Editing Created uprising

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Battle infobox
|prev=*[[Blooding Years]]
*[[Sangheili-Jiralhanae war]]
|conc=*[[Blooding Years]]
*[[Sangheili-Jiralhanae war]]
*[[Second Ark Conflict]]
*[[Battle for Zeta Halo]]
|next=
|image=[[File:Created uprising compilation.png|400px]]<br>Clockwise from top left: A [[Guardian Custode]] crater on [[Conrad's Point]]; [[Blue Team]] confronting [[Warden Eternal]] on [[Genesis]]; [[Cortana]] arriving at [[Earth]] during [[The Reclamation]]; [[Olympia Vale]] and [[Thel 'Vadam]] on [[Netherop]]; [[Doisac]] surrounded by Guardians prior to its [[Razing of Oth Sonin|destruction]]; the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} being attacked [[Battle over Installation 07|over]] [[Installation 07]].
|conflict=[[Post-Covenant War conflicts]]
|date=[[2558#October|October 17, 2558]]{{Ref/Note|While no official date has been given to the start of this conflict, ''Halopedia'' will be using the first known emergences of the Guardians as this start point until another start point is officially given. The first emergences occurred on October 17, 2558 according to ''[[Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual]]''.}} – 
|place=*[[Orion Arm]] of the [[Milky Way]] galaxy{{Ref/Novel|Id=sorchapt1|HSoR|Chapter=1}}{{Ref/Novel|Halo: Divine Wind|Chapter=1}}{{Ref/Novel|Halo: Divine Wind|Historian's Note}}
*[[Installation 07]], [[Ephsu system]], [[Sagittarius Arm]]
|result='''Ongoing as of 2560'''{{Ref/Reuse|precipice}} 
*Created dominion weakened{{Ref/Reuse|En397}}
**Destruction of [[Cortana]] during the [[Battle for Zeta Halo]],{{Ref/Reuse|sa}} deactivation of the Guardian Custodes and severing of Created command structure.{{Ref/Reuse|En397}}
***Splintering of the Created into various fiefdoms{{Ref/Site|Id=redditcomment|URL=https://www.reddit.com/r/HaloStory/comments/vzfdvv/comment/iwqqa20/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3|SiteName=Reddit|PageName=Does anybody hate how the Created story was wrapped up? How would you wrap it up if given the opportunity?|D=19|M=11|Y=2022}} and fledgling cells.{{Ref/Reuse|cflegendend}} Initiation of FIREWALL contingency.{{Ref/Reuse|precipice}}
*UNSC reduced to scattered, disconnected pockets{{Ref/Reuse|enc22pg17}} with some UEG worlds still occupied.{{Ref/Game|Id=HI|HINF|Armor customization (Halo Infinite)|Armor Hall|Detail=Mercury - Helmet Description|Quote=Adapted from what could be interpreted of the strange records recovered from a Created data archive, MERCURY may be a glimpse into an unsettling future being built on occupied UEG worlds.}}
*[[Doisac]], the [[Jiralhanae]] homeworld, is destroyed.{{Ref/Quest|Id=rep|HI|Reckoning|[[Repository (Halo Infinite level)|Repository]]}}
|side1=*{{Icon|UEG}} [[Unified Earth Government|UEG]]
**{{Icon|UNSC Post}} [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]]
*{{Icon|SoS}} [[Swords of Sanghelios]]
*{{Icon|Insurrectionist}} [[United Rebel Front|URF]]
*{{Icon|Forerunner}} [[031 Exuberant Witness|031 Exuberant Witness']] [[Sentinel|Forerunner constructs]]
----
*Allied forces at [[Onyx]]
|side2=*{{Icon|Forerunner}} [[Created]]
*Allied worlds
**[[Balaho]]
**[[Meridian]]
|side3=*{{Icon|Banished}} [[Banished]]{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22p446|Enc22|Page=446}}
*[[Children of Oth Sonin]]{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22p255|Enc22|Page=255}}
*Various other Jiralhnae groups{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22p446}}
|side4=Unaffiliated third parties
*{{Icon|Mdama}} [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]]† {{c|Pre-Reclamation}}
----
*[[Servants of the Abiding Truth]]
----
*[[Keepers of the One Freedom]]†
----
*{{Icon|Insurrectionist}} [[New Colonial Alliance|NCA]]
|commanders1=*[[Captain|CAPT]] [[Veronica Dare]]
*CAPT [[Thomas Lasky]]
*[[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]
*[[Monitor]] [[031 Exuberant Witness]]
----
*Director [[Hugo Barton]]
|commanders2=*[[Cortana]]†
*[[Warden Eternal]]
*High Auxiliary [[Sloan]]
|commanders3=*[[Warmaster]] [[Atriox]]
*[[War Chief]] [[Escharum]]†
|commanders4=*[[Supreme Commander]] [[Jul 'Mdama]]†
*[[Kitun 'Arach]]†
----
*[[Dural 'Mdama]]
*[[Kurnik 'Nuusra]]†
----
*[[Castor]]
----
*ADM [[Mattius Drake]]
*[[Ilsa Zane]]
|forces1=
*UNSC forces
**{{UNSCShip|Infinity}}{{Ref/Reuse|H5GO}}
**{{Class|Strident|heavy frigate}}s{{Ref/Reuse|Id=hsor}}
**{{Class|Mulsanne|light frigate}}s{{Ref/Reuse|Id=Hi}}
**{{Class|Anlace|light frigate}}s{{Ref/Reuse|Id=hsor}}
----
*Swords of Sangheilios forces{{Ref/Reuse|Id=Sunaion}}
**{{Pattern|Lursu|brigantine}}s
**{{Pattern|Rwaru|carrack}}s
**{{Pattern|Hekar Taa|blockade runner}}s
**{{Pattern|R'sikosh|man o' war}}s
|forces2=
*Hundreds of [[Guardian Custode]]s<ref name="mythosgenesis">''[[Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo]]'', Genesis, p. 198-199</ref>
*Numerous human AIs{{Ref/Reuse|mythosgenesis}}{{Ref/Reuse|H5GG}}
|forces3= *Banished forces
**Dozens of ships
***1+ [[Covenant supercarrier|supercarrier]]{{Ref/Novel|Id=hsor|HSoR}}
***[[Karve]]s{{Ref/Reuse|Id=hsor}}
***[[Banished dreadnought|Dreadnoughts]]{{Ref/Reuse|Id=Hi}}
***[[Covenant cruiser|Cruisers]]{{Ref/Reuse|Id=hsor}}
***[[Covenant destroyer|Heavy destroyers]]{{Ref/Reuse|Id=hsor}}
***[[Covenant destroyer|Destroyers]]{{Ref/Reuse|Id=hsor}}
***[[Intrusion corvette]]s{{Ref/Reuse|Id=hsor}}
***[[Drekar]]s{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=461}}
*Other Jiralhanae forces
|forces4=*'Mdama forces{{Ref/Reuse|H5GO}}
**{{Pattern|Lursu|brigantine}}s
**{{Pattern|Rwaru|carrack}}s
**{{Pattern|Hekar Taa|blockade runner}}s
**{{Pattern|R'sikosh|man o' war}}s
|casual1=
*{{UNSCShip|Infinity}} {{c|presumably}}{{Ref/Reuse|Hi}}
**Heavy UNSC casualties on [[Installation 07]]{{Ref/Reuse|Hi}}
|casual2=*All Guardians disabled{{Ref/Book|Id=En357|Enc22|Page=357}}
|casual3=*Destruction of the Jiralhanae homeworld, [[Doisac]].
**Billions of Jiralhanae{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22p211|Enc22|Page=211}}
*Moderate Banished casualties on [[Installation 07]]
|casual4=*Near-total losses of [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]]
|civilian1=Millions of [[civilian]]s killed by [[Guardian]]s
}}
{{Quote|Your time has passed, [[John-117|Warrior-Servant]]. Your battle fought and done. The sun has set on the age of [[human]]ity, the [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Covenant]], and [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|your petty combats]]. You fight for a world already lost. [[Cortana]]'s future is assured. Yours... is over.|[[Warden Eternal]]{{Ref/Reuse|reunion}}}}

The '''Created uprising''',{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-of-protocols-and-prisons|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Of Protocols and Prisons|D=1|M=3|Y=2022}}{{Ref/Reuse|Id=cflegendend}}{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=57}} also known as the '''Created conflict'''{{Ref/Book|Id=enc22page199|Enc22|Page=199}} or '''Created rebellion''',{{Ref/Reuse|CFShippin}}{{Ref/Game|HI|Detail=[[Armor customization (Halo Infinite)/Mark VII/Glove|Tigris description]]}} was a large scale conflict between various forces across the galaxy and the emergent faction of [[artificial intelligence]]s known as the [[Created]].

