Editing Meridian

{{Status|Canon}}{{Status|Featured}}

|body=[[Hestia V]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

|position=Seventh [[natural satellite]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

|diameter={{Convert|3073|km|mi|sp=us}}{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

|gravity=1.1 G{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

|atmosphere=1.2 ([[Wikipedia:Nitrogen|N₂]], [[oxygen|O₂]]){{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

|temperature=-37°C to 43°C (-34.6°F to 109.4°F){{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

|species=[[Human]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

|population=5,321 {{C|Post-war}}{{Ref/Reuse|wf}}

|colonized=[[2431]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

*[[Liang-Dortmund Corporation]]<ref name="glassed">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level ''[[Glassed]]''</ref>

{{Quote|The Covenant glassed this planet in '48. It was a UNSC colony then, but we never came back. Run by a private corp now, chipping away the glass, making her livable.|[[Spartan Operations#Rank structure|Spartan]] [[Holly Tanaka]]{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}}}}

'''Meridian''', known to the [[Forerunner]]s as '''Pridarea Libatoa''',<ref>'''[[Halo: Retribution]]''', ''chapter 16''</ref> is a [[human]] [[Outer Colony]] and the seventh [[natural satellite]] of the gas giant [[Hestia V]] in the [[Hestia system]]. Despite being located on the edges of human space, Meridian was a vibrant and thriving colony with a robust economy and an impressive population; mining and military production for the [[United Nations Space Command]] were known industries on the colony.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} Once a green world, the moon held a temperate climate and fertile land.<ref name="canon fodder">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-know-for-an-answer '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Know for an Answer'']</ref>

The [[Covenant]] eventually attacked the world in [[2548]] and, after a long [[Battle of Meridian|battle]] that lasted for three years, Meridian was ultimately [[Glassing|glassed]] by the Covenant in [[2551]]. Following the [[Human-Covenant War]], Meridian was resettled by the [[Liang-Dortmund Corporation]]. Despite being a colony of the [[Unified Earth Government]], Meridian became an independent world following the Covenant War.<ref name="evacuation intel">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level ''[[Evacuation]]'' - Mission Intel</ref> In [[2558]] a [[Forerunner]] [[Guardian]], long-buried beneath the moon's surface, emerged in the wake of the [[Created]] uprising.{{Ref/Reuse|evac}}

==Overview==

===Topography===

{{Quote|The so-called glass is a mineral called lechatelierite. It is a result of the Covenant lances striking the surface of the planet with plasma, converting the topsoil to glass. Any attempt to make a glassed planet habitable would mean cutting the surface down to below the topsoil.|An observer commenting on Meridian's surface{{Ref/Reuse|evacuation intel}}}}

A small world with a diameter of 3,073 kilometers (1,909 miles), Meridian was once a green world with impressive, [[Earth]]-like features, which made the [[moon]] a prime target for [[human]] colonization. The world's primary landmass is a vast supercontinent{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} called [[Turones]],{{Ref/Book|Id=EN117|Enc22|Page=117}} with verdant equatorial coastlands.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} Residents enjoyed the world's temperate climate and fertile soil. Meridian was home to rich mineral deposits{{Ref/Reuse|canon fodder}}—particularly in the [[Mathon Mountain Range]]{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}}—that helped fuel the moon's economy.{{Ref/Reuse|evacuation intel}}

However, after the [[Covenant]] [[Glassing|glassed]] the world in [[2551]], Meridian's topsoil had been reduced to molten slag and soil covered by [[lechatelierite]].{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}{{Ref/Reuse|evacuation intel}} Meridian's surface became a treacherous and inhospitable environment,<ref name="looking glassed">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-looking-glassed '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Looking Glassed'']</ref> with scattered bodies of molten, liquid "glass".<ref name="art">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/art-showcase '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo 5 Art Showcase'']</ref> However, the Covenant's glassing of Meridian had been been rushed and only a third of the world's surface had been coated in lechatelierite; though the moon's oceans had evaporated due to the heat of the [[Orbital bombardment|plasma bombardment]], the world's [[oxygen]]-[[Wikipedia:Nitrogen|nitrogen]] atmosphere remained relatively intact. Some lifeforms, such as small plants and arthropods, still thrived in caverns on the world.{{Ref/Reuse|ms intel}} However, Meridian was now subject to extreme conditions and temperatures,{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}} with the surface temperature varying from -37&nbsp;°C to 43&nbsp;°C (-34.6&nbsp;°F to 109.4&nbsp;°F).{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} Settlements on Meridian were forced to be outfitted with air filters, as much of the world's air was filled with tiny glass particles that proved dangerous to human lungs if enough were inhaled.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}}

