John-117 - The Master Chief

Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 is a pivotal figure in the mid-26th century. Abducted at age six, he was conscripted into the SPARTAN-II program, originally designed to quell human rebellion. John endured rigorous training and physical augmentations, later donning state-of-the-art Mjolnir battle armor. Throughout his career, he emerged as a clear leader, becoming humanity’s sole savior multiple times against threats like the Covenant, the Flood, and the ancient Forerunner general, the Didact.
General Info (Augmentations / Mjolnir Armor)
- Unaugmented 14-year-old John had the body of an 18-year-old Olympic athlete and a mind equal to any Naval Academy honors graduate. (Description of an unaugmented 14 year old John)
- Spartan candidates underwent Project: ASTER augmentations, drastically increasing physiology: bones were laced for virtual unbreakable strength, muscle tissue density increased with decreased lactate recovery, hormone boosts for skeletal/muscle growth, increased eyesight, and nerve alterations for faster reaction time. (source)
- At 14, Spartans could sprint at 55 kph (~34 mph), had estimated reaction times of 20 milliseconds (likely higher in combat), could lift three times their body weight, and possessed night vision. (source)
- The Mk IV doubles wearer’s strength and increases reaction times by a factor of five. (source)
- Mk IV reaction times are a low end of 5 milliseconds.
- The Mk IV suit is so reactive and powerful that normal humans would be torn apart trying to use it. (source)
- The suit can operate in vacuum by recycling air for 90 minutes and is shielded against radiation and EMP. (source)
- The armor possesses motion sensors and thermal imaging to detect enemy troops. (source)
- The armor received prototype upgrades including thrusters, surveillance drones, wrist-blades, and active camouflage. (source)
- Active camo allows Spartans to walk unnoticed through groups of soldiers. (source)
- Mjolnir’s neural interface allows Spartans to perform actions and place Waypoint markers or targets on their HUDs with a thought. (source)
- John can move his limbs with a thought to overwhelm attackers during a fight. (source)
- The suit ‘knows what John is thinking before he does’, controls suit functions, and allows John to control thrusters with thoughts. (source)
- The onboard computer can predict artillery shot landing zones and guide Spartans to safer locations. (source)
- Spartans can share targeting data. (source)
- Mjolnir’s onboard computer can place HUD markers at designated targets. (source)
- The onboard computer can calculate probable landing zones for enemy dropships. (source)
- Mjolnir predicts optimal time to dodge plasma cannon fire from Banshees. (source)
- The Mk V includes rechargeable energy shields and the ability to house an AI, retaining the Mk IV’s double strength multiplier. (source) (includes two major improvements being the addition of rechargeable energy shields and the ability to house an AI)
- The suit has sound receivers capable of hearing a whisper a hundred meters away. (source)
- Energy shields begin regenerating 5 seconds after being hit and fully recharge in 4 seconds from total drain. (Gameplay)
- Cortana provides tactical/strategic information, infiltrates systems, and greatly improves John’s reaction time. (source)
- Cortana was loaded with ONI’s best insurgency/hacking software for Operation: RED FLAG. (source)
- Cortana easily overwhelmed other ONI AIs by running through ONI’s computer/security systems on Reach for fun while checking a UNSC warship’s systems. (source)
- Cortana hacked a Covenant carrier, disabling its weapons/communications, creating a path for her team, giving false tracking info, and venting the ship’s atmosphere, killing thousands of Covenant. (source)
- Covenant network security was generally far superior to UNSC; Dr. Halsey compared Covenant understanding of human systems in weeks to UNSC understanding of Covenant systems in decades. (source)
- The Mk VI increases wearer’s strength by a factor of 5, making them 2.5x stronger than previous Suits, and includes self-contained biofoam injectors. (source)
- Biofoam stabilizes most wounds and allows limited combat ability even with limb loss. (source)
- A Spartan with a gruesome headshot had the wound filled with biofoam and was back in combat relatively quickly. (source)
- The Mk VI’s energy shields are much more powerful and recharge a lot faster. (source)
- Energy shields begin regenerating 4.25 seconds after being hit and fully recharge in 1.75 seconds from total drain. (Gameplay)
- Every aspect of the GEN 2 armor has been improved, with built-in thrusters drastically increasing maneuverability.
