The Ark

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Prev:	Floodgate
Next:	The Covenant
The Ark
Game:	Halo 3
Player:	John-117
Date:	December 11, 2552
Location:	Installation 00
	Halopedia has a walkthrough guide for this level; see The Ark (level)/Walkthrough.

Template:Article Quote The Ark is the seventh campaign level of Halo 3. It takes place in a desert that comprises one of the center-most regions of the Ark, located 2¹⁸ light-years outside the Milky Way galaxy's center. In this level, the Covenant separatists and the humans side with 343 Guilty Spark and his Sentinel allies to access the Cartographer and find The Prophet of Truth. Beating this mission on Heroic unlocks the Shoulder Pads to the Elite Flight Harness Armor Permutation. Beating this level on Normal unlocks the EVA shoulder pads. Beating this level on Legendary gets you the EOD shoulder pads. Getting more than 50,000 Meta Game points will unlock the Ranger achievement, worth 10 Gamerpoints.

Transcript

(Cutscene)

The Separatist Cruisers and Carrier arrive at the other side of the Slipspace Portal. A colossal structure is below them, and a Covenant fleet straight ahead.

Cut to the bridge of the Shadow of Intent.

• Sangheili Major: "Brute ships. Staggered line! Shipmaster, they outnumber us, three-to-one!"

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum: "Then it is an even fight. (COM) All Cruisers, fire at will! Burn their mongrel hides!"

ODSTs and Marines board a Pelican with John-117.

• Lieutenant Commander Miranda Keyes (COM): "Truth's ship isn't taking part in the attack. He must've gone to ground!"

• Sergeant Major Avery Junior Johnson: "Roger that, Ma'am! We're on him! (to Hocus) Kick the door."

Hocus drops out of the Forward Unto Dawn with two other Pelicans while the rest of three are dispatched from Shadow of Intent. The massive underside of the Shadow of Intent can be seen flying on top of the Dawn. As they breach through the loyalist fleet, one is shot and destroyed by Seraph fighter-interceptors, but the rest make it unscathed. During the descent, the two fleets begin to engage each other. As they enter the atmosphere, the Chief checks on Johnson and Hocus in the cockpit, then returns to the back, where several Marines and ODSTs sit, readying themselves for battle.

• Johnson (COM): "We good, Hocus?"

• Hocus (COM): "She's a little cooked, Sergeant Major... But she'll hold."

The Master Chief picks up a Sniper Rifle.

• Johnson (COM): "Alright. Pop the hatch!"

The Master Chief slams a mag into his rifle. The hatch opens, revealing a massive desert (In Co-op, the Arbiter, with a Particle Beam Rifle, stands up from the right side of the troop bay and moves to sit on the left side). The Chief walks to the right side and sits down.

{Gameplay}

• ODST: "That's some view."

• Johnson (COM): "Enjoy it while you can, Marines. Soon as we land, we're right back to it. Priority one: Secure a Landing Zone for the Commander's Frigate. Keep your eyes and ears open. We need all the Intel we can get... on wherever the hell we are."

The Pelicans touch down on a rocky platform.

• Johnson (COM): "Stand to, Marines!"

• Marines: "HOO-RAH!"

• Johnson (COM): "Go, go, go!!"

Installation 00

Sharpshooter.

The Master Chief (and the Arbiter, in co-op) and two ODSTs jump out of the Pelican. The Marines remain on-board. Another Pelican lands, dropping off two more troopers (In 3-4 player Co-op, N'tho 'Sraom and Usze 'Taham will come from the second Pelican). As the team moves on, one spots what looks like a galaxy in the sky.

• ODST 1: "Hey, check it out. In the sky. Is that-?"

• ODST 2: "Hey, focus! We got a job to do."

The Marines take up positions on a ledge, overlooking a Covenant encampment.

An ODST with red armor trim (Squad Leader) turns to the Chief.

• ODST: "Chief, eyes on."

The Corporal leads the team up the hill.

• ODST: "Got a good angle."

The team sets up firing positions.

• ODST: "You take the first shot."

• Prophet of Truth (Hologram): "My Dreadnought cannot rise. Even now it is engaged; turn death into war for this new world. Do not relent until the heretic ships are smashed!"

