The first episode of Halo Season 1 did a lot of things, like introducing the show’s protagonists, Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber) and Kwan Ha (Yerin Ha), and generating interest in the McGuffin, an EMP generator that’s powered by Master Chief’s touch. It also established the politics between the rebels at Madrigal, the United Nations Space Command (UNSC), and the Covenant.
As the episode Contact came to a close, the UNSC gave Master Chief the order to kill Kwan Ha because she serves as living proof that the UNSC failed to save Madrigal and the rebel colony. And due to the UNSC’s harassment of rebel colonies across the galaxy, she is threatening to blame it for the massacre. Despite being programmed to always follow orders, Master Chief chooses to betray the UNSC in addition to taking off his helmet in order to gain Kwan Ha’s trust and temporarily remove them from the UNSC’s reach. In a side note, it is made known that the Covenant is now interested in Master Chief as a result of his proficiency with the artefact discovered in Madrigal. Following on from the events of Halo Episode 2, Unbound, which was directed by Otto Bathurst and written by Kyle Killen and Steven Kane, Master Chief and Kwan Ha use a form of lightspeed travel to reach a person who can assist them with the artefact.
See More: Halo Episode 1: Recap And Ending, Explained Why Did Master Chief Betray The UNSC?
Major spoilers for Halo Episode 2 are present in this article.
Has Master Chief Always Broken Protocol?
We do get a brief flashback with teen John (Logan Shearer), who is Master Chief’s real name, and teen Soren before catching up with him and Kwan Ha (Jude Cudjoe). Here, we learn further evidence that the pictures Master Chief sees after touching the artefact are actually memories. To begin with, the Spartans weren’t always that way. The scars on John’s back are proof that they are manufactured. Second, Soren practically claims that their dreams are memories of a life that has been stolen from them by Halsey (Natascha McElhone). Thirdly, memories are what distinguish us from robots and make us more human. For this reason, John is able to transcend his programming and allow Soren to flee. Certainly, he and Soren are unable to flee together. However, I believe that in order to save Kwan Ha, he is currently betraying the UNSC and turning to none other than Soren (Bokeem Woodbine), who is a family man now.
Halsey and Fleet Admiral Hood (Keir Dullea) are seen briefly discussing the reasons why Master Chief disobeyed instructions. Halsey, who is obviously unable to comprehend the idea of free choice in someone like Master Chief, blames the artefact for everything. This is why the prototype Cortana, which will make it easier for her to brainwash her Spartans, is her solution to the whole mess. Nevertheless, she first needs to get Master Chief to the UNSC. Hence, even if they have doubts about the assignment, she sends Riz-028 (Natasha Culzac), Kai-125 (Kate Kennedy), and Vannak-134 to find Master Chief. The spotlight then returns to Master Chief and Kwan Ha, who are not well received in large part due to Master Chief and what he stands for. Soren arrives to defuse the situation, but before he can do so, he discloses that Vinsher (Burn Gorman), the UNSC representative sent to Madrigal to negotiate with the rebels, has taken control of the town and set a price on Kwan’s death.
Master Chief and Kwan are able to take a breather because Vinsher’s wrath is far off. The Rubble subtly embodies Madrigal’s rebellious and free-spirited personality, which makes Kwan feel at home, but Master Chief perceives it as a revelation. Because he is discovering what actual freedom tastes like for the first time and realising how Soren’s life has been altered by his modest acts of kindness and generosity.
What Is The Covenant And The UNSC s Plan For Master Chief and The Artifact?
In the most recent episode, Mercy (Julian Bleach), the other two San Shyuums, Makee (Charlie Murphy), and the Sangheili soldier who saw Master Chief use the artefact convene a conference. As the ones that were originally after the relic, they exhibit a sense of eagerness to get to it. Makee proposes a plan to enable her to enter the UNSC in order to obtain the artefact (also known as the keystone), as no one will suspect her of belonging to the Covenant. Mercy and the other San Shyuums object to this choice, demonstrating Mercy’s importance to the Covenant. But, Makee convinces them and wins their support.