Skill
- At 14, John easily kills/cripples four ODSTs. (source) (literature version: The Fall of Reach Ch 7 (https://pastebin.com/qx0m0wNN))
- John and three other Spartans capture a bunker from Mjolnir Mark I armored guards, a task that would have required 2-3 platoons of Marines. (source) (Mjolnir Mark I info/picture: Dr. Halsey’s Journal / The Fall of Reach Ch 8 (https://imgur.com/a/rCx5Wyb))
- Spartans have been trained to fight in zero gravity. (source)
- Spartan IV candidates are trained in various martial arts (Aikido, Jiu-Jitsu, Krav Maga); presumably Spartan IIs are also heavily trained. (source)
- At 15, John, Kelly, Fred, and Linda wiped out an army of over 100 Covenant, including Elite Ultras, Zealots, and a Field Marshall. (source)
- John and his Spartans are trained to identify high-value targets by subtle visual cues, allowing easy sniping of enemy commanders. (source)
- While defending a planet for several days, John and Blue Team destroyed over 100 Wraith tanks. (source)
- Speedruns through a Covenant carrier alongside Fred and Kelly. (source)
- Dr. Halsey and Cortana conclude John is overall the best Spartan. (source)
- John has been awarded every major service medal except the Prisoner of War Medallion. (source)
- During Mk V armor testing, John faces a fighter jet so fast it regularly goes out of visible range. He tanks its 50mm autocannons, deflects/tanks an anti-tank missile, then sprints at 66 mph (tearing his Achilles tendon). (source)
- While fighting a massive (10 ft+ tall) Sangheili in low gravity, John uses his skill to beat the Elite despite being evenly matched in strength. (source)
- John escapes deadly situations so often that he almost believes death is optional for him. (source)
- He’s confident he can wipe out a Covenant unit of 50 infantry and 4 Wraith tanks without heavy weapons but chooses to save soldiers instead. (source)
- Merks 40+ Brutes by himself. (source)
- Each Spartan II has ’the equivalent combat power of an entire Sector Fleet’. (source)
- John is proficient in all infantry tactics and low-gravity combat, effectively leads battalion-sized detachments, and UNSC personnel defer to his leadership. (source)
- John was offered an Admiral position by the UNSC Fleet Admiral but refused. (source)
- Alongside Blue Team, John fights through a massive army of Prometheans. (source)
- Spartans are able to punch out the Warden Eternal while evading his sword swings. (source)
Strength
- During John’s first workout after augmentations, 1 G of gravity felt too light, and 2 G’s felt more normal. (source)
- 14-year-old John breaks and disfigures ODSTs with his strikes. (source)
- At 14, Spartans could no longer train against normal humans due to repeatedly killing them by accident, requiring trainers to wear Mjolnir Mark I armor. (source) (Mjolnir Mark I info/picture: Dr. Halsey’s Journal / The Fall of Reach Ch 8 (https://imgur.com/a/rCx5Wyb))
- At 14, John kicks a man in MJOLNIR Mark I exoskeleton eight meters away. (source)
- Another child Spartan could dent Mark I armor (impervious to light weapons) with punches. (source)
- At 14, John wrenches and rips a 30mm minigun off a MJOLNIR Mark I exoskeleton with bare hands. (source)
- Shortly after augmentations, Spartans could lift three times their body weight. (source)
- The Mk IV doubles its wearer’s strength. (source)
- During John’s first MJOLNIR test, he could shatter concrete targets with a punch. (source)
- John lifts a Spec Ops Elite overhead and folds him on his own energy sword. (source)
- 15-year-old John lifts and throws a cargo sled large enough to haul an entire platoon with artillery, and long enough for two Spartans. (source)
- John buckles the leg of a Special-Forces/Bloodstar Elite sideways with a stomp. (source)
- John beats the arm of a Silent Shadow Elite until its wrist is snapped sideways. (source)
- Effortlessly punches through a weapons locker undamaged by a man bashing it with a large gas canister. (source) (undamaged by a man bashing it with a large gas canister (https://gfycat.com/wideobedientbrontosaurus))
- John can effectively wield 110 kg Gauss cannons for hit-and-run attacks against a column of 50 Covenant tanks. (source)
- At 16, John can withstand 12 metric tons of force on his legs. (source)
- While 16, John is pinned by an alien spider-like vehicle larger than a Warthog but isn’t crushed, partially lifting it; implies pushing Warthogs off him before. (source)
- Rips a steel and bullet-proof glass security door off its steel reinforcing on a wall. (source)
- An Insurrectionist general believes John can rip him in half. (source)
- Crushes a Jackal’s skull with a kick. (source)
- John, alongside three other Spartans (one of whom was injured and missing an arm), push a 3x3x6 meter quartz monolith. (source) (object that would weigh over 125 metric tons (https://imgur.com/a/jgbJIrv))
- John travels while carrying a half-ton Spartan over his shoulder. (source)
- Frank O’Connor, Halo Franchise Development Director, states Spartans can flip and bench press tanks, which correlates with their in-game ability to flip tanks. (source) (Halo Legends: the Babysitter Dev commentary)
- This statement referenced a Mk IV Spartan throwing an ODST pod (600+ kg) dozens of meters with one arm, accurately displaying Spartan strength. (source) (Halo Legends: the Package)
- While flipping tanks is a high-end/outlier for Spartans wearing earlier armor, GEN 2 Spartans have been shown flipping tanks with only the shockwave of their strikes. (source) (Halo 5)
- The Mk V possesses the same 2x strength multiplier as the Mk IV, so John can replicate previous Mk IV feats.