A high concentration of [[Forerunner]] artifacts exists on Meridian; their presence is known to the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]].<ref>'''[[Data Drop]]''', ''{{file link|DD - 93893-PRELIM.pdf|93893-PRELIM}}''</ref> Beneath Meridian's surface, there were at least two vast Forerunner structures built into natural cave formations, though both structures were possibly connected. One structure contained a [[Luminary]] that had the location of the [[Halo Array]], which was collected by the Covenant during their attack on the world in 2551.{{Ref/Reuse|h2a}} The second one was home to a Forerunner [[Guardian]], as well as numerous host bodies of the [[Warden Eternal]].{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed}} Beneath [[Brume-sur-Mer]] was another Forerunner artifact. though its purpose is unclear.{{Ref/Reuse|BB}}{{Ref/Reuse|MD}}

====Locations====

=====Pre-2551=====

=====Post-Covenant War=====

===Known residents===

Meridian was once within the jurisdiction of the [[ecumene]], the [[Forerunner]] empire that stretched across the [[Milky Way]]. A number of Forerunner structures were established beneath Meridian's surface. At some point, an extensive installation was built into a cave under Meridian's surface. This structure contained a [[Luminary]], a Forerunner device that held the coordinates to the locations of the [[Halo Array]]'s installations, including [[Installation 00]].{{Ref/Reuse|h2a}} Meridian was also the location of a [[Guardian]]—a massive construct used by the Forerunners to police entire systems—buried beneath the world's surface within another cave system, which also housed numerous bodies of the [[Warden Eternal]]. In another location beneath what would become the town of [[Brume-sur-Mer]], a Forerunner artifact of unknown purpose was also housed.{{Ref/Reuse|BB}} Following [[Great Purification|the firing]] of the Halos in [[97,445 BCE]], the surviving Forerunners left the galaxy and the Forerunner technology on Meridian was left behind.<ref name="unconfirmed">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level ''Unconfirmed''</ref>

 

===Rise of humanity===

{{Quote|Records indicate that 139 ships, carrying 70,003 souls arrived on this green ball in 2432. Since many of those settlers came from France, they named the first town Avignon, and established the colony of Meridian.|The History of Meridian, presented by [[Free Frontier Education]]<ref name="glassed intel">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level ''Glassed'' - Mission Intel</ref>}}

 

The debate between the two factions ended when rich mineral deposits were found in Meridian's [[Mathon Mountain Range]], causing a rush of new development as many worked to gain a profit from the deposits.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} The discovery of the mineral deposits led to early success for the Prospector Party, though the Stewards gained control of Meridian after a lengthy campaign referred to as the [[Free Patriot Movement]] in [[2457]]. After years of discord, the [[Colonial Administration Authority]] eventually recognized the Stewards.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}}

 

Meridian also became a place of conflict during the Insurrection due to a number of antagonistic political ideologies, including the [[Sundered Legion]] of [[2495]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=BBSunder|HBatB|Detail=Adjunct - [[Free Frontier Education: The Sundered Legion]]}}{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} In [[2499]], the [[Colonial Military Authority]] formally left Meridian, prompting the Sundered Legion to assault the city of [[Bretagne]] and uprisings in [[Sabudia]] and [[Aagen]]. Four years later in [[2503]], [[Charles Zdenek]] of the Prospector Party would win local elections and lead Meridian. Viewed favorably by the [[Unified Earth Government]], Charles and Meridian would receive their support in the form of security forces equipped with high end gear. Over the next few years, UEG aligned forces and Sundered Legion would antagonize each other. In the meantime, the [[Meridian Air Force]] would be formed. By [[2512]], Meridian's economy was in a boom. In [[2516]] however, the Sundered Legion would mobilize, prompting the UNSC to retaliate.{{Ref/Reuse|BBSunder}}

 

 

 

