Master Chief, players got to learn the truth about an alien Covenant, the ancient Halo Rings they revered, and even a parasitic infection known as the Flood. But it's already become clear that isn't the story Paramount+'s Halo TV series is telling just yet.
Instead, Paramount+'s Halo season 1 appears to be serving as setup. Although it's set in the final year of the Human-Covenant War, the motives of the Covenant remain a mystery to the UNSC. The first episode saw the Master Chief retrieve an ancient Forerunner artifact that serves as an important clue, and that the Covenant believe to be a Keystone pointing the way to one of the sacred Halo Rings. It may not be the same story as the 2001 game, but it's clearly heading in the right direction.
Despite initial plans for more, season 1 only has nine episodes, which means the story is running a little too slowly at this stage to get to the Halo Rings anytime soon. Rather, it looks as though Halo season 1 is essentially an extended prologue, giving viewers all the background information they need to make sense of season 2 - which will be the main event. If that's the case, then this season could well end with one of the most spectacular Halo stories of all time, the UNSC's greatest defeat and the Fall of Reach.
The Fall of Reach Explained
In the original Halo timeline, the Human-Covenant War began in 2524, with first between humans and the Covenant swiftly erupting into open war. The UNSC was immediately on the back foot, desperately struggling to adapt to the alien Covenant's superior weapons and firepower; Spartans like the Master Chief swiftly became their one advantage, but they were insufficient to turn the tide of the war. The Covenant pressed on through the Outer Colonies, sterilizing countless worlds of all life - a process referred to as "glassing." Finally, in 2552 the Covenant discovered the planet Reach, the UNSC's military stronghold and humanity's second world after Earth. They attacked in force.
The battle fought over the skies was one of the greatest in the entire Human-Covenant War. For the Covenant, it was complicated by the fact they detected a wealth of Forerunner artifacts hidden on Reach, which they sought to possess, meaning they couldn't simply glass the planet. While the Covenant ultimately triumphed, their victory was a pyrrhic one, for they spent too much of their forces on winning the planet. Meanwhile, unknown to the Covenant, on Reach a black ops project had discovered the coordinates of some mysterious Forerunner technology. One vessel escaped the Fall of Reach, the Pillar of Autumn, under the command of Captain Keyes. It found its way to a Halo Ring - Installation 04 - thereby kicking off the main event.
Halo season 1 certainly feels as though it's telling the story of the Fall of Reach; humanity's second world is central to the narrative at the moment. Meanwhile, events are moving in roughly the right direction, with the Covenant continuing to advance and the Master Chief retrieving an ancient Forerunner artifact that - if the Covenant's Blessed One is to be believed - will lead to a Halo Ring. It's easy to imagine a story in which the Covenant discover Reach while searching for the artifact, launching a devastating attack even as the Pillar of Autumn leaves the system. If this theory is correct, then season 1 will end with the Pillar of Autumn emerging in the depths of space, and the Master Chief looking upon a Halo Ring for the first time.
Makee's Mission Could Lead To The Fall Of Reach
Paramount+'s Halo series doesn't exactly recreate the game universe, of course; it's set in the so-called "Silver Timeline" so named because the Master Chief leads Silver Team rather than Blue Team as in the games. One of the most intriguing changes is in the introduction of Makee, a Blessed One revered by the Covenant and their Prophets. She is a human who has been brought up among the Covenant as an adherent of their faith, and is used by the Prophets for her ability to activate Forerunner artifacts. In an interview with Decider, showrunner Steven Kane confirmed she'll be a major character in the show, deliberately serving as a parallel of the Master Chief himself. "That connection and also Makee’s connection to those objects and what that means is actually a really core thread of the show," Kane confirmed.
Halo episode 2 sees Makee sent on a mission into human space, to infiltrate human society and discover the location of the Forerunner artifact the Master Chief retrieved from Madrigal. It's easy to imagine a story in which she finds her way to Reach - perhaps via the Rubble, explaining why Soren-066 and Kwan Ha remain important parts of the narrative. Indeed, she could be the one who triggers the battle over Reach, precisely because she summons the Covenant there - leading to one of the greatest battles in the Human-Covenant War. Such an approach would make Makee a pivotal part of Halo season 1, and it would set her up for an even bigger future when the Pillar of Autumn and the pursuing Covenant find their way to the Halo Ring. The stakes would then be even higher than in the games, because the Covenant would indeed possess a Blessed One who could activate their Sacred Ring.
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If this theory is correct, then it's no real surprise Paramount+ renewed Halo before season 1 had even aired; they knew this first season is all about setting up the world and its main characters, putting the pieces in place for the main event. Halo season 1 is essentially a nine-episode prologue, culminating in a spectacular sci-fi battle over the skies of Reach before unveiling the glory and terror of the Halo Rings themselves.