Lessons Learned: Canonical Consistency

Games Other Halo
1

It was three years ago this month that Bungie announced Halo: Reach to the world at E3 2009. The teaser trailer foreshadowed that the game would follow the events of the novel, The Fall of Reach, written by Eric Nylund nearly eight years prior. Anticipation was at a fervor pitch.

As the release date for Reach rolled closer, it became clear, however, that the game would not follow the events the novel described. To many, including me, this was not a problem; providing a new perspective to the Battle of Reach sounded like a great idea, and eager fans anticipated September 14, 2010.

Upon completing the campaign however, many of us were left dumbstruck; the entire foundation of the Battle of Reach had been seemingly destroyed in the course of a couple of levels developed by Bungie. Outcry from the a significant portion of the dedicated fan base was loud, and many refused to accept Halo: Reach’s version of the Battle of Reach as true canon. Ever since then, the canonical debacle, seemingly but unacceptably justified by the canonical hierarchy of the Universe, was haphazardly patched together through countless speculation threads and data drops by 343i.

Even today, the two pieces of media - the video game and the novel - do not seamlessly intertwine to offer one epic experience; they contradict one another at extremely critical junctures and force fans to accept a tantalizingly unbelievable tale of unification.

Why linger on the past when the future is Halo 4, away from the fall of 2552 and the Human-Covenant war? Because, if anything, Halo: Reach demonstrated that violating established canon for no justifiable reason other than the pretense of artistic freedom is detrimental to the franchise’s integrity.

While Halo 4 has much less potential to disrupt canon on the scale of Halo: Reach, it does not mean that careless oversights cannot detract from the experience. One example a fellow forum-user has already brought up in another thread is the sudden change of design for the Grunts which seemingly contradicts established canon.

So while I do hope 343i explores the depths of the Halo Universe in Halo 4 and offers a fresh experience, I must also recognize that if it must be at the cost of established canon that makes sense.

There is a difference between expanding on the unknown and destroying he sensical established; 343i must monitor this line closely.

2

Bungie showed us that Making Budget cuts in the Spartan program didn’t make any useful long-term benefits
(Spartan-III’s)

and now, 343 is telling us that the UNSC learned it’s lesson, and is making Spartans better again
(Spartan-IV’s)

3

343i’s focus is the canon. The data drops were something they threw in as well in the aftermath of Bungie- they did well with those. I wouldn’t worry, 343i has the canon as locked down as it’s been since the first trilogy of novels.

Furthermore: Please point out to me every canonical inconsistency in Halo Reach. I regret to inform you, many people think there are more errors than actually exist. Albeit it IS true that they exist (The Pillar of Autumn landing being the sole most inconsistent piece in the entire game), there are not near as many as people seem to think.

It’s all in the dates. Data drops helping out, of course.

4

The games lead the canon, the books do not.

5

> It was three years ago this month that Bungie announced Halo: Reach to the world at E3 2009. The teaser trailer foreshadowed that the game would follow the events of the novel, The Fall of Reach, written by Eric Nylund nearly eight years prior. Anticipation was at a fervor pitch.

Completely ficticious. Fans assumed that the game was based on the novel.
Bungie DID NOT state anything beyond “from the beginning, you know the end.”
At no point do I read or does Bungie state “from the beginning, you know damn near everything that’s going to happen.”

Where does “Sierra-Two-Five-Nine” or “Do you read me Noble One?” ever show up in the novel tFoR?

6

> The games lead the canon, the books do not.

Obviously; this was never in dispute.

The issue is that the games should not override established canon where unnecessary.

> Furthermore: Please point out to me every canonical inconsistency in Halo Reach. I regret to inform you, many people think there are more errors than actually exist. Albeit it IS true that they exist (The Pillar of Autumn landing being the sole most inconsistent piece in the entire game), there are not near as many as people seem to think.

