Halo: Escalation
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
| Halo: Escalation | |
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| Attribution information | |
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Author(s): |
Christopher Schlerf & Brian Reed (writers) |
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Publisher: |
Dark Horse Comics |
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Publication date: |
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Halo: Escalation is a twelve-issue[2] comic book series produced by Dark Horse Comics. It focuses on "how the events of Halo 4 have helped define the destiny not only of the Chief but of the galaxy as a whole".[3] The series continues the story of the UNSC Infinity a month after the events of Spartan Ops, beginning with their assignment on escort duty for critical peace negotiations between the Sangheili and the Jiralhanae.[4]
Official summary
Issues
Issue 1
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Synopsis
Issue #1 opens with Commander Sarah Palmer and Fireteam Jackknife inside the Template:UNSCship's training simulation deck. Their War Games session is interrupted by Captain Thomas Lasky who asks to speak with Commander Palmer. Lasky informs her that they have been requested to appear before the UNSC Security Council at HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6. At the hearing, the council expresses misgiving about Lasky's handling of the Second Battle of Requiem. Admiral Serin Osman berates Lasky over the complete destruction of Requiem and the failed assassination of Dr. Catherine Halsey. Osman then asks Palmer if Lasky had sent Fireteam Majestic to stop her from eliminating Halsey. Wanting to protect Lasky from any ramifications, Palmer lies and tells Osman that Majestic was there as backup. Shortly after, Admiral Hood arrives onboard Infinity to speak with Lasky. He tells Lasky that the Template:UNSCship is assigned to pursue Jul 'Mdama as he needs Infinity to aid in peace talks between the Sangheili and the Jiralhanae. Two days later, Infinity arrives at Ealen IV. Lord Hood meets with the Arbiter, Thel 'Vadam, and the Brute Chieftain Lydus. Lasky, Palmer and Jackknife join the delegates inside the plasma center as Paul DeMarco of Majestic and Fireteam Bailey act as overwatch. The delegation is caught off guard when Covenant remnant forces blast into the conference chamber. The Spartan IVs defend the delegation and escort them to a nearby parts depot when their evacuation shuttle is destroyed. With communications with their orbiting fleets blocked, the delegation are left without reinforcements.
Issue 2
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Synopsis
Issue #2 opens with the delegation attempting to re-establish communication with the orbiting fleet. The Arbiter informs Hood of the planet's fortifications as a means for an escape route. Lasky orders Palmer to get the ambassadors to the redoubt. Palmer tasks Spartan Ray to escort Lasky and utilize her SIGINT background to reestablish communications. Shipmaster Vata 'Gajat and his forces arrive and is informed by Tek that the envoy has retreated into the repair depot. However, a human associate of 'Gajat tells him that they should move quickly before the capital ships respond. In orbit, while Infinity tries to re-establish contact with the delegation, the Jiralhanae contact the ship and demand to know why communication has been blocked. 'Gajat and his forces storm the depot, only to find the delegation missing. The Shipmaster orders his forces to prepare for deployment, noting that his agent would provide the whereabouts of the envoy.
The company make their way through service conduits leading from the depot. Suddenly, a Type-56 Lich appears and drops off several troops. Palmer takes her helmet filled with grenades and sends it up the Lich's gravity lift, destroying the Lich. Lasky and Ray head down the administrative wing of the facility taking out an Elite Warrior along the way. They find a network console and Ray discovers multiple signals being broadcast blocking out incoming transmissions. The destroyed Lich crashes down onto the service bridge while an Elite Storm unit is taken out by Spartan Scruggs. Palmer orders Fireteam Jackknife to move ahead to the redoubt while Hood searches the downed Elite. Hood discovers a UNSC data pad containing information on the Spartans and believes someone is leaking information about the negotiations. Lasky and Ray secure two Banshees and make their way to the power source of the jammer but observe Covenant forces heading for the redoubt. Palmer is informed by Scruggs that the facility is secure. Unbeknownst to the rest of the group, Scruggs has instead taken out his team and the security detail.