Meanwhile, Danny Sapani’s Captain Jacob Keyes of the UNSC intends to punish Master Chief in addition to capturing him. Hood objects, claiming that the punishment will not only remove him from service but also lower morale among all parties. Halsey then offers Cortana as the answer.
Okay, so describe Cortana in more detail. Halsey claims that the physical prowess of the Spartans exceeds the capabilities of human technology in the year 26. Cortana will therefore perform identical actions for their minds. In essence, it will replace Spartan consciousness with artificial global intelligence. It appears that Cortana represents the next phase in human progress. She is, in essence, the totality of all the data points available, the intelligence of the galaxy. Halsey believes that with Cortana, they will be able to increase the Spartans’ lethality and ensure the accuracy of their judgement. Which essentially means that the UNSC will have complete control over a Spartan’s body and mind and will take away any autonomy they may have had previously. Jacob and another committee member draw attention to the violation of the law. Admiral Margaret Parangosky (Shabana Azmi), who is also in control of the Spartans, is obliged to approve the Cortana programme for a brief trial period after Hood pushes for it.
What, therefore, enables Spartans—and Master Chief in this instance—to have any feeling of autonomy without ceding total authority to the UNSC? The Spartans have pellets implanted in their bodies that improve their fighting focus, according to a chat with Soren. The UNSC’s wars are the only things they are familiar with because it dulls all other emotions and sensations at the same time. Master Chief is obviously baffled by Soren’s ability to take pleasure in the little things in life so he has withdrawn his pellets. Meanwhile, it appears that Vinsher, who is acting on behalf of the UNSC, is still furious with Madrigal in an effort to bring Kwan Ha out of hiding. Also, he will expose himself because Master Chief is with her.
Halo Episode 2: Ending Explained The Secret Behind The Covenant Artifact, Revealed
Master Chief’s status as a member of the selected is established by the fact that when Soren touches the keystone or artefact during the examination, nothing happens. There is no EMP surge and no holographic symbols. Nothing. They visit Reth (Johann Myers), a Covenant abduction survivor, who lives in a Secluded site intended for sensitive individuals or those who have likely gone through enough suffering, in order to better appreciate it. From the outside, the location is secured. But, according to Soren, it is not a prison but a haven for Reth and people who are similar to him. And now for some crucial information: They’re all type of churro addicts (which can be described as fried dough coated with sugar or savoury items). Yeah, there are still churros in the year 26. Putting jokes aside, they do run into Reth, who, for lack of a better phrase, is exceedingly jumpy.
Reth explains that the Covenant’s entire religion is built on items like these, which are from another time and have been left behind, before moving on to the artefact in question. He claims that the Covenant scours the cosmos in search of parts and hints. The Covenant kidnapped Reth in the hopes that he would be able to use the salvaged equipment. But Reth’s sensitivity caused him to fall short. He claims that only the Blessed One can activate the relic after touching it (a moniker that s used to refer to Makee as well). Reth responds that a blessed person must be human and have a moral obligation when asked to define a blessed person. Master Chief inquires as to the precise use of the item as he begins to ramble. Reth responds by asking him whether he wants the Covenant to exterminate people, hinting that the artefact is a kind of weapon. Reth wants to destroy it, but Master Chief tells him no. But Master Chief catches it, turning it on and reawakening his memories.
Master Chief again queries Reth about the nature of the artefact after regaining control. Reth then states that there are actually two of these keystones (or maybe more than two, I don t know yet). So, it is likely that Makee is the only one who can use that. And to activate the other keystones, the Covenant needs more people. Theoretically, if they are reactivated, a doorway to the end of existence will be revealed. The only way to stop it is to kill Master Chief and the item that can trigger it. Master Chief gives up when leaving Kwan at the Rubble because he believes that neither of these things will be feasible without assistance from the UNSC. As Master Chief reaches Fleet Command, he is detained and led away, and Halsey becomes the owner of the relic. Halsey awakens Cortana in the last seconds of the episode, perhaps with the intention of utilising her against Master Chief now that she has gained his trust.
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