (with the route to the reactor room at the top):'' | | *'''Gravemind (Gravemind Moment)''': "Time has taught me PATIENCE. But basking in new freedom, I will know ALL THAT I POSSESS!!" |
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| *'''Gravemind (Gravemind Moment)''': ''(angrily)'' "Time has taught me ''patience''! But basking in new freedom, I will know ''all that I possess''!"
| | ''En route to the reactor room.'' |
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| ''The Chief continues to the reactor room.'' | | *'''Cortana (Cortana Moment)''': "I have walked the edge of the abyss. I have seen your future. And I have learned." |
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| *'''Cortana (Cortana Moment)''': ''(panicking, her voice slightly distorted)'' "I have walked the edge of the abyss. I have seen your future, and I have learned!" | | *'''Gravemind (Gravemind Moment)''': "SUBMIT! END HER TORMENT AND MY OWN!!" |
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| ''The image of Cortana suddenly turns a tinge of green. She clutches her head and writhes in pain.'' | | ''The Chief enters the reactor room, passing by bones and skulls back at the entrance.'' |
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| *'''Gravemind (Gravemind Moment)''': ''(angrily)'' "''Submit''! ''End her torment and my own''!"
| | ''The Chief finds a door out the reactor room, and follows it.'' |
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| ''The Chief heads through a tunnel littered with bones and skulls, and enters the reactor room. He sees one of the four reactor pylons malfunction and overload. The Chief fights his way through the reactor room, and exits through a door on the other side. He enters yet another hallway.'' | | *'''Cortana (Cortana Moment)''': "There will be no more sadness. No more anger. No more envy." |
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| *'''Cortana (Cortana Moment)''': ''(panicking, voice slightly distorted)'' "There will be no more sadness, no more anger, no more envy!" | | *'''Gravemind (Gravemind Moment)''': "You will show me what she hides, or I shall feast upon your BONES!!" |
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| *'''Gravemind (Gravemind Moment)''': ''(enraged)'' "You ''will'' show me [[Activation Index|what she hides]]...or I shall feast upon your ''bones''!"
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| [[File:Cortanam2.jpg|thumb|300px|Cortana turns green.]]
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| ''The Chief begins to reach the end of the hallway.'' | | ''The Chief begins to reach the end of the hallway.'' |
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| *'''Cortana (Cortana Moment)''': ''(speaking in a calm, distorted, monotone voice as though brainwashed. Her image is green.)'' "This is [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] [[AI serial number|AI Serial Number]] CTN 0452-9. I am a monument to all your sins." | | *'''Cortana (Cortana Moment)''': "This is UNSC AI Serial Number CTN0452-9. I am a monument to all your sins." |
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| ''The Chief rushes to the end of the hallway and enters the former [[Sanctum of the Hierarchs]]. There he finds Cortana lying prone in a stasis field in a center podium. He bashes the shield until it finally fails. Cut to black.'' | | ''The Chief rushes to the end of the hallway, to find Cortana in a Stasis Shield in one of the panels in the room. He beats and bashes the shield until it finally breaks.'' |
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| [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEnWjrjJpDc&feature=related '''{''Cutscene''}''']
| | {''Cutscene''} |
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| *'''Cortana''': ''(weakly)'' "You ''found'' me." | | *'''Cortana''': "You found me." |
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| ''The Master Chief leans closer towards the panel [[Cortana]]'s on. The AI lies pitifully on the podium, pain and shame on her face. The animated code that usually flows across her skin is absent.'' | | ''Master Chief leans closer towards the panel Cortana's on.'' |
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| *'''Cortana''': ''(weakly)'' "But so much of me is wrong… out of place. You might be too late…" | | *'''Cortana''': "But so much of me is wrong, out of place. You might be too late." |
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| ''The Chief kneels right next to Cortana.'' | | *'''Master Chief''': "You know me. When I make a promise..." |
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| *'''[[Master Chief Petty Officer]] [[John-117]]''': "You know me. [[High Charity (level)|When I]] [[Fall of High Charity|make a promise]]…" | | *'''Cortana''': "You...keep it. I do know how to pick 'em." |
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| ''Cortana looks up at the Chief. She starts to glow.'' | | *'''Master Chief''': "Lucky me. Do you still have it?" |
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| *'''Cortana''': "You… keep it. ''(she raises her head, and sounds amused)'' I ''do'' know how to pick 'em."
