Forum:Don't underestimate HIM.

''Warning: this post is partially based on leaked content from Halo 4. Read on at your own risk.''

“Do you believe the Master Chief succeeded because he was, at his core, broken?”

That question kind of threw me off, like it threw Halsey off. I don’t really know what it was supposed to mean.

Let’s see. Spartan-IIs were kidnapped at age 6, replaced with clones that would die soon after, forced into the kind of boot camp you don’t even put consenting adults through unless they’re going to be SEALs, stripped of their last names and individuality, indoctrinated to believe servitude to the UNSC is the highest calling and that being treated like a machine is okay, and finally subjected to experimental augmentation procedures that inflicted pain on the level of medieval torture. Naturally, these factors would contribute to some form of instability or dysfunction, but let me also add that when Halsey selected her Spartans, she chose not only the most physically exceptional, but the most mentally resilient as well. This is where, I think, the divide between Spartan-IIs and IIIs becomes most obvious. In Halo: Reach, we see how Noble Team differs from what we perceive as a Spartan unit; they bicker, at least two are implied to be axe-crazy, and with the exception of Jorge they all have characteristics that harken back to their origins as angry orphans turned into suicide troops. They were chosen for their genetic profiles rather than psychological, and it shows.

Now, this is not to say that a Spartan should be immune to any unpleasant side effects of being brainwashed and turned into a cyborg. That would be unrealistic and somewhat disconcerting, at least in my opinion, because we expect human beings to resent injustice and to feel pain. We know that Spartans are extremely introverted, laconic, and rarely interact with anyone on more than a professional level. I don’t know how I feel about “sociopathic,” though, because I don’t know whether the interrogator is generalizing about all Spartans or referring to Chief specifically. I’ve always had this headcanon that Spartans are very naive when it comes to emotions, having been raised to suppress them in the name of combat efficiency, and of course that makes for some interesting scenarios when a Spartan actually tries to have feelings; they don’t really know what to do with them. Sociopathy refers to antisocial personality disorder, which entails disregard for societal rules, low toleration for frustration and low threshold for aggression, and a tendency to blame others for wrongful actions committed. This doesn’t really sound like Spartan behavior; while they’re probably much more callous toward killing than the average human being, and unable to relate to most people, they are at their core the most disciplined soldiers in the UNSC, and indoctrinated to be selfless. While there may be some Spartans who veer toward the darker side of poor social graces (this one's for you, Ajax), I highly doubt Chief’s anywhere near the definition of a true antisocial. If he is indeed “broken,” it’s not something that makes him incapable or villainous, but rather something he's overcome by embracing his role as mankind's protector. The greatest injustice is that the ones responsible for what happened to him will never be able to repay the debt they owe, and will likely never try to.

Regardless of the interrogator's motive, I think his questions do more than remind us of what Halsey did; it shows us how pretentious the UNSC has become (or really, always has been). In, Doctor Halsey is the victim of her own crimes plus an annoying dose of author Karen Traviss's own personal bias against the character. While Traviss does all she can to sway the reader's own bias against Halsey, her efforts backfired when I read the book; all I see is Parangosky, Mendez, and others using Halsey as a convenient scapegoat in an attempt to salve their own consciences. This is somewhat depicted by the interrogation, though Halsey is quick to point out how her work saved the human race. Given that her personality is icy by default, this claim could be less self-defense and more Spartan-defense. They are not monsters or mistakes; they simply are what they are, and they DID save the galaxy. Halsey sees John-117 as the ideal Spartan and hearing accusations that he's "broken" count as an attack on her work, but more importantly as an attack on him as a person - he is the Spartan she trusted with Cortana, with Sergeant Johnson's life, and she probably views him as the embodiment of every good intention she ever had. It's sobering how the UNSC has not changed its approach to Spartan-IIs; they still view them as equipment, and are merely worried about whether that equipment will prove to be a liability.

I suppose I'll wrap this up by stating that Halo 4 is going to be a very different Halo game. I think we all knew this when we learned there would even be a new trilogy. The FPS genre has shifted, and if Microsoft's going to rake in the cash they have to compete with other franchises like Call of Duty and Battlefield. Design has undergone a radical shift, the multiplayer has been revolutionized (for better or worse), and we have yet to see just how far 343 Industries is willing to stretch established canon (or rewrite it entirely). I'm optimistic (or delusional) despite the numerous "wtf" moments I've experienced poring over certain details; I don't care if they paint the grass purple and the sky orange, the Master Chief is back and I believe passionately that Sierra 117 is the one key component of Halo that 343 Industries will not be able to detract from. Bungie taught us to believe, and now our faith will be tested. John-117 is not the puppet of 343 Industries, because the essence of the character transcends the influence of Frankie and company; it is merely their responsibility to craft a story worthy of his involvement. Whatever lies ahead, I think we should keep one thing in mind, and I'll let the good Doctor herself give it voice:

"Do not underestimate him."