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| {{Title|''Headhunters''}} | | {{Title|''Headhunters''}} |
| {{Status|RealWorld}} | | {{Era|RW}} |
| {{Center|''For other uses, see [[Headhunters (disambiguation)]].''}} | | {{Grammar}} |
| {{Article quote|A select group of Spartan-IIIs put on a mission to succeed against a never-before-seen Elite force}} | | <center>''For other uses, see [[Headhunters (disambiguation)]].''</center> |
| [[File:Evo Headhunters Post.jpg|150px|thumb|The cover of ''Headhunters'' as illustrated by Garrett Post]] | | {{Article Quote|A select group of Spartan-IIIs put on a mission to succeed against a never-before-seen Elite force}} |
| '''Headhunters''' is a short story in ''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]'', a collection of short stories by a multitude of authors. It tells the story of [[Roland-B210]] and [[Jonah-B283]], two top-echelon [[SPARTAN-III Program|Spartan-IIIs]] who are selected by [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI Section Three]] to serve in a [[Headhunters|special unit]] under the [[Beta-5 Division]]. The story was written by [[Jonathan Goff]]. | | [[File:Evo Headhunters Post.jpg|150px|thumb|right|The cover of ''Headhunters'' as illustrated by Garrett Post]] |
| | '''Headhunters''' is a short story in ''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]'', a collection of short stories by a number of authors. It tells the story of a specialist team of [[SPARTAN-III Program|SPARTAN-IIIs]], mainly [[Roland (SPARTAN-III)|Roland]] and [[Jonah]], two top echelon elite [[SPARTAN-III Program|SPARTAN-IIIs]] who are selected by [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI Section Three]] for a special branch under the [[Beta-5 Division]]. Headhunters is written by [[Jonathan Goff]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''' - '''''Headhunters''''', page ??</ref> |
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| ''Headhunters'' has been adapted into a motion comic series by the animation studio [[MoreFrames]], with sound production by [[Pyramind Studios]]. The series was released on [[2011|June 18, 2011]].<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/news/blog/new-motion-comic-series-coming-this-june/49487 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''New motion comic series coming this June'']</ref> | | ''Headhunters'' will be adapted into a motion comic series by the animation studio [[MoreFrames]], with sound production by [[Pyramind Studios]]. The series is slated for release in [[2011|June 2011]].<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/news/blog/new-motion-comic-series-coming-this-june/49487 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''New motion comic series coming this June'']</ref> |
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| ==Plot Synopsis== | | ==Synopsis== |
| ===Overview===
| | [[File:HeadhuntersPic.jpg|thumb|A promotional image for the motion comic adaptation of ''Headhunters''.]] |
| [[File:Newspartan3s.jpg|thumb|Members of ''Headhunters'' gathered together.]] | | The story focuses on the ghost-like Spartan-IIIs codenamed "Headhunters" in their top secret missions, and also shows a contrast between the openly celebrated [[SPARTAN-II Program|SPARTAN-IIs]] and the highly-classified unknown secretive force of SPARTAN-IIIs in that only ONI Section Three operatives know of their glories and failures. The characters and their close bond is revealed throughout the story, with entertaining and engaging dialogue between the central characters. |
| ''Headhunters'' focuses on the ghost-like Spartan-III [[Headhunters|"Headhunter"]] operatives. Throughout their top-secret missions, the contrast between the celebrated [[SPARTAN-II Program|Spartan-IIs]] and the secretive Spartan-IIIs is a key focus. Another major theme in the story is confronting the Elites' sense of superiority over their 'inferior' foes. Despite glassing humans from orbit and using advanced cloaking technology, the Elites regard similar tactics used by the Spartans as 'dishonorable'. Jonah's sadism is also contrasted with the Elites, who mock the notion that the aliens have any 'right' to exterminate humanity without being subject to horrific reprisals.
