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{{Era|FOR|TF|FS|GOO|H1|H2|H3|HW|HGN|ILB|X}}
{{Status|Canon}}
[[Image:Chief 3.jpg|200px|thumb|[[SPARTAN-117]] firing an [[MA5B Assault Rifle]].]]
{{Disambig header|the supersoldiers|other uses|Spartan (disambiguation)}}
{{quote|Marine: Damn right, I'm running away! There's two of us, alone, on foot, no weapons, and four hundred Covies on the other side of that hill. What are you going to do, tough guy--field-rig a railgun out of a rubber band and my dental fillings?<p>Spartan (speculatively): You have fillings...?|The [[Operator]], repeating an old joke}}
{{References}}
The '''SPARTAN Programs''' are a series of [[UNSC]] projects designed to create physically, genetically, and technologically superior "[[wikipedia:Supersoldier|supersoldiers]]" as a [[UNSC Special Forces|special fighting force]] within the UNSC Military. There have been three generations of the SPARTAN Program, each larger, more advanced, and more ambitious than the one before it.
[[File:SpartanStar.png|thumb|300px|A symbol representative of all incarnations of Spartan programs.]]
{{Article quote|They stand alone — undaunted — before the mightiest enemy in the universe. But these are no ordinary men. They are SPARTANS...<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''description''</ref>}}
'''Spartans''' or '''SPARTAN Programs''' are members of a series of [[United Nations Space Command]] projects designed to create physically, genetically, technologically, and mentally superior [[wikipedia:Supersoldier|supersoldiers]] as [[UNSC Special Forces|special fighting units]].<ref name="hwp spartan">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/factions/spartans '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Spartans'']</ref> Although the word "SPARTAN" is written in all capital letters when used in reference to the programs in a formal context, it is not an acronym; the supersoldiers are known simply as "Spartans".


The SPARTAN Program started in [[2491]] when the first generation of supersoldiers, codenamed "Spartans", was created by enhancing volunteers from the [[UNSC|UNSC Defense Force]].<ref>Jan - [[Axon Clips Chapter 5]]</ref> Since then, the SPARTAN Program has gone through two more phases so as to include 3 generations:
The first major effort to create [[Human augmentation|augmented]] supersoldiers was the [[ORION Project]], later retroactively dubbed "SPARTAN-I", which used operatives drafted from the UNSC. The subsequent programs, [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-II]] and [[SPARTAN-III program|SPARTAN-III]], were highly successful, but also controversial because of their dubious ethics concerning the use children as candidates, particularly in the Spartan-II program where risk of injury or death in the augmentation procedures was relatively high. The latest installment, [[SPARTAN-IV program|SPARTAN-IV]], returned to the idea's roots by using consenting adult volunteers primarily drawn from the various special forces units of the UNSC. While formerly serving within the various conventional military branches of the UNSC (mainly the [[UNSC Navy|Navy]]), the Spartans were brought under a single organization with the formation of the military branch known as [[Spartan Operations]] to accommodate the growing number of Spartans in the fourth-generation program following the end of the [[Human-Covenant War]].<ref name="H4 Story">[http://halo.xbox.com/halo4#!an-epic-universe/story/6eeabce4-dc80-4aa3-b2aa-2f5d123b7514 '''Halo Waypoint:''' ''Story'']</ref>


#'''[[ORION Project|SPARTAN-I Program]]''', officially the '''ORION Project''';
The Spartan supersoldiers have traditionally been supplied with state-of-the-art equipment and technology, the most iconic being the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]] first worn by the Spartan-IIs and later utilized to a great extent by the SPARTAN-IV supersoldiers.
#'''[[SPARTAN-II Program]]''' under the pretense of [[Naval Code 45812]];<ref>[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]], page 30</ref>
#'''[[SPARTAN-III Program]]''', the brainchild of [[Colonel]] [[James Ackerson]].


== SPARTAN-I Program ==
==Background==
[[Image:SSgt Avery Johnson, UNSC Marine Corps.JPG|left|thumb|[[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery Johnson]], a SPARTAN-I.]]
The basic concept for the SPARTAN programs has been around since the late 22nd century when the first bioengineering protocols were developed for the [[Interplanetary War]].<ref name="enc44">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]''', ''page 44-45''</ref> Since the establishment of these protocols humans have been using performance-enhancing equipment and augmentations to make them stronger and faster than previously possible. Spartans have been deployed numerous times throughout human conflict, leading up to and during the [[Human-Covenant War]]. The notion of creating supersoldiers first arose as a plan to enhance normal human soldiers into powerfully augmented special operations commandos. Initially the three separate programs were humanity's various attempts to create the perfect soldiers, in order to patrol the colonies, protect civilian and government populations, crush uprisings in their infancy and ensure others don't rise up as a result.
{{Main|ORION Project|SPARTAN-I Program}}
The ORION project or the SPARTAN-I program was the phase one of the SPARTAN program.<ref>[[Halo Graphic Novel]], [[Halo Graphic Novel, Page 122|page 122]]</ref> Initiated in 2491, as an element of the ORION project, not much is known about this first generation of volunteer<ref>[[ilovebees]], mentioned by Jan's father, James, in reference to Spartan-II</ref> warriors.<ref>[[Halo: The Flood]], page 16</ref>


The original Spartan Project was created to test genetic enhancements on volunteers from the armed forces.<ref>Jan - [[Axon Clips Chapter 5]]</ref> Despite a high mortality rate, the ORION project was successful enough to warrant a SPARTAN-II program.
The Spartan soldiers of the UNSC are named after the [[Wikipedia:Sparta|Sparta]]ns of Ancient Greece, specifically during the time of the Persian invasion led by [[wikipedia:Xerxes I|Xerxes I]]. The wars between invading Persians and defending Greeks would be known as the [[wikipedia:Greco-Persian Wars|Greco-Persian Wars]], and lasted from 499-448 BCE. During this war, the [[wikipedia:Battle of Thermopylae|Battle of Thermopylae]] occurred, in which 300 Spartan soldiers leading 5000 other Greeks under the command of [[wikipedia:Leonidas I|Leonidas I]], held back a significantly larger force of Persian soldiers. All of the Spartans were eventually killed, but they successfully killed 20,000 Persians (according to Herodotus), and bought the Greeks time to prepare a better defense for Greece. The Spartans' formidable resilience resulted from their rigorous training in the [[wikipedia:agoge|agoge]], which started when they reached the age of 7.


Some members of the ORION Project lived to have children, called [[Spartan 1.1]]s.
==History==
===Origin===
The genesis of the SPARTAN programs occurred in [[2321]] with the activation of the [[ORION Project]].{{Ref/Reuse|enc44}} Launched by the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]], the project was named after the Greek mythological hero [[Wikipedia:Orion (mythology)|Orion]].<ref>'''[[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]]''', ''June 19, 2513''</ref> The aim of ORION was to build on [[Human augmentation|bioengineering protocols]] established in [[2164]] and create stronger and better soldiers than any before them.


== SPARTAN-II Program ==
The initial beginnings of ORION were merely a test to see what could be accomplished with the advancements of that time, and candidates of the ORION project were all volunteers from the armed forces of the military - these handful of candidates went through numerous testing and augmentations throughout the duration of the project. However, the results were far less than expected and eventually the candidates were seeded into the regular chain of command after the project was declared ineffective and terminated.
[[Image:Fall of Reach.jpg|right|thumb|4 SPARTAN-IIs during the [[Sigma Octanus IV]].]]
{{Main|SPARTAN-II Program}}
The SPARTAN-II Program was the continuing effort to produce elite soldiers and would be highlighted by being the first in the series to meld advanced mechanical technology with the subjects' superior physiques. The SPARTAN-IIs were heavily engaged in the [[Human-Covenant War]]. Since the end of the Human-Covenant War, survivors of this group include [[SPARTAN-058]], [[SPARTAN-087]], [[SPARTAN-104]], and [[SPARTAN-117]].