| | ''Cortana slowly gets up, recovering her strength.'' |
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| *'''John-117''': "Lucky me. Do you still have it?" | | *'''Cortana''': "The activation index, from the first Halo ring. A little souvenir I hung onto, just in case. Got an escape plan?" |
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| [[File:H3-Index and Cortana.jpg|thumb|300px|Cortana shows the index to John-117.]]
| | *'''Master Chief''': "Thought I'd try shooting my way out, mix things up a little." |
| ''Cortana slowly gets up. As she does, she begins to glow more brightly and the lines of code and equations begin to fall over her surface again. She opens her palm and a hologram of the Index appears above it.'' | |
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| *'''Cortana''': "The [[Activation Index]] from the [[Installation 04|first Halo ring]]. A little souvenir I [[Battle for the Control Room|hung]] [[Two Betrayals|onto]]… just in case. ''(she looks around)'' Got an escape plan?"
| | ''Chief inserts Cortana into his armor.'' |
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| ''The Chief gets back on his feet.'' | | *'''Cortana''': "Just keep your head down, there's two of us in here now, remember." (This is an allusion to Halo: Combat Evolved, where keep your head down, there's two of us in here now, remember was a common phrase used by Cortana on legendary mode.) |
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| *'''John-117''': "Thought I'd try shooting my way out - mix things up a little."
| | ===Nor Hell A Fury...=== |
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| ''The Chief takes Cortana's old [[data crystal chip|data chip]] out of his helmet and holds it in front of her. Cortana touches its core and uploads herself into the chip. The Chief inserts Cortana back, at long last, into his armor.'' | | {''Gameplay''} |
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| *'''Cortana''': ''(jokingly exasperated)'' "Just [[The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|keep your head down...]] [[Battle over Installation 04|There's two of us in here now, remember]]." | | (If you stay in the room Cortana was in) |
| | *'''Cortana''': "Chief, get me out of this place. I... I don't want to stay." |
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| '''{''Gameplay''}''' | | ''The Chief heads back up the hallway.'' |
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| ===Nor Hell A Fury…===
| | *'''Gravemind (Gravemind Moment)''': (ROARS) At last I see!! Her secret is revealed!!! |
| '''''Shoot your way out.''''' | |
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| *'''Cortana''': ''(weakly)'' "Chief, get me out of this place. I… I don't want to stay."
| | ''The Master Chief makes it back into the reactor room.'' |
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| ''The Chief heads back out into the hallway.'' | | *'''Cortana''': "Wait, we need to buy some time. This reactor... start a chain reaction. Destroy High Charity." |
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| *'''Gravemind (Gravemind Moment)''': ''(roars)'' "Now, at last, I see! Her secret is ''revealed!''"
| | ''The Flood begins to swarm the reactor room, realizing the Chief's plans. The Master Chief successfully destroys all three reactor pylons.'' |
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| ''The Master Chief returns to the reactor room. Flood forces, now aware that Cortana is in possession of the Index, start attacking. The Chief stands his ground and defeats them.'' | | *'''Gravemind''': (Roars in pain) |
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| *'''Cortana''': ''(weakly)'' "We need to buy some time. This reactor... start a chain reaction. ''Destroy'' [[High Charity]]." | | *'''Cortana''': "You hurt it, Chief. But not for long. We need to get to Halo. Destroy the Flood once and for all." |
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| ''The Chief heads to the center of the reactor room and accesses the main controls, exposing the three remaining reactor pylons. A new wave of Flood swarms the reactor room, attempting to stop the Chief. However, he successfully destroys all three reactor pylons.'' | | (When you have reached the halfway point escaping) |
| | *'''Cortana''': "Analyzing the route ahead. I have it mostly figured out. Just keep moving, I'll update your HUD as you go." |
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| *'''Gravemind''': ''(roars in pain)''
| | ''The Chief finds his way back when...'' |
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| ''Alarms blare. Explosions erupt throughout the reactor room.'' | | ''(''Single-Player Only'') |
| | *'''Cortana''': "I've got a friendly contact. Who would be crazy enough to come in here?" |
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| *'''Cortana''': "You hurt it, Chief. But not for long. We need to get to [[Installation 08|Halo]] - destroy the [[Flood]] once and for all."
