Summary
Now that Paramount+ has officially axed itsHaloadaptation, there are several storylines viewers will never see come to fruition in live-action. While Paramount was evasive onwhyHalowas canceled after two seasons,it’s safe to assume that the series' ballooning costs — reportedly, it cost $200 million to make — and mixed reviews were at the rootof the company’s decision. Although the show’s sophomore outing was much more well-received than its abysmal first season, swapping out showrunners and leaning harder on the source material just couldn’t salvage the story of Pablo Schreiber’s Master Chief.
UnlessHaloseason 3is picked up by another willing streamer, the cliffhangers fromHaloseason 2’s endingwill go frustratingly unresolved. After losing his Spartan comrades toHalo’s iconic Fall of Reach storyline, harrowing injuries, and key sacrificial plays inHalo’s Human-Covenant War, Master Chief (a.k.a. John-117) became more of the lone wolf character players know and love. Ultimately,the Chief reunites with Cortana(Jen Taylor), pursues Makee (Charlie Murphy) and the Arbiter Var ‘Gatanai (Viktor Åkerblom) to the ring world, and enters the Forerunner structure on Installation 04. And that’s where the story ends.
11Miranda Keyes’ Mission To Find A Cure For The Flood Infection
Dr. Halsey Was Cryogenically Frozen In Halo Season 2’s Finale
The final episode ofHaloseason 2 sets upCombat Evolved’s story— and that includes the appearance of The Flood. Often thought of as the franchise’s definitive story,Halo: Combat Evolvedwas Master Chief’s first-ever outing. Before the first season of Paramount+’s show dropped, fans assumed that the TV series would tackle Master Chief’s journey to Installation 04. Although theHaloTV show attempted to chart its own path, the sophomore season corrected course, bringing the Silver Timeline closer to the canon of the games and novels. In the finale, The Flood decimate the base on Onyx.
Miranda decides to thwart the Flood’s takeover of her mother by cryogenically freezing her.
Ahead ofHalo’s last episode, Miranda Keyes(Olive Gray), the daughter of Dr. Catherine Halsey (Natascha McElhone) starts investigating a strange Forerunner object she, her mother, and Kwan Ha (Yerin Ha) found deep inside Onyx. Unfortunately,the device contains Flood spores, which lead to an outbreak at the ONI/UNSC baseon Onyx. Everyone from no-name personnel toHalo’s dangerous Admiral Parangosky(Shabana Azmi) become infected by the parasitic organism. When Halsey is infected, Miranda decides to thwart the Flood’s takeover of her mother by cryogenically freezing her. Now, being a Flood-infected popsicle is Halsey’s forever fate.
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10The Story Of Halo’s Monitor Won’t Ever Be Explained
The Halo Series Finale Teased 343 Guilty Spark
Whenthe Monitor appears inHaloseason 2’s finale, it more than confirms the exciting direction season 3 would’ve undertaken. A recurring character throughout the franchise, 343 Guilty Spark is a Forerunner Monitor tasked with maintaining Installation 04. In the game, the Monitor immediately recognizes Master Chief as a “Reclaimer” — one who has inherited theForerunners' Mantle of Responsibilityand become a custodian of life in the galaxy. Able to activate Forerunner tech,the show’s John would’ve likely been a means to an end for the Monitor, who would’ve tried to activate the Halo once the Flood outbreak spread.
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9Halo Season 2 Hinted At Onyx Being A Secret Shield World
The Forerunner Planet’s Lore Was Cut Short
Haloseason 2 only skimmed the surface ofOnyx’s importance and secret Forerunner connection. In the canon, Onyx isn’t really a planet at all. Instead, it’s a planet-sized Forerunner shield world. While the Halo array is one means of combating the all-consuming Flood, the shield worlds are a more defensive-minded notion. Massive habitats that are cradled safely in slipspace bubbles,shield worlds protect their inhabitants from the Halos' life-ending pulseand hide them from the Flood. While Halsey, Miranda, and Kwan get a glimpse into Onyx’s true nature, it would’ve been crucial inHaloseason 3.
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8Paramount+’s Halo TV Show Never Introduced Johnson
The Fan-Favorite Halo Character Hasn’t Been Portrayed In Live-Action
One of thecharacters that should’ve been introduced inHaloseason 3,Sergeant Major Avery Junior Johnson never made it to the live-action adaptation’s party. Even though the tough-as-nails Marine serves in the core canon’s Battle of Reach,Halo’s cast of characterswas too over-stuffed to include Johnson. In the games, he makes his debut alongside Master Chief inCombat Evolved, so including him inHaloseason 3 would’ve been perfect, especially since many of the show’s central ONI and UNSC characters were killed. For now, however, the cigar-smoking soldier isn’t joining the fight.
