I knew that Halo season 2 would take a different turn from the first one just by looking at the first trailer. Season 2 of Halo feels more in accordance with what a Halo program should be about, whereas season 1 was mired in odd writing decisions that left little room for its characters, the Spartans, to do what they do best, which is kick Covenant ass.
Pablo Schreiber says the tone is mostly responsible for the difference. “I think the tone of this season feels darker, which is the biggest place where we succeed on a level that we didn’t quite reach in season 1,” he stated in an interview with The Verge.
Actor Schreiber, who portrays Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, concurs that the action has improved and credits David Wiener, Halo’s new showrunner, for these gains.
“This year, we’re living in David Wiener’s world,” he said. “I think [his] vision is incredibly successful and fits the tone of the Halo franchise in a way that might be more appropriate than the first season.”
The first two episodes of the second season of Halo are currently available, and they’re excellent. I’ve already discussed my feelings about the first episode, “Sanctuary.” Even though there is a lot less action in episode 2, “Sword,” it more than makes up for it by reintroducing us to Riz-028 (Natasha Culzac). Only half of the Silver Team, Kai-125 (Kate Kennedy), and the Master Chief himself had screen time in the previous season to further their personal growth. One of Schreiber’s favorite things about this new season, he said, was fixing that.
He stated, “We start to find ways to differentiate everybody, give them a little bit of personality, early on in the second season.” “It was truly satisfying for me to witness all of these individuals who I have collaborated with closely for the past nearly five years to have their moment in the spotlight.”
Regarding the Master Chief’s previous romances, Schreiber has previously stated that he didn’t like the confusing but blatant sexual scene that included John and Makee (Charlie Murphy), a human who is a part of the Covenant alien enemies. A more nuanced strategy would have been preferred by Schreiber.
“It feels less grounded in the franchise the more overtly romantic or sexual elements there are,” he remarked. Schreiber would rather have Cortana as a partner, but he doesn’t believe the Master Chief is a character who is too serious for romance. “Romance is prevalent in Halo.” You know, it just so happens to be between John and Cortana.
Of course, John’s affection for his AI copilot is nothing new. (A person whose personality was cloned from Dr. Halsey, the person who is revered as a mother figure by the Spartans and is believed to have practically created John and the others.) In Halo 4, she virtually declares her love for him, and in Halo 5: Guardians, he goes missing for the first time ever to find her. But it might also be seen as intense loyalty, which is what Spartans are known for, with the Chief seeing Cortana as a teammate.
Therefore, it was intriguing to hear Master Chief characterize “Sanctuary’s” climactic scene as romantic. In the scene, John goes to a virtual reality parlor and converses with a holographic character who resembles Cortana but falls short. John tells Christina Bennington’s character, Not-quite-Cortana, that he feels like a piece of himself is missing and that he thinks he hears sounds that could be her.
Even though I’ve never had an AI implanted in my brain that is sentient and autonomous, I can imagine that if I had it and it was later removed, just like Cortana was for John, I would also feel as though something was missing. I might have been a little too literal, though. Schreiber remarked, “I’m not sure how to spell that out for you if you didn’t hear romantic undertones in that scene, but I definitely thought that was.”
Of course, it’s okay if you consider them to be just friends or if you’re not a Chief / Cortana shipper (I’m a Tom-B292/Lucy-B091 girl myself).
“That relies on how you define romance,” Schreiber remarked. While discussing a life mate, you’re talking about someone who enhances, completes, and elevates you above your current state of being. Chief has undoubtedly observed that in Cortana.
To me, that sounds a lot like love.