The SPARTAN-II Program's official symbol is a silver eagle holding a lightning bolt in its left claw and arrows in its right.
===The relaunch of ORION===
[[File:OrionLogoSL.png|200px|thumb|ORION Project logo.]]
{{Main|ORION Project}}
In [[2491]], the [[Colonial Military Authority]] relaunched ORION in secrecy, with the new goal of learning from the mistakes of the previous attempt, and creating a soldier unlike anything seen before - and to deploy these soldiers behind enemy lines and quell insurgencies in their infancy, or destroy established insurgencies by destroying their chain of command and expanding outward.  


=== Early History ===
The project was headquartered in one of the many orbital docks on the fortress world [[Reach]], and the candidates were, once again, selected volunteers from the [[UNSC Special Forces]]. This iteration of the project used more advanced indoctrination and biological augmentation techniques, and after a grueling series of physical and mental tests, the first batch of soldiers, 165 in total, successfully passed and moved on to the next phase. In [[2496]] the UNSC launched [[Operation: CHARLEMAGNE]] in response to [[Insurrectionist#Eridanus rebels|colonial secessionists]] who executed a series of attacks on [[Eridanus II]], which resulted in numerous deaths and the kidnappings of civilian and government officials in [[2494]]. This marked the first operational deployment of the ORION soldiers, who scored a decisive victory and emerged from the battle with only a single casualty. The ORION soldiers were able to complete the mission without even being ''seen'', thereby fueling a range of conspiracy theories and media speculation; this proved to be very helpful to ONI's [[propaganda]] efforts in the coming decades. Though the ORION soldiers were effective, their abilities fell short of the scientists' hopes, and they cost far too much to develop and field - in [[2506]] the project was deactivated and the soldiers were reassigned to various special operation units.{{Ref/Reuse|enc44}}
The future SPARTAN-IIs were kidnapped and taken to [[Reach]] on [[wikipedia:September 9|September 9]], [[2517]]. While there were 170 possible candidates, only half were chosen because of budget issues. In [[2525]], they underwent severe [[SPARTAN-II Augmentation Procedures|augmentations]]. Of the 75 chosen candidates, roughly half died from the procedure. Several who survived experienced radical physical side effects; these SPARTANs were discharged into non-combat positions.


Later that year, the SPARTAN-IIs received a set of [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor#MJOLNIR Mark IV|MJOLNIR Mark IV Armor]].
===SPARTAN-II===
[[File:Spartan-II Insignia.png|thumb|200px|The SPARTAN-II unit patch, which would later serve as the inspiration for the Spartan branch insignia.]]
{{Main|SPARTAN-II program}}
In the years following the deactivation of the ORION Project in 2506, the Insurrection became too large for the UNSC to manage with small Special Forces teams. As the Insurrectionist attacks were becoming more effective, and the military's responses heavier; the need for large scale military campaigns were becoming more and more necessary. The SPARTAN-II program was conceived by [[Catherine Halsey|Dr. Catherine Halsey]] of ONI's Section 3, as the successor to the original ORION project and the best possible solution to end the conflict with the Insurrectionists.


=== Human-Covenant War ===
Whereas the former Spartans were chemically-enhanced volunteers from the armed forces, the SPARTAN-IIs were young children, who were kidnapped, indoctrinated, and raised as soldiers from as young as six years old, being surgically, genetically, and cybernetically enhanced once they reached physical maturity. Although it was viewed as wildly unethical and filled with controversy, the secretive program produced results, and more importantly the Spartan-II soldiers proved to be the most effective soldiers ever fielded by a human armed force - and the most powerful weapon in the battle against the Insurrection. However, in [[2525]] the sudden breakout of the [[Human-Covenant War]] proved to be the most challenging and daunting war yet waged by humans, and the SPARTAN-IIs were outfitted with [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|MJOLNIR]], the most advanced mechanized armor in human history.
While originally meaning to quell rebellions, the advent of the [[Human-Covenant War]] brought about a drastic change to the SPARTAN Program. While the rebels were normally somewhat around the same amount of skill as normal UNSC soldiers, the SPARTANs soon found themselves fighting a [[Covenant|foe]] that is motivationally, technologically, and physically superior.


==== ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' ====
While the war with the [[Covenant]] continued to progress and the Insurrection was effectively cut off, the Spartan-IIs continued to engage Insurrectionist factions who remained strong enough to pose a genuine threat to the UNSC. The Spartan-IIs continued to perform their missions near-flawlessly, and ruthlessly killed off rebel leaders while engaging Covenant forces, doing whatever was necessary to protect the interests of the UNSC.
In late [[2552]], most SPARTANS regrouped at Reach, where [[SPARTAN-029]] died. SPARTANs 117 and 058 escaped on the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} and made a [[Slipspace]] jump to [[Installation 04]], thus starting the events in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. During the [[Battle of Installation 04]], SPARTAN-117 destroyed Installation 04 by dentonating the Pillar of Autumn's fusion reactors.


==== ''[[Halo: First Strike]]'' ====
===SPARTAN-III===
After SPARTANs 117 and 058 escaped the First Battle of Reach, the SPARTANs that were left on the planet met [[Dr. Halsey]] within [[CASTLE Base]]. They destroyed the base when the Covenant invaded, and escaped through old titanium mines. Eventually they reunite with SPARTANS 117 and 058, and successfully plan and carry out a [[Operation: FIRST STRIKE|raid]] on the Covenant flagship ''[[Unyielding Heirophant]]'', while losing [[SPARTAN-093]] in the process. Prior to the raid, however, Dr. Halsey kidnaps [[SPARTAN-087]] and takes her to the planet [[Onyx]], where the SPARTAN-III program was being carried out.
{{Main|SPARTAN-III program}}
As the Human-Covenant War progressed and casualties mounted exponentially, ONI activated another program that was arguably even more morally questionable than the SPARTAN-II program. Spearheaded by a prominent opponent to Halsey's SPARTAN-II program, [[Colonel]] [[James Ackerson]], the SPARTAN-III program was established using the previous program as a proof of concept.


