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ISSUE 118

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Spotlight: July 2, 2021


<h4 class="wp-block-heading">ISSUE 116</h4>



<p>So, it’s been a pretty good month for new Halo news I feel like. <strong>Last issue, we covered some of the more lore-related elements of our multiplayer reveal in the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase</strong>, as well as touching on further similarly-themed goodness (speaking of which, <strong>have you signed up for the Halo Insider program</strong> yet?). This edition, we’re looking ahead to a brand-new addition to the story, one that will pair with your <em>Halo Infinite </em>campaign experience like an extra helping of your favorite dish. And speaking of dish, let’s do so.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CROSSING THE RIVER</h2>



<p>Kicking things off, today we’re excited to announce the next novel in this universe we all love—<em>Halo: The Rubicon Protocol</em>, penned by our stellar stablemate <a href="https://twitter.com/KellyHGay"><strong>Kelly Gay</strong></a>. In her last novel, <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-Point-of-Light/Kelly-Gay/Halo/9781982147860"><strong><em>Halo: Point of Light</em></strong></a>, Kelly made a pit stop onto the surface of Zeta Halo while on a galactic gallivanting tour with our favorite <em>Mariner</em>-class spacecraft and its daring denizens. This time, our popular pen pal is heading back to Installation 07, but on a very different mission, and with a very different cast of characters.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_the_rubicon_protocol_cover_art_lrg-cd9f507a658e442c9d43bd2e3a411366.png"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_trp-novel_1120_wmec-f74eeae7458d4384961774c677976ecb.jpg" alt=""/></a></figure>



<p><em>Click the image for a bigger, cleaner version!</em></p>



<p>As you may have been piecing together throughout previous trailers and information drops, <em>Halo Infinite</em>’s campaign begins roughly six months after UNSC forces were ambushed at Zeta Halo. During that time, the UNSC has been mounting a resistance on a shorn fragment of the ring, desperately trying to hold out long enough for hope to arrive. In <em>Halo: The Rubicon Protocol</em>, you’ll get a unique glimpse of humanity’s struggle to survive amidst a growing Banished occupation that takes place in that period.</p>



<p>To be clear, this adventure stands on its own—but if you find yourself enjoying and eager to learn more about some of the scattered stories you might encounter while playing the game, then <em>Halo: The Rubicon Protocol </em>will be right up your alley when it drops next March.</p>



<p>We’ll certainly have more to share down the road, but in the meantime, enjoy the fantastic cover art above, composed by the talented <a href="https://twitter.com/pixelflaregfx"><strong>William “Pixelflare” Cameron</strong></a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">MARK INSTALLATION</h2>



<p>This week we launched Season 7 of <em>Halo: The Master Chief Collection</em>, which focuses primarily on Sangheili customization items. If you’re interested in learning more about some of the lore behind the armors we added, <strong>check out Issue 114</strong>.  But that’s not all we added!</p>



<p>To celebrate the upcoming <em>Halo Infinite</em>, we’re adding the prototype for the Mk.VII helmet—KEYSTONE—into Halo 4 within the MCC. It’s a pretty awesome opportunity to look ahead to the studio’s latest brand-new adventure by placing a small piece of it in our first one.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_keystoneclean-343f3ddd8a11426bbe421e3901892dcc.jpg"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_keystoneclean_1120-3762ec83e14e499c808621031b6a472a.jpg" alt=""/></a></figure>



<p><em>Behold! Even more pixel flair.</em></p>



<p><em>The KEYSTONE enhancement suite represents a Materials Group evolutionary design study that—when combined elements developed on earlier Mk. VII iterations, such as the example seen worn by Spartan Naomi-010, as well as the GEN2 DECIMATOR suite, among others—eventually formed the basis of the production Mk. VII in Mjolnir’s third development generation.</em></p>



<p>If you want to get your hands on—or, head in, I guess—one for yourself, make sure you pick it up for free at the Exchange in-game!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HIGHWAY TO HELMET</h2>



<p>As we mentioned up top, last issue we touched on a number of different sandbox elements from our universe that fans saw show up in last week’s showcase of <em>Halo Infinite </em>multiplayer goodness. Several fans noted that were some obvious items that we didn’t highlight, including some examples of pieces—helmets in particular—that had actually already been seen as far back as our first Inside Infinite development blog this past December. We figured that seemed like a logical spot to reach a revelatory compromise, so today, we’re bringing back those items and giving you a few additional little lore details to attach to them.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">ANUBIS [GEN3]</h4>



