Summary
Halois easily one of the largest franchises in not only gaming but science-fiction as well. Its popularity afterHalo: Combat Evolvedwas released was so great that hundreds of books and external materials were created to flesh out this mysterious and unique universe.
Part of that expansion was explaining the UNSC’s Spartan program and the soldiers that inhabit it. There arefour different generations of Spartanswith the Spartan-IIs being considered the strongest. That said, there are still plenty of Spartan-IIIs and IVs that can compete and even exceed what the Master Chief has accomplished.
Updated on August 10, 2025, by Gerardo Molina:While the Halo Expanded Universe is not nearly as popular as the one explored in the franchise’s main games, it still has a lot of interesting things to offer those who want to read more about it. There’s a lot of lore to discover about strong Spartans and other soldiers in the UNSC that most players don’t even know about. Although most of those on the list cannot hold a candle to Master Chief, their prowess in combat and their fearsomeness have made them quite popular among hardcore fans—even if they’re not as famous as John-117 or as well-known for being the saviors of humanity.
22Gabriel Thorne
First Appearance - Halo 4: Spartan Ops
Born and raised in New Phoenix, Earth,Gabriel Thornegrew up as an orphan, as his parents were killed when he was very young. Thorne is one of the strongest Spartans mentioned inHalo 4, as he single-handedly saved the day and his platoon during the Battle of Criterion.
He also survived The Fall of Reach, which, as many players know, was a disastrous period in UNSC history that claimed the lives of many Spartans and regular soldiers alike. While he’s not nearly as strong as Master Chief, Gabriel Thorne is a force to be reckoned with.
In 2558, Gabriel Thorne returned to New Phoenix, his home.As he awaited further instructions, he went to his old childhood home, where he found tons of memorabilia from his family, including a violin that belonged to his grandmother. Thorne was originally meant to be a member of Fireteam Osiris inHalo 5 Guardians, however, he was eventually replaced by Edward Buck due to some issues with Thorne’s voice actor’s availability.
21Michael (Mickey) Crespo
First Appearance - Halo ODST
Born in Crisium City in 2530, Mickey Crespo made his first appearance in the Halo universe during the events ofHalo 3: ODST. According to several accounts, Mickey’s parents were rebels who died trying to bomb a government building, leaving him an orphan from an early age. As soon as he turned 18, he signed up for the UNSC as a mandatory requirement to be released from foster care.
Mickey Crespo, while having a short-lived appearance in the Halo franchise, is a very interesting character as he eventually leaves the UNSC and becomes a strong critic of the organization, following in his parents' footsteps.
20Sergeant Major Avery Johnson
First Appearance – Halo: The Fall of Reach
Casual fans may not know that Sgt. Johnson was, in fact, a Spartan in its first iteration, which was known as the ORION project, retroactively named the SPARTAN-I program. This had a lot of similarities to the SPARTAN-II program. Johnson had augmented skills that helped the UNSC in their war against the Covenant.
However, this program was not as advanced as its future versions, Johnson was not as tall as the rest of his fellow Spartans, but it came with improvement in combat abilities and decelerated aging. He was at least 78 at the time of his death, Johnson had the tenacity and ‘gung-ho’ attitude of Spartans which led him as the rare few to gainthe respect of the Master Chief. Johnson was born in Chicago, Illinois to a family that would break up by the time he was six years old. He enlisted in the UNSC Marine Corps at age 19 and was quickly thrown into action. Funnily enough, Johnson would not meet John-117 until March 2526, during Operation Silent Storm. It seems a little unfair that such an iconic and heroic character would die at the hands of a beam shot by the Monitor, but Johnson’s last moments were a lot like his life. Full of excitement, explosions, and an undying devotion to save humanity and emerge victorious from the battle with the Covenant.
19Spartan Commander Sarah Palmer
First Appearance: Halo 4
Known for her leadership abilities, she was a UNSC Marine Corps Shock Trooper during the Human-Covenant War, surviving, and was chosen to take part in the SPARTAN-IV program. Palmer was assigned as the Commanding Officer of the UNSC Infinite and was in charge of a 300-Spartan contingent.
