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Halo 4 Story Spoilers and Speculations
- Thread starter Slightly Live
- Start date
bigdaddygamebot
Member
I wanna see the legendary ending...
: /
Sometimes the internet is awesome. Right now...it's not.
: /
Sometimes the internet is awesome. Right now...it's not.
Yeah it's good. It doesn't sound like Halo though. It sounds like Homeworld actually
reptilescorpio
Member
Oh man, you have a thirst gauge? Hardcore!
Monocle
Member
OK, so I just finished The Thursday War. SPOILERS FOR THE THURSDAY WAR and such. Seeing as this is a spoiler thread, I'm probably safe to assume this is an unnecessary courtesy. But yeah, read with caution.
As in Glasslands, TTW's best feature is its cast. I really enjoyed getting to know Kilo-Five on a more personal basis. Phillips is likable and easy to root for. He's also an ideal window into the world of the Sangheili. Black Box is still the most interesting and entertaining member of the group by far. I hope the expanded fiction and maybe even future Halo games will give a lot more attention to smart AIs. Their perspective, their life cycle, their relationship with humans; it's all fascinating stuff. Every chapter from BB's point of view was a treat. I also enjoyed spending more time in Parangosky's head. This peppy old bulldog is a first rate antihero. You can't help but love her even though she's the grand poobah behind ONI's most sinister operations. It was thrilling to see her in Judge Dredd mode near the end of the book.
I was less impressed with Naomi getting all sulky over her terrorist father. (This subplot wasn't overly intrusive, I admit, but I have a problem with its underlying premise for reasons I'll go into.) I sympathize with her situation. It's not hard to see the tragedy in her story: a soldier finding out that her father went rogue after he realized she was kidnapped and replaced as a child. On top of that, she's faced with the possibility that her team might have to neutralize him. But to me the whole thing felt a bit contrived. I'm fully aware that my personal bias is in play here. I take issue with the author Karen Traviss's stance on the ethics of the SPARTAN-II program. I also know that elaborating on the repercussions of forcibly recruiting kids into a military program is a valid way to inject some human drama in a story that focuses an awful lot on the more glamorous aspects of war, the exciting spectacle of military might in action. Clearly this is in line with 343's avowed intention to make the Spartans more than faceless soldiers. I suppose I'm just turned off by Traviss's sentimental treatment of the issue. It feels like moral blackmail to me, like she's trying to make readers and players feel bad if they see Spartans purely as the armored badasses Bungie initially presented to us.
One more grievance and then I promise I'll get back to the lighter stuff. It's pretty obvious throughout TTW that Karen Traviss is still committed to vilifying Dr. Halsey. As we know, Halsey has sociopathic tendencies. It turns out she's also a bitch. One fascinating little oddment: apparently it's entirely consistent with antisocial personality disorder to cry yourself to sleep night after night over the death of your daughter. That Halsey, what a creep. Saving mankind with her genius and seeking redemption for her unethical actions and treating her Spartans like family and mourning her daughter and stuff. It must be exhausting to suck so hard. Let's hope Halo 4 shows the character more respect—or at least portrays her more consistently with established canon—than Traviss has. Dr. Halsey is one of my favorite characters (thanks mostly to Eric Nylund's books), OK? I don't want to see her retconned into a one-note mustache twirler.
One subject I'm always happy to read about in Halo books is the Forerunners. TTW certainly didn't disappoint on that count. Between Phillips monkeying around in the temple on Sanghelios, Jul ‘Mdama exploring the Forerunner sites on Onyx/Trevelyan, and all of the delightful conversations with various Engineers (the precious little things. I want one), there were all sorts of tantalizing bits and morsels to add to the puzzle of the Forerunners' motivations and sudden disappearance 100,000 years past. There was also a good deal of fairly blatant foreshadowing for Halo 4. The two most prominent items are the Forerunner portal system and the Didact, and it's likely there's a lot more to unpack. I'll add as a side note that TTW's obligatory pimping of the Infinity (or as I like to call it, Admiral Hood's Magical Space Dong) had its due effect. I am now more hyped than ever to see what humanity does with all that new Forerunner tech. I hope it has greater implications than more sparkly guns, fancier ships, and forced parallels between a newly upjumped humanity and the less savory aspects of the Forerunners.
