Bungie Universe
This topic has moved here: Subject: So how will John change?
  • Subject: So how will John change?
  • Pages:
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • of 3
Subject: So how will John change?


Posted by: anton1792
Posted by: OrderedComa
What's the whole context of that quote though? I don't remember Palace Hotel all that well. Would you mind either typing that whole little section, or could you at least just give more of a summary of it? One little quote without the overall context and the whole line of thought is not the best use of possible supporting evidence.

And while it is canon, I'm not sure whether I'd put that much stock in one short story's portrayal of a character if it seems to be out of synch (which your interpretation of that section kind of seems like to me, and since I don't remember the whole section for that part of the story we'll assume your interpretation is what is written in it) with what has been shown throughout the existence of the character.

It was just my interpretation, and I am not exactly the most optimistic person on this forum. Nevertheless here is the bit:

"But I can-" Palmer spat.

"Now, Corporal," the Spartan admonished. "At least trust your squadmates enough to handle one Ghost with a wounded rider."

As the turret swung back around John heard Corporal Palmer grunt. He could picture the look on her face. It would be the same look of anger and frustration he had seen on innumerable humans when they were reminded of what they were and weren't capable of - or where their real responsibilities lay.

Humans - what had prompted that? He never thought of himself as anything other than human. But that wasn't exactly true. He may have thought of himself as having been human, perhaps that he was even still human but no one ever let him forget that he was a Spartan. That was definitely true.

I think the writer was trying to show that Master Chief in this story is still Human, but this scene made him look as if he has some sort of superiority complex, treating "humans" as if they are unimportant or inferior. Yes, normal people are inferior to Spartans in many ways, but a noble person would not lower him/herself in standard by pointing that out.

The labelling of them "Humans" rather than, I dunno, people or marines makes it look as if he views them as faceless. As soon as you start viewing things as faceless you can view them as dispensable.

It almost seemed out of character in my view. You could quite easily imagine a Sangheili Zealot being in character by thinking that middle passage.


Haha no, you're definitely not the most optimistic of people. I'd say more in the interest of discussion in regards to your statement of that, but it'd derail the thread so I won't go there :P

Thanks for the section. Hmm, I can kind of see where you're coming from. I'm not so sure he's viewing himself or Spartans as superior exactly, it seems to me more like he's viewing himself and the other Spartans as something completely different than the rest of Humanity, two different species if you will.

I don't think calling the rest of population at large, human rather people or marines really means much *shrug* I've seen people refer to others as human without any sort of superiority behind it or anything before :/ Idk.

  • 08.12.2011 4:01 PM PDT

"Find where the liar hides, so that I may place my boot between his gums!" - Rtas 'Vadum

Posted by: OrderedComa
Thanks for the section. Hmm, I can kind of see where you're coming from. I'm not so sure he's viewing himself or Spartans as superior exactly, it seems to me more like he's viewing himself and the other Spartans as something completely different than the rest of Humanity, two different species if you will.

I think that was genuinely the authors intention, but whether he pulled it off all that well is the question.

  • 08.12.2011 4:46 PM PDT

It would be cool to see Chief talk more like in the novels, but I don't want the character to change. I want him to stay the cool-headed, calm, silent killer that he is. To see him get frustrated or scared, just wouldn't seem right. I mean, he does feel these things, but he has always said in the novels that he puts these things aside and focuses on what needs to be done first.
It's kind of weird though, because I feel like when bungie first made Halo, they didn't think it was going to be as big as it was, and thus, didn't make Chief into much of a character, he was in a way, like you, the player. But then they made Halo 2, the novels came out, and boom (or blam), the universe just exploded, and now everyone expects Chief to show this big personality that he's always hidden, but I don't think it really exists. I think who he truly is is in the novels, it's a more realistic interpretation, and in the games you could say he's got more on his mind to speak, idunno.

  • 08.12.2011 5:38 PM PDT

  • Pages:
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • of 3