The Chief fires, and the rest of the team opens fire. Through tactical advantage and sniper fire, the enemy soldiers are wiped out.

• ODST: "We got more enemy contacts ahead, move out!"

The team goes through a cave. A Phantom is assembling an Anti-Aircraft Battery on the other end.

• ODST: "They're setting up an AA battery. That thing'll tear the Dawn apart... We'll wait for you to take the shot."

The team engages the enemy. The Phantom abandons a piece of the battery and flees. Having the lower ground, the Covenant soldiers start to retreat. Another Phantom drops off a Hunter pair. The Master Chief finally takes them down, and the team continues up the hill.

• Keyes (COM): "Chief, I'm giving the Brutes all I've got...but this is a heavy-weight fight! The Dawns only got the tonnage to last a few rounds. Find me a place to set her down. Over!"

If the the player stalls:

• ODST: "The area is secure, let's move ahead."

or

• ODST: "Chief, Commander Keyes is counting on us to clear the LZ."

If the the player still continues to stall:

• Johnson (COM): "Come on Chief, move ahead. Go, go, go!"

The Master Chief and the team head through the structure at the top of the hill. Coming out on the other side of the structure, they see a burning Longsword roar through the canyon.

• Longsword Pilot (COM): "Thrusters are gone, I can't control it!"

A muffled rumble is heard a few seconds later.

A few Marines reveal themselves.

• Private First Class Chips Dubbo: (whispering) "Flak got our Pelican too, sir. But before we went down, we spotted a good LZ. If we can get to our vehicles, we'll lead you to it."

The Chief and the others look at an area at the bottom of the ledge they are standing on. Several Grunts and Brutes are guarding a crashed Pelican and Mongooses which presumably fell out when the Pelican was shot down. If players stay by the downed Pelican they can pick up radio transmissions of the ongoing space battles above them.

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): Hit them again! And again! And again!"

• Unknown Longsword Pilot (COM): "Got a lock! Fox, Fox!"

• Keyes (COM): "Negative, protect the Pelicans!"

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Now, close for the finish!"

• Unknown Longsword Pilot (COM): "Negative, get out of there!"

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Let your cannons roar."

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Broadside! What fools to face our guns!"

• Keyes (COM): "Fire pods one through twelve. Archers away.

• Keyes (COM): "Two contacts at point two-three-eight!"

• Unknown Longsword Pilot (COM): "Affirmative. I see it...."

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "No, I will handle those myself."

• Unknown Longsword Pilot (COM): "Seraphs, on my six!"

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Stay away from those cruisers!"

• Keyes (COM): "Understood. Engage those Seraphs!"

• Unknown Longsword Pilot (COM): "Scratch one, coming about."

• Keyes (COM): "Let the Elites take care of those cruisers."

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Full shields! Ramming speed!"

• Unknown Longsword Pilot (COM): "Point laser fire, break off!"

• Unknown Longsword Pilot (COM): "I'm hit, I'm hit!"

• Keyes (COM): "Watch your fire, watch your fire!"

• Unknown Longsword Pilot (COM): "No sign of the Elites, moving to the carrier. Goodbye, guys."

• Unknown Longsword Pilot (COM): "All squadrons, form up! Form up!"

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "I give an honor for that kill."

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Suppress with me, point laser batteries."

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Forward lasers, draw their fire."

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "...burn."

• Keyes (COM): "Affirmative, that's a hit."

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "They have been gutted stem to stern."

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Look at it blister and burn."

• Keyes (COM): "Charge the MAC. Give me a firing solution."

Two Brute Prowlers show up. Once the Brutes are all killed, the Marines mount up on the Prowlers and working Mongooses.

• Dubbo: "Mount up. Let's find that LZ. Follow us sir, all the way down this canyon."

The player(s) mount up move on through the canyon, clearing Covenant patrols and passing the Longsword's wreckage. Transmissions from Covenant Loyalist cruisers can be heard from a crashed Phantom.

• Unknown Brute Commander (COM): "Nooooo! Hit the Carrier! Kill the Half Jaw and his crew!"

• Unknown Brute Commander (COM): "Keep their backs at fraud. Drive the heretic ships back to the Portal!"

