I mean seriously, the moment I saw it in Wzff, all I could think was “Wait, is this cannon?” does it appear in any of the books or comics, is it ever mentioned? It just seems like it would have been a good boss to fight in the Campgain if it was tweaked a bit. (Seriously, please tell me that I am not the only one who wants to see that as a campaign boss)
In terms of canon, since WZFF is apparently a training simulation for spartans, maybe whoever makes the simulations thought it would be funny to design the grunt mech and watch spartans try to fight it.
That said, it would be awesome to have in campaign. I think Pipap and Tomp could use some background and character development.
Yes, it is canon.
From a Canon Fodder article:
> The Goblin is a Balaho-born battlesuit that embodies the pillars that Unggoy themselves universally agree their species is known for: ruggedness, agility, and lethality. Created in the likeness of the Forerunner’s pre-ascension form (as popularized by famous Unggoy theologian Ang’napnap The Enlightened), the Goblin combines exotic engineering acumen (so that it doesn’t explode upon activation), Covenant manufacturing technology (for push-button assembly), and Unggoy user interface design (so the operator can hit lots of buttons) into a bipedal mech that UNSC forces universally agree is deadlier than an entire combat lance of unsuited Grunts (but a little less than a file, if you want to get technical). All agree the Goblin can handle even the most dire combat experience, with the Grunt jockey inside cowering – er, protected by a dedicated energy shield and thick plates of armor.
> The Goblin mech suit is armed with a Needle Cannon that can fire off swarms of heavy explosive crystalline shards and a back-mounted Shardstorm launcher that unleashes entire clouds of Needles that is an impressive sight – even if it doesn’t actually hit anyone – and is equipped with a Power Wrist and Furious Feet for close-quarters combat, though “Goblin jockeys” prefer to keep enemies far away, preferably on different battlefields, if possible.
The grunts actually are allied with Cortana and that is how the Grunt Mech came into existence.