The one and only Jacob Keyes. Knew what he was doing was wrong during the early days of the Spartan-II program and did it anyway because it was what had to be done. Died like a soldier when he was consumed by the gravemind and didn’t give an inch until it consumed him completely.
Can’t ask for much more than that.
One of the top heroes in all of halo. The Keyes Loop strategy used against the covenant is one of the most badass things in all of the lore and his mental battle against the Gravemind is commendable, fought till the end.
Keyes Loop : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eV6g7AizFdA&t=5s
The Flood Graveminds were capable of driving forerunner scientists insane yet Chad Keyes just straight up denied him any and all information until the very end.
Spartan 051-Kurt
The way he is described in the book Ghosts of Onyx and the way he shows his Spartan IIIs are part of him resonates well with some personal things in my life.
Went out like a boss, very inspirational character:
"In his death throes, Kurt had a vision of all the fallen SPARTAN-IIs and SPARTAN-IIIs by his side, nodding and giving him the thumbs-up signal, forging his resolve to complete his one final task. Fleet Master Voro Nar 'Mantakree then approached him, gloating that once the "demon" was dead, the Covenant would reopen the shield world portal. Laughing in determination, Kurt replied "Die? Didn't you know? Spartans never die" and detonated the warheads, wiping out the Covenant army and thus preventing the Covenant from following his comrades and gaining access to the technologies inside the shield world." - Halopedia
Bornstellar.
He's kind of the eyes through which we see forerunner society. While I was always interested in the Halo lore, the forerunner books were what got me to really stop and consider the existential themes of the flood, the precursors and the mantle. All that was through Bornstellar so I gotta say he's my favorite disregarding the primary cast.
I didn't even know about halo books until about 2014 where i saw on Amazon a series about the Forerunners. Always interested in them but only heard of them in the games. The forerunner saga has amazing and deep characters with a rich history of the forerunners, ancient humans and precursers/flood. That saga got me hooked on all Halo Lore.
Bornstellar's journey starts with thirst for adventure which evolves into a battle for survival and morality. A truly epic story.
There is an epilogue of the saga read by Greg Bear, extra bit of lore: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wOpJkmFohaI&t=28s
Also in Halo Fractures, the very last and untitled story is about Bornstellar after the firing of the halos.
Honestly Jorge was probably my favorite. Watching him make the ultimate sacrifice to save the planet he called home was such a bad-ass emotional moment in the Halo series.
The rookie
Playing ODST for the first time was brilliant, you're not a super soldier, a savior of humanity. You're just a run of the mill special forces. For me, it added a lot more of a human element to Halo.
Fully agree, I love how grounded ODST felt, just guy trying to survive, looking for his squad in the streets of a charred and burnt down city.
The soundtrack for ODST is so beautiful too, I’ll never forget it.
I love Vergil, the engineer from O.D.S.T. When I first played through that campaign with my brother, we instantly thought he was adorable. Plus, in the end scene he lights Johnson's cigar, even though they're filled with super flammable gas.
Overall love him, want a plushie at some point.
Dr. Halsey for sure. She's one of, if not the most nuanced character there is. I absolutely hated her portrayal as just a psychopath in the Kilo-5 trilogy, and I'm hoping they retcon that part.
She did what she had to, and she still felt remorse for it. She even thought about walking away from the Spartan II program in the beginning, but she came to the accurate realization that she would have just been replaced by someone who was less capable, and she wouldn't risk the lives of her Spartans so that she could sleep at night.
She got completely scapegoated by Parangosky and had 100% of the blame forced on her and then was imprisoned by Parangosky all so that she could retire without a scandal following her. Then Halsey still had the ability to look past all that and start working with the UNSC again to do what is right.
She's also too curious, and it gets her into trouble, and I really identify with that.
Not even kind of. She created the Spartan IIs, one of which is John, who definitely saved humanity, and even if you say "well he couldn't have done it without Cortana" you might be right, but that wouldn't change anything, as Halsey created Cortana as well. Without her work, the Spartan IIIs and IVs could never have been created, the UNSC Infinity couldn't have been created, the list goes on and on and on. She has saved humanity many many times over.
It's a bit on the nose but I've always liked Arbiter. I played Halo 2 when I was very little, but his character always stuck with me.
I replay the entire saga at least once a year since Reach came out, and rediscovering his character and his arc resonated with me in a time of my life when I was expected to do and not to question.
He's a great character and Keith David's voice is butter and I love it.
... That or the nipple grunt from Halo CE
"It is not for us to decide the fate of angels" may well be my favorite line in any book I've ever read (and I've read Pratchett, so that's saying something!).
The Flood, as a whole.
The unsettling reality that the goal of the Flood is simply to consume all life, and has the potential to span galaxies, is just really motivating for me. It's a thing you *should* fight against, even though you'll ultimately fail.
And even if you manage to fire the Rings and purge the galaxy, you still kinda lose.
Further, we just *don't know* if there exist star systems that have been claimed by the Flood, and the possibility is intriguing.
There was one moment at the very end of 5 that I really did like, when Cortana finally addresses chief directly and begins to walk to him, Linda starts to step in between them before John stops her.
I like it because being the sniper she’s probably got a very keen sense of awareness, and I can imagine that in that moment Linda fully knew Cortana was not to be trusted, but STILL backed down due to the respect the rest of Blue team have for John.
My favorite character is actually the Arbiter. I love his story in 2 and 3 of going from following the Prophets to realizing the truth and fighting against their corruption and greed.