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| ===Plot===
| | The Headhunters are a top-secret group of unique SPARTAN-IIIs that were "a secret, even to their peers" sent on top secret missions. Individuals had to survive two or more specially assigned training missions before being evaluated in the additional, grueling training regimen (seven months of supervised field exercises, followed by six months real-world wartime insertions). At the program's height there was a maximum contingent of six squads - six teams, with a total of seventeen soldiers rotating in to fill gaps when half or all of a team was lost in the field. Fireteams are comprised of two headhunters, initially paired via exhaustive interviews and ONI profiling. Jonah and Roland have excellent compatibility with 97.36 percent - only one other pair scored higher. |
| The Headhunters are Spartan-IIIs selected for missions "secret even to their peers." Volunteers must complete two or more training missions before being evaluated in the following seven months of supervised field exercises. Each unit was further tested through six months of wartime insertions. At the program's height, there was a maximum contingent of six squads - six teams, with a total of seventeen soldiers rotating in to fill gaps left by MIA or KIA soldiers. Fireteams were comprised of two Headhunters, initially paired via exhaustive interviews and ONI profiling. Soldiers Jonah and Roland are rated as 'excellent' compatibility with 97.36 percent, the second highest score ever recorded. | |
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| Deployed to a [[Covenant]]-held moon which was believed to be a dig-site for a hidden artifact, Jonah and Roland are tasked to destroy six of the ten basecamps situated around the perimeter of a massive central compound. The confusion and reshuffling of troops and supplies by the Covenant contingent following each basecamp's destruction were to pave the way for a full-scale assault by a dozen Spartan-III fireteams and their support.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''' - '''''Headhunters''''', pages 161-162</ref>
| | The Headhunter's objective on this mission was to slip onto the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]]-held moon (which was believed to be a dig-site for a hidden artifact), and remove six of the ten identified base camps situated around the outer perimeter of a much larger central compound. A second team of Headhunters would remove the four outstanding camps in preparation for what was to follow. The confusion and reshuffling of troops and supplies by the Covenant contingent following each base camp's dismantling was simply the opening salvo in a full-scale assault by a dozen SPARTAN III fireteams and associated orbital backup.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''' - '''''Headhunters''''', pages 161-162</ref> |
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| Armed with [[M7S Caseless Submachine Gun]]s and [[M6C/SOCOM]] pistols, and equipped with experimental technology, the two soldiers prepare for their assault. Roland is a level-headed tactician, while Jonah takes sadistic pleasure in killing Covenant soldiers. While never explicitly stated, it is likely this cruelty was motivated by the loss of Jonah's family like most Spartan-IIIs. The Headhunters infiltrate past a [[Kig-Yar]] sniper and into the outskirts of the camp. After gathering intelligence for two days, they decide on a plan of attack. Roland, with an experimental active camouflage module, will sabotage the base's reactors, while Jonah will neutralize any surviving soldiers. Using an [[energy disruptor]], a device that disables the Covenant's plasma weapons and energy shields, Jonah makes quick work of a unit of [[Unggoy]], Kig-Yar, and [[Sangheili]].
