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Marathon's Story Page
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Marathon's Story Page
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #768. Die Gheritt White, Die! 
My personal tribute to Goya by Microwaveboiled (@microwaveboiled) on Cara. June 6, 2025.
We featured the artist Microwaveboiled (@microwaveboiled) back on June 9, 2025. While the above is not actually Marathon-related when I saw it... I was like... rodent's revenge. Die Gheritt White, Die! Of course if you haven't read the Gheritt White terminal then you will be totally confused. Staying on the subject of furry things. Grilled Cheese Demon gives us MEDKIT. 
MEDKIT by Grilled Cheese Demon on the Official Marathon Discord. June 28, 2025.
No doubt inspired by the recent addition of a Medic Runner (aka Aux) in the closed Marathon Alpha (June edition). Furries continue to ask... Where's the Furry in Marathon? A lost opportunity not to have a Furry Medic running around Tau Ceti healing people. Here's a work in progress image of MEDKIT. 
MEDKIT (work in progress) by Grilled Cheese Demon on x.com. June 26, 2025.
One look at this guy is enough to get you back on your feet and running. Just ask Alice. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #767. Happy Jjaro Boxers Day! On this day 24 years ago Ian McConville of Mac Hall fame created his famous "Now With Better Support" comic strip (aka Jjaro Boxers).  Unfortunately no one can be told what Jjaro Boxers are... you have to wear them for yourself. However the Story page has documented the Origin of the Jjaro Boxers (aka the dirty laundry). So on this day of days... just chill out. 
Security Officer by sulatio on tumblr. April 6, 2016.
It's Sunday afterall. Postscript. Don't have a MIDA T-Shirt to turn into a makeshift balaclava to avoid UESC facial recognition?  MIDA. Venice Art Walls. Venice Beach. Los Angeles, California. May 23, 2023. Well Jjaro performance boxers have you covered. Step 1. Grab the waist band and pull one leg over your head so it covers your mouth and nose. Step 2. Grab the waist band again pull the other leg hole over your head so that it covers your forehead.  How do you think ten military Mjolnir Mark IV cyborgs covertly lived among the colonists on Tau Ceti for seven years? Jjaro performance boxers coming to a Bungie Store near you. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #766. "...that sewer of posturing, rudeness, baseless rumors, and unprovoked attacks."Just your average day on social media these days, right? Only it's not. The above quote is from Bungie but not the Bungie you know. It's from Bungie on November 18, 1994. It was made on America Online (AOL) and was in response to fan criticism on comp.sys.mac.games of Bungie's handling of the Marathon delay. Back in the '90s AOL provided a dial-up Internet service to millions of Americans and pioneered instant messaging and chat rooms with AOL Instant Messenger (AIM). Here is the full AOL post by Bungie (BUNGIE1). Subj: Bull, etc. 94-11-18 15:58:28 EST From: BUNGIE1 It's a shame; our folder is beginning to look as bad as comp.sys.mac.games, that sewer of posturing, rudeness, baseless rumors, and unprovoked attacks. I go there only when I have to, and it's too bad, because that could be a useful service if people just kept their cool. Many people DO keep things in perspective, and have written me to express their support and show that they understand that software design is a tricky business under the best of circumstances. You know who you are - thank you, you've all shown a lot of class. To everyone who is sending Instant Messages to me - please stop! I can't get anything done online. Henceforth, until the game ships, I won't respond to any Instant Messages. Don't take it personally, it's just not feasible. Now, I thought the demo was ready to go, and thought it would be out last weekend, so I told people that, which was a mistake. The demo will be out very soon, but that's all I can say. This was most likely written by Doug Zartman who was Bungie's P.R. Director. He also held the infamous title of "The Man in the Online Asbestos Suit" as he was regularly called on to put out online firestorms. Matt Soell inherited the title when he joined Bungie in January 1995. The above AOL post was preserved by John Dorsey (Carnegie Mellon University) in a comp.sys.mac.games post on November 23, 1994. Here's his full post now preserved on the Story page. It's what we do so you don't forget. And as they say in Marathon... (circumstances are cyclical) |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #765. It's sketchy Friday! We're got sketches. First up... kam (@kamil-a) has been sketching her way through Marathon. We've been featuring some of her sketches as she played. She finally completed Marathon recently and gave us the final terminal in her own inimitable 'quirky' style  leela pls by kam (@kamil-a) on tumblr. June 20, 2025. The final terminal in Marathon leaves us with an existential question. Who... am I?Even Leela didn't know. Someone said "thief" she thought...  Thief by evil witch val on the Unofficial Marathon Discord. April 8, 2025. evil witch val writes quick thief sketch cuz i rly like her It's all in the eyes. Have colors... will color.