• Unknown Brute Commander (COM): "Their cruisers mixed with ours! Watch your fire!"

• Unknown Brute Commander (COM): "Do not fear the Prophets' wrath, because if you fail I will have your hide!"

The Chief head into another canyon with a large Forerunner wall built in between the cliffs. Fighting their way through a large enemy force, the Prowlers make it to the higher level, where Brutes are engaged with Sentinels.

• ODST: "Careful, sir! Brutes must've tripped a defense system."

The players and the Sentinels clear the top floor. The Sentinels don't open fire on the humans. Johnson's Pelican flies over the wall and hovers.

• Johnson (COM): "Ma'am, Hocus almost got her wing shot off. But we spotted a structure on the other side of this wall. It matches Cortana's description of the map room from the first Halo ring."

• Keyes (COM): "A Cartographer. Good. Should help us fix Truth's location. Secure the LZ, and we'll push through that wall."

• Johnson (COM): "Roger that. Follow my Pelican, Chief! The LZ's this way."

The Sentinels follow Hocus' Pelican. The Marines are nervous about their presence.

• ODST: "Tidy bastards. Hope they never decide to clean us up."

• Marine: "It's like they don't even see us."

• ODST: "Oh, they see us. They just haven't decided what to do with us yet."

The players and the Sentinels continue along the other canyon, towards the LZ. Near a cave, they find two Marines pinned down by a large assault group of Covenant. The Sentinels and the Prowlers clear the area. The players meet up with the two Marines.

• Marine: "The LZ's through this cave, sir. Watch yourself; they've got Covenant heavy armor!"

The players head through the cave and engage the armor, eventually prevailing. Out on a sandy plateau, two Anti-Air Wraiths are filling the sky with fuel rod fire. The players take out the Anti-Air Wraiths and any remaining Covenant.

• Johnson (COM): "That did it. LZ's clear."

or

• Marine: "Oo-rah! The LZ's clear!"

or

• ODST: "OK. Tell us what you need."

• Johnson (COM): "Commander? Bring her down."

• Keyes (COM): "Roger that. Beginning my descent."

• ODST or Dubbo: "Look! Up high! Here she comes!"

• ODST: "Is the Dawn rated for atmosphere?"

• ODST or Dubbo: "Guess we're gonna find out...hey! Take cover!"

The UNSC Forward Unto Dawn swoops in dramatically, kicking up dust and sending the vehicles and debris from the previous battle tumbling and flying across the plateau.

File:Frigate.jpg

The Dawn lands on the LZ.

Forward Unto Dawn

Armor up.

• Keyes (COM): "Thanks, Chief. I wouldn't have lasted much longer up there. Come to the back of the frigate."

If the players away from the back:

• Johnson: C'mon, Chief! Let's see what the Commander has in her arsenal...

The Dawn's hangar lowers, revealing three Scorpion tanks and a Warthog. 343 Guilty Spark descends as well.

• Keyes (COM): "Did the Elites get a fix on the Cartographer?"

• Johnson (COM): "Yes, ma'am; just on the other side of that wall. But it's surrounded by Brute heavy armor".

If the player skipped the wall section leading to the Cartographer

• Keyes (COM): "Johnson, have the Elites found anything?"

• Johnson (COM): "A structure on the other side of that wall, ma'am. But it's surrounded by Brute heavy armor".

• Keyes (COM): "Don't worry; I've got a plan. If we can't fly over the wall, we'll go right through it. Chief, take one of the tanks, lead the way. If you find any locked doors, Spark will be happy to pry them open."

The Tanks and Warthogs leave the Hangar Bay, and Johnson's Pelican drops off Gunnery Sergeant Stacker and a few of his Marines to pilot the vehicles

• 343 Guilty Spark (COM): "I will certainly try my best, though I am unfamiliar with this facility."

• Johnson (COM): "Alright then, you heard the lady."

The Monitor hovers near one of the Scorpions.

• 343 Guilty Spark: "Shall I help you choose a vehicle, Reclaimer? This one seems in very good condition, primitive armor not withstanding."

• Johnson (COM): "A tank's a tank, light-bulb. Pick one, Chief. Get back to the wall. I'll help the Commander secure the Dawn. Then we'll meet you at the Cartographer."