==== ''[[Halo 2]]'' ====
Designed to produce supersoldiers more quickly, at a lower cost, and with a lower life expectancy, the SPARTAN-III program was intended for extreme high risk operations conducted at the highest level of secrecy. The SPARTAN-III candidates were once again children; however, rather than actually stealing children from their beds, this time the "candidates" were recruited from orphanages after the loss of their homes and families from the Covenant invasion, given the opportunity to strike back at the Covenant. The S-III candidates were taken to the planet [[Onyx]] and were under the leadership of Spartan-II [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Kurt Ambrose]]. Most of the Spartan-IIIs were equipped with [[Semi-Powered Infiltration armor]], which is less advanced and cheaper to mass-produce than the MJOLNIR suits issued to the Spartan-IIs. Throughout the Human-Covenant War, three companies of Spartan-IIIs were trained and deployed, with exceedingly high casualty rates. The first company of S-IIIs, [[SPARTAN-III Alpha Company|Alpha Company]], was successful in destroying Covenant and rebel forces during the battles of [[Mamore]], [[New Constantinople]] and in the [[Bonanza asteroid belt]] - their last mission [[Operation: PROMETHEUS]] in [[2537]] was deemed a success, even though all of the Spartans of Alpha Company were killed in action. The second company, [[SPARTAN-III Beta Company|Beta]], was trained soon after the loss of Alpha. In [[2545]], the company participated in [[Operation: TORPEDO]], which was also deemed a success; however, only two Spartans, [[Tom-B292]] and [[Lucy-B091]], survived out of the three hundred soldiers that took part in the operation. Tom and Lucy became trainers for the third company of S-IIIs, [[SPARTAN-III Gamma Company|Gamma Company]]. Gamma Company completed their augmentation and most were deployed on missions elsewhere in late 2552, when the [[Trevelyan|Shield World]] on Onyx was activated.<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]''', ''page 85''</ref> A fourth class, [[SPARTAN-III Delta Company|Delta Company]], was slated to begin training around late 2552,<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 121''</ref> until the SPARTAN-III program was discontinued after the destruction of [[Onyx]] and the creation of the [[SPARTAN-IV program]]. After the war, the surviving Spartan-IIIs were offered the chance to integrate into the fledgling [[Spartan Operations]].
When the SPARTANs reached [[Earth]], SPARTAN-117 parted to test the new [[MJOLNIR Mark VI]] armor on the [[Cairo Station|''Cairo'' Station]]. Soon after, the [[First Battle of Earth]] takes place, and SPARTAN-117 is transported via Slipspace to [[Installation 05]], where he successfully kills the [[High Prophet of Regret]]. When he is teleported via the [[Gravemind]] to [[High Charity]], he boards the [[Dreadnaught]] in an attempt to murder the [[High Prophet of Truth]].


==== ''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'' ====
Smaller, highly specialized units consisting of Spartan-IIIs also existed; these included the [[Headhunters]] and [[NOBLE Team]]. These units consisted of Spartans who were deemed particularly exceptional among their peers, removed from their mainline companies and given superior equipment and armor. Notably, the members of NOBLE Team received sets of MJOLNIR armor and had [[Jorge-052|a Spartan-II]] as a permanent member.
[[SPARTAN-051]] is taken by Colonel James Ackerson to head the SPARTAN-III program. SPARTANS [[SPARTAN-104|104]], [[SPARTAN-043|043]], and 058 hijack the Covenant [[Covenant Destroyer|Destroyer]] ''[[Bloodied Spirit]]'' and land in Onyx, where they reunite with Dr. Hasley and SPARTANs 051 and 087. Dr. Hasley takes the SPARTANs to a [[Forerunner]] [[Shield World]], but loses SPARTANs 043 and 051.


==== ''[[Halo 3]]'' ====
===SPARTAN-IV===
When SPARTAN-117 landed on Earth from the Dreadnaught, he went aboard the Shadow of Intent, then the ship went through the portal appearing at [[Installation 00]], otherwise known as the Ark. There, he helps the [[Arbiter (character)|Arbiter]] kill the Prophet of Truth, ending the Human-Covenant War. Afterward, he activates the new [[installation 04(II)]] to destroy the [[Flood]] and narrowly escapes the ensuing blast.
[[File:Spartan Branch insignia.png|thumb|150px|The Spartan branch insignia, derived from that of the Spartan-IIs.]]
{{Main|SPARTAN-IV program}}
Conceived by a SPARTAN-II "washout", [[Commander]] [[Musa-096]], the SPARTAN-IV program was activated in early [[2553]]. Like the original ORION Project, the SPARTAN-IV program uses only consenting adult volunteers, the augmentation of adults having been made possible by advancements in the technologies pioneered by the prior Spartan programs. Unlike the mainline SPARTAN-IIIs who were forced to use cheaper equipment due to budgetary constraints, all Spartan-IVs are equipped with MJOLNIR armor, now mass-produced by several private companies. The Spartan-IVs serve in a dedicated UNSC service branch known as [[Spartan Operations]], whereas their forebears operated within other chains of command.{{Ref/Reuse|H4 Story}} Unlike the other military branches, the Spartans lack a formal rank hierarchy altogether, instead employing a more malleable framework based on an individual Spartan's skills and specialization.<ref>'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 33''</ref>
{{Clear}}


