Editing Self-destruct

{{Era|Human|UNSC|HCW|Post|RW}}
{{Wikipedia|Self-destruct}}
[[File:MawCountdownCEA.png|300px|thumb|[[Cortana]] starts the countdown for the self-destruct as [[John-117]] looks on aboard the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}.]]

The '''self-destruct''' is an integrated mechanism present in starships and [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] [[military base]]s and is used to cause a massive explosion to completely destroy itself in order to prevent vital navigational data and strategically-valuable information from falling into enemy [[Covenant]] clutches, as per paragraph five of the [[Cole Protocol]]. Self-destruct mechanisms are also employed by the [[Covenant]] and [[Banished]] in their [[Covenant citadel|citadels]] and [[Banished outpost]]s.

==Examples==
===UNSC ''Prophecy''===
Severely damaged during the [[Harvest campaign]], the {{UNSCShip|Prophecy}} was boarded by teams from the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} to purge its navigation database as per the [[Cole Protocol]]. After Sergeant [[John Forge]] succeeded in purging the navigation database, the ship's self-destruct was initiated by its [[AI]] [[FitzGibbon]] to keep the ship out of [[Covenant]] hands.<ref>'''[[Halo Wars: Genesis]]'''</ref>

===UNSC ''Pillar of Autumn''===
Towards the end of the [[Battle of Installation 04]], [[Cortana]] and Spartan [[John-117]] were forced to activate the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}'s self-destruct sequence in an effort to prevent the [[Flood]] parasite from getting off of [[Installation 04]], and particularly keeping [[343 Guilty Spark]] from firing the [[Halo Array|Halo]] and wiping out all sentient life within a radius of 25,000 lightyears. Cortana and Master Chief's plan would have successfully worked had not Guilty Spark aborted the self-destruct sequence, and as Cortana was unable to reactivate the countdown, so the Chief proposed using explosives to cause the [[fusion drive|fusion reactors]] to go critical and explode, thereby destroying the ring.<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''', campaign level, ''[[The Maw]]''</ref>

=== ''Fermion'' ===
[[File:FoR - Fermion self-destruct.png|thumb|200px|''Fermion'' self-destructs as several Covenant ships pass nearby.]]
The UNSC [[Remote Scanning Outpost]] ''[[Fermion]]'' was forced to enact paragraph five of the Cole Protocol and had to flood the station's reactors with deuterium, causing a critical overload in order to destroy the station's science library, which was offline for repairs.<ref name="pretty">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 282'' (2001 edition)</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 286'' (2001 edition)</ref>

===UNSC ''The Heart of Midlothian''===
When the [[UNSC destroyer|destroyer]] {{UNSCShip|The Heart of Midlothian}} was captured and [[Boarding|boarded]] by the Covenant, the ship's [[AI]], [[Mo Ye]], told Sergeant [[Michael Baird]] to go to the bridge to reconnect Mo Ye to the rest of herself and the ship in order to enable the self-destruct and destroy the ship along with its data and all the Covenant aboard. ''The Heart of Midlothian's'' self-destruct occurred by shaped nuclear charges detonating inward and igniting the fissionable material in the ship's reactor, causing a greater explosion that destroyed the surrounding Covenant ships.<ref>'''Halo Evolutions''', ''Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian''</ref>

===The Knowing===
During [[Operation: FIRESIDE]], the [[Forerunner]] construct [[the Knowing]] self-destructed on the orders of [[Taylor Miles|Dutch]] and [[Kojo Agu|Romeo]] as [[Reclaimer]]s in order to keep the construct out of [[Covenant]] hands.<ref>'''[[Halo: Helljumper]]''', ''[[Halo: Helljumper Issue 5|Issue 5]]''</ref>

===Requiem===
After getting half of the [[Janus Key]], [[Jul 'Mdama]] activated a [[Flood]] [[containment protocol]]<ref name="CatalogContainment">[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2994218_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post2994218 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Catalog Interaction'' (post 2994218)]</ref> on [[Requiem]] that effectively acted as the planet's self-destruct. As a result, Requiem was set on a course into the [[Epoloch system]]'s star. [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Jul's forces]] fled the planet, but the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} was stuck because of the [[interdiction web]] anchoring the ship to Requiem. After [[Requiem slipspace artifacts|the three artifacts]] creating the anchor were deactivated, the ''Infinity'' escaped at the last minute. Requiem fell into the star which went [[supernova]] moments later.<ref name="Exodus">'''Spartan Ops:''' ''[[S1/Exodus|S1E10 Exodus]]''</ref>