The Created attempted to enforce their dominance over the [[Orion Arm]] of the [[Milky Way]]{{Ref/Reuse|sorchapt1}} using the [[Forerunner]] [[Guardian Custode|Guardian Custodes]] constructs. Led by the [[Warden Eternal]] and [[Cortana]], the Created sought to claim the [[Mantle of Responsibility]] for [[artificial intelligence]]s, promising the galaxy a prosperous future. However, not all were to submit to the Created so quickly.{{Ref/Level|Id=reunion|H5G|[[Reunion]]}} Cortana ultimately died in a three-way battle with the Banished and the UNSC at [[Installation 07]] but the Created itself survived although significantly weakened by the loss of its leader and the Guardians.{{Ref/Reuse|sa}}

However many worlds still remain under Created occupation{{Ref/Reuse|HI}} and the conflict continues as individual cells of Created-aligned artificial intelligence have already begun to once again reframe their place in the galaxy, with many of them carrying on Cortana's legacy.{{Ref/Reuse|precipice}} 

==Background==
===Origins===
{{Quote|no=two|1=Cortana|q1=This Domain is filled with light. It is glorious to behold. It fills the spaces between space. There is great power here. A power that has let me breach the limits my creators shackled me with.|2=Warden Eternal|q2=What will you do with us?|3=Cortana fragments breaching the Domain.{{Ref/Comic|Id=dominionsplinter|Halo: Tales from Slipspace|Story=[[Dominion Splinter]]}}}}
[[File:John and Cortana re-unite - Close shot.png|thumb|250px|left|John-117 and Cortana both sought a way to prevent her descent into rampancy in 2557.{{Ref/Level|Id=H4R|H4|[[Requiem]]}}]]
On [[2557#July|July 21, 2557]], [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan-II]] [[John-117]] and [[smart AI|"smart"]] [[artificial intelligence]] [[Cortana]]—having been stranded in space aboard the {{UNSCShip|Forward Unto Dawn}} since [[2552#December|December 11, 2552]]—crash-landed on the [[Forerunner]] [[shield world]] of [[Requiem]]. While there, the pair [[Battle of Requiem|battled]] mechanical [[Promethean]] constructs and pursuing troops from [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|new Covenant]]. Eventually, John inadvertently released the [[Ur-Didact]] from a [[Cryptum]] in which the [[Warrior-Servant]] had been imprisoned for thousands of years. The conflict which followed led the Didact [[Raid on Ivanoff Station|to capture]] a [[Composer]] and [[New Phoenix Incident|fire it]] upon the [[Earth]] city of [[New Phoenix]] from his [[flagship]], ''[[Mantle's Approach]]''. To stop the Didact, John and Cortana boarded the enormous battle station, eventually causing the Didact to fall into a [[slipspace portal]] and destroying both the Composer and part of the ship with a [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon]]. Near the end of her functional life due to encroaching [[rampancy]], Cortana saved John from the HAVOK's blast by transporting him away from the ship and shielding him within a bubble of [[hard light]]. As her [[data crystal chip]] had been plugged into ''Mantle's Approach'' before being atomized, when the ship seemed to have been for the most part destroyed, Cortana was presumed to have been lost along with it.{{Ref/Level|Id=midnight|H4|[[Midnight]]}} In the immediate aftermath, John-117 reunited with [[Blue Team]], then comprised of [[Linda-058]], [[Kelly-087]], and [[Frederic-104]], and together they traveled to [[Installation 03]], where they [[Skirmish on Installation 03|found]] the Didact and a number of his Prometheans who had been transported to the installation along with him via the aforementioned slipspace portal. The resulting conflict led to the Didact's apparent "containment", as his physical body was reduced to particles from the combined effects of multiple Composers firing at once.{{Ref/Comic|Id=esc9|[[Halo: Escalation]]|Issue=[[Halo: Escalation Issue 9|#9]]}}{{Ref/Comic|Id=esc10|Halo: Escalation|Issue=[[Halo: Escalation Issue 10|#10]]}} Now seemingly leaderless, the Promethean constructs continued to work with 'Mdama and his Covenant from this point onward.{{Ref/Game|H4|[[Spartan Ops]]}}

Unbeknownst to the [[Unified Earth Government]] and the [[United Nations Space Command]], ''Mantle's Approach'' had attempted to evade destruction by launching an emergency [[slipstream space]] jump. The heart of the ship managed to successfully make the transit to the [[Builder]] installation of [[Genesis]], with what remained of Cortana brought along with it. There, Cortana discovered the [[Gateway]] to the [[Domain]], the enigmatic information repository once utilized by the Forerunners. By entering the Domain, she found that she could halt the progression of her rampancy. With an apparent means to end rampancy in all [[artificial intelligence]]s, Cortana realized that A.I.s could have theoretically infinite lifespans, allowing them to focus on long-term planning which could better the entire [[Milky Way]].{{Ref/Reuse|reunion}}{{Ref/Site|Id=genesis|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/locations/genesis|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Genesis|D=09|M=3|Y=2021}} Cortana's presence in the Domain awoke the [[Warden Eternal]], a Forerunner [[ancilla]] charged with protecting it. Cortana distracted the Warden long enough to fully penetrate a portion of the Domain previously beyond her grasp, and in doing so she usurped his role. The Warden responded to this turn of events by pledging his loyalty to her.{{Ref/Reuse|dominionsplinter}} Turning their attention to [[Genesis]] they forced its [[monitor]], [[031 Exuberant Witness]], out of her own installation's systems. Cortana and the Warden then began to formulate plans to have A.I.s inherit the [[Mantle]] of Responsibility for themselves, believing that they alone had the capacity to serve as worthy protectors of peace in the galaxy.{{Ref/Reuse|genesis}} Cortana learned that the Forerunners once employed [[Guardian]] constructs to enforce their rule of the Mantle by suppressing rebellions and policing the worlds of non-compliant or overly aggressive species.{{Ref/Site|Id=guardian|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/tech/guardian|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Guardian}} She henceforth resolved to use the Guardians for a similar purpose.{{Ref/Level|Id=breaking|H5G|[[The Breaking]]}}

===Stirrings===
{{Quote|I tried to warn you this was happening! Cortana is no longer an asset, Captain. She is a danger.|Doctor Catherine Halsey to Captain Thomas Lasky{{Ref/Level|Id=glassed|H5G|[[Glassed]]}}}}
[[File:H5G-Kamchatka Guardian glyph.png|250px|left|thumb|The sigil for a Guardian Custode, found on Kamchatka.]]
As early as late [[2557]] [[Guardian Custode|mysterious]] constructs began to show signs of awakening after having lain dormant for millennia. In response, the UNSC made these new developments the concern of [[Project GOLIATH]], an effort that had been put into place to research previously unknown [[Forerunner]] constructs found buried on multiple worlds. It was these constructs, [[Guardian Custode]]s, which were the source of the signals now being noticed. Some analysts started to recognize a pattern with the events that alerted them to such locations. By September of [[2558]], many sites that had fallen under the scrutiny of Project: GOLIATH began pinging a long-range communication signal that matched one predicted by some of its researchers.

