Energy barrier: Difference between revisions

{{Status|Canon}}

'''Energy barriers''', sometimes referred to as '''energy fields''', are a type of visible energy field used to separate a pressurized environment from the vacuum of space.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 98''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 309''</ref> Energy barriers differ from conventional [[Energy shielding|energy shielding]] because they allow solid matter through, but not gases, such as [[oxygen]] and neon. This makes them a common sight in hangar bays.

The Covenant use energy barriers as hangar doors, in [[airlock]]s and for [[Naval boarding|boarding parties]] to board enemy ships. Energy barriers are present on [[R'sisho-pattern Tick]], on the end of the craft's penetration tip.<ref>'''Halo 2''', level ''[[Cairo Station]]''</ref> Energy barriers are also used as exterior doors in [[hangar bay]]s on Covenant starships.<ref name = "Truth and Reconciliation">'''Halo: Combat Evolved''', campaign level, ''[[The Truth and Reconciliation]]''</ref> The barriers can also be configured to block all vehicles or personnel or allow them to pass through when required.<ref>'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level, ''[[Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace]]''</ref> It is interesting to note that [[Covenant]] [[signal unit]]s work through Covenant energy barriers, while human [[COM]] units do not.<ref name="ch99">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 99''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 132''</ref>

Before the [[Human-Covenant War]], the [[UNSC]] had begun to experiment with energy barriers. After reverse-engineering Covenant technology, the UNSC was able to easily produce and deploy energy barriers.<ref>[https://blogs.halowaypoint.com/en-us/blogs/headlines/posts/the-halo-bulletin-5-14-14 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Halo Bulletin 5.14.14'']</ref> By [[2546]], the UNSC had begun to employ energy barrier technology in their space installations and ships in a fashion similar to the Covenant. Examples of human energy barriers include: hangar bay doors on the ''[[Argent Moon]]'',<ref>'''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''', campaign level, ''[[Blue Team (level)|Blue Team]]''</ref> the hangar bay doors on the Sabre engineering facility on the [[Refit station|orbital dockyard]] ''[[Anchor 9]]'',<ref>'''Halo: Reach''', multiplayer map, ''[[Anchor 9 (map)|Anchor 9]]''</ref> and the windows of the {{Class|Charon|light frigate}} {{UNSCShip|Forward Unto Dawn}}.<ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Dawn]]''</ref> As the most advanced warship in the [[UNSC Navy|Fleet]], the hangar bays of the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} are also equipped with energy barriers.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''': [[S1/Exodus|S1E10 ''Exodus'']]</ref>

 

 

In ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', it is possible to operate the shuttle bay doors of the ''[[Truth and Reconciliation]]''. On the level [[The Truth and Reconciliation]], the player is able to access the doors by heading to the third floor of the shuttle bay and pressing '''X''' on the control panel. This is required to complete the mission, so the player can escape in a [[Taaku Xur-pattern Spirit|Spirit]] with [[Jacob Keyes|Keyes]].

In ''[[Halo: Reach]]'', on the [[Covenant corvette]] ''[[Ardent Prayer]]'' in the level ''[[Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace]]'', the shields operate differently: after [[SPARTAN-B312|Noble Six]] presses a button, the shields still remain in place over the bay, but ships can now go in and out of them. Presumably they are simply lowered to a point things could travel through them while remaining in place to hold the atmosphere in the bay as the ship is in space.<ref>'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace]]''</ref>

**''[[The Package (animated short)|The Package]]''