Avery Johnson

Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson (voiced by David Scully) is an energetic soldier in the UNSC Marine Corps. He plays a vital role in both Halo games, providing assistance to the Chief at very opportune times. He also has a strange fascination for Flip Music. SERVICE NUMBER: 48789-2094-AJ^[1]

Biography

Early Career

Avery J. Johnson has been fighting the Covenant since he was old enough to join the Marines. After joining, he was assigned to the troop regiments on Paris IV. When the Covenant attacked the planet in the Siege of Paris IV, Sergeant Johnson fought valiantly. He captured a crate of plasma grenades from the Covenant when his troops needed weapons and used them all against the Covenant to keep them at bay so his troops could evacuate. After they returned to Reach for reassignment, doctors discovered an unusual side effect of using so many plasma grenades: a type of radiation poisoning called Boren's Syndrome had affected Sergeant Johnson's neural electric pathways. He recieved a Purple Heart and a 1200-rad dose of the unfamiliar radiation. He refused treatment, and this ultimately helped him in the future.

With the rank of Staff Sergeant, he was assigned to one of the many stations over Reach. During The Battle of Reach, he led a search and destroy team that was picked up by the Master Chief who was on the Circumference mission aboard Reach Station Gamma.^[2] Thus, he was not actually assigned to the Pillar of Autumn yet he was an instrumental crew member during the events at Halo.

Halo

Johnson was responsble for the deaths of many Covenant troops on Halo.

When the Pillar of Autumn came across a mysterious ring,

Johnson helped defend the Autumn from the boarding party, but like everyone else, was forced to abandon ship when Keyes issued the order. His escape pod successfully landed on the ring with little injuries to the passengers. However, as soon as they stepped onto the grass, they were viciously attacked by the Covenant. With his squad scattered all over the valley, he was glad to see the Chief come strolling up to assist.^[3]

Escape from the Flood

Sergeant Johnson fighting a Flood attacker form in Breaking Quarantine. The characters on the picture are Japanese Katakana letters that mean "Don, Don, Don, Don," - which is Japanese for the sound a gun makes, analogous to the English "Bam."

In order to escape the Flood, Johnson was forced to confront the death of his squad and the nightmarish Combat Forms.

After intercepting a Covenant transmission detailing the transport of numerous weapons to somewhere in the swampy regions of the ring and 'Qualomee telling Captain Keyes during interrogations that there is a large weapons cache located in a swamp. Captain Keyes, Sergeant Johnson, and other Marines went to investigate. Shortly after they were dropped off, the crew came across a structure leading underground. As they ventured further into the facility they came across several Elite corpses, with scambled innards. Passing them off as friendly fire, they proceeded deeper into the facility until they entered a seemingly empty room. Annoyed with Private Manuel Mendoza's whining about "having a bad feeling", Johnson passed off the situation as sissy talk until Flood Infection Forms burst out of the nearby holding cells, attacking the squad. Nothing he had ever seen in his entire career as a Marine could prepare him for the enemy he found attacking his soldiers.

For some reason, the Flood failed to convert him into a Combat Form. The Flood could not force a match between it's neural pathways, and that of Sergeant Johnson's. Halsey later found, "traces of Flood DNA—very much dead and noninfectious, but some gene fragments are intact." Halsey believed this was proof of a failed attempt to possess him. However, the effects of the failed Flood infection and Sergeant Johnson's condition gave him minor regeneration abilities.^[4] Johnson is the only known case of an infection form failing to successfully assimilate a human host.

He was presumed dead after Master Chief found a helmet recorder entry from Private Wallace Jenkins.

Return to Earth

Johnson surprised the Chief when he was rescued along with Polaski, Locklear, and Haverson. At first, John didn't believe what he was seeing, thinking maybe it was a new Flood trick. However, Cortana convinced him with preliminary scans that Johnson was fine, and was then welcomed. Johnson proceeded to aid the Chief in capturing the Covenant flagship Ascendant Justice, providing covering fire and attacking the enemy by surprise.