| | ''Chief and Cortana find the Arbiter battling Flood with a Flamethrower. The Chief assists.'' |
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| ''The Chief leaves the reactor room and races through High Charity, which is now rapidly falling apart.'' | | *'''Cortana''': "Wait, you two made nice?! What else have you been up to...?" |
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| ''If the Chief takes too long:'' | | '''''{''Cutscene''}''' |
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| *'''Cortana''': "An explosion just made us an exit! I'll mark it on your HUD, Chief, go!"
| | ''The Master Chief and Arbiter find a Pelican nearby and board it. The Chief plugs Cortana into the Control Panels and he starts up the engines. One of the Gravemind's tentacles advances to the Dropship, but the heat from the thrust forces it to retreat. The Pelican takes off. The tentacle comes back and tries to wrap around the Dropship, but the Chief escapes it's grip. The Pelican just escapes from a massive explosion caused by the reactor going critical as High Charity is finally destroyed, and the Pelican makes its way to the new Halo ring.'' |
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| ''When the Chief reaches the halfway point to escaping High Charity:''
| | ==Walkthrough== |
| | | Okay, this is the original walkthrough speed run style. Drop down onto the ground and get the fire bomb then move forward and pop the Infection Forms with about 2 clips. Go up the ramp and take out the Infection Forms and get the energy sword in place of your assault rifle. Head straight through the portal and then down, take cover behind the pillar as the Flood come down and use your shotgun and energy sword together and pick them off until they're all dead or they jump off. Trade your shotgun for the brute shot and pick up the bubble shield. Kill the Carriers and RUN as fast as you can to the door, it may take two or three tries though (don't use your bubble shield). When you get to the room with the Infection Forms, use a grenade to clear them out and collect as much as you can before heading out. Drop down to the room with the Elite next to you and just run to the center. NOW activate your bubble shield before the Ranged Forms kill you, pick up an active camo and you sword thrusts to get through quicker and improves your "living rate". Stick the Carriers and move forward. When Cortana speaks move into the narrow corridor and kill as many Pure Forms as possible if you have Scoring on. Right after you see the first Combat Form come out, turn on your camo, they won't see you unless you're 2 inches next to them. This is possibly the hardest part now so this WILL take many times to master. Grab a carbine as you enter the room for the brute shot. Get as many headshots as possible and proceed into the camo room on your left. If your swamped activate a camo immediately and kill the Flood. Once your camo starts to fade grab the second one and activate it. After you jump over the ledge your camo will go away so find cover now. Kill the Flood in the next room will the sword and grenades. Take out the Ranged Forms with the carbine and well aimed grenades before proceeding. Pick up the brute shot and move on. There really is no strategy for this part in the reactor room. Take it one step at a time and use your bubble shield when in danger. When ready, go into the next room and save Cortana! Again there is no real strategy for combating the Flood, for fun kill everything then blow up the reactors (pick up the camo in the room before leaving). Even a Spiker will blow a reactor at a fair distance. Kill the Brute and move on. When you drop down move fast for a bit then activate your camo so the Flood look stupid. Move into the next room where you would find the Tilt skull and kill the Flood and this fight will be very tough unless you use cover if your shield goes down to a fourth of its energy. Go on and just rush through the whole thing. If you don't get the time you wanted try it with a friend and it will be much easier with two or more players, then try it alone. |
| *'''Cortana''': "Analyzing the route ahead… I have it mostly figured out. Just keep going. I'll update your [[heads-up display|HUD]] as quickly as I can."
