Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Halo season 2, episode 4
The Fall of Reach has officially begun in Halo season 2, featuring several surprise twists including one regarding Cortana, Master Chief’s advanced AI companion who was taken from him by the UNSC in the aftermath of Halo season 1. With the alien Covenant having secretly invaded the colony world of Reach, it’s quickly revealed that they’ve come to the surface for a critical mission before fully glassing the planet via orbital plasma bombardment. To that end, Cortana has now found herself in great danger.
With the UNSC’s Spartan program being taken over by ONI’s Colonel James Ackerson (Joseph Morgan) following the arrest of Doctor Catherine Halsey (Natascha McElhone), Master Chief John-117 (Pablo Schreiber) was removed from active duty due to “concerns” over his mental stability. In actuality, John-117 had uncovered the truth about the Covenant’s plans to invade Reach, an imminent assault Ackerson and Fleet Command’s top brass were already aware of and decided to keep hidden due to the chaos the truth would bring. Now, the next steps of the Covenant’s plans have been teased in connection with Cortana (voiced by Jen Taylor).
Halo Cast, Character & Video Game Comparison Guide
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Cortana Was Taken By Makee During The Attack on Reach
Joined By The New Arbiter Var’ Gatanai
Despite her apparent death at the end of Halo season 1, The Covenant’s sole human ally Makee (Charlie Murphy) is featured in Halo season 2, episode 4. Known as a Blessed One capable of interacting with Forerunner technology, Makee gets to Cortana before Halsey and former Spartan Soren (Bokeem Woodbine) do after escaping their virtual reality cell during the Covenant’s attack. Despite Makee taking Cortana, Haley and Soren are forced to retreat in the face of Var’ Gatanai, the Halo show’s new Arbiter tasked with leading the invasion forces on Reach.
As seen in the the original timeline of Halo games and books, Cortana was successfully escorted off of Reach by Noble Team before making her way back to John-117 ahead of the first Halo game. However, it seems as though Halo season 2 and its unique Silver Timeline are flipping the script. The Covenant now has Cortana, and their plans for her will likely be revealed in full as the rest of the reason continues.
Why Does The Covenant Need Cortana?
Coordinates To The First Halo Ring
If Halo season 2 mirrors Cortana’s role in the games, she’ll most likely be used to help the Covenant obtain the coordinates of the first Halo ring she received by studying a Forerunner relic. It’s already been established that Makee has been securing more Forerunner artifacts, though the key found on Madrigal is presumably in the possession of Ackerson. That said, Cortana could certainly be used to help the Covenant locate it. At any rate, it seems likely that Makee’s ability as a Blessed One paired with Cortana’s data will unlock the Forerunner’s secrets, assuming John-117 doesn’t save Cortana first.
Halo
A live-action adaptation of the video game franchise of the same name, Halo follows Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 (Pablo Schrieber) as he fights his part in a war between humanity’s United Nations Space Command (UNSC) and the Covenant, an alliance of multiple hostile races of aliens intent on destroying the human race. The Master Chief is supported by Cortana (Jen Taylor) – an AI construct based on the personality of Dr. Catherine Halsey, who created the Spartan supersoldier program – implanted in his brain.