== SPARTAN-III Program ==
==List of Spartans{{Ref/Note|Four identified Spartans are currently unable to be confidently placed in a certain generation with a high degree of confidence. These three are [[SPARTAN NOLA]], [[SPARTAN NV66]], [[Yasmine Zaman]], and [[Nicole-458]]. Nicole has been identified as a [[Spartan-II]], but her number suggests she may in fact be a Spartan-III. Similarly, Yasmine's given date of conscription as a Spartan-II correlates with that of the launch of the Spartan-III program's Alpha Company: 2537.}}==
[[Image:Spartan_III.png|left|thumb|126px|A SPARTAN-III kneeling while holding an [[MA5K Assault Rifle]].]]
===ORION Project augmented personnel ("Spartan-Is")===
{{Main|SPARTAN-III Program}}
*[[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery Johnson]] - KIA [[2552|December 11, 2552]] on [[Installation 08]] above [[Installation 00]].
Engineered by [[Colonel]] [[James Ackerson]] and the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]], the SPARTAN-III program was the next generation of Spartan supersoldiers. While they are inferior to the Spartan IIs in terms of general strength, speed, et cetera, they were designed to be more numerous, better trained, cheaper, and expendable.<ref>[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]], pages 45-47</ref>
*[[Gilly]] - retired from military service after the dissolution of the project in [[2506]].
{{clear}}
*[[Gunnery Sergeant]] [[Gladys Wilson]] - retired from military service after [[Operation: TREBUCHET]] in early [[2525]].
== History of the SPARTAN Projects ==
*[[James James|Jim James]] (born James Lee) - retired from military service after the dissolution of the project in [[2506]]. Killed in late [[2552]] in [[New York City]].
*'''[[2491]]:''' Project ORION, the predecessor to Project: SPARTAN-II, is launched
*[[Morales]] - retired from military service after the dissolution of the project in [[2506]].
*'''August 17, [[2517]]:''' The first SPARTAN-II candidate, six-year-old test subject number 117 (Eventually the Master Chief, [[SPARTAN-117]]), is selected.
*[[ORION candidate 047]] - died due to an adverse reaction from a [[drugs|medication]] given for augmentation.
*'''September 23, 2517:''' The Spartan test subjects are abducted from their homes and replaced with flash clones. The real children, most no older than six, are brought through [[Slipspace]] to planet [[Reach]]. They are officially conscripted into the SPARTAN-II program.
*At least 294 others.{{Ref/Note|There were 300 "Spartan-Is" at the height of the project. It is likely that [[John Forge]]'s father (died c. 2541 in [[Chicago]], [[URNA]].) was counted among this number. It is also possible that [[Nolan Byrne]] (KIA November 17, 2552 in [[Voi]], [[Kenya]]) was a Spartan-1 as well.}}
*'''September 24, 2517:''' The Spartan test subjects begin their first day of training, with an excruciating physical regimen with Chief Petty Officer Mendez and rigorous classroom education by the AI Deja.
*'''July 12, [[2519]]:''' After an extended mission in the [[Military Wilderness Training Preserve]], SPARTAN-117 is made Squad Leader of the Spartans.
*'''March 9, [[2525]]:''' The Spartans undergo augmentation procedures. Of the 75 children, 30 are killed during the procedures, 12 are too crippled to continue training, and only 33 candidates are left.
*'''March 30, 2525:''' The 30 dead Spartans are given a deep space funeral, the 12 crippled Spartans are reassigned to other jobs in the Office of Naval Intelligence. The remaining Spartans begin their final recovery and training.
*'''April 22, 2525:''' SPARTAN-117 accidentally kills three [[ODST]] soldiers in self defense. The Spartans are permanently given a bad reputation as "freaks" because of this incident. From this point on, trainers must wear armor for their own safety.
*'''September 11, 2525:''' The Spartans are given their final training exercise in a cavern against trainers in Mark I Powered Exoskeletons.
*'''September 12, 2525:''' The Spartans are given their first mission: The capture of [[Colonel Robert Watts]] of the [[Eridanus Rebels]]. SPARTAN-117 is given the highest military rank of the Spartans as he is promoted to Petty Officer Third Class.
*'''September 14, 2525:''' A Spartan team consisting of SPARTAN-117, SPARTAN-104, SPARTAN-087, SPARTAN-058, and SPARTAN-034 succeed in their mission.
*'''September 15: 2525:''' The Spartan unit garners its first major award, SPARTAN-117 receives a Purple Heart for an injury during the mission.
*'''November 2, 2525:''' The Spartan soldiers are first briefed about the Covenant. Chief Mendez and Deja leave the Spartans to train a new group of Spartans.
*'''November 3, 2525:''' All 33 Spartan soldiers graduate from training. They are all commissioned with the rank of Petty Officer, Second Class.
*'''November 27, 2525:''' The Spartans are given their first MJOLNIR armor. The Spartan unit suffers its first combat casualty, SPARTAN-034 is killed in the destruction of a Covenant ship.
*'''May 1, [[2531]]:''' The Spartans have an operation in the 111 Tauri System, at Camp New Hope situated in Planet Victoria to recover nuclear warheads stolen by the rebel insurgents. SPARTANs 117, 058, 087, and 104 were captured in an ambush, but rescued by SPARTAN-034's replacement, SPARTAN-051. The Spartans complete the mission and killed a rebel leader, General Graves in the process.
*'''November 7, 2531:''' The Spartans were sent on a routine investigation mission in the Groombridge 34 System, near Construction Platform 966A, which was a decommissioned UNSC site. SPARTAN-051's jetpack thrusters malfunctions while in the vacuum of space and was presumed M.I.A. Unknown to Fred-104 and Kelly-087, this was a cover-up so that Colonel Ackerson could recruit Kurt-051 into training the SPARTAN-IIIs.
*'''February 10-12, 2535:''' The Spartans fight in the [[Jericho VII]] theater of operations. They witness their first [[glassing]] firsthand from the bridge of the destroyer {{UNSCShip|Resolute}} as they retreat.
*'''[[2537]]:''' Unbeknownst to the first class of Spartans, a second class, consisting of at least 1375 test subjects, is abducted and replaced with flash clones in the same manner as the first class.
*'''[[2552]]:''' Stealth ship ''Apocolypso'' causes a temporal anomaly, throwing one of the second Spartans into the 21st Century. (non-canon)
*'''July 17, 2552:''' The first Spartans are deployed to the surface of [[Sigma Octanus IV]] and fight in the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]].
*'''August 27, 2552:''' The first Spartans are briefed about their mission to capture a Covenant Prophet.
*'''August 30, 2552:''' The [[Battle of Reach]]. The first Spartans are divided into two teams: Blue Team (SPARTAN-117, SPARTAN-058, and James) and Red Team (All other Spartans). Blue Team is dispatched to [[Reach Station Gamma]] to destroy a NAV database. Red Team is dispatched to Reach to defend the Orbital Generators. Red Team is subsequently divided into Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta Teams. During this battle all Spartan-IIs from the first class are killed or missing, except SPARTAN-117, SPARTAN-104, SPARTAN-087, SPARTAN-008, SPARTAN-044, SPARTAN-043, SPARTAN-093 and the clinically deceased (later revived after cryo-stasis) SPARTAN-058 escape Reach. Of these survivors Spartans 008, 044 and 093 were killed in subsequent combat actions in the battle in the [[slipspace]] anomaly and during [[Operation: FIRST STRIKE]]. Three unidentified Spartans designated Gray Team are rumored to have been absent from the Battle of Reach and subsequent actions due to their assignments on "distant" battlefronts. Their whereabouts have not yet been confirmed, though they may possibly K.I.A. as they haven't contacted Command for a year.
*'''September 20, 2552:''' SPARTAN-117 lands on the ring-shaped structure called '[[Halo]]', or [[Installation 04]]. After finding out that it would kill all sentient life in the galaxy, SPARTAN-117 successfully destroys Halo by detonating '''[[Pillar of Autumn]]'''s fusion core.  
*'''October 20, 2552:''' The four remaining SPARTAN-IIs (minus the "distant" three) return back to Earth. SPARTAN-117 is issued the Mark VI armor. SPARTAN-117, defends and secures [[Cairo Station|ODP-142 Cairo Station]] during the [[First Battle of Earth]].
*'''November 3, 2552:''' SPARTAN-043, -058, and -104 are constantly engaged for a two week period between the First and [[Second Battle of Earth]]. Lord Hood orders the three to Onyx to assist UNSC forces there against Forerunner Sentinel and Covenant attack.
*''' November 4, 2552:''' SPARTAN-043, -058, and -104 participate in the [[Battle of Onyx]] reinforcing UNSC forces including SPARTAN-051 and -087. SPARTAN-043 and -051 are killed in the battle. The remaining Spartans and UNSC survivors withdraw to the safety of [[Shield World]].
*''' March 2553:''' SPARTAN-117, along with the Elite forces led by [[Arbiter]], successfully arrives at [[The Ark]], or Installation 00 by the portal made on the [[Earth]]. After killing the [[Prophet of Truth]], he finds out that a replacement to Installation 04 is being built over the Ark. SPARTAN-117, Arbiter, and [[Sergeant Major Johnson]] goes there and destroys not only the installation and the Ark itself. In this mission, Johnson is killed by [[343 Guilty Spark]], the monitor of Installation 04. While escaping with the frigate ''[[Forward Unto Dawn]]'', the portal to the Ark collapses and only transfers Arbiter back to the Earth. SPARTAN-117 and [[Cortana]] are left behind.


== Historical allusion ==
====="Spartan 1.1s"{{Ref/Note|It is likely that [[Sergeant]] [[John Forge]] (died [[2531]]) was a "Spartan 1.1".}}=====
The SPARTAN soldiers of the UNSC are closely related to the ancient [[Sparta|Spartans]] of Greece, specifically during the time of the Persian invasion led by [[wikipedia:Xerxes I|Xerxes I]]. The wars between invading Persians and defending Greeks would be known as the [[wikipedia:Greco-Persian Wars|Greco-Persian Wars]], and lasted from 499-448 BC. During this war, the [[wikipedia:Battle of Thermopylae|Battle of Thermopylae]] occured, in which 300 Spartan soldiers leading 5000 other Greeks under the command of [[wikipedia:Leonidas I|Leonidas I]], held back a force of approximately 2 million Persian soldiers. All of the Spartans were eventually killed, but they successfully killed 75,000 Persians, and buying the Greeks time to prepare a better defense. The Spartans' formidable resilience was due to their rigorous training in [[wikipedia:Pankration|Pankration]] that started when the boys reached the age of [[List of "Seven" references in Halo|7]]. The legendary actions of the 300 Spartans would be immortalized in song, film, and literature around the world.<ref>Various articles at the [[wikipedia:Main Page|English Wikipedia]]</ref>
*[[Benji Wong]]
*[[Darin]]
*[[Frannie]]
*[[Guy]] - [[Prisoner|incarcerated]] as of late [[2552]].
*[[Janissary James]] - daughter of James Lee and Gilly.
*[[Kevin Morales]] - son of [[Morales]], the "Spartan-I".


