HALO | a REVIEW of Episodes 6 & 8

I want to start this off by saying:

1. I'm relatively new to the HALO fandom and all the lore (I honestly tried to watch the show without spoilers and knowing too much, so I forced myself to stay away from googling things). I'm yet to play the games, though I do have favorite video games with similar premise and I believe I have an understanding of what kind of things can take place and what makes sense when it comes to the plot of potential adaptation, etc. I've also had discussions with people that have played them and know the characters.

2. I really enjoyed watching the adaptation, still do, but there are things that just bug me and make me want to go on a rant. Once the season is over I would probably do a complete blog post on it with all my thoughts and favorite moments, because I definitely have good things to say about the show as a whole.

With all that being said, count this post as more of a review on the show's writing itself.

When I look back to when I first started to get a bad vibe regarding the plot and the direction it took, I feel like it all began with Episode 6...

I suspected they'd attempt to make Makee a potential love interest ever since she said she'd unalive Master Chief and bring his head to the Covenant, as well as when they showed how attached she is to the romance novel she kept since child and how she'd recall the boy from her past. Problem here is, she's absolutely unlikable as a charater and they're trying too hard to force chemistry between her & John.

THE PLOT HOLES | things that made no sense in Episode 6:

Makee is dropped by the enemy in the middle of the battle like "here have this one back, she's awful, we can't take it no more!". UNSC takes her in, they have slight suspicions she can be a mole, but don't really take much precautions (Is there surveillance in her room? You'd think they would keep an eye on her when she's on her own). They know she was raised by the Covenant and still reveal information to her. Miranda herself tells her they have a recording of the person that attacked one of their ships and that she can perhaps help translate it.

They send in Master Chief to take care of getting information out of her.

Here the writers have A RANDOM SOLDIER saying to John:

"Give her hell, Chief. These squidheads don't take hostages. She's one of them. No doubt."

What's worse is we know that's true, yet instead of heeding that warning, John begins his quest to finding love & artifacts, shutting off his brain in the process.

The fact that Makee is so quick to give information on the Covenant doesn't raise red flags for him.

Her admitting they're "the same" (Blessed ones), telling him the Keystone is hurting him, is enough to start gaining his trust.

Her expressions and the way she speaks about the artifacts and the prophecy don't make John suspect her at all.

A scene that pissed me off:

Makee bossing her guards around, demanding they call Master Chief, like she's not a prisoner there, acting as if John is on call for her. It's the audacity for me. Knowing you're playing these "ugly humans" and being whiny they're not very trusting of you and aren't immediately giving you free reign.

Where I knew my worst suspicions were coming true:

John & Makee having a vision together, rushing at each other like this is some romance movie. All the face touching. The deep lovey-dovey looks. When they just met and have no chemistry.

Was I chanting "don't you dare kiss" at my screen? You bet.

Note: Episode 6 started off strong with the scene of John, Cortana and Halsey, with him testing how much control Cortana has, etc. And the moment Makee apprears in any of the scenes things go downhill.

EPISODE 8 | where my head started to hurt from facepalming

– Dear writers, even insta-love isn't that rushed, my ramyeon takes longer to cook.

After Episode 7 being solely focused on Kwan's storyline I expected more from Episode 8. Less Romance, more Spartans.

Right from the beginning it became obvious John is in his head thanks to the vision, he now trusts Makee so much he takes her out on a "romantic" walk outside. I guess she managed to brainwash him with through the face caress.

We get this dialogue that doesn't raise ANY RED FLAGS for Master Chief:

> Saying "humans are unworthy and the unworthy would be cleansed" isn't making you pause, Chief?

Lovely speech about humanity you responded with, super touching, but how about we focus on the fact you're relying for help on a woman raised by your enemies and she's waving so many red flags at you, Kwan would spot them from Madrigal.

After this "lovely" scene where I was staring more at the tree branch Chief was holding on, rather than watching Makee giving more creepy looks at the camera, you get yet another "everyone aside from John sees through Makee's act" moment:

> Let's back up, Chief. Remember when Makee said humans are unworthy? Did she count herself as one?

How does her being human make her trustworthy? I don't care what species she is, she barely made an effort to prove she can be trusted, a little sweet-talking, some intense staring and you're a goner. Putting all your trust on Makee because she's hUmAn and because you managed to overcome your own brainwashing is such a bad excuse. Where's your logic and vigilance, Spartan?

Yet again first having a random guard, now the bad guys too, be right about Makee and more aware than John.. it's an interesting choice.

John & Makee's "love" story? (I still have hope this nonsense would end soon)

I'm a person that loves reading romance novels and watching shows and movies in that genre.

Forcing a romance storyline out of nowhere for John, especially with Makee, just doesn't work for the plot.

The chemistry isn't there, so little time (days at most) passes where we're supposed to believe these two are *falling for each other*, that Master Chief is into this lady his enemy "innocently" air-dropped and he trusts her. Not enough to mention Cortana's existence and that you talk though. There's no natural build up to this relationship, the connection feels artificial, with minimal interactions.

> When, how, why, Chief? What did I miss? How many days has it been? This must be a record for the fastest won trust the world has ever seen.

and now...THE MOST NONSENSICAL, OUT OF NOWHERE, SPEEDY $EX SCENE

After being told she can't be trusted, John informs Makee he trusts her and gives her a copy of her romance novel > She touches his chest > One kiss results in them full on doing it

Is this what Kwan felt when she drank the Deuterium? Because this writing is so messy, hallucinations make more sense.

You're telling me a character that has done nothing but train as a Spartan, who had his hormones regulated his whole life, is so quick to jump into having $ex. He somehow knows what he has to do. On the other side you have a woman raised by aliens who only had a romance novel to help her understand the intimacy with another human.

Is this some wattpad fanfic? How do you just throw in a scene like that out of the blue. With characters that have no connection.

And then to have the brilliant idea to show Cortana (the A.I. we all already know is on 24/7 and sees everything John does) watching this chaotic BS unfold and show her reactions to Chief boning a lady?

What a slap in the face. If her expression doesn't scream agony, idk. Mood, Cortana, mood.

I half-expected her to say/do something sassy and hilarious to save/stop this trainwreck.

Halsey calling Makee John's girlfriend, acting like they're in love after such a short time was just another level of unhinged. The last part of the episode was quite hectic, Kai and Cortana were legendary as always, Cortana's strange (the way she speaks and the array of emotions she keeps displaying) and protective behaviour towards John (ignoring orders that threaten him) gives me a smidge of hope.

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I feel like a poor attempt at introducing romance into Halo has been made, with little efforts to create a connection between the characters and resorting to dumbing down a main hero in order for it all to take place.

Usually when a scene of intimacy with main characters is introduced it carries a meaning, it's like a culmination to their story, here everything about it comes off as rushed. The $ex scene appeared out of thin air without any proper build up.

Not to mention you have Master Chief who finally broke away from Halsey's manipulation being pushed right back into a potential bond with yet another toxic, cunning woman. John deserves better.

The situation reminded me so much of the first Hitman movie where they completely misrepresented Agent 47 and tried to have him fall in love. I hope the next episode would undo this mess and the focus will shift back to what Halo was originally about. The show needs more plot, character development, action, not barely fleshed out romance and strolls nobody asked for.