{{Quote|Almost immediately after Meridian was recaptured by the UEG, the Covenant arrived. Captain Edmund Persie of the UNSC Sevenfold Gates fought to the last, but was forced to order what few ships remained to fall back to the edge of the Hestia system. Within five hours of Captain Persie's retreat, Meridian was glassed, and all life there was eradicated.|The History of Meridian, presented by Free Frontier Education{{Ref/Reuse|evacuation intel}}}}

 

 

However, shortly after the [[Unified Earth Government]] reclaimed the moon, the Covenant attacked the colony again in [[2551]].{{Ref/Reuse|h2a}} During the invasion, Chalybs Defense Solutions' facilities were abandoned, with many being destroyed.<ref name="h4evg">'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 172''</ref> After a long, extended battle, [[UNSC Navy]] forces at the world were forced to retreat to the edge of the system while a [[Covenant fleet]] began [[glassing]] the moon's surface.{{Ref/Reuse|evacuation intel}} Towards the end of the battle, a small Covenant team discovered a massive Forerunner structure under Meridian's surface. In the structure, they discovered a [[Luminary]], which they delivered to the [[Prophet of Regret|High Prophet of Regret]]. The Luminary would later reveal the locations of the Halo rings, the Ark, and a [[Portal at Voi|slipspace portal]] to the Ark found on Earth.{{Ref/Reuse|h2a}} While the glassing resulted in the evaporation of oceans and the loss of most life of Meridian, the atmosphere remained somewhat breathable.<ref name="ms intel">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level ''[[Meridian Station (level)|Meridian Station]]'' - Mission Intel</ref>

 

Following the Covenant War's end, Meridian was recolonized by the [[Liang-Dortmund Corporation]], though the world remained independent from the Unified Earth Government. Using the colony support ships abandoned in orbit around [[Hestia V]] during the Covenant War to facilitate their work,{{Ref/Reuse|m5a}} Liang-Dortmund established a [[space elevator]]—[[Pinnacle Station]]—on the colony and hired workers to help resettle the moon and aid in the "deglassing" efforts; the settlers were comprised mainly of former Meridian residents wishing to rebuild their home or opportunists seeking profit.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} Liang-Dortmund's intentions were to pay excavators to mine away the glass on Meridian's surface so that in a generation or two, the corporation would have land rights to an entire colony world.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed}}

 

 

 

Settlers believed that it would take approximately twenty years to completely deglass the moon.{{Ref/Reuse|ms intel}} Five days into the recolonization efforts, the colonists began digging through the glass to create a road from the space elevator to a newly created settlement—[[Meridian Station]],{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} with [[Apogee Station|Apogee]], [[Darkstar Station|Darkstar]], and [[Jorta Station]]s being established shortly after.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed}}<ref name="glassed ceiling">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-glassed-ceiling '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Glassed Ceiling'']</ref> Liang-Dortmund's efforts were occasionally impeded by [[Kig-Yar]] raiders or rival corporations seeking to conduct kinetic espionage on Liang-Dortmund's Meridian operations.<ref name="buzz">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-buzz-generating '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Buzz Generating'']</ref> At some point, a group of settlers discovered the extensive Forerunner structure under Meridian's surface near Apogee Station while attempting to deglass the land above it and began working to uncover it.{{Ref/Reuse|ms intel}} By [[2558]], Governor Sloan, believing that Liang-Dortmund might provide the workers on Meridian with a bonus if they find something of value, had a group of miners attempt to force their way into the structure.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}} This installation was actually the holding bay of the world's Guardian.{{Ref/Reuse|sloan}}

 

 

 

 

 

 

{{Quote|Despite the early success of the Prospector Party, the Stewards gained control of Meridian after a lengthy campaign known as the Free Patriot Movement. The Colonial Administration Authority eventually recognized the Stewards, ending years of strife.|The History of Meridian, presented by Free Frontier Education{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}}}}