== Trivia ==
===SPARTAN-IIs{{Ref/Note|Of the Spartans listed KIA on Reach on August 30, 2552, two were identified as "Beta Red Actual" and "Red-Fifteen".  Another unidentified spartan perished on Reach: likely Joseph-122.}}===
*When Spartans show up on the battlefield, the Marines around them almost always get a very large morale boost.
{{Scrollbox|
*[[James-005]] - KIA [[2552|August 30, 2552]] above [[Reach]].
*[[Jai-006]] - Active as of [[2558|July 2558]].
*[[Li-008]] - KIA in September 2552 in [[slipstream space]].
*[[Naomi-010]] - Active as of 2558.
*[[Leon-011]] - Active as of October 2558.
*[[SPARTAN-013]] - KIA during the augmentation process on March 9, 2525.
*[[Kirk-018]] - Crippled during the [[SPARTAN-II augmentation procedures|augmentation process]] on March 9, [[2525]] and assigned to a noncombatant role.
*[[Serin-019]] - Damaged by augmentations. Promoted to [[Admiral]]. Became [[CINCONI]] by [[2555|March 2555]].
*[[Daisy-023]] - KIA after 2535.
*[[Robert-025]] - Active as of October 2558.
*[[Riz-028/Silver|Riz-028]] - Status unknown.
*[[Joshua-029]] - KIA August 30, 2552 on Reach.
*[[Vinh-030]] - KIA September 7, 2552 on Reach.
*[[Otto-031]] - KIA [[2557|July 25, 2557]] on [[Installation 03]].
*[[Samuel-034]] - KIA [[2525|November 27, 2525]] aboard the ''[[Unrelenting]]'' in the [[Chi Ceti system]].
*[[Randall-037]] - Discharged from the [[UNSC]] in [[2546]]. Joined the [[Sedran Colonial Guard]]. KIA in [[2556|February 2556]] on [[Alpha Shard]], a piece of [[Installation 04]] that had relocated to Location 6201.
*[[Isaac-039]] - KIA September 7, 2552 on Reach.
*[[Douglas-042]] - Active as of [[2559|March 2559]]. Status remains MIA by UNSC from 2537.
*[[William-043]] - KIA November 3, 2552 on [[Onyx]].
*[[Anton-044]] - KIA in September 2552 in [[slipstream space]].
*[[Keiichi-047]] - MIA as of March 3, 2558.{{Ref/Note|Keiichi may be KIA but only represented as MIA due to [[ONI Directive 930]].}}
*[[Kurt-051]] - KIA November 3, 2552 on Onyx.
*[[Jorge-052]] - KIA August 14, 2552 above Reach onboard Covenant [[Ardent Prayer]] in [[Operation: UPPER CUT]].
*[[Margaret-053]] - KIA July 25, 2557 on Installation 03.
*[[Linda-058]] - Active as of October 2559.
*[[Malcolm-059]] - KIA August 30, 2552 on Reach.
*[[Maria-062]] - Retired from active service, but serving in the reserves as of October 2552.
*[[Sheila-065]] - KIA in 2544 on [[Miridem]].
*[[Soren-066]] - MIA as of [[2527]] after defecting to the [[Insurrection]].
*[[Solomon-069]] - KIA in [[2544]] at [[Ascon]].
*[[Cassandra-075]] - Crippled during the augmentation process on March 9, 2525. Undergoing rehabilitation as of late 2552.
*[[Arthur-079]] - KIA in 2544 at Ascon.
*[[Rene-081]] - Crippled during the augmentation process on March 9, 2525 and assigned to a noncombatant role.
*[[Fhajad-084]] - Crippled during the augmentation process on March 9, 2525 and assigned to a noncombatant role.
*[[Kelly-087]] - Active as of October 2559.
*[[Jerome-092]] - Active as of 2559. Status remains MIA by UNSC from 2537.
*[[Grace-093]] - KIA September 13, 2552 aboard the ''[[Unyielding Hierophant]]'' in the [[Tau Ceti system]] on [[Operation: FIRST STRIKE]].
*[[Caleb-095]] - Attempted abduction in [[2517]] failed.
*[[Musa-096]] - Crippled during the augmentation process on March 9, 2525. Promoted to [[Rear Admiral]]. Created the [[SPARTAN-IV Program]] and founded [[Spartan Operations]].
*[[August-099]] - Active as of October 2558.
*[[Victor-101]] - KIA July 25, 2557 on Installation 03.
*[[Ralph-103]] - Discharged at some point between 2525 and [[2531]]. Enlisted with the [[UNSC Marine Corps]] and was KIA after 2535.
*[[Frederic-104]] - Active as of October 2559.
*[[Adriana-111]] - Active as of July 2558.
*SPARTAN-116 - Status unknown.
*[[John-117]] - Active as of [[2560|May 2560]].
*SPARTAN-118 - Status unknown.
*SPARTAN-119 - Status unknown.
*[[Michael-120]] - Active as of July 2558.
*SPARTAN-121 - Status unknown.
*[[Joseph-122]] - Status unknown. Presumably KIA.
*SPARTAN-123 - Status unknown.
*SPARTAN-124 - Status unknown.
*[[Kai-125/Silver|Kai-125]] - Status unknown.
*[[Oscar-129]] - Committed suicide in early 2525.
*[[Alice-130]] - Active as of 2559. Status remains MIA by UNSC from 2537.
*[[Vannak-134/Silver|Vannak-134]] - Status unknown.
*[[Carris-137]] - Status unknown. Presumably KIA.
*[[Cal-141]] - KIA in [[2544]] on [[Heian]].
*[[Roma-143]] - KIA July 25, 2557 on Installation 03.
*18 others that were not augmented successfully in 2525.
}}


== Sources ==
===SPARTAN-IIIs===
<references/>
{{Scrollbox|
*[[Kai-A019]] - Status unknown. Presumably KIA.
*[[Robert-A057]] - KIA on [[2537|August 2, 2537]] on asteroid [[K7-49]].
*[[Shane-A112]] - KIA on August 2, 2537 on asteroid [[K7-49]].
*[[Jane-A203]] - KIA on August 2, 2537 on asteroid [[K7-49]].
*[[Emile-A239]] - KIA on August 30, 2552 on Reach.
*[[Carter-A259]] - KIA on August 30, 2552 on Reach.
*[[Jun-A266]] - Retired from military service. Acting [[Chief of Staff]] of Spartan Operations.
*[[Kevin-A282]] - Active as of [[2553]].
*[[Thom-A293]] - KIA on April 22, 2552 on [[Fumirole]].
*[[Hazel-A302]] - Active as of 2553.
*[[Rosenda-A344]] - Status unknown.
*[[Adam-B004]] - KIA [[2545|July 3, 2545]] on [[Pegasi Delta]].
*[[Lucy-B091]] - Active as of April [[2554]].
*[[Owen-B096]] - Active as of 2553.
*[[SPARTAN-B170]] - Status unknown. Presumably KIA.
*[[Min-B174]] - KIA July 3, 2545 on [[Pegasi Delta]].
*[[Roland-B210]] - KIA on a [[Covenant]]-occupied [[Unidentified moon|moon]].
*[[Tom-B292]] - Active as of April [[2554]].
*[[Jonah-B283]] - KIA on a [[Covenant]]-occupied [[Unidentified moon|moon]].
*[[SPARTAN-B312]] - KIA on August 30, 2552 on Reach.
*[[Catherine-B320]] - KIA on August 23, 2552 on Reach.
*[[Holly-G003]] - KIA on November 3, 2552 on Onyx.
*[[SPARTAN-G059]] - Active as of January 2558.
*[[Ash-G099]] - Active as of December 2553. Officially declared KIA.
*[[Dante-G188]] - KIA on November 3, 2552 on Onyx.
*[[Olivia-G291]] - Active as of December 2553. Officially declared KIA.
*[[Mark-G313]] - KIA on October 14, 2559 on installation 00
*1,220 others (includes all children trained; not just those that were successfully [[Project CHRYSANTHEMUM|augmented]] and put into active service).
}}
 