| | The story continues with an explanation of the gear Roland and Jonah have(armed with [[M7S Caseless Submachine Gun]]s and [[M6C/SOCOM]] pistols along with various experimental UNSC-developed equipment), and then finally the story begins as they stealthily recon, infiltrate, and rig a Covenant digging site on a remote planet. Roland and Jonah sneak past a perched [[Kig-yar|Kig-Yar]] sniper, and into the outskirts of the camp, using [[Visual Intelligence System, Reconnaissance|VISR]] mode to help navigate and to look out for cloaked Elites. After gathering intel for two days, they make way. Roland, with an experimental active camouflage module on his armor, will be rigging the reactors in the base to blow while Jonah begins to hunt and kill Covenant in the camp. Other new equipment featured in the story comes in the form of an [[Energy disruptor|Energy Disruptor]], a device that disables the Covenant's plasma weapons and energy shields (those of personal armor systems as well as force-field doors in the camp). Jonah uses one of his several disruptors to attack and confront a group of [[Unggoy]], Kig-Yar, and [[Sangheili]]. |
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| After planting the bombs, Roland meets Jonah on the other side of the camp. Taking advantage of the Elites' sense of honor and superiority, Jonah taunts the surviving soldiers with a decapitated Sangheili head. Together, the Headhunters kill the remaining Covenant guards with little effort. Jonah disables the last Elite with two shots to the knee. | | After Roland has set the charges using his av-cam, he meets Jonah on the other side of the camp as Jonah is about to battle his enemies, having just sliced off a dead Elite's head to taunt the enemy. Together, they kill the Covenant guards. Jonah disables the last Elite with two shots to the Elite's kneecaps. After some brief questioning, Jonah stabs the Elite in the neck, and then unloads an entire clip from his pistol into the corpse. They are caught off-guard by a squad of cloaked Spec-Op Elites. Roland is killed by an [[Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword|Energy Sword]] with a blood-red blade held by a Spec-Ops Sangheili wearing highly customized armor, and Jonah is surrounded by several other similarly-clad Sangheili. Jonah then taunts the specialized Covenant warriors, mocking their cowardice and disrespecting their honor (an offense that would surely drive an Elite to a feral state, similar to looking a Jiralhanae in the eye) yet they kept their cool. After subsequent taunting Jonah is attacked and severely injured--it is apparent that these Sangheili were different than most, as these different Elites seemed to toy with Jonah. This is uncommon as most Sangheili honorably kill their enemies instead of psychologically intimidating them. Jonah realizes the importance of the Spec-Ops warriors due to their advanced unseen technology and is comforted by the thought of trading his one life for the six Sangheili specialists'. Even after being severely lethally injured from an energy sword, Jonah is still able to release the trigger for the explosives that Roland had rigged around the camp. The Covenant camp is vaporized, along with Jonah and the advanced Sangheili specialists. |
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| The wounded Sangheili accuses the Spartans of being dishonorable assassins; human vermin who strike from the shadows. Jonah in turn mercilessly mocks the wounded alien, pointing out the Elites' hypocrisy: they are soldiers who massacre unarmed civilians from orbit and use active camouflage to hide like cowards. Before the Elite can respond, Jonah executes the warrior with extreme prejudice, stabbing him in the throat and riddling his corpse with bullets.
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| Following this exchange, Roland is killed by a warrior of the [[Silent Shadow]] wielding a blood-red [[Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword|energy sword]]. Jonah turns on his VISR, revealing several more cloaked Elites. Surrounded, Jonah provokes the Covenant warriors, ridiculing the great lengths they went to trap a mere two humans (an offense that would drive most Elites to a feral state). He attacks the Elites, but his bullets bounce off their armor. The Spec Ops team closes in and quickly subdues the lone Spartan. The Elites prepare to torture the wounded and captured Jonah for their own amusement. Jonah realizes the importance of the Spec-Ops warriors, who were tasked specifically to kill Headhunters, and is comforted by the thought of trading his life for the six Sangheili. Even after his eye is burned out, Jonah is still able to detonate the trigger for the explosives that Roland had rigged around the camp earlier. The Covenant camp is vaporized, along with Jonah and the Silent Shadow squad,<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/brute-force '''Halo Waypoint''' - ''Brute Force'']</ref> with only one Sangheili surviving the event: [[Jega 'Rdomnai]].{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=454}}
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| ==Appearances==
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| {{Featurelist|secondcolumn=title-5|title-1=Characters|
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| *[[Jega 'Rdomnai]] {{1st}}
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| *[[Jonah-B283]] {{1st}}
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| *[[Roland-B210]] {{1st}}
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| |title-2=Species|
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| *[[Human]]
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| *[[Jiralhanae]] {{Mo}}
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| *[[Kig-Yar]]
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| *[[Sangheili]]
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| *[[Unggoy]]
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| |title-3=Organizations|
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| *[[Covenant]]
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| **[[Covenant military]]
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| **[[Special Warfare Group]]
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| ***[[Covenant Special Operations]]