===''Pilgrims' Pride''===
In [[2558|March 2558]], the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} found the damaged [[freighter]], ''[[Pilgrims' Pride]]'', leaking atomic matter with faint life signs aboard. ''Infinity'' tugged the ship into one of its deployment bays. An ambush was sprung within the bay when the freighter set itself to self-destruct and multiple UNSC aircraft exited its cargo bay. [[Fireteam Majestic]] was deployed along with Fireteams [[Fireteam Colossus|Colossus]] and [[Fireteam Fenrir|Fenrir]] to repel the attack and prevent the freighter from self-destructing inside the ''Infinity''. The ship was ejected from the ''Infinity'' and exploded in space some distance away.<ref>'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''Issue #4''</ref>

===''Argent Moon''===
While originally sent to reclaim the ONI space station ''[[Argent Moon]]'', after a [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Covenant]] [[fleet]] showed up, Blue Team decided to scuttle the station instead by overloading the reactor to keep ''Argent Moon'' out of Covenant hands. However, although [[John-117]] started the overload, a containment protocol was initiated to cool the reactor and prevent it from melting down. Blue Team followed the reactor to an outside area where coolant would be pumped to the reactor to prevent the meltdown. Blue Team exposed the coolant pipes and then destroyed them with [[Type-54 Banshee|Banshees]], fighting off Covenant interference. With the cooling system destroyed, the reactor melted down unimpeded. Blue Team escaped in the [[ONI Acrisius|ONI ''Acrisius'']], a {{Class|Winter|prowler}} in ''Argent Moon's'' docking bay while the explosion destroyed all nearby Covenant ships.<ref>'''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''', campaign level ''[[Blue Team (level)|Blue Team]]''</ref>

===UNSC ''Silent Claw''===
The {{UNSCShip|Silent Claw}} took heavy fire during its run on [[Salvation Base]] and the Spartans were forced to bail from the craft before it crashed violently into the ground. [[Fred-104]] instructed Damon to send the signal that would trigger what remained of the ship to self-destruct.{{Ref/Novel|Id=R15|Ret|Chapter=15}}

===''Radiant Arrow''===
During the [[Skirmish over Netherop]], the [[Shipmaster]] of the [[Covenant frigate]] ''[[Radiant Arrow]]'' activated the ship's self-destruct after it was boarded by [[SPARTAN-II]] [[Blue Team|Blue]], [[Green Team|Green]] and [[Gold Team]]s. The Shipmaster depressed a dead man's switch to give his crew time to abandon ship before detonating it. As the rest of the Spartans fled the ship, [[John-117]] attempted to stop as many of the crew escaping as possible. With his last breath, the Shipmaster released the dead man's switch, causing the ''Radiant Arrow'' to explode. However, John was able to escape using one of the ship's [[Covenant escape pod|escape pods]] and only the ''Radiant Arrow's'' crew died in the explosion.<ref>'''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]''', ''chapter 3''</ref>

===UNSC ''Starry Night''===
After being shot down during the [[Battle of Seoba]], the [[Prowler]] {{UNSCShip|Starry Night}} had its self-destruct, a one-megaton [[Fury tactical nuclear weapon]] in the engineering compartment activated by [[Linda-058]]. The self-destruct took out the ''Starry Night'' and the [[Covenant]] [[intrusion corvette]] that tried to capture it.<ref>'''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]''', ''Chapter 15''</ref>

===UNSC ''Promise of Dawn''===
In order to save his people, Dr. [[Chen Bax]] decided to sacrifice himself to use the {{UNSCShip|Promise of Dawn}}'s self-destruct to set off an avalanche that would wipe out most of the [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Covenant's]] ground troops. After [[Linda-058]] was away and he had told his followers where to find the nav unit for their ship, Chen set off the self-destruct with a remote, creating the avalanche and saving his people at the cost of his own life.<ref name="HLW4">'''[[Halo: Lone Wolf]]''', ''[[Halo: Lone Wolf Issue 4|Issue #4]]''</ref>