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7James Ackerson’s Change Of Heart Is Meaningless
Halo Season 3 Might Have Set Up A Redemption Arc For The Former ONI Official
Played by Joseph Morgan,James Ackerson,Haloseason 2’s Halsey replacement, was one of the best new characters added to the series. Lifted from the games, Ackerson is Halsey’s rival and the creator of the Spartan-III program. While the show used some of those attributes, and transformed him into season 2’s primary ONI antagonist, Ackerson’s TV variant was definitely a more nuanced character. Evidently, his hatred for Halsey stemmed from the fact that his sister was one of the failed Spartan-II subjects. Ultimately,Ackerson has a change of heart, but viewers will never quite know his intended arc.
6Soren & His Son’s Story Won’t Receive Any Closure
Kessler Was Fathered By A Theoretically Sterile Spartan
One ofHaloseason 2’s weaker plots revolved around theUNSC taking Kessler, Soren’s son. Played by Bokeem Woodbine, Soren is a Spartan deserter who, despite supposedly being sterile, fathered a boy named Kessler (Tylan Bailey). In season 2,Soren finds himself torn between his past as a galaxy-defending Spartan and a family manwho’s left the fighting behind. It’s revealed that the UNSC may have abducted Kessler to train him as a Spartan, likely because of his father, but the plot is pretty underdeveloped. Unfortunately, it will stay half-baked without aHaloseason 3.
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5Cortana & Master Chief’s Halo: Combat Evolved Dynamic Is Absent From The Show
Halo Season 3 Was Poised To Deliver On The Franchise’s Best Dynamic
In its final episode,Haloseason 2 finally delivered a team-upbetween Master Chief and Cortana — aproperteam-up, that is. Long considered one of the best video game duos in history,the Chief and his AI ally just weren’t done justice inHaloseason 1. The second season cleverly retconned some of the first season’s dubious choices, paving the way for Cortana to become integrated with Master Chief’s armor in the season 2 finale. It’s a promising season 3 set up for these beloved characters, but, sadly, theHaloshow’s vision won’t ever be fully realized.
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4Paramount+’s Halo Teased The Friction Within The Covenant
The Arbiter Wasn’t A Full-On “Heretic” But An Internal Conflict Was Brewing
In season 2,Var ‘Gatanai is theHaloshow’s Arbiter. At one point, he evenbrands himself withHalo’s iconic Mark of Shame. Although he isn’t the Arbiter ofHalo 2, Var’s storyline helps set up the concept of the Convenant’s Arbiter, and, by teaming up with Makee, Var also goes against the Covenant’s higher-ups. Instead of following his sacred mission, Var chooses the “Blessed One,” even killing several Elites in the process. Although Master Chief kills Var in the finale, it seems likeHalowas setting up the inner-Covenant friction that defines laterHalogames.
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3Makee’s Plan Will Never Be Fully Realized
The Covenant’s “Blessed One” Wanted To Use The Halo
After Master Chief slays Var ‘Gatanai with an energy sword, Makee reveals her big plan:She wants to bring peace to the galaxy by activating the Halo. Designed by the Forerunners, the Halo array is a galaxy-sterilizing superweapon that’s meant to combat The Flood. The parasitic being would consume all sentient life in the galaxy without end, so the Forerunners felt starving The Flood was their only option. It’s unclear if Makee knows about thehistory of The Flood, but she does understand the array’s power. In season 3, Master Chief would have had to stop Makee for good.
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2Halo: Combat Evolved’s Flood Storyline Was Just Starting
The All-Consuming Parasitic Foe Was Meant To Be Halo Season 3’s Core Story
From the very beginning,Kwan Ha’s visions inHaloseason 2teased the looming threat of The Flood. Although the Human-Covenant War is a key part ofHalo’s lore, The Flood serve as an enemy to all life forms. The introduction of this seemingly unstoppable enemy would have seen the formation of new alliances, marking a great change of pace in the series' third season. In the finale,Halodefinitely favors style over substance as The Flood wreak zombie-movie-like havoc on Onyx. Yet again, viewers won’t see the show’s vision of The Flood fully realized.
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