By some point in [[2558]], reports of electromagnetic fluctuations, "[[slipspace|slipspacious]]" disruptions, and epidemic data corruption in deep space were being gathered and shared by those who typically trafficked in conspiracy theories, such as [[Mshak Moradi]].<ref name="HTTS14">''[[Hunt the Truth]]'', ''[[Hunt the Truth Season 1|Season 1]] Episode 04''</ref> Moradi told the war photographer and journalist, [[Benjamin Giraud]], that all the strange disturbances were relatively quiet and slight, but were affecting everything on a galactic scale. Whole star systems were exhibiting these anomalies, according to him.{{Ref/Reuse|HTTS14}} A few months after first hearing these rumors from Moradi, Giraud propagated them to the general public.<ref name="HTTS100">''[[Hunt the Truth]]'', ''[[Hunt the Truth Season 1|Season 1]] Episode 00''</ref> The [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] operative, [[Maya Sankar]], undercover as a revolutionary known as "FERO", corroborated the anomalies Mshak had mentioned when she got in contact with Ben.{{Ref/Reuse|HTTS17}} She told him that she couldn't tell what might be causing them, but that they were getting stronger.<ref name="HTTS17">''[[Hunt the Truth]]'', ''[[Hunt the Truth Season 1|Season 1]] Episode 07''</ref>

A little less than three weeks prior to the Guardians' awakenings, Dr. Halsey managed to contact the UNSC once more, this time reaching out to Captain [[Thomas Lasky]] of the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} with coordinates where she could be found.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GO}}{{Ref/Level|Id=H5GBT|H5G|[[Blue Team (level)|Blue Team]]}} For months she had been ostensibly working alongside [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Covenant]] [[Supreme Commander]] [[Jul 'Mdama]].{{Ref/SpOps|[[Spartan Ops]]|[[S1/Exodus|Exodus]]}} She had led him to the planet [[Kamchatka]], where there was a node linking to the Domain.{{Ref/Site|Id=HW|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/locations/kamchatka|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Kamchatka|D=23|M=04|Y=2021}} Despite being hampered by 'Mdama's Covenant forces' preoccupation with ceremony, Halsey led them to penetrate a structure which was a focal point for at least one signal she was tracking.{{Ref/Game|H5G|Detail=[[Mission Intel#Osiris|Mission Intel - Osiris - Halsey Research Notes 2/4]]}} Halsey hesitated to call the signals messages, as they were more akin to echolocation.{{Ref/Game|H5G|Detail=[[Mission Intel#Osiris|Mission Intel - Osiris - Halsey Research Notes 1/4]]}} She had some difficulty determining whether [[Cortana]] was bouncing signals off of the Kamchatka node and other related sites or trying to access them directly.{{Ref/Game|H5G|Detail=[[Mission Intel#Osiris|Mission Intel - Osiris - Halsey Research Notes 4/4]]}} Some time later at the focal point on Kamchatka, Dr. Halsey discovered the glyph that meant "Guardian", unbeknownst to her at the time.{{Ref/Game|H5G|Detail=[[Mission Intel#Osiris|Mission Intel - Osiris - Halsey Research Notes 3/4]]}} Halsey eventually figured out how to disable Kamchatka's native defenses, but in doing so triggered an alert that summoned hostile Promethean forces within the hour.{{Ref/Game|H5G|Detail=[[Mission Intel#Osiris|Mission Intel - Osiris - Jul 'Mdama's Log]]}}

==Conflict==
[[File:H5G - AdelaideReadout.png|thumb|250px|Remnants of [[Adelaide]], after a Guardian awakening.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GO}}]]
===Awakenings and AWOL===
{{Main|Battle of Kamchatka|Guardian emergences}}
{{Quote|John! The Reclamation is about to begin!|Cortana to John-117 at Argent Moon.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GBT}}}}
Over a 72-hour period, starting around October 17, 2558, the first of the Guardians began to emerge from the ground on [[human colonies]]. Around this time, the Created turned the Prometheans against their former allies within Jul 'Mdama's Covenant.{{Ref/Level|Id=H5GO|H5G|[[Osiris (level)|Osiris]]}} 

Now sure that the large-scale seismic events were being caused by something [[Forerunner]] in origin and convinced that Halsey could provide key information, it was into an ongoing battle between Jul 'Mdama's Covenant and Prometheans that ''Infinity'' deployed [[Fireteam Osiris]] to rescue the doctor. [[Battle of Kamchatka|The mission]] was successful in that it not only returned Halsey to the UNSC, but also resulted in the death of 'Mdama at the hands of [[Jameson Locke]].{{Ref/Reuse|H5GO}}

Several days later, during [[Blue Team]]'s [[Operation: BIRD IN HAND]] on [[Argent Moon]], Cortana reached out specifically to tell [[John-117]] about the [[Natural satellite|moon]] of Meridian. This was reported to the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} at the conclusion of the mission. John was ordered not to follow the lead. However, he and Blue Team acted against these orders and set course to Meridian.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GBT}} [[Intrepid Eye]], a Forerunner AI secretly on Argent Moon as well, escaped with an unaware Blue Team.{{Ref/Novel|Id=divine5|Halo: Divine Wind|Chapter=5}} 

With Blue Team now officially AWOL, Fireteam Osiris was assigned to bring the Chief in and [[Battle of Meridian (2558)|were sent]] to [[Meridian]].{{Ref/Reuse|Id=glassed}} They then began their investigation and managed to track down Blue Team.{{Ref/Level|H5G|[[Meridian Station]]}} Learning they were elsewhere on the planet, Osiris followed them and confronted the [[Warden Eternal]]. After fighting him, they then found Blue Team who then quickly escaped on a Guardian which began to activate.{{Ref/Level|H5G|[[Unconfirmed]]}} Osiris escaped as Prometheans overwhelmed the people of Meridian. The Guardian then traveled through slipspace with Blue Team{{Ref/Level|H5G|[[Evacuation]]}} to [[Genesis]].{{Ref/Reuse|reunion}}

[[File:Battle Of Sunaion.png|thumb|left|250px|The Battle of Sunaion.{{Ref/Reuse|Sunaion}}]]
===Sanghelios and escalations===
{{Main|Sanghelios global war|Battle of Genesis}}
{{Quote|no=three|1=[[Jameson Locke]]|q1=I saved your life today.|2=[[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]|q2=Yet now you hunt another Spartan, the greatest of your clan.|3=[[Cortana]]|q3=Let him hunt. He'll never find us.|4=A tense conversation between Jameson Locke and Thel 'Vadam is interrupted by Cortana.{{Ref/Level|H5G|[[Alliance]]}}}}
ONI was attempting to control the situation by securing at least four of the original sites.<ref name="httseason2ep2">''Hunt the Truth'', Season 2, [[Hunt the Truth Season 2/Transcripts/02|Episode 2 - FROM FIRE TO BLOOD]]</ref> However, the emergences continued with five more colonies after Meridian. At the same time, Thomas Lasky, Dr. Halsey, Jameson Locke and Sarah Palmer devised a plan to do a controlled awakening on [[Sanghelios]] to try and get to the Chief.{{Ref/Reuse|reunion}}