Locus and OG UESC Runner sketches from the artist known only as JJ. Last up... Onions. We've featured Onions on the Story page before. Indeed he's a fan favorite ever since we featured his nude Runner sketch. You know... the one with the big... But I digress. Today we feature his Marathon Runner with liberty spikes.  Marathon Runner with liberty spikes by Onions on the Alright Runners™ Discord. April 15, 2025. Got a MIDA vibe going on here. Happy sketchy Friday. Stay sketchy. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #764. Return to Tau Ceti. What if I told you... ...that a former Bungie employee (2000-2018) created a Marathon scenario called "Return to Tau Ceti" in 1997. The Read Me file for "Return to Tau Ceti" (v1.1) opens with the following text. The story behind this scenario begins when the UESC loses contact with the Marathon and the Tau Ceti colony. The last message sent to Earth by Leela was intercepted and garbled by the Pfhor forces orbiting the planet. A UESC military vessel, the Stormbringer, is sent to investigate.Change the name of the UESC vessel to "Equanimity" and you see where this is going. The Marathon scenario "Return to Tau Ceti" was created by David Candland (aka Evil Otto). David was a UI Design Lead on Halo, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, Destiny, and Destiny 2 (up to 2018).  David Candland (aka Evil Otto). Bungie 2000-2018. On the 25th anniversary of Marathon David wrote: Today marks the 25th anniversary of Marathon? I guess i would be remiss if I didn't have a few things to say about a game that literally changed my life.The rest they say is history. David is probably best known to Marathon fans for creating 'The Ancients' poster for Bungie's 20th Anniversary celebration on July 7, 2011.  David Candland. The Ancients poster. Bungie 20th Anniversary celebration, 2011. His Compiler image is a fan favorite. David actually made three other 'The Ancients' images but these where not turned into a poster for Bungie's 20th Anniversary. Perhaps because Halo and Oni were not considered 'ancient' enough and Minotaur: The Labyrinths of Crete was less well known.
But back to "Return to Tau Ceti". David wrote: My first foray into game development was a crappy Marathon mod, that had its own 2 level campaign, shapes patch, and title screen (pictured). It was included in the Marathon Box set. Technically my first content in a Bungie release. This was 1997.  Return to Tau Ceti (Title Screen) by David Candland (@drcandland) on x.com. December 22, 2019. Fast-forward to 2023 and you see where this is going.  Marathon concept art. Marathon ViDoc. May 2023. David entered his Marathon scenario "Return to Tau Ceti" in the Marathon Infinity Map Making Contest (October 15, 1996 - February 15, 1997). Unfortunately David wasn't a Winner. He wasn't a Runner-up. He didn't even get an Honorable Mention. When Bungie released the Marathon Trilogy Box Set in May 1997 they included the competition entries on the map collection CD.  Marathon Trilogy Box Set. The Definitive Map Collection CD. May 1997. So what happened to David's Marathon scenario "Return to Tau Ceti"? Well the Marathon Infinity Map Making Contest small print was very clear. All entries will become the Intellectual Property (IP) of Bungie Software for use in any future Marathon game. David's Marathon scenario "Return to Tau Ceti" was boxed up and stored in Hangar 96 to be opened only in the case of dire emergency.  Fast-forward to 2025 and you see where this is going.  Official Marathon Discord. April 12, 2025. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #763. It's funny, but you've always been the colony's trouble shooter. You're bigger and stronger, and a better shot.  Marathon protag by waste_of_space1157 on r/marathon. May 24, 2025. waste_of_space1157 writes concerning the above image (the first in his Marathon trifecta): I wanted to emulate the 90s sifi thing they had going on. Like it is kinda goofy but rendering it in to a semi realistic form whilst still retaining some of its original goofiness moreso gives it back some aestheticism and hopefully a different but still kinda similar appeal.waste_of_space1157 give us the second image in his Marathon trifecta. I have been called a hundred names and will be called a thousand more before the world goes dim and cold.  Marathon 2 protag by waste_of_space1157 on r/marathon. June 17, 2025. waste_of_space1157 writes: Marathon 2 protag art I made based on the first chapter art, "The Terminals Made Me Do It".waste_of_space1157 completes his Marathon trifecta with Marathon Infinity. You follow the path. Fitting into an infinite pattern.  Marathon Infinity protag by waste_of_space1157 on r/marathon. June 22, 2025. Now in the quanrum moment before the clousre, when all become one. One moment left. One point of space and time. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #762. Lock up your sons. The girls are back in town.  Sorry by odd (@oddmb_) on x.com. April 29, 2025. Sorry (not sorry) is by odd (@oddmb_) on X. This team of ladies watch as a poor unfortunate Void climbs into his duffle bag to die. Like you do. Sadly Thief (aka Icon) did not make it into the Marathon Alpha. Her friends Glitch and Blackbird did.  Still no code by odd (@oddmb_) on x.com. April 21, 2025. Kinda like those that didn't get an Alpha code. Her time will come. Yet another piece of Thief art by odd (@oddmb_).  What's in the Box by odd (@oddmb_) on x.com. April 20, 2025. What's in the Box? A few cans of NuCaloric Product 412 or something more? The UESC be like... Thief be like...  Clean get away by odd (@oddmb_) on x.com. April 25, 2025. ...catch me if you can. Time to partay, yay! This has been as 'odd' update. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #761. MIDA Hardcore!  MIDA Tattoo posted by TheWeatherIsMIDA[nerd] on the Official Marathon Discord. May 2, 2025. So you think you're MIDA? You bought the T-Shirts... like they told you!