<p><strong>Manufacturer</strong>: Lethbridge Industrial</p>



<p><em>The ANUBIS is unusual in that its structural frame and core electronics are “grown” inside Sangheili assembly forges, though final assembly and integration uses traditional fabrication techniques.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_anubis_1120-33b9deae14e4452dbc3546894ef014af.png" alt=""/></figure>



<p><a href="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_anubis_4k-26f9b829cdde48289e0da3725de54674.png"></a></p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">MK.V ZETA [GEN3]</h4>



<p><strong>Manufacturer:</strong> Materials Group</p>



<p><em>Spartans assigned to ONI’s Xeno-Materials Exploitation Group on Installation 07 found that their upgraded MARK V’s mix of high-threat response and surveillance interlinks were ideal for the ring’s peculiar operating environment.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_mkvzeta_1120-4c6cab5a1fdd4febae912757d648df97.png" alt=""/></figure>



<p><a href="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_mkvzeta_4k-4513ba57cee24a17b09d08e97ab96a94.png"></a></p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CAVALLINO [GEN3]</h4>



<p><strong>Manufacturer: </strong>Emerson Tactical Systems</p>



<p><em>The CAVALLINO expands Emerson’s offerings with MJOLNIR-platform helmets, tailored for the needs of fireteam leaders, trainers, and combat observers.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_cavallino_1120-9338ca49d2714378be8a0dda0ad9c6c9.png" alt=""/></figure>



<p><a href="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_cavallino_4k-32673c5c6416434db5b64088be00867e.png"></a></p>



<p>The above options pieces were developed from the ground up as the initial wave of the GEN3 Mjolnir suite. Of course, you’ll also have the opportunity to pursue the GEN1 Mjolnir Mk.V(b) platform as well, with its own array of available modifications. This technology dates back to the Covenant war era but has been fully reconditioned and upgraded with newer and more optimized components, giving life to older tech at an integral time, and offering a new generation of Spartans the opportunity to take to the battlefield outfitted in the same style of armor that some of their own heroes once donned. Let’s take a look at once such example:</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">GRENADIER [GEN1]</h4>



<p><strong>Manufacturer</strong>: Materials Group</p>



<p><em>GRENADIER helmets are officially categorized as prototypes, as NAVSPECWAR wrestles with the overwhelming cost of its lightweight armored composite shell.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_grenadier_1120-bf50ff67891041239de4de04f5c5f918.png" alt=""/></figure>



<p><a href="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_grenadier_4k-afd9644d9ed44bb2859c02885672acf5.png"></a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">DIVINE WIN</h2>



<p>Before we close for today, we thought we’d bookend this issue with some extra bit of novel news. <strong>Back in Issue 112</strong> we announced the next novel from the acclaimed penman Troy Denning, <em>Halo: Divine Wind</em>. We gave you the title, the author, and the cover—which you can see here again, by the fantastic Benjamin Carre. Today, we thought you might enjoy a more detailed description of the adventure to whet your whistle.</p>



<p><em>October 2559. With the galaxy in the suffocating grip of a renegade artificial intelligence, another perilous threat has quietly emerged in the shadows: the Keepers of the One Freedom, a fanatical and merciless Covenant splinter group, has made its way beyond the borders of the galaxy to an ancient Forerunner installation known as the Ark. Led by an infamous Brute named Castor, the Keepers intend to achieve what the Covenant, in all its might, failed to: activate Halo and take the last steps on the path of the Great Journey into transcendence…</em></p>



<p><em>But unknown to Castor and his new, unexpected ally on the Ark, there are traitors to the cause in their midst—namely the Ferrets, composed of Office of Naval Intelligence operative Veta Lopis and her young team of Spartan-IIIs, who have been infiltrating the Keepers to lay the groundwork for Castor’s assassination. But with ONI’s field operations now splintered and cut off by the Guardian threat, Veta’s original mission has suddenly and dramatically escalated in scope. There’s simply no choice or fallback plan—either the Ferrets somehow stop the Keepers or the galaxy faces an extinction-level event….</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_dw_wrapart_1920-88850fb780384093939bcce7247e3a7f.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<p><em>Veta. Lopis. Fanclub.</em></p>