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| ''The Chief reaches a blocked hallway.''
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| *'''Cortana''': "Corridors ahead have all collapsed. I'll find another way, Chief; be careful."
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| ''Or''
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| *'''Cortana''': "Corridors beyond this point have collapsed. I'm looking for an alternate. Careful."
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| ''If the Chief still can't find his way out:''
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| *'''Cortana''': "There, Chief, into the maintenance tunnel."
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| ''The Chief finds his way back when…''
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| *'''Cortana''': "I've got a friendly contact! Who would be ''crazy'' enough to come in here?"
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| ''The Chief and Cortana find the Arbiter battling Flood with a [[M7057 flamethrower|flamethrower]] (occasionally, Thel will use his energy sword instead).''
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| *'''Cortana''': ''(amused)'' "[[Gravemind (level)|Wait]], you [[Thel 'Vadam|two]] [[Arrival|made]] [[Sierra 117|nice]]? [[Battle of Kenya|What ''else'']] [[Battle of Installation 00|did you do]] [[Human Weakness|while I was gone]]…?"
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| [[File:H3 High Charity Blowing up.jpg|thumb|300px|''High Charity'' is destroyed.]]
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| ''The Chief and 'Vadam clear the immediate area of remaining Flood, then head outside.''
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| [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0i93cjEEyM '''{''Cutscene''}''']
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| ''The Chief and the Arbiter board the Pelican the Chief discovered earlier. The Chief uploads Cortana into the Pelican's holotank and starts up the engines. One of the [[Gravemind]]'s tentacles reaches for the dropship, but the heat from the thrusters forces it to retreat. The Pelican takes off, smoke pouring lightly from the left engine. The tentacle comes back and tries to ensnare the dropship, but the Pelican pulls free of its grip. The Pelican barely escapes as [[High Charity]]'s reactor goes critical, consuming the planetoid in a massive explosion. The Pelican makes its way to the new Halo ring.''
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| ==Achievements==
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| The following [[achievement]]s can be unlocked on this mission on the [[Xbox 360]] edition of ''Halo 3''.
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| {|class="wikitable"
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| |-align="center"
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| !Icon
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| !Name
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| !Description
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| !{{Gamerscore|Gamerscore}}
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| |-align="center"
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| |[[File:H3 Achievement The Key.png]]
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| |[[The Key]]
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| |Finish the eighth mission of the [[Campaign]] on [[Normal]], [[Heroic]], or [[Legendary]].
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| |{{Gamerscore|40}}
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| |-align="center"
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| |[[File:H3 Achievement Tilt.png]]
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| |[[Tilt (Achievement)|Tilt]]
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| |Find and claim this skull.
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| |{{Gamerscore|10}}
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| |}
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| ==Production notes==
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| {{Main|highcharity}}
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| {{Quote|I took the Cortana mission, completely gutted it and rebuilt it in about three weeks—that mission where Gravemind is talking to you and Cortana is in distress. We didn’t have a lot of resources for that. It was a lot cooler on paper. And it had the transforming Flood, but I don’t think we did great there. It’s a kind of half-baked mission that needed to be there for the story, so we sort of threw it together, but I would’ve preferred not to do that.|[[Paul Bertone]] discussing his work on Cortana.{{Ref/Site|Id=VICE|URL=https://www.vice.com/en/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history|Site=VICE|Page=The Complete, Untold History of Halo: An Oral History|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}}}}
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| During the [[Development of Halo 3|development]] of ''Halo 3'', ''Cortana'' was originally intended to be a very different mission, with a prominent role for the [[Mausoleum of the Arbiter]]. This version was scrapped and mission increased in scope by around 75% - due to issues with development, the geometry cut from [[Cut Halo 3 levels#Flood Ship|Flood Ship]] to Cortana.{{Ref/Site|Id=GDC1|URL=https://www.bungie.net/en/aboutus#page=publications&publication=12662|Site=Bungie Publications|Page=Halo 3 Flood Alien Level Autopsy|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Site|Id=GDC2|URL=http://halo.bungie.net/images/Inside/publications/presentations/Bungie_EnvDesign_GDC.pptx|Site=Bungie.net|Page=Halo 3 Flood Alien Level Autopsy|Detail=Original presentation download link|D=18|M=1|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Twitter|dmiller360|533780549807398912|Dan Miller|Quote=the level order was the same,just the geometry was different. Originally floodgate consisted of both floodgate AND Cortana|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Twitter|dmiller360|1113434705133625344|Dan Miller|Quote=In floodgate you went into the covenant cruiser at the end, correct? Well that was the Cortana geometry. The Floodgate mission was much, much longer. There was original High Charity geometry made for the Cortana mission that was cut due to lack of time.|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Twitter|dmiller360|533780831513624576|Dan Miller|Quote=the old original geometry for cortana was cut- that was high charity geometry.|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}}
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| <gallery>
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| File:H3 Cortana DesignDoc 1.jpg|An early design draft for the initial layout of Cortana.