I actually realize that there are fewer inconsistencies that many believe, but the fact is Halo: Reach modified the story of the Battle of Reach to an extent which made it slightly unbelievable. Half a planet under attack without any recognition from the other half except top brass? Sounds contrived, because it is.

The problem is Bungie wanted the Battle of Reach to last two weeks rather than one day. They could have done this without retconning or convoluting the book events, but they did just that. Unfortunately, the data drops imply that the largest fleet arrived on August 30, whereas Halo: Reach heavily implies that the fleet of Particular Justice arrived on August 14th.

7

> > It was three years ago this month that Bungie announced Halo: Reach to the world at E3 2009. The teaser trailer foreshadowed that the game would follow the events of the novel, The Fall of Reach, written by Eric Nylund nearly eight years prior. Anticipation was at a fervor pitch.
>
> Completely ficticious. Fans assumed that the game was based on the novel.
> Bungie DID NOT state anything beyond “from the beginning, you know the end.”
> At no point do I read or does Bungie state “from the beginning, you know damn near everything that’s going to happen.”
>
>
> How does “Sierra-Two-Five-Nine” or “Do you read me Noble One?” ever show up in the novel tFoR?

Bungie never explicitly said so, but that trailer sure as hell implied it.

In retail version, when Fermion station hails Gamma station about the anomalies, Gamma station casually replies, “Yeah, we’re picking up anomalies too.” In the trailer, Gamma is in disbelief, implying that the Covenant had not had a significant presence on the planet before the alert. It was a lot more similar to the novel’s events.

But this is rather irrelevant. I do not blame Bungie for misleading, because even if the trailer foreshadowed otherwise, Bungie later mentioned that the game would not follow the novel. However, what we did not expect is a story which convoluted the entire juncture in the canon.

8

> > The games lead the canon, the books do not.
>
> Obviously; this was never in dispute.
>
> The issue is that the games should not override established canon where unnecessary.

It’s been stated that is the case. Other than you having a problem with the revelation of how large the SIII influence really is compared to what the Ghosts of Onyx led us to believe, where is the “unnecessary” changes made in Reach that other novels or games haven’t already overwritten?

9

> > > It was three years ago this month that Bungie announced Halo: Reach to the world at E3 2009. The teaser trailer foreshadowed that the game would follow the events of the novel, The Fall of Reach, written by Eric Nylund nearly eight years prior. Anticipation was at a fervor pitch.
> >
> > Completely ficticious. Fans assumed that the game was based on the novel.
> > Bungie DID NOT state anything beyond “from the beginning, you know the end.”
> > At no point do I read or does Bungie state “from the beginning, you know damn near everything that’s going to happen.”
> >
> >
> > <mark>How does “Sierra-Two-Five-Nine” or “Do you read me Noble One?” ever show up in the novel tFoR?</mark>
>
> Bungie never explicitly said so, <mark>but that trailer sure as hell implied it.</mark>

> In retail version, when Fermion station hails Gamma station about the anomalies, Gamma station casually replies, “Yeah, we’re picking up anomalies too.” In the trailer, Gamma is in disbelief, implying that the Covenant had not had a significant presence on the planet before the alert. It was a lot more similar to the novel’s events.

At least I don’t have to say anything because it seems this example is a moot point considering your last paragraph of:

> But this is rather irrelevant. I do not blame Bungie for misleading, because even if the trailer foreshadowed otherwise, Bungie later mentioned that the game would not follow the novel.

> However, what we did not expect is a story which convoluted the entire juncture in the canon.

As I already have asked, what changed that hasn’t been retconned by Contact Harvest, Halo Wars of Halo3?

10

> > > The games lead the canon, the books do not.
> >
> > Obviously; this was never in dispute.
> >
> > The issue is that the games should not override established canon where unnecessary.
>
> It’s been stated that is the case. Other than you having a problem with the revelation of how large the SIII influence really is compared to what the Ghosts of Onyx led us to believe, where is the “unnecessary” changes made in Reach that other novels or games haven’t already overwritten?

