This would be how I would’ve restructured the plot of Halo 5: Guardians. Hope you enjoy.
We begin with the members of Blue Team, as would be easier to care for them if we started the game off as them rather than Osiris.
Blue Team goes on a mission, we get a sense of the bond between the Spartans, this would help casual fans understand who Fred, Kelly, and Linda are. We would see John dealing with the loss of Cortana like he did at the beginning, taking mission after mission so he doesn’t have to stop and think. Fred shows concern for John, worried that his leader and friend might need to relax. Kelly tells him that John’s fine. John then contacts the UNSC for their next assignment. Cut to Osiris being deployed to Kamchatka to rescue Halsey and kill Jul. Halsey informed the UNSC that something big was happened, and notice this when they were at the Absolute Record. They arrive to Halsey and Jul, rescue Halsey, severely injure Jul who escapes on a Phantom.
Jul flees back to Sanghelios. Blue Team makes their way to Argent Moon, a lot plays the same while I would change a couple things around. The UNSC wouldn’t know of Cortana’s involvement with the Guardians, and would be confused by John’s statement. When John decides to go after Cortana, Fred and Linda believe that he might be seeing things that he believes to be Cortana. Thus making them nervous to follow him when he decides not to return to Infinity when ordered. Back on Infinity, Halsey informs Lasky, Plamer, and Roland and the Guardians, and they are dangerous. She says whatever is awakening them is causing some serious damage and she thinks she can help, as no Human scientist knows Forerunner tech like she does.
Lasky is informed that after several attempts to order John to return to ship, he has refused every time. ONI orders Lasky to send Osiris after Blue Team and bring them in. Buck is reluctant to hunt down Blue Team, specifically John, who he, and really all the Spartan IVs say is their reason for joining the program. Locke says that John is not following chain of command and must be brought in for insubordination. Buck says there’s no real way they can win in a fight with Blue Team, and Locke shows him the armor restraint. Buck says his famous line. At Meridian, Blue Team look for the passage way to the Guardian, while fighting Peometheans. They are too late and get back in their ride to see where the next Guardian will be. As John gets another message from ‘Cortana’, Fred believes something happened to him, but he sees this messages as a lost friend.
John is convinced it’s Cortana and he can bring her back. Fred says he might need others to evaluate what’s going on, as he’s too emotional with his odyssey across the stars. Kelly and Linda are split, with Kelly wanting to believe John’s onto something, but needs to calm down. Linda believes others should step in, but with John helping them. Osiris arrives on the next colony where Blue Team is, and the Guardian is going to activate soon. As Blue Team moves toward the Guardian, Osiris jumps in. Locke orders them to stand down and come in with them. John pretty much tells them to -Yoink- off, and orders his team members to make their way to the Guardian, they agree somewhat reluctantly but also loyally. At this point Locke orders Osiris to utilize their armor restraints. Blue Team is able to dodge the devices, which causes the fire-teams to engage in combat. John v Locke, Fred v Buck, Kelly v Vale, and Linda v Tanaka. Locke gets a few hits in, but John is done messing around and kicks Locke -Yoink-, kinda making Locke look like a little -Yoink-. As a result of the fighting, Blue Team misses their ride onboard the Guardian. They leave Osiris behind and make to their Prowler. Osiris makes it to their Pelican and reports to Infinity, telling Lasky their were unable to bring in Blue Team.
Halsey is on the bridge and hears this, and becomes quite angry. She asks Lasky why he would send people to hunt them down. Lasky says he got the orders from ONI, and was not happy to give the order. He says he’s unsure what John is up to, why he would abandon his post. Locke is actually quite angry now, as John refused to listen to orders, as well as whooping him like he was nothing. This shows Locke also has a personal vendetta against John, and he wants to avenge himself. Osiris goes them the greenlight to continue after them. On the Prowler, tension is rising between Blue Team, particularly between John and Fred. Fred says John is going to far, as he nearly killed Locke just for his personal goals, John says he’s trying to save Cortana as well as find out what is going on with the Guardians. Fred finally loses it and just tells him “Cortana is dead John. She’s not coming back, you’re chasing a shadow.” This causes John to says that he’s not sure why he’s seeing this cryptic messages, but he’s sure it’s her. Fred reminds John that he informed them that Librarian did something to him. That maybe he’s connecting to Forerunner tech, and is subconsciously seeing Cortana as he can’t get lever her death. John finally sits down, saying he’s trying to convince himself she is still alive, but somewhere in his head he knew she was gone. He apologizes to his team for putting them in this situation. They are somewhat discouraged, as their careers are pretty much -Yoinked!-. Kelly recommends as long as they’re doing this, why not figure out what the hell is going on with the Guardians. They agree and John receives another message from ‘Cortana’, saying Sanghelios. John says “Corta-The next activation will be on Sanghelios”.