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| File:H3 Cortana DesignDoc 2.jpg|A later design document for Cortana, more resembling the final game.
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| </gallery>
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| ==Trivia== | | ==Trivia== |
| ===Glitches===
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| {{Main|Glitches}}
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| *During the level, the player will find dead Elites wearing [[Assault Harness|Assault Armor]]. One of them is glitching by doing their death position in mid-air though; it looks like his foot seems to be stuck in Flood biomass. The corpse will fall if the player melees or uses explosives against it.
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| ===Easter eggs===
| | *Cortanna is said by bungie to be the hardest level in the game. |
| {{Main|Easter eggs}}
| | *The [[Mausoleum of the Arbiter]] can be seen in the distance when standing near the crashed Pelican. This is essentially the only recognizable feature of High Charity that can be seen. |
| *The [[Halo 3 skulls#Tilt|Tilt]] Skull can be found on this level. | | *Nearly all of the Cortana Moments are quotes from The Fall of Reach, such as at [[Crow's Nest]] it is a direct quote from the speech Dr. Halsey, and many in Cortana (level) involve or are quotes from Dr. Halsey, possibly referring to, but unlikely, that Dr. Halsey was attempting to contact Cortana, giving Cortana flashbacks and images of Dr. Halsey's past, which would also technically be Cortana's. |
| *After obtaining [[Cortana]], there is a skull on a ledge-like structure (it's purple and is kind of bulbous at the end) overhead after the player exits the hallway that leads to Cortana. To get it, one needs to get the Deployable Cover, deploy it on the floor directly in front of the edge of the roof, jump on the deployed cover and crouch jump onto the roof. One may also partner jump or grenade jump with a plasma grenade. Once on top of the roof, locate the skull towards the apex of the angled roof and get the skull. Please note that this skull has no affiliation with the "[[Halo 3 skulls|13 required skulls]]" list and, if carried for the rest of the level, will start Master Chief with a Spartan laser on the next level. This may only work with certain skull combination's and/or other factors in gameplay. However, this skull is unavailable in the ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' edition of ''Halo 3''. An unknown glitch causes the skull to spawn in incorrectly, which then rolls off the ledge and into the abyss below the reactor room. Whether this will be fixed in a future patch is as-of-yet unknown. Season 8 update seems to have fixed the skull from dropping down and can now be used again as intended in the original Halo 3. | | *The section of the level after saving Cortana is called 'Nor Hell A Fury...', referencing the poem by William Congreve 'The Mourning Bride'. The entire line is 'Nor Hell a fury like a woman scorned', possibly referencing Cortana, who, after months of torment, now has the ability to light the newly constructed halo ring and destroy the Ark, as well as the Flood. |
| | *Thematically, this level also has much in common with the level [[Keyes (Level)|Keyes]]. It depicts the Chief venturing alone into a Covenant vessel to rescue a comrade, after whom the level is named, from the Flood, most specifically for a data construct in their possession. In this case the objective is the Index to fire Halo, in Keyes it was [[Captain Keyes|the Captain]]'s neural implants to destroy [[The Pillar of Autumn]]. |
| | *Somehow even after destroying High Charity the Gravemind survives. The next level when Cortana says, "It's trying to...rebuild itself on this ring" hints that the Gravemind might have escaped before High Charity's detonation. |