All in all, TTW is a satisfying followup to Glasslands, a provocative teaser for a certain highly anticipated game, and a firm foundation for a new phase in Halo's fiction. A lot is going to change with Halo 4. I hope the new developments are daring—not out of joint Bungie's vision, but unsafe. I want the story to go to unexpected places and not settle for the reiteration of traditional sci-fi tropes (mad alien who hates humanity, technologically superior society with a vaguely defined grudge against the good guys...you know how it goes). 343 has the freedom to really stretch their creative muscles here, and with a storyteller like Greg Bear in the fold, they also have the imaginative capacity to build a truly grand mythos. As a longtime Halo fan, I care about this franchise. I'm anxious about an untested (but on paper, brilliant) developer continuing where Bungie left off, yet I'm equally excited to see what comes next.
As in Glasslands, TTW's best feature is its cast. I really enjoyed getting to know Kilo-Five on a more personal basis. Phillips is likable and easy to root for. He's also an ideal window into the world of the Sangheili. Black Box is still the most interesting and entertaining member of the group by far. I hope the expanded fiction and maybe even future Halo games will give a lot more attention to smart AIs. Their perspective, their life cycle, their relationship with humans; it's all fascinating stuff. Every chapter from BB's point of view was a treat. I also enjoyed spending more time in Parangosky's head. This peppy old bulldog is a first rate antihero. You can't help but love her even though she's the grand poobah behind ONI's most sinister operations. It was thrilling to see her in Judge Dredd mode near the end of the book.
I was less impressed with Naomi getting all sulky over her terrorist father. (This subplot wasn't overly intrusive, I admit, but I have a problem with its underlying premise for reasons I'll go into.) I sympathize with her situation. It's not hard to see the tragedy in her story: a soldier finding out that her father went rogue after he realized she was kidnapped and replaced as a child. On top of that, she's faced with the possibility that her team might have to neutralize him. But to me the whole thing felt a bit contrived. I'm fully aware that my personal bias is in play here. I take issue with the author Karen Traviss's stance on the ethics of the SPARTAN-II program. I also know that elaborating on the repercussions of forcibly recruiting kids into a military program is a valid way to inject some human drama in a story that focuses an awful lot on the more glamorous aspects of war, the exciting spectacle of military might in action. Clearly this is in line with 343's avowed intention to make the Spartans more than faceless soldiers. I suppose I'm just turned off by Traviss's sentimental treatment of the issue. It feels like moral blackmail to me, like she's trying to make readers and players feel bad if they see Spartans purely as the armored badasses Bungie initially presented to us.
One more grievance and then I promise I'll get back to the lighter stuff. It's pretty obvious throughout TTW that Karen Traviss is still committed to vilifying Dr. Halsey. As we know, Halsey has sociopathic tendencies. It turns out she's also a bitch. One fascinating little oddment: apparently it's entirely consistent with antisocial personality disorder to cry yourself to sleep night after night over the death of your daughter. That Halsey, what a creep. Saving mankind with her genius and seeking redemption for her unethical actions and treating her Spartans like family and mourning her daughter and stuff. It must be exhausting to suck so hard. Let's hope Halo 4 shows the character more respect—or at least portrays her more consistently with established canon—than Traviss has. Dr. Halsey is one of my favorite characters (thanks mostly to Eric Nylund's books), OK? I don't want to see her retconned into a one-note mustache twirler.
One subject I'm always happy to read about in Halo books is the Forerunners. TTW certainly didn't disappoint on that count. Between Phillips monkeying around in the temple on Sanghelios, Jul ‘Mdama exploring the Forerunner sites on Onyx/Trevelyan, and all of the delightful conversations with various Engineers (the precious little things. I want one), there were all sorts of tantalizing bits and morsels to add to the puzzle of the Forerunners' motivations and sudden disappearance 100,000 years past. There was also a good deal of fairly blatant foreshadowing for Halo 4. The two most prominent items are the Forerunner portal system and the Didact, and it's likely there's a lot more to unpack. I'll add as a side note that TTW's obligatory pimping of the Infinity (or as I like to call it, Admiral Hood's Magical Space Dong) had its due effect. I am now more hyped than ever to see what humanity does with all that new Forerunner tech. I hope it has greater implications than more sparkly guns, fancier ships, and forced parallels between a newly upjumped humanity and the less savory aspects of the Forerunners.
