Chief's Emotional Depth

Community Halo Universe
1

With talks of Halo 6 happening and many different storylines being played out across different mediums, I was wondering if anybody would be interested in seeing the exploration of Chief psychologically. In the very beginning of Halo 5, I was excited because I thought they were going to explore John’s psyche/baggage when he first had that vision of Cortana, but – unfortunately after that scene, they didn’t explore it any further.

I’m a firm believer, with almost all stories, that the characters are the most important part. I understand that there’s been some interesting set-ups made by 343 to lead up to Halo 6, but am I alone in wanting 343 to focus more on Chief and his current state of mind? I feel like it would make for a much more emotional, engaging story if some of these large scale battles were complimented by some intimate moments of the Chief personally and where his head is at.

We all know that he’s seen some things. Had friends die. Has killed countless times. And was abducted at a young age. I couldn’t image the PTSD he must have. So what are your thoughts on exploring more of Chief’s character to make for a more engaging story in Halo 6? For me, I wanted it in Halo 5 and hope to see it attempted in Halo 6.

2

I very much agree. John has killed countless enemies of a foe he didn’t care about at all. Now, this is a someone he used to care about, and how does he deal with that? While the narrative should be important to the game, character should always be #1. That’s what gets us invested, making us care about the characters. John had awesome development and depth in Halo 4, which everyone praised. Halo 5 seriously took about 2 steps backwards. I hope they really get the best writer possible to tell an interesting, emotional story about John. They need to do it now more than ever.

3

> 2533274840469109;2:
> I very much agree. John has killed countless enemies against a foe he didn’t care about at all. Now, this is a fie he used to care about, and how does he deal with that? While the narrative should be important to the game, character should always be #1. That’s what gets us invested, making us care about the characters. John had awesome development and depth in Halo 4, which everyone praised. Halo 5 seriously took about 2 steps backwards. I hope they really get the best writer possible to tell an interesting, emotional story about John. They need to do it now more than ever.

Halo 5 Spoilers

Especially with Cortana becoming the enemy, that has got to take a toll on Chief. Honestly, I was very disappointed that 343 took the route of Cortana becoming an enemy. I really hated to see a beloved character go that route just for the sake of keeping the story going, but I digress. I think now is an important time as ever to explore Chief emotionally now that (as seen clearly in Halo 4), the thing that he’s most attached to is becoming the enemy. How is he going to deal with that along with all of his other baggage? Something’s gotta break him. I can imagine him being similar to Logan in the latest X-Men movie of the same name.

4

> 2535428051871852;3:
> > 2533274840469109;2:
> > I very much agree. John has killed countless enemies against a foe he didn’t care about at all. Now, this is a fie he used to care about, and how does he deal with that? While the narrative should be important to the game, character should always be #1. That’s what gets us invested, making us care about the characters. John had awesome development and depth in Halo 4, which everyone praised. Halo 5 seriously took about 2 steps backwards. I hope they really get the best writer possible to tell an interesting, emotional story about John. They need to do it now more than ever.
>
> Halo 5 Spoilers
> Especially with Cortana becoming the enemy, that has got to take a toll on Chief. Honestly, I was very disappointed that 343 took the route of Cortana becoming an enemy. I really hated to see a beloved character go that route just for the sake of keeping the story going, but I digress. I think now is an important time as ever to explore Chief emotionally now that (as seen clearly in Halo 4), the thing that he’s most attached to is becoming the enemy. How is he going to deal with that along with all of his other baggage? Something’s gotta break him. I can imagine him being similar to Logan in the latest X-Men movie of the same name.

Except the Chief only worked with Cortana for roughly 2 weeks, and was acquainted with her for barely 3 months total. So no, Cortana is not “the thing that he’s most attached to”. I don’t doubt it sucks for him to have to fight a former friend, but he made his intentions clear in H5 already - that he will fight anyone who tries to throw the galaxy into a ruthless dictatorship based on fear and lies. We can still explore the Chief’s more personal side an motivations though, provided 343i do the smart thing and keep the rest of Blue Team in the games. Kelly, Fred, and Linda have been the Chief’s companions his entire life, so now that they’ve finally been introduced to the main narrative there is absolutely zero reason for them to be separated at this point. The Spartan-IIs training and unit cohesion is exclusive to them and breaking them up would only decrease any chances of successfully beating the enemy. Furthermore the fact is that these characters are the only people the Chief has left that understand him completely and whom he can trust without question. So really their deep bond as friends and family is pretty much the only way we’ll be able to get much character development out of the story going forward.