| | *It has been confirmed that the room where [[Cortana]] is located, is a remake of the room from the level [[High Charity (Level)|High Charity]] from [[Halo 2]]. This room is located before the final gravity lift, where Cortana says, "Apparently these are the Prophet Hierachs' private quarters, their inner sanctum". In the "inner sanctum" there are three doors, two located opposite one another, with a third, opposite a large view screen. In the level High Charity, the Chief enters through the third door door, and exits through the door on his right; in the level Cortana from [[Halo 3]], he enters through the door that was locked in Halo 2 (opposite the door that lead to the final grav lift). The graphic design of the room and the rest of High Charity's interior has been remodelled in Halo 3. It resembles the interior of the CCS-[[Truth and Reconciliation]] from [[Halo: Combat Evolved]]. |
| | *In the area with the dead ODST and where you can get the flamethrower (not the crashed pelican), on the ODST's stomach armor there is a marathon symbol. |
| | *One Cortana Moment may be another reference to [[Fall of Reach]]. "May I speak with you, please? What's your name? It's very nice to meet you. DO you like games? So do I." (I am assuming that the transcription here is correct) This is strikingly similar to a set of phrases spoken by [[Catherine Elizabeth Halsey]] to [[John]]. "Can I speak with you, please? What's your name? It's very nice to meet you. I wanted to ask you what you were doing? You like games, so do I." Even if the transcription of the Cortana moment were incorrect, and it was exactly as it was in the [[Fall of Reach]], this actually makes sense. Cortana, who was created from an imprint of Dr. Halsey's mind, would retain some of Dr. Halsey's memories. If that memory were to have been the most prominent during the creation of Cortana, it is entirely possible that Cortana would have that memory. This would also be supported by her statement "A collection of lies; that's all I am! Stolen thoughts and memories!" and "I'm just my Mother's shadow..." |
| | *After obtaining Cortana, there is a skull on a roof before you exit the Engine Room of High Charity. To get it, you need to play the game in Co-op and get the Deployable Cover. Deploy it near the edge of the roof, have player two on it and player one on player two. Player One should be able to jump on the edge of the roof and get the skull. Please note that this skull has no affiliation with the 13 required skull list and, if carried for the rest of the level, will start Master Chief with a Spartan laser on the next level. Caution, this may only work with certain skull combinations and/or other factors in gameplay. |
| | *One of Cortana's lines, "There will be no more sadness. No more anger. No more envy.", appears to reference Marathon's stages of Rampancy; Melancholia, Anger and Jealousy respectively. |
| | *This is the only level where almost the entire part of the level in Single player mode, there are no allies.(The Arbiter A.I. comes in at the end of the level.) In Halo:CE, there were three levels where there weren't any allies at all and in Halo 2, one level. |
| | *The "It's the coin's fault" is a reference to where [[John]] was brought into the Spartan program. He identified the side of a 21st century quarter that was about to the hit the ground before it did. |
| | *On Single player campaign, when you meet up with the Arbiter at the end of the level, there is a Banshee at mid-distance near the crashed Pelican. The Banshee is destroyable but it is currently unknown whether it can be piloted as it is rather hard to reach, even with a Grenade jump. |
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| ===References===
| | ==References== |
| *The section of the level after saving Cortana is called 'Nor Hell A Fury...', referencing the poem by William Congreve 'The Mourning Bride'. The entire line is 'Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned', possibly referencing Cortana, who, after months of torment, now has the ability to light the newly constructed Halo ring and destroy the Ark as well as the Flood.
