TheAssociateMan's Halo 5 script

Community General Discussion
1

I have seen a few scripts floating around and decided to take my own stab at it. so without further ado, here’s my script:

Halo 5 Script

Prologue

Establishing shot: Forerunner council chamber location unknown. Forerunners of mixed rates stand and sit in a circular theater. There are three seats that stick out from the rest overlooking a central platform. A cuffed Ur-Didact stands on trial for his crimes against humanity. The trial is clearly already in progress, and takes place immediately after the Didact’s prologue speech.

UR-DIDACT
Imprisoning me only impedes our progress. We must act accordingly or else face the consequences. The humans are far from ready for the terror that comes from the darkness.

FORERUNNER COUNCILOR 1
Didact, we must act, of that we agree. But our courses of action diverge with humanity. We are well aware of your past conflicts with their ancient ancestors. Things are different now. We must assist them or the species of the Galaxy will face the Flood alone, fractured. They will test humanity as they tested us.

UR-DIDACT
Humanity has yet to attain the Mantle of responsibility. We are the sole protectors of this galaxy; and thus must act according to our station.

FORERUNNER COUNCILOR 1
Look around Didact. The Forerunner civilization is not what it once was and we few will not gain our former glory. It is time for humanity to step up and take our place.

UR-DIDACT
They squander among themselves and have yet to bring the other races under their care. Humanity is not ready to become the caretakers of this galaxy.

FORERUNNER COUNCILOR 2
Didact, as you well know, One among them is prepared.

UR-DIDACT
The Reclaimer who defeated me? He is nothing.

FORERUNNER COUNCILOR 2
He is their only hope of survival; I fear your actions have hindered his progress immensely. You were released from your Criptum far too early, an unfortunate turn of events. We must repair the damage you have done.

FORERUNNER COUNCILOR 3
Yes, before it to too late for all of us. Time is short.

Focus in on the Didacts helmet, fade to a cracked Mk VI helmet. Zoom out to a clean room. John is being fitted with Mk. VII Moljnir armor. Lord Hood greets him as he steps out of the fitting machine.

LORD HOOD
Master Chief, sorry we couldn’t fit you sooner.

JOHN
I’ve been busy, Admiral.

LORD HOOD
Master Chief, the UEG questions my persistence to reinstate you. We just don’t yet fully understand what that forerunner construct did to you. And after what happened with the Cortana, they didn’t know how to proceed.

JOHN
I’m ok sir. Fit for duty.

LORD HOOD
I agree. Master Chief, but it’s been a few months since you’ve been in Moljnir, and the techs say that the Mark VII is a substantial upgrade. Check with R&D back at CICONI for a run-down on the new systems. Oh, and Director Osman wants to see you before you leave. She wouldn’t go into details, but it sounded important.

JOHN
I thought I was to remain on Infinity. Locating Dr. Halsey is my top priority.

LORD HOOD
I understand Master Chief, but Director Osman asked for you specifically. Something tells me ONI’s on Halsey’s trail as well. But for better or worse I don’t know.

John solutes Lord Hood and goes on his way, the door closes behind him and he activates the orbital elevator, alone among cargo headed to ONI HQ. He pulls the empty chip from his head and looks at it in the dim light. Cortana’s words echo in his head;
Never make a girl a promise you can’t keep.
John puts the chip back in his head and reaches the bottom of the Orbital elevator. The door opens; ONI personnel enter and begin unloading cargo. The player gets control of John as he goes to Osman’s office.

Gameplay
This serves as a tutorial mission. Walk around the facility, you can interact with various things, but a waypoint points the way to Osman’s office. Engineers float by, stop to tinker with displays and move on. ONI personnel go about their daily business. Some grey clad Spartan IV’s in scout armor and ONI insignia stand guard around the facility. Up a ramp, you reach Osman’s office.

Cutscene
The door opens from Osman’s perspective, John walks in and solutes.

OSMAN
Master Chief, good to see you up and about. I’m glad you’re here; there are things we need to discuss. But first, I have a personal errand for you to run. A Prowler en route to Sol, carrying a Forerunner artifact from Requiem, has not reported in as scheduled. The Prowler’s last transmission indicated a temporary system failure, but we both know that’s unlikely. I’ve pulled Infinity from its current tasks to get you their quick. This Forerunner artifact, the Janus key, is on board and must not fall into M’dama’s hands.

