Halo Reach: Pillar of Autumn- Helping Keyes Escape

This scene hits even harder when you realize no one onboard the Autumn, except for the Chief, Cortana, and Johnson will survive the upcoming chain of events that await them.

The amount of effort they put into making the takeoff look realistic is mind blowing. The way that giant ship moves, the thrusters adjusting perfectly to match its changes in direction... it’s flawless. It looks real and at least for me it made a world of difference with immersion. They could have cut corners there and they didn’t.

You can see Noble 6 emotionally grasping the reality as he slowly climbs down the ladder watching the Pillar of Autumn. He is witnessing the last of humanity leaving Reach, leaving him behind. He may have accomplished his mission, but his fight is far from over. But this time, there will be no extraction, no reinforcements, no supply, no escape, all alone. He is to be Humanity’s Last Man Standing on Reach and he is preparing himself to give the Covenant a Final Stand they will not forget.

For some reason when it shows noble 6 climbing down the ladder watch the autumn fly away makes me shed a tear

To think that the remaining survivors in the pillar of autumn thought they where finally saved but in a few weeks they all died horrible deaths by covenant and flood and the only survivors were just chief and Sargent Johnson!

Hours later, that ship burns on a mysterious ring world... many dead... Days later... Keyes K.I.A... 99% of crew... K.I.A

The pillar of Autumn was undergoing refits during the invasion and just so happened to be handy for a getaway

0:27 When you intentionally miss your school bus...

To think everything that went on during the events of the original trilogy was only possible because of Noble Team's sacrifice on Reach We couldn't have finished the fight without them

Imagine. You're watching the only chance of survival fading away as you're surrounded in an overtaken world that was once yours. You're staring deep into the sky. Such beautiful clouds. Heavenly as the sun surrounds you with its warm just like the first day you came to existence. You feel the wind hitting your back slightly colder than before. Is the change in temperature giving you chills, or do you feel your cold blood flowing through your spine as you try to hold yourself up while you stare death with your empty eyes? Knowing there's no survival at this point, you just move forward wondering what corner will be your last breath. What sights will you never see? What sounds will you no longer hear? What force will you never overcome? It's quite nostalgic, quite heartbreaking, quite beautiful. You won't BE anymore. There's no question after that. You'll just be a part of an answer. Today there is victory, but not your victory. You'll have yours. I'm sure there'll be another time.

0:27 when you missed the last plane out of Kabul

damn, i never realized in the background at 0:36 you can see the covenant cruiser crashing into the ground. always distracted by the beast taking off.

All and all, Noble Team were the lucky ones. At least most of them died thinking they saved the day. A large amount of those men on the Pillar of Autumn probably would have chosen to die on Reach if they knew what was waiting for them in a few weeks time. That's a chilling thought to think about given all they saw and sacrificed up to that point.

The music fits this scene so well

0:25 this is legitimately the best cinematic shot I've ever seen in anything ever.

It’s weird to think there’s only one person who was aboard that ship still alive

Six is saved by G-Man who claims that he has limitless potential....

He was the only other one Cortana chose, wasn't he?

This is when the franchise hit its peak and in my eyes they haven't been able to top it since then

I don't care how old this game is, it is an absolute masterpiece and was the best game I've ever played! Were it not for Noble Team, Our halo trilogy may have never have happened.