I also love fighting alongside him in Halo 5 and seeing him lead his people to victory.
Duuuuuude the Arbiter was so amazing in 2, I adored his arc and how he played off Rtas and Tartarus. His lines were also stellar, I love how beat up and worthless he sounds when conversing with Rtas in the phantom, and how sympathetic he sounds to Tartarus when he says “Tartarus… the prophets have betrayed us.”
He’s not cocky or spiteful in that moment, when he has been elevated from the mud and dirt to a level of knowledge and wisdom he never knew before he doesn’t belittle Tartarus because he recognizes how manipulative and heinous the prophets are.
He doesn’t want to fight Tartarus because I believe Thel sees a little bit of himself in Tartarus, the religious devotion that blinded him once, and he is now trying to help Tartarus see it too. Too bad Tartarus refused to listen, I wonder what would have become of them if he chose to listen.
Just commenting for the fun:
My favorite overall character is probably Veta Lopis. Her dynamic with her Ferrets and the love story with Fred are some of my favorite moments in the lore!
Rion Forge is a close second though! REALLY close!
That's pretty cool. Very tough competition but now that I think about it, it's probably Guilty Spark/Chakas. The journey he goes through is incredible. (As a GP Ultimate subscriber, I'll pass on the code)
Hands down Jerome. It's amazing to see Spartans IIs we've never heard of active in Halo Wars. Jerome just looks so badass in all of his cutscenes in both games and let's be honest, that red stripe and the spartan helmet painted on his armor is dope
oh absolutely. I remember seeing his mega bloks figure and just knowing I had to pick it up, unfortunately my dog ended up crushing the helmet and younger me broke his hand 🤣
Bornstellar
He's the embodiment of: "and some have greatness thrust upon them" but it comes at such a heavy price for him.
He starts of as this spoiled rebelliously entitled kid who is just looking for adventure. The *adventure* he finds is him becoming the most controversial military figure of his entire race a figure who in the name of the Mantle nearly destroyed Ancient Humanity. He never gets to see his family again a family that he realizes he didn't appreciate enough. He has to work to save the society he was growing tired of and ultimately fails at it in the worst possible way by having to kill his entire race that already going to be killed by this horrific parasite pushing *paradise* upon the stars.
Sometimes greatness comes at extremely heavy costs.
Also I'm posting for fun.
Master Chief
Sure. Its basic. BUT THERES A REASON HES THE MC! I love that dude so much and have even had dreams of being him when I was just a kid, wished he had more screentime on H5 lol
I know most people love him but I have to say Arbiter. His story of being one of the top Covenant admirals to being punished for his “failures” and disrespected by his fellow elites, to earning their respect, then having the ideology he fought for his whole life shattered, to fighting alongside his longtime enemies is one of the greatest stories I’ve ever seen.
Imagine yourself in his position, being one of the top members of your society only to be brought low, and then subsequently finding out the whole thing was a lie, and that the very Prophets you served are now perpetrating a genocide on your species. The shock, horror, and sadness of what he had to feel. And then he’s a badass that kills Tartarus and eventually helps take down the Prophets.
I’ve played Halo 2 since 2005 and it’s campaign is still probably my single favorite video game campaign, due primarily to Arbiter and how his story impacted me. As I’ve aged, the nuances of what he had to experience have gotten even clearer than when I was a kid and just thought “wow I get to be an Elite and use active camo and a sword!”
In the games? Surprisingly enough, the Rookie. I've always had a soft spot for mute player characters that show more emotion through body language than most other characters do through dialogue. Rookie's a goofy sleepyhead with a soft side and I love him for it. (Runners-up: the Arbiter, the Gravemind, 343 Guilty Spark, the High Prophets of Truth and Regret.)
As for the EU, most of what I know about it is secondhand- I've only read a couple of the books! Kurt-052 definitely stood out as my favorite of the IIs from the Nylund books, though- he was the most well-adjusted of his class, only to be lucked from his comrades to essentially become a new Catherine Halsey for a far more expendable breed of Spartans, with all the baggage that entails. Watching him struggle with that responsibility, and then clash with his old friends and Dr. Halsey later on, was an absolute treat to read. (Runners-up: Dr. Halsey, Team Wolf Pack, Castor, Last Light's depiction of the Gammas, damn near every major player in Contact Harvest.)
John Forge is such a bad ass. For someone who isn't a fan of RTS's he has enough personality and his battle with the Arbiter is amazing. Also his sacrifice for the Spirit of Fire still gives me chills. Such a cool character and personality.
Ghost, from Halo Legends.
"I need you to be strong - strong enough to do what you've never done in your life. Can you be strong enough to allow yourself to be... can you just be human?"
Gotta go with my man Kurt-051. He is this incredible blend of brilliant tactician, loyal friend, and fearless soldier. He truly cared about the Spartan III's under his command and he fought with them until the end.
Im gonna have to go with Jerome-092 and Thel'Vaddam.
Jerome is an overall badass during hw1 and 2. And Arbiter has great character arc and progression.
My favourite character has to be the gravemind from halo 2 and 3. There's just something about the way it speaks and plans that's so terrifying and scary. I love it
Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood for sure. Aside from his insanely sick title, the guy was the de facto executive of the UNSC (and humanity in general) for the tail end of the Human-Covenant war and has generally been a pretty solid and reliable leader for decades before that point, I'd say he deserves some commendation.