JOHN
Understood director.
John turns to leave, but Osman stops him. She looks ready to speak, but hesitates and says;

OSMAN
Bring the key to me directly upon your return.

John salutes then turns around and walks out the door. Cut to an exterior view of Infinity. A Pelican exits slip space and docks with the ship. John gets out and Lasky and Roland are there to meet him.

LASKY
Master Chief, I’m glad to see they finally cleared you for combat. I trust ONI’s debrief wasn’t too rough on you?

JOHN
Nothing I couldn’t handle Captain. Osman needs me to recover the Janus key.

ROLAND
Oh, that little trinket, quite the prize. Jul M’Dama’s got the other half. What a mess it’s our little ship got into.

LASKY
Master chief, there’s more to this situation than Osman’s letting on…
Palmer walks onto the bridge

PALMER
Why are we stopped here captain? Instillation 02 won’t liberate itself from covenant occupation.

LASKY
Orders from director Osman, ONI lost contact with the Prowler tasked with bringing our half of the Janus key to Earth. She sent the Master Chief out here to retrieve it.

PALMER
Getting your sea legs back Master Chief?

JOHN
You could say that.

Mission 1 coming soon

2

Mission 1: Janus

The Infinity exits slip-space, on the bridge, a 3D view of a Prowler shows up. John, Lasky, and Roland go to the holographic display. It shows a Prowler with a covenant boarding craft attached.

ROLAND
Gee, I wonder what could have delayed them?

LASKY
Roland, are there any other signs of covenant activity in the area?

ROLAND
Well, if you consider a giant debris field activity; then, yeah.

LASKY
What happened here?

ROLAND
Judging from the overabundance of Radiation, I’d say that the Prowler’s captain got a little trigger happy and nuked a small Covenant fleet.

LASKY
Master Chief, get over to that prowler, retrieve the Janus key, and dispose of any unwanted guests.

JOHN
Yes Sir.

John walks into an empty hanger bay. The door opens and he flies out with thrusters.

Game play
This is a Zero-G flying sequence. Use the Mk VII’s thrusters to navigate the debris field. You’ll land on larger pieces of debris. Enter the damaged parts of covenant ships and fight covenant in low to zero gravity. After walking/floating through the destroyed hulk, on the other side is the prowler. Float to the Prowler. Roland gives you a waypoint;

ROLAND
Master Chief, I’d try that hatch there.

Go inside the airlock. The interior of the Prowler is quiet. When John tries to radio back to Infinity, there is only static. Moving through the prowler, the player comes across a number of pseudo terminals. These give background on Halsey’s betrayal of the UNSC, The Janus Key, and Requiem. Most of these terminals are optional, but the Terminal outlining the circumstances surrounding Halsey’s betrayal triggers a cutscene.

Cutscene
After reading the file on Halsey’s betrayal, John gets up and looks around; there is an increasing sense of uneasiness. The camera pans over John’s shoulder and the player sees movement, displaced light, active camouflage.

Game Play
Spec-Ops Elites ambush the player. After dealing with a few Spec-Ops Elites and Grunts, the player finds the entrance to the covenant boarding craft. Go inside and find the Janus Key. Pick it up and head to the Prowler’s Bridge. On the Prowler’s bridge are a few grunts and a Zealot. Kill them then;

Cutscene
John sits down on the bridge of the prowler and activates the engines.

LASKY (through comm.)
Master Chief, what are you doing?

JOHN
The right thing, captain.

John looks down at an elite data pad with Halsey’s picture and location of Installation 02. John punches a Course in and a slip space portal opens. Cut to a wider view as the Infinity follows.

3

Mission 2: Snowbound
Cutscene
A wide shot of the icy Halo ring 02. A slip space portal opens and the Prowler exits slip space. Cut to interior. John scans the surface which shows Covenant activity. He lowers the Prowler into the atmosphere. Cut to a snowy-windy surface. The Prowler touches down on an iceberg and the ramp lowers. With it, a Dolphin, a UNSC combat boat. John is in the pilot seat. It drops into the icy water.

Game play
The area is an open arctic world. There are large and small icebergs. Fight from Iceberg to Iceberg in search of Halsey and Jul. enemies are Covenant that use Promethean Technology. Grunts can deploy promethean auto turrets, Jackals are equipped with extra resilient energy shields, and Elites are clad in Promethean armor, this armor allows some to use shoulder mounted auto cannons and others can deploy auto-turrets and portable hard light shields.

