At long last, we have arrived at the end of the original Halo trilogy. Our long batter against numerous powerful foes has concluded, and we emerged victorious.
What I enjoy most about the finale is how expertly the writers thread the needle between all of the competing factions fighting on Earth. Many of the relationships established in earlier Halo games earn strong payoffs in this one.
The example that readily comes to mind is the moment where the Flood briefly becomes our ally because all parties involved have a mutual interest in making sure the Halo ring doesn’t get fired. However, once that threat has been eliminated and the Arbiter kills Truth, the alliance immediately dissolves. Watching the Flood take over the bodied we just created really sells the moment, as they usurp the role of primary antagonist. Bonus points for infecting Truth with the Flood so that he dies as a vision of the very monster he feared most.
At the very end, there’s a similar payoff for Guilty Spark. After playing the first game, I knew the moment he showed up on screen that he wasn’t to be trusted. And yet, in that moment it’s obvious to the Elites, the humans, and Guilty Spark that all three parties had a reason to work together. Of course, it only took a single misstep to sever that spirit of cooperation. Even knowing from the first that there was only one way it could end, I still fooled myself into thinking maybe it turned over a new leaf.
This was a satisfying conclusion, and I look forward to continuing with the Master Chief Collection. Next up, unless something draws my interest in the coming week, is ODST. I’ve heard many good things about this standalone DLC, so we’ll see how well it holds up. 🙂
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