<p><em>Halo: Divine Wind </em>is slated to hit store shelves, digital displays, and audio instruments on October 19, and you can <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-Divine-Wind/Troy-Denning/Halo/9781982174903"><strong>secure your own copy by heading here</strong></a>!</p>



<p>Before we head out, just in case you missed it, go and <strong>check out our latest edition of Inside Infinite</strong>, which dropped yesterday. It covers some cool new info about upcoming updates to Halo Waypoint (both in web and app forms!) as well as some new progression details on how you’ll be able to expand your personal arsenal in <em>Halo Infinite</em>—with new items within the Halo universe, as well as some that fall decidedly <em>outside </em>of our canon in some cool and unique ways. But more on that another day…</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/BlogPost/InsideInfinite-June2021/infinite_fractures_tenrai_branded_1120x630-bc5f89c7719a466d8d53a2a4590c4a9c.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<p>For now, that will do it for us this time around. Don’t wander off too far though… we do have a bit of a special milestone coming up next issue it seems like.</p>



<p>Until next time… Live well, play Halo, and it’s <strong>Spartan Agryna</strong> [ah-GREEN-yuh]. Laurette is her <em>first </em>name.</p>



<p><a href="https://twitter.com/grimbrotherone"><strong><3 Grim</strong></a></p>


Parallel Threads

Showcase Sensitive

Spotlight: June 10, 2021


<h4 class="wp-block-heading">ISSUE 114</h4>



<p>Wait, weren’t we just here? Fancy that! That tends to happen when you’ve got a whole marvelous mess of Halo happenings all dropping around the same time. Just last week we released <strong>Issue 113</strong>, which introduced fans to some pretty cool upcoming elements to be encountered in <em>Halo Infinite </em>when it finds its way into your home. And I’m particularly excited about <em>today’s</em> edition of <strong>Canon Fodder</strong> as it’s covering something near and dear to my Halo heart. Let’s keep the preamble short for this one and get right to it, shall we?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">ALLIES OF ANVIL</h2>



<p>So the Master Chief Collection has certainly been on a bit of a roll lately, in fact, <strong>Issue 112</strong> covered a bunch of the awesome additions that came to the game as part of Season 6: Raven. In today’s edition, we’re going to do a similar dance, but <em>this </em>time, we’ll be hopefully quenching the thirst of a particularly passionate corner of the fanbase—those dedicated to the noble warriors of Sanghelios.</p>



<p>Let’s take a little preview of some elements we’re hoping to include in <strong>MCC Season 7: Elite</strong>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HARNESS THE POWER, DINO FIGHTERS</h2>



<p>While Season 7 is still in the proverbial oven, some members of the <strong>Halo Insider</strong> program might start seeing some alien content showing up in upcoming flighting builds very soon (which you can keep up with via Postums’ <strong>handy dandy update threads</strong> right here on the Waypoint forums). <strong>And as always, it’s important to remember that just because something appears in a flight <em>doesn’t </em>necessarily mean it will ultimately make the cut when it comes to eventually making it into the full game in a future season</strong>. That being said, let’s take a look at some of the particularly pertinent items that are currently undergoing evaluation.</p>



<p>As we covered a bit further in <strong>Issue 111</strong>, Anvil Station is a clandestine site where members of the UNSC and allied Swords of Sanghelios work together to develop new technologies and strategies in a joint effort that seeks to build upon a foundation of cooperation in hopes to move the futures of both species forward in a positive direction. While you’ve already seen some of the developmental fruits of the UNSC’s labor in the added armor sets of previous MCC seasons, it’s finally time to take a look at some of the combat harnesses developed and/or utilized by our zygodactyl-handed friends.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">KEEPWARD</h3>



<p><em>Analogous in many ways to an Honor Guard, the Keepwards are often tasked with maintaining the safety of a region’s kaidon.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-keepward-9cfd012b51b847b788600d886afb9647.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">ACCORD</h3>



<p><em>One of the first Sangheili combat harnesses designed primarily by human engineers as part of the Anvil Initiative.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-accord-a92bf5ec000548c5843ce1b62cb9d3ed.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">GENERAL</h3>



<p><em>Even after the war, many Sangheili warlords chose to don harnesses of high esteem on the battlefield—some looking to fill a power vacuum left by an empire’s fall, others seeking to reclaim a far older sense of honor.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-general-e916a989be3445ae963ae678203283a8.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">SENESCHAL</h3>