All in all, TTW is a satisfying followup to Glasslands, a provocative teaser for a certain highly anticipated game, and a firm foundation for a new phase in Halo's fiction. A lot is going to change with Halo 4. I hope the new developments are daring—not out of joint Bungie's vision, but unsafe. I want the story to go to unexpected places and not settle for the reiteration of traditional sci-fi tropes (mad alien who hates humanity, technologically superior society with a vaguely defined grudge against the good guys...you know how it goes). 343 has the freedom to really stretch their creative muscles here, and with a storyteller like Greg Bear in the fold, they also have the imaginative capacity to build a truly grand mythos. As a longtime Halo fan, I care about this franchise. I'm anxious about an untested (but on paper, brilliant) developer continuing where Bungie left off, yet I'm equally excited to see what comes next.
FunkyMunkey
Banned
master chief speaking regularly is a HUGE plus for me. along with that eerie yet pronounced music.
great stuff so far. reassuring for single player, but still iffy on multiplayer personally.
Google for halo 4 legendary ending, change search options to the past hour or 24 hours.
great stuff so far. reassuring for single player, but still iffy on multiplayer personally.
Google for halo 4 legendary ending, change search options to the past hour or 24 hours.
FunkyMunkey
Banned
dp
NobleGundam
Banned
Legendary ending was epic! Now I just want to see more lol
That legendary ending, really does not give away anything huge.
But as i said, 343 is being ballsy as fuck with that legendary ending...I'll be interested in seeing the reaction once the game comes out.
I won't speak of it anymore. If anything...it really really makes me look forward toward the rest of single player.
But as i said, 343 is being ballsy as fuck with that legendary ending...I'll be interested in seeing the reaction once the game comes out.
I won't speak of it anymore. If anything...it really really makes me look forward toward the rest of single player.
Monocle
Member
Yeah, it's always looked hilariously useless to me. I know it's supposed to be able to distract AI and everything, but who cares if it's as fragile and weak as I've heard? 343 should've made it repel grenades or something.
bigdaddygamebot
Member
Thanks man...all I keep getting is that fucking black and white, live action HA HA video some nimrod has posted everywhere.
I'll keep trying though.
...ha. Got it.
Ein Soph Aur
Member
This guy really sucks.
TacticalFox88
Banned
Dat Legendary Edition.
Boss as fuck. Goddamn.
Boss as fuck. Goddamn.
Wow.
TacticalFox88
Banned
Uncompressed Blu-Ray Quality....my eyes would melt! ;____;
ii Stryker
Banned
can you adjust the HUD opacity any? Not really a fan.
ArbiterMajor
Member
No, you can't.
FunkyMunkey
Banned
soulassssns
Banned
BADASS!!!!!!
Better hope the Didact doesn't have those Sphinxs from the 1st Greg Bear book.
soulassssns
Banned
They are still getting 2 purchases out of me though. I ordered the LE and a regular version for my son.
Must. Not. Click.
soulassssns
Banned
HAHAHA ouch!
Surface of Me
I'm not an NPC. And neither are we.
HOLY SHIT IS THE STREAM AT TE ENDIING?
EDIT
SHIEEEEET
THAT WAS LEVEL ONEENENENENENENENE
EDIT
SHIEEEEET
THAT WAS LEVEL ONEENENENENENENENE
K
kittens
Unconfirmed Member
Watched the prologue. SO UNBELIEVABLY GOOD HOLY CRAP.
soulassssns
Banned
Looks like Jul 'Mdama found what he was looking for (see The Thursday War)
soulassssns
Banned
It is different than the E3 Demo
NobleGundam
Banned
:O also can someone get a cap of his helmet?
soulassssns
Banned
Had to turn it off, I couldn't watch anymore of it. Seeing the Didact (even though we already knew) was spoiler enough.
Yes. He was their head military leader if I remember right.
Yes. He was their head military leader if I remember right.
Yes, well they couldn't show the whole thing it would give to much away.
Don't use the image as your Avatar, big spoiler, possible ban.
GruntOfAction
Member
Could someone PM me the stream? I'm probably not gonna be buying the game since my Xbox no longer has gold.
NobleGundam
Banned
Any chance this will be uploaded to watch? I cant watch the stream by mobile.
Huh....not exactly what I imagined the Forerunners to look like.
Angelus Errare
Banned
Don't flame me too much but...visually this looks good. But a far cry from the OMG BEST GRAPHIX EVER that people have been swearing.
It could be the feed but I doubt it'd make a huge difference.
However some of the cutscenes look amazing though.
It could be the feed but I doubt it'd make a huge difference.
However some of the cutscenes look amazing though.
Simo
Member
Wait...are there 2 CG/Live action intros at the beginning? I really wanted to see the video that the CG stills earlier were posted from but ended up finding another video that was 2 minutes long that looks like it could be the live action commercial and shows John
taking off his helmet....