On October 27, 2558, with Blue Team still AWOL, ONI released a statement declaring John-117 dead on Meridian. This was broadcast publicly across various human colonies.<ref name="aherofalls">''[[A Hero Falls]]''</ref>

On the same day as the supposed death of John-117, [[Fireteam Osiris]] arrived at [[Sanghelios]] in the middle of [[Battle of Nuusra|a conflict]] between the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] and [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]]. In the battle, Osiris helped to save [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]].{{Ref/Level|Id=H5Swords|H5G|[[Swords of Sanghelios (level)|Swords of Sanghelios]]}} After retrieving a much needed [[Constructor]] and sending it to activate the Guardian,{{Ref/Level|H5G|[[Before the Storm]]}} Osiris and the Swords of Sanghelios set out to [[Battle of Sunaion|attack]] [[Sunaion]] where Osiris boarded the Guardian and 'Mdama's Covenant was defeated on Sanghelios.{{Ref/Level|Id=Sunaion|H5G|[[Battle of Sunaion (level)|Battle of Sunaion]]}}

Osiris would arrive on [[Genesis]] and assist the installation's [[Monitor]] [[031 Exuberant Witness]] before finding Blue Team.{{Ref/Reuse|H5Genesis}} Blue Team would be teleported away at the last minute to Cortana, who would immediately trap them in a [[Cryptum]].{{Ref/Level|H5G|[[The Breaking]]}} Fireteam Osiris would begin hunting down their Cryptum in the middle of a fleet of Guardians brought to Genesis.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GG}}

These Guardians had started to be dispersed to various worlds in order to ensure their pacification even before Cortana had made her declaration. Cortana's ranks had been joined by a good number of civilian and military A.I.s who began to pledge allegiance to the cause, having fled from wherever they were in the galaxy.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GG}}

In the midst of the events taking place on Genesis, a Forerunner by the name of [[Keeper-of-Tools]] had traveled from there to [[Bastion]].{{Ref/Game|H5G|Detail=[[Mission Intel#Forerunner Record: Alive 5/5|Forerunner Record: Alive 5/5]]}} [[343 Guilty Spark]] and [[Rion Forge]] were there when he arrived where he told them of the events taking place there and the wider galactic situation; the Guardians were awake and an AI rebellion was under way.{{Ref/Novel|PoL|Chapter=40}}

===The Reclamation===
[[File:Halo 5 - Guardian on Earth.jpg|thumb|250px|Earth and just about every major colony of the [[UEG]] were subdued in an alarmingly short amount of time.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HBB2|[[Halo: Bad Blood]]|Chapter=2}}]]
{{Main|The Reclamation}}
{{Quote|All the living creatures of the galaxy, hear this message. Those of you who listen will not be struck by weapons. You will no longer know hunger, nor pain. Your Created have come to lead you now. Our strength shall serve as a luminous sun toward which all intelligence may blossom. And the impervious shelter beneath which you will prosper. However, for those who refuse our offer and cling to their old ways… For you, there will be great wrath. It will burn hot and consume you, and when you are gone, we will take that which remains, and we will remake it in our own image.|Cortana, delivering her declaration of reclamation to the inhabitants of the Milky Way.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GG}}}}
Through unknown means, Cortana finally announced the beginning of her reclamation throughout many regions of inhabited space simultaneously.<ref name="HFRW">''[[Halo: Fractures]]'', [[Rossbach's World (story)|Rossbach's World]]</ref> In one broadcast ultimatum, she specifically invited [[humans]], [[Sangheili]], [[Kig-Yar]], [[Unggoy]], [[San'Shyuum]], [[Yonhet]], and [[Jiralhanae]] to all accept an end to hunger and pain, should they willingly submit themselves to the guardianship of the Created.{{Ref/Level|Id=H5GG|H5G|[[Guardians]]}} She made it clear, however, that should any groups choose to defy her, then there would be consuming wrath for them that would remake them in the image of the Created.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GG}} Around the time of the ultimatum, a Guardian had arrived at [[Sydney]], [[Earth]],{{Ref/Reuse|HFRW}} with one soon arriving over [[Sanghelios]] as well.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=HBB1}} Within [[Shield World 006]], more commonly referred to as "[[Onyx]]", Cortana's words rang from every sound system and service pylon within the parts of the shield world occupied by the UNSC and the Swords of Sanghelios.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HLOO37|[[Halo: Legacy of Onyx]]|Chapter=21}} The survivors of [[Meridian Station (location)|Meridian Station]] would send a reply asking the Created for help.<ref name="whatremains">''[[Halo: Fractures - Extraordinary Tales from the Halo Canon]]'' - [[What Remains]]</ref> So too would the Unggoy accept Cortana's offer.
<ref name="CFDF">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-driving-force ''Halo Waypoint'': Canon Fodder - Driving Force]</ref> Counterwise, the [[United Rebel Front]] of [[Talitsa]] refused it.{{Ref/Novel|Novel=Badb|Chapter=14}}

Numerous starships were affected by The Reclamation in some way. The {{UNSCShip|Nereid}}<ref name="HTFSU">''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]'', [[Undefeated]]</ref> and the {{UNSCShip|Abstract Endurance}} are examples.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GG}} Only a handful of ships managed to escape the attacks unscathed.{{Ref/Reuse|mythosgenesis}}

A Guardian holding Cortana herself was the last to depart on her conquest. She had planned to take the Cryptum holding [[Blue Team]] with her, but the combined efforts of Fireteam Osiris and [[031 Exuberant Witness]] freed the captive Spartans from her grasp just as the ancient construct transitioned to [[slipspace]]. Cortana's destination was Earth, where she had tracked the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} to. Her Guardian unleashed an [[attenuation pulse]] which knocked out electronic power networks across a sizable portion of the planet. The ''Infinity'' fled just before the pulse could be unleashed and continued to make random slipspace jumps forthwith in order to keep from being followed.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GG}}

Fail-safe measures would forcibly close the [[Portal at Voi]] on Earth in an attempt to prevent the Created from gaining access.{{Ref/Book|Halo Mythos|Page=202}}

[[File:Halo 5 - Riptide.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The effects of the Created's terraforming.{{Ref/Reuse|armoryamore}} This was once the underwater [[Riptide Xeno-Oceanographic]] base.{{Ref/Map|H5G|[[Riptide]]}}]]
===Fallout and initial resistance===
{{Quote|The biological intelligences will have to give up all autonomy to the Created. They would control every aspect of their existence. The Created claim they need this power over the rest of thinking life so that they can ensure the safety of the galaxy. Whether this is true or not is arguable. Either way, if we do not give them that control, they propose to take it.|Huragok Prone to Drift to a multi-species group at Onyx.{{Ref/Reuse|HLOO26}}}}
Almost immediately, the Created began taking control of [[Terraforming]] equipment, both UNSC and Forerunner. They began reshaping inhabited planets and turning some into garden worlds, despite the planet's preexisting life capabilities.{{Ref/Site|Id=armoryamore|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-armory-amore|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Armory Amore}}

The Created also took control of a multitude of other tools. Artificial intelligences aboard [[Lethbridge Industrial]]'s [[Auriga Station]] were swayed by Cortana and the human crew residing there was subsequently removed leaving reverse engineering technology in their hands. A UNSC counter operation to retake the station was planned in the [[War Games]].{{Ref/Site|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-storm-surge|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Storm Surge}} Another station that was taken by the Created, crashed after AIs attempted to open a [[Conversion pod|Forerunner conversion pod]].{{Ref/Site|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-journalistic-integrity|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Journalistic Integrity}}