You wear it inside out... like they told you!
You turned it into a balaclava... like they told you!
Now you think your MIDA... like they said you would! But you're not MIDA. Where's your tats?
♡hεαtHer♡ on the Alright Runners™ Discord wants to be MIDA. She writes: threw together a quick noisy mida wallpaper cus lowkey i love their logo and embarrassingly want a tattoo of it  MIDA Wallpaper by ♡hεαtHer♡ on the Alright Runners™ Discord. April 7, 2025. Don't be embarrassed ♡hεαtHer♡. Get your tat. Be MIDA.  MIDA ANTI:REV+ issue 4673c. Marathon ARG 2023. May 24, 2023. Marathon Is Dermal Art. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #760. Contents under pressure? Do not expose to excessive heat, vacuum, blunt trauma, immersion in liquids, disintegration, reintegration, hypersleep, humiliation, sorrow or harsh language?Got beer?  Product 412 NuCaloric beer posted by Cory Schmitz (@CorySchmitz) on x.com. April 25, 2025. Well Cory Schmitz does. He has Product 412 from NuCaloric Foods. Not before you cry FAKE! This is a REAL product. It is a Bungie collab with the Project 9 Brewing Co. in Seattle, Washington. It's a Hazy IPA 6.3% ABV.  Product 412 by Project 9 Brewing Co. in collaboration with Bungie Inc. Bungie had a fridge full of them at the Marathon Reveal live stream event.  Product 412 NuCaloric beer posted by Eric Connor Richter (@Aeryyk) on x.com. April 12, 2025. On the day of the Marathon Reveal, Project 9 Brewing Co. posted the following on their Facebook page: Super excited for this special Saturday release! This beer was created in collaboration with Bungie to help celebrate the team for their big gameplay reveal for their upcoming game, Marathon.  Just the ticket as you play the Closed Marathon Alpha Test.  100% positive Alpha feedback after six cans. Guaranteed.   Product 412 NuCaloric beer posted by Divinitii on the Official Marathon Discord. April 13, 2025.  Product 412 NuCaloric beer posted by Worm Herald on the Official Marathon Discord. April 17, 2025. Will Bungie bring back their old  Perhaps we will see the return of Bungie's "work harder and get more beer" initiative!  Mark Bernal. Marathon Scrapbook (page 18).  Robert McLees. Marathon Scrapbook (page 18). It worked for Marathon 2 in 1995. So why not Marathon in 2025 ? And why the name Product 412 ? Well 4+1+2 = 7. So why not. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #759. I get the strangest of mail.  Bungie sent me a cat's head in a box! The infamous Cosa Nostra warning. Bungie finally showing their Chicago roots? Of course the message is clear. STOP with the Furries in Marathon. There is NO...  FURATHON by DJSEB1001™ | Firefox on the Official Marathon Discord. June 19, 2025. Escape will NOT make you... FLUFFY. And IF there are ten million furries in North America, and IF one tenth of one tenth buy Marathon that's ONLY 100 copies! Bungie Mathematics 101. Steve Cotton (former Creative Director on Marathon). Somewhere In The Heavens - ViDoc. May 24, 2023. Furries are not amused.  Hare Runner by Grilled Cheese Demon (@BoringChort) on x.com. May 10, 2025. Not one bit amused and are out for fur.  Hare Runner by Grilled Cheese Demon (@BoringChort) on x.com. May 26, 2025. I mean the Security Officer in Marathon was a Furry... right?  Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! by Nikao (@nikao56.bsky.social) on Bluesky. May 26, 2025. RIGHT? |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #758. It's sketchy Friday! That day of the week we don't do drama we do sketches. Have sketchbook, will sketch.  Glitch sketches by Kyle Dickson (playme_wolfsaur) on Instagram. May 2, 2025. Kyle Dickson writes: A lil sketchbook page I did today to learn how Glitch's hair workedKyle went on to create a final version based on one of the above sketches.  Glitch final by Kyle Dickson (playme_wolfsaur) on Instagram. May 2, 2025. We featured Denver-based illustrator Ashley V last sketchy Friday but here are two more sketches for all you Amazon chasers out there.
