Reclaimer

Reclaimer is the fifth campaign level of Halo 4. Completing the mission on any difficulty unlocks the Reclaimer achievement. The Mortardom achievement is awarded for hijacking a Wraith and using it to destroy at least four enemy Wraiths in the level on Heroic or harder.

Transcript

{Cutscene}

Fade from black. Captain Del Rio surveys Requiem's surface from the window of Infinity's bridge. Two Broadsword fighters pass overhead, disappearing along the horizon. He gazes around the bridge before walking over to the holodeck. The hologram depicts a Pelican flying through a desert canyon. Del Rio proceeds to address the ground teams.

• Andrew Del Rio: "Infinity to Gypsy Company."
• Cut to Gypsy Company's Pelicans, flying through the canyon.
• Del Rio: "The air corridor to the gravity well is blocked by a network of particle cannons."
• Scene transitions to the interior of the Pelican. The Master Chief, marines and two Spartan-IVs observe a holographic display of Del Rio as he speaks.
• 'Del Rio: "Infinitys shields are still down. Open the lane for us to move up and provide air support."
• John-117: "Captain, what's Force Recon's assessment of the terrain?"
• Del Rio: (annoyed) "I know you've been off the field for a while, Master Chief, but this is a blowthrough op. Sending in recon would just slow us down."
• An image of a particle cannon appears next to Del Rio.
• Del Rio: "Telemetry indicates that the particle cannons are being controlled from a command post southwest of our position. Roll on that target, and neutralize those guns. We'll meet on the other side, and take the gravity well. Infinity out."
• Del Rio ends the transmission.
• Cortana: "I don't know about you, but I usually like a little more 'intel' with my intel…"
• John-117: "We'll make it work."
• The Pelican prepares to land, and John turns to the door as it opens. The marines and Spartan-IVs form-up behind him.

{Gameplay}

• Palmer: "Chief; Spartan Sarah Palmer, Infinity CIC. Commander Lasky's waiting for you on the Mammoth."
• John-117: "On our way."
• Making his way through the tunnel, the Mammoth towers overhead.
• Cortana: "Well. Someone's overcompensating."
• Pilot: (COM) "Papa Foxtrot Seven Six Six to Spartan Palmer, we're finally in the air."
• The Chief proceeds to board the Mammoth and finds Lasky at the fore of the vehicle on the uppermost level.
• Lasky: "Chief. Unfortunately for us, we've got to manually bring down a couple of the particle cannons before we can get to the command post."
• Palmer: "Chief, Palmer again. The Mammoth's got jetpacks onboard. If I were down there, I'd want one."

John grabs a jetpack near the aft.

• Del Rio: "Gypsy Company, this is Captain Del Rio. The board is green. Let's shut that gravity well so we can go home. Good hunting. Infinity out."
• The Mammoth begins to move.
• Lasky: "OK, Gypsy, time to work for it. Let's shake some dirt."
• The Mammoth travels along the side of a sheer cliff. Three Pelicans fly just ahead of the Mammoth.
• Palmer: "Captain Del Rio, targeting Pelicans are in position near the particle cannons, waiting for the Mammoth's mini-MAC to take them out."
• The Pelicans move closer toward the particle cannons.
• Palmer: "Seven Six Six, lose some altitude. You're inside the kill box!"
• Pilot: "Almost got target lock. Just a little more..."
• The Mammoth rounds the bend. A large Forerunner construct floats in the distance. The particle cannon begins to initiate the firing sequence.
• Palmer: "Pelican! Fall back!"
• The cannon fires. Two pelicans are instantly vaporized, while the third goes down in flames from a glancing blow.
• Lasky: "Infinity! Pelicans down!"
• Del Rio: "Get to the crash site and retrieve that target designator, Gypsy. You've got no chance of clearing those guns without it."
• Lasky: "All teams, we've got Covenant squads digging in on the ridgeline. Weapons free, people."
• John and the infantry onboard the Mammoth clear the enemies from a high vantage point and press forward towards the crash site.
• Lasky: "All right, Chief, Mammoth's just about in range."
• A Covenant Phantom converges on the crash site.
• Lasky: "Eyes up, Gypsy! Dropships on approach."
• Palmer: "There's Gypsy Seven's Pelican, out in the muck. Anyone still alive?"
• Pilot: "We're here! We're alive! We've got the target designator."
• John-117: "I'll get to them and retrieve the designator."
• Spartan-IV: "Warthogs free!"
• Chief exits the Mammoth and clears the hostiles surrounding the surviving Pelican forces before recovering the target designator.
• Cortana: "Target those Phantoms for the railgun to shoot down."
• The Chief paints the target. Meanwhile, Covenant reinforcements, including a Wraith, assault the ground forces.
• Lasky: "Target acquired."
• The mini-MAC fires upon and destroys the Phantom.
• Lasky: "Railgun reloading."
• John eliminates the remaining enemies in the area.
• Lasky: "All right, Master Chief. We're clear. Mini-MAC's at your disposal. Take out that particle cannon."
• The Master Chief targets the particle cannon and the mini-MAC fires.
• Lasky: "Target suppressed. Nicely done, Chief."
• Cortana: "Railgun reloading!"
• John makes his way back aboard the Mammoth, which then proceeds to the next area.
• Lasky: "Lasky to Infinity, first contact cleared but no joy on additional targets. Gypsy moving on to securing battle position, but we're requesting evac for casualties."
• Palmer: "I'm on it, Commander. Palmer out."
• The Mammoth continues onward, but two Phantoms along with several Banshees begin attacking.
• Cortana: "More Covenant!"
• Eventually, Covenant air-support is cleared from the area. The Mammoth veers away from the cliff edge and continues down a wide canyon.
• Cortana: "Force field, barricading the far side of this canyon. I'm seeing three power sources. Shut them down so the Mammoth can move through."
• Upon bringing down the first power source.
• Cortana: "Good. Two more."
• Cortana: "Wraith!"
• The second power source is destroyed.
• Cortana: "Two for two. Finish 'em off."