Cutscene
Once you reach one of the larger icebergs, more like a glacier, Ticks (see Vehicle page) are digging for something. Part of a Forerunner artifact is exposed. As John rounds a corner, a Tick’s beam breaks through the Forerunner structure and stops. Sentinels pour out and begin assaulting the Ticks.

Gameplay
You can use this to slip past the Ticks and get inside. Inside are elites looking at containers. Further down the hall, a door opens and elites go running out, firing behind them at something. Flood. Running out of the facility, there is a large battle of Covenant vs. flood vs. Sentinel vs. you. Here you can pilot a tick if you so desire.
Escaping in your boat, you get to the final island. A pelican jumps in low above the player and lands at the opposite end of the island. Could it be Palmer? After fighting off the Covenant that guard the door, you enter.

Cutscene
Jul and Halsey are inside the Forerunner base. John begins to sneak up silently, assassinating an Elite, and taking his cammo module. John clips it to his waist and activates invisibility. Jul and Halsey are arguing;

HALSEY
For the final time Jul, the Didact isn’t here. Look, I’ve searched every inch of the ring. All we’ve accomplished is releasing the Flood.

JUL (In Sangili)
That was your doing. Your medaling has cost us too much Halsey.
Jul draws his sword in rage. John, in active camouflage, is slowly sneaking up to assassinate Jul when an explosion rocks the facility. Jul sheaths his energy sword and barks commands to his guards;

JUL(In sangili)
Find out what’s going on out there, go now.
Two Elites run out of the room, past John. Now alone, John leaps on Jul, Jul throws him off, Halsey dives out of the way of Jul’s now drawn sword, and runs out of the way.

Gameplay
Boss fight. Jul is like any other Zealot with an Energy Sword. Kill him and trigger a cinematic.

Cutscene
With Jul dead, Halsey takes the Janus key from his corpse. Headed towards the door, more gunfire can be heard outside.

JOHN
Doctor, get behind me.

Halsey doesn’t move as the door opens. Standing there are three Spartan II’s in Mk VII armor. Fred, Kelly, and Linda.

HALSEY
It’s good to see you Spartans. I sent out a communication behind Jul’s back, encrypted it so only a Spartan II could understand it. “Ollie, Ollie, Oxen Free.” You made it just in time Fred. John, I thought you were MIA?

JOHN
I was, at least for a while. Fred.

FRED
Glad we could be of assistance, John, it’s been a while.

JOHN
Too long.

KELLY
When we heard about the Dawn, we had thought the worst.

LINDA
We read the report on Requiem, sounds like the Didact was more than you could handle alone.

JOHN
I wasn’t alone. Had it not been for Cortana I wouldn’t be here.

HALSEY
John, it’s been over eight years, Cortana…

JOHN
She used the last of her energy to save me from the Didact.
John pulls out the empty data chip. Halsey walks over to him and takes the chip in her hand, looking it over.

HALSEY
John, I’m sorry. Once an A.I goes rampant, there’s not much to do. Though I had suspected Cortana to be different.

JOHN
What do you mean, different?

HALSEY
As you know, she was the only A.I ever formed from living brain tissue. A copy of me. If you don’t mind John, I’ll hold onto this for a while.
John nods.
Now, onto more pressing matters, let us see where the Absolute Record is shall we?
Halsey takes both halves of the Janus key and unites them. A massive hologram of the galaxy appears in the room, and all the Forerunner structures are highlighted. Halsey says;
The Ark.
The hologram zooms in on the Ark.

LINDA
John, I thought you destroyed the Ark?

JOHN
No, the Halo only damaged it.

FRED
So John, how do we get there?

JOHN
Halsey, can you locate another Portal to the Ark?

HALSEY
Yes, there is one here;
The Hologram projected from the Janus key zooms in on a section of the galaxy.
It will be a bit of a hike, though. I’m sure my Spartans are up for it?
John, Fred, Kelly, and Linda nod. Cut to the Prowler’s interior Kelly sits down at the Prowler’s controls.

KELLY
I’m sure ONI won’t mind if I take this for a ride. Though with the trouble we’re bound to get into, there’s no guarantee it’ll come back in one piece.

FRED
John, is the tracking device on this ship disabled? We don’t want any uninvited guests.
Linda walks over to a corner of the bridge and punches into a nearby console and rips out a small chip and crushes it in her fist.

LINDA
It is now.

Cut to the Prowler’s exterior as it jumps into slip space