===SPARTAN-IVs===
{{Scrollbox|
*[[92738-61842-LC]] - Active as of September 2558.
*[[Anthony Madsen]] - Active as of July 2558.
*[[Bradford Gale]] - Active as of February 2558.
*[[Bethany Kossup]] - Active as of [[2557]].
*[[Cara Costabile]] - KIA February 2558 on Requiem.
*[[Carlo Hoya]] - Active as of July 2558.
*[[Carmichael]] - Active as of February 2558.
*[[Casillas]] - KIA February 2558 on [[Requiem]].
*[[Dunlap]] - KIA February 2558 on [[Requiem]].
*[[Dunn (Spartan-IV)|Dunn]] - Active as of March 2558.
*[[Edward Buck]] - Active as of November 2558.
*[[Edward Davis]] - KIA in [[2554]] on [[X50]]. Portions of his personality were stored in a [[durance]] and recovered by the [[UNSC]].
*[[Elias Holt]] - Active as of March 2555.
*[[Ernst Deming]] - KIA February 2558 on [[Requiem]].
*[[Estey-Bethel]] - KIA February 2558 on [[Requiem]].
*[[Frank Kodiak]] - Active as of March 2555.
*[[Fredric Zurenia]] - KIA February 2558 on [[Requiem]].
*[[Gabriel Thorne]] - Active as of September 2558.
*[[Gustavo Esposito]] - Active as of February 2558.
*[[Gretchen Ketola]] - Re-enlisted from retirement. Active as of November 2558.
*[[Hideo Wakahisa]] - KIA March 29, 2554 onboard an [[Unidentified Spartan-IV training station|orbital station]] over a dwarf planet.
*[[Holly Tanaka]] - Active as of November 2558.
*[[Hong]] - Active as of March 2558
*[[Horatio Fry]] - Active as of February 2558.
*[[Ilsa Zane]] - Defected to the New Colonial Alliance.
*[[Jameson Locke]] - Active as of November 2558.
*[[Jared Miller]] - Active as of March 2558.
*[[Joel Thomas]] - Active as of July 2558.
*[[Jones (Spartan-IV)|Jones]] - Active as of March 2558.
*[[Kojo Agu]] - Active as of 2558.
*[[Kovsky]] - Active as of 2554.
*[[Lincoln]] - KIA February 2558 on [[Requiem]].
*[[Michael Crespo]] - Defected to the [[United Rebel Front]]. Active as of November 2558, returning to [[Alpha-Nine]].
*[[Naiya Ray]] - Active as of July 2558.
*[[Newman]] - KIA March 5, 2558 on [[Ealen IV]].
*[[Olympia Vale]] - Active as of November 2558.
*[[Orzel]] - Active as of November 2558.
*[[Paul DeMarco]] - KIA March 5, 2558 on [[Ealen IV]].
*[[Robert Dalton]] - Active as of February 2558.
*[[Rudolf Schein]] - Defected to the United Rebel Front. Killed March 29, 2554 onboard an [[Unidentified Spartan-IV training station|orbital station]] over a dwarf planet.
*[[Commander]] [[Sarah Palmer]] - Active as of January 2559.
*[[Scott Macrae]] - KIA February 2558 on [[Requiem]].
*[[Tashi]] - KIA February 2558 on [[Requiem]].
*[[Tedra Grant]] - Active as of July 2558.
*[[Terry Hedge]] - Active as of February 2558.
*[[Taylor Miles]] - Re-enlisted from retirement. Active as of November 2558.
*[[To]] - KIA March 5, 2558 on [[Ealen IV]].
*[[Vladimir Scruggs]] - Defected to the [[New Colonial Alliance]]. Killed March 5, 2558 on Ealen IV.
*[[Yeong-hao Holst]] - Active as of January 2553.
*At least 456 others.
}}
 
==''Halo: Fleet Battles''==
===UNSC Pelican Boarding Craft (Spartans)===
*Flight slots: 0
*Movement: 12"
*Damage track: 6
*Security detail: 5
*Systems loadout:
**Assault specialist (2)
**Heroic save (Spartan)
 
==Trivia==
*At least five Spartans are known to have defected from the UNSC to various Insurrectionist cells: [[Soren-066]], [[Ilsa Zane]], [[Rudolf Schein]], [[Michael Crespo]], and [[Vladimir Scruggs]].
*''[[Halo: New Blood]]'' is the only official work to date that depicts at least one member from each SPARTAN generation.
 
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Halo3_ODST_Sgt._Johnson.png|[[Avery Johnson]], a Spartan-I, clad in [[ODST armor|ODST battle dress uniform]].
File:HInf Character Master Chief render.png|[[John-117]], a Spartan-II, clad in [[GEN3|MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor [GEN3]]].
File:HR-MCC-B312.png|[[SPARTAN-B312]], a Spartan-III, clad in [[B-class Mjolnir|Mark V[B]]] MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor [GEN1].
File:H5G-Render-Locke-fullbody.png|[[Jameson Locke]], a Spartan-IV, clad in [[HUNTER-class Mjolnir|HUNTER-class]] MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor [GEN2].
</gallery>
 