(needs expanding)

SIZE MATTERS

{Cutscene}

• John holds a hand up, trying to see through the shine of Reqiem's artificial sun. A figure descends from above towards him.
• John-117: "Who are you?"
• Librarian: "I am the remains of the Forerunner once known as the Librarian."
• Librarian: "My memories were retained to assist humanity on their path to the Mantle. Though sadly, that plan is now at risk."
• Librarian: "The Didact is leaving Requiem. Soon. You must not allow it."
• John-117: "Leaving?"
• Librarian: "He seeks this; the Composer."
• She motions behind the Chief, where the Composer is displayed
• Librarian: "A device which will allow him to finally contain the greatest enemy ever faced by the Forerunners. You."
• A series of narrative scenes play as the Librarian speaks.
• Librarian: "Mankind spread into the stars with an unexpected, desperate violence. Entire systems fell before the Didact's Warrior-Servants rose to halt the aggression."
• Librarian: "When the Didact finally exhausted the humans, after a millennia, his sentence was severe."
• Librarian: "We had no way of knowing that the Forerunners were not your only enemy."
• Librarian: "Humanity hadn't been expanding. They were running."
• Librarian: "Weakened from our conflict, we were no match for the parasite which pursued you.
• Librarian: "The Forerunners made plans for a final, great journey. But the Didact refused to yield our Mantle of Responsibility. He would save all life in the galaxy... at a cost."
• Librarian: "In the Forerunners' quest for transcendence, the Composer had been intended to bridge the organic and digital realms. It would have made us immortal."
• Librarian: "But its results soured. The stored personalities fragmented, and our attempts to return them into biological states created only abominations."
• Librarian: "Such moral concerns faded from the Didact's attention."
• Librarian: "The Flood only assimilated living tissue."
• Librarian: "The Composer would provide the Didact his solution... and his revenge."
• The narrative ends, the scene returns to John and the Librarian.
• John-117: "The Prometheans... they're human."
• Librarian: "They were only the beginning. He would have encrypted your entire race if we had not removed the Composer from his care and imprisoned him here."
• Librarian: "Reclaimer, when I indexed mankind for repopulation, I hid seeds from the Didact. Seeds which would lead to an eventuality. Your physical evolution. Your combat skin. Even your ancilla, Cortana. You are the culmination of a thousand lifetimes of planning."
• John-117: "Planning for what?"
• Librarian: "He has found us."
• Pillars rise from the clouds, Promethean Knights perched atop them.
• Didact: "Even in death, her meddling continues."
• Librarian: "Reclaimer, the genesong I placed within you contains many gifts, including an immunity to the Composer, but it must be unlocked."
• John-117: "How?"
• Didact: "Relinquish your contact, essence!"
• Librarian: "Your evolutionary journey must be accelerated."
• John-117: "Can I defeat the Didact without it?"
• Librarian: "No."
• John-117: "Then do it."
• Librarian: "Prepare."