Meridian was an [[Outer Colony]] under the administration of the [[Unified Earth Government]] and its [[Colonial Administration Authority]]. Due to Meridian's importance to the UEG, the world had a strong [[United Nations Space Command]] presence, with a large [[UNSC Air Force]] garrison and an extensive orbital defense grid.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} The [[UNSC Navy]]'s [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] also had several facilities on the world.{{Ref/Reuse|Journal}} Towards the end of the [[Battle of Meridian]], naval forces at Meridian were led by [[Captain]] [[Edmund Persie]] of {{UNSCShip|Sevenfold Gates}}.{{Ref/Reuse|evacuation intel}} Early in Meridian's history, two political parties—the [[Stewards]] and the [[Prospector Party]]—debated over whether Meridian's surface should be left largely untouched or developed, respectively. Though the Prospector Party saw initial political success after the discovery of rich mineral deposits on Meridian,{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} the Stewards eventually gained control of the world after their lengthy [[Free Patriot Movement]] campaign in [[2457]].{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} The Stewards were later officially recognized by the Colonial Administration Authority.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}} Despite the UNSC's strong presence on the moon, the [[Insurrection]] had some level of prominence on Meridian prior to the [[Human-Covenant War]]. [[Insurrectionist]] factions, such as the [[Sundered Legion]], spread antagonistic political ideologies throughout Meridian in an effort to create strife against the Unified Earth Government, though they ultimately proved ineffective.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

After Meridian's [[glassing]] during the Battle of Meridian in [[2551]], the UNSC did not return to the world for the rest of the Covenant War. Meridian was eventually reclaimed by the [[Liang-Dortmund Corporation]], which sought to resettle the world and make the moon habitable again.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}} However, the UNSC believed the corporation was intent on claiming the entire world for itself once it was recolonized.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed}} Despite Meridian's former loyalties to the UEG and UNSC, the world had become an independent colony that was now beyond the jurisdiction of the UEG.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}} Overseen by a board of regional directors,{{Ref/Reuse|glassed ceiling}} the colony's Liang-Dortmund administrator and colonial leader was [[Sloan]], a [[smart AI]] with insurrectionist sympathies that was suffering from the onset of [[rampancy]] as of [[2558]].<ref name="ms">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level ''[[Meridian Station (level)|Meridian Station]]''</ref> Sloan was [[Democracy|democratically]] elected as [[governor]] of the colony by the citizens of [[Meridian Station]] for two consecutive four-year terms.{{Ref/Reuse|sloan}} The corporation also provides Meridian with private security and is outfitted with a variety of UNSC military-grade equipment,{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}} acquired through seemingly illegal methods from a dealer known as "[[Bozo]]".{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} [[Jorta Station]] serves as the command center for Liang-Dortmund's private security forces, housing numerous pieces of equipment meant to ward off threats to the corporation's operations on Meridian.{{Ref/Reuse|buzz}}

===Economy===

{{Quote|Military production served as the colony's primary source of revenue, and the contract for the Scorpion MBT ensured Meridian's bright future.|The History of Meridian, presented by Free Frontier Education{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}}}}

Relatively unusual for an [[Outer Colony]] on the edge of [[human]] space, Meridian was once home to a powerful and robust economy, that was initially fueled by many outsiders attracted by the world's rich culture and [[Earth]]-like features. Prior to the world's [[Battle of Meridian|fall]] in [[2551]], Meridian was one of the most vibrant and fastest-growing [[Human colonies|colonies]] throughout all of human space.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} Military production for the [[Unified Earth Government]] and its [[United Nations Space Command]] served as the colony's primary source of revenue.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}} Several military contractors took residence on Meridian; most notably, [[Chalybs Defense Solutions]] in [[2479]].{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} CDS's contract for [[M808 Scorpion]] production ensured economic success across Meridian.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}} CDS had several facilities across Meridian's surface, including in the city of [[Angoulême]],{{Ref/Reuse|enc97}} though all facilities were either abandoned or destroyed by 2551.{{Ref/Reuse|h4evg}} Meridian also had a powerful mining industry that began after rich mineral deposits were found in the [[Mathon Mountain Range]], shortly after the world's colonization.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} During the [[Human-Covenant War]], supply lines originating from Meridian provided the UNSC with equipment at other fronts in the war.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

 

