Halo: Escalation Issue #7 - Summary (Spoilers)

Check out the [url=http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/Previews/22-707?page=0]Preview,[/url] then buy Issue #7 digitally [url=https://digital.darkhorse.com/profile/4599.halo-escalation-7/]here[/url] or buy the physical copy [url=http://www.tfaw.com/Profile/Halo-Escalation-7___450603]here.[/url] Miss out on Issue #6? Read the summary and lore notes [url=http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/65095714]here![/url] [quote][b][u]Summary:[/u][/b] Thorne was only in the third grade when his parents died. Before that, his grandparents convinced his mom he should get to know Earth, which he hated. He remembers a report he gave in the third grade he gave on the city of New Phoenix. In the middle of the report, his grandparents came to school to see it. It was the first time he'd ever seen his grandpa cry. His parents were Army officers stationed on the Alluvion. They died when the Covenant cauterized humanity from the surface of the planet. At the time he didn't understand how his parents had died. Aboard the SMAC Oaxaca Station, Thorne is having a repeat nightmare. His gradma is teaching him how to play violin as a child. She herself played for the New Phoenix Philharmonic for 20 years. She hoped he would follow in her footsteps and not her parents. Thorne is now in MJOLNIR. The sky turns bright orange. In the dream, he can never save her or anyone else. Now he's outside in a crowd. Everyone is incinerated before him. He doesn't know how he can cope with the fact 7 million people were annihilated in under 90 seconds and nothing changes. No damage or destruction. Grant wakes him up from his nightmare. Thorne suggests they go for a walk. They go to the cafeteria. There, Grant suggests Thorne talks about his dream, offering up her mother's wisdom. He says he keeps worrying about his grandma being alone when it happened and suggests the dreams are just him being in proximity of Earth and all the Waypoint news about the city reopening. Grant asks if he's planning on going, which he responds no to. She suggests they go since they have nothing to do while Infinity undergoes repairs, which he reluctantly agrees to. Down on New Phoenix, the UEG President Ruth Charet gives a speech to commemorate the reopening of New Phoenix. Grant comments how it feels more like a funeral than a homecoming. They look around at all the civilians, realizing they haven't been around this many in a long time. After the ceremony, the two of them take a Warthog to Thorne's grandparents' house. As they enter the house, Thorne is surprised that the door scanner still let him in. He comments how weird it is as he was expecting some form of damage while Grant looks at a photo of Thorne when he just joined the army. She then notices a Master Chief action figure. Thorne points out it was his grandma's. When he joined the SPARTANs, his Grandma got it to show to her friends. As they continue looking through the house, Grant wonders if Majestic will ever get their own action figures. Thorne notices something and rushes to a windowed door. Outside in a courtyard is where his grandma was. She was playing the violin. Overcome with emotions, he tries to get away. Grant stops him and tells him about her time on Arcadia. When the Covenant attacked. She laments how she wishes she actually had a place like Thorne's house with memories of her families. Before she goes, she tells Thorne that his dreams are telling him to let his pain out and hands him the violin. As she leaves, Thorne realizes she's right. He may hate Earth, but he loves his grandparents and family. Back on Infinity three weeks later, Thorne comments how the only dream he has now is of a talking couch named Steven. As he gets in bed on Infinity, he realizes the trip to New Phoenix was a good thing, and he's glad Grant was there for him. Roland alerts everyone to prepare for a slipspace jump, and Infinity enters the colorless void of slipstream space on their next mission.[/quote] [b][u]Lore Notes:[/u][/b] -New Phoenix --4th Most populated city in URNA (behind NY, LA, and Chicago) --Used to be two cities Phoenix and Flagstaff (New Phoenix is over 144 Miles in diameter) --7 Million digitized (Conjecture: Not entire city) -Thorne's Family --Grandpa Ayres (Deceased) --Grandma Ayres (Deceased; Composition of NP) --Parents (KIA, Glassing of Alluvion) -Thorne's Home --1322 South Turtle Creek Road --Eye scanner security system --Master Chief Action Figure --Holograph picture -Times and Locations --Oaxaca Station 2558-03-22 0154 SMT Earth Orbit --New Phoenix Rebirth Ceremony UEG President Ruth Charet Speaking 2558-03-24 --Three Weeks Later (2558-04-14; Infinity finishes repairs)