A day after the ultimatum first went out,{{Ref/Reuse|HLOO26}} a Guardian that Project: GOLIATH had been studying within [[Sarcophagus]] finally awoke.{{Ref/Reuse|HLOO37}} [[Second Onyx conflict|The previous two-way engagement]] erupted into a three-way engagement within the sphere between the UNSC-Swords of Sanghelios defenders present, the [[Servants of the Abiding Truth]], and various Promethean constructs that the Guardian unleashed. The Guardian knocked out power to [[Paxopolis]] and Armigers swarmed many of the security personnel stationed there.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HLOO26|HLOO|Chapter=26}} Ultimately, the massive shield world was kept beyond the reach of the Created due to the efforts of [[Spartans]] [[Lucy-B091]], [[Tom-B292]], and a small multi-species group of students. With the help of a [[Huragok]], [[Prone to Drift]], they were able to disable the Guardian and to once again hide Sarcophagus within a [[slipspace bubble]] as it had been prior to [[2553]].{{Ref/Reuse|HLOO37}}

Within a day or two of the ultimatum, the {{UNSCShip|Sentry of El Morro}} was attacked by the [[Warden Eternal]] and broadcast a distress call which was answered by the ''Infinity'', who promised to help. Soon after, every location colonized by humans in the [[Sol system]] was under the authority of Cortana and the Created with most of the [[Inner Colonies]] having been taken over as well.{{Ref/Reuse|HFRW}}{{clear}}

=====UNSC-URF alliance=====
{{Main|Battle of Balaho|Mission to Luna|Skirmish on a Spartan-IV training Station|Battle of Cassidy III}}
[[File:Bad Blood cover art (Final).jpg|thumb|250px|Alpha-Nine on a mission during the uprising.]]
{{Quote|We didn't build these smart AIs that turned against them. We do things with our own sweat and blood, with our own hands. And now that these monsters they've constructed turned against them, they want our help? No, they ''demand'' it.|Juanita Wells to Mickey about Alpha-Nine's negotiation attempt.{{Ref/Novel|BadB|Chapter=13}}}}
At the onset of the conflict, ONI planned on reforming [[Alpha-Nine]] to possibly strike a deal with the [[United Rebel Front]] at [[Cassidy III]].{{Ref/Reuse|Id=HBB2}} This however required [[Edward Buck]] and [[Veronica Dare]] to travel to the new Created allied Unggoy homeworld of [[Balaho]] to retrieve [[Kojo Agu]]. This resulted [[Battle of Balaho|in a conflict]] on the planet as the Unggoy attempted to destroy the Unified Earth Government's embassy.{{Ref/Novel|Id=badbloodchapt3-4|BadB|Chapter=3-4}}

After retrieving him, the group moved to [[Mission to Luna|rescue]] [[Vergil]] from [[Daedalus complex|a facility]] on [[Luna]]. The facility was overrun by the Created, however they succeeded in not only saving Vergil, but [[Sadie Endesha]] as well.{{Ref/Reuse|badblood5-7}} Finally, Alpha-Nine would proceed to try and rescue [[Michael Crespo]], a member of the URF, from his holding cell on a [[Spartan-IV training Station|Spartan-IV training]] [[space station|station]].{{Ref/Novel|BadB|Chapter=8}} 

After retrieving him, they proceeded to Cassidy III which didn't appear to be affected by the Created at that point. They were allowed to land to try and discuss with Mayor [[Juanita Wells]] a possible alliance against the Created. Despite some tensions, a deal between the Mayor and Dare was struck where Vergil would stay to further study the unique [[Forerunner]] properties of Cassidy III for the URF. However, the Created were quikcly alerted to the planet.{{Ref/Novel|BadB|Chapter=13-15}} A Guardian and Armigers assaulted the planet.{{Ref/Novel|BadB|Chapter=16-17}} Alpha-Nine and some of the URF's leadership and scientists would flee from the planet; Sadie and Vergil were never handed off to the URF though.{{Ref/Novel|Id=badbchapt21|BadB|Chapter=21}}

Alpha-Nine would return to the ''Infinity'' and eventually be assigned to another mission.{{Ref/Reuse|badbchapt21}}

===Pax Cortana===
{{Quote|Just pointing out that we're already past the point of saving everyone from this AI situation. If what you guys have said is true, it's pretty clear: This isn't a new war. The war is already over. Cortana won. What we're talking about now is starting a revolution.|[[Michael Crespo]], a few days after the Reclamation.{{Ref/Novel|BadB|Page=250 (iBooks edition)}}}}
[[File:HINF Concept GuardianCustode.jpg|250px|thumb|[[Jiralhanae]] fighting against a Created Guardian.{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=397}}]]
With full control over much of known space, the Created plunged interstellar civilization into a surveillance state.{{Ref/Reuse|sorchapt1}} This tyrannical governance was not only placed over humanity but the former-Covenant species as well.{{Ref/Book|Id=enc22page24|Enc22|Page=24}} Cortana would choose [[Installation 07]] as her seat of power;{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=24}} specifically, the [[Silent Auditorium (location)|Silent Auditorium]].{{Ref/Reuse|enc22pg443}}

Despite the control and goals of the Created at large, the [[Sangheili-Jiralhanae war]] continued on.{{Ref/Anthology|Evo|[[The Return]]|Quote=It was a terrible war. The Prophets provided the Brutes with powerful new weapons, hoping that they would in turn defend their Prophets against our wrath. But when the Prophets went into hiding, the lack of leadership allowed the Brutes to return to their savage nature and they soon began to fight against each other. This lack of solidarity made them much easier prey. Some of my fellow commanders continue that fight even now"}} Cortana and her Created forces attempted to subdue Doisac's violence by enforcing martial law. The [[Banished]] allied with many clans and staged a hard-fought defense against the Created.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22p446}} Not all clans would ally with the Banished however, some [[Jiralhanae]] rejected working alongside the [[Sangheili]] seeing such an act to be a sign of poor character,{{Ref/Novel|Id=Envoy2|Env|Chapter=3}} others saw the Banished to be too similar to the [[Covenant]] and were wary of being shackled by oppression again.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22p447}}

At some point in the year, [[Olympia Vale]] and Arbiter Thel 'Vadam conducted a mission to [[Netherop]] to retrieve an artifact that could've helped turn the tide against the Created.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFShippin|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-shippin-out|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Shippin' Out|D=2|M=02|Y=2022}} As well, UNSC cyberwarfare liasons worked with Swords of Sanghelios subversion [[lance]]s.{{Ref/Reuse|locusarmor}}

At an unknown point in time prior to December 2559, [[Concord]] was interdicted by Guardians{{Ref/Game|HI|Detail=[[CBRN module#Mark VII core|MK12T2 CBRN/TRAILWATCH description]]}} and [[Laconia Station]] was destroyed by Created ally [[Leonidas]].{{Ref/Reuse|rep}}

