Canon Policy

This page details Project Daybreak ' s stance on canon. "Canon" is defined here as sources taken as authoritative within the confines of Project Daybreak. Other sources may be either partly or fully ignored, though they are sometimes used as inspiration.

Most importantly, as a fan work, Project Daybreak or its authors have no authority to dictate Halo canon in any official sense. Even within the confines of the Daybreak project, it is impossible to enforce an inviolable and all-encompassing canonical standard given the variety in individual interpretations and the ever-evolving state of the project. We can only agree on what is considered definitive at any given time, and the reader can choose to either accept or reject that interpretation. Ultimately, the project leads ( and ) have final creative control, and reserve the right to dictate what is regarded as canon within the project's scope. In practice, however, we try to avoid overly draconian interference by staying on the same page with contributors through discussion and mutual understanding, as well as trusting said contributors to familiarize themselves with Daybreak's version of the universe. For more detail on the latter, see the Daybreak Reference Manual.

Halo media canon tiers
The following list details the canon status of official Halo media within Daybreak's universe. As a general rule, most (albeit not all) Halo media to come out before 2010 is considered canon (notable exceptions include i love bees and Halo: Uprising). The de-canonization of Uprising in particular results in Daybreak's most notable departure from pre-2009 canon, in having Colonel Ackerson survive the Human-Covenant War.

The list is divided into three tiers, in descending order of canonical priority:
 * Daybreak Canon
 * Broad Strokes Canon
 * Apocrypha

Media falling outside any of the three tiers is regarded as non-canon and ignored.

It is also useful to note that just because a subject appears in a "canon" work, don't assume the rest of their backstory (as described in "non-canon" works) holds true. For example, Daisy-023 is canon to the extent of her appearance in Silent Storm, but her backstory shown in Homecoming is altered. Some such cases may be incorporated into Daybreak's canon, but by default, they are assumed to be non-canon.

Daybreak Canon
These works can be assumed to hold accurate for the most part, with only minute changes in details; exceptions are generally noted. Since stories are more than just fact sheets, all media is allowed some degree of fluidity, especially in the details; we are more concerned what implications certain facts may have on other stories.

As a caveat, gameplay is not to be taken as 100% canon, especially in regards to stats, feats, force numbers, tactics etc. Like visual media, it is a representation of an ideal canonical "reality", but itself exists in a semi-ambiguous canon status.
 * Games


 *  (excepting some details and gameplay mechanics, e.g. shields on MJOLNIR in 2531 would not be a thing)
 *  (excepting some details and gameplay mechanics, e.g. shields on MJOLNIR in 2531 would not be a thing)
 *  (excepting some details and gameplay mechanics, e.g. shields on MJOLNIR in 2531 would not be a thing)
 *  (excepting some details and gameplay mechanics, e.g. shields on MJOLNIR in 2531 would not be a thing)
 *  (excepting some details and gameplay mechanics, e.g. shields on MJOLNIR in 2531 would not be a thing)


 * Novels
 *  (with some fluidity in regards to contradictory dates and early installment weirdness, e.g. appearances of the Sangheili throughout the war, human artificial gravity, or some bits of MJOLNIR development. Many stats, numbers, velocities, etc. are likewise subject to broad strokes. It's an establishing work, but it's also an early work, on top of being a full-length novel written in seven weeks. Hence, we try to preserve the spirit of the work but not always the letter.)
 *  (with some fluidity applied to early installment weirdness)
 *  (with some changes to contradictory dates and other minute details)
 *  (apart from some details, e.g. the Jiralhanae backstory, Harvest's location and population, and the "17 colonies" number is ignored)
 *  (the following stories:)
 *  (with some broad strokes applied to the Headhunters' backstory and equipment)
 *  (with minor differences)
 *  (same deal as Silent Storm)
 *  (with some broad strokes applied to the Headhunters' backstory and equipment)
 *  (with minor differences)
 *  (same deal as Silent Storm)
 *  (with minor differences)
 *  (same deal as Silent Storm)
 *  (with minor differences)
 *  (same deal as Silent Storm)
 *  (with minor differences)
 *  (same deal as Silent Storm)


 * Miscellaneous/Other
 *  (except for select entries pertaining to the events of Halo: Reach)
 *  (except for select entries pertaining to the events of Halo: Reach)
 *  (except for select entries pertaining to the events of Halo: Reach)
 *  (except for select entries pertaining to the events of Halo: Reach)

Broad Strokes Canon
Material that strongly informs Daybreak's version of the setting and story, but is not fixed in its canonicity. In some cases of narrative fiction, the general outline of events can be assumed to have happened, with those characters in the locations depicted and around the same time unless otherwise noted, but some details and circumstances may vary.