Issue 3
Official summary:
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Synopsis
Issue #3 opens with Lasky and Ray attacking a Covenant base and destroying the reactor, the source of the Covenant jamming signal. In the redoubt, Lydus continues to express his skepticism over whether the peace talk will succeed. Hood tells him that the Jiralhanae will need Lydus as a leader if they want to survive. Scruggs suddenly appears and holds Hood at gunpoint, stating that he will reveal his demands once his associates arrive. The situation in orbit continues to worsen as Sangheili and Jiralhanae ships begin to deploy forces against each other. Having cleared the communications interference, Lasky informs Infinity of the Covenant's attack. Upon being updated on the crisis between the Sangheili and Jiralhanae, Lasky contacts the fleets and asks them to cease their infighting and send their forces to the delegates' aid instead. However, both sides refuse to listen to him while a massive Covenant force converges on the redoubt. Meanwhile, 'Gajat and his human accomplice converse aboard the Covenant forces' flagship and it is revealed that 'Gajat is secretly working for an unknown party without Jul 'Mdama's knowledge.
In the redoubt, Scruggs continues to hold Hood hostage. He denies that he is working for the Insurrectionists and indicates that he is aware of some of ONI's secrets, including the cover-up of the New Phoenix Incident, their covert campaign against the Sangheili and John-117's recent disappearance. Palmer then shoots Lord Hood in the leg, tackles Scruggs and, after a brief struggle, kills the rogue Spartan by stabbing him in the throat with a combat knife. With the Covenant bearing on the site in force, the group find a craft they can use to evacuate. DeMarco and Fireteam Bailey remains behind to cover the ambassadors' escape with a Tyrant AA gun and they are killed when the Covenant destroy the cannon. Thanks to their sacrifice, the delegation, Lasky and the surviving Spartans make it aboard Infinity, prompting 'Gajat's fleet to retreat. A funeral ceremony is held for the Spartans fallen in the battle, with an angry Palmer telling Lasky she wants to be alone. One week later, Lasky and Hood discuss the troubling prospect that someone higher-ranked than Scruggs must have leaked the location of the negotiations, indicating a severe security breach in the UNSC's hierarchy.
Issue 4
Official summary:
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Synopsis
Issue #4 opens with the Infinity under attack by an unknown adversary using UNSC aircraft. The story cuts back 74 hours earlier with Lasky and Hood discussing the failed peace negotiation at Ealen IV. Lasky suggests enlisting help from the outside to find out who leaked the information. Spartan Ray notifies Lasky that the Prowler he requested is ready for departure. However, she expresses confusion as to what their mission involves. Lasky tells her that he'll let her know when they leave. Hood gives Lasky 96 hours to return to the ship. Meanwhile Fireteam Majestic and several other SPARTAN-IVs spar against one another. Madsen reveals to Thorne that DeMarco was transferred to Fireteam Bailey because Palmer wanted Thorne to be the new leader of Majestic. Later, Hood requests Bradley to give a demonstration of the Infinity's Forerunner engines. Before Roland can plot a course they are interrupted by Jespersen who has detected a distress signal on an old maritime channel. The Infinity makes a slipspace jump to the Chaudier trade route where the signal originated.
