Talk:Project ORCHID

Correction

this page needs to mention more about the augmentations for spartan 4's being unique based on the persons genetic profile and anatomy, specifically how some of them fit the same profile of a spartan 2 such as the the buck met that towered above him in new blood —This unsigned comment was made by 72.80.151.128 (talk • contribs). Please sign your posts with ~~~~

I don't think New Blood mentioned at any point that the really tall S-IV met the same genetic profile as a II (though admittedly it's not impossible, just statistically improbable). The S-II selection criteria encompassed a lot more aspects than just height after all. --Jugus (Talk | Contribs) 01:21, 10 September 2015 (EDT)

Frank O'Connor interview during San Diego Comic-Con 2012

While Frankie is certainly a large player in Halo's lore, I think it needs to be reevaluated and reflected upon that the Spartan-IV's - when compared to everything that is in established factual lore (with respects to Buck's personal musings and opinions) - are on par, if not superior, to the Spartan-II's. Frankie's statements in this interview don't really set anything foundationally, and we've never seen it reflected in solid lore at all. I've done a comparison of the two projects before, and will outline here for easy comparison.

1. PHYSIOLOGY

MUSCULATURE (INCLUDES SKELETAL AND ENDURANCE)

Project: ASTER contained the following for musculature: Catalytic Thyroid Implant (boosts muscle growth, leading to an increase in muscle mass, boosts bone density and durability), Muscular Enhancement Injections (increases muscle strength and endurance), Carbide Ceramic Ossification (3% coverage of bone structure to improve durability)

Project: ORCHID contains the following: Muscular/skeletal engineering series (growth and strengthening of muscle tissue, allowing them to work harder; enhances muscle memory; bones reinforced with skeletal fullerene lattices - regarded as stronger than steel - achieving greater coverage over bone mass; joints reinforced and/or replaced; ligament and tendon reconstruction and anchoring), Circulatory and metabolic improvement (heart is implanted with a synthetic weave allowing it to pump harder and longer; blood composition is modified to improve clotting and neutralize toxins; metabolic and digestive systems optimized to improve nutritional intake)

Result: The Spartan-IV's undergo procedures that achieve the exact same results that Project: ASTER does. What's more, Spartan-IV's have a higher physical augmentation than that of Spartan-II's. They have greater endurance, their bones are stronger and better reinforced, and their muscles are anchored so that they do not tear from the bone when overworked (John-117 succumbed to one such injury in Shadows of Reach). With improvements to their blood system, Spartan-IV's also stand a much lower chance of succumbing to exhaustion or fatigue due to minor injuries and blood loss.

REACTION TIME (INCLUDES OPTICAL)

Project: ASTER contains the following: Occipital Capillary Reversal ("marked improvement" to visual perception), Superconducting Fibrification of Neural Dendrites (300% increase in reaction time, marked increase in intelligence, memory, and creativity).

Project: ORCHID contains the following: Neurological series (Neural system is "super-myelinated", greatly improving reaction time; nervous system is subject to increase in cyclic adenosine monophosphate responses and the rebuilding of neuroendocrine cells.) Organ implantation (Corneal implants are provided, improving the subject's eyesight and night vision)

Result: As with other augmentations, the series that Spartan-IV's undergo achieve and improve upon augmentations that the Spartan-II's undergo. Visual as well as neural improvements are the same, if not greater, as well as added benefits of being able to see in the dark (not just enhanced vision), and augmented repairing of the neural network. Whereas Spartan-II's may begin to "break down" and lose that marked improvement in memory and creativity, Spartan-IV's do not.

Overall Result: The Spartan-IV's are biologically superior. Not only do their comparable and additional augmentations support it, but the general treatment by the UNSC ensures it. Spartan-IV's can survive in greater hazardous conditions, breathing foreign gasses such as methane and surviving with no greater sustenance than tree bark. Their organs are optimized and/or replaced, likely leading to longer, healthier lives.

What's more, while this "routine checkup" is often taken as a negative, it is one of the greater benefits. The Spartan-II's were augmented and released into combat. They receive no follow-up, no routine maintenance and checkup. What they have is constantly on a slope toward degradation. We even see this in Shadows of Reach when John suffers an injury while running from over-exerting himself. On the other hand, the Spartan-IV augmentations are constantly improved. Faulty organs are replaced, broken cyberware is repaired. They are constantly maintained at a higher degree of combat readiness and effectiveness.

2. PSYCHOLOGY:

We have numerous examples of Spartan-II's either disobeying direct orders (John-117), going completely AWOL (John-117, Randall-037/Aiken), or being discharged and intensely bitter (Serin-019/Osman). Halsey's dismissal of the unnamed ONI agent is also flawed; Spartan-II's do have routine issues integrating and interacting with both UNSC personnel and civilian populations, leading to several instances of tactical and diplomatic difficulties. While it is demonstrable that some Spartan-IV's defected from the UNSC (though really, from memory, we only have Michael Crespo; Ilsa Zane was a nightmare all of her own, and her mental instability likely plays a large part in that), it's happened at such an infrequent rate that it's almost incomparable to the issues seen with Spartan-II's.

Contrary to this Spartan-IV's are better able to work with both their peers and civilians. They are able to recognize when tact is needed; for example Tanaka knew it would be better to act politely and respectfully on Meridian, whereas Blue Team was unopposed only because Cortana told Sloan to let them through. As well, while we see that the Spartan-IV's are able to flirt, boast, and joke around, the very second duty or chain-of-command comes into the picture, they immediately form up, stand to, and get the job done. Halsey's dismissal of the Spartan-IV's is only evidence of her bias.

3. MJOLNIR

While the systems are more or less on-par with one another, MJOLNIR GEN1 (Mk IV through VII) does not benefit from many of the technological advancements as GEN2 does. It is likely for this very reason that many Spartan-II's upgraded to GEN2 in 2558. All iterations of MJOLNIR (GEN1, GEN2, and GEN3) factually augment and enhance user reaction time and applied strength. This is why biological augmentations, specifically to musculature and bone strength, are required to wear the power armor. The only indication we have as to any difference between the two is this very small statement made by Frankie in an off-stage fan interview; nothing canonical has ever reflected this difference in strengths. Not only did GEN2 see improvements in the software, if memory serves there were vast improvements to the Techsuit, which allowed for less titanium plating. Both are technically armor and provide ballistic protection, even though most people seem to take only the titanium plates as armor.

I think that wording for the Spartan-IV's in comparison to the Spartan-II's, as well as verbiage surrounding the MJOLNIR systems, should be brushed up on across the site to reflect what we've actually seen in Canon. I don't think it's accurate or fair to current and prior lore to rely on what's little more than a fan asking Frankie a question at a booth and recording the answer on their phone, as what Frankie said has never been canonically reflected.--The Ragin Pagan (talk) 11:45, March 17, 2024 (EDT)