She favored a pair of M6H magnum sidearms and was proficient in close counters warfare, even tasked with the assassination of Dr Catherine Halsey. Known for her exploits on Requiem, Palmer was a model candidate of the SPARTAN-IV program and went on to be one of the most successful Spartans.
18Joshua-029
Joshuajoined the Spartan-II program at the age of six and took part in numerous conflicts and skirmishes before his eventual death. Most notably, perhaps, he led Red Team during the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV, successfully completing his mission with no casualties whatsoever.
As well as his skills with a sniper rifle, Joshua was renowned for his mastery of electronics, which came in handy on more than one occasion. He was fearless too, often throwing himself in harm’s way to protect the lives of his friends and fellow Spartans. Though officially he’s still listed as MIA, it’s assumed by many that he perished during the events on Reach.
17Tom-B292
First Appearance – Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
Tomjoined the Spartan-III program after losing his parents during a Covenant attack on his homeworld and it’s perhaps his thirst for vengeance that makes him such an effective soldier. He’s participated in countless missions and was a member of Blue Team before becoming an instructor at the new Spartan Operations branch.
Though his hatred for the Covenant still remains strong, his friendship with Lucy-B091 has helped him to gradually let go of some of his anger over the years. This has not only made him a better fighter but also a better leader and role model to the new recruits that he now trains. Tom is a survivor, which is proven by the catastrophic events of 2545’s Operation: TORPEDO. He was sent to destroy Pegasi Delta, a Covenant refinery that was very important to the war efforts. However, most of his team was killed early into the mission, and he was one of the few that made it out.
16Lucy-B091
Together with Tom-B292,Lucy-B091really is a force to be reckoned with and one of the strongest Spartans in theHalouniverse. Ever since she lost her ability to speak after Operation: TORPEDO, the pair have worked together in nearly every operation and have taken down their fair share of enemies during that time.
Like Tom, she has been part of Blue Team and used her combat skills to train members of the Spartan-IV program. Her ability to survive indire situationsmakes her one of the most durable Spartan-IIIs in the entire program and thus one of the most valuable to the cause.
15William-043
First Appearance – Halo: First Strike
Willwas one of the strongest Spartan-IIs to ever grace the UNSC. His raw strength allowed him to defeat a Hunter in hand-to-hand combat, the only other Spartan on record of doing so besides Master Chief himself. His skills with a rocket launcher are unrivaled too, with the spartan able to take out a moving Banshee from incredible range.
Will’s fortitude and sheer will allowed him to survive the Fall of Reach, although he would eventually perish during a Covenant skirmish on Onyx, sacrificing himself so that his team could escape. Even then though, he went out in style, taking a point-blank blast from a hunter’s assault cannon while fighting another one hand-to-hand.
14Edward Buck
First Appearance – Halo 3: ODST Pre-mission Evaluation
CallingBuckan experienced soldier would be an understatement. Originally an ordinary UNSC marine, Buck would go on to fight as an ODST during the Human-Covenant War and, eventually, enlist in the Spartan-IV program. His ability to lead others while staying calm under pressure is what has allowed Buck to survive as long as he has.
He might not be able to compete with some of the Spartan-IIs when it comes to strength, but it’s hard to dismiss Buck’s skills and accomplishments that have allowed him to become a Spartan in the first place. Not many Spartan-IVs have as much combat experience as Buck and this definitely shows in his performances on the battlefield.
13Spartan Jameson Locke
First Appearance – Halo: Nightfall
Before becoming a SPARTAN-IV,Jameson Locke rose to the rank of lieutenant commanderunder the ONI branch of the UNSC as an Acquisitions Specialist tasked with the retrieval of important objects and the tracking and assassination of high-value targets.
This leads him to be tasked with finding John-117, the best Spartan in the UNSC, so it goes to show the skills he has if he was given this almost impossible job. What makes Locke a proficient soldier is his cautious and logical approach to combat situations, without going in guns blazing, he calculates his move with skill and expertise.