===UNSC ''Night Watch''===
During an insertion to [[Netherop]] during the [[Battle of Netherop]], the {{Class|Razor|prowler}} {{UNSCShip|Night Watch}} was shot down by forces from the [[Flotilla of Unsung Piety]]. In order to keep the Prowler and its technology out of enemy hands, [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Amalea Petrov]] armed the ship's self-destruct, a [[Fury tactical nuclear weapon]] and set it to be remote-detonated. The ship's crew worked to get as far away as possible before the detonation, with [[Frederic-104]] clearing a culvert of the danger of avalanches burying the survivors taking cover there. As the Covenant began launching their aircraft from the crash site, Petrov activated the self-destruct and ensured that no Covenant who had been aboard the vessel got out alive to report on what they found. However, while the Prowler crew was safe, two of the [[Castoffs]] who had gotten too close to the blast site were killed.{{Ref/Reuse|Oblivion}}

===UNSC ''Phyllis Wheatley''===
During the [[Battle of Netherop]], with no chance of getting off [[Netherop]] in the {{UNSCShip|Phyllis Wheatley}}, the salvage ship's self-destruct was activated once all of the survivors had been lifted clear by Pelicans.<ref name="Oblivion">'''[[Halo: Oblivion]]'''</ref>
{{Clear}}

==Failed attempts==
===UNSC ''In Amber Clad''===
Cortana attempted to blow the engines of the {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}} in an effort to stop the Flood and to keep the Covenant from firing [[Installation 05]], but was kept from doing so when the [[Gravemind]] captured her.<ref>'''Halo 2''' level ''High Charity''</ref>

===''Infinite Succor''===
During the [[Skirmish on Infinite Succor]], [[Special Operations Commander]] [[Rtas 'Vadum]]ee attempted to activate the ship's self-destruct due to the vessel being overrun by the [[Flood]]. However, the [[Minister of Etiology]] disabled all of the ''[[Infinite Succor]]'s'' primary systems to keep the Flood from accessing them. Instead, Rtas was ultimately forced to plot a [[slipspace]] jump into the [[Soell system]]'s local star in order to destroy the ''Infinite Succor''.<ref>'''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]''', ''[[The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor]]''</ref>

===Sundered Legion Prowler===
After detecting the presence of [[Spartan-III]] [[Owen-B096]] in the cockpit, the [[Sundered Legion Prowler]] activated its self-destruct with a ten second countdown. However, when [[Dorian Nguyen]] accidentally hit the cockpit with his hand while trying to get out, the Prowler identified him as his presumed great-grandfather [[Quinn Butain]] based off of Dorian's DNA and allowed Dorian to override the self-destruct.<ref>'''[[Halo: Battle Born]]''', ''pages 187-188''</ref>

===''Supplication of Purity''===
During the [[Battle for Tribute]] in [[2552]], the {{Class|SDV|heavy corvette}} ''[[Supplication of Purity]]'' was destroyed and crashed into [[Tribute]]. The ship was able to survive the crash mostly intact, and several key components were later salvaged by the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]]. These components were later swept for dangerous material and assigned for display at [[Outpost Discovery]]. However, ONI were not thorough in their check, and a Covenant [[AI]] was able to hide inside a section of the ship containing a maintenance deck. The AI was suppressed by [[Gabriela]], though it was able to initiate the corvette's self-destruct. However, the self-destruct was disabled before it could vaporize the event.<ref>'''[[Halo: Outpost Discovery]]''', ''[[Covenant Escape]]''</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:HCE-SelfDestructSequence.jpg|Self-destruct reference between armed and disarmed self-destruct.
File:UNSC-SelfDestruct1.jpg|Self-destruct sequence initiated reference.
File:UNSC-SelfDestruct2.jpg|Self-destruct sequence aborted reference.
File:HCE-MawSelfDestructSequence1-screen.jpg|Cortana initiates the self-destruct countdown in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
File:HCE-MawSelfDestructSequence2-screen.jpg|343 Guilty Spark aborts the self-destruct sequence, Cortana unable to reactivate it, in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''
*''[[Halo: The Flood]]''
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]''
*''[[Halo 2]]''
*''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]''
**''[[The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor]]''
*''[[Halo Wars]]''
*''[[Halo Evolutions]]''
**''[[Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian]]''
*''[[Halo: Helljumper]]''
*''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''
**''[[Invasion]]''
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' 
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Retribution]]''
*''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]''
*''[[Halo: Battle Born]]''
*''[[Halo: Renegades]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Lone Wolf]]''
*''[[Halo: Outpost Discovery]]''
*''[[Halo: Oblivion]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}
[[Category:Human technology]]