Editing Halo Wars: Genesis

{{Title|''Halo Wars: Genesis''}}
{{Status|RealWorld}}
{{Novel infobox
|image=[[File:HW Genesis Cover.jpg|300px]]
|author=
*[[Eric Nylund]]{{Ref/Site|Id=Announce|URL=http://www.halowars.com/default.aspx?p=17|Site=Official Halo Wars Community Site|Page=Halo Wars Collector's Edition|D=01|M=12|Y=2016}}
*[[Graeme Devine]]{{Ref/Reuse|Announce}}{{Ref/Twitter|zaphodgjd|1762195857909371314|Graeme Devine|Quote=Hey. Awesome you released the comic. It would have been nice if you could have included my credit alongside  Eric's and Phil's. I did co-write the comic, originate the characters etc.|D=28|M=02|Y=2024}}
|cover artist= [[:Category:Images by Phil Noto|Phil Noto]]{{Ref/Reuse|Announce}}
|illustrator= Phil Noto{{Ref/Reuse|Announce}}
|publisher=
|publication=
;Initial
*February 27, 2009 (EU), March 3, 2009 (NA)
;Digital
*December 19, 2016{{Ref/Site|Id=CFLost|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/what-once-was-lost|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - What Once Was Lost|D=04|M=02|Y=2017}}
*February 26, 2024{{Ref/Twitter|Id=15birthday|Halo|1762193331205943440|Halo|Quote=ALL UNITS! 📣To celebrate the birthdays of both beloved Halo Wars games, grab a free copy of the Halo Wars: Genesis graphic novel along with a slew of awesome artwork!|D=28|M=02|Y=2024}}
|media=
*Print (Hardcover)
*Digital PDF
|length=
|ISBN=
|pagelabel=Comic
}}

{{article quote|Halo Wars: Genesis – a beautiful graphic novel by Phil Noto, Graeme Devine and [[Eric Nylund]] chronicling the [[Battle of Harvest|first military campaign]] against the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]]. The novel centers around the ''[[UNSC Spirit of Fire|Spirit of Fire]]'' on a mission to discover why the Covenant are so interested in the human colony world of [[Harvest]].{{Ref/Reuse|Announce}}}}

'''''Halo Wars: Genesis''''' is a prequel comic book that details the events leading to ''[[Halo Wars]]''. It was included in the [[Halo Wars: Limited Edition|Limited Collector's Edition]] of the game, but has been released digitally on [[Halo Waypoint]] for free,{{Ref/Reuse|CFLost}} and as part of a free download to celebrate the game's 15th birthday.{{Ref/Reuse|15birthday}} It reveals why [[Preston Jeremiah Cole|Admiral Preston Cole]] made the [[United Nations Space Command Emergency Priority Order 098831A-1|Cole Protocol]] and shows what happened to [[James Gregory Cutter|Captain James Cutter]], [[John Forge|Sergeant John Forge]], and [[Ellen Anders|Professor Ellen Anders]] immediately before the game's events. It also reveals more about the past of [[Ripa 'Moramee]] and how he came to be the [[Arbiter]].

==Summary==
{{Spoiler/begin}}
[[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] [[Battle Group 4]] arrives at [[Harvest]] in order to investigate an [[covenant Empire|unknown aggression]] on October the [[Seven|7th]] [[2525]]: upon receiving a communication message, already translated by the Covenant to, "Your destruction is the will of the Gods, and we are their instrument", the ''[[CMA Vostok|Vostok]]'' and the ''[[CMA Arabia|Arabia]]'' are destroyed by an alien vessel. The ''[[CMA Heracles|Heracles]]'' retreats. On the planet [[Reach]], [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]] brass compare the event with the [[Battle of Chi Ceti]] and ask a retired [[Vice Admiral]] [[Preston Jeremiah Cole|Preston Cole]] to command a force to retake Harvest. He and his fleet arrive at Harvest on the 1st of March 2526, just to find the same ship which destroyed the two frigates a few months earlier. The UNSC ships succeeded in defeating the Covenant vessel, but lost ships in the process.

