Summary
Halo abandons Reach for a rushed Arbiter plotline and an awkward pivot to Halo. Chief continues to be generally unlikeable and will rehash the conflict against superiors from Season 1. Kwan’s story disappointingly gets bigger, though Soren-066’s story is compelling.
Episode 5 of Halo Season 2 pivots away from the planet Reach, in a rather disappointing move. It focuses on exploring the mental state of key characters after the intense episode of action and beginning an awkward pivot toward finding Halo. It’s done through the introduction of the Silver Timeline’s version of an Arbiter, but without the intrigue fans know from the Halo 2 video game.
There are some highlights, and that’s with the character of Soren-066, who’s searching for Kessler with Laera. Their different approaches to situations are revealed. Kwan is set on a new path when a mystic communicates with her, but this looks like it will be just as boring as it was in Season 1. This is a show about Master Chief after all.
Starting close to where audiences left off, Chief, Riz-066, and Soren-066 attempt to hold their position as the Covenant attack. They’re jumped by a Jiralhanae (Brute) War Chieftain with a gravity hammer, but Soren-066’s wife Laera and Kwan swoop in to save them. Before they leave, Riz-028 is badly injured retrieving Vannak-134’s body. Chief blacks out as the Covenant glass the planet, and sees a flashback to Cortana making a deal with Office of Naval Intelligence leader Margaret Parangosky.
Makee oversees Reach’s destruction from a Covenant warship. Var ‘Gatanai approaches, and she congratulates him on this victory, though he bats off her compliment, saying that they only recovered one of two Forerunner keystones, and the Demon (Chief) still lives. Chief’s death will be ‘Gatanai’s redemption, but why is never clear. Frustrated, ‘Gatanai demands to know what use Cortana will be, and Makee replies it’s knowledge.
Chief wakes up and sees Riz-028 unconscious. He tries to make his way over to her, still injured himself. Halsey explains Riz-028 needs surgery, and Chief gets angry that Riz-028 went back for Vannak-134, and berates Halsey for taking away their choice. Halsey says Riz-028 chose to get Vannak-134. Chief is further frustrated at ONI. Halsey talks about the aftermath of Reach, explaining it was chaos, and she had to put Chief in a coma for two days. She helps Chief to rest, as he has a fever.
Who is the Arbiter?
Makee and Cortana talk, with Makee revealing that it’s the command ship of Zealot Var ‘Gatanai, former supreme commander of the Fleet of Solemn Accord, and currently holds the title of Arbiter. This is a slap in the face to anyone who knows the games. The Sangheili were fleetmasters, not commanders, but more than this, ‘Gatanai is a shallow Arbiter. Arbiter is a rank given to Sangheili by the High Prophets, a dishonorable title bestowed on those who have failed. Makee wants Cortana to tell her about Chief. Cortana just shuts down.
In Halo 2, this title was given to Thel ‘Vadamee, the former fleetmaster of the Fleet of Particular Justice, when he failed to stop Chief blowing up the Halo (Installation 04) in Halo: Combat Evolved. In Halo 2, ‘Vadamee learned the Great Journey was a lie, resulting in the Sangheili splitting from the Covenant known as the Great Schism.
Aleria
Chief wakes up to Kwan and Soren-066, who says he’s been unconscious for another three days. They’re about to touch down on the planet Aleria to try and find Kessler. Kwan leads Chief to Vannak-134’s body but refuses to look at it. On Aleria, Halsey effectively commandeers a local surgery for Riz-028, to less than-pleased doctors. Soren-066 reassures Chief that Riz-028 will be fine, and then heads off with Laera to search for Kessler. At a local shop, they ask the shopkeeper who has information about ship movements and locate the one Kessler was on and where it landed.
Kwan begs Chief to bury Vannak-134, but he staunchly refuses. He says SPARTANs aren’t buried, they’re already dead as far as the human world goes. Kwan says that Chief will regret not grieving, and will bury Vannak-134 without him. On a transport, Soren-066 attempts to make polite conversation with some locals, which infuriates Laera. She says he’s not showing the loss of Reach or seems worried about Kessler, and she wants him to as she’s feeling that. She ditches her silver wig in anger.
Riz-028 wakes up to Halsey, saying this reminds her of the augmentation process, which leads her to express her hate for Halsey. Halsey ignores this and says Riz-028 won’t be the soldier she was and she’ll need to fight harder. Halsey lets Chief know Riz will live, but he launches into a rant about how ONI screwed them, and that they’re all expendable. Chief asks Halsey why she chose him, but Halsey fails to answer.
The Funeral
Kwan digs a hole for Vannak-134 but is surrounded by mystics. She screams, prompting Chief to arrive. The mystics want to burn Vannak-134, which Chief allows. Halsey gives a eulogy, while Chief opens up in his own speech. It ends in a declaration of revenge. Chief will end those responsible for Reach, ONI.
At the funeral, Kwan somehow speaks to the mystic from episode one, who says that Kwan is a Protector and warns her about the monster. It’s both vague and boring, unfortunately foreshadowing a larger role for Kwan.
Who took Kessler?
Soren-066 and Laera encounter two women who they think have Kessler, and after Laera’s emotional plea fails, Soren-066 shows his negotiation skills by arranging a chance to see the boy. Laera however finds out that this boy isn’t Kessler before Soren-066 finishes, as she sees a young man with Soren-066’s helmet running outside. Laera asks him where the boy is that gave it to him, to which the man says they took him.
Laera visits the shopkeeper without Soren-066 and threatens to beat him if he doesn’t tell her where Kessler is. Outside, she reveals to Soren-066 that the United Nations Space Command took Kessler.
How does Halo Season 2, Episode 5 end?
Makee realizes ‘Gatanai’s Covenant ship has arrived at High Charity, the Covenant’s capital. She’s confused, as they will be killed. She pleads with ‘Gatanai, attempting to convince him that the Prophets are lying about the Great Journey and that it will be ‘Gatanai who will lead them to Halo. ‘Gatanai accuses her of blasphemy, and might have killed her had Cortana not projected a memory of Halo, making ‘Gatanai pause in awe. He agrees to find Halo, accepting that the Prophets will come after him.
Riz-028 leaves the hospital, watching locals build. Chief attempts to order her back onto the ship to go, but she tells him she will stay, upsetting Chief. She hugs him and warns him not to let pain crush him. Halsey attempts to mock her, but Riz-028 just smiles and leaves.
At the UNSC base Camp Currahee on the planet Onyx, Kai-125 makes her way to an outside door. Ackerson nods her through, revealing an army of SPARTAN IIIs, the next generation of even more faceless and controllable SPARTANs. It’s an ominous way to end, as the UNSC plans to throw more lives at the Covenant.
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