My biggest gripe with Halo 5's plot

Games Halo 5: Guardians
1

So, ignoring all of the awful exposition for a minute and looking at the plot just as it is, I really think 343 has killed Halo, probably permanently. Why? Well, they’ve made the criminal error of digging themselves an epic sized drama hole that will take some incredible manufactured bull to set straight. Unless they’re going for a Game of Thrones kill everyone and go out with a bang style plot (which is what many see happening with the show, but that’s another discussion), Halo is gonna be awful. Why?

Well, Cortana now has control over these massive forerunner enforcer things and is already setting her galactic dictatorship up, forcing the UNSC to “flee until they know how to fight” or whatever. All AIs are loyal to her and it appears as though the UNSC is left broken like the Jedi after movie 3. To get rid of Cortana, we’re going to need some ridiculous levels of BS considering she has a Halo ring, like 5 Guardians or whatever, all the AIs except one, and a vice grip on the galaxy. Seems pretty impossible, right?

I feel as though there is one path out, maybe, that doesn’t lead to BSing away the Halo franchise. Draw on Halo 2’s excellent plot: the cure for rampancy can be like the great journey. Have Cortana’s rampancy continue, figure out that it’s a lie, and have some sort of civil war with AIs/Humans. Pit Chief, who could side with Cortana if she softens her stance a bit, against Lock like we all wanted to see.

Otherwise, 343 has set up an invincible enemy that can’t really be defeated at this point. Plot wise, I don’t see a way out.

And before you say that Halo 2 had impossible cliffhangers, it didn’t. Elites were going to help the UNSC finish the fight; now, with the Covenant civil war, there was a chance for humanity. Chief could (and did) bust through High Charity to get Cortana back. All the loose ends got tied up in a compelling and convincing if not believable way; this is part of why Halo 3 is the GOAT Halo.

Just my thoughts. I walked away from Halo 5 the same way I walked away from the 8th Star Wars; convinced I had just seen the worst installment (okay third worst for Star Wars the first two are hard to top)

2

Halo 3 did not do things in a believable way. See Gravemind in 3.
But yes Cortana is essentially super powerful now, it will take some random plot point to defeat her or whatever this story direction is headed now. Not fun.

3

Couple points of clarification: nothing has said that all AI except Roland joined Cortana, and nothing has said that Cortana is still suffering from rampancy.

4

> 2533274817408735;3:
> Couple points of clarification: nothing has said that all AI except Roland joined Cortana, and nothing has said that Cortana is still suffering from rampancy.

  1. Okay, maybe not all AIs except Roland, but the implication was a vast majority. To backtrack on that would be deceitful.
  2. That was my suggestion. That would be the best way to kill Cortana. Have her be incredibly deluded.
5

> 2535442569875751;2:
> Halo 3 did not do things in a believable way. See Gravemind in 3.
> But yes Cortana is essentially super powerful now, it will take some random plot point to defeat her or whatever this story direction is headed now. Not fun.

Gravemind isn’t a level in 3. If you’re talking about chief wrecking high charity, that’s Cortana. Gravemind is a level in 2, however, but one that features very little gravemind but also features MC busting out of high charity controlled by the covenant this time. I found that all to require little to no suspension of disbelief.

6

> 2535454318282171;5:
> > 2535442569875751;2:
> > Halo 3 did not do things in a believable way. See Gravemind in 3.
> > But yes Cortana is essentially super powerful now, it will take some random plot point to defeat her or whatever this story direction is headed now. Not fun.
>
> Gravemind isn’t a level in 3. If you’re talking about chief wrecking high charity, that’s Cortana. Gravemind is a level in 2, however, but one that features very little gravemind but also features MC busting out of high charity controlled by the covenant this time. I found that all to require little to no suspension of disbelief.

I mean The Gravemind, not the level, which is very believable. The Gravemind gets to the Ark how? Never explained until a few years ago.
Not to mention the fact The Gravemind doesn’t attempt to kill Chief in the Cortana level, after it learns of Cortana’s secret. Or even attempt to kill Chief and Arby when Truth died.

7

> 2535442569875751;6:
> > 2535454318282171;5:
> > > 2535442569875751;2:
> > > Halo 3 did not do things in a believable way. See Gravemind in 3.
> > > But yes Cortana is essentially super powerful now, it will take some random plot point to defeat her or whatever this story direction is headed now. Not fun.
> >
> > Gravemind isn’t a level in 3. If you’re talking about chief wrecking high charity, that’s Cortana. Gravemind is a level in 2, however, but one that features very little gravemind but also features MC busting out of high charity controlled by the covenant this time. I found that all to require little to no suspension of disbelief.
>
> I mean The Gravemind, not the level, which is very believable. The Gravemind gets to the Ark how? Never explained until a few years ago.
> Not to mention the fact The Gravemind doesn’t attempt to kill Chief in the Cortana level, after it learns of Cortana’s secret. Or even attempt to kill Chief and Arby when Truth died.

Ah, now I remember. I dismissed it as the gravemind having incredible telepathy powers, not that he was actually there. It was an oversight, sure, but not hardly a glaring on that stuck out like a sore thumb. I feel as though most game/movie plots can get away with some of that and still be alright (Star Wars has tons of little things that bug me, especially in the early movies, but I still love the franchise), but I don’t see a little loophole fixing the bind 343 left UNSC in to end 5.

8

> 2535454318282171;7:
> > 2535442569875751;6:
> > > 2535454318282171;5:
> > > > 2535442569875751;2:
> > > > Halo 3 did not do things in a believable way. See Gravemind in 3.
> > > > But yes Cortana is essentially super powerful now, it will take some random plot point to defeat her or whatever this story direction is headed now. Not fun.
>
> Ah, now I remember. I dismissed it as the gravemind having incredible telepathy powers, not that he was actually there. It was an oversight, sure, but not hardly a glaring on that stuck out like a sore thumb. I feel as though most game/movie plots can get away with some of that and still be alright (Star Wars has tons of little things that bug me, especially in the early movies, but I still love the franchise), but I don’t see a little loophole fixing the bind 343 left UNSC in to end 5.

That I can agree on. 343i has backed Halo’s universe into a corner. It’s affecting other media too, which is both good and bad. Maybe they’re building up a believable way to defeat The Created, maybe it’s another Forerunner plot device. Who knows.