The players choose vehicles while the rest of the Marines and ODSTs mount up.

• Johnson (COM): "Mount up - let's roll!"

• Marines: "Oo-rah!"

Ghosts and a Prowler pour in through the cave in the cliff. The Scorpions immediately fire back.

After the vehicular force strikes a kill:

• Gunnery Sergeant Stacker (COM): "Hey, how does 90 millimeters of tungsten strike you?"

After the Chief destroys all hostile vehicles:

• Marine (COM): "Tank beats Ghost!"

A Hunter pair pops out from the cave. The Scorpion takes them out with no trouble.

• Marine (COM): "Tank beats Hunter!"

While in a cave, a Phantom sets up a Support Tower. If the Chief shoots it down and destroys the tower:

• Marine (COM): "Tank beats everything! Oh, man! I could do this all day!"

The Tanks make their way back to the wall where a locked door prevents any entry into the Forerunner facility. Armor resistance made out of Wraiths, Choppers, and Ghosts along with various Covenant infantry defend it.

• Stacker (COM): "All armor, form up on the lower doorway. Chief, get upstairs; have your robot pick that lock!"

• 343 Guilty Spark (COM): "I beg your pardon? I am 343 Guilty Spark, Monitor of Installation 04."

• Stacker (COM): "Yeah, well...you're also our ticket through this wall. So if you don't mind?"

• 343 Guilty Spark (COM): "I will gladly aid the Reclaimer's progress."

The Chief and the Marines attack the facility's upper level.

• 343 Guilty Spark (COM): "Reclaimer, come to the upper doorway, the others can take the lower one."

If the player waits:

• Stacker (COM): "We'll go along Chief, you check the upper floor. Make sure we have a path through the wall!"

If the player still doesn't follow 343 Guilty Spark:

• Johnson (COM): "Armour's gotta go along Chief, you take the upper floor, make sure they have a path through the wall!"

While the Master Chief storms the upper level, the other two tanks and other vehicles meet up at the lower door, clearing resistance along the way. The Chief secures the top floor. He disembarks and goes inside alone.

• 343 Guilty Spark: "Please, use caution; avoid collateral damage! While this facility appears quite durable on the surface, no doubt there are delicate facilities below the facade. (pause) Odd, for a door to require such brute-force security protocols. One moment, Reclaimer."

Guilty Spark opens the door.

• 343 Guilty Spark: "There we are. Please, follow me."

If the the player goes back to the bottom of the wall:

• Johnson (COM): "Chief! Get back up there and make sure we have a clear path through the wall."

The Chief hops out of the Scorpion and follows Guilty Spark into the Security Wall. The Marines take the Scorpion down to the lower doorway. Sentinels stare at him as he passes by. The Monitor opens another door, the escorting Sentinel follows.

• 343 Guilty Spark: "Here, this panel will activate a bridge. Allow your companions to cross below."

If the player waits:

• 343 Guilty Spark: "Place your hand on the pad, Reclaimer."

The Master Chief activates the panel. The bridge immediately lights up. The tanks and Warthogs move across; Guilty Spark has another door opened. The Terminal is now accessible behind him.

• 343 Guilty Spark: "Excellent. This way!"

Guilty Spark looks at the Sentinels, studying their differences in behavior and the odd high security levels.

• 343 Guilty Spark: (hums) "Sudden clarity! These Sentinels were trying to deny access to the lower levels of this facility. A wise decision, given the Meddlers' preference for...destructive acquisition."

• Keyes (COM): "Good work, Chief. Link up with our armor on the far side of the wall. Make your way down to the Cartographer."

As the Chief continues on, the building shakes and trembles violently. Guilty Spark opens the door. As the Chief walks out, a massive leg slams down, as a Scarab walks right over him.

• Johnson (COM): "Heads up, Marines! We got trouble."

A Warthog with an M68 Gauss Cannon appears from the rocky area. Ghosts are trailing and kills the Gunner. The Warthog driver finds the Chief and pulls over.

• Dubbo: "Sir, Hog's all yours! Let's hit that hostile armor!"

The Master Chief mounts up. The Warthog heads back down through the rocky area, encountering vehicular and gun emplacements. They break through and the Scorpions begin their assault.