I don’t have a problem with Noble Team’s existence in the slightest. I haven’t even mentioned this, so I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t make assumptions without basis.

One of the biggest problems I have is the convolution between the two week invasion Bungie intended versus the one day fall Nylund depicted. While the two week invasion was fine, and actually made more sense, the fact that Bungie did not even attempt to integrate certain elements from the novel that could have still fit demonstrated a disregard for established canon which was frankly atrocious. The data drops implication directly contradicts the game’s implication of the two week invasion, seeing as the invasion force of August 30th of supposedly 300 ships has no evidence in-game.

11

> As I already have asked, what changed that hasn’t been retconned by Contact Harvest, Halo Wars of Halo3?

What do you mean that hasn’t been retconned by CH, Halo Wars, or Halo 3?

12

> > > > The games lead the canon, the books do not.
> > >
> > > Obviously; this was never in dispute.
> > >
> > > The issue is that the games should not override established canon where unnecessary.
> >
> > It’s been stated that is the case. Other than you having a problem with the revelation of how large the SIII influence really is compared to what the Ghosts of Onyx led us to believe, where is the “unnecessary” changes made in Reach that other novels or games haven’t already overwritten?
>
> I don’t have a problem with Noble Team’s existence in the slightest. I haven’t even mentioned this, so I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t make assumptions without basis.

You said you have problems and not just one, other than the battle that was “detailed” in a few chapters in a novel consisting of many, many chapters, there’s only the 1 other problem because IT IS Noble’s existence as to why the PoA makes an unrecorded land-dock on Reach to pick up the Cortana shard.

> One of the biggest problems I have is the convolution between the two week invasion Bungie intended versus the one day fall Nylund depicted. While the two week invasion was fine, and actually made more sense, the fact that Bungie did not even attempt to integrate certain elements from the novel that could have still fit demonstrated a disregard for established canon which was frankly atrocious. The data drops implication directly contradicts the game’s implication of the two week invasion, seeing as the invasion force of August 30th of supposedly 300 ships has no evidence in-game.

Not including already known information is sacrilege eh?
Ok at least we’ve established it’s not that canon was changed or anything, it’s just that we didn’t see more “Easter Eggs” from the novel in the first place that erks you.

13

I KNEW this thread would be about Reach. What I never understood about it is how people can complain about the Autumn being on Reach for a few hours. Is it impossible for it to have landed, picked up Cortana, and left to rejoin the battle?

14

> Not including already known information is sacrilege eh?
> Ok at least we’ve established it’s not that canon was changed or anything, it’s just that we didn’t see more “Easter Eggs” from the novel in the first place that erks you.

Not mentioning the novel’s events explicitly is not what irks me. That would had been nice, but not necessary.

The details of both stories do not peacefully coexist in a story that can be reasonably believed. Am I to reasonably believe that almost all the Spartan-IIs were unaware of a two week invasion of one side of the UNSC’s strongest military stronghold? Am I to reasonably believe that the Pillar of Autumn was able to safely land on the planet with dozens of Covenant ships in orbit, much less escape from the planet’s surface to space and then slipstream space? Am I to reasonably believe that the Sigma Octanus IV object was still relevant to the canon after the Bahd Catha artifact was introduced? I could go on…

The point isn’t that these are completely inexplicable; they aren’t. They can probably be explained by some clever date and time analysis. The point is that the story that is weaved together when these events are explained in the context of the novel’s events, the player has to, as another forum user put it much better than I can, “markedly lower his or her intelligence to believe it all.”

15

> I KNEW this thread would be about Reach. What I never understood about it is how people can complain about the Autumn being on Reach for a few hours. Is it impossible for it to have landed, picked up Cortana, and left to rejoin the battle?

It certainly isn’t impossible, just incredibly unlikely seeing as a full scale invasion is occurring with dozens of deadly Covenant ships in orbit, some of which, according to The Fall of Reach were equipped with Energy Projectors.