Staying on topic... AlexZhir gives us colored doodles.  Glitch sketches (and Security Officer) by AlexZhir on the Official Marathon Discord. June 18, 2025. Judging from the Security Officer's smile he's enjoying Glitch's warm embrace. Last up... OH NO! Where's my lucky charm?  Glitch sketch by M i N S (@Mikes_NotSane) on x.com. Apr 26, 2025. M i N S (@Mikes_NotSane) writes: Glitch sketch I wanted to get out of my head while the Wifey gets tattedAs you do. But the question we should be asking is why is Glitch's lucky charm the leg off a black Chucky doll? Glitch's Lucky Charm.  Perhaps we should have called today Glitchy Friday. Happy sketchy Friday. Stay sketchy. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #757. Happy Acquisition Day!
Yes folks, on this day 25 years ago Microsoft acquired Bungie Software.
 PTSD by beverlybile. September 11, 2024. The Cortana Letters were shredded and Halo's tone shifted from "dark sci-fi to happy fun time Joe Staten land". The shift from "darker tone" to happy fun time Joe Staten land was nicely captured in MandaloreGaming's review of Marathon Infinity. Fast forward to 2025. With the shift to a "darker tone" and proximity chat Marathon Prediction: proximity chat will be removed within 3-6 months due to abuse. Bungie will be like... we told you so. Marathon Dark as envisioned by melon (@meloneslada) just days after the Marathon announcement in May 2023.  Tau Ceti arrival by melon (@meloneslada) on twitter.com. May 28, 2023
Are you afraid to play Marathon? Does every run end in humiliation and tears? Well Marathoners Anonymous is here to help you. We have a seat here for you... BUT NOT beside Hamish.  Marathoners Anonymous group therapy tru7h circle. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #756. Do you recognise this child?  Don't forget for what you're fighting for... by AlexZhir (@SANYNOCHKA) on x.com. June 14, 2025. Have to say I think Mjolnir Recon is a tad bit too old for Glitch. But hey... maybe it's a foot thing. But I am digressing already. Thanks to those who wrote in about more Thief fan art. Martin Šantrůček (@naxiwuno), a concept artist from Náchod in the Czech Republic, gives us Thief and KAAL1 in a quiet moment.  Marathon by Martin Šantrûček (@naxiwuno) on x.com. May 25, 2025. Thief is actually a codename. In-game she will go by the name Icon. Much the same way as Stealth goes by the name Void. On Bungie's Marathon website you will see another piece of Thief concept art.  Thief (aka Icon) on marathonthegame.com. April 12, 2025. If you download the image from the source you will find her name is part of the file name. This may change by the time of release. New release date to be announced this Fall. Interesting to see Bungie use an older (2023) Marathon art asset as a banner for their Marathon Development Update.  Banner on Marathon Development Update. June 17, 2025. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #755. In Marathon you've got to ask yourself one question. "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?.  MARATHON by Beans&Egg (@BeansAndEgg) on x.com. June 13, 2025. This 'gritty as hell' piece of Marathon art is by Beans&Egg (@BeansAndEgg). If you look closely you can make out text from Marathon Infinity. Continuing our theme of... Where is the Compiler in Marathon? When the going gets tough, the tough... call for backup!  Encountering "Local Resistance" by Canvas (@ccanvas.bsky.social) on Bluesky. April 23, 2025. Mjolnir Recon 54 is always prepared. The above piece is by Canvas (@ccanvas.bsky.social) entitled "Encountering "Local Resistance". Mjolnir Recon be like... "You have been a naughty Compiler!" Dire Marsh can be a dangerous place at night. Out back, past the Data Wall... there be monsters. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #754. A rare piece of Marathon fan art of Thief by MasterDCJ (@Master_DCJ).  TH1EF by MasterDCJ (@Master_DCJ) on x.com. April 16, 2025. I say rare because there isn't much Thief artwork... as of yet. Most likely because she didn't appear in the Marathon Alpha so she didn't get much exposure. Interestingly there are a number of audio files buried in the Marathon Alpha that are believed to be the voice of Thief. She sounds Eastern European even though she looks oriental, complete with topknot hairstyle. Thief was introduced by Joe Ziegler back on October 28, 2024.  