Why did Parangosky decide to brand Halsey a war criminal? I know she lied to her about the Spartan cloning and fled to Onyx and “stole” the remaining Spartans. But in the end, her work ended up benefitting humanity; the Spartans won many battles for the UNSC, and the Forerunner tech found in Onyx could advance humanity years ahead. Surely that would earn her amnesty. I realize there’s not much love between Parangosky and Halsey, but isn’t calling Halsey a war criminal after her work saved humanity and advanced the UNSC a bit much?
Oh geez… inb4 the war that’s surely coming. This is a sore topic around here.
> Oh geez… inb4 the war that’s surely coming. This is a sore topic around here.
What? Why? What did I get myself into?
> > Oh geez… inb4 the war that’s surely coming. This is a sore topic around here.
>
> What? Why? What did I get myself into?
Beware of the Cobra, all I’m going to say for now
“As an Waypoint discussion grows longer, the probability of a mention of Halsey or ONI approaches 1.”
> > > Oh geez… inb4 the war that’s surely coming. This is a sore topic around here.
> >
> > What? Why? What did I get myself into?
>
> Beware of the Cobra, all I’m going to say for now
DecepticonCobra? Why?
Because Parangosky is a morally abject human being? It’s that simple at the end of the day. Which is why I think the narrative of the Kilo-Five trilogy of books has failed thus far, as well as Brian Reed’s attempts at writing, have failed when it comes to demonizing Halsey. Everybody knows Halsey did terrible things, we’ve been aware since the start. Yet to them, bashing Halsey is a good way to stir up the drama pot and try to make Halo all serious about moral dilemmas.
Of course, when we have Parangosky plotting to commit genocide on the Elites, an ODST talk about how the Red Army in WWII represented justice, to the admission that ONI kills its own agents who didn’t want to help in the kidnapping of the Spartan-IIs when they were kids, to testing the Flood on human and Covenant prisoners, to sending war oprhans into battle as suicide soldiers, ie the Spartan-IIIs, and so on, it becomes hard to really think of Halsey as a monster.
But I suppose comparing Halsey to -Yoink!- is easier than actually developing deep characters and engaging plotlines.
> Because Parangosky is a morally abject human being? It’s that simple at the end of the day. Which is why I think the narrative of the Kilo-Five trilogy of books has failed thus far, as well as Brian Reed’s attempts at writing, have failed when it comes to demonizing Halsey. Everybody knows Halsey did terrible things, we’ve been aware since the start. Yet to them, bashing Halsey is a good way to stir up the drama pot and try to make Halo all serious about moral dilemmas.
>
> Of course, when we have Parangosky plotting to commit genocide on the Elites, an ODST talk about how the Red Army in WWII represented justice, to the admission that ONI kills its own agents who didn’t want to help in the kidnapping of the Spartan-IIs when they were kids, to testing the Flood on human and Covenant prisoners, to sending war oprhans into battle as suicide soldiers, ie the Spartan-IIIs, and so on, it becomes hard to really think of Halsey as a monster.
>
> But I suppose comparing Halsey to -Yoink!- is easier than actually developing deep characters and engaging plotlines.
Uh…thanks. I guess that answers my question.
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Illegal cloning procedures, including on herself.
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Kidnapping a valuable military asset in the middle of a war zone.
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Desertion.
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Unauthorized access to highly classified information (pretty much the entirety of Ghosts of Onyx)
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And in Halo 4: Corrupting a UNSC AI
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Breaking out of military prison
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And aiding the enemy.
Bonus) Kidnapping 75 children and subjecting them to what many would call torture. Was it ONI sanctioned? Yes, but would it be a colossal PR nightmare if it ever got leaked? Yes, which is why it’s a bonus.
A lot of these would constitute treason, so you tell me why she’s been branded a war criminal.
Her actions since the fall of Reach justify it. By itself kidnapping Kelly warranted it. Civilians abducting military officers doesn’t go over well.
Was it pragmatic to do this? Eh. In a very convoluted way that can only be justified with book exposition and doesn’t really hold up to scrutiny.
