Halo Episode 9 Review: The Verdict An Ending Close To The Game But Looking To The Future
Cast: Pablo Schreiber, Jen Taylor, Shabana Azmi
Director: Steven Kane, Kyle Killen
Streaming Platform: Voot and Paramount+
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 4/5 (four stars) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Halo Episode 9 Review: We wondered what was the meaning of those parentheses on Madrigal, and how the character of Kwan Ha could affect the path of the Master Chief; we also wondered why John showed his face so much, rather than keeping faith with his videogame alter ego, always well hidden under his helmet, and we also came to ask ourselves many questions about a parallel canon that has developed without going to touch the events told in the successful and famous video game series. Some of these problems we have understood, examined, and analyzed, while others remain suspended in a limbo from which we can only emerge, we hope, once the already-announced second season has been approached. What we can say for now is that the ending of Halo on Paramount+ has been able to give us interesting flashes of storytelling and unexpected events.
Halo Episode 9 Review: The Story
Let’s start with the great absentee, namely Kwan Ha. After dedicating an entire episode to her, the seventh, (find our review of Halo Episode 7 here), the original of the Halo series has completely disappeared. There seemed to be a great bond with the Master Chief, a sort of ring reunion, to stay on the subject, that would lead the Spartan to find the girl and remember how his whole journey towards more vivid humanity started from desire. to save the survivor of Madrigal. Instead of nothing, there was not even a minute on screen for Kwan Ha, who gave way to what was the most interesting, most exciting narrative line: the mystery behind the Forerunner Keystone and a couple of artifacts chased by the Covenant.
Precisely the ancestral enemies of the UNSC return to show up in this season finale, from the moment which the Blessed decided to return to them with the artifact they longed for. It remains to be asked why Makee can manage the transport while John remains frozen, as Kai defines the catatonic state of Chief: the fact is that the girl seems to have a greater understanding and knowledge of what the Keystones hide, so much to manage their transcendence in what appears to be a universal paradise. The character of Makee manages to make himself ambiguous like most of the supporting actors of the series, keeping the promise made to the Covenant to recover the artifact, but at the same time desiring a relationship that is no longer platonic with John. The two are linked, but it is not yet clear how, and both want to pursue a liaison that allows them to achieve the much-desired Halo.
Halo Episode 9 Review And Analysis
Speaking of ambiguity, we cannot fail to mention Dr. Halsey: her power play has now been discovered in some episodes, and both her daughter Miranda and her husband have turned their backs on her, leaving her alone in her delirium of power. The last pawn she created, Cortana, likewise decides to betray her and entrust all her knowledge to John. As she will admit, there are orders, but also programming to learn. With Master Chief you have had the opportunity to do it, to improve yourself, and to understand that the uniqueness of the Spartan deserves to be preserved. The relationship between the two of them is the fulcrum around which the compass of the series revolves, ready to tell us about the evolution and growth of the trust that exists between AI and super-soldier.
The implication that this climax will have at the end of the episode should make part of the fans of the videogame series agree: Master Chief finds himself in the condition that Halsey hoped for from the beginning, a fusion of the Spartan with artificial intelligence capable of creating, thus, the strongest warrior ever, unsurpassed and unattainable. The version of Master Chief that is shown to us at the end of the first season is the most likely and next to the videogame experience, with the helmet firmly planted on the head and with the mouth sewn up: here for a very specific reason, which we do not anticipate. The human John is still able to separate the tragedies of sentimentality from the cruelty of war, as is also required of him by the UNSC, for that final decisive battle against the Covenant.
From the point of view of the descent into the field, we can observe perhaps the most heated and wild battle of the entire show, which from this point of view preferred to sip the clashes as much as possible. After that the debut on Madrigal and the return to the planet, we had only been able to enjoy the challenge to the sword within the Silver Team in the last episode (here is our review of Halo Episode 08), while now we finally return to a very challenge more videogame. Recovering also the first-person view, directly from the Spartan helmet, we can also review some iconic weapons of the game, with more movement and a battle that, even if it lacks fluidity, gives us back part of the lived experience controller in hand.
The entire season, in any case, confirms what we have been able to say in recent weeks: Halo needs a sequel, and already confirmed the second iteration, precisely to be able to justify this feeling of introduction that we had during the nine episodes. It was necessary to reach death to be able to be reborn in some way towards a new cycle that can give us the answers to all the questions that remained pending, among which the one on the Halo, on the Beata, on who John really is and why he too stands out. turns out to be Beato, like Maker. In the hope of being able to have news on the development and distribution of the series as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, the feeling I had is that they tried their best to deliver an inconclusive ending. Precisely because they have already confirmed the production of the second season. Apart from Madrigal, I couldn’t complain about the plot in general and not even the performance of the team, which remains magnificent. The problem was taking away from us an essential point which is an ending to keep us glued waiting for the sequel. Not even the games did that, at least closing the arc to make the experience satisfying. In the series they didn’t make a point of it, leaving as many plots open to hold the audience. And to be honest, it wasn’t even necessary.
I would have liked to have been thrilled with the ending, seen one or even two loose ends and a closing cycle for Master Chief. What I got was a big hole in this episode, leaving matters to be resolved in the future. We haven’t even seen, in fact, the ring construction that gives the series its name. The Halo itself is not even explained, to say the least. We know that it is essential to accomplish the objectives of the Covenant and the UNSC and has great power to use for its own plans. Apart from an illusory image that appears in the dreams of the hero and Makee, he forgets to have anything that involves him more than that.
And look, I didn’t have high expectations. The rest of the series was excellent for me, I was only expecting to see a big conflict and the conclusion of certain plots. On the one hand, it excites me. On the other, it disappointed by leaving a bridge for the next arch to resolve. There wasn’t even a mention of the Flood, the real threat plaguing the franchise’s first trilogy. Considering their importance in history, I believed I would see them at some point. Who knows, maybe we have something about that in the future?
Don’t get me wrong, dear readers. I really enjoyed the show and will be with you watching season 2 when it arrives. My biggest problem was feeling that there was no consensus on the general direction of production: between following the games and following their own story, they were in the middle of both and lead us to a big hole that should only be filled later. Anyway, watch and draw your conclusions. Mine is that, with what they carried in their hands, I could have really transcended and been better.
Halo Episode 9 Review: The Last Words
The last episode Halo Episode 9 tries to make some peace with the fans of the videogame saga, giving us a Master Chief closer to the one we have learned about our Xboxes. Beyond the numerous overall problems that the season brings with it, from characters who have suddenly disappeared to the many questions, everything is confirmed as a great introduction to what will have to happen in the coming years, ready to welcome – hopefully – those who are the resolutions of all the mysteries sown in these nine weeks in the company of a story that took its cue from the video game, but that abandoned it quite quickly, saving only the scenarios and part of the lore.