She replaced White Rabbit as the bannner image on the Marathon website.  Thief featured again in official artwork leading up to the Marathon Reveal on April 12, 2025.  Marathon Runners posted by Joseph Cross (@josephacross) on x.com. April 4, 2025.  Official Marathon Discord. April 12, 2025. Official Marathon Discord. April 12, 2025.  Marathon Runners posted by Joseph Cross (@josephacross) on x.com. April 6, 2025. Interesting to note that Bungie posted an 'extended view' version of the original Thief concept art on their Marathon (@MarathonTheGame) account on April 8, 2025.  Thief does appear in two brief scenes in the Marathon Reveal Cinematic Short, the most notable being near the end.  Another piece of Thief fan art this time by Carson Reed (@cinemamotionss).  Escape will make me god by Carson Reed (@cinemamotionss) on x.com. April 23, 2025. I'll leave the last word to the Artful Dodger herself who is partial to... |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #753. Knismophilia: Take-Two. Back on May 21, 2025 we featured the joyous "Ticklish Before Extraction!" by the artist Milesjenkins91. Yeah, you know the one. Glitch getting her big feet tickled by Void. Caused quite a stir. A number of people have pointed out that Miles also created a Konoko version last year. So for all you knismophiliacs out there...  Kicked By Konoko's Cute Feet! by Milesjenkins91 on DeviantArt. September 22, 2024. What's seen can't be unseen. Konoko is of course the player character in the game Oni. Oni was created by Bungie West (Bungie's West coast studio). However, as part of the acquisition of Bungie by Microsoft in 2000 Oni's IP was transfered to Take-Two Interactive (which owned 20% of Bungie at that time). Take-Two Interactive also acquired the rights to Bungie's Myth IP in the same acquisition. Microsoft got Halo and a plethora of bargain bin items. Funny how that worked out. But I digress. Missed out on that Sekiguchi Genetics T-Shirt in the Bungie Store?
Well you can pick one up on eBay for a nifty US $99.99 .  Tired of waiting for that Marathon T-Shirt to be back in the Bungie Store?
Well you can pick one up on eBay for a nifty US $99.99 . It's the same seller... surpise... suprise.  You snooze you lose. Back on May 25, 2025 we featured a Marathon Content Creator Box for sale on eBay.  It came chock-full of Marathon goodies to keep you excited and entertained for more than seven seconds. Originally it was listed at nearly US $1000 but it sold for a knockdown price of US $749. I guess someone wanted that plushy real bad.  |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #752. You have crawled through the detritus of Tau Ceti. Duke Weatherill (@DukePaints), a freelance concept artist from Norwich in the United Kingdom, gives us this atmospheric scene of a lone figure searching an abandoned NuCaloric location on Tau Ceti.  Marathon NuCaloric interior sketch by Duke (@DukePaints) on x.com. April 8, 2025. I will let Gaius of NuCaloric Agriculture explain what is happening.  Begin by investigating the mundane. The colony's first major expansion. A full size interior of an abandoned NuCaloric structure by Duke Weatherill.  Marathon NuCaloric interior by Duke (@DukePaints) on x.com. April 16, 2025. Close ups of the interior scene.  Marathon NuCaloric interior close up by Duke (@DukePaints) on x.com. April 17, 2025. You can check out more of Duke Weatherill's artwork on Artstation and x.com. But back to Gaius.  Humanity's reach ever exceeds its grasp. Victor Ullmann (@victorullmannn), a 3D Environment Artist from Québec in Canada, gives us his version of an abandoned NuCaloric location on Tau Ceti. Victor is currently working at Ubisoft Montréal.  Marathon NuCaloric 0001 by Victor Ullmann (@victorullmannn) on x.com. April 12, 2025. Commenting on the artwork the artist known as Soul (@Soul_ant19) wrote: Crazy style matching brother. Thought it was the game for a second.Have to agree. Another view of the same location.  Marathon NuCaloric 0002 by Victor Ullmann (@victorullmannn) on x.com. April 12, 2025. Two close up views.