The Scorpions and Warthogs emerge from the wall.

• Stacker (COM): "All armor, form up! Hit 'em where it hurts!"

The UNSC force pushes down the hill. Wraiths, Choppers, Ghosts and a Phantom fight the Platoon back.

• Marine (COM): "Target those Wraiths!"

The tanks and the Chief take out the first two Wraiths.

• Stacker (COM): "First line, clear! Move up!"

The tanks move on to the next line of Wraiths, assisted by Ghosts and other heavy Weapons.

• Stacker (COM): "Second line: clear! Push forward!"

The Scarab crawls down the side of the Cartographer building and onto the battlefield.

• Marine (COM): "Scarab's back! This time it means business!"

• Stacker (COM): "Bravo, flank and cover! I want everybody supporting the Chief; he'll take it down!"

If the the player stalls:

• Stacker (COM): "Take out the legs Chief".

If the the player continues to stall:

• Stacker (COM): "Take out the legs! Climb on board!"

If the the player still continues to stall:

• Stacker (COM): "The back plating looks vulnerable, light that sucker up!"

If the player still doesn't take down the Scarab:

• Stacker (COM): "Hit it in the knees Chief!"

The Chief moves in on the Scarab. The tanks provide long range fire. Choppers try to assist the Scarab, but the tanks have superior firepower. The Chief can either jump onto it using of the many natural jumps in the canyon, or damage a leg until the Scarab needs to repair itself.

A sermon broadcast by Truth can be heard inside the Scarab:

• Truth (COM): "I opened the portal to this hallowed place, this shelter from Halo's fire, in the hopes that more of our Covenant would join us. Alas, save for a rabble of Heretics and their Demon allies, we are all that remains on this new world. So we must temper joy and sorrow in our hearts, for those who were left behind."

When the Chief is aboard, he goes to the back of the Scarab and destroys its core, then flees before the Scarab detonates with a deafening explosion. The Shadow of Intent can be seen entering the atmosphere at extreme distance.

• Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Not bad, Spartan. I saw that explosion from orbit. Truth's fleet lies in ruins. Find where the liar hides...so I may place my boot between his gums!"

• Keyes (COM): "We'll know soon enough, Shipmaster."

The Chief heads up the spire.

• Johnson (COM): "Infantry on the spire! Mop 'em up!"

The Chief makes it to the top, where Kilo 023 arrives with the Arbiter and two Marines.

• Thel 'Vadam: "Well done, Spartan."

Guilty Spark opens the entrance door. The team enters the facility.

Real Men Don't Read Maps

Bang and clear.

343 Guilty Spark starts to open the next door, but has trouble unlocking it.

• Marine: "Hey, what gives?"

• 343 Guilty Spark: "It seems I've...crossed a circuit."

• Marine: "Well, let me have a look."

When the Marine approaches, Guilty Spark faces the Marine and fires a blue laser at him. He yelps in pain and jumps back.

• Thel 'Vadam: (alarmed) "Oracle!"

'Vadam raises his weapon and walks around Guilty Spark cautiously, just in case Spark becomes rampant.

• Marine: "Little bastard stung me!"

• 343 Guilty Spark: "I did not want you to come to any harm."

• Marine: (muttering) "You've got a funny way of showing it."

Guilty Spark gets back to work. He succeeds.

• 343 Guilty Spark: "Excellent! This way."

Grunts are sleeping while a Brute Captain is urinating in a corner of the room. The team decides to take a stealthy approach.

• Thel 'Vadam: "Slothful runts. Kill them as they sleep."

• Marine: (whisper) "Chief, tap 'em out."

They stealthily take out the sleeping Grunt patrol and the Brute urinating against the wall. They may also just fire normally.

• 343 Guilty Spark: "Come, Reclaimer. All you seek is close at hand."

The team quietly makes their way down to the second part of the facility; the Chief encounters a Grunt walking next to a stack of plasma batteries. He may kill the Grunt quietly. The Chief goes in to the next room where a bunch of Grunts are sleeping and a Brute is patrolling on a ramp on the top of the room. He kills the Brute and the Grunts, quietly or not.