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| *One of Cortana's lines, "There will be no more sadness. No more anger. No more envy," appears to reference [[Marathon]]'s stages of Rampancy; Melancholia, Anger and Jealousy, respectively.
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| *The line "It's the coin's fault," is a reference to a factor that brought [[John-117]] into the Spartan program. He identified the side of a 20th-century quarter owned by [[Catherine Halsey|Dr. Halsey]] before it fell to the ground in ''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''.
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| *The Gravemind uses a line from ''Halo 2'': "We exist together now. Two corpses in one grave." This line is referring to Cortana, and referred to the Prophet of Mercy in ''Halo 2''. This line was said in the level ''[[High Charity (level)|High Charity]]''.
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| *The achievement for gaining over 15,000 points on this level, entitled Orpheus, is a reference to the ancient Greek mythology story in which the Greek hero Orpheus ventures into the depths of hell to retrieve the one he loves. This is easily compared to the Chief's mission: venture into hell, that is represented as High Charity, to rescue Cortana.
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| *The line "Just keep your head down... There's two of us in here, remember." is a reference to the ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' level ''[[The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|The Pillar of Autumn]]''. When the player's shield is completely depleted, Cortana would say the exact line, albeit with a more urgent tone.
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| ===Miscellaneous===
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| *Due to Flood form action in the reactor's room, one of the four reactors explodes when the player first enters the room. This led to the player's mission to only destroy three reactors instead of four.
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| *The [[Mausoleum of the Arbiter]] can be seen in the distance when standing near the crashed Pelican. This and the [[San'Shyuum|Prophets]]' Inner Sanctum are essentially the only recognizable features of High Charity in ''Halo 2'' that can be seen in ''Halo 3''. One can see in the Bungie feature "Flood Autopsy", that they had originally planned to have the Flood reanimate all Arbiter corpses in the room, creating an Arbiter army for the player to fight.
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| *The room where [[Cortana]] is located is a remake of the room from the level ''[[High Charity (level)|High Charity]]'' from ''Halo 2''. This room is located before the final gravity lift where Cortana says "apparently these are the Prophet Hierarch's private quarters, their inner sanctum". In the "inner sanctum" there are three doors, two located opposite one another, with a third, opposite a large view screen. In the level ''High Charity'', the Chief enters through the third door, and exits through the door on his right; in the level ''Cortana'' from ''Halo 3'', he enters through the door that was locked in ''Halo 2'' (opposite the door that leads to the final gravity lift). The graphic design of the room and the rest of High Charity's interior has been remodeled in ''Halo 3''. It resembles the corridors of the {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}} ''[[Truth and Reconciliation]]'' from ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
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| *There is an area with a dead ODST (not the crashed Pelican). It is unknown how he made it so far from the Pelican or if he was from the Frigate {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}} before the Flood attacked [[High Charity]]. There is also a Flamethrower in this area which hints to a final stand since he's in a pipe area with one opening.
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| *Most of the weapons from the [[The Covenant (level)|previous level]] are carried on to this level unless the player makes a fresh start, in which case the loadout will be an [[MA5C assault rifle]] and an [[M90 shotgun]].
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| **In the opening cutscene, the Master Chief is shown holding the shotgun no matter what weapons the player starts with. However, if the player starts with the default loadout, they are holding the assault rifle instead of the shotgun with the shotgun as their backup weapon.
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| **If the previous level the player brought Fuel Rod Gun or Gravity Hammer, the loadout would reset to the Assault Rifle and Shotgun.
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| *As seen later, primarily in ''[[Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare]]'', [[High Charity]] was not completely destroyed when the player detonates its reactor. This shell is eventually covered by a [[containment shield]] under the command of [[000 Tragic Solitude]].{{Ref/Game|HW2|Detail=''[[Phoenix Logs]]'' - ''Idle Hands II''}} This is later breached by [[Voridus]] and the [[Banished]] in ''Awakening the Nightmare'', [[Outbreak on Installation 00|releasing the Flood that had survived the destruction of High Charity]] and the firing of [[Installation 08]].