We featured some of Victor's earlier Marathon art on the Story page back on February 18, 2025. You can check out more of Victor Ullmann's artwork on Artstation and x.com. So about that NuCaloric botany data you found, Gaius reveals:  You are a statistical outlier. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #751. Friday 13th and it's sketchy Friday! No drama today... just sketches. But something bad is about to happen... WARNING: Impact is imminent.  UESC Marathon by Mida_Seashby.01 on the Official Marathon Discord. April 17, 2025. Mida_Seashby.01 gives us this nice sketch of the UESC Marathon before the asteroid impacts. It has that charcoal feel to it but it was created in Procreate using custom brush. Asteroid shower or Pfhor attack? Fan theories abound. The latest is that the Pfhor were inside the asteroids just like the Martians in War of the Worlds.  Bungie are looking for a new Narrative Director. Perhaps some of you should apply with theories like that. But I digress. Got sketchbook, will sketch.  Marathon Marine by risdio on the Unofficial Marathon Discord. April 19, 2025. Yes, a fan favorite. VicOnARealBadDay (aka Lh'owon). risdio did this as part of a school project. I hope he got an A. Then again he may have been sent for counselling. jk On the subject of school, vamoooshka had... some fun before class with the marathon aesthetics..  Sketchbook Doodles by vamoooshka on the Official Marathon Discord. April 18, 2025. Nice use of MIDA lore on these pages. Find out how deep MIDA lore goes on the MIDA ARG 2023 section. And at the end you will see some more MIDA Acronyms.  Last up... A series of sketchbook sketches by Ashley V. (@languidbrigand.bsky.social) on Bluesky.
The last two images are the same just taken at different stages. Ashley writes: Marker drawing of the runner Void from the game Marathon, materializing while shrouded in smoke.Happy sketchy Friday. Stay sketchy! |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #750. So as through a glass, and darkly iam%hero  I AM HERO by Yeeto (@yeetobirdo) on tumblr. June 9, 2025. Yeeto (@yeetobirdo) on tumblr gives us this very nice visual rendition of iam%hero from the unformatted terminal on Kill Your Television. A Marathon 2 level by Jason Jones where water is your friend.  Marathon 2: Durandal. Kill Your Television. Concerning his level Jason wrote: Looks cool, but a real snoozer in the network game because nobody at Bungie ever figured it out except me. Puzzle levels like this one and six thousand feet under never were popular during cooperative play.Water is of course the solution to the height puzzles. It is almost pointless at this stage to point out that it is not I AM HERO but rather i am a hero. Jason provided the full formatted text of the Kill Your Television terminal some years after the release of Marathon 2. Not wishing to open the tireless "What is canon?" debate the bottom line is that I AM HERO is just way cooler and that's what counts these days... right?  I AM HERO art has been become a fan favorite.  I AM HERO by Th3 on twitter.com. February 19, 2024.  I am hero by ThousandMasks on twitter.com. September 11, 2022. Sometimes fan lore trumps canon lore.  Jason Jones (right), Luke Smith (left) | Image courtesy Bungie. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #749. Where is the Compiler in Marathon? Jack Strider asks... Did You Bring Enough Bullets?  Did You Bring Enough Bullets? by Jack Strider (@striderau.bsky.social) on Bluesky. April 11, 2025. Sometimes bullets are not enough. Preparation is the key.  Compiler by Jack Strider (@striderau.bsky.social) on Bluesky. April 13, 2025. This Runner is prepared. Note the large overhead extraction fan. I'll let Edna explain. Now who is going to tell Glitch about her pants?  |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #748. Got ink?  Marathon tattoo by SentientBedsheets on r/marathon. June 5, 2025. Last month we featured a Marathon factions tattoo. Marathon fans said cool... but not cool enough. SentientBedsheets went full Roland with the above iconography. This is full UESC Marine Corps hardcore...  But wait I hear you cry. Is it as badass as the Ne Cede Malis tattoo?  