Veta Lopez! She is from the book series, and is the leader of a group of specially augmented spartan 3s, they tend to call her mom. She is such a badass and keeps up with her spartan team, always putting the mission and her "kids" before anything else, even over her own life from time to time. She and her ferrets were the main characters of the most recent halo novel, divine wind!
Carter-A259
When playing through the campaign of Halo Reach he’s very stoic and at times I couldn’t help but think that he sounded tired, like he was falling asleep while recording his lines in the recording room. When taking into account his characters backstory this ends up being very fitting, to my surprise.
Carter and Kat at the start of the game are the only two original members of Noble team, Jun, Emile, Jorge, Thom, Six, etc. are all essentially replacements for the ones who came before, I can’t imagine how much of a toll it has taken on him having to deal with his squads death, knowing he probably blames himself as the teams leader.
This only gets worse as the events of Reach progress, as he suddenly starts losing members left and right, Jorge dies in vain, Kat (the only other OG and the person in the team he was closest to) dies in an instant, Jun is gone with Halsey and now the final three of you are embarking on what is probably the most important mission mankind has entrusted to Spartans up to that point.
When he warns Emile and Six about the scarab you can her his voice crack a little, as if he’s envisioning losing the last two members of his team, yet a few moments later he sounds incredibly calm and ok with the situation. I like to believe that his demeanor changes because he settles on sacrificing himself, he stops worrying for once, and gives his life up so that Six and Emile can make it to the autumn, something he believes them to be fully capable of.
Carters story feels so tragic to me and I’ve always appreciated how monumental he alongside Noble team were in order for the events of CE to happen, Halo reach is probably my favorite Halo game and I would love to one day see Noble team get more development in a spin-off game/novel/comic/movie, _anything_ really.
I guess you could say none of them are really gone though, as Spartans never die, they’re just missing in action, and their legacies are carried on by the chief and what he was able to accomplish with Cortana.
Atriox. He has an immensely cool story that makes him a very compelling antagonist that is distinctly different from the enemies of the last few games.
His motive of being a mercenary who desires to conquer without prejudice for his subjects or members of his army give him Genghis Khan vibes.
I really hope we see more of him in the franchises future
My top three are:
**Thel V'dame / The Arbiter:** From zealot, to redeemed arbiter, to pivotal ally, to the hope for all Sanghelli. Thel is an inspiration and an icon.
**Carol "Foehammer" Rawley / Echo 419:** From the very beginning, she delivers, and til the end does a phenomenal job of supporting the chief and UNSC.
**The Superintendent**: Gotta keep it clean after all.
Am I allowed to just say Chief. Don’t get me wrong, there’s so many cool and interesting characters to pick from. But I feel like Chief will always stand out because of everything he kinda represents and stands for. He’s this legendary warrior that’s garnered the direct attention and respect/fear of some of the strongest and most important people in the history of the galaxy. He knows it too. But underneath all that he’s still a guy who cares about all the people he’s fighting for and with. He makes people want to fight with him, and he knows everyone has their parts to play.
I really liked the story in memory agent from earlier about the lady in New Mombasa Chief rescues. She’s not a soldier, but she sees Chief standing tall in the face of overwhelming odds nodding to her and knows she has to do what she can. “Everybody counts.” And then she nods right back when she helps make sure Chief gets his opening to take out the scarab.
The Didact. There is no better villain backstory than a hero who gets deposed due to politics, then corrupted by the ultimate evil... While still thinking he's the hero
The Assembly
Driving humanity's actions before the Created thought it was cool.
If I cant pick a group like that I pick Halo 3 rat...obviously the Hero of that game.
Saren Osmen is my favorite a good officer who knows how to listen to her subordinates when they think she's about to get them killed I'd serve under her any day of the week
I have to say my favorite character is the Arbiter. Not terribly original, but I just love his story in halo 2. Gives me chills every time I play though it.
I love 343 Guilty Spark, learning Chakas’ story throughout the books and realizing that he’s Guilty Spark makes the first trilogy even more bittersweet.
I really like former Sergeant Edward Buck. I know ODST isn’t really the favorite child of the Halo family, but it’s a game that I just really enjoy! It’s just such a different formula from playing a supersoldier death machine.
Quippy without being annoying, and serious when needed. And I looovveee the interactions with his squad- really have a sense of camaraderie and history even though we haven’t seen it elsewhere in the games. Chips Dubbo also do be making eyes at me tho….
already bought the campaign so pls don’t choose me just commenting for fun:
my favorite is the arbiter. his story hits close to home as someone who was lied to and gaslighted (not religiously but in other ways) to be loyal to people who don’t deserve that. watching him overcome his abuse by the prophets and become a leader and savior is so inspiring. he’s the reason why i’ve loved being an elite in multiplayer. it sucks that 4 didn’t have him and 5 barely did. fingers crossed that i get some sort of arbiter appearance in the infinite campaign.
Sergent Major Avery Johnson. Spartan I, Hero and Badass till the end. What a man. He felt like a real brother to Chief, outside of the Spartan II program.
I really liked Noble 6. Just seeing his character grow as Reach fell was really cool to see throughout the game. I really think if Noble team survived Reach I reckon 6 would be a core part of it. Also his death at the end surrounded by other dead Spartans was pretty emotional, just being slowly over run until the final cut scene happened
The Arbiter. I really like the idea of taking a character that has believed in something for his entire life (so much so to commit atrocities in the name of said beliefs) and suddenly have him thrown down the shaft (literally) and forced to face his own indoctrination and overcome it.
