Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!
The Butterfly effect, as some refer to it as, is known as the occurance of a seemingly insignificant event that changes the course of the future. Examples of this effect can be found in many places throughout history and society.
This effect was first demonstrated in "The Sound of Thunder", a short story. The story is about a time traveler that accidentally steps on a butterfly in the past, setting off a chain of terrible events. This is merely a common example of the effect used worldwide. But this effect can be applied to many other situations.
If the above is true, can this effect be applied to Halo Reach?
I brooded about this deeply for days upon weeks until i found a suitable situation. The following is a purely hypothetical version of Halo, taking the butterfly effect into consideration. I hope you enjoy it.
Let's start several years before the events of reach. The UNSC is developing bombs and other weaponry to be used in the war. Suddenly, a random scientist discovers a much more guaranteed way to prevent bomb timers from malfunctioning. This may seem unimportant, but this small act will turn out to be crucial.
Fast forward to the mission Long Night of Solace on Reach. After fighting through waves of Covenant, Jorge and Six decide to plant the bomb. Since the timer hadn't malfunctioned due to the scientist's discovery, Jorge and Six can now safely escape from the Corvette while still annhilating it. Jorge survives.
It is now Exodus. Six, with the help of Jorge, is fighting through the Covenant in order to rescue civilians. Thanks to Jorge's assistance, they manage to travel much faster. Fast enough to save the UNSC super carrier that was carrying thousands of civilians. Thanks to Jorge and Six, thousands of civilians manage to evacuate Reach.
Now it is the end of the mission New Alexandria. After a nearby EMP, Noble Team is escaping to a nearby bunker. With the rest of Noble Team occupied, Jorge decided to watch their surroundings in order to ensure safety. When the phantom comes by, Jorge manages to warn the rest of Noble Team. Kat jumps to the side, narrowly avoiding a lethal headshot. Kat survives.
The mission is now the Pillar of Autumn. Carter and Kat manage to get into separate pelicans for aerial support, while Six and Emile, assisted by Jorge, make their way to the Pillar of Autumn. When the Scarab interlopes, Noble Team manages to take the Scarab down much more easily. Carter's kamikaze-like actions are no longer necessary. Carter survives.
After clearing a platform for Keyes, a phantom approaches the site. Normally this phantom would destroy a nearby pelican and kill Emile, but considering Carter and Kat are both piloting pelicans, they are able to take the phantom down. However, Emile gallantly decides to stay back and take down the Covenant cruiser. The rest of Noble Team lives.
Master Chief iss now no longer the only remaining spartan. There is now Chief, Carter, Kat, Jorge, and Six. This change in the amount of spartans could've drastically changed the war.
That's as far as I'll take it. And that is how the butterfly effect could apply to Halo Reach.
NOTICE: I've already shared my story with the Reach forum, so I thought that you all should see it too.