Soren’s Future In Halo TV Show: Is He A Spartan Again?

Spoilers are ahead for Halo season 2, episode 7.

While Halo received backlash for introducing brand-new Spartans to Master Chief’s (Pablo Schreiber) story, Bokeem Woodbine’s Soren is shaping up to be one of the Paramount+ series’ most compelling characters. Despite abandoning the Spartan-II program years before the events chronicled in season 1, Soren finds himself pulled back into his former life during the show’s sophomore outing. At first, he’s obsessed with tracking down Natascha McElhone’s Dr. Halsey, the creator of the Spartan-II program, in a kind of vengeful play. Instead, he ends up saving the UNSC scientist during the Covenant invasion of Reach.

Throughout Halo season 2, the Silver Team Spartans act as interesting counterpoints to Schreiber’s John-117. Master Chief is willing to disobey ONI officer James Ackerson’s (Joseph Morgan) orders because he’s so purpose driven. Unlike John, who can’t decide if he’s a weapon or a human, the other members of Silver Team choose to act on their humanity. Riz (Natasha Culzac) retires on Aleria after the Fall of Reach episode; the late Vannak (Bentley Kalu) spent time with animals; and Kai (Kate Kennedy), though not always right, has exercised her agency in compelling ways — not unlike Soren.

Soren-066 Was A Spartan Deserter In Halo Season 1

The Spartan Became A Family Man & Pirate-Rebel On The Rubble

When viewers first meet Soren in Halo season 1, he’s an Insurrectionist leader living on the Rubble. A soldier-turned-pirate by trade, Soren deserted the Spartan-II program after coming up with John-117 and the rest of Silver Team. In a flashback, a young John catches Soren trying to escape the program, clearly illustrating that the Spartan life never sat well with Soren. Abducted by Dr. Halsey as children, the people who became her Spartan-II soldiers were stripped from their families and replaced by flash-clones. Without anyone, the stolen children were molded into soldiers.

Moreover, Halsey’s Spartan-II program hinges on genetic augmentation, with most of the Spartan candidates failing to survive their transformation into supersoldiers. Soren-066 was one of the few who weathered both the augmentation and the intense training. However, he was also destined to be different from the rest of his comrades. Although the Spartans are supposed to be sterile, Soren has a child, Kessler (Tylan Bailey), with his wife, Laera (Fiona O’Shaughnessy), after deserting the program. Driven by his traumatic experiences and his love for Kessler and Laera, Soren initially takes a stand against the Unified Earth Government.

Soren Started Halo Season 2 By Hunting Down Dr. Halsey

The Ex-Spartan Lost His Way Before The Fall Of Reach

At the end of Halo season 1, Dr. Halsey’s fate is murky at best. Since Ackerson is holding Halsey captive on Reach, no one really knows what became of the legendary scientist. With rumored sightings of Halsey spreading through the colonies, Soren is eager to find the Spartan-II program creator. Allegedly, Soren wants to hold Halsey accountable, and give her a piece of his mind. Instead of putting his family’s safety first, Soren is mutinied by his crew while searching for Halsey. Captured by Ackerson, Soren finally reunites with Halsey during the Fall of Reach.

Seemingly forced together by circumstance, Soren and Halsey rely on each other to survive the Covenant invasion. Soren dodges Halsey’s questions about Kessler, which she claims are purely scientific in nature. Later, when Soren and Laera hope to reunite with Kessler on the refugee-laden Aleria, they can’t find him. Much to Laera’s frustration, Soren sees much of his own childhood in Kessler’s circumstances, especially when it’s revealed why the UNSC wants Kessler. Undeniably, Soren is adrift after the Fall of Reach — torn between the family life he wanted and the familiar Spartan life that was thrust upon him.

On Onyx, Soren Wonders If Kessler Could Be A Spartan

Soren’s Musings Hint At His Own Future As A Spartan

Once Soren and Laera arrive on the UNSC-controlled Onyx, they follow Halsey’s lead and find where the soldiers have taken Kessler. Soren quickly recognizes what’s going on: the Spartan’s Thermopylae test. According to the ex-Spartan, the initiative is meant to weed out those who stay and fight from those who rather flee. The exercise might even be linked to Ackerson’s Spartan-III soldiers. Evidently, Soren-066 and the former Spartans of Silver Team all proved their worth during the Thermopylae test. Soren believes the brutal exercise will give Kessler the same chance to get to know himself.

Laera doesn’t care whether Kessler has what it takes to be a Spartan, and, ultimately, Soren protects Kessler and tries to help him escape the test. Still, Soren’s hesitation to do so is incredibly telling. Even if Soren wants nothing to do with the Spartan program, he’s torn; the Spartan program shaped him during his formative years. In Halo season 2, Soren struggles to build an identity separate from fighting. While it’s possible the series is setting Soren up to become a Spartan again, it’s more likely another instance of a Spartan choosing their humanity over their training.