They used the ship to return back to Reach and picked up the remaining Spartans. Johnson joined the Chief as he went down to the surface. One of those rescued was Dr. Halsey.

After her rescue, Halsey reviewed Johnson's condition with the Flood and gave the Chief two data crystals: one containing all data available and ways to counter a Flood infestation, the other included the source material of Jenkins's mission logs and Johnson's medical files. Johnson could have died from ONI's experimentations had the Master Chief given the second crystal. Thankfully, Master Chief's decison allowed Johnson to live and continue on active duty. He had learned the difference one man could make in the war, and was not going to sacrifice one of the best soldiers he had ever worked with.

Operation: First Strike

Johnson continued to be of use when the Spartans attacked the Unyielding Hierophant in Operation: FIRST STRIKE.

The First Battle of Earth

Johnson is presented with The Colonial Cross along with the Chief.

Upon his return to Earth, Johnson was promoted to Sergeant Major and given The Colonial Cross by Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood for his efforts.

Shortly after the Earth invasion of the Covenant, Johnson aided the defense of the Cairo. He and Miranda Keyes were besieged by Covenant forces until Master Chief destroyed the opposition. Aboard the In Amber Clad, Johnson put together a squad of marines to lead a task force in the Outskirts of New Mombasa. Using a sniper rifle, Johnson fought alongside his old friend. When the Chief went on to find the marines from the downed Pelican, Johnson stayed back with the rescue Pelican units to provide cover, even a Scorpion tank. He was present for the rest of the battle while the Chief took down the Covenant Scarab. After its destruction, he picked up the Chief and brought him back into In Amber Clad, just as the massive Covenant ship took off into slipspace. In Amber Clad, caught in the wake, was brought along for the ride.

Delta Halo

Coming out of slipspace, Johnson was shocked to learn that there was another Halo in existence. He stayed back with the Pelicans to help the Chief's infiltration of the ancient temples, dropping off more soldiers, a Warthog and a Scorpion. He joined Miranda in the search for the Index, leading them to the Library. However, moments after they acquire the key, they are assaulted by the Arbiter and captured by Tartarus. Both are taken to the Installation's Control Room.

Johnson commandeering a Scarab before the Arbiter.

Moments before his execution, Johnson was saved by the Arbiter and his squad of Elites and Hunters, due to the newly erupted Covenant Civil War. Hijacking a nearby Scarab, he aided the Arbiter by destroying the heavily armored entry into the Control Room, allowing his new ally to head inside. Bringing with him a Covenant Beam Rifle, Johnson arrived moments before Tartarus inserted the Index, activating the Installation. During the battle that followed, he repeatedly fired at Tartarus from a distance, bringing down his protective shield and allowing the Arbiter to slay the Chieftain.

After Miranda reclaimed the Index and deactivated Halo, 343 Guilty Spark informed them that the six remaining rings were on standby mode and could now be activated by the Ark. Standing there with Miranda, the Arbiter, and the other survivors, they wondered what the future would hold.

Behind the Scenes

Trivia

In the Great Journey level, when you fight tartarus if you face him. He will refer to you as the Master Chief. He will also use terms as if he were on Earth such as "Bring it Tourist"
He is (as of returning to Earth in HALO-2) the same rank as John-117.

The Invincible Johnson

File:D40 35.jpg

Johnson and an Elite halt their battle when they notice the Pillar of Autumn about to explode in the non-canon extended ending of Halo: Combat Evolved.

In Halo: Combat Evolved, Johnson is expendable, just like every other marine, but will always return in the next level. Sometimes there are two Sergeant Johnson characters aiding the Chief. This paradox can be seen in the levels Pillar of Autumn, Halo and 343 Guilty Spark. However, many players speculate that there are other marine sergeants with the Johnson model, such as in Silent Cartographer (level) and Assault on the Control Room (level), where Johnson is already occupied in aiding Captain Keys in his search for the Covenant weapons cache.