- Runs through a field of razor wire, snapping them effortlessly. (source)
- While specifically holding back to not kill them, John cripples many ODSTs trying to kill him, breaking many bones, dislocating a shoulder by pulling a gun, and bending an assault rifle barrel. (source) (specifically holding back to not kill them (https://pastebin.com/TnRiWtLV))
- A trio of Grunts landing on him and attempting to take off his armor is laughable to him. (source)
- Caves in the skull of a Grunt with a pistol-whip. (source)
- A melee attack breaks a Jackal’s energy shield gauntlet and launches him off a cliff. (source)
- Flips a Warthog. (source)
- Flips a Warthog again by grabbing it by the bumpers. (source)
- Cracks the spines of a pair of Elites with his strikes. (source)
- Punches through a human skull inside a Flood Proto-Gravemind. (source)
- Crushes the skull of an Elite with a punch and reiterates he is strong enough to flip Warthogs. (source)
- Crushes the skull of a Grunt with the butt of his assault rifle. (source)
- Spartans are able to punch through tank armor. (source) (Chief example (https://gfycat.com/ripebrownguineapig))
- Wraith armor is completely impervious to .50 caliber depleted uranium rounds from an anti-aircraft gun. (source)
- Wraiths are durable enough to tank shots from their own mortars. (source) (which vaporize titanium battle plate, concrete, and flesh within a twenty-meter radius (https://pastebin.com/kNiUb3b4))
- Mk IV Spartans are shown in official artwork ripping open tanks and tossing armored Brutes (>1 metric ton) with one arm. (source)
- A random Mk V Spartan destroys Covenant tanks in H2H, and several Spartans hold off a 30,000-strong Covenant army. (source)
- The Mk VI increases strength by a factor of 5, making wearers 2.5x stronger than in the previous Mk IV and Mk V Suits. (source)
- Punches through the head of a Jackal. (source)
- Tosses a Brute behind him. (source)
- Armored Brutes weigh over a metric ton. (source)
- John can punch through UNSC ship metal. (source)
- Tanks a melee attack from a Promethean Knight, then punches it off him. (source)
- John can rip off the arms of Promethean Knights and impale them with them. (source)
- Promethean Knights are strong enough to toss Warthogs (3 metric tons). (source)
- John stabs into the hull of a Lich (Covenant ultra-heavy siege platform) while free falling with no leverage. (source)
- John can overcome an Elite’s energy shielding with a single punch. (source)
- Lifting Warthogs (3 metric tons), bending steel, and shattering concrete are baseline feats for all Spartans, not indicative of their limits. (source)
- John shatters a Battle Rifle by hitting Spartan Locke with it. (source)
- Overpowers Spartan Locke. (source)
- Locke is strong enough to flip a 42.3-tonne tank with the shockwave of his attack, effortlessly fly and run through walls, tackle aircraft, and boost through a massive stone statue. (source) (effortlessly fly and run through walls as well as tackle aircraft out of the air (https://gfycat.com/homelynexthornshark); boost through the bulk of a massive stone statue (https://gfycat.com/blackwetblesbok))
- Spartans can snap the necks of Elites. (source)
- Spartans can instantly kill an Elite with a two-handed strike. (source)
- Spartans can rip through Forerunner Armigers. (source)
- Forerunner Armigers are strong enough to throw humans dozens of meters. (source)
- Spartans can kill a Forerunner Armiger with a stomp. (source)
- Spartans can punch out the legs of the Warden Eternal. (source)
Durability
- The Mk IV relies entirely on armor plating for protection, lacking energy shields.