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| *After [[Thel 'Vadam]] joins you in battle against the [[Flood]], you can find his [[Type-26 Banshee|Banshee]] outside by the [[D77H-TCI Pelican|Pelican]]. You can jump up to his Banshee and even destroy it, but it is impossible to enter the vehicle.
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| ==Gallery==
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| ===Concept art===
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| <gallery>
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| File:H3_HighCharity_Schematic_Concept.jpg|A concept art schematic for the level.
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| File:MausoleumConcept.jpg|Early concepy art of John-117 looking at Mausoleum of the Arbiter.
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| File:H3 Cortana Concept 1.jpg|Concept art of the environment in the level.
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| File:H3 Cortana Reactor Concept.jpg|Concept art of the reactor room.
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| File:H3 Cortana Concept 2.jpg|Concept art of the Master Chief's raid within ''High Charity''.
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| File:H3_Cortana_Concept_3.jpg|Concept art of the Flood-infested ''High Charity''.
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| File:H3_Cortana_Concept_4.jpg|Concept art of the Flood-infested ''High Charity''.
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| File:H3_Cortana_Concept_5.jpg|Concept art of the Flood-infested ''High Charity''.
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| File:H3_Cortana_Concept_6.jpg|Concept art of the Flood-infested ''High Charity''.
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| File:H3_Cortana_Concept_7.jpg|Concept art of the Flood-infested ''High Charity''.
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| File:H3_Cortana_Concept_8.jpg|Concept art of the Flood-infested ''High Charity''.
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| File:H3 Gravemind Concept.jpg|Concept art of an encounter between the Chief and the Gravemind.
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| </gallery>
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| ===Storyboards===
| | *[[Halo 3 Achievements|''Halo 3'' Achievements]] |
| <gallery>
| | *[[Fall of Reach|''Halo'' The Fall of Reach]] page 24 |
| File:H3 Cortana Storyboard 1.jpg
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| File:H3 Cortana Storyboard 2.jpg
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| File:H3 Cortana Storyboard 3.jpg
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| File:H3 Cortana Storyboard 4.jpg
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| File:H3 Cortana Storyboard 5.jpg
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| File:H3 Cortana Storyboard 6.jpg
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| File:H3 Cortana Storyboard 7.jpg
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| File:H3 Cortana Storyboard 8.jpg
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| File:H3 Cortana Storyboard 9.jpg
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| File:H3 Cortana Storyboard 10.jpg
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| </gallery>
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| ===Screenshots=== | | {{succession box | before = ''[[The Covenant (Level)|The Covenant]]'' <br>| title = [[Halo 3 Campaign|''Halo 3'' Campaign Missions]] | years = '''''Cortana''''' |after = ''[[Halo (Level) (Halo 3)|Halo]]''}} |
| <gallery> | |
| File:H3 Menu 09 Cortana.png|Preview of the level in ''Halo 3'' menu.
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| File:H3-MC-Boot-FloodBiomass.jpg|John-117 finds Flood biomass stuck on his boot upon arrival.
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| File:H3-JohnFlamethrower.jpg|John-117 uses a flamethrower against a Flood combat form.
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| File:H3-Cortana-StasisField.jpg|thumb|300px|The shielded podium in which Cortana is trapped.
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| File:H3 Arbiter Flamethrower.jpg|Thel 'Vadam, wielding a flamethrower, links up with John-117.
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| File:H3-117 and Cortana (Cortana level).jpg|The Chief and Cortana ready to escape on a Pelican.
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| </gallery>
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| ==Sources==
| | {{Level}} |
| {{Ref/Sources}} | |
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| {{succession box
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| |before = ''[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]'' <br />
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| |title = ''Halo 3'' Campaign Missions
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| |years = '''''Cortana'''''
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| |after = ''[[Halo (Halo 3 level)|Halo]]''
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| }}
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| {{Levels|H3}}
| | [[Category:Halo 3 Campaign Missions|{{PAGENAME}}]] |
| [[Category:Halo 3 campaign]] | |
