Why Halo Had to Introduce New Human Character Before Master Chief

By Marc Deschamps

When the first episode of Halo begins on Paramount+, audiences aren't immediately introduced to the Master Chief. Instead, the show opens from the perspective of a community of survivors, as they get their first glimpse at the cruelty and power of the Covenant. It's a powerful opening, and it sets up the conflict early on for the show's audience. In an interview with ComicBook.com's Joe Schmidt, producer Kiki Wolfkill explained the narrative reasons behind the decision, and how the Halo series is helping to show character perspectives in a way that the Xbox games can't.

"I think there were really two things there. I think the first was just at an emotional level and a story level, we wanted to be able to express the stakes of the show, which is humanity. So starting in a place that feels normal and approachable in a human, like a very human set of moments early on. Again, not something we explore in the games very much," said Wolfkill. "And seeing the world through Kwan's eyes as this normal teenage girl, I think really helps ground us as viewers when the Covenant do show up, when you understand the horror of this alien force. At the same time, we wanted to be able to give a little visibility into some of those dynamics between the inner and the outer colonies and the role of the UNSC. And again in the games, you don't get quite as nuanced a perspective on who the UNSC are outside of their own rank and file. So being able to both express, 'this is humanity in the 26th century' and how Spartans in the UNSC are perceived is not single dimensional. They're very different things to different parts of the universe."

The Halo series takes place in what video game developer 343 Industries calls the "silver timeline." Essentially, the show still maintains elements from the Xbox games, but it also exists in its own universe. The idea is that this will allow for certain elements to be brought in earlier, while also expanding on Halo's concepts in different ways. The show's introduction is a perfect example of this, and that element in particular seems to have been a hit with viewers.

Only two episodes of Halo have been released on Paramount+ so far, with the third set to release this week. As the show continues, it will be interesting to see how the series continues to bring in elements from the games, while also blazing its own distinctive path.

What did you think of the first episode of Halo? Have you been enjoying the series so far? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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