Marathon tattoo by shark on Marathon Discord. June 19, 2022. No not that one. The other one. You know... the one you downloaded and used as a wallpaper until your Mom saw it! "Hey Greg."It was so hardcore it was removed from social media, even tumblr. The story goes that a picture of the tattoo was taken in a nightclub in Redmond, Washington some years ago along with an incriminating palm print of the one they called... celer manus dei. Removed from social media but not the Story page. Marathon 101. How do you find anything on the Marathon's Story page?  |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #747. Where is the Compiler in Marathon? It's behind you!  Compiler by José L. Dávila on x.com. May 22, 2025. José L. Dávila (@BoRikuaBoii), a Puerto Rican concept artist, reminds us that the Compiler in Marathon is always behind you. Of course by this stage it is far too late. RUN.  Runner by Microwaveboiled (@microwaveboiled) on Cara. April 13, 2025. Time to call in the UESC Marines.  Blackbird (alt) by ◤ ◢ ❮❮ ❯❯ ❮❮ ❯❯ ◤ ◢ (@albaworks.bsky.social) on Bluesky. April 16, 2025. Recycled dead soldiers. Easy to manufacture chips enhanced the fragile human brain, and genetically enhanced muscles and titanium bones replaced the fragile human form. They only need to know one thing: where they are. The battle for Tau Ceti has begun. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #746. And now back to Marathon. Get off my ship!  Clearly, you don't own a Colony Ship (cheap) by RR-77 on DeviantArt. June 3, 2025. RR-77 gives us the Security Officer in classic form as he prepares to repel all borders. And yes, they do seem to be carrying pitch forks. Sucker Punch!  Mjolnir Recon number 54 by TheBoRiS on Fur Affinity. October 2024. TheBoRiS gives us Mjolnir Recon number 54 in classic form as he prepares to take out a Compiler the old school way. Can't beat the close and personal touch. Passing the torch. Thanks to Pax (@TheRealQuenny) for reminding us of this really old piece of Marathon/Halo fan art by Ian Mankowski.  Artwork by Ian Mankowski posted by Pax (@TheRealQuenny) on x.com. June 5, 2025. This piece dates back to 1999, the year Halo was annouced at Macworld Expo in New York. Jason Jones came on stage, shook the hand of Steve Jobs and then shook the world. Steve Jobs and Jason Jones. Macwork Expo NY. July 21, 1999. That's how they did it back in the 90s. Ian's original artwork can be seen on the halo.bungie.org website. Ian is probably best known for being part of the Marathon: Resurrection team.
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #745. They're back! And they are asking the hard questions. Where is the  Companion Feline by maxillac on Fur Affinity. April 2025. The fur artist known as maxillac writes: This cat was on screen for like 40 seconds total. Internet, I need more of this cat right now.Marathon Devs stay silent on the subject of a Furry Marathon Hero. But Marketing know that if your game/movie doesn't cater for furries then it is not reaching its widest marketing audience. Just look at the success of Guardians of the Galaxy.  Runner by ChipXP on Fur Affinity. June 2024. I mean it's not Rocket science. With ten million furries in North America alone, if one tenth of one tenth buy Marathon how many copies will be sold? Marathon Devs stay silent... while working that one out. And it's not like there isn't enough inspiration out there.  Runner Eliminated by SiameseGeese on Fur Affinity. May 2025. If the UESC can have Mechs why can't they have Furries? And Furries can look just as cool as Glitch or Void.  Marathon Runner by pmd-stardust on tumblr. April 17, 2025. Furry Hero in Marathon. When? Furries want to know.  |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #744. It's sketchy Friday! That day of the week we don't do drama we do sketches. Have sketchbook, will sketch. Jude writes: Sketches during class.  Sketches during class by Jude on the Official Marathon Discord. April 10, 2025.  Sketches during class by Jude on the Official Marathon Discord. April 10, 2025. Ah... but was it Art class? Two pencils and a sketchbook. Victor Manuel gives us a collage of Marathon 2025 sketches.  Marathon sketches by Victor Manuel on Cara. April 10, 2025. So you are working on an oil rig in the North Sea, what do you in your free time? Well IX TBONE XI did a Marathon sketch.  Marathon sketch by IX TBONE XI on the Official Marathon Discord. April 4, 2025. TBONE writes: I only have 1 pencil, 1 pen and 1 marker pen. Hope you like it. Studying Marathon. JerkyBaryonyx has been studying and sketching the Marathon style. Like you do.