• 343 Guilty Spark: (happily) "Your goal is just below!"

On the third level down, a Brute spots them and the team is forced to engage. Clearing the room, they head outside. A terminal to the Cartographer sits at the ledge.

• 343 Guilty Spark: "The Cartographer! Come, it awaits your approval."

The Arbiter keeps watch, while the Master Chief activates the Cartographer.

{Cutscene}

Upon activating the Cartographer, a holographic projection of the Milky Way appears.

• Master Chief Petty Officer John-117: (surprised) "That's...our galaxy. We're beyond the rim."

• 343 Guilty Spark: "Two to the eighteenth light years from galactic center, to be precise."

The hologram changes to a map of the Ark.

• John-117: "What is this place?"

• 343 Guilty Spark: "The Ark."

• John-117: "This is the Ark?"

• 343 Guilty Spark: "I always assumed it was part of a... Shield installation, but it seems I was mistaken."

• John-117: (sarcastically) "That's a first."

Guilty Spark turns around and looks at the Master Chief.

• 343 Guilty Spark: "Not at all. While I had a complete understanding of Installation 04, my makers wisely limited my knowledge of all other strategic facilities. Compartmentalization - in case I was ever captured by the Flood."

• John-117: "Can you tell me where we are, exactly?"

• 343 Guilty Spark: "Here!"

A specific area on the hologram is highlighted.

• John-117: "And Truth?"

• 343 Guilty Spark: "Near one of the Ark's superluminal communication arrays, I'm afraid. Unfortunate. The Meddler has triggered a barrier; a defensive perimeter around the Ark's core."

In the distance, two Covenant Banshees with a Phantom can be seen flying by the Cartographer. 'Vadam gives the Chief a concerned glance. The Master Chief walks further around.

• 343 Guilty Spark: "The barrier will be difficult to disable... how odd that my makers would place such a comprehensive defense around a single - (shocked) Oh my."

• John-117: "What is it?"

Before Spark can answer, a Loyalist Phantom approaches.

• Thel 'Vadam: "Phantom!"

The Arbiter and the Chief get into position to fight the approaching Covenant ship, as 343 Guilty Spark continues to hover, deep in thought.

• John-117: "Spark! Move!"

The Monitor finally notices the Phantom, and flies towards the Chief as 'Vadam engages the Covenant ship from the ground. The Phantom returns fire.

• 343 Guilty Spark: "We must get past that barrier! Or the Meddler will destroy it all!"

{Gameplay}

• Johnson (COM): "Chief, you got a whole mess of hostile air inbound. Get back inside while we take 'em out."

A Banshee makes a slow attack run on 'Vadam.

• Thel 'Vadam (COM): "Follow the Oracle, Spartan."

The Arbiter boards the Banshee, kills the Brute pilot and takes control.

• Thel 'Vadam (COM): "I will help your Sergeant clear the sky."

'Vadam intercepts the Phantom (if not destroyed by the Chief), which breaks off and retreats. The Arbiter gives chase.

• Dubbo: "Sir, Pelicans are gonna land...one level down!"

As the Chief heads back into the room, there is a possibility that the Marine guarding the door will get killed by a Plasma Grenade. The Chief and his fellow Marines head down, encountering many hostiles. A Brute Chieftain with a Hammer is on the bottom floor of the lower level. 343 Guilty Spark talking to himself about the original Halo.

• 343 Guilty Spark: "Protocol dictates action. The Installation was my responsibility, if my suspicions are correct...no! I must not jump to conclusions."

• Brute Chieftain: "The pack will feast on you!"

The Chieftain runs off outside, leaving Brute Stalkers behind to do the job, but the Chief eliminates them.

• Johnson (COM): "Hang tight, Chief! We're on our way!"

Brutes gather around the Chieftain. The Prophet of Truth orders the Brute Chieftain alone to take out the Chief.

• Brute Chieftain: "Fight me, I'm right here!"

• Truth (hologram): "You must win this fight on your own. Failure will bring a fate worse than death - abandonment, as we speed forward on the Journey."

The Chief eliminates the Brute Chieftain. The other Brutes and two Jackal sharpshooters spring into action. The Chief takes them down with the Marines providing distant fire.