16

The Fall of Reach, while important, was just one battle. One convoluted battle in a 27 year long war is no big deal. Honestly, I find the Harvest Campaign more interesting than the Fall of Reach.

17

> Outcry from the a significant portion of the dedicated fan base was loud, and many refused to accept Halo: Reach’s version of the Battle of Reach as true canon.

Bahaha riiiight. So many Halo fans were completely and utterly devastated, so much so that millions around were unable to leave bed for weeks!

Let’s not make mountains out of mole hills here… It slightly altered the story. From an 8 year old novel.

I love the books as much as the next guy, but let’s not make this seem like it was a big issue or ever will be.

Also, has anyone read the newer books? Thinking about getting Glasslands on Kindle (Not the Greg Bear ones, really dislike his writing style), although the reviews have said Traviss screwed the pooch with her terrible writing style as well.

18

> > I KNEW this thread would be about Reach. What I never understood about it is how people can complain about the Autumn being on Reach for a few hours. Is it impossible for it to have landed, picked up Cortana, and left to rejoin the battle?
>
> It certainly isn’t impossible, just incredibly unlikely seeing as a full scale invasion is occurring with dozens of deadly Covenant ships in orbit, some of which, according to The Fall of Reach were equipped with Energy Projectors.

Hey man, Keyes is a bad -Yoink- -Yoink!-, that man will get whatever he wants DONE, especially if its for Halsey. He probably just Keyes Loop’d his way into the atmosphere lol.

19

> > Outcry from the a significant portion of the dedicated fan base was loud, and many refused to accept Halo: Reach’s version of the Battle of Reach as true canon.
>
> Bahaha riiiight. So many Halo fans were completely and utterly devastated, so much so that millions around were unable to leave bed for weeks!
>
> Let’s not make mountains out of mole hills here… It slightly altered the story. From an 8 year old novel.
>
> I love the books as much as the next guy, but let’s not make this seem like it was a big issue or ever will be.

If you were on the Bungie Universe forums for the first year after Reach was released, you’d realize how much ignorance you’re spewing right now.

While it’s true only the dedicated Halo lore fans were troubled by the canonical inconsistencies, when you upset so many members of a dedicated fan base in the campaign, there is definitely a problem.

20

> Am I to reasonably believe that almost all the Spartan-IIs were unaware of a two week invasion of one side of the UNSC’s strongest military stronghold? Am I to reasonably believe that the Pillar of Autumn was able to safely land on the planet with dozens of Covenant ships in orbit, much less escape from the planet’s surface to space and then slipstream space? Am I to reasonably believe that the Sigma Octanus IV object was still relevant to the canon after the Bahd Catha artifact was introduced? I could go on…

For all of that yes, for you may not understand what Halo and John are really all about. Allow Cortana to explain Halo in a nutshell.

> The point isn’t that these are completely inexplicable; they aren’t. They can probably be explained by some clever date and time analysis. The point is that the story that is weaved together when these events are explained in the context of the novel’s events, the player has to, as another forum user put it much better than I can, “markedly lower his or her intelligence to believe it all.”

The novel tFoR is hardly about the fall of Reach, the tFoR is about 1/5, maybe less about the fall of Reach.
And although you said “can” that reality “is.”
The events of Reach have been explained in greater detail, in videogame form, the main form to which Halo is told, though everything is canon, more-less, until overridden by the next game.
The Chief and his Spartans have not been erased from the fall of Reach simply because we don’t focus on them.

First Strike “introduced a new enemy, the Brutes,” yet Halo Wars clearly has them fighting humans 25 years previous.
tFoR had Elites being “new” and we all know that Elites have ben fighting Spartans almost as long as Brutes.
Contact Harvest falls inline with Halo Wars lore and so overwrites many things about the UNSC/Covenant war, including the rotating-artifical gravity human ships.