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| ****[[Silent Shadow]]
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| *[[Unified Earth Government]]
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| **[[United Nations Space Command]]
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| ***[[UNSC Navy]]
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| ****[[Office of Naval Intelligence]]
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| *****[[SPARTAN-III program]]
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| ******[[Headhunters]] {{1st}}
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| |title-4=Locations|
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| *[[Eirene]] {{Fm}}
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| *[[Unidentified moon (Headhunters)|Unidentified moon]] {{1st}}
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| |title-5=Events|
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| *[[Human-Covenant War]]
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| **[[Mission to an unidentified moon]]
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| |title-6=Weapons|
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| *[[Combat knife]]
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| *[[M6C magnum]]
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| *[[M7S Caseless Submachine Gun]]
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| *[[Type-1 energy sword]]
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| *{{Pattern|Sulok|beam rifle}}
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| *{{Pattern|Vostu|carbine}}
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| |title-7=Technology|
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| *[[Active camouflage]]
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| *[[Energy disruptor]] {{1st}}
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| *[[Heads-up display]]
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| *[[Kig-Yar targeting headgear]]
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| *[[Energy shielding]]
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| **[[Sangheili personal energy shield]]
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| *[[Combat harness|Sangheili combat harness]]
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| *[[Semi-Powered Infiltration armor]]
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| *[[Weapon attachments]]
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| **[[Laser aiming module]]
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| **[[SS/M 49]]
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| **[[Suppressor]]
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| }}
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| ==Motion comic==
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| [[File:HH.jpeg|thumb|The Zune Video Marketplace logo for the motion comic.]]
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| At three installments, ''Headhunters'' is so far the shortest running ''Halo'' motion comic. The series is available for download on the Zune Video Marketplace. Each episode can be purchased for 80 points or a season pass can be purchased for 200 points.<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/post/2012/01/25/The-Halo-Bulletin-12512.aspx '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Halo Bulletin: 1.25.12'']</ref>
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| Below are links to the episodes featured on [[Halo Waypoint]]:
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| *[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/detail/c3d2dcb3-ac3d-4771-a270-e55e33ae118b/headhunters-1 ''Headhunters'' Motion Comic Adaptation Part 1]
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| *[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/detail/19174019-97a0-4d67-8b0c-faeef2fb1bfe/headhunters-2 ''Headhunters'' Motion Comic Adaptation Part 2]
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| *[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/detail/143415d0-f6ea-456e-9f1a-da2e1ebcf340/headhunters-3 ''Headhunters'' Motion Comic Adaptation Part 3]
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| ==Trivia== | | ==Trivia== |
| In the short story, Roland covers Jonah with a [[Vostu-pattern carbine|Covenant carbine]], firing three shots into a Sangheili's head and then expending the rest of his magazine on the remaining hostiles. In the motion comic, Roland dispatches the Sangheili with a single shot from a [[Sulok-pattern beam rifle|particle beam rifle]], then kills the remaining hostiles with single shots. Roland's particle beam rifle emits the distinctive report of the Covenant carbine when fired. | | *In the story, there are many new examples of newly-developed UNSC and Covenant technology, each of them being unique and useful in combat situations. Such examples of newly-developed technologies are the VISR mode, the av-cam which is essentially the UNSC's first recreation of the Covenant's active camouflage technology and energy disruptors. |
| | | *''[[Halo: Reach]]'' features a new game type known as [[Headhunter (game variant)|Headhunter]] in which the player must collect fallen skulls from their enemies. |
| ==Gallery==
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| <gallery>
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| File:Headhunters - Jonah profile.png|A profile image of Jonah from the ''Headhunters'' motion comic adaptation
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| File:Headhunters - Elite concept.png|Render of a [[Special Operations Sangheili]] used in the motion comic adaptation
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| File:Headhunters - barrel and generator.png|Renders of a Covenant barrel and [[generator]] from the motion comic
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| </gallery>
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| ==Sources== | | ==Sources== |
| {{Ref/Sources}}
| | <references/> |
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| {{Evolutions}} | | {{Evolutions}} |
| | {{Books}} |
| [[Category:Canon]] | | [[Category:Canon]] |
| [[Category:Halo: Evolutions]] | | [[Category:Halo: Evolutions]] |
| [[Category:Motion comics]]
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