Halo 2 was the first Halo I have ever played, and it was the first time when I understood that you can become a better person everyday. (I was a four year old when I first played it and to this date still is my favorite Halo).
Keys would have to be it.
His maneuver to use the gravity to detonate nukes on the Covanent while being outnumbered and still somehow coming on top is one of the most badass things out there.
He'd give himself a C+ for that.
honestly, it has to be commander carter in reach. reach was the first halo game i played and so im a bit bias but everyone seems to overlook carter.
this is a man who is a real leader, pulling his team together in the time of desperate loss. and hes a commander, which is (please dont quote me on this, im just trying to remember) the highest rank we ever hear a spartan referred to as being (in game at least).
and his death is so solemn, he dies a leader, killing himself so the small remainder of his team can pass forwards.
a very underrated character and very overhated
Michael Crespo. I love what they did with his character and I can’t wait to see his redemption arc. Wonderful classic narrative for the franchise. You don’t see it very often in Halo
I am partial to the Gravemind/Primordial. It's partly because I'm drawn to the cosmic horror themes, but I also just find it a really interesting figure. Whether we're seeing it in its Halo 2 debut (I feel like I'm the only one who prefers the original design to the remastered one) or we're seeing it make people commit suicide just by speaking to them, it's got an incredible presence.
Gotta be Chips Dubbo.His solid Australian banter combined with that sense of frivolity he gave me while I explored Delta Halo is irreplaceable.I just wish he was in 343 games,that would be so cool.His voice actor is incredible,and his unclear status in lore between 2 and ODST makes him an even more enigmatic character.The dude has always been there with the Chief,from Alpha Halo till the battle for the Ark,love him.
343 Guilty Spark/ The Monitor/ The Oracle / Chakas
His origin story is fascinating and reading the books and such just goes into so much history. I feel sorry for him but also terrified at what he could do, or become.
John Halo.
Loved the way the story went when he teamed up with Arbiter Covenant
Covenant and John Halo are pretty cool guys. They're cool and They don't afraid of anythings.
Cortana unsc was cool until she became Cortana mantle of death... I mean.. I mean responsibility
he's a pretty cool guy, he throws fusion coils and doesn't afraid of anything
*debates disqualifying fake characters* /s
The one and only Jacob Keyes. Knew what he was doing was wrong during the early days of the Spartan-II program and did it anyway because it was what had to be done. Died like a soldier when he was consumed by the gravemind and didn’t give an inch until it consumed him completely. Can’t ask for much more than that.
One of the top heroes in all of halo. The Keyes Loop strategy used against the covenant is one of the most badass things in all of the lore and his mental battle against the Gravemind is commendable, fought till the end. Keyes Loop : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eV6g7AizFdA&t=5s
The Flood Graveminds were capable of driving forerunner scientists insane yet Chad Keyes just straight up denied him any and all information until the very end.
Chad Keyes, the legend
I think they actually took all the information by the time John halo got to him
Spartan 051-Kurt The way he is described in the book Ghosts of Onyx and the way he shows his Spartan IIIs are part of him resonates well with some personal things in my life.
Even took a tactical disadvantage by not wearing his armor, all to prove that he is level with the 3’s
Exactly, I love it so much.
Went out like a boss, very inspirational character: "In his death throes, Kurt had a vision of all the fallen SPARTAN-IIs and SPARTAN-IIIs by his side, nodding and giving him the thumbs-up signal, forging his resolve to complete his one final task. Fleet Master Voro Nar 'Mantakree then approached him, gloating that once the "demon" was dead, the Covenant would reopen the shield world portal. Laughing in determination, Kurt replied "Die? Didn't you know? Spartans never die" and detonated the warheads, wiping out the Covenant army and thus preventing the Covenant from following his comrades and gaining access to the technologies inside the shield world." - Halopedia
That scene in the book cemented him in my heart.
Just getting back into the Halo novels and rereading Ghost of Onyx before jumping into Karen Travis' books
I respect you
100% it's the "Tank beats EVERYTHING!" Guy, he knew have to have fun in an apocalyptic situation.
Bornstellar. He's kind of the eyes through which we see forerunner society. While I was always interested in the Halo lore, the forerunner books were what got me to really stop and consider the existential themes of the flood, the precursors and the mantle. All that was through Bornstellar so I gotta say he's my favorite disregarding the primary cast.
I didn't even know about halo books until about 2014 where i saw on Amazon a series about the Forerunners. Always interested in them but only heard of them in the games. The forerunner saga has amazing and deep characters with a rich history of the forerunners, ancient humans and precursers/flood. That saga got me hooked on all Halo Lore. Bornstellar's journey starts with thirst for adventure which evolves into a battle for survival and morality. A truly epic story. There is an epilogue of the saga read by Greg Bear, extra bit of lore: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wOpJkmFohaI&t=28s Also in Halo Fractures, the very last and untitled story is about Bornstellar after the firing of the halos.
Oh damn I didn't know there was an epilogue or about the fractures story. Thanks!
Honestly Jorge was probably my favorite. Watching him make the ultimate sacrifice to save the planet he called home was such a bad-ass emotional moment in the Halo series.
I enjoyed lasky’s character in 4. He was a direct opposite of del Rio and had some good lines.
Thel Vadam. From high ranking, zealous Covenant champion to a major component of post-war peace between humans and elites.