• Johnson (COM): "ETA: damn quick! Standby for pickup!"

The Chief and the Marines meet up with the Pelicans.

{Cutscene}

Upon meeting at the extraction point with Johnson, waiting in a Pelican, a massive flock of Sentinels rise up. Alarmed, the Chief raises his weapon.

• John-117: "Commander!"

• Keyes: "Johnson! Look sharp!"

• Johnson: (spinning up the AIE-486H Heavy Machine Gun) "I got it!"

• 343 Guilty Spark (COM): "No, don't shoot! They mean us no harm! Those units have a priority task."

• Johnson: (slightly annoyed) "Oh, yeah? And what might that be?"

• 343 Guilty Spark (COM): "I really can't say... not for sure. But if you allow me to find a terminal closer to the Core-"

A Sentinel comes up to the Chief and inspects him. The Arbiter interrupts Guilty Spark.

• Thel 'Vadam (COM): "No, Oracle. We must keep the Prophet of Truth firmly in our sights."

The Sentinel closes back up and rejoins the flock.

• 343 Guilty Spark (COM): "But what about your construct? Her solution to the Flood? With more data, I-"

• Keyes (COM): "The Arbiter's right. We have priorities too. Until we kill Truth, stop the Rings from firing..."

The Chief boards the Pelican. (In Co-op, 'Vadam will join him.)

• Keyes: "...nothing else matters."

The flock of Sentinels speeds off, with the Pelicans in trail.

Level ends

Trivia

• From the first time the player sees a Chopper the player can play this whole level through in it (Besides activating the light bridge and the Cartographer). At the end cutscene if the player uses the Chopper in the whole level, a Chopper could be seen in the background.
• At the place where the player activates the Cartographer if they look down on the edge of the crescent shaped structure they should see the small purple Holo-pedestal . Keep going through the level until the Brute Chieftain says "The pack will feast on you!" Then go back to the the crescent shaped structure, and look at the purple Holo-pedestal. After a couple of seconds the the Chieftain will come to the Holo-pedestal and praise it (strangely he starts howling like a wolf). If the player has any long ranged weapons (Battle rifle, Sniper rifle, Carbine, Sentinel beam etc.) or grenades the he/she can kill him easily from up there. But once his shields are down he starts running.

Glitches

Main article: Glitches

• Strangely, while playing co-op at Mission Start, while riding in the Pelican, Player 2 (Thel 'Vadam) will be looking out the sides of his head, no matter where he looks. Once he gets out of the Pelican however, he will see out the front of his head.
• In Theater mode right at the part where the player snaps to Master Chiefs HUD, pause and unsnap the camera, then play, he/she will see the Pelican fly normally and then fly slanted to the drop zone.
• At the structure with the light bridge, killing all the tanks and Warthogs at the bottom will cause the Marine who drops off the Gauss Warthog in the next area to be invincible. He will still react normally and say his line "Chief, 'Hog's all yours," before proceeding to attack the player. It should also be noted that even if the player kills all the tanks and Warthogs by the light bridge, they will still come out of the cliff in the next area, and will not be hostile. This is probably due to the fact that, if the tanks are watched in Theater mode (right after activating the light bridge), they simply disappear and new tanks and Warthogs appear out the other door.
• It is possible to board and destroy the Scarab when the player first exits the Forerunner building and see the Gauss warthog attacked by Ghosts. To do this, the player must grab a Ghost and destroy it at the correct time so the Ghost part can launch he/she directly into the Scarab's doorway. Once destroyed, the player will see the Scarab again at the place that he/she are tasked to destroy, except it will be only half and the main cannon is smoking.
• A player can easily navigate a Chopper the full way down to the Chieftain fight at the end of the level. With a large amount of patience and time, a player can (with a partner) also navigate a Warthog to the Chieftain fight at the end of the level. This second option may take hours, however, and requires much free time.
• If the player has a Plasma Pistol where the Arbiter is about to board the Banshee, he/she can overcharge the Plasma Pistol to disable the Banshee, the player won't be able to board it or even shoot the pilot and enter the Banshee. The Arbiter also disappears from the level.
• After activating the Silent Cartographer, if Thel 'Vadam doesn't board the Banshee in time, or if it flips, he will get up and disappear. Given time, the Banshee will disappear as well.