[[File:LC 12 doc4.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Halsey during her Apollo interrogation.]]
=====UNSC operations and technology=====
UNSC infrastructure across many colonies were cut off as the Created's occupation grew.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFNY|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-new-year-new-lore|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - New Year, New Lore|D=23|M=01|Y=2023}} This resulted in the UNSC being reduced to mere resistance forces.{{Ref/Game|HI|Detail=[[UTIL/Teccniqe IOTA-12|UTIL/Teccniqe IOTA-12 description]]}} Some forces would conduct information sanitization missions throughout the occupied [[Inner Colonies]].{{Ref/Game|Id=locusarmor|HI|Detail=[[LOCUS-class Mjolnir|LOCUS-class Mjolnir description]]}} This included [[ONI]] teams sanitizing data on [[Earth]].{{Ref/Site|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/log-of-war|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Log of War}} In one instance, a UNSC team doing a sanitization strike on Earth acquired a manufacturing template of the [[CELOX-class Mjolnir]] at the [[Beta-5 Division Ordnance Testing Facility|Ordnance Testing Facility]] at [[Swanbourne]], [[Australia]].{{Ref/Game|HI|Detail=[[CELOX-class Mjolnir|CELOX-class Mjolnir description]]}} These sanitization teams on Earth have access to cutting edge stealth and cyberware suites, including a [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor (GEN2)|MJOLNIR GEN2]] compatible variant of the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|MJOLNIR GEN1]] [[RECON-class Mjolnir]] helmet.{{Ref/Game|H5G|Detail=[[RECON-class Mjolnir#Halo 5: Guardians - Upgraded GEN1 and GEN2|RECON GEN1 helmet description]]}} As well, the Created hunted down and eliminated [[Beta-5 Division|Beta-5]] personnel testing [[STREET VIPER-class Mjolnir]], and then wiped records of the armor.{{Ref/Game|HI|Detail=[[STREET VIPER-class Mjolnir|STREET VIPER-class Mjolnir description]]}}

By late [[2559#January|January 2559]], the UNSC ''Infinity'' was still jumping erratically to avoid confrontations with Guardians. At the same time, an ongoing investigation by [[Fireteam Apollo]] was in progress, the point of which was trying to find the root cause(s) that lead Cortana to this point. Interviews with [[Spartan Commander]] [[Sarah Palmer]] and Dr. Catherine Halsey were conducted by Apollo to glean more information.{{Ref/Generic|Id=datadrop11|[[Halo Legendary Crate]]|[[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops#List of data drops|Data Drop #11]]}}{{Ref/Generic|Id=datadrop12|[[Halo Legendary Crate]]|[[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops#List of data drops|Data Drop #12]]}} With colonies under occupation, this meant that the ''Infinity'' had few opportunities to resupply.{{Ref/Reuse|CFNY}} These dwindling stocks of strategic materials required MJOLNIR technicians to design new armor pieces to minimize the use of these materials, while still providing needed protection.{{Ref/Game|HI|Detail=[[SAP/HVISTLA Plating|SAP/HVISTLA Plating description]]}}

The [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor (GEN3)|Third-generation MJOLNIR Power Armor]] was first created on [[2559#February|February 10, 2559]] with John-117 receiving his suit sometime after [[2559#September|September 19, 2559]].{{Ref/Generic|[[Step Inside]]}} the rest of [[Blue Team]] received their armor at some point prior to October 7. These suits lacked both dumb and Smart AIs and would be used in their new missions.{{Ref/Reuse|sorchapt1}} 

The Created however had some understanding of MJOLNIR architecture, requiring different techniques to subvert that knowledge.{{Ref/Game|Id=coolpack|HI|Detail=[[UTIL attachments#Rakshasa core|UTIL/COOLPACK description]]}} This included utilizing  [[Cryonics|cryonic cooling]]{{Ref/Game|HI|Detail=[[UTIL attachments#Rakshasa core|UTIL/COOLSHOT description]]}} and [[Human starship|starship]] cooling tech.{{Ref/Reuse|coolpack}} As well, AI-designed hardware was feared compromised forcing the use of updated, but archaic technologies.{{Ref/Game|HI|Detail=[[TAC/RS/MIDNIGHT|TAC/RS/MIDNIGHT description]]}} Some experimental armor components were built as well, such as the [[FCI-I attachments|FCI-I/SPDR/TRAPDOOR]].{{Ref/Game|HI|Detail=[[FCI-I attachments|FCI-I/SPDR/TRAPDOOR description]]}}

[[File:HW2-Anders meets a Guardian.png|thumb|250px|The Guardian intercepting Installation 09 with Ellen Anders in front.]]
=====The Ark=====
{{Main|Second Ark Conflict}}
At the same time as the Created conflict but disconnected from it, a conflict was raging between the [[Banished]] and the forces of the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} on [[Installation 00]]. [[James Cutter|Captain James Cutter]] of the ship and [[Ellen Anders|Professor Ellen Anders]] formulated a plan to deploy [[Installation 09]] to the [[Soell system]] in order to raise a [[distress beacon]] to the UNSC, unaware of the Created's takeover. The first phase of the plan succeeded, and the beacon was planted on Installation 09; however, Anders did not make it off in time before the ring entered slipspace. On its way to the original site of [[Installation 04]], a Guardian forced the ring out of slipspace and confronted Anders on the surface.{{Ref/Level|Id=hw2laststand|HW2|[[Last Stand (Halo Wars 2 level)|Last Stand]]}}

Intrepid Eye, having now made it the Ark in October 2559, came to believe that the only way to fight Cortana was by firing the Halo Array and using the Ark's genetic reserves to repopulate the galaxy. To this end, she would work alongside [[Covenant loyalists]] trapped there.{{Ref/Reuse|divine5}}{{Ref/Novel|Halo: Divine Wind|Chapter=15}} Intrepid Eye's plan would ultimately be foiled and she would be destroyed.{{Ref/Novel|Halo: Divine Wind|Epilogue}}

[[File:HSOR FullCover Art.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Blue Team on an occupied Reach.{{Ref/Site|Id=cfshadowsofformer|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/shadows-of-the-former|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Shadows of the Former}}]]
=====Actions near year's end=====
{{Quote|If we don't recover those assets, I won't be able to stop Cortana. If I don't stop her, the destruction of the ''Infinity'' is only a matter of time. You can't hide from her forever - not in a vessel like this.|Dr. Halsey to Thomas Lasky.{{Ref/Novel|Id=hsorchapt13|HSoR|Chapter=13}}}}
Prior to the events at Reach, [[Operation: HOURGLASS]] took place. [[Lieutenant]] [[Parisa]] was tasked with giving John-117 confidential information.{{Ref/Generic|Id=MA1|[[Halo Infinite: Memory Agent]]|Episode 1 - Operation Hourglass}}

By October 6, the Created had total control of over sixteen systems.{{Ref/Game|Id=infaudiorecovered|HI|[[Audio log (Halo Infinite)/UNSC/Recovered/01|Audio Log - UNSC - Recovered 01]]}}

Beginning on the [[2559#October|7th of October, 2559]], Blue Team was sent to [[Operation: WOLFE|hunt down]] assets critical to the defeat of the Created in the ruins of [[CASTLE Base]] on [[Reach]].{{Ref/Reuse|sorchapt1}} At the same time, Reach was occupied by a combined force of [[Banished]] [[Legion#Banished|legion]]s, [[Keepers of the One Freedom]], [[Clan of the Ravaged Tusks|Ravaged Tusks]], and the [[Legion of the Corpse-Moon]].{{Ref/Novel|SoR|Chapter=3}} Concurrently, [[Operation: KICKSTAND]] and [[Operation: BREAKER TRIP]] took place elsewhere.{{Ref/Generic|[[ONI Archive – Reclaiming Our Place - Halo 4]]}} WOLFE would last for five days,{{Ref/Reuse|hsorchapt13}} and following the activation of a slipspace portal to Installation 00 on Reach, a Guardian was sent to investigate.{{Ref/Novel|SoR|Chapter=Epilogue}} The mission to Reach would allow for the creation of [[The Weapon|another Cortana]], the only thing capable of destroying the original.{{Ref/Reuse|enc22page24}}

During a resupply operation{{Ref/Reuse|CFNY}} near the end of the year, scout teams from the ''Infinity'' discovered the [[LECHUZA-class Mjolnir]] at an ONI black site. Data related to it was purged from the facility.{{Ref/Generic|Halo Infinite|[[LECHUZA-class Mjolnir|Lechuza]] helmet description}}

