I mean obviously the arbiter is working with him, but since he is working for ONI, this might not be a good thing for Chief. What do you guys think?
From the little details that we understand him, it’s hard to say.
On the other hand, I’d like to see him as a very morally complex character that’s done both horrible things and honorable things. He shouldn’t be able to be classified as a “good guy” or a “bad guy.”
My theory is that he starts out with a hidden agenda to eliminate the Chief, but on learning about him and what he’s done for Humans and Aliens alike (as well as getting a real, un-censored view of the galactic state), he comes clean with the Chief and joins his side for real.
> My theory is that he starts out with a hidden agenda to eliminate the Chief, but on learning about him and what he’s done for Humans and Aliens alike (as well as getting a real, un-censored view of the galactic state), he comes clean with the Chief and joins his side for real.
Oooh… Nice. I like it
> From the little details that we understand him, it’s hard to say.
>
> On the other hand, I’d like to see him as a very morally complex character that’s done both horrible things and honorable things. He shouldn’t be able to be classified as a “good guy” or a “bad guy.”
I like that idea, but I’m wondering how he can have so much experience if he is just a Spartan IV.
> > From the little details that we understand him, it’s hard to say.
> >
> > On the other hand, I’d like to see him as a very morally complex character that’s done both horrible things and honorable things. He shouldn’t be able to be classified as a “good guy” or a “bad guy.”
>
> I like that idea, <mark>but I’m wondering how he can have so much experience if he is just a Spartan IV.</mark>
Spartan IV’s become Spartan IV’s based off prior and exemplary experience, so I wouldn’t worry too much about that.
I think he will be good and might team up with Chief.
He will be good. I love Halo but it isn’t really one for moral complexities.
> He will be good. I love Halo but it isn’t really one for moral complexities.
Have you read the Kilo-Five trilogy? It actually fits rather nicely. Very intellectual book series, if you ask me.
My honest opinion? It doesn’t really matter. If he is our only hope, then wouldn’t that-if not only by a "the ends justify the means mindset-make him ultimately good?
The title of the game is “Guardians”, after the most recent trailer I now believe that the title is referring to Master Chief and Agent Locke as being “Guardians” of humanity or possible even each other.
> He will be good. <mark>I love Halo but it isn’t really one for moral complexities</mark>.
Um…
The most pivotal part of the series is a galactic-wide moral dilemma. Do you not see any moral pros and cons in the ways of stopping the Flood?
Using the Composer: Allows the strategic destruction of the Flood while requiring the loss of organic form and enslavement of millions of humans against their will.
Using the Halos: Ensured defeat and quick of the Flood at the cost of the complete destruction of all Precursor technology and the domain, and instant death of all life in the galaxy.
One of the largest themes in Halo is morality.
> He will be good. I love Halo but it isn’t really one for moral complexities.
Maybe if you literally ignored every piece of media besides the main games for the last 13 odd years.
Yes because the Kilo-5 trilogy really had great, intelligent debates on the ethics and morality of the Spartan project and didn’t just go “HALSEY IS EVIL, TERRORISTS ARE FINE IF HALSEY IS WHY THEY BECAME A MURDERER AND CRIMINAL”.
Ghosts of Onyx didn’t go any deeper either even though the whole concept of disposable child super soldiers is not really the sort of thing people accept without question.
The Halo series does have moral issues but they are rarely discussed or looked at in great detail. The issue of the Halo Array was only brought up in the Forerunner Saga and even then it wasn’t properly examined in my opinion.
The Composer, the Halo Array, the devolution of ancient humanity. There were many morally complex ideas in the Forerunner Saga but only in the last book were the characters experienced or knowledgeable to actually debate these ideas and by then it was too late as the Ecumene had already fallen and all that was left were desperate holding patterns until the Halo Array could be activated.
The games are first person shooters and not really the place for moral complexity.
> Yes because the Kilo-5 trilogy really had great, intelligent debates on the ethics and morality of the Spartan project and didn’t just go “HALSEY IS EVIL, TERRORISTS ARE FINE IF HALSEY IS WHY THEY BECAME A MURDERER AND CRIMINAL”.
