Mjolnir Powered Assault Armor/EOD variant

The MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/EOD variant, more commonly known as Explosive Ordnance Disposal Armor, and abbreviated as EOD Armor, is a variant of the Mark V and Mark VI MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor systems.^[1]

Development and History

The MJOLNIR/EOD variant was created at the UNSC Damascus Materials Testing Facility on Chi Ceti 4. The helmet was designed to channel the pressure wave of a nearby detonation around the user's head, significantly reducing the likelihood of decapitation in the event of an explosion. The MJOLNIR/EOD variant's pauldrons and chest plate were designed specifically to reduce the number of grabbing edges on the armor, decreasing the likelihood of dismemberment and protecting SPARTANs during operations that involve the handling of explosive ordnance (e.g., clearing/planting land mines, demolishing enemy structures/material and planting/defusing bombs).^[1]

Characteristics

Halo 3

Main article: Halo 3

Helmet Characteristics

Unlock: Complete the campaign on Legendary to unlock the Campaign Complete: Legendary achievement.
The helmet is mostly squared off with two separate eyepieces, rather than a visor. They are more akin to a pair of goggles unlike the other MJOLNIR armor variants that are visor-adorned. In actual combat, this would highly increase protection to the face but also reduce the field of vision considerably. The helmet also has a single plate over the nose and mouth and a pair of rectangular objects along each cheek, assumed to be jowls protectors or lengthy re-breathers.

Shoulder Pauldron Characteristics

Unlock: Complete The Ark on Legendary difficulty.
The shoulder pauldrons are large and rounded. They have been optimized for EOD missions and are designed to decrease the chances of dismemberment if the wearer is caught in a blast.

Chest Characteristics

Unlock: Complete Tsavo Highway on Legendary difficulty.
The chest plate is thicker than the other chest permutations, and has a broadly curved front with a steep backcurve on the sides. This construction is intended to increase the survivability of the wearer by providing greater projectile resistance and by deflecting concussion waves around the body and to the side.

Halo: Reach

Main article: Halo: Reach

“Developed at the Damascus Materials Testing Facility on X Ceti 4; entered service in 2531”

— Description of the EOD helmet in Halo: Reach

^[2]

Helmet Characteristics

Price: 15,000 cR
The EOD Helmet in Halo: Reach is only slightly different than its Halo 3 version. Beyond the general graphic improvement, the helmet's visor has been changed from a pair of goggles to a more normal wide slit. Additionally, the rebreather-like apparatus on the sides of the helmet now match the players color instead of being a concrete white. There is also a red emblem (identical to the symbol found on health packs and on the helmets of marine medics) visible on the right side of the "forehead" of the helmet. CNM and UA/HUL attachments can be purchased for the helmet. The UA/HUL variant is unique in that it removes both of the rebreathers from the helmet.

Action Figures

McFarlane Toys has released multiple EOD Spartan Variants since their Halo 3 Collection. Since than, there have been many EOD Spartans included with the Armory Packs in the Reach Collection. The most collectable EODs are the ones that come with a exclusive Mongoose Variant.

Trivia

Bungie Armor is a slight variation of the EOD chestplate. Bungie Armor lacks the three mid-level lights and has an effect that causes flames to appear around the helmet.
The EOD chest plate bears a very striking resemblance to the armor design of the MJOLNIR Mark V armor's chest plate from Halo: Combat Evolved. Because of this, many players use it in conjunction with the Mark V helmet and Mark VI shoulders to create an improvised version of the original Mark V armor from Halo: Combat Evolved.
The EOD chestplate in Halo 3 somewhat resembles the Default chestplate seen in Halo: Reach.
The UA/HUL attachment makes the helmet look similar to the Rogue helmet seen in Halo 3, by removing the air filters.
The EOD armor is one of the few pieces of Spartan equipment to undergo little to no aesthetic changes from the Mark V to the Mark VI.
According to a less recent Bungie poll, EOD is currently the 5th most popular helmet variation in Halo Reach.
The rebreathers featured on this helmet are similar to the CBRN attachements available for the Security and GUNGNIR helmets.
In Red vs. Blue the character C.T. (Freelancer and the leader of the fake excavation team) wears the EOD helmet.
The EOD helmet has some resemblance to a Stormtrooper helmet from Star Wars.