MJOLNIR battle armor

MJOLNIR battle armor is a fictional battle armor in the Halo series of video games and novels used by the Spartan II super soldiers, most notably by the series's protagonist Master Chief.

Soldiers have used performance enhancing equipment for hundreds of years, and the MJOLNIR battle armor represents the current pinnacle of military technology. The armor was envisioned by Dr. Catherine Halsey, who realized that no normal human could wear the armor without injuring himself. The Spartan II Project was created to create super soldiers capable of using the armor to devastating advantage.

The lethality of this system was demonstrated by the Master Chief in Halo: Combat Evolved, when he and his AI construct Cortana fought their way across a planet-like ring world called Halo.

The name of the suit is also the name for the hammer of Thor.

Armor versions

Several versions of MJOLNIR armor exist, and each generation of armor offers improvements over earlier models. Models are designated by the notation "Mark n". For example, a Mark V model is newer than a Mark IV.

MJOLNIR Mark V

After a variety changes to their battle armor design that started with the Mark I prototype, the UNSC (United Nations Space Command) fielded the MJOLNIR MK V battle armor with its clandestine Spartan II super soldiers. These soldiers were the only ones who could possibly field this suit because of the extreme physical requirements it took to operate in the suit, but also because of the rigorous combat it was designed for. The Spartan II's themeselves had undergone genetic modifications to their bodies and a lifetime of training in order to prepare them for the wearing and use of this special armor.

Integrated into this combat suit is a dynamic, sophisticated shielding system, copied from captured Covenant technology, that repels mass objects and energy bursts, but then regenerates once the Spartan II moves away from the barrage. The accompanying computer system continuously monitors weapons, shields, biological function, motion (through a intelligent motion-sensing radar), and contains a special partition for an AI, which is intended to assist the Spartan II real-time by monitoring communication channels, computer relays, and friendly combat updates. In addition to interfacing with USNC-standard data links, the MJOLNIR armor is also compatible with Covenant datalinks, allowing the wearer to access Covenant weapons and battle nets.

The MJOLNIR armored suit is powered by two integrated power supplies, although whether they are batteries or reactor mass is unclear. The novel Halo: First Strike calls it a miniaturized fusion reactor, but author Eric Nylund does not specify which version of armor is being referred to (to muddy the issue further, several Spartans graft Mk IV components onto their Mk V suits over the course of the novel). Regardless, the cost of the power packs, as suggested in a discussion at the beginning of Halo 2, is astronomical.

The lethality of this system was demonstrated by John-117, the famed "Master Chief" in Halo: Combat Evolved, when he and his AI construct Cortana fought their way across a planet-like ring world called Halo. John-117 stands 7 feet tall and weighs nearly a half-ton in this armor system. This is because of the myriad of features contained within the combat suit. Though the MJOLNIR MK V battle armor was successful against the Covenant on Halo, John 117 received the updated MJOLNIR MK VI battle armor once he returned to Earth, which featured better armor, and a more advanced shield and computer system.

MJOLNIR Mark VI

The Mark VI represents the pinnacle of battle armor that began with the Mark I prototype. The previous Mark V armor was designed off of covenant technology, but human technicians made enchancements to the suit to allow recharge of the shielding system to take place much faster than before.

Unfortunately, the Mark VI's physical armor is significantly weaker than that of the Mark V once the shield has been disrupted. This is a trade-off for having a faster recharge rate on shields. Without the energy shielding, the Mark VI armor can only protect the wearer from a minimal number of plasma/mass impacts.

The MJOLNIR Mark IV cyborg

The numbering of Halo's MJOLNIR battle armor series is one of many references to Bungie's earlier Marathon series. During the course of the Marathon games, various text terminals make mention of ten Mjolnir Mark IV cyborgs, which represent "all of the destructive knowledge of mankind."

The identity of the player's character is never solidly stated in the games. The manual states that he is a security officer aboard the UESC Marathon. However, in the Marathon 2 preview, the AI Durandal reveals the following:

"Were you ever curious about the tenth cyborg which was supposed to be on the Marathon? Why could Leela find only nine? Was it ever activated? Was it destroyed during the defense of the colony? You are right to be curious."

This and other clues have lead many fans of the series to the conclusion that the player is the tenth Mjolnir Mark IV cyborg.