5

> 2535428051871852;3:
> > 2533274840469109;2:
> > I very much agree. John has killed countless enemies against a foe he didn’t care about at all. Now, this is a fie he used to care about, and how does he deal with that? While the narrative should be important to the game, character should always be #1. That’s what gets us invested, making us care about the characters. John had awesome development and depth in Halo 4, which everyone praised. Halo 5 seriously took about 2 steps backwards. I hope they really get the best writer possible to tell an interesting, emotional story about John. They need to do it now more than ever.
>
> Halo 5 Spoilers
>
> Especially with Cortana becoming the enemy, that has got to take a toll on Chief. Honestly, I was very disappointed that 343 took the route of Cortana becoming an enemy. I really hated to see a beloved character go that route just for the sake of keeping the story going, but I digress. I think now is an important time as ever to explore Chief emotionally now that (as seen clearly in Halo 4), the thing that he’s most attached to is becoming the enemy. How is he going to deal with that along with all of his other baggage? Something’s gotta break him. I can imagine him being similar to Logan in the latest X-Men movie of the same name.

I would love it if he shows Cortana that he doesn’t need her, and chooses his friends and allies over her. He knew for only a couple months, but yes, they had a good friendship. It would be great if he tells her he will stand with his true friends against her. He doesn’t need her, showing his strength and conviction.

6

I understand why you’d say that Cortana isn’t the thing he’s most attached to since, for example, he’s known Blue Team longer. However, as far as the games are concerned, she is the one thing we’ve seen him attached to. Whether it be trying to get her back in Halo 3, trying to help her in Halo 4 (this is where we really see how much he cares for her), and seeking her out in Halo 5 – it’s not hard to think that there’s a strong connection there. And, quite frankly, I didn’t see any of that with Blue Team. I understand in the extended medium outside of the games, things may be different, but in Halo 5 when Blue Team was there, I didn’t really see any camaraderie or development between Chief and Blue Team, unlike what we’ve seen with him and Cortana.

7

I don’t care if some fans are more attached to x-character or y-character due to more exposure to them or what-have-you. People can have whatever sentiments they like. But fan sentiment does not dictate canon facts. The books have been around and been canon just as long as the games and are just as important (if not more so) to the building of the Halo Universe as a whole - characters especially. Hence why H5 is so ridiculously infuriating. 343i said they would do Blue Team justice and talked about all this stuff that is objective canon fact (i.e. the Chief’s bond with his Spartans being something he has with no one else, Cortana included, due to the sheer amount of experiences they’ve shared together) then just turned around and did the exact opposite, and in doing so made purely fan-created misunderstandings worse than ever before. Regardless of that though, that does not change what we know about Blue Team and the deep bonds they’ve shared with the Chief since the very start of this franchise with the publication of ‘The Fall of Reach’. Kelly, Fred, and Linda - and the Chief for that matter - are not at fault as characters just because they were treated badly by the game’s writers. And nothing changes how the the over-hyping of Cortana’s dynamic with the Chief by fans remains just that: over-hyping. And I for one and sick and tired of seeing it put up on a pedestal when it has, of 343i’s own volition, turned into something frighteningly abusive and dangerous.

8

I’m not trying to put Cortana on a pedestal. We’re talking about Halo 6, the next game. Ever since Halo 3, we’ve seen a strong relationship between Cortana and Chief. Even in Halo 5, with the presence of Blue Team, that took priority over Blue Team. I get it – you think the writers are at fault, but the games are the games. The story is the story. We can’t change it now. I’m not saying that I would be against focusing more on Blue Team in the next one, but the fact of the matter is, the way that they have done the story for the past three games, it’s built up this relationship between Chief and Cortana and now that she’s the enemy, you don’t think it’d be strange if they just totally dropped that and downplayed it suddenly? It clearly has some impact on the Chief whether that infuriates you or not, it’s the route that they went.