Exactly. They didn’t. You have to take a step back and think of the mentality of the characters. You also have to take a step back and realize that Halsey was wrong in what she did. Was it for the greater good? Most of it.
I’ve been going back through all of the Halo books and listening to them in audio book form. It’s actually really informational and presents a lot of new perspectives on them. A lot can be gleaned from voice inflection and tone. Also, there are some really funny accents out there xD
Its hard to say at this point.
Thel says he doesn’t trust him, but is that because he’s A) Human, B) ONI or C) a shady/bad guy?
> > Yes because the Kilo-5 trilogy really had great, intelligent debates on the ethics and morality of the Spartan project and didn’t just go “HALSEY IS EVIL, TERRORISTS ARE FINE IF HALSEY IS WHY THEY BECAME A MURDERER AND CRIMINAL”.
>
> Exactly. They didn’t. You have to take a step back and think of the mentality of the characters. You also have to take a step back and realize that Halsey was wrong in what she did. Was it for the greater good? Most of it.
>
> I’ve been going back through all of the Halo books and listening to them in audio book form. It’s actually really informational and presents a lot of new perspectives on them. A lot can be gleaned from voice inflection and tone. Also, there are some really funny accents out there xD
But when every character shares the same mentality and viewpoint then what is the point?
Early on in the series there is some small conflict but by the end of the trilogy every character agrees with every other character. No one says “Yeah Sentzke got a rough deal but that doesn’t actual justify decades of terrorism, crime and a willingless to murder millions of people”. There is no moral uncertainty in a series which should be rife with it.
Aside from a few throwaway lines by Mal and Vaz about how ONI isn’t exactly the good guy, is there any point in the books where ONI is portrayed as doing the wrong thing? Is there at any point a moral conflict between characters which isn’t resolved quickly and to the satisfaction of every character? I can’t think of any examples.
> Also, there are some really funny accents out there xD
This was a mature and insightful addition to your post which in no way undermined your credibility.
> Yes because the Kilo-5 trilogy really had great, intelligent debates on the ethics and morality of the Spartan project and didn’t just go “HALSEY IS EVIL, TERRORISTS ARE FINE IF HALSEY IS WHY THEY BECAME A MURDERER AND CRIMINAL”.
>
> Ghosts of Onyx didn’t go any deeper either even though the whole concept of disposable child super soldiers is not really the sort of thing people accept without question.
>
> The Halo series does have moral issues but they are rarely discussed or looked at in great detail. The issue of the Halo Array was only brought up in the Forerunner Saga and even then it wasn’t properly examined in my opinion.
>
> The Composer, the Halo Array, the devolution of ancient humanity. There were many morally complex ideas in the Forerunner Saga but only in the last book were the characters experienced or knowledgeable to actually debate these ideas and by then it was too late as the Ecumene had already fallen and all that was left were desperate holding patterns until the Halo Array could be activated.
>
> The games are first person shooters and not really the place for moral complexity.
You still ignored The Fall of Reach, First Strike, The Flood, Contact Harvest, Cole Protocol, the comics, Forerunner Saga, Evolutions and Legends. Kilo-5 was fairly -Yoink-, yes, but it is the exception. Halo has moral complexities and issues, but it leaves it up to the reader decide what they fell about the situation. Kilo-5 is the exception because it was made to be controversial on purpose.
> You still ignored The Fall of Reach, First Strike, The Flood, Contact Harvest, Cole Protocol, the comics, Forerunner Saga, Evolutions and Legends. Kilo-5 was fairly Yoink!, yes, but it is the exception. Halo has moral complexities and issues, but it leaves it up to the reader decide what they fell about the situation. Kilo-5 is the exception because it was made to be controversial on purpose.
The books read like the writers are shoehorning in the standard moral dilemma tropes more than anything else.
I’d say he is a good guy. However, I also think him and Arbiter don’t understand Chief’s motives for leaving. Therefore, I think they will hinder him from obtaining his objective.