- The armor has a refractive coating to help disperse incoming energy attacks. (source)
- During John’s first MJOLNIR test, bullets harmlessly deflected off his armor. (source)
- The Mk IV can tank numerous Covenant Carbine shots (8x60mm projectiles, hypersonic mach 5+), which are far more powerful than modern small arms, though they come close to penetrating the armor. (source)
- A .50 caliber depleted uranium round from an AA gun glances off John’s armor. (source)
- Sustained fire from that weapon would penetrate the Mk IV. (source) ([Limit])
- Tanks fire from hundreds of skilled marksmen with rounds only ‘dinging’ his armor. (source)
- Tanks plasma fire from a Covenant Ghost. (source)
- Tanks the nearby detonation of a 1 MT nuke at ground zero (with 30 seconds to sprint away). (source) (Nukemap stats: on a moon with minimal atmosphere and gravity, heat and radiation figures are more important (https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/?&kt=1000&lat=40.72422&lng=-73.9961&airburst=0&hob_ft=0&ff=50&psi=20,5,1&zm=11))
- Tanks Covenant Needle and Spike rounds that can separate an ODST into pieces. (source)
- ODSTs wear bulletproof armor effective at tanking armor-piercing rounds, and someone in that armor harmlessly tanks small arms fire from several shooters. (source) (example of ODST armor tanking small arms fire (https://pastebin.com/U4itWhHT))
- Tanks several Needle Rifle shots, with the needles shattering off his armor. (source)
- Shrugs off being directly hit by a Hunter’s 2-ton shield. (source)
- Spartans can tank anything short of a direct hit by a Wraith’s plasma mortar, which vaporizes everything within a 20-meter radius. (source)
- Tanks Plasma Rifle fire from a hundred Drones chasing him. (source)
- Harmlessly tanks a nearby grenade detonation that spatters his faceplate with shrapnel. (source)
- Spartans in Mark IV have similar durability to light tanks. (source)
- Covenant Needler shots bounce off his armor. (source)
- The Mk V is the first armor with energy shields; subsequent iterations have more durable shields.
- A three-round burst from an MA5B assault rifle drops his energy shields a ‘hairbreadth’. (source)
- Tanks shots from 30mm chainguns without noticing or his energy shields breaking. (source)
- Tanks 50mm autocannon fire from a jet without his energy shields breaking. (source)
- Tanks the detonation of a nearby Scorpion missile (designed for tanks), launched six meters, creating a two-meter deep crater; his energy shields broke. (source)
- Covenant Needler shots bounce off his energy shields. (source)
- Tanks a lifeboat crash that ripped open the craft and mangled everyone else aboard. (source)
- Tanks a shot from a Hunter’s fuel rod cannon without his energy shields breaking and can tank direct hits even when shields are low. (source) (can tank direct hits even when his shields are low on charge (https://pastebin.com/1C3qTFiQ))
- Tanks a melee hit from a Hunter while his shields are already low from a fuel rod shot. (source)
- Tanks an explosion from crashing a Banshee into a wall without any injuries. (source)
- Tanks crashing into the Titanium hull of a warship at an extremely high velocity. (source)
- Unharmed by a nearby Wraith’s plasma shot that killed three other soldiers further away. (source)
- Unfazed by a massive explosion. (source)
- Tanks plasma fire from 6 Hunters. (source)
- Tanks the detonation of a point-blank plasma grenade that vaporizes a Brute Chieftain and scorches close to a dozen nearby Grunts. (source)
- Tanks a fall from orbit onto Earth; his armor locks up automatically due to impact, but John is uninjured. (source) (official artwork shows John falling from orbit (https://imgur.com/a/ThUHVln))
- John tanks the laser blasts of 343 Guilty Spark, a Forerunner Monitor. (source)
- Another Spartan in the same armor tanks more Forerunner monitor attacks, which are powerful enough to vaporize 5-metric-ton Hunters covered in starship armor. (source)
- Tanks being hit by a Warthog at very high speeds. (source)
- Tanks a fall from orbit onto Requiem completely unharmed, crashing through much debris. (source)
- Tanks a melee attack from a Promethean Knight and punches it off him afterwards. (source)
