- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
I'm putting everyone out of their misery here. If you've sent me an e-mail/PM/some form of communication, asking me if your guesses about the symbolism was on the mark, than read on, as I will elaborate here.
A symbolic scene, a meeting between two worlds, and the starting of the end.
When I spoke about the symbolism and allusion placed in certain scenes, which foreshadowed developments with the characters, I spoke of what was simply in the text of this story.
When I wrote the now infamous line:
Like father, like son
in my Autho's Notes at the end of Chapter 14, we all assumed I was speaking about the Arbiter's family line, even though I haven't revealed just what his real name is (it will be revealed though, so don't fret) that was a simple bit of foreshadowing on my part. That was not the sumbolism I mentioned previously.
Here's the two definitions of symbolism that should tip you guys off to what I'm speaking about:
1. The practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships.
2. Revelation or suggestion of intangible conditions or truths by artistic invention.
With that out in the open, I will now digress upon my real intentions about how I have used symbolism in this story, particularily with Jan and the Master Chief.
Let's take a look at their first real interaction together (this is from Chapter 4):
John couldn’t recall what happened next. He was certain he must have someone hit the Pelican, otherwise he would have fallen into orbit of Earth and burned through reentry, slamming into the surface with enough force to punch through a Covenant ship from head to toe.
“I wouldn’t move around too much if I were you,” a voice off to his left announced. John strained his neck and forced his eyes open. Kneeling down near him was a young girl wearing a flight suit. A frown creased his face when he realized that his helmet was missing, and he quickly shifted into a sitting position, pushing the pain that movement produced to the back of his mind.
He took a moment to take in the room before getting to his feet. This was some kind of flight deck, but it lacked any military identifications. He was about to inquire when he heard a gasp from behind him.
“Could you cover up or something?” the girl squeaked out as she hid her face in her hands. Confused, John glanced down and saw that it was not just his helmet that had been removed. All of the Mjolnir armor had been taken off, and what appeared to be a comforter had been laid across him when he was unconscious.
Alright, now skip ahead a few chapters to Chapter 9, when Jan and the Chief have just been rescued by Honor Without Mercy after they put a couple of nukes in the middle of the Covenant fleet:
John groaned audibly, bringing a gloved hand up to his face. When the force of the Fury warhead detonation had reached their small escape pod, the force of the impact had slammed the Master Chief into the side of the craft. Spots swan in front of his eyes as he tried to reorient himself. When his hand contacted his bare skin, the Spartan frowned in confusion.
With his vision cleared, John stared out the front cockpit, and a cold lump formed in his stomach. They were in a docking bay, and the design was Covenant.
His helmet lay below his feet, but the Master Chief ignored it as he climbed out of the cockpit and walked to where Jan hung limply in her seat. He approached her cautiously; his face creased with worry as he brought a hand gently to the girl’s shoulder and shook her.
When a moan of discomfort left Jan, the Master Chief felt a smile tug at his lips. He unfastened the clasps keeping her in place and let her slump forward against him.
“Can you stand?” John asked her softly. Another groan escaped Jan as she pushed against him slightly.
“Am I dead?”
The Master Chief couldn’t stop the smile from gracing his face this time.
“It doesn’t look like it, but were not out of the woods yet,” he said, glancing out the front of the pod. He wrapped one arm around Jan’s waist and pulled the M6C handgun from her holster. “I need you to stay here Jan, the Covenant picked us up and once they check this pod their going to realize they made a mistake.”
Leaning down John set the girl lightly upon the ground. As he pulled back up Jan clung weakly to the arm that had been supporting her.
“Are…are you going to leave me?”
Her voice was brittle, as if the slightest touch would break it. John inhaled deeply and knelt down to see her face.
“No, I won’t leave,” his voice was soft. “I have to go for a bit though, but I’ll be back. I promise.”
Jan smiled weakly at the Spartan before unconsciousness overwhelmed her and she slumped back against the escape pod wall. John reached back to pick up his rifle just as the hatch for the escape pod swung outwards.
Hmmm, anyone picking up a common thread there?
So, two instances the Master Chief had his MJOLNIR armor forcibly removed without his approval. Obviously the Spartan doesn't like to have his armor taken off, especially in a battle situation.
In the first scene, the Master Chief's only concern was to retrieve his armor right away. He's uncomfortable without it, and feels open, weak, and exposed. This is obviously based more towards his desire to keep himself covered, away from prying eyes.
The MJOLNIR armor acts as a shield, both against physical threats, and emotional. It would take a finely attuned eye to catch any kind of motion the Spartan would give off to identify what his mood would be, and I imagine the Master Chief approves of that. With his armor, he isn't a normal human, he's a Spartan, a weapon of humanity feared by his enemies.
This is a shield he's used for a long time, both when he had the armor, and without it. The only time he's ever felt as if he was in a safe place would be when he was with his other Spartan II's back on Reach.
The Master Chief doesn't see himself as a part of mankind.
That may sound ridiculous, but lets consider the facts. Ever since he was six years old, he's been isolated from the normal proceedings of mankind. The only interaction he had was with his fellow Spartan-trainees, and the few human instructors along with the many A.I teachers.
How could he feel a connection with the rest of the human race? The Spartans were trained to be different, to stand out and to not fit in with the norm. There is no facet of humankind that he can relate with, and there isn't any part of humankind that can relate with him. Earth is almost as much an alien world as the Halo Installations are.
Because of this the Master Chief hangs onto his MJOLNIR armor, keeping it as a shield against the rest of the world, and we see this in Chapter 4, when he first meets Jan.
What's different about the second scene?
Well, take a look at the Master Chief's actions. He once again discovered that his helmet had been forcibly removed, but he neglected to replace it. His concern was directed towards Jan, and seeing if she was all right. Sure it may not seem like much, but consider this. John and Jan were sitting in a docking bay aboard a Covenant cruiser, which the Spartan surmised to be full of Covenant ready to kill. Getting his helmet back and fastened so that his shields could be activated should have been his number one concern.
It wasn't though, Jan's well-being was higher on his priority list.
So what about the symbolicness of this scene?
His helmet was removed without his intention again, forcing the Spartan to once again confront his own humanity, but this time around he was receptive of the idea. When he went to Jan it was not as a Spartan, but as a man.
You'll recall he did frown however when he discovered the absence of his helmet, which shows that he is still troubled by having his cover taken away. This time around though, it wasn't as big a deal as before.
But what does this all really mean?
John is no longer looking at himself as just a Spartan, and he no longer sees mankind as something he must protect.
The reason this has happened is because of one thing, or I suppose I should say because of one person. That would be Janissary James. Her presence is what's making the Master Chief confront his own humanity.