Bottom line IMO is that it was justified but wasn’t pragmatic. Ultimately it was poor character development of the ONI command structure.
ONI and Parangosky break the law? Eh.
Halsey breaks the law? What a -Yoinking!- monster.
Seems legit.
> “As an Waypoint discussion grows longer, the probability of a mention of Halsey or ONI approaches 1.”
Sort of like Godwin’s Law?
> > “As an Waypoint discussion grows longer, the probability of a mention of Halsey or ONI approaches 1.”
>
> Sort of like Godwin’s Law?
We call it Halsey’s Law thank you very much, 
> ONI and Parangosky break the law? Eh.
>
> Halsey breaks the law? What a -Yoinking!- monster.
>
> Seems legit.
Indeed. In that story when you find out that ONI was experimenting on human prisoners with the Flood, that ONI officer pretty much get’s a slap on the wrist. Been experimenting on humans? Killed a UNSC marine? Lied about there being any survivors left on the infected ship? Don’t care at all about what you’ve done? No worries, we’ll just give you a court martial, which ONI will probably fix anyway! 
Halsey on the other hand…
She did indeed kidnap those children, but felt remorse for it, and felt responsible for each of them, (if I remember the lore correctly). Her work in the end pretty much wound up saving humanity. And what thanks does she get?..
‘She’s a monster’. ‘Mad scientist!’ ‘TRAITOR’
I don’t know about you people, but I don’t think that’s exactly fair… 
The simple answer is that ONI needed a fall-guy, someone to take the blame for the moral shortcomings of the Spartan-II project. The bigger answer is that Parangosky has never liked Halsey, and wanted to keep Halsey “under control” for the rest of her days.
> to the admission that ONI kills its own agents who didn’t want to help in the kidnapping of the Spartan-IIs when they were kids
This was never confirmed, just speculated about by the ODSTs in Kilo-5.
> But I suppose comparing Halsey to -Yoink!- is easier than actually developing deep characters and engaging plotlines.
I wish people would get over this comparison. From Mal’s point of view, it was an apt comparison, and people have been called -Yoink!-’s/compared to -Yoink!- for far less.
I suppose it goes without saying.
Try to keep his forked tongue behind his teeth. It always comes out silent and deadly. Elegant, in some ways.
I guess Cobra nailed the point already.
> This was never confirmed, just speculated about by the ODSTs in Kilo-5.
An ONI agent said that to Kilo-5.
> I wish people would get over this comparison. From Mal’s point of view, it was an apt comparison, and people have been called -Yoink!-’s/compared to -Yoink!- for far less.
When the author themselves doesn’t, why should the reader ignore it? Kinda hard to say it is our call in the end when nearly every character parrots the same “She’s a monster!” dialogue and even folk like Brian Reed join in on it.
> > This was never confirmed, just speculated about by the ODSTs in Kilo-5.
>
> An ONI agent said that to Kilo-5.
One of the characters talks about someone who disappeared, but it’s never confirmed if the individual was killed or not. No details or proper context are given.
> > I wish people would get over this comparison. From Mal’s point of view, it was an apt comparison, and people have been called -Yoink!-’s/compared to -Yoink!- for far less.
>
> When the author themselves doesn’t, why should the reader ignore it? Kinda hard to say it is our call in the end when nearly every character parrots the same “She’s a monster!” dialogue and even folk like Brian Reed join in on it.
Yes, everyone calls her a monster, but it was only one character, who once compared her to the -Yoink!-’s. That was it.
> One of the characters talks about someone who disappeared, but it’s never confirmed if the individual was killed or not. No details or proper context are given.
“I didn’t need to know. But I do know some operatives declined to take part in the recruitment. I’m being heavy on the euphemism there.”
“What happened to them?”
“What do you think? This is ONI we’re talking about, not an animal shelter. ONI really does put healthy dogs down.”
Thursday War, pg.31
Do we really need proper context there?
> Yes, everyone calls her a monster, but it was only one character, who once
> compared her to the -Yoink!-’s. That was it.
And Traviss.
ONI activated Scapegoat, and Halsey was that card. However I sleep well at night with this in mind http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa6c3OTr6yA