- Promethean Knights are strong enough to knock around Warthogs (3 metric tons). (source)
- John is unharmed after being thrown extremely hard into a wall by the Didact. (source)
- John’s evolution was accelerated by the Librarian, granting him immunity to the Composer, which digitizes living creatures. (source)
- Survives getting his head crushed by the Didact, then being thrown extremely hard into Fred. (source)
- Tanks an extremely deep fall without any problem. (source)
Speed
- John notes objects appearing to move in slow motion shortly after receiving his augmentations. (source)
- Special Forces appear similarly slow to John. (source)
- John could move in blurs and dodge point-blank stun rounds from a 30mm cannon. (source)
- Another child Spartan dodges stun rounds in mid-air. (source)
- 14-year-old Kelly dodges fire from several shooters and is too fast for self-targeting systems to track. (source)
- At 14, Spartans could sprint at 55 kph (~34 mph) and had estimated reaction times of 20 milliseconds (likely higher in combat), expected to increase with adjustment and age. (source)
- Spartans experiencing the world in slow motion due to adrenaline is referred to as ‘Spartan time’. (source)
- John is unable to completely dodge close-range fire from three shooters, getting hit by three bullets. (source) ([Limit])
- The Mk IV increases its wearer’s reaction times by a factor of five, resulting in a low end of 5 milliseconds. (source)
- The first thing John does in MJOLNIR is move his arm almost FTE to his already augmented self. (source)
- During John’s first MJOLNIR test at 14, he was fast enough to dodge bullets. (source)
- Evades fire from hundreds of skilled marksmen in a low-gravity environment that limited his maneuverability. (source)
- Moves to block a Needle Rifle shot after it was fired. (source)
- Moves out of sight of several people faster than they could see. (source)
- Jogs at 25mph for 10 kilometers alongside other Spartans. (source)
- ODSTs move in slow motion to John. (source)
- Dodges bullets after they are fired by an ODST, and again after fired by three ODSTs, and again. (source) (from three ODSTs (https://pastebin.com/Pzkg37H7); again (https://pastebin.com/sWLD0cXS))
- With Cortana’s help, John deflects a tracking Scorpion anti-tank missile. (source)
- Immediately after tanking an anti-tank missile, John sprints ~66 mph across half a kilometer, tearing his Achilles tendon. (source)
- He’s able to dodge the laser weapons of Forerunner Aggressor sentinels. (source)
- Immediately sprints at ~45 mph from rest. (source)
- Intercepts and blocks a Covenant Beam Rifle shot fired from roughly 30 meters away, which fires at ~Mach 10.7. (source) (fires at ~Mach 10.7 (https://imgur.com/a/nbeweR8))
- Another Spartan in the same armor dodges beam rifle shots twice, including once from point-blank, fired by a specialized Spartan Sniper. (source)
- Maneuvers in mid-air to dodge gunfire from numerous Brutes. (source)
- Spartans can avoid a sword swing from the Warden Eternal without even looking. (source)
Marksmanship
- While running, John scores several headshots on Jackal snipers with his pistol. (source)
- While sprinting at ~45 mph, Chief lands multiple head and neck shots on Jackal snipers ~30 meters away, shooting fast enough for Magnum shots to bleed together. (source)
- Spartans can routinely land accurate sniper shots over a kilometer away while on the move. (source)
Mobility
- John could balance atop and leap across ten-meter tall wooden poles 10 centimeters in diameter, despite weighing half a ton in his armor. (source)
- Spartans can jump ~25+ meters vertically onto a moving vehicle using his thrusters (Mammoths are 27.1 meters tall). (source)
- Without thrusters, Spartans can leap into the air ’like crickets’ and engage aircraft. (source)
- Spartans can easily scale cliffs. (source)
- Spartans in GEN 2 armor can use their thrusters to effectively fly. (source)
Endurance
- At 15, John is capable of sprinting 7 kilometers while expecting to do combat immediately after. (source)
- 16-year-old Blue Team covers 19 kilometers in 33 minutes, stopping twice for weapon checks, running on rough terrain with support equipment and weapons in hand; sustained ~24 mph with no intended rest before combat. (source)