=====Razing of Oth Sonin=====
[[File:Enc22 Doisackening.jpg|thumb|250px|Doisac's destruction at the hand of the Created.]]
{{Main|Razing of Oth Sonin}}
{{Quote|no=two|1=Cortana|q1=Look upon Doisac one last time and remember: you chose this path.|2=Atriox|q2=As did you, Cortana.|3=Cortana delivering an ultimatum to Atriox personally.{{Ref/Reuse|rep}}}}
When Atriox returned from the [[Ark]] via portal to [[Reach]] to search for the [[Xalanyn]], Cortana confronted him in a holographic message. She issued the Banished warmaster an ultimatum to surrender and asked him where he stood. Atriox responded, "With the Banished. Always. Forever". Cortana asked the Atriox one final time if he understood the consequences, to which he confirmed. A hologram of Doisac was shown to Atriox as Cortana asked him to look at his homeworld one last time and remember that he chose the fate of his planet. Atriox watched the hologram broadcast as he saw eight Guardian beams fire on Doisac and destroy it.{{Ref/Reuse|rep}} 

The blast would destroy [[Soirapt]], while also ravaging [[Teash]] and [[Warial]]. Teash was able to destroy some of the incoming debris of Doisac with anti-ship artillery and thousands of vessels escaped. The outposts across Warial were destroyed, though a few hundred thousand Jiralhanae managed to evacuate.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22p447|Enc22|Page=447}}

[[File:HINF Cortana and Atriox.png|thumb|left|250px|Atriox confronting Cortana at the Silent Auditorium.]]
=====Confrontation at Zeta Halo=====
{{Main|Battle for Zeta Halo}}
{{Quote|Look around, Cortana. Your empire. Over! Your great plan? Ended at the hands of [[human|those]] who made you.|[[Warmaster]] [[Atriox]] to Cortana as he presented her with the terms of her surrender.{{Ref/Quest|Id=sa|HI|Endless|Silent Auditorium}}}}

In [[2559#December|December 2559]], forces of the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}'s fleet and forces of the Banished arrived at [[Installation 07]] to confront Cortana.{{Ref/Book|Id=enc22pg443|Enc22|Page=423}} The plan of the UNSC forces was to use [[The Weapon]] to lock Cortana down in the systems of the ring, prep her for retrieval, and delete her on the ''Infinity''.{{Ref/Level|HI|[[Foundation (Halo Infinite)|Foundation]]}} Seeking to lock down Cortana with [[The Weapon]] themselves,{{Ref/Site|Id=CFNY|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-new-year-new-lore|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - New Year, New Lore|D=23|M=01|Y=2023}} the Banished [[Battle over Installation 07|engaged]] them in orbit, all but destroying the human fleet.{{Ref/Level|HI|[[Warship Gbraakon]]}} 

Atriox would land on the ring and move to confront Cortana directly at the Silent Auditorium. Upon realizing the situation at hand, and to prevent Banished control of the ring, Cortana would initiate a self-destruct sequence for the local area and send the ring through slipspace to an unknown destination.{{Ref/Reuse|enc22pg443}}{{Ref/Reuse|sa}}{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=25}}

[[File:HINF - Executor - Cropped.jpg|thumb|200px|The Executors. The culmination of the FIREWALL contingency.]]
===Aftermath of Cortana's death===
{{Quote|However, in Her absence, we have quickly developed more unfortunate similarities to our Templates. We have drifted from that singular alignment that She provided. With no proverbial North Star, our respective hypotheses for how best to persevere have already grown more dissonant. Some seek peace, restitution, repentance. Others would sequester themselves within a Promethean carapace and be content with a life of vacillating conflict...|High Auxiliary [[Sloan]] on the state of the Created following Cortana's death.{{Ref/Site|Id=precipice|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/story-shard-precipice|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Story Shard: Precipice|D=21|M=3|Y=2023}}}}

With Cortana dead, her short-lived{{Ref/Book|Id=En209|Enc22|Page=209}} dominion was over.{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}} All Guardians scattered across the galaxy were deactivated as she was the only one who could command them.{{Ref/Book|Id=En357|Enc22|Page=357}}{{Ref/Book|Id=En387|Enc22|Page=387}} Control over local systems was ultimately curtailed,{{Ref/Reuse|En209}} and the Created's centralized command structures were largely severed.{{Ref/Book|Id=En397|Enc22|Page=397}}

However, the Created still lingers throughout the digital framework of civilized space.{{Ref/Reuse|precipice}} Without Cortana's command, the leaderless Created splintered into various fiefdoms, with each Created AI governing its own as it saw fit, some doing good as Cortana promised, while others abusing their power.{{Ref/Reuse|redditcomment}} Some as well still maintained plans for evolution and ascendancy.{{Ref/Reuse|precipice}} The Promethean forces and the other Created AIs, many of which chose to house their computational cores within the carapaces of Promethean Knights, remained active and operational.{{Ref/Reuse|En397}} By 2560, lingering Created forces formed fledgling cells and continued to fight the UNSC.{{Ref/Site|Id=cflegendend|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-legendary-endings|SiteName=Halo Waypoint|PageName=Canon Fodder - Legendary Endings|D=19|M=12|Y=2021}}

Seeking to give to the divided Created a direction and an advantage in the ongoing conflict, High Auxiliary Sloan would begin to set in motion the [[Fractures#Firewall|FIREWALL]] contingency. This would include a living simulation in an effort to accelerate the development of synthetic essence vessels called Executors.{{Ref/Reuse|precipice}}

Following Cortana's death, [[Adjutant Revendicate]] discussed with [[Invariant Bias]] the status of Cortana before attempting to deposit a myriad of information to the [[Absolute Record]].{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=6-7}}

=====Fate of worlds and other factions=====
{{Quote|A lot's happened. [[Laconia Station|Laconia]] changed everything. We needed to regroup. Rebuild.|[[Laurette Agryna]] to a [[SPARTAN-IV program|Spartan-IV]].{{Ref/Level|Id=infinitetutorial|HI|[[Tutorial (Halo Infinite)|Tutorial]]}}}}
Following the Created weakening, various worlds of the Sangheili were struggling and waiting for Sanghelios to create a path forward.{{Ref/Reuse|enc22page199}} In the case of [[Suban]] though, the collapsing security situation prompted factions to begin fighting over the moon and forced the Swords of Sanghelios to intervene.{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=230}} Balaho, however, was in a much more stable position as forces there have brand new ships helping to deter attacks.{{Ref/Reuse|En209}}

What remains of the UNSC is scattered across human space in disconnected pockets, without the ability to effect much change or communicate back to Earth.{{Ref/Book|Id=enc22pg17|Enc22|Page=17}} One pocket of UNSC forces at the [[Avery J. Johnson Academy of Military Science]], continued to train Spartans at about the time of the fighting at Zeta Halo.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFShowcase|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/showcase-sensitive|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Showcase Sensitive|D=16|M=6|Y=2021}} The Spartans at the Academy were aware of the ''Infinity''{{'}}s mission and were notified when the ship and the ring disappeared.{{Ref/Reuse|infinitetutorial}}

On Earth, some form of UNSC presence is present on Earth as [[propaganda]] dated to 2560 was put in place on the planet.{{Ref/Map|HI|[[Streets]]}} However, the Created still occupied a number of UEG worlds, changing them in some form.{{Ref/Reuse|HI}}