In Halo 2, Johnson is an NPC, immune from harm.

Bungie's Explanation

According to Bungie's Legendary Halo PC/MAC walkthrough on their website:

Wait! Don't walk away! There's a short scene you haven't seen when you've beaten the game on previous levels. You'll see a tug of war happening between an Elite and Sergeant Johnson.

"But wait." You say, "I saw Sgt. Johnson die twice now already. What's up with that?"

Well, think of Sgt. Johnson as being like Kenny from South Park. No matter how many times he dies he'll always come back. Why? Well, it's complicated. Suffice it to say that even nuclear explosions can't keep a good man down.

Johnson, a Spartan I ?

Main article: Halo Graphic Novel Pg122

In the Halo Graphic Novel, on pg 122, reveals that he was involved in Project: ORION, the Spartan-I program.^[1] This would make him over 60 years old, possibly even 70. This would mean that either Spartans can live longer without aging, or people generally live longer in the future. Another possibility is that Johnson has accumulated a total of several years spent frozen in cryo-chambers during missions requiring long periods of time traveling through slipspace, thus keeping him physically younger than he actually is. Any or all of these conditions may be have contributed to Sgt. Johnson appearing younger than he is.

Quotes

"All you greenhorns who wanted to see Covenant up close? This is going to be your lucky day!" To the marines on the Pillar of Autumn (Level)
"Please...don't shake the lightbulb!" To Tartarus in The Great Journey (Level)
"Come on, Arbiter, kick that guy's ass!" To the Arbiter during combat with Tartarus The Great Journey (Level)
"This is it, baby. Hold me." To a miscellaneous Elite, in the Legendary Halo 1 ending.
"(coughs) Say what?!" When he learns about another halo in Halo 2
"Listen, you don't like me, and I sure as hell don't like you. But if we don't do something, Mr. Mohawk's gonna activate this ring, and we're all gonna die." To the Arbiter, while piloting a Scarab.
"Oh I know what the ladies like..." To Cortana when she thanks him for bringing her and the Master Chief a Tank...and while cocking a machine gun.
"Looks like your freaky little mouth just bit off more than it could chew" to a Grunt on the Outskirts Level
"Well, there's only one thing left to say...(loudly, brashly vocalizes the "That's all, folks!" tune from Looney Toons)" When the player is killed if he attacks the bridge crew of the Pillar of Autumn
"This is it baby, hold me." To an elite in the non-canon Legendary ending for Halo:CE

Pillar of Autumn Speeches

"Keep your eyes downrange, fingers on the triggers, and we all come home in one piece. Am I right, Marines?"

— Easy

"Once again, it is our job to finish what the flyboys started. We are leaving this ship, platoon, and engaging the Covenant on solid ground. When we meet the enemy, we will rip their skulls from their spines and toss them away, laughing! Am I right, Marines?"

— Normal

"Men, here is where we show those split-chinned squid-headed sons of bitches that they could not have picked a worse enemy than the human race. We are going to blow the hell out of those dumb bugs until we don't have anything left to shoot them with. Then we will strangle them with their own living guts! Am I right, Marines?"

— Hard

"Men, we have led these dumb bugs out to the middle of no-where to keep them from gettin' their filthy claws on Earth. Instead, we stumbled on something they're so hot for, they're scrambling over each other to get it. Well, I don't care if its God's own anti-son-of-a-bitch machine or a giant hula hoop, we're not going to let them have it! What we will let them have is a belly full of lead and a pool of their own blood to drown in! Am I right, Marines?"

— Legendary

Metropolis Speeches

"You had your chance to be afraid before you joined my beloved Corps! But, to guide you back to the true path, I brought this motivational device! Our big green style cannot be defeated!"

— Easy

"The Chief is gonna jump in this tank, roll across the bridge, and blow up any inhuman son-of-a-bitch dumb enough to get between him and the Prophet of Regret! Pull yourself together, because you're going with him."