- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
I am going to leave this open for discussion for the masses as to what the controversy surrounding the possible Halo 3 endings might really mean, but here is my take:
Spartan-117 is a deeply identifiable character if we look at him in his humanized aspects (the other side to the war machine that we all know and love). He has a family (the other Spartans) that he has kept losing over the course of the war, his life was focused on victory ever since he learned to walk and talk, and has a deep ideal of putting his mission ahead of his own personal safety. A lot of people have suggested that the Master Chief be killed, but here is why it is a bad idea:
1. There may be no one left - With the MAC Grid destroyed, cities burned to the ground, the UNSC reduced to an underground resistance movement, and the Covenant everywhere, there is a great chance that the Admiralty of the UNSC (including our man, Lord Hood) may be dead. Who will lead humanity through the end if this is true?: The Arbiter won't (he's got the Seperatists to lead), Sgt. Major Johnson or Commander Keyes may not (they are a tiny bit underdeveloped at this point). That leads only up to the character known as John-117.
2. Controversy and Cliches - Let's face it, Bungie likes to surprise us, but the death of the main hero is something that has been rehashed throughout popular culture and does not really seem feasible given the fact that we control the Chief. Imagine also of how pissed off you would be at this ending:
You are surrounded by enemies as you fade into darkness.
Commander Keyes - "Damn it! We've failed. Spartan-117 is down. Earth is lost!"
Point 2: The Arbiter is more likely to go out on a rampage because of the fact that his whole life was living to serve a lie. I could see him dying in a blaze of glory while taking down Truth or setting off the knockout blow against Gravemind.
3. Rampage - Drama is always great when we see a friend of the main hero die. What about if John-117 loses everything and goes on a rampage? It was mentioned at the very end of the Fall of Reach of his thirst for vengeance. So why not carry it out in Halo 3 by making him a lone wolf with a few marines, or have him lose his mother figure, Doctor Catherine Elizabeth Halsey? (She had a principle of the sacrifice of one for many.) I could imagine a final bombshell of Commander Keyes finally being revealed as Dr. Halsey's daughter, the good Doctor tells John-117 to look after her, and Halsey buys time for the Master Chief to trigger the final defeat of the Flood.
Post your own ideas and thoughts here. Let's debate.
[Edited on 6/25/2006]