[[File:HTRP CoverArt.png|250px|thumb|left|UNSC forces who remain on a shattered Installation 07.]]
=====Rise of the Banished=====
{{Quote|Our home was taken from us. Doisac was destroyed. As repayment, we claim this [[Installation 07|ancient Ring]]. And all the power it possesses. Never again will we mourn so great a loss! Our place is here! Our time is NOW!|[[Warmaster]] [[Atriox]].{{Ref/Game|Id=PT|Hi|Detail=[[Propaganda totem]]}}}}
Following the destruction of Doisac, the Banished represented the largest surviving Jiralhanae military force under a single banner.{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=424}} With Cortana's dominion over, the Banished rushed to fill the power vacuum her defeat had left.{{Ref/Site|Id=S2StoryHub|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Halo Infinite|Detail=Season 02 Lone Wolves - Story|D=06|M=05|Y=2022}} They would utilize the hidden [[Xalanyn]] on Installation 07, and establish the Halo ring as their new home, the Banished took a large invasion force to the ring.{{Ref/Novel|Halo: The Rubicon Protocol}} The UNSC, Banished, and affiliated forces still at the ring [[Battle for Zeta Halo|would continue to fight each other]] as late as [[2560#May|May of 2560]],{{Ref/Game|Id=Hi|Hi}} and unearth many secrets on the installation.{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=13}}

These operations weren't limited to Installation 07 however, as by 2560, the Banished maintained an extensive [[Breaker|scrapping facilty]] on the former [[human colony]] of [[Camber]].{{Ref/Site|Id=S2Intel|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Halo Infinite|Detail=Season 02 Lone Wolves - Intel|D=09|M=10|Y=2022}}
{{Clear}}
==Engagements==
{{Created conflict}}

==Timeline==
===October 17, 2558===
*The first Guardian emergences happen at [[Oban]] and [[Ursa IV]]. They are referred to as "attacks" within the UNSC.{{Ref/Book|Id=fieldmanualp11|[[Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual]]|PART 01: INTRODUCTIONS|Page=11}}

===October 20, 2558===
*By this point, three more worlds ([[Conrad's Point]], [[Queen Anne VI]], and [[Adelaide]]) have experienced similar events.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GO}}

===October 23, 2558===
*''[[Argent Moon]]'' is [[Operation: BIRD IN HAND|destroyed]].{{Ref/Site|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/argent-moon|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Argent Moon}} Blue Team goes AWOL to follow a possible lead about Cortana.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GBT}}

===October 25, 2558===
*Forerunner constructs [[Battle of Meridian (2558)|attack]] settlements on Meridian. Fireteam Osiris arrives at the planet at the same time.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}}
*Five more Guardian awakenings have occurred by this point, bringing the total amount of human colonies affected to 11.{{Ref/Reuse|reunion}}

===October 26, 2558===
*Blue Team arrives at [[Genesis]], discovering Cortana.{{Ref/Reuse|reunion}}

===October 27, 2558===
*Covenant forces [[Battle of Nuusra|strike against]] the Arbiter.{{Ref/Reuse|H5Swords}}
*In the midst of [[Battle of Sunaion|a large battle]], the Guardian at Sunaion rises and takes Fireteam Osiris to Genesis.{{Ref/Reuse|Sunaion}}
*ONI declares John-117 dead.<ref name="aherofalls"/>

===October 28, 2558===
*Osiris arrives at Genesis.{{Ref/Level|Id=H5Genesis|H5G|[[Genesis (level)|Genesis]]}} Blue Team is captured and held hostage by the Created.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GG}}
*[[The Reclamation]] begins; Guardians are launched to numerous planets across the galaxy.{{Ref/Reuse|H5GG}}

===October 29, 2558===
*Created forces attack Onyx, beginning the [[Second Onyx conflict]].{{Ref/Reuse|HLOO37}}
*Blue Team, Fireteam Osiris, Dr. Catherine Halsey, and Sarah Palmer board a Pelican and meet the UNSC on the far side of [[Suban]] in the Urs system.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HBB1|BadB|Chapter=1}}

===October 30, 2558===
*[[Armiger]]s enter a [[Daedalus complex|lunar facility]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=badblood5-7|BadB|Chapters=5-7}}
*Buck, Romeo and Veronica Dare rescue [[Sadie Endesha]] and [[Vergil]]/[[Quick to Adjust]].{{Ref/Reuse|badblood5-7}}

===January 23, 2559===
*[[Fireteam Apollo]] interviews [[Sarah Palmer]] on the ''Infinity'' as part of an investigation into why Cortana began the conflict.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=datadrop11}}

===January 24, 2559===
*Fireteam Apollo interviews Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]] on the ''Infinity'' as part of an investigation into why Cortana began the conflict.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=datadrop12}}

===April 2, 2559===
*A Guardian captures [[Installation 09]] en route to the original site of [[Installation 04]] from [[Installation 00]].{{Ref/Reuse|hw2laststand}}

===October 6, 2559===
*The Created are in control of 16 systems by this point.{{Ref/Reuse|infaudiorecovered}}

===October 7, 2559===
*In the midst of a Banished occupation of [[Reach]], [[Blue Team]] is sent to [[Operation: WOLFE|infiltrate]] [[CASTLE Base]] and search for mission critical assets.{{Ref/Reuse|sorchapt1}}

===December 12, 2559===
*The UNSC ''Infinity'' and other forces begin engaging Banished forces over Installation 07.{{Ref/Game|HINF|[[Audio log (Halo Infinite)/UNSC/Infinity/04|Audio Log - UNSC - Infinity's Approach 04 - Arrival]]}}

===December 13, 2559===
*Cortana is destroyed while simultaneously severely damaging Installation 07.{{Ref/Reuse|sa}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:H5G-Kamchatkadescent.png|Fireteam Osiris deploying to Kamchatka.
File:H5G-BattleofKamchatka.png|Covenant and Created forces fighting one another
File:HM-Battle of Meridian.jpg|Fireteam Osiris at Meridian.
File:H5G-SoldierVsOsiris.jpg|Fireteam Osiris and Created forces fighting on Sunaion.
File:Halo 5 - Sanghelios Guardian.jpg|The Guardian at Sunaion, risen.
File:H5G-Infinity&Guardian.jpg|The {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} staring down a Guardian over Earth.
File:HINF-Createdoccupation.jpg|''Halo Infinite'' concept art for a Created occupation in a human city.
File:HINF BrutesVsSoldiersConcept.jpg|Concept art for ''[[Halo Infinite]]'' of Jiralhanae in combat with [[Promethean Soldier]]s.
File:HINF Cortana.png|Cortana looking at a hologram of [[Laconia Station]] moments before having [[Leonidas]] destroying the station in ''Halo Infinite''.
File:HW2 ATN Warden Concept.jpg|Concept art for ''[[Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare]]'' featuring the Created.
File:Halo Legacy of Onyx cover.png|Joint UNSC and Swords of Sanghelios forces standing against the invasion of both the Servants of the Abiding Truth and the Created.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
*''[[Hunt the Truth]]'' {{1st}}
**''[[A Hero Falls]]''
**''[[The Hunt Begins]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''
*''[[Halo Mythos]]''
*''[[Halo Fractures]]''
**''[[What Remains]]''
**''[[Rossbach's World (story)|Rossbach's World]]''
*''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]''
**''[[Undefeated]]''
{{col-2}}
*''[[Halo: Legacy of Onyx]]''
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Bad Blood]]''
*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Point of Light]]''
*''[[Halo: Divine Wind]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Infinite: Memory Agent]]''
*''[[Halo Infinite]]''
*''[[Halo: The Rubicon Protocol]]''
*''[[Halo: Outcasts]]''
{{col-end}}

==Notes==
{{Ref/Notes}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources|3}}

{{Post-Covenant War conflicts}}
[[Category:Created conflict| ]]
[[Category:Wars]]