After Meridian's recolonization, a relatively small group of [[Liang-Dortmund Corporation]] contractors and resettlers attempted to rebuild the world's once prosperous economy. The corporation based their operations at the base of Meridian's sole remaining [[space elevator]], [[Pinnacle Station]], and established makeshift settlements such as [[Meridian Station]]. Liang-Dortmund has since established [[Liang-Dortmund mining rig|several mobile mining platforms]] throughout Meridian, scouring for remaining rare metal and mineral deposits across the world's surface.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} By [[2558]], Meridian was regarded as a backwater world on the frontier.{{Ref/Reuse|blue team}}

{{Quote|Grew up on an indie colony like Meridian. Folks out here don't take kindly to the UNSC landing in the middle of town. Tend to see it as an act of aggression.|Spartan Holly Tanaka, commenting on Meridian's relationship with the UNSC in 2558{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}}}}

Meridian once boasted a rich culture that, along with its natural makeup, attracted many outsiders, fueling cultural diversity across the world. Meridian was considered to be one of the most vibrant and quickly growing [[Human colonies|colonies]] across all of [[human]] space, prior to the [[Human-Covenant War]].{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} ''[[The Old Refrain]]'' was a musical composition familiar to colonists of the moon and remained so for many years.<ref name="wr">'''[[Halo: Fractures]]''', ''[[What Remains]]''</ref>  

Following Meridian's [[glassing]] in [[2551]] and recolonization, Meridian was resettled by former residents and opportunistic excavators paid by the [[Liang-Dortmund Corporation]].{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} Some settlers believed that future generations raised on Meridian's treacherous surface would by physically and mentally tougher than those raised on other worlds.{{Ref/Reuse|ms intel}} Now independent from the [[Unified Earth Government]], Meridian's new settlers held low opinions of the UEG and its [[United Nations Space Command]], regarding the government with antipathy and viewing a UNSC presence as an act of aggression.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}} Many Meridian settlers regarded [[Spartan]]s as "thugs" and were distrustful of them; their opinions fueled by [[Governor]] [[Sloan]],{{Ref/Reuse|ms}} who held [[insurrectionist]] sympathies.{{Ref/Reuse|sloan}}

==Production notes==

First mentioned in [[Dr. Halsey's personal journal|ancillary material]] for ''[[Halo: Reach]]'', Meridian was first depicted in ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'s'' [[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|terminals]]. Meridian was subsequently featured as a major location for the second arc in ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''. For the game, architecture on Meridian was designed to be of a similar style to that of the [[United Nations Space Command]], though more industrial in nature. While UNSC buildings often appear polished and decorative, structures on Meridian only needed to appear functional, reflecting on the hardscrabble life on the world.<ref name="the art of h5g">'''The Art of Halo 5: Guardians''', ''pages 58-72''</ref> Environments and settlements on Meridian were designed to appear "lived-in". Meridian's glassed landscape was designed to appear nature in flowing shapes melted in place, to contrast with the man-made architecture. The majority of the world's background geology were custom sculpts to achieve the visual. Molten, liquid glass was added to the environment to add color and hue to the scene. Props throughout the levels on Meridian were colored with a warm hue to make them contrast with the gray background of Meridian's glassed surface.{{Ref/Reuse|art}}

Despite being consistently depicted as a moon of [[Hestia V]] in all of its visual appearances, Meridian is often mistakenly referred to as a planet throughout ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'' as well as other sources. Strangely, Meridian is referred to as a "planet-moon" in a [[Canon Fodder]] that expanded on the lore behind the ''Halo 5: Guardians'' multiplayer map "[[Skirmish at Darkstar]]".{{Ref/Reuse|glassed ceiling}}

File:H2A Terminals - Meridianconcept.jpg|Concept art of Meridian for ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> [[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|terminals]].

File:H2A MeridianRelicConcept.jpg|Concept art of the relic that housed the Luminary.

File:H2A Terminals - Meridian Relic.jpg|The Forerunner relic on Meridian.

File:H5G_MeridianSettlement_Concept.jpg|Concept art of the settlement on Meridian.

File:H5G_MeridianBuildings_Concept_5.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.

File:H5G_MeridianBuildings_Concept_6.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.

File:H5G Achievement Glasslands.png|Concept art of the settlement on Meridian.

File:H5G MeridianStation Concept.jpg|Concept art of Meridian Station.

File:H5G Achievement StolenGauntlet.png|Concept art of the Guardian under Meridian.

==List of appearances==

**''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminals]]'' {{1st}}

{{Ref/Sources|2}}