==List of appearances==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''
*''[[Halo: The Flood]]''
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]''
*''[[i love bees]]''
*''[[Halo 2]]''
**''[[Conversations from the Universe]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]''
**''[[The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor]]''
**''[[Armor Testing]]''
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''
*''[[Starry Night]]''
*''[[Believe]]''
**''[[Diorama]]'' {{C|Diorama only}}
*''[[Halo: Uprising]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''
*''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]''
*''[[Halo Wars]]''
*''[[Halo: Helljumper]]''
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
**''[[Origins]]''
**''[[Homecoming]]''
**''[[The Babysitter]]''
**''[[The Package (animated short)|The Package]]''
**''[[Odd One Out]]'' {{C|Non-canonical appearance}}
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[Pariah]]''
**''[[Dirt]]''
**''[[Headhunters (short story)|Headhunters]]''
**''[[The Mona Lisa]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Palace Hotel]]''
**''[[Human Weakness]]''
*''[[Halo: Blood Line]]''
*''[[Remember Reach]]''
**''[[Birth of a Spartan]]''
**''[[Patrol]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Deliver Hope]]''
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
**''[[Data pads]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]]''
*''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Boot Camp|Boot Camp]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Covenant|Covenant]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Invasion|Invasion]]''
*''[[Halo: Glasslands]]''
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|Terminals]]''
*''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]''
{{col-2}}
*''[[Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn]]''
*''[[Scanned]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
**''[[Spartan Ops]]''
**''[[Infinity Briefing Packet]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''
*''[[Halo: Initiation]]''
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
*''[[Halo: Mortal Dictata]]''
*''[[Halo: Broken Circle]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Nightfall]]''
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminals]]''
*''[[Halo: New Blood]]''
*''[[Hunt the Truth]]''
**''[[All Hail]]''
**''[[The Cost]]''
**''[[Hunt the Signal]]''
**''[[A Hero Falls]]''
**''[[The Hunt Begins]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''
*''[[Halo: Hunters in the Dark]]''
*''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]''
*''[[Halo: Last Light]]''
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''
**''[[Halo 5: Guardians Limited Edition dossiers|Limited Edition dossiers]]''
*''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Ground Command]]''
*''[[Halo Mythos]]''
*''[[Halo Fractures]]''
**''[[Lessons Learned]]''
**''[[Breaking Strain]]''
**''[[A Necessary Truth]]''
**''[[Rossbach's World (story)|Rossbach's World]]''
*''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]''
**''[[Something has Happened]]''
**''[[Fireteam Majestic Poker Night]]''
**''[[On the Brink]]''
**''[[Knight Takes Bishop]]''
**''[[Dominion Splinter]]''
*''[[Halo: Smoke and Shadow]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Envoy]]''
*''[[Halo: Legacy of Onyx]]''
*''[[Halo: Collateral Damage]]''
*''[[Halo: Fireteam Raven]]''
*''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]''
*''[[Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual]]''
*''[[Halo: Battle Born]]''
*''[[Halo: Renegades]]''
*''[[Halo: Outpost Discovery]]''
*''[[Halo: Oblivion]]''
*''[[Halo: Meridian Divide]]''
*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]''
*''[[Halo Infinite]]''
*''[[Halo: The Television Series]]''
*''[[Halo: The Rubicon Protocol]]''
*''[[Halo: Vertical Umbrage]]''
*''[[Halo: Winter Contention]]''
*''[[Halo: Outcasts]]''
*''[[Halo: Sunrise on Sanghelios]]''
*''[[Halo: Saturn Devouring His Son]]''
*''[[Halo: Battle for the Blood-Moon]]''
{{col-end}}
 
==See also==
* [[Biological augmentation]]
* [[Rumbledrug]]
* [[Prelate]]
 
==Notes==
{{Ref/Notes}}
 
==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}


{{SpartanPrograms}}
{{SpartanPrograms}}
{{Spartan I}}
[[Category:UNSC Special Forces]]
{{Spartan II}}
[[Category:Spartans| ]]
{{SpartanIII}}
[[Category:UNSC projects]]
{{SPARTAN Teams}}
 
[[Category:UNSC]]

Latest revision as of 11:53, June 15, 2024

This article is about the supersoldiers. For other uses, see Spartan (disambiguation).
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A symbol representative of all incarnations of Spartan programs.
“ They stand alone — undaunted — before the mightiest enemy in the universe. But these are no ordinary men. They are SPARTANS...[1] ”

Spartans or SPARTAN Programs are members of a series of United Nations Space Command projects designed to create physically, genetically, technologically, and mentally superior supersoldiers as special fighting units.[2] Although the word "SPARTAN" is written in all capital letters when used in reference to the programs in a formal context, it is not an acronym; the supersoldiers are known simply as "Spartans".

The first major effort to create augmented supersoldiers was the ORION Project, later retroactively dubbed "SPARTAN-I", which used operatives drafted from the UNSC. The subsequent programs, SPARTAN-II and SPARTAN-III, were highly successful, but also controversial because of their dubious ethics concerning the use children as candidates, particularly in the Spartan-II program where risk of injury or death in the augmentation procedures was relatively high. The latest installment, SPARTAN-IV, returned to the idea's roots by using consenting adult volunteers primarily drawn from the various special forces units of the UNSC. While formerly serving within the various conventional military branches of the UNSC (mainly the Navy), the Spartans were brought under a single organization with the formation of the military branch known as Spartan Operations to accommodate the growing number of Spartans in the fourth-generation program following the end of the Human-Covenant War.[3]

The Spartan supersoldiers have traditionally been supplied with state-of-the-art equipment and technology, the most iconic being the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor first worn by the Spartan-IIs and later utilized to a great extent by the SPARTAN-IV supersoldiers.

Background

The basic concept for the SPARTAN programs has been around since the late 22nd century when the first bioengineering protocols were developed for the Interplanetary War.[4] Since the establishment of these protocols humans have been using performance-enhancing equipment and augmentations to make them stronger and faster than previously possible. Spartans have been deployed numerous times throughout human conflict, leading up to and during the Human-Covenant War. The notion of creating supersoldiers first arose as a plan to enhance normal human soldiers into powerfully augmented special operations commandos. Initially the three separate programs were humanity's various attempts to create the perfect soldiers, in order to patrol the colonies, protect civilian and government populations, crush uprisings in their infancy and ensure others don't rise up as a result.

The Spartan soldiers of the UNSC are named after the Spartans of Ancient Greece, specifically during the time of the Persian invasion led by Xerxes I. The wars between invading Persians and defending Greeks would be known as the Greco-Persian Wars, and lasted from 499-448 BCE. During this war, the Battle of Thermopylae occurred, in which 300 Spartan soldiers leading 5000 other Greeks under the command of Leonidas I, held back a significantly larger force of Persian soldiers. All of the Spartans were eventually killed, but they successfully killed 20,000 Persians (according to Herodotus), and bought the Greeks time to prepare a better defense for Greece. The Spartans' formidable resilience resulted from their rigorous training in the agoge, which started when they reached the age of 7.

History

Origin

The genesis of the SPARTAN programs occurred in 2321 with the activation of the ORION Project.[4] Launched by the Office of Naval Intelligence, the project was named after the Greek mythological hero Orion.[5] The aim of ORION was to build on bioengineering protocols established in 2164 and create stronger and better soldiers than any before them.

The initial beginnings of ORION were merely a test to see what could be accomplished with the advancements of that time, and candidates of the ORION project were all volunteers from the armed forces of the military - these handful of candidates went through numerous testing and augmentations throughout the duration of the project. However, the results were far less than expected and eventually the candidates were seeded into the regular chain of command after the project was declared ineffective and terminated.

The relaunch of ORION

ORION Project logo.
Main article: ORION Project

In 2491, the Colonial Military Authority relaunched ORION in secrecy, with the new goal of learning from the mistakes of the previous attempt, and creating a soldier unlike anything seen before - and to deploy these soldiers behind enemy lines and quell insurgencies in their infancy, or destroy established insurgencies by destroying their chain of command and expanding outward.