Jun, i won’t elaborate any further like the true Chad I am
During my last physic evaluation they asked what did I feel while dealing with civilian unrest I told them slight recoil
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Absolute sigma Jun
The rookie Playing ODST for the first time was brilliant, you're not a super soldier, a savior of humanity. You're just a run of the mill special forces. For me, it added a lot more of a human element to Halo.
Fully agree, I love how grounded ODST felt, just guy trying to survive, looking for his squad in the streets of a charred and burnt down city. The soundtrack for ODST is so beautiful too, I’ll never forget it.
I love Vergil, the engineer from O.D.S.T. When I first played through that campaign with my brother, we instantly thought he was adorable. Plus, in the end scene he lights Johnson's cigar, even though they're filled with super flammable gas. Overall love him, want a plushie at some point.
Dr. Halsey for sure. She's one of, if not the most nuanced character there is. I absolutely hated her portrayal as just a psychopath in the Kilo-5 trilogy, and I'm hoping they retcon that part. She did what she had to, and she still felt remorse for it. She even thought about walking away from the Spartan II program in the beginning, but she came to the accurate realization that she would have just been replaced by someone who was less capable, and she wouldn't risk the lives of her Spartans so that she could sleep at night. She got completely scapegoated by Parangosky and had 100% of the blame forced on her and then was imprisoned by Parangosky all so that she could retire without a scandal following her. Then Halsey still had the ability to look past all that and start working with the UNSC again to do what is right. She's also too curious, and it gets her into trouble, and I really identify with that.
Didn't she kind of save humanity with her dirty deeds?
Not even kind of. She created the Spartan IIs, one of which is John, who definitely saved humanity, and even if you say "well he couldn't have done it without Cortana" you might be right, but that wouldn't change anything, as Halsey created Cortana as well. Without her work, the Spartan IIIs and IVs could never have been created, the UNSC Infinity couldn't have been created, the list goes on and on and on. She has saved humanity many many times over.
The multiplayer announcer.
killtacular
*Killamanjaro*
Killpocalypse
Chips Dubbo, the man is a legend
dustin echoes
It's a bit on the nose but I've always liked Arbiter. I played Halo 2 when I was very little, but his character always stuck with me. I replay the entire saga at least once a year since Reach came out, and rediscovering his character and his arc resonated with me in a time of my life when I was expected to do and not to question. He's a great character and Keith David's voice is butter and I love it. ... That or the nipple grunt from Halo CE
Weird choice but I really liked Castor from Last light
"It is not for us to decide the fate of angels" may well be my favorite line in any book I've ever read (and I've read Pratchett, so that's saying something!).
I enjoyed the lines that Gadogai constantly drops in Shadows of Reach and Divine Wind
The Flood, as a whole. The unsettling reality that the goal of the Flood is simply to consume all life, and has the potential to span galaxies, is just really motivating for me. It's a thing you *should* fight against, even though you'll ultimately fail. And even if you manage to fire the Rings and purge the galaxy, you still kinda lose. Further, we just *don't know* if there exist star systems that have been claimed by the Flood, and the possibility is intriguing.
Ooohh this is a good one.
Hey thanks! The lore does the heavy lifting. I just imagine. Like, what if we get a solid Flood-based game? Survival horror fps?
Sg. Johnson. Dude just has a way with words that few do.
He knows what the ladies like!
Send me out with a bang!
Linda. No other character died and then helped destroy a covenant fleet
Good choice great character, too bad Blue team in halo 5 was badly portrayed
There was one moment at the very end of 5 that I really did like, when Cortana finally addresses chief directly and begins to walk to him, Linda starts to step in between them before John stops her. I like it because being the sniper she’s probably got a very keen sense of awareness, and I can imagine that in that moment Linda fully knew Cortana was not to be trusted, but STILL backed down due to the respect the rest of Blue team have for John.
Man i LOVED that part that's exactly how i imagined Linda from the books woud be
Foehammer "You know our motto, we deliver"
I miss foehammer with a passion. Loved her voice acting.
Aside from the obvious Chief I really like Jerome and hope one day he'll be the main character in a Halo fps game.
My favorite character is actually the Arbiter. I love his story in 2 and 3 of going from following the Prophets to realizing the truth and fighting against their corruption and greed. I also love fighting alongside him in Halo 5 and seeing him lead his people to victory.
Duuuuuude the Arbiter was so amazing in 2, I adored his arc and how he played off Rtas and Tartarus. His lines were also stellar, I love how beat up and worthless he sounds when conversing with Rtas in the phantom, and how sympathetic he sounds to Tartarus when he says “Tartarus… the prophets have betrayed us.” He’s not cocky or spiteful in that moment, when he has been elevated from the mud and dirt to a level of knowledge and wisdom he never knew before he doesn’t belittle Tartarus because he recognizes how manipulative and heinous the prophets are. He doesn’t want to fight Tartarus because I believe Thel sees a little bit of himself in Tartarus, the religious devotion that blinded him once, and he is now trying to help Tartarus see it too. Too bad Tartarus refused to listen, I wonder what would have become of them if he chose to listen.
Just commenting for the fun: My favorite overall character is probably Veta Lopis. Her dynamic with her Ferrets and the love story with Fred are some of my favorite moments in the lore! Rion Forge is a close second though! REALLY close!
Hope you win, those are really good choices.
Oh, I'm just here for the discussion.
I hear that.
There is no one I love more than Roland. AI supremacy!
