"For failure such as this, no punishment is too great."
Summary
The Heretic is the first level of Halo 2, consisting entirely of cinematic.
Transcript
{Fade in on the broken pieces of Halo, still burning.}
{A Covenant ship flys by. The camera pans with it to a giant Covenant structure (High Charity).}
{Text: Covenant Holy City, High Charity. Ninth Age of Reclamation}
{Close up of High Charity. Dozens of Covenant ships swarm around.}
{Fade to a ledge across from tiers of stadium-like seats; several Banshees fly around. The camera slowly zooms toward a door on the back of the ledge.}
Elite Commander (voice over): "There was only one ship."
{Fade in to the Council Chamber. Rows of Honor Guard Elites stand at attention. A gold Elite stands at the end, facing three Prophets.}
Prophet of Regret (voice over): "One? Are you sure?"
Elite Commander (voice over): "Yes. They called it... Pillar of Autumn."
(We see stadium seats filled with Elite and Prophet Councilers. They mutter amongst themselves.}
Prophet of Mercy: "Why was it not destroyed, with the rest of their fleet?!"
Elite Commander: "They fled, as we set fire to their planet."
(Flashback: the Pillar of Autumn flees Reach as Covenant ships bombard the planet}
Elite Commander (voice over): "I followed with all the ships in my command."
{Flashback: a Covenant ship approaches Halo}
Prophet of Regret (voice over): "When you first saw Halo, were you blinded by its magesty?"
Elite Commander (voice over): "Blinded?"
Prophet of Regret (voice over): "Paralized? Dumbstruck?"
Elite Commander (voice over): "No."
{End flashback. We see Regret is not actually here, but rather transmiting his image into a hologram.}
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.}
Prophet of Mercy: "There will be order in this Council!"
(The Prophet of Truth raises his hands and comes forward.}
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 (voice over): "By the time I learned the demon's intent, there was nothing I could do."
{End flashback. The Prophet Councilers stand up and yell angrily. Elite Councilers 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 destinction. But your inability to safeguard Halo was a collosal failure!"
Prophet Counciler: " {Stands up and shakes fist} Nay, it was heresy!"
{The Councilers yell. The Elite 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 looks at Tartarus, and the Brute barks a command. Brutes escort the Elite out.}
Prophet of Truth (voice over): "Soon the Great Journey shall begin. (pause) But when it does, the weight of your heresy will stay your feet," {close up of Truth} "And you shall be left behind."
{Fade in, Truth's crown's holographic Halo fades into Earth's moon.}
{Pan down to three MAC stations in Earth's orbit. A few UNSC ships fly around.}
{Text: Earth Defense Platform, Cairo. 10.20.2552 (Military Calender)}
{Cut to a close-up of the nearest platform.}
Master Sergeant Gunns (voice over): "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.}
Sgt. Gunns: "Optics, totally fried. And lets not even talk about the power supply." {we see the Chief's helmet on the table} "You know how expensive this gear is, son?"
Master Chief: {puts on the helmet} "Tell that to the Covenant."
{fade to white}