And it's clearly paying off.  Marathon sketches by JerkyBaryonyx on the Official Marathon Discord. April 18, 2025. Last up. wazanim gives up us Glitch looking rather sad. Perhaps she lost her lucky charm... again!  Glitch sketch by wazanim on the Official Marathon Discord. April 20, 2025. Hard to describe this as a sketch as it looks like a final piece of art but since it's in a sketchbook it fits today's sketchbook theme. Happy sketchy Friday. Stay sketchy. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #743. I met an artist from an antique land, Who said "Distress".  Void by WickedPan (@wicked-pan) on tumblr. April 23, 2025. Sometimes I come across a piece of Marathon art that makes me look not once, not twice, but thrice! It makes me go... WTF and stare! This is such a piece and it is by WickedPan (@wicked-pan) on tumblr. Now before you write in telling me "stay off tumblr man, those people on there will will freak you out"... WickedPan is also on Instagram and he posted a video of his work. It's a time-lapse of his artwork set to the song "Distress" by ULTRA SUNN. And now I see what could not be seen. The use of time-lapse art videos are all the rage. Back in the day it was called... "demonstrate your workings". Here's another time-lapse video of Void, this one is by Just OG North (@just-og-north) on tumblr. It's set to the song "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked" by Cage The Elephant. Here's a poster version of his Void artwork.  Void by Just OG North on tumblr. April 21, 2025. The day the music died. Lesson of the day. There is always a Thief waiting to make a quick score. |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #742. I spy with my little eye something beginning with... C Compiler in Marathon by Ivan Martinez on Artstation.  Marathon Compiler by Ivan Martinez on Artstation. May 2025. Ivan Martinez is a Concept Artist at Terraform Studios. Their tag line is... We Build Worlds. We featured some of Ivan's earlier Marathon artwork back on September 15, 2023. Here's a piece to remind you.  Marathon Runner (IVA_P009) by Ivan Martinez on ArtStation. 2023. As we prepare to board the UESC Marathon in Marathon 2025 what will be see? Well Archus-Desun on DeviantArt gives us a... ...Glimpse of the Future from the Past.  Glimpse of the Future from the Past by Archus-Desun on DeviantArt. May 29, 2025. The conversation goes something like this. Runner 1: What's wrong with him? Is this the end of Mjolnir Recon 54? |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #741. Data Mining. The search for the elusive Compiler in Marathon.  Compiler Mining mashup using assets stolen from Akella and AlexB207. June 3, 2025. Bungie fans have been data mining game assets since 1993. The earliest extant record of data mining is in the Pathways in Darkness demo A1 and later the full game where a wealth of unused dialog was unearthed, including unseen artifacts and hostile entities. A year later the leaked Marathon betas in October and in November were extensively mined revealing unused maps and aliens, and a story about the mission to Tau Ceti very different from the truth. The full game suffered the same fate. Indeed without data mining the Marathon's Story page would probably never have been created. Back in 90s I called it Virtual Archaeology. A gentler term. Fast forward to 21th century and nothing has really changed other than the size and complexity of a game's assets and the sophistication of the mining tools designed to strip these assets. Of course you still have to sift through the pay dirt to find the gold. So where is the Compiler in Marathon? The Marathon Announcement trailer in May 2023 had a Compiler front and center. And the Marathon ViDoc had us in deadly combat with a Compiler.  Marathon ViDoc. May 24, 2023. Christopher Barrett (Marathon's first game director) even posted concept art of a new look Compiler.  Marathon concept art posted by Christopher Barrett (@oryxeleven) on twitter.com. May 24, 2023. Fast forward to April 2025 and the Marathon Reveal Cinematic Short gave us an all too brief glimpse of a Compiler as interpreted by directed by Alberto Mielgo. So where is the Compiler in Marathon? Even to this day people swear they saw a Complier on the fringes of Dire Marsh.  But we say they've been 'smoking the mold' out back, past the Data Wall. There is no Compiler in Marathon... yet!
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #740. Just a few pieces of art to start off the month that caught my attention. First up... Jake Myler gives us Void. Blue Steel or Magnum?  Void by Jake Myler on tumblr. April 16, 2025. Jake writes: Drew Void because... well... his cheekbones are insane.Void be like. We've featured Jake's Marathon artwork on the Story page back on January 9, 2024. His hooded Compiler has that NuMarathon feel.  Hooded Compiler by Jake Myler (@jakemyler) on tumblr. January 6, 2024 Jake Myler is a comic book & video game maker living in Seattle, Washigton. He publishes a humorous Destiny-related webcomic entitled Watermelon Exo. Up next... squiddskipp gives us MRTHN. I know who you are...  MRTHN by squiddskipp (@squiddskipp) on tumblr. April 13, 2025, 2024 Squidd added the following cryptic note. — — • • •Basic ARG 101. Last up... aL Dente gives us Glitch. The name's Glitch... Lucky Glitch.  Glitch by aL Dente (@al-d3nte) on tumblr. April 22, 2025 Glitch be like. Glitch's Lucky Charm. Coming to a Bungie Store near you! |
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This Day in Marathon.
Day #739. Happy Pride Month. But what happened last month? Well here's a snapshot of what we featured. What did you miss?
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Last updated June 30, 2025