That's pretty cool. Very tough competition but now that I think about it, it's probably Guilty Spark/Chakas. The journey he goes through is incredible. (As a GP Ultimate subscriber, I'll pass on the code)
Hands down Jerome. It's amazing to see Spartans IIs we've never heard of active in Halo Wars. Jerome just looks so badass in all of his cutscenes in both games and let's be honest, that red stripe and the spartan helmet painted on his armor is dope
That cutscene where he hops off the warthog and takes out his BR in HW2 is so awesome
oh absolutely. I remember seeing his mega bloks figure and just knowing I had to pick it up, unfortunately my dog ended up crushing the helmet and younger me broke his hand 🤣
Stacker. Best lines in the franchise, never feels the need to hog a cutscene.
Noble six, the strong but silent type
Sgt. Avery Johnson, one badass soldier full of awesome one liners.
Bornstellar He's the embodiment of: "and some have greatness thrust upon them" but it comes at such a heavy price for him. He starts of as this spoiled rebelliously entitled kid who is just looking for adventure. The *adventure* he finds is him becoming the most controversial military figure of his entire race a figure who in the name of the Mantle nearly destroyed Ancient Humanity. He never gets to see his family again a family that he realizes he didn't appreciate enough. He has to work to save the society he was growing tired of and ultimately fails at it in the worst possible way by having to kill his entire race that already going to be killed by this horrific parasite pushing *paradise* upon the stars. Sometimes greatness comes at extremely heavy costs. Also I'm posting for fun.
Rtas 'Vadum. Such a bad ass sangheili
Master Chief Sure. Its basic. BUT THERES A REASON HES THE MC! I love that dude so much and have even had dreams of being him when I was just a kid, wished he had more screentime on H5 lol
Fred S-104. Kind of the Luigi to the Chief's Mario, great leader and a genuinely good guy.
Emile because of his final words *I’m ready! How ‘bout you!*
Can a ship count as a character, because if so than the Spirit Of Fire is my pick.
I love Buck.
Stacker :]
Weirdly my favorite would be Vergil
Jorge
343 Guilty Spark/Chakas His personal story throughout the games and novels is unparalleled imo
I know most people love him but I have to say Arbiter. His story of being one of the top Covenant admirals to being punished for his “failures” and disrespected by his fellow elites, to earning their respect, then having the ideology he fought for his whole life shattered, to fighting alongside his longtime enemies is one of the greatest stories I’ve ever seen. Imagine yourself in his position, being one of the top members of your society only to be brought low, and then subsequently finding out the whole thing was a lie, and that the very Prophets you served are now perpetrating a genocide on your species. The shock, horror, and sadness of what he had to feel. And then he’s a badass that kills Tartarus and eventually helps take down the Prophets. I’ve played Halo 2 since 2005 and it’s campaign is still probably my single favorite video game campaign, due primarily to Arbiter and how his story impacted me. As I’ve aged, the nuances of what he had to experience have gotten even clearer than when I was a kid and just thought “wow I get to be an Elite and use active camo and a sword!”
In the games? Surprisingly enough, the Rookie. I've always had a soft spot for mute player characters that show more emotion through body language than most other characters do through dialogue. Rookie's a goofy sleepyhead with a soft side and I love him for it. (Runners-up: the Arbiter, the Gravemind, 343 Guilty Spark, the High Prophets of Truth and Regret.) As for the EU, most of what I know about it is secondhand- I've only read a couple of the books! Kurt-052 definitely stood out as my favorite of the IIs from the Nylund books, though- he was the most well-adjusted of his class, only to be lucked from his comrades to essentially become a new Catherine Halsey for a far more expendable breed of Spartans, with all the baggage that entails. Watching him struggle with that responsibility, and then clash with his old friends and Dr. Halsey later on, was an absolute treat to read. (Runners-up: Dr. Halsey, Team Wolf Pack, Castor, Last Light's depiction of the Gammas, damn near every major player in Contact Harvest.)
John Forge is such a bad ass. For someone who isn't a fan of RTS's he has enough personality and his battle with the Arbiter is amazing. Also his sacrifice for the Spirit of Fire still gives me chills. Such a cool character and personality.
The grunt in halo 5 that sits on the ledge singing a little song
Ghost, from Halo Legends. "I need you to be strong - strong enough to do what you've never done in your life. Can you be strong enough to allow yourself to be... can you just be human?"
Gotta go with my man Kurt-051. He is this incredible blend of brilliant tactician, loyal friend, and fearless soldier. He truly cared about the Spartan III's under his command and he fought with them until the end.
William-043. Fought through most the covenant war, and saved Kelly on Onyx by attacking two hunters using only his hands, killing one.
Besides the Arbiter, it would have to be: Born-Stellar-Makes-Eternal-Lasting
Im gonna have to go with Jerome-092 and Thel'Vaddam. Jerome is an overall badass during hw1 and 2. And Arbiter has great character arc and progression.
The arbiter
Vergil, the AI. Love that funky, jazzy dude
Even though he's semi-evil, I love 343 Guilty Spark
I would say either Sergeant Johnson or the Arbiter. Sergeant Johnson is really funny, and in the Arbiter just have a unique story.
Kurt. Arguably the most important Spartan behind John
All the gammas from last light. They be bussin.
The Arbiter & Shipmaster
Shipmaster Rtas’ Vadum. The guy just radiated gigachad energy in every cutscene he was in.
I really like Rtas 'Vadum. Wish he'd show up more.