Mistakes

• The Milky Way throughout the level it is represented as a barred spiral galaxy, but when Master Chief activates the Cartographer it is represented as a spiral galaxy. Note that the Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy.
• During the beginning cutscene, the seats on the left side of the cargo space of the Pelican Kilo 023 appear to be occupied by ODST's; however immediately it appears that the left side seats are now unoccupied and ODST's seemingly gone (though Master Chief is blocking the view of the right side seats). When gameplay starts, one can clearly see the now both marines sitting on both sides of the cargo space, ODST's returning to the left side. This is most likely an overlooking by Bungie, though the NPC's could have switched seats for some reason between the two shots.

Easter Eggs

Main article: Easter Eggs

• The Famine and Cowbell Skulls can be found on this level.
• Farther down the room with sleeping Grunts is a Brute urinating in the corner.

References

• This level has similarities to the levels The Truth and Reconciliation, The Silent Cartographer, and Assault on the Control Room, in that the player begins the level as a stealth mission, in the desert, armed with a sniper rifle (Truth and Reconciliation), then spending the better part of the level searching for the map room, shutting down security systems, and fighting Covenant (The Silent Cartographer), and ultimately acquire a tank, and lead an armored assault convoy against an entrenched enemy position swarming with Covenant (Assault on the Control Room).
• Whilst it is more likely a coincidence than not, the opening cinematic shares some similarities with the ending cutscene of The Pillar of Autumn - several Marines and the Chief escape a space battle (The Pillar of Autumn against the Covenant Armada and the Covenant Loyalist and Separatist battles) by flying a small craft (A Bumblebee Escape Pod and Pelican Dropship) towards a Forerunner installation (Installations 04 and 00 respectively). A further similarity is in transit, John-117 looks over the shoulder of the pilot at the approaching structure.

Miscellaneous

• This is the only level in Halo 3 in which all Covenant vehicles and weapon emplacements make an appearance, including the incomplete anti-air cannon "Mantis".
• If one pays attention in the beginning cutscene, there are 6 Pelicans in total that were dropped from space. However, only 3 Pelicans were dropped from the Forward Unto Dawn. This either implies that there were Pelicans stored in the Shadow of Intent or a mistake by Bungie.
• After passing the crashed Pelican, one can see a couple of SOEIVs left in a ditch, and their occupants dead beside them, most likely ambushed by the Covenant Prowlers or troops.
• When the player plays this level at the part where the Forward Unto Dawn comes in, the song segment Forward Unto Dawn, which is a remake of the Truth and Reconciliation Suite (part of the track Behold a Pale Horse), plays when the Frigate lands. However, when the player starts at Rally Point Alpha, the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn has already landed and the song segment starts playing during the part with the Scorpion tanks.
• It is possible to attack and kill the Brute Chieftain as he yells "The pack will feast on you!". Jump down, melee him, and he will turn around and fight. Once the player kills him, the "cheering brutes" will attack the player on sight. Remember to kill every other enemy before proceeding to the end as the Brute Stalkers will attack the player. This is not recommended on the Legendary Difficulty.
• When the player reaches the crashed Pelican there is a destroyed Warthog, but its turret is still usable.
• After the cutscene near the end of the level if the player looks down the spot where the player fights the Brute Chieftain, the hologram pedestal is there and the player can destroy it, but it will be repaired when the player reaches the bottom floor.
• Sometimes, one of the Marines near the crashed Pelican would be Staff Sergeant Banks, known for his role in the Battle of Mombasa.

Gallery

• Ark1.jpg

  The Separatist Fleet Arrive at The Ark.

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  The Forward Unto Dawn dropping Pelican Dropships at The Ark.

• H3 E3 Orbital Battle.jpg

  The Pelicans descend past the ongoing space battle

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  Three ODSTs attacking.

• 1223223861 Arby&MC.jpg

  The Arbiter and Master Chief.

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  A Scorpion engages in vehicle combat through the sand dunes.

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  The vast desert on the Ark.

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  The secret room accessed via glitch in theater mode.

Preceded by Floodgate

Halo 3 Campaign Missions The Ark

Succeeded by The Covenant