The project was headquartered in one of the many orbital docks on the fortress world Reach, and the candidates were, once again, selected volunteers from the UNSC Special Forces. This iteration of the project used more advanced indoctrination and biological augmentation techniques, and after a grueling series of physical and mental tests, the first batch of soldiers, 165 in total, successfully passed and moved on to the next phase. In 2496 the UNSC launched Operation: CHARLEMAGNE in response to colonial secessionists who executed a series of attacks on Eridanus II, which resulted in numerous deaths and the kidnappings of civilian and government officials in 2494. This marked the first operational deployment of the ORION soldiers, who scored a decisive victory and emerged from the battle with only a single casualty. The ORION soldiers were able to complete the mission without even being seen, thereby fueling a range of conspiracy theories and media speculation; this proved to be very helpful to ONI's propaganda efforts in the coming decades. Though the ORION soldiers were effective, their abilities fell short of the scientists' hopes, and they cost far too much to develop and field - in 2506 the project was deactivated and the soldiers were reassigned to various special operation units.[4]

SPARTAN-II

The SPARTAN-II unit patch, which would later serve as the inspiration for the Spartan branch insignia.
Main article: SPARTAN-II program

In the years following the deactivation of the ORION Project in 2506, the Insurrection became too large for the UNSC to manage with small Special Forces teams. As the Insurrectionist attacks were becoming more effective, and the military's responses heavier; the need for large scale military campaigns were becoming more and more necessary. The SPARTAN-II program was conceived by Dr. Catherine Halsey of ONI's Section 3, as the successor to the original ORION project and the best possible solution to end the conflict with the Insurrectionists.

Whereas the former Spartans were chemically-enhanced volunteers from the armed forces, the SPARTAN-IIs were young children, who were kidnapped, indoctrinated, and raised as soldiers from as young as six years old, being surgically, genetically, and cybernetically enhanced once they reached physical maturity. Although it was viewed as wildly unethical and filled with controversy, the secretive program produced results, and more importantly the Spartan-II soldiers proved to be the most effective soldiers ever fielded by a human armed force - and the most powerful weapon in the battle against the Insurrection. However, in 2525 the sudden breakout of the Human-Covenant War proved to be the most challenging and daunting war yet waged by humans, and the SPARTAN-IIs were outfitted with MJOLNIR, the most advanced mechanized armor in human history.

While the war with the Covenant continued to progress and the Insurrection was effectively cut off, the Spartan-IIs continued to engage Insurrectionist factions who remained strong enough to pose a genuine threat to the UNSC. The Spartan-IIs continued to perform their missions near-flawlessly, and ruthlessly killed off rebel leaders while engaging Covenant forces, doing whatever was necessary to protect the interests of the UNSC.

SPARTAN-III

Main article: SPARTAN-III program

As the Human-Covenant War progressed and casualties mounted exponentially, ONI activated another program that was arguably even more morally questionable than the SPARTAN-II program. Spearheaded by a prominent opponent to Halsey's SPARTAN-II program, Colonel James Ackerson, the SPARTAN-III program was established using the previous program as a proof of concept.

Designed to produce supersoldiers more quickly, at a lower cost, and with a lower life expectancy, the SPARTAN-III program was intended for extreme high risk operations conducted at the highest level of secrecy. The SPARTAN-III candidates were once again children; however, rather than actually stealing children from their beds, this time the "candidates" were recruited from orphanages after the loss of their homes and families from the Covenant invasion, given the opportunity to strike back at the Covenant. The S-III candidates were taken to the planet Onyx and were under the leadership of Spartan-II Lieutenant Commander Kurt Ambrose. Most of the Spartan-IIIs were equipped with Semi-Powered Infiltration armor, which is less advanced and cheaper to mass-produce than the MJOLNIR suits issued to the Spartan-IIs. Throughout the Human-Covenant War, three companies of Spartan-IIIs were trained and deployed, with exceedingly high casualty rates. The first company of S-IIIs, Alpha Company, was successful in destroying Covenant and rebel forces during the battles of Mamore, New Constantinople and in the Bonanza asteroid belt - their last mission Operation: PROMETHEUS in 2537 was deemed a success, even though all of the Spartans of Alpha Company were killed in action. The second company, Beta, was trained soon after the loss of Alpha. In 2545, the company participated in Operation: TORPEDO, which was also deemed a success; however, only two Spartans, Tom-B292 and Lucy-B091, survived out of the three hundred soldiers that took part in the operation. Tom and Lucy became trainers for the third company of S-IIIs, Gamma Company. Gamma Company completed their augmentation and most were deployed on missions elsewhere in late 2552, when the Shield World on Onyx was activated.[6] A fourth class, Delta Company, was slated to begin training around late 2552,[7] until the SPARTAN-III program was discontinued after the destruction of Onyx and the creation of the SPARTAN-IV program. After the war, the surviving Spartan-IIIs were offered the chance to integrate into the fledgling Spartan Operations.

Smaller, highly specialized units consisting of Spartan-IIIs also existed; these included the Headhunters and NOBLE Team. These units consisted of Spartans who were deemed particularly exceptional among their peers, removed from their mainline companies and given superior equipment and armor. Notably, the members of NOBLE Team received sets of MJOLNIR armor and had a Spartan-II as a permanent member.

SPARTAN-IV

The Spartan branch insignia, derived from that of the Spartan-IIs.
Main article: SPARTAN-IV program

Conceived by a SPARTAN-II "washout", Commander Musa-096, the SPARTAN-IV program was activated in early 2553. Like the original ORION Project, the SPARTAN-IV program uses only consenting adult volunteers, the augmentation of adults having been made possible by advancements in the technologies pioneered by the prior Spartan programs. Unlike the mainline SPARTAN-IIIs who were forced to use cheaper equipment due to budgetary constraints, all Spartan-IVs are equipped with MJOLNIR armor, now mass-produced by several private companies. The Spartan-IVs serve in a dedicated UNSC service branch known as Spartan Operations, whereas their forebears operated within other chains of command.[3] Unlike the other military branches, the Spartans lack a formal rank hierarchy altogether, instead employing a more malleable framework based on an individual Spartan's skills and specialization.[8]

List of Spartans[Note 1]

ORION Project augmented personnel ("Spartan-Is")

"Spartan 1.1s"[Note 3]

SPARTAN-IIs[Note 4]

SPARTAN-IIIs

SPARTAN-IVs

Halo: Fleet Battles

UNSC Pelican Boarding Craft (Spartans)

  • Flight slots: 0
  • Movement: 12"
  • Damage track: 6
  • Security detail: 5
  • Systems loadout:
    • Assault specialist (2)
    • Heroic save (Spartan)

Trivia

Gallery

List of appearances

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Four identified Spartans are currently unable to be confidently placed in a certain generation with a high degree of confidence. These three are SPARTAN NOLA, SPARTAN NV66, Yasmine Zaman, and Nicole-458. Nicole has been identified as a Spartan-II, but her number suggests she may in fact be a Spartan-III. Similarly, Yasmine's given date of conscription as a Spartan-II correlates with that of the launch of the Spartan-III program's Alpha Company: 2537.
  2. ^ There were 300 "Spartan-Is" at the height of the project. It is likely that John Forge's father (died c. 2541 in Chicago, URNA.) was counted among this number. It is also possible that Nolan Byrne (KIA November 17, 2552 in Voi, Kenya) was a Spartan-1 as well.
  3. ^ It is likely that Sergeant John Forge (died 2531) was a "Spartan 1.1".
  4. ^ Of the Spartans listed KIA on Reach on August 30, 2552, two were identified as "Beta Red Actual" and "Red-Fifteen". Another unidentified spartan perished on Reach: likely Joseph-122.
  5. ^ Keiichi may be KIA but only represented as MIA due to ONI Directive 930.

Sources

  1. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, description
  2. ^ Halo Waypoint: Spartans
  3. ^ a b Halo Waypoint: Story
  4. ^ a b c Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition), page 44-45
  5. ^ Dr. Halsey's personal journal, June 19, 2513
  6. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition), page 85
  7. ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 121
  8. ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 33

v • d • e
 
The SPARTAN programs and related topics
Training and protocol
Technology
Non-UNSC super soldiers
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