9

No, I think it would be stranger for the developers to continue to go against everything they promised their customers and fans and continue to prioritize an abusive and sick dynamic with the Chief over a positive and healthy one. It’s not like the Prophets were some huge focus in the past games in spite of the fact they were the source of all the Covenant’s actions, so there’s no reason to overplay the “oh no, Cortana is evil now” card when we already wasted a whole game on that. Ergo if 343i hasn’t completely lost their minds we’ll be seeing the Chief interact a lot more with his friends and allies and exploring his dynamics/emotional depth with them as we confront this latest crisis in H6. Also don’t even try with that “the games are the games” rubbish. Every part of the Halo Universe is what builds the narrative, the games and the books - and for the last 15 years the story and characters that have been established by canon dictates the Chief has a far stronger bond with his real friends and family among Blue Team. One bad game by a few morally and creatively bankrupt writers doesn’t change that.

10

> 2533274920039666;9:
> No, I think it would be stranger for the developers to continue to go against everything they promised their customers and fans and continue to prioritize an abusive and sick dynamic with the Chief over a positive and healthy one. It’s not like the Prophets were some huge focus in the past games in spite of the fact they were the source of all the Covenant’s actions, so there’s no reason to overplay the “oh no, Cortana is evil now” card when we already wasted a whole game on that. Ergo if 343i hasn’t completely lost their minds we’ll be seeing the Chief interact a lot more with his friends and allies and exploring his dynamics/emotional depth with them as we confront this latest crisis in H6. Also don’t even try with that “the games are the games” rubbish. Every part of the Halo Universe is what builds the narrative, the games and the books - and for the last 15 years the story and characters that have been established by canon dictates the Chief has a far stronger bond with his real friends and family among Blue Team. One bad game by a few morally and creatively bankrupt writers doesn’t change that.

Dude, you need to chill. I’m not your enemy. You don’t have to take out your frustrations with 343’s creative direction on me.

I understand the story goes beyond the games. That’s why I’m here on the Universe forums. Because I like the story in all mediums, especially the novels. I’m not disagreeing with you about Chief having more connection to his friends and allies and I’m all for exploring his emotion depth through them. I think you’re missing my point. I’m saying from a totally objective standpoint that in the past three games (which is why I mentioned games to begin with), they have focused on Chief and Cortana’s relationship rather than his relationship with his “friends” or Blue Team. And I’m asking an innocent question of whether that would be weird for it to all of a sudden to be dropped and have Chief feel apathetic toward Cortana. The reason I said the games are the games is because, TO ME, it would seem strange if after three games of having Chief care, protect, and seek Cortana, he just all of a sudden became apathetic toward her.

The fact of the matter is (from a completely objective standpoint), they’ve built up this relationship the past three games. And, it is my opinion, that we at least need some sort of conclusion to that. If they’re going to change the story a bit, they might as well put a proper end to it rather than just making it look messy and dropping it completely.

11

> I’m saying from a totally objective standpoint that in the past three games (which is why I mentioned games to begin with), they have focused on Chief and Cortana’s relationship rather than his relationship with his “friends” or Blue Team. And I’m asking an innocent question of whether that would be weird for it to all of a sudden to be dropped and have Chief feel apathetic toward Cortana. The reason I said the games are the games is because, TO ME, it would seem strange if after three games of having Chief care, protect, and seek Cortana, he just all of a sudden became apathetic toward her.

Well with the first two games you mention Blue Team wasn’t there (for BS reasons invented by Bungie back in the day when they were content to act like the EU was totally separate from the games when it NEVER was), so that really doesn’t count against them. Especially when there was still plenty of material about Blue Team in the books to make up for it. Furthermore Cortana was barely even in ‘Halo 3’ so there was absolutely no “building” of any kind of “relationship” there beyond simply using her as a cheap gimmick to appeal to male-fans’ fantasies in regards to having the Chief “rescue” her from High Charity (though it is worth noting that his main objective from the beginning was to get The Index). The only game that even does remotely anything like you claim was ‘Halo 4’, but at the end of it Cortana died on her own terms in a way that brought her character arc since ‘The Fall of Reach’ full circle. There wasn’t anything left to do with her and the Chief at that point that wouldn’t simply do damage to both the story and the characters themselves by beating a dead horse. Then enter ‘Halo 5’, which does exactly that. The Chief is forced to suffer emotional, psychological, and physical abuse at the proverbial hands of Cortana as well as nearly get his only true friends and family murdered by her in cold blood. There’s literally nothing left regarding these two characters that can be brought to bear besides exploitative nonsense.