Lasky and Ray arrive at Escala III and travel through Castiglione where they are to rendezvous with Lasky's contact. Lasky asks Ray what her first name is, which she reveals to be Naiya. Shortly after, they spot Lasky's contact, Petra Janecek, climbing down a balcony. The trio head to a boardwalk where Lasky and Petra catch up on old times. Lasky asks Naiya if she can give him and Petra a few minutes to keep Naiya from hearing anything that could implicate her. In the Artesia-702 system, the Infinity discovers a damaged freighter, Pilgrims Pride. TJ Murphy relays to the Infinity that it is leaking atmosphere and there are faint life signs aboard. Hood orders Bradley to have the ship tugged into one of the sub-vessel deployment bays. A battle ensues inside the bay between the Infinity's Broadswoards and UNSC aircraft that deployed from the freighter. Fireteams Majestic, Colossus, and Fenrir infiltrate the freighter to stop it from self-destructing. Upon inspecting the interior they are attacked by an automated weapon emplacement which Madsen swiftly destroys. Hood orders the Broadswords to provide cover for the Pelican tugs as they get the freighter out the deployment bay. With the ship back in space, Grant ejects the core from the ship before it self-destructs. After the core explodes, Majestic notifies Miller that they are alive and request pickup.
Back in Castiglione, Lasky tells Petra that they need help rooting out a mole inside the UNSC. He states that a secret diplomatic meeting was ambushed despite its location being highly classified. Petra agrees to do the job but wants the whereabouts of John-117 in exchange. Back aboard the Infinity, Hood and Bradley inspect the remains of the aircraft that the freighter was carrying which were composed of Vultures and Sparrowhawks. They run an I.D. check on the vessels and trace the craft back to the UNSC Spirit of Fire. Before they can file a report on the ship, Hood reveals that he was the reason why the starship went missing.
Issue 5
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Issue 6
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Issue 7
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Issue 8
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Appearances
Production notes
Though the series primarily uses Halo 4's designs for the Covenant species and their equipment, the Halo 3 and Halo: Reach incarnations of certain elements also appear in some panels. Most notably, Lydus resembles the Brutes seen in Halo: Reach, yet his bodyguards are clearly drawn in their Halo 3 likeness. Pre-Halo: Reach and post-Halo: Reach Banshees are shown side-by-side in Issue 2, and a Halo 3/Reach-style Grunt makes a cameo in the same issue. Curiously, despite his recognizable classic appearance, Escalation depicts the Arbiter much like the Sangheili in Halo 4 with regard to his skin tone and mouth structure.
Mistakes
- In some panels in Issue 1, Kig-Yar are seen with four fingers instead of three.
- In Issue 1, the visor color of the Spartan with War Master armor is orange, yet in Issue 2 it is blue.
- Throughout the first three issues Banshees are depicted in their unpiloted stance even though they are flying. Similarly, in Issue 1 they are shown firing thin beams at DS-004, rather than the bolts that they canonically fire. This is similar to the Halo: Combat Evolved box art.
- In Issue 4, Commander Bradley is accidentally referred to as Lasky in one panel.
- Zef 'Trahl's hand is erroneously depicted with a single thumb; the Sangheili have bilaterally symmetrical hands with two thumbs.
Gallery
Issue #1 cover art by Anthony Palumbo.
Issue #1 variant cover art by Kenneth Scott.
Issue #2 cover art by Anthony Palumbo.
Issue #3 cover art by Anthony Palumbo.
Issue #4 cover art by Anthony Palumbo.
Issue #5 cover art by Anthony Palumbo.
Issue #6 cover art by Sparth.
Issue #7 cover art by Sparth.
Issue #8 cover art by Anthony Palumbo.
Sources
- ^ Halo: Escalation Volume 1 at Amazon.com
- ^ pbs.twimg.com - Halo: Escalation Giveaway
- ^ Wired.com: Dark Horse Will Turn World of Halo 4 Into Ongoing Comic Series
- ^ Dark Horse Announces All-New Halo Ongoing Series: Escalation!
- ^ Comic Book Resources: Dark Horse Comic Solicitations for February 2014
- ^ Comic Book Resources: Dark Horse Comic Solicitations for March 2014
- ^ Comic Book Resources: Dark Horse Comic Solicitations for April 2014
- ^ Comic Book Resources: Dark Horse Comic Solicitations for May 2014
- ^ Comic Book Resources: Dark Horse Comic Solicitations for June 2014
- ^ Comic Book Resources: Dark Horse Comic Solicitations for July 2014
