Halo Season 2’s Fall Of Reach Episode Needs To Include 1 Key Spartan Team

Spoilers are ahead for Halo season 2, episode 3, “Visegrád.”

With the Fall of Reach plot looming, Halo season 2, episode 4, “Reach,” needs to include at least a passing reference to one key Spartan team from the Halo video games. Taking a page from the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) playbook, the Halo TV show chronicles a standalone story that’s set within the Silver Timeline — an alternate version of events that’s separate from the core canon of the Halo games and books. Even so, the series is heavily inspired by the core canon. That inspiration shines through more in the sophomore outing, which adapts Halo‘s iconic Fall of Reach.

While Halo‘s cast of characters features franchise vets like Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber), A.I. construct Cortana (Jen Taylor and Christina Bennington), Dr. Halsey (Natascha McElhone) and Admiral Keyes (Danny Sapani), it also introduces several new personalities. From insurrectionist Kwan Ha (Yerin Ha) to the Covenant-raised human Makee (Charlie Murphy), these original characters haven’t been well-received by long-time fans. Season 2 corrects course by reworking those characters’ stories and introducing new players who are inspired by deep-cut Halo lore, like Halsey’s replacement, James Ackerson (Joseph Morgan). Still, Halo needs to feature one preexisting Spartan team.

Halo: Reach Features The Spartan Noble Team

Composed primarily of SPARTAN-IIIs pulled from other companies, Noble Team is a fixture of the core Halo canon. While the Spartan team’s key appearance is depicted in Halo: Reach, Noble aided the UNSC Army in several operations throughout the inner colonies prior to the Covenant invasion of Reach. Following the Battle of Fumirole and the loss of one of their soldiers, Noble Team was assigned to Reach. Tasked with investigating the Visegrád Relay, Noble Team became some of the first human soldiers to engage the Covenant on Reach, making them a crucial part of the ONI defense strategy.

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After the communications disruption and subsequent scuffle at Visegrád, Noble Team defends ONI’s Sword Base for a time. However, the Spartans were split into splinter teams in order to further the UNSC and ONI’s strategic efforts during the Battle of Reach. From destroying a Covenant supercarrier to fighting in the Siege of New Alexandria, Noble Team takes the lead in many of the conflicts on Reach. By the end of the game, Dr. Halsey tasks Noble Team with delivering an important package to the UNSC’s Pillar of Autumn — the ship that figures prominently in Halo: Combat Evolved.

Noble Team Has Not Appeared In Halo Season 2 Yet

Although Halo season 2 sets up the Covenant invasion of Reach with the Visegrád comms relay plot beat, Cobalt Team is sent to investigate the communications disruption. When viewers find out what really happened to Cobalt Team, it becomes clear that the show’s Noble Team stand-ins weren’t as lucky as their video game counterparts. Even though John-117 is removed from active duty following his unapproved investigation of Visegrád, it seems Master Chief’s Silver Team will fulfill Noble Team’s role during Halo season 2, episode 4’s Fall of Reach storyline.

Halo Season 2’s Fall Of Reach Should Include A Noble Team Reference

It’s clear that Halo season 2 is trying to streamline the Fall of Reach by focusing on preexisting characters. Instead of introducing Noble Team, Halo sacrifices Cobalt Team and seems primed to put Silver Team in the middle of the Covenant invasion. While that certainly works best for the TV show, Halo should still find a way to at least reference Noble Team. At the end of Halo: Reach, Noble Six manages to deliver Dr. Halsey’s all-important package to Captain Keyes (a.k.a. Admiral Keyes in the show’s canon).

In the game’s finale, Noble Six stays behind to ensure the Pillar of Autumn can escape Reach. Ultimately, Noble Six’s sacrifice sets up the events of Halo: Combat Evolved and Master Chief and Cortana’s first outing. Already, the show has referenced game-specific elements, including Halo‘s Winter Contingency. That said, Halo may see the majority of Silver Team make massive sacrifices to ensure that Schreiber’s Master Chief makes it off Reach. While it’s hard to imagine the series sacrificing all of its Silver Team Spartans in one fell swoop, Halo would benefit from at least echoing Noble Team’s iconic story.