Mass media are ordered to keep events regarding the Covenant secret and replace the battle information with that of a communications satellite captured by Insurgents, whom Cole was sent for; the colonies of [[Second Base]] and [[Green Hills]] are reported as Insurgent bases but were actually [[glassing|glassed]]. Also the loss of [[Chi Ceti IV]] is kept secret. 
Due to the impossibility of keeping the offensive a secret, the news about Cole now commanding the whole UNSC Fleet goes public and he continues to fight the Covenant throughout the [[Outer Colonies]] until [[2531]].

Several battles, including those occurring at the [[Origami Asteroid Field]] and that of [[XI Boötis A system|XI Boötis A System]] are more losses than victories: UNSC forces are decimated just to defeat a few enemy vessels. At the [[Battle of the Great Bear|Battle of Groombridge-1830]], another Pyrrhic victory, Cole learns of the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]]'s resoluteness by a [[Sangheili]] survivor and decides to create the [[United Nations Space Command Emergency Priority Order 098831A-1|Cole Protocol]].

January 3, [[2531]]: {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} is sent to [[Harvest]] to assist the crippled {{UNSCShip|Prophecy}}. Before making the jump to the colony world [[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[James Gregory Cutter]] inspects the [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]] and the drop bay of the ship, while his history is told during the travel.

As the ship arrives near the ''Prophecy'', Serina hypothesizes the only reason ONI knew about the crippled ship so fast is they were there when the misdeed occurred. Cutter orders the ''Prophecy''{{'}}s navigation Database and survivors to be recovered: Fire Teams Echo, India, Lima and November's Pelicans take off while the ''Spirit of Fire'' engages 4 Covenant vessels.
Sgt. [[John Forge]]'s Pelican takes off as well and heads to the ''Prophecy'' but is hit by a [[Kez'katu-pattern Phantom|Phantom]] and crash-lands upon the ''Prophecy'' hull. Forge and other [[Extra-vehicular activity|EVA]] Marines breach and enter inside the ''Prophecy'' where they are attacked by [[Kig-yar Ranger|Jackal Rangers]]. Forge breaks his ankle during combat, but, with Serina's aid, is then able to find the ship's Terminal 4 to recover the ship's Black box and wipe its Nav Core, while the rest of Team Lima rescue the survivors.
Serina warns Forge that the ''Prophecy'' 's A.I. may "''act peculiar''" due to high radiation levels, and so happens: upon [[Retinal scanner|scanning his retina]] to gain access to the terminal, Forge is halted by [[FitzGibbon]], who explains he cannot allow him to enter due to his [[Career Service Vitae|CSV]]. Forge tells the A.I. he's there to ensure [[United Nations Space Command Emergency Priority Order 098831A-1|Cole Protocol]] not to be violated, and the latter lets him in the terminal room enabling radiation repair routines. Forge purges the Nav Database and heads back to the Pelicans as [[FitzGibbon]] activates the ''Prophecy''{{'}}s self-destruct sequence which destroys the ship.

After the marines and Forge escape with survivors, they are taken to the med bay of the ''Spirit of Fire'', where Forge is told that there are no survivors, and that they took too much radiation when aboard the ''Prophecy'' to survive. Soon after, [[Ellen Anders]] is leaving a scientific presentation on [[Arcadia]] about [[Forerunner|unknown artifacts]] found on various planets such as [[Onyx]], (despite Onyx being a classified secret) when she is kidnapped by ONI. She is shown all of ONI's images of what appears to be a Covenant leader, which turns out to be the Arbiter. She is then sent by ONI to [[Harvest]] on the {{UNSCShip|Last Gleaming}}, where she joined up with the ''Spirit of Fire'', and shows Captain Cutter everything she's learned about the [[Arbiter]] on the way.

