Halo is easily one of the largest franchises in not only gaming but science-fiction as well. Its popularity after Halo: Combat Evolved released was so great that hundreds of books and external material were created to flesh out this mysterious and unique universe.
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Part of that expansion was explaining the UNSC's Spartan program and the soldiers that inhabit it. There are four different generations of Spartans with 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 May 31, 2021, by Tom Bowen: Though John-117 may top the list of the most memorable Spartans, Master Chief has plenty of competition when it comes to the very strongest. Over the years, there have been some seemingly unstoppable soldiers, particularly among the second generation of Spartans. It's possible that the release of Halo Infinite will push things to a whole new level when it finally arrives in late 2021. Until then though, the Spartan-IIs largely reign supreme and are ahead of the pack in almost every regard.
12 Joshua-029
Gender:Male
Height: 7'0"
Date of Birth: Circa 2511
Date of Death: August 30, 2552
Joshua joined 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.
11 Tom-B292
Gender: Male
Height: Unknown
Date of Birth: Circa 2533
Date of Death: N/A
Tom joined 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.
10 Lucy-B091
Gender: Female
Height: 5'3" (Age 12)
Date of Birth: January 28, 2533
Date of Death: N/A
Together with Tom-B292, Lucy-B091 really is a force to be reckoned with in the Halo universe. 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.
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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 in dire situations makes her one of the most durable Spartan-IIIs in the entire program and thus one of the most valuable to the cause.
9 William-043
Gender: Male
Height: 7'0"
Date of Birth: Unknown
Date of Death: November 3, 2552
Will was 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.
8 Buck
Gender: Male
Height: 6'2"
Date of Birth: August 22, 2510
Date of Death: N/A
Calling Buck an 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.
7 Jerome-092
Gender: Male
Height: 7'2"
Date of Birth: May 8, 2511
Date of Death: N/A
Jerome-092 is arguably one of the strongest Spartan-IIs in the entire program, being one out of four candidates for leading the Spartan-II group. That alone makes Jerome a notable character, but he was also pivotal to the Battle of Arcadia and Battle of Shield 0459, all while using outdated armor.
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If Jerome wasn't in cryosleep for such a long period, he would likely be renowned as one of the strongest Spartan-IIs in the program. As things stand though, he comes up a little short when compared to the very best. In a way, Jerome embodies the same skills as Master Chief to a lesser degree.
6 Kelly-087
Gender: Female
Height: 6'11"
Date of Birth: September 21, 2510
Date of Death: N/A
When most Halo fans think of Blue Team, their first thought is either Master Chief or Kelly-087. Kelly is one of the few surviving Spartan-IIs during the events of Halo 5: Guardians and with good reason. Though luck was arguably on her side, she's also an incredibly skilled combatant capable of defending both herself and her teammates.
She is renowned for her incredible speed and reflexes in combat, greatly surpassing every Spartan even when she isn't in her MJOLNIR armor. Serving in countless combat operations that date back to Reach, Kelly is easily one of the most skilled and powerful Spartans to have graced Blue Team.
5 Kurt-051
Gender: Male
Height: 4'8" (Age 6)
Date of Birth: October 19, 2511
Date of Death: November 3, 2552
Kurt-051 is one of the few Spartans that has been able to outsmart Master Chief. Arguably the best tactician out of all the Spartan-IIs, Kurt had an inhuman ability to sense traps and ambushes that would otherwise go unnoticed. His ability to strategize and sense danger earned him the rank of Officer and, eventually, Lieutenant Commander.
These qualities would also manifest themselves when Kurt spearheaded the Spartan-III program. He would see his end during the Onyx conflict, but his impact on the Spartan-IIs he fought with and the Spartan-IIIs he trained can not be overstated. Without Kurt, the UNSC wouldn't be the same.
4 Frederic-104
Gender: Male
Height: 7'1"
Date of Birth: April 3, 2511
Date of Death: N/A
Frederic-104 might not be the best strategist or marksman out of the Spartan-IIs, yet he can be considered a better Spartan than even Master Chief. This is because Fred has the same jack-of-all-trades style of proficiency that most Spartans lack.
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Master Chief might have luck on his side, but he is otherwise mediocre when compared to most Spartans. Frederic, on the other hand, is the second-best at just about everything, be it leading others or killing Covenant forces with only a combat knife. When a Spartan is so skilled at so many things, they end up rising above their peers in most ways. Master Chief even admitted that if it wasn't for his luck, Frederic would overtake him in status.
3 Spartan-B312 (Noble 6)
Gender: Player Determined
Height: 6'9"
Date of Birth: Unknown
Date of Death: August 30, 2552
Breaking the common trend of Spartan-IIs, Noble 6 is easily the deadliest Spartan-III to ever grace the Halo universe. He is the only Spartan-III that has been classified as hyper-lethal, a title that was only held by one Spartan-II before 343 Industries retconned this detail.
Even with that retcon, Noble 6 is still a force to be reckoned with. He was chosen by Cortana when the AI was escorted to the Pillar of Autumn, worked alongside Noble Team to evacuate Reach, and single-handedly killed hundreds of Covenant before Noble eventually perished during the final hours of the Reach invasion. If Noble 6 had the genes of a Spartan-II, he could very well be the strongest Spartan to ever exist.
2 Linda-058
Gender: Female
Height: 7'0"
Date of Birth: March 19, 2511
Date of Death: N/A
If Noble 6 is the strongest Spartan-III lone wolf, Linda-058 is the strongest Spartan-II lone wolf. Linda has been exposed to 189 military operations and is still fighting alongside Blue Team to this day. Were it not for John-117, however, she would almost certainly have perished during the Fall of Reach.
What makes Linda so strong is her unparalleled accuracy with any marksman rifle, particularly a sniper rifle. She lands nearly every shot and doesn't need a spotter when engaging targets at range. She is easily the most skilled marksman the UNSC has ever seen, frequently used as a one-man army in most operations.
1 Samuel-034
Gender: Male
Height: 7'4"
Date of Birth: July 10, 2511
Date of Death: November 27, 2525
Not many people know of Samuel-034. He was one of the first Spartan-IIs to ever be created but was also the first Spartan-II to die during the Human-Covenant War at only age 14. For the brief period he was in the program, however, Samuel made a major impression.
He stood over 7 feet tall without armor, was a prodigy with explosives, and had a level of hearing and sight that no Spartan has matched since. It encouraged the UNSC to further their Spartan program and prove to humanity that the Covenant can be beaten thanks to Samuel's sacrifice. If Samuel got to mature, he would most definitely be the strongest Spartan to ever grace the Halo universe.
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