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This topic has moved here: Subject: Spartan's Don't Die. We're just Missing in Action
  • Subject: Spartan's Don't Die. We're just Missing in Action
Subject: Spartan's Don't Die. We're just Missing in Action
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That quote is from the latest OXM, Issue 101. It was seen on the back of a Reach T-Shirt worn by a Bungie Employee apparently.
And I believe This is the T-Shirt

Just a nice little tidbit I found. Thoughts?

[Edited on 08.22.2009 10:46 PM PDT]

  • 08.22.2009 10:45 PM PDT

Signatures are for squares.

Nice find.

  • 08.22.2009 10:46 PM PDT
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The quote makes me wonder, really, what if we're playing as 'Dead' Spartans? Could explain the crazy designations they have. Instead of their original designations, they have fake ones like '259' and '320'.

  • 08.22.2009 10:52 PM PDT

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It is a reference to the novels. When a Spartan (i.e. Sam) is KIA, they are marked as MIA to keep UNSC morale up (that is, keep the soldiers thinking that Spartans are invincible and will win our war for us, so long as we keep fighting).

The Covenant is based on a yarn of lies, but when you stop and think of it, the UNSC is also held together by lies in its darkest hour. Maybe we have more in common with the Covenant than we knew.

[Edited on 08.22.2009 11:14 PM PDT]

  • 08.22.2009 11:13 PM PDT
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Posted by: MLG Cheehwawa
It is a reference to the novels. When a Spartan (i.e. Sam) is KIA, they are marked as MIA to keep UNSC morale up (that is, keep the soldiers thinking that Spartans are invincible and will win our war for us, so long as we keep fighting).

The Covenant is based on a yarn of lies, but when you stop and think of it, the UNSC is also held together by lies in its darkest hour. Maybe we have more in common with the Covenant than we knew.


Oh, I'm well away of that reference. I've read the novels multiple times. But that reference being used with this game's what got my attention.

  • 08.22.2009 11:19 PM PDT

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If Reach has anything to do with the novels, which it will have to at least minimally since we play as Spartans, the KIA to MIA thing from the novels will probably be a major point in the game... don't think it points to KIA Spartans still fighting. Doesn't make any sense, either. Unless they're Spartan-IVs, some type of Clones which trained in Chiron TL-34, but then why would only clones of dead Spartans be made?

  • 08.22.2009 11:25 PM PDT
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Posted by: MLG Cheehwawa
If Reach has anything to do with the novels, which it will have to at least minimally since we play as Spartans, the KIA to MIA thing from the novels will probably be a major point in the game... don't think it points to KIA Spartans still fighting. Doesn't make any sense, either. Unless they're Spartan-IVs, some type of Clones which trained in Chiron TL-34, but then why would only clones of dead Spartans be made?


Precisely. When I saw that quote, I thought about Kurt immediately. Supposedly dead, brought to do greater things. The characters in Reach, I feel, could be, something like this. Deaths faked. Their origins themselves hidden from the rest of the Spartans. Kinda like Grey Team. Trained for Black Ops style missions. Hence, the weird designations.

I doubt it has anything to do with Spartan-IVs. The Spartan III program was still going on. And I don't think its Clones as well.

  • 08.22.2009 11:29 PM PDT

is like a myth inside the game

nice

  • 08.22.2009 11:31 PM PDT

there was something about it in one of the books

  • 08.23.2009 12:04 AM PDT
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Posted by: jobrack
there was something about it in one of the books


Yea we know that.

  • 08.23.2009 12:58 AM PDT

I don't understand why (in the novel) the Spartans are listed as MIA, when it the story clearly states they are KIA. Even the Spartens themselves admit to the death of their comrades.

As for the T-shirt, I'm not really interested. "Spartans don't die. We're just missing in action" doesn't have any 'punch' in it..I don't see a powerful statement....

  • 08.23.2009 1:03 AM PDT

I'm an Anarchist. I don't need a government to be a good person, but I'm glad it's here because some of you clearly do.

Posted by: Touzinsky
I don't understand why (in the novel) the Spartans are listed as MIA, when it the story clearly states they are KIA. Even the Spartens themselves admit to the death of their comrades.


Spartans probably only admit the death of their fellow Spartans to other Spartans and normal humans within a certain circle, such as people in the ONI, Dr. Halsey, and Chief Mendez. The idea behind listing them as MIA is so when normal humans see the dead Spartans records they will think "He just might still be alive."