A Warlord Thrall named [[Ripa 'Moramee]] had the honor of putting down the [[Sixteenth Unggoy Disobedience]], the heretical reign of the [[Kig-yar]] [[Kig-yar Pirate Prince|Pirate Prince]] and showed a fondness of brutality. He soon developed a desire for greatness, and attempted a coup on his own clan leader, and failed. He then is sentenced to [[Weeping Shadows of Sorrow|imprisonment]]. He escapes almost instantaneously, but is caught and captured by the [[Prophet of Regret]]. Regret questions 'Moramee, before deciding that he will become the seventeenth Arbiter in the line of Immaculate Succession.

Back on the ''Spirit of Fire'', Anders and the captain discuss about the arctic region where scans detect [[Relic (location)|a structure]]. Cutter sends Forge to assemble a team and investigate, saying they may now be able to find out why the Covenant want Harvest.
{{Spoiler/end}}

==Appearances==
{{Featurelist|secondcolumn=title-5|title-1=Characters|
;Major Characters
*[[James Gregory Cutter]]
*[[Preston Jeremiah Cole]]
*[[John Forge]]
*[[Ellen Anders]]
*[[Ripa 'Moramee]]
*[[Prophet of Regret]]
*[[Catherine Halsey]] {{mo}}
;Minor Characters
*[[Mary Cutter]] {{1st}}
*[[Cutter's daughter]] {{1st}}
*[[Maribeau Veredi]] {{1st}}
*[[Prosser]] {{1st}}
*[[Orez]] {{1st}}
*[[Jack Hopper]] {{1st}}
*[[Demos]] {{1st}}
*[[Chris (Marine)|Chris]] {{1st}}
*[[Serina]]
*[[FitzGibbon]] {{1st}}
*[[Subject 386]] {{1st}}
*[[Krith]] {{1st}}

|title-2=Species|
*[[Human]]
*[[Kig-Yar]]
*[[Mgalekgolo]]
*[[Sangheili]]
*[[San'Shyuum]]
*[[Unggoy]]

|title-3=Organizations|
*[[United Nations Space Command]]
**[[UNSC Marine Corps]]
***[[Recon Team Echo]] {{1st}}
***[[Recon Team India]] {{1st}}
***[[Fire Team November]] {{1st}}
***[[Fire Team Lima]] {{1st}}
**[[UNSC Navy]]
***[[Battle Group X-Ray]] {{1st}}
***[[Battle Group 4]] {{1st}}

|title-4=Locations|
*[[Alpha Aurigae system]] {{1st}}
**[[Origami Asteroid Field]] {{1st}}
*[[Bliss]] {{1st}}
*[[Cote d'Azure]] {{Fm}}
*[[Green Hills]] {{1st}}
*[[Groombridge 1830 system]] {{1st}}
**[[Groombridge-1830]] {{1st}}
*[[Harvest]]
**[[Relic (location)|relic]] {{Fm}}
*[[Onyx]] {{mo}}
*[[Reach]] {{mo}}
*[[Second Base]] {{1st}}
*[[XI Boötis A system]] {{1st}}
*Unidentified human colony
**[[Rishard University]] {{1st}}
*Unidentified Covenant [[penal colony]] {{1st}}
**[[Weeping Shadows of Sorrow]] {{1st}}
*[[Malurok|Decided Heart]] {{1st}}
**[[Moram]]

|title-5=Events|
*[[Sixteenth Unggoy Disobedience]] {{1st}}
*[[Human-Covenant War]]
**[[Battle of Alpha Aurigae]] {{1st}}
**[[Battle of Chi Ceti]] {{mo}}
**[[Battle of the Great Bear]] {{1st}}
**[[Battle of XI Boötis A]] {{1st}}
**[[Harvest campaign]]
***[[First Battle of Harvest]]
***[[Second Battle of Harvest]]
**[[Operation: BREADCRUMB]] {{First mentioned}}
**[[Operation: HYPODERMIC]]
**[[Operation: WHISPER AMONG STARS]] {{First mentioned}}