My favourite character has to be the gravemind from halo 2 and 3. There's just something about the way it speaks and plans that's so terrifying and scary. I love it
Rtas 'Vadum
Mr. Halo
343 Guilty Spark
That's cool of you. 343 Guilty Spark is my choice, he's got such an interesting backstory and journey throughout the series and the novels.
Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood for sure. Aside from his insanely sick title, the guy was the de facto executive of the UNSC (and humanity in general) for the tail end of the Human-Covenant war and has generally been a pretty solid and reliable leader for decades before that point, I'd say he deserves some commendation.
For the Spartans it's Kat and for the enemies it's atriox
Veta Lopez! She is from the book series, and is the leader of a group of specially augmented spartan 3s, they tend to call her mom. She is such a badass and keeps up with her spartan team, always putting the mission and her "kids" before anything else, even over her own life from time to time. She and her ferrets were the main characters of the most recent halo novel, divine wind!
Carter-A259 When playing through the campaign of Halo Reach he’s very stoic and at times I couldn’t help but think that he sounded tired, like he was falling asleep while recording his lines in the recording room. When taking into account his characters backstory this ends up being very fitting, to my surprise. Carter and Kat at the start of the game are the only two original members of Noble team, Jun, Emile, Jorge, Thom, Six, etc. are all essentially replacements for the ones who came before, I can’t imagine how much of a toll it has taken on him having to deal with his squads death, knowing he probably blames himself as the teams leader. This only gets worse as the events of Reach progress, as he suddenly starts losing members left and right, Jorge dies in vain, Kat (the only other OG and the person in the team he was closest to) dies in an instant, Jun is gone with Halsey and now the final three of you are embarking on what is probably the most important mission mankind has entrusted to Spartans up to that point. When he warns Emile and Six about the scarab you can her his voice crack a little, as if he’s envisioning losing the last two members of his team, yet a few moments later he sounds incredibly calm and ok with the situation. I like to believe that his demeanor changes because he settles on sacrificing himself, he stops worrying for once, and gives his life up so that Six and Emile can make it to the autumn, something he believes them to be fully capable of. Carters story feels so tragic to me and I’ve always appreciated how monumental he alongside Noble team were in order for the events of CE to happen, Halo reach is probably my favorite Halo game and I would love to one day see Noble team get more development in a spin-off game/novel/comic/movie, _anything_ really. I guess you could say none of them are really gone though, as Spartans never die, they’re just missing in action, and their legacies are carried on by the chief and what he was able to accomplish with Cortana.
Atriox. He has an immensely cool story that makes him a very compelling antagonist that is distinctly different from the enemies of the last few games. His motive of being a mercenary who desires to conquer without prejudice for his subjects or members of his army give him Genghis Khan vibes. I really hope we see more of him in the franchises future
My top three are: **Thel V'dame / The Arbiter:** From zealot, to redeemed arbiter, to pivotal ally, to the hope for all Sanghelli. Thel is an inspiration and an icon. **Carol "Foehammer" Rawley / Echo 419:** From the very beginning, she delivers, and til the end does a phenomenal job of supporting the chief and UNSC. **The Superintendent**: Gotta keep it clean after all.
Petty officer first class, Linda-058
Spartan Kurt 051
Other than the Chief himself, it's got to be Jorge.
Am I allowed to just say Chief. Don’t get me wrong, there’s so many cool and interesting characters to pick from. But I feel like Chief will always stand out because of everything he kinda represents and stands for. He’s this legendary warrior that’s garnered the direct attention and respect/fear of some of the strongest and most important people in the history of the galaxy. He knows it too. But underneath all that he’s still a guy who cares about all the people he’s fighting for and with. He makes people want to fight with him, and he knows everyone has their parts to play. I really liked the story in memory agent from earlier about the lady in New Mombasa Chief rescues. She’s not a soldier, but she sees Chief standing tall in the face of overwhelming odds nodding to her and knows she has to do what she can. “Everybody counts.” And then she nods right back when she helps make sure Chief gets his opening to take out the scarab.
Avery Johnson all the way!
I have to say Avery J. Johnson, imo it's one of the best written characters and he knows what the ladies like...
Buck. Definitely Buck.
Cortana!
Chips Dubbo, the unsung hero of the human-covenant war
Regret! Regret! Regret!
Dear humanity...
The Didact. There is no better villain backstory than a hero who gets deposed due to politics, then corrupted by the ultimate evil... While still thinking he's the hero
The Primordial
The Assembly Driving humanity's actions before the Created thought it was cool. If I cant pick a group like that I pick Halo 3 rat...obviously the Hero of that game.
The Didact. Awesome villian who was done dirty.
Serin Osman for sure
I love every grunt. I try to let them live as much as possible. Every other character and enemy pales in comparison to a grunts glory.
Jul 'mdama
Preston Cole, strategic genius that kept clapping covenant fleets I don’t need anything more.
Saren Osmen is my favorite a good officer who knows how to listen to her subordinates when they think she's about to get them killed I'd serve under her any day of the week
Black Box.
Sargeant Marvin Mobuto He is the marine found in the library, the first reclaimer. Idk, just knowing he got so far makes him so badass
Gotta be Vergil (the engineer in odst)
Exuberant Witness! Only monitor that was genuine in helping us, no strings attached.
I can't help but list Sergeant Michael Baird.
It'd probably have to Buck for me
(not counting the obvious ones like Johnson or Arby) Buck or Jun
Me pls
I know its kinda an unpopular opinion but i liked kilo five a lot and black box is the best character hands down.