[Edited on 08.23.2009 1:16 AM PDT]

  • 08.23.2009 1:13 AM PDT

I hunt for the Prophet of Contentment, the San 'Shyumm that murdered my son, and stole his birthright, his Energy Sword. They call our species Heretics. They claim to all that our tongues sting, our words a vile poison that feeds on the unworthy. I have seen the true face of Heresy. The head of a gallant warrior lay on the ground. His neck scorched and blistered, scarred by his own blade. I shall retrieve the weapon, and drive it through that bastard's heart! Punishment for his sins is nigh.

Morale, if the UNSC marines, and navy, and whatnot KNEW Spartans were dying, than they would feel all hope was lost.

Also, just cause I have to say it.

Nope... your not Missing in Action, you are Dead.

  • 08.23.2009 1:34 AM PDT
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We all know that, since we've read the books. How is this relevant to the game though?

  • 08.23.2009 5:53 AM PDT

We never actually saw proof that the Master Chief's Spartan IIs died. Not clear, hard proof. It's possible, in my opinion, that the Spartans survived the glassing, perhaps by retreating into the Forerunner caverns below, which I'm sure would be strong enough to withstand it.

  • 08.23.2009 6:50 AM PDT
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Posted by: Wolverfrog
We never actually saw proof that the Master Chief's Spartan IIs died. Not clear, hard proof. It's possible, in my opinion, that the Spartans survived the glassing, perhaps by retreating into the Forerunner caverns below, which I'm sure would be strong enough to withstand it.


No but wait. We do know that a lot of the Spartans survived the Glassing. Well... kinda.

I think the quote is about something much deeper. None of the Spartans we know off are Spartan 259 and Spartan 320. I doubt its a Second Class of Spartans as we've been told on multiple occasions that that project was postponed indefinitely and it ultimately became the Spartan-III Program.

Though, its been alluded that some Spartans 'died'. In true Halo fiction, when a Spartan dies, they are listed as MIA. For example, when Sam died, he was listed as MIA.

I think the Spartans involved here 'died', and are literally missing to their peers, used by ONI for dark, special missions. To their fellow Spartans, they're dead.

In fact, during the augmentation that made the Spartans what they were, a few survived, some were injured and transferred to jobs at ONI. And some died.

What if they didn't die? What if the other Spartans were let to believe that they died?

  • 08.23.2009 7:10 AM PDT

Well, what could this mean? Are we going to be playing as Spartans as their final hour?

  • 08.23.2009 8:44 AM PDT
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Posted by: Sanjeev
What if the other Spartans were let to believe that they died?


More campaign levels for us in Halo: Reach!

  • 08.23.2009 8:52 AM PDT

Posted by: blingchu
Well, what could this mean? Are we going to be playing as Spartans as their final hour?


Possible. I think Bungie is trying to approach the Halo series from a different direction. We've had three games as Spartan-117. Not all the events that have taken place stared the Master Chief (however some major ones did) and Bungie is trying to shine some light on the rest of the story. Halo: Reach ( I hope ) will mostly be about relationship the Spartans developed and how they became an elite fighting force. I am not interested in another game as the Master Chief, I want a game about the rest of them. I'm mostly interested in the campaign, multilayer is a completely different attraction.

  • 08.25.2009 3:11 PM PDT

Posted by: Sanjeev
We all know that, since we've read the books. How is this relevant to the game though?

Maybe we start off as Spartans listed as MIA so they can go on top secret missions, like sabatoging covenent factories, etc

  • 08.25.2009 3:24 PM PDT
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Join Sector 8b thats a awesome group, help us to save humanity

WE NEED YOU !!! FOR EARTH !!!

thats true and nice t-shirt

  • 08.25.2009 3:29 PM PDT

Posted by: Lightning759
Posted by: Sanjeev
We all know that, since we've read the books. How is this relevant to the game though?

Maybe we start off as Spartans listed as MIA so they can go on top secret missions, like sabatoging covenent factories, etc


I doubt this. I think there will be a few missions dealing with the rebels, and then the defense of Reach. The humans never took the offense and attacked the Covenent home planets

(Or if they did, I missed a book)

  • 08.25.2009 4:52 PM PDT