|title-6=Vehicles|
*[[D77-TC Pelican]]
*{{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}
*{{Pattern|Sinaris|heavy destroyer}}
*{{Pattern|Rasus|interdictor}} {{1st}}
**''[[Heaven's Brilliant Bier]]'' {{1st}}
*{{Class|Halcyon|light cruiser}}
*{{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}}
**{{UNSCShip|Prophecy}} {{1st}}
*{{Class|Phoenix|colony ship}} {{1st}}
**{{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}
*{{Class|Valiant|super-heavy cruiser}} {{1st}}
**{{UNSCShip|Everest}} {{1st}}
*[[UNSC destroyer]]
**{{UNSCShip|Calcutta}} {{1st}}
**''[[CMA Heracles]]'' {{1st}}
*{{Class|Charon|light frigate}}
**''[[CMA Arabia]]'' {{1st}}
**''[[CMA Vostok]]'' {{1st}}
*[[UNSC prowler]]
**{{UNSCShip|Last Gleaming}} {{1st}}
*Undesignated warships
**{{UNSCShip|Brilliant Shores}} {{First mentioned}}
**{{UNSCShip|Final Summit}} {{First mentioned}}
**{{UNSCShip|Glasgow}} {{1st}}
**{{UNSCShip|Lance Held High}} {{1st}}
**{{UNSCShip|Sacramento}} {{1st}}
*[[Stick]] {{1st}}

|title-7=Weapons|
*[[ATAF missile turret]] {{1st}}
*[[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon]]
*[[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]

|title-8=Technology|
*[[Retinal scanner]]
*[[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]]
*[[UNSC reactor]]
*[[Vacuum suit]]
}}

==Trivia==
*In the flash transmission sent by [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] [[Endless Summer]] to [[Kurt-051]] after the initial sighting of the sentinels on Onyx, attached file #3 says that all data pertaining to Onyx has been classified. This file is dated on January 3, 2511. However, sometime in 2531, just before ONI kidnaps Ellen Anders, she is depicted as giving a public presentation at [[Rishard University]] in a classroom. The material presented involves Onyx, which she mentions by name.
*The panels depicting the ONI [[Strategic Response Unit]] - a collection of ONI leadership on [[Reach]] reacting to the news of the Covenant's arrival - depict a character bearing remarkable resemblance to [[Margaret Parangosky]], as depicted in ''[[Halo: The Television Series]]'' and the ''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)]]''.

==Gallery==
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes|gallerypage=Halo Wars: Genesis images}}
<gallery>
File:HW Genesis back cover.jpg|Back cover.
File:HWG_RasusInterdictor_Showdown.png|The space battle over Harvest.
File:HWG_ColeWritingProtocol.png|Preston Cole writing the Cole Protocol.
File:HW_Genesis_Anders_Lecture.png|Ellen Anders lecturing at a university.
File:HWG-SoftSeal-Pelican.png|Sergeant Forge boarding the ''Prophecy''.
File:HWG_Sixteenth_Unggoy_Disobedience.png|Ripa 'Moramee putting down the Sixteenth Unggoy Disobedience.
</gallery>

==External links==
*[https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/blogs/hw_genesis_comic-c7f57bd788e44faea4860178b99c999a.pdf ''Halo Wars: Genesis'' official PDF release] - Halo Waypoint PDF release of ''Halo Wars: Genesis''.{{Ref/Reuse|CFLost}}
*[https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/halowarsgiveaway-f8911177ad8942c4a90e39c1b3cb142a.zip ''Halo Wars: Genesis'' birthday PDF release] - a much higher-quality PDF download of ''Halo Wars: Genesis'' than the earlier release, released on February 26, 2024 to celebrate the game's fifteenth birthday.{{Ref/Reuse|15birthday}} (Internal backup {{file link|HWG Full.pdf|here}})

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Navbox/Media/Comic}}
[[Category:Comics|Genesis]]
[[Category:Canon]]