The Chief doesn’t necessarily have to become “apathetic” about the situation at hand, but there is certainly zero good reason to excessively linger on a totally unhealthy dynamic any longer when there are far, far better options already on the table just waiting to be explored. One of which will actually grow and develop the Chief, as opposed to stagnate and demean him - the latter of which we saw in H5 by not giving Blue Team the attention they deserved. The changeover to focusing on Blue Team can (and should) be front and center in ‘Halo 6’. And like I said, it would be far stranger for 343i to continue to go against what they themselves claimed the main-character-plot would be about: the Chief learning to cope with loss and move on from Cortana.

> If they’re going to change the story a bit, they might as well put a proper end to it rather than just making it look messy and dropping it completely.

And I’m telling you we already got a proper end to it. It was called ‘Halo 4’. Though to put the final nail in the coffin the last line Cortana says to the Chief in ‘Halo 5’ was “goodbye”, and should be the last scene with the Chief she should ever get.

Enough is enough. 343i decided to throw out the perfectly good ending they gave Cortana’s story arc in H4 in favor of bringing her back to life and making her a murderer and a predator, so they need to stick with that decision and everything that goes with it. There’s far, far more to the Chief and his story than just the barely 3 months he knew Cortana, and he has many other just as important (if not more so) friends and relationships through which he can be explored and developed. It’s time for him (and by extension fans) to move on - which is what 343i said the narrative was going to be about going forward. And forcing the Chief to be perpetually hung up on a dynamic that has now proven to be unhealthy and unsafe for himself and everyone around him is just wrong on so many levels.

…You asked how 343i could continue to develop the emotional depth of the Chief and his story, so I gave you an answer: focus on his real relationships and the positive human dynamics he shares with the individuals that are currently (and in Blue Team’s case, always have been) standing by him. Which is essentially the only one at this point that doesn’t involve relying on harmful tropes and potentially upholding bad messages to Halo’s audience.

12

Once again, we’re on the same side. I’m totally for Chief being explored in other ways other than Cortana. Am I happy that they brought her back after the perfect ending they gave her in Halo 4? Hell no. I think it’s a stupid move and I didn’t like the ending of Halo 5 at all. But they did. They brought her back and now, like you said, they have to deal with that decision. And all I’m saying is, now they have to yet again find a way to end it. Because just dropping it would be weird to the story after building this whole thing up at the end of Halo 5. I never once said that the entire Halo 6 campaign should be about Chief and Cortana, but it has to be addressed after Halo 5’s ending. There’s no way around it. If they addressed that in the first few missions, then moved on from it, I’d be happy. But they need to put some sort of end to it now that they’ve decided to bring it all back from the dead.

13

Agreed that I want to see his characterization increased. I want more of the Halo 4 John. But as CM pointed out, that doesn’t necessitate Cortana. His relationship with her is so twisted and screwed up and unhealthy at this point that she needs to be treated as a nemesis to be defeated and nothing more. No more dwelling in future stories on his supposedly conflicted feelings of wanting to save her or bring her back or any of that. His original family, Blue Team and Halsey, are right there and capable of fulfilling the same role better. Along with a few other “adopted” family members he’s picked up over the years, Thel, Lasky, etc. If he’s gonna be a real character with depth, I wanna see it in his interactions with those people. The only interaction I personally want to see him have with Cortana now is killing her.

14

> 2533274961806222;13:
> Agreed that I want to see his characterization increased. I want more of the Halo 4 John. But as CM pointed out, that doesn’t necessitate Cortana. His relationship with her is so twisted and screwed up and unhealthy at this point that she needs to be treated as a nemesis to be defeated and nothing more. No more dwelling in future stories on his supposedly conflicted feelings of wanting to save her or bring her back or any of that. His original family, Blue Team and Halsey, are right there and capable of fulfilling the same role better. Along with a few other “adopted” family members he’s picked up over the years, Thel, Lasky, etc. If he’s gonna be a real character with depth, I wanna see it in his interactions with those people. The only interaction I personally want to see him have with Cortana now is killing her.

And that’s totally fine, if he does have to kill her though I want to see the mental ramifications that has on him. I’m sure it’ll have some sort of toll because, like you said, the relationship is so twisted and unhealthy, it has to be doing something in his head.