Craig Markoff (Earth-5875)

"Multiple lives, transcendence, the end of the universe. Unification through disentanglement. A glorious unbecoming. Freedom from the quivering vessels of self we've clung to for so long. Do not fear these events. Do not fear their power. For as the worlds' shake, we are inevitably arriving at the precipice of existence. The edge of a metaverse that is awakening for us. As we who have only known the night are about to bear witness to the first dawn. That is the advent of the third life and I find myself humbly bestowed with a genetic imperative to release your fear. To help you step lively from the edge into ascendance. The spiritual genocide that awaits those who do not open their eyes, the abyss beneath them, I cannot bear. This is only the beginning."

- - Craig Markoff

Craig Markoff was a scammer, con man, and the true founder of Unitology, being widely regarded as the man who was able to transcend life and return to his body. Under the identity of his former partner, Michael Altman, he was believed by Unitologists to have transcended to the afterlife, although authorities of the UEG declared him on hiding an a hoaxer.

Early life
Not much is known about Craig Markoff's early life, other than that he became an anthropologist at the side of his fellow researcher Michael Altman. He also had a diversified ancestry, his mother being of Native American origin and his father Germanic.

Church of Unitology
While working on a crater on New Jerusalem alongside Altman, the duo discovered a series of forerunner glyphs hidden in a cave. Thinking it was related to the divine and ancient lifeforms, Craig attempted to convince Altman into forming a movement to worship. When Altman refused, stating that they should reveal their discovery to the government, Markoff killed him, took his identity, and rose to form the Church of Unitology, his own religion.

Under Altman's identity, Markoff became widely popular through multiple human colonies, running seminars through the Internet. However, he disappeared in 2551, after a series of conspiracy theories erupted, such as he being assassinated by the Office of Naval Intelligence, while most believed he was able to reach transcendence, which only led to the increase of Unitologists through UEG space.

Hiding
"I see you recognize me... Welcome to what's left of the Church of Unitology..."

- - Craig Markoff to Connor Brien Unknown to anyone else, Altman exiled to Beta Gabriel under the fake alias of "Jacob Danik" to fool his followers into paying him more anonymously through a charity program he developed. However, his cover ended when the planet was invaded by a jiralhanae crew led by Parabum, and he was one of the few survivors. Alongside Nolan Stross and Samara Yasmin, he was made a hunt, having to fend off to escape the hungry jiralhanae. Before they were able to be killed, the ONI agent Connor Brien arrived covertly on the colony and staged an escape attempt as soon as the jiralhanae started to feud and fight among themselves. Ultimately, Altman and Brien were the only survivors, but the religious leader shot Connor, killing him, so that he wouldn't leave the planet and his followers wouldn't discover he was alive in order to attain their faith. When a contingent of UNSC ODSTs led by Lance Corporal Kojo "Romeo" Agu, Michael silently watched, not contact them.

Reemergence
By 2564, Unitologists continued to preach his words and teachings through human space, posting about their opinions and beliefs at the Internet, even to the point of hacking sites in order to expose the "hidden truths of the government". Later the same year, Altman reemerged in the Internet, claiming he had "willed himself back" to the physical world to "illuminate" his "children" about the upcoming spiritual ascendance of the Reapers, the "species" which he claimed were responsible for humanity's ascension, which were surfacing on numerous human colonies. Altman and many Unitologists reunited on Laika 3, awaiting for the Reapers to appear and bring upon their salvation, where they encountered a crashed tug, with Maya Sankar and Mshak Moradi aboard it. As they were unconscious, Markoff and his children took the two to their encampment, keeping them separated. As Michael knew Sankar was the Insurrectionist leader FERO, he had a private section with her in order to evaluate what she knew and what she didn't knew about him and his past endeavors, explaining to Sankar her arrival was the signal of what was about to come. He then allowed Maya to meet with Mshak, stating he would aid her into their ascension. When the grand event was about to start, Altman brought his followers together, alongside Sankar and Mshak to witness the event. They soon began to levitate once the Reaper that invaded the colony started to manipulate the gravity around them.