<p><em>Little is known of the Evocati’s seneschal order, but documents uncovered after the Covenant War have begun to shed new light on the true purview of the role.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-senschal-c867944fe1bf4729ac085e7af171f3ab.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">SCION</h3>



<p><em>Typically held by Sangheili females, the role of scion is most often granted in the event of a kaidon’s death. As Arbiter Thel ‘Vadam has grown in influence, the scion has become an increasingly respected and valued position across their people.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-scion-8cddc5d3b8fd4178bb8a386f6e0dc3d1.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">OSSOONA</h3>



<p><em>One of the harness patterns favored by the “Eyes of the Prophets,” many who once held this title are now considered enemies of the keep for traitorous actions during the Great Schism. </em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-ossoona-c52ddf0ce6a6413dbe73f9077d3745ef.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">ARTISAN</h3>



<p><em>While still adept warriors in their own right, Sangheili artisan armorers are accomplished craftsmen who—free from San’Shyuum oversight and coercion—are entering a renaissance period of warsmithing.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-artisan-3c11b1df7d11441f93acbe25610f82d8.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BLADEMASTERS</h2>



<p>Before we let the folks over in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGTQEIXyveioCVzqyMTwp4Q"><strong>Covenant Canon</strong></a> community catch their collective breath, let’s move on to one of my personal favorite additions to Halo 3’s alien arsenal: some newly skinned energy swords. Because nothing makes a season truly Elite like a diverse and expanded range of options for the Sangheili’s most beloved tools of the trade.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">EVOCATI’S EDGE</h3>



<p><em>Only the most adept blademasters were chosen to wield the Ultra’s holy fire.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-evocatisedge-2d23731eaef94bc1979f2c5fc042c48e.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">NECROPLASMA</h3>



<p><em>The glow of fury for those who refuse to become pawns of the creeping death.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-necroplasma-3cbdd9dd06b34eca92c9fd8288a56b5f.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">LIGHT OF JOORI</h3>



<p><em>Joori’s warm light helps give Sanghelios life. This blade is for all who defend her.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-lightofjoori-38a282c2f1cf43eb8ec2c9f95ca3166d.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">KAIDON’S GUARD</h3>



<p><em>The Swords of Sanghelios brandish blades bound by honor—to defend a keep not bound by borders.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-kaidonsguard-15f0ac7efad14f1cb3feebceebebc7d7.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">DARKSTAR</h3>



<p><em>Will Fied call out your name in the Hall of Eternity when your last breath has been spent?</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-darkstar-2d312d378b704150a2582513769cff49.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">BLOODBLADE</h3>



<p><em>Hidden. Active. Deadly. The Silent Shadow have been. The Silent Shadow remain.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-bloodblade-c5aa55db2ec743aaa4ce3706342109aa.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">LANCE OF SUBAN</h3>



<p><em>Only Subanese natives may possess blades infused with a shard of the moon’s own bounty.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-mcc-lanceofsuban-5e6b07475cd04686a73914b19c1f108f.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<p>We look forward to sharing further about MCC’s seventh season in the future, so stay tuned to all your normal Halo haunts to learn more as its ready.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">DARK HORSE DEEP DIVES</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf-comiccrop-16f9bf16a5e547c0b0838a65398f16c0.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<p>Last issue we mentioned our partners at Dark Horse Comics were re-releasing the <em>Halo Graphic Novel</em>, but that’s not all they’re up to. Also getting another go is <em>Halo: Legacy Collection</em>, a fantastic comic compendium featuring every issue from three different comic mini-series: <em>Halo: Uprising, Halo: Helljumper, </em>and <em>Halo: Bloodline</em>. If you haven’t checked these stories out for yourself, this is the perfect way to jump in. If you are a collector that likes things all in one place, it’s an ideal addition there too! For more details, <a href="https://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/3322/relive-legacy-new-halo-collection-dark-horse"><strong>check out the article direct</strong></a> from the Dark Horse’s mouth.</p>



<p>Short and sweet. Or would that be “short and leet?” Anyway, that’s all that we’ve got for today, but I imagine that we’ll have plenty more to talk about in the coming months. We’ll see you then.</p>



<p>Until next time… Live well, play Halo, and wort wort wort!</p>



<p><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/grimbrotherone"><3 Grim</a></strong></p>


Art of Wort