 * : with the notable difference that it would be set at night
 * : the events, locations and characters can be assumed to still apply, but the Sangheili culture stuff in particular should be taken with a grain of salt
 *  (an incarnation of the Assembly exists in Daybreak, but their specific activities as chronicled in the data pads are subject to the caveat of unreliable narration)
 * : excepting the "present-day"/2557-era segments, and the visual appearance of the Spartans' armor
 * : the general events (i.e. the situation on Carrow and Gray Team) would have happened, though the Sharquoi bits in particular might differ, with the species having been given an overhaul.
 *  (the following stories:)
 *  reference material (for the most part)
 * Halo: Evolutions
 *  (the locations and characters are canon, but the version of events in Halo 2 should be taken as definitive)
 *  (the general events did happen and those characters did exist, but on Tribute as Beta Gabriel is changed into a non-terrestrial world; and ONI never infiltrated High Charity)
 *  reference material (for the most part)
 * Halo: Evolutions
 *  (the locations and characters are canon, but the version of events in Halo 2 should be taken as definitive)
 *  (the general events did happen and those characters did exist, but on Tribute as Beta Gabriel is changed into a non-terrestrial world; and ONI never infiltrated High Charity)

Apocrypha
A tier below Broad Strokes, Apocrypha occupies a limbo between non-canon in that it doesn't fit either of the above categories, but can nonetheless serve as a source of inspiration and influence for some bits of worldbuilding, stories, and characters.


 * : This was one of the harder cases to exclude. Most of the worldbuilding around Forerunner culture (e.g. rates, mutations, customs, etc.) can be assumed to apply, but since Daybreak's general outline of events follows the version from Iris and the Halo 3 terminals, most of the events or deeper backstory around the Forerunners, Precursors and the Flood would not. This is because The Forerunner Saga effectively serves as backstory to a different version of the setting than Daybreak, and so many of the plot points and themes would be either redundant, out of place, or in conflict with Daybreak's ideas.
 * : When it came to TFoR and Reach, we were faced with a choice to pick one over the other. We went with the novel, as its version of the Fall of Reach presents less fuss (e.g. in regards to connections to First Strike and Ghosts of Onyx). However, we may find ways to incorporate most of the game's events and characters into the version of the story of The Fall of Reach and First Strike without having to Frankenstein the two stories together. Some parts of the plot can be assumed to have happened, e.g. an advance Covenant scouting party on Reach, Operation: UPPER CUT, as well as the battle for New Alexandria, and most of the locations on Reach would have existed (though the Olympic Tower and the FLEETCOM HQ weren't in New Alexandria, but the FLEETCOM Military Complex in the Highland Mountains as described in the Nylund novels). However, the timeline, some of the the characters or the exact sequence of events would differ; e.g. Noble Team never interacts with Halsey, and the Cortana splinter plotline is dropped.
 * : a good chunk of the worldbuilding can be ported over, except where it pertains to non-existent elements like the Infinity, or some details such as the nature of plasma torpedoes.
 * : There are some things that would have to be rethought, like the slipspace travel times and improbable Forerunner upgrades, but the overall events and characters can definitely exist in the setting.
 * ' & ': Both strongly inform Daybreak's worldbuilding in places, but the events themselves are not considered canon for the time being; though the conflict on Gao and Blue Team's participation in it may possibly be included. Notably, the Gammas' need for smoothers is less acute, and the reasons for their reassignment should be retooled given the different overall context (e.g. lack of a Spartan-IV program).
 * : I have begun to sense rumblings of a worse fate yet to come. I can recall a sun - black, but shining - and the creatures that inched along its fiery tracks. It is an increasingly unpleasant memory.