{Gameplay}

THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION

• Screen fades to Infinity's ship in flight, then inside with John-117, Cortana, Del Rio, Lasky, and Palmer

• Del Rio: "Infinity cannot handle that kind of punishment. Not again."
• Cortana: "This isn't about us or this ship anymore."
• John-117: "Sir, we've seen what the Didact is capable of. If we let him leave this world, humanity will be at risk."
• Del Rio: "Look; I understand what you think you saw."
• Cortana: (in surprise and anger) "Think?!"
• John-117: "With all due respect sir, I know what I saw."
• Del Rio: "And with all due respect to you, soldier, I'm not willing to jeopardize my ship because of the hallucinations of an aging Spartan and his malfunctioning AI."
• Lasky: "Sir, what if he is right?"
• Del Rio pauses, giving Lasky a disbelieving look.
• Del Rio: "Nav, as soon as we know we are airtight I want a course laid in to Carinae Station. Comm, prepare a warning beacon."
• The ship's displays and lights flicker and spark as Cortana flashes red with anger.
• Cortana: (engaged) "I will not allow you to leave this planet!"
• A wave of energy expands from Cortana as she screams at Del Rio. Almost instantly, she returns to her normal state, showing embarrassment for her rampancy's progress.
• John-117: (concerned) "Cortana?"
• Cortana: "I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to do that..."
• Del Rio: "Commander Lasky, Pursuant to Article 55 of UNSC Regulation 12-145-72, I am ordering you to remove that AI's data chip and retire it for final dispensation."
• Cortana: "Don't... Please... please. I don't want to... You don't want me to... please."
• Del Rio: (impatiently) "Remove the chip now, Commander."
• Cortana: "Please... I don't want to..."
• Lasky reaches for the chip but the Master Chief takes it before he is able.
• Del Rio: (sternly) "Give me that chip."
• The Chief puts the chip into his helmet.
• John-117: "The Didact has to be stopped. If you won't do that, I will."
• Del Rio: (angrily) "I... am ordering you... (shouts) to surrender that AI!"
• The Master Chief steps forward in defiance.
• John-117: "No, sir."
• Del Rio furiously stands back and looks at Palmer, pointing to the Chief.
• Del Rio: "Lieutenant, arrest that man!"
• Lasky: "Captain-"
• Del Rio: (louder) "Arrest him!"
• Lasky: "Captain!"
• John-117: (to Lasky) "Get word back to Earth that trouble is coming. Cortana and I will do what we can from here."
• Lasky nods at the Chief.
• The Chief leaves the deck, no one moving to stop him.

• Cutscene ends.

Trivia

Glitches

• It's possible to avoid spawning the two Pelicans at the beginning of the level. There will be no waypoint over Lasky and you will not be able to gain access to a Jetpack, but you can still progress by running ahead of the Mammoth, which will trigger it's departure and unveil the Jetpacks. Not spawning the Pelicans opens up many possibilities, such as backtracking to the start after visiting the crashed Pelican site (normally, there is a combination of a soft kill zone and invisible barrier accompanying warning dialogue from Palmer when you try to go there). Most prominently, this can be used to pilot one of the aforementioned Pelicans by deloading it's AI pilot, though this can only be done Co-op.
• The SPARTAN-IV sniper at the beginning of the level seems to always experience a pathfinding glitch that prevents him from boarding the Mammoth. He will run left toward the rock wall and continue to run in place. Note that he will occasionally take a step back from the wall (Marines and Spartans in Halo 4 are programmed to do this if they end up stuck). When he does, you can free him by meleeing him away from the wall and immediately walking into him, though it will take some effort. It is much more easier to use a well placed grenade, though you'll want Cowbell skull enabled and it may take several tries. When freed, the Spartan will board the Mammoth as intended, unless it has already taken off.
• Two SPARTAN-IVs that normally board the Lich's lower turret platform may instead perform a super jump out of the map.
• There are 4 known soft walls ("holes" in walls or ceilings that let you get out of the map) on this level. The first lets you skip the sniper section ("sniper alley"). The second lets you explore outside the Forerunner structure and enter normally inaccessible rooms. The third lets you explore outside as well but has nothing apparent to offer. The fourth lets you deload the Prometheans and Cortana (and when used in conjunction with the third, it gives you early access into the room before starting the Librarian cutscene).
• In the area with the tanks, you can flip the Scorpion (driving it off a ledge works well) and if you stand on it as you right it, there is a good chance you will get thrown up very high and get stuck up there. Projectiles might not appear or do damage. If you walk, there is no animation, and if you go to a place without ground below you, you will slide down to the death barrier. If you have the laser designator, you can finish the level from there, but the Master Chief will still appear in the cutscene.

Mistakes

• There is an inconsistency on the gender of the pilot of Papa Foxtrot 766. After being shot down, it is a male Marine who answers Palmer. However, when John-117 reaches the crash site, there is only a male Marine there, and a female voice will express her thanks for the rescue.
• In the final cutscene, Del Rio refers to Commander Sarah Palmer as "Lieutenant" when ordering her to arrest the Master Chief.