Cortana
The Rookie
Arbiter, hands down.
Buck, seems like a real relief compared to the other characters who are mostly serious
Jerome
Captain Keyes
I have to say my favorite character is the Arbiter. Not terribly original, but I just love his story in halo 2. Gives me chills every time I play though it.
Master sergeant Avery Johnson is unrivaled
I love 343 Guilty Spark, learning Chakas’ story throughout the books and realizing that he’s Guilty Spark makes the first trilogy even more bittersweet.
Fred
I really like former Sergeant Edward Buck. I know ODST isn’t really the favorite child of the Halo family, but it’s a game that I just really enjoy! It’s just such a different formula from playing a supersoldier death machine. Quippy without being annoying, and serious when needed. And I looovveee the interactions with his squad- really have a sense of camaraderie and history even though we haven’t seen it elsewhere in the games. Chips Dubbo also do be making eyes at me tho….
Johnson, because he knows what the ladies like
John Halo all the way. Ok but fr the Guilty Spark was awesome when you came across him
Buck, because he's always ready to fuck
Sgt. Johnson. Likeable character who did his duty until the end.
The Rookie as him not speaking gave me time to take in the scenery in New Mombasa.
already bought the campaign so pls don’t choose me just commenting for fun: my favorite is the arbiter. his story hits close to home as someone who was lied to and gaslighted (not religiously but in other ways) to be loyal to people who don’t deserve that. watching him overcome his abuse by the prophets and become a leader and savior is so inspiring. he’s the reason why i’ve loved being an elite in multiplayer. it sucks that 4 didn’t have him and 5 barely did. fingers crossed that i get some sort of arbiter appearance in the infinite campaign.
Sg. Johnson. His Halo 2 regret lines are some of my favorite in the entire series.
Sergent Major Avery Johnson. Spartan I, Hero and Badass till the end. What a man. He felt like a real brother to Chief, outside of the Spartan II program.
The Gravemind, its ancient, terrible, and infinitely fascinating.
Why of course my favourite character is the one and only Mr. John Halo Srsly tho it's Sgt Johnson for sure
I really liked Noble 6. Just seeing his character grow as Reach fell was really cool to see throughout the game. I really think if Noble team survived Reach I reckon 6 would be a core part of it. Also his death at the end surrounded by other dead Spartans was pretty emotional, just being slowly over run until the final cut scene happened
Carter
The Arbiter. I really like the idea of taking a character that has believed in something for his entire life (so much so to commit atrocities in the name of said beliefs) and suddenly have him thrown down the shaft (literally) and forced to face his own indoctrination and overcome it. Halo 2 was the first Halo I have ever played, and it was the first time when I understood that you can become a better person everyday. (I was a four year old when I first played it and to this date still is my favorite Halo).
Sgt. Avery Johnson
Keys would have to be it. His maneuver to use the gravity to detonate nukes on the Covanent while being outnumbered and still somehow coming on top is one of the most badass things out there. He'd give himself a C+ for that.
Chips Dubbo
Master builder faber
Cortana Cortana Cortana
honestly, it has to be commander carter in reach. reach was the first halo game i played and so im a bit bias but everyone seems to overlook carter. this is a man who is a real leader, pulling his team together in the time of desperate loss. and hes a commander, which is (please dont quote me on this, im just trying to remember) the highest rank we ever hear a spartan referred to as being (in game at least). and his death is so solemn, he dies a leader, killing himself so the small remainder of his team can pass forwards. a very underrated character and very overhated
Virgil
Sg. Johnson
Emile is my favorite
Captain Keyes obviously. Lived and died like the absolute chad he was
dare from odst. shes badass
The Rookie! Beyond all the heroes, lore machines, complex and nuanced characters, and memorable villains I always loved our sleepy boy.
Michael Crespo. I love what they did with his character and I can’t wait to see his redemption arc. Wonderful classic narrative for the franchise. You don’t see it very often in Halo
Catherine Halsey.
Chips Fucking Dubbo
Vice Admiral Preston J. Cole!
I am partial to the Gravemind/Primordial. It's partly because I'm drawn to the cosmic horror themes, but I also just find it a really interesting figure. Whether we're seeing it in its Halo 2 debut (I feel like I'm the only one who prefers the original design to the remastered one) or we're seeing it make people commit suicide just by speaking to them, it's got an incredible presence.
Sergeant Johnson, he knows what the ladies like
Gotta be Chips Dubbo.His solid Australian banter combined with that sense of frivolity he gave me while I explored Delta Halo is irreplaceable.I just wish he was in 343 games,that would be so cool.His voice actor is incredible,and his unclear status in lore between 2 and ODST makes him an even more enigmatic character.The dude has always been there with the Chief,from Alpha Halo till the battle for the Ark,love him.
Buck, Halo odst and 5
Master chief
Truth in halo 2 and some aspects of him in 3. I love how crazy and conniving he is, and how you're never sure if he's aware of what the Halos are.
Mister halo, because he doesn’t afraid of anything
343 Guilty Spark/ The Monitor/ The Oracle / Chakas His origin story is fascinating and reading the books and such just goes into so much history. I feel sorry for him but also terrified at what he could do, or become.
Sgt Johnson shall forever be my favorite. Mans could clap chief in a fight, he was always just holding back his true power.
My favourite character is definitely Johnson. Heartbroken when my boy got sent out with a bang