The Heretic (Level)

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The Heretic
Game:	Halo 2
Player:	The Arbiter
Date:	October 20, 2552
Location:	Aboard High Charity
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Template:Article Quote The Heretic is the first level of Halo 2, consisting almost entirely of the cinematics involving the Arbiter's hearing by the Prophets. <youtube width="300" height="300" float="left">uP1qMOPdaLA</youtube>

Transcript

The broken Installation 04

Fade in on the broken pieces of Installation 04, still burning. Groups of Covenant CCS-class Battlecruisers prowl among them.

An Assault Carrier flies by. The camera pans with it to a giant Covenant structure.

Covenant Holy City, High Charity. Ninth Age of Reclamation

Close up of High Charity. Hundreds of Covenant ships swarm around it.

Fade to a ledge across from tiers of stadium-like seats; several Banshees patrol around. The camera slowly zooms toward a door on the back of the ledge.

Elite Commander: "There was only one ship."

Fade in to the Council Chamber. Rows of Honor Guard Elites stand at attention. A single Zealot stands at the end, facing two High Prophets].

Prophet of Mercy : "One? Are you sure?"

Elite Commander : "Yes. They called it the Pillar of Autumn."

The focuses on the stadium seats filled with Elite and Prophet Councilors. They mutter amongst themselves.

Prophet of Mercy: "Why was it not destroyed, with the rest of their fleet?"

Elite Commander: "It fled, as we set fire to their planet."

{Flashback}: the Pillar of Autumn flees Reach as Covenant ships glass Reach.

Elite Commander: "But I followed with all the ships in my command."

{Flashback}: a Covenant Battle Cruiser approaches Halo, several dozen smaller ships are already in orbit of it.

Prophet of Regret : "When you first saw Halo, were you blinded by its majesty?"

Elite Commander: "Blinded?"

Prophet of Regret: "Paralyzed? Dumbstruck?"

Elite Commander: "No.."

{End flashback.} It is revealed that the Prophet of Regret is not actually here, but rather speaking through a holographic image of himself. Next to him is the Prophet of Mercy.

Prophet of Regret: "Yet the humans were able to evade your ships, land on the Sacred Ring, (angrily) and desecrate it with their filthy footsteps!"

Elite Commander: "Noble Hierarchs, surely you understand that once the parasite attacked-"

The Council members mutter angrily. The Commander looks around at them.

Prophet of Mercy: "There will be order in this Council!"

The Prophet of Truth comes forward and raises his hand. The room falls into complete silence.

Prophet of Truth: "You were right to focus your attention on the Flood. But this Demon, this "Master Chief"...

{Flashback}: The destruction of Halo

Elite Commander: "By the time I learned the Demon's intent, there was nothing I could do."

{End flashback.} The Prophet Councilors stand up and yell angrily. Elite Councilors mutter to each other. Tartarus, standing nearby, chuckles to himself.

Prophet of Regret: " {Whispers to Truth} Noble Prophet of Truth, this has gone on long enough. Make an example of this bungler, the Council demands it."

Truth holds up a hand, silencing Regret.

Prophet of Truth: "You are one of our most treasured instruments. Long have you lead your fleet with honor and distinction. But your inability to safeguard Halo ... was a colossal failure."

Prophet of Objection: " {Stands up and shows a fist} Nay, it was heresy!"

The Councilors yell. The Commander looks back and forth between them.

Elite Commander: "I will continue my campaign against the humans!"

Prophet of Truth: "No! You will not."

Truth glances at Tartarus, and the Brute Chieftain barks a command. Two Brutes approach the Commander and try to grab him, but he shakes them off and he starts walking to his fate willingly. They escort him out.

Prophet of Truth : "Soon the Great Journey shall begin. But when it does, the weight of your heresy will stay your feet. And you shall be left behind."

The view concentrates onto three orbital MAC stations in Earth's orbit. A few UNSC ships fly past.}

Earth Defense Platform, Cairo. 10.20.2552 (Military Calendar)

Cut to a close-up of the nearest platform.

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Your plating was about to fail, there's viscosity throughout the gel layer...

Cut to the armory of Cairo Station. The officer handles equipment on a table.

Master Gunnery Sergeant: "Optics, totally fried. And let's not even talk about the power supply." The view shows the Chief's new helmet on the table "You know how expensive this gear is, son?"

The view pans up the Chief's body, showing off his new armor. He fits his helmet into place just in time to block the player's view of his face.

Master Chief: "Tell that to the Covenant."

Trivia

• This level is not available in co-op, since it contains only cutscenes.
• Near the conclusion of the cutscene the Arbiter's helmet creates a bursting graphic texture. Joseph Staten revealed this bug on the Halo 3 Legendary Edition bonus disk and stated he could never fix this bug.
• This is the first and only level in the entire Halo Trilogy where the Prophet of Truth refers John-117 as the Master Chief.
• This is the first level in the Halo series that Councilors and the Brutes are seen.
• This cutscene shows the first apearences of the prophets in Halo 2.
• In this level the Arbiter mensions the pillar of autumn, which is the last time they mension the ship and the last time they show it cuase of the flashbacks.

Preceded by Halo Credits

Halo 2 Campaign Missions The Heretic

Succeeded by The Armory

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