[Cortana] Previously onHalo.
[John] The Covenant flew off with the artifact,
and then you drop from the sky,
offering to help us get it back.
Tell me why I should trust you.
Because I'm like you.
[Halsey] John, you have some connection
to this thing that we're calling the Halo.
I know that you will take us there, and when you do,
we will lead our species beyond its current limitations.
But you need me to do this.
[Parangosky] You admitted everything
to the Master Chief.
Your clearances are revoked, effectively immediately.
The stewardship of the Spartan program
moves to a more responsible person.
[Miranda] We got a transmission.
It was a voice speaking in Sangheili.
We're working to clean it up.
Maybe you could verify my translation?
It was never my intention to hurt you.
I could show you, John.
Take me to the keystone. It will lead us to its partner.
If she could use the artifact to find the other one,
maybe I can too.
[Makee] The Covenant call me "The Blessed One."
We are the same.
♪♪♪
[door slides open]
♪♪♪
[busy chatter]
Don't be afraid.
♪ opening theme music plays
[Halsey] From the moment I first saw him as a child,
I had an instinct.
He wasn't the fastest or the strongest,
but there was something about him.
[Adun] And now there may be two of them.
Look, his health seems to be improving.
That's right.
All his systems are back to normal.
Look at you, so cheerful.
Chief's health is important to me.
There's two of us inside his head now, remember?
Cortana...
do you think he trusts her?
He's not speaking with me at the moment,
but if I had to guess,
Master Chief doesn't trust anyone right now.
[Halsey] I'll bet.
Doctor, we can't do anything without John,
and he has turned his back on us.
I think he's discovering what I've always suspected:
that he is connected to something beyond all of us.
[children shouting happily]
[indistinct chatter]
"And they ran among the broad Margolia trees,
and the sun danced on the leaves."
What's that?
It's from a book a friend used to read to me
when I was very young.
He said there were places like this,
with trees and bright light in the sky.
Green grass to walk on.
[no audible dialogue]
♪♪♪
[children laugh]
Let's walk.
[Parangosky] Look at him!
Frolicking in the park!
The 1-1-7 I knew would have torn her apart
one limb at a time
until he got the answers he required.
He has changed, Jacob.
Yeah.
You don't think he suspects us?
He knows Halsey answered to me.
If he finds out we were involved in his abduction--
If he did, we'd know about it.
Believe me, that's all behind us now.
This is dirty business, all of it.
We have to trust him, Margaret.
Master Chief is a soldier.
He's always on mission.
[sighs]
I saw you...
on the ring.
I saw you too. How did you do that?
I don't know. I just, I...
I let go.
-That's incredible. -So, that's it.
That's the-- that's the Halo.
I'm sure of it.
I felt a connection to it my entire life.
It's like a yearning for home.
You brought us there.
What is it, Makee?
And why do the Covenant want it so bad?
There's a prophecy.
"Where the stars sparkle like glass,
"a divine wind will rush through,
"propelling all of those who are worthy
on a great journey to the sacred ring,
where we will become like gods."
And those who aren't worthy?
Cleansed.
And you believe that?
Humans are unworthy?
From what I saw, humans didn't seem
to be worthy of anything.
I've only seen fragments from my childhood.
But what I saw, what I felt...
was goodness.
I saw a capacity for hope.
Love.
There is something within us.
Something special in humans. Something sacred.
Something worth protecting.
[marine] Master Chief!
Chief!
I'll be back.
[marine] Apologies, Master Chief,
but we have a situation on Criterion.
[barking]
[girl] Sorry, he just likes people.
[dog growling]
[girl] Come on. That's it.
[dog barks]
♪ ominous music plays
[Borovoi] Orbital defenses were wiped out immediately.
Then three more Covenant fleets
appeared in formation above the equatorial zone.
Telmun fell first.
This is-- or was--
the city of Agade.
An hour ago, 11 million people were living here,
including my family.
God rest their souls.
The search for survivors has begun.
Cut the feed.
...even know where to start.
Cut it!
...medical technicians are overwhelmed...
Yes, sir.
Contact Admiral Whitcomb.
Task Seventh Fleet to Criterion.
Admiral, you know I cannot do that.
There are survivors!
Criterion's gone.
The Cole Protocol applies here.
We can't just sit here
and wait for them to find us.
[John] The Admiral's right.
We need to take the fight to them.
And how do you suggest we find them, Master Chief?
I mean, I got 150 techs working around the clock,
chasing down your lead,
and we've found absolutely nothing.
Makee can show us where they are,
and where they took the second artifact, using ours.
Absolutely not.
Why her? Why can't you do it?
She's been trained to communicate through them
in a way that I still can't, but she can help us.
One stroll in the park has you convinced?
She was kidnapped by the Covenant
when she was a child.
She was turned against us,
but she is us, Captain.
She's human.
Chief, people don't just manually override
decades of indoctrination.
I did.
Criterion and its people have just been glassed,
and now they're hunting us.
Let Makee try.
Miranda can supervise.
First sign of trouble, and she'll pull the plug.
Get on with it.
♪ resolute music rises
[indistinct chatter nearby]
Still going?
Eleven hours now.
This thing can fly itself,
but I can't find any navigational data.
The encryption is extremely advanced.
Those aliens are ugly, not stupid.
What's Kai's status?
Getting there...
I think.
What does that mean?
Is she fit for duty or not?
-[Kai yelling] -[all cheering]
[man] Come on!
Get some!
[exuberant roar]
[all cheering and shouting]
[grunts loudly]
[all cheer]
Pay up!
Give me the money!
[man] Damn, Spartan!
Squidheads don't want no part of that!
What's next?
You guys got anything heavy?
[laughter]
[all cheering]
Fuck yes! Come on!
Go!
[man] Unreal!
Ohh! Can you believe this?
[garbled voices in recording]
[garbled voices continue]
[computerized voice] Captain Keyes. Access granted.
[garbled voices continue]
[Miranda] Hey.
Everything going to schedule?
[Miranda] Yeah, we've tasked satellites
to track transmissions to and from the artifact
the second Makee makes contact.
Should be ready by noon tomorrow.
Good.
And what's this?
It's the recording from the Gladius
after the Sangheili attack.
It's still translating?
[scoffs] Yeah, it's--
it's the most bizarre thing.
Even with voice approximation,
I'm picking up some weird variant on the dialect.
Like an accent?
Accent, maybe.
Speech impediment.
I don't know. I've never seen it before.
Can you show me?
Okay, so I've--
I've set the noise filters
to standard Sangheili.
[garbled voices in recording]
But these frequencies are all over the place.
And then suddenly here it just--
It drops down into a completely different range.
But then when I change the algorithm down,
I lose all of the high end.
[sighs] It's bizarre.
[Keyes chuckles]
[laughs]
If anyone can figure it out,
it's you.
See you at the test.
[garbled voices resume]
[reciting silently]
♪♪♪
You two are relieved.
Our orders are to stay with the squidhead.
You're relieved, Sergeant.
Roger that.
They're gonna let you use our artifact
to try to locate the Covenant planet.
Raas Kkhotskha?
Hmm.
So, they trust me?
They trust me.
And I trust you.
What's that?
I found it in the Archives.
I know it's not the same one.
You're welcome to it.
Or not.
We have others.
Thank you.
♪♪♪
[gasps softly]
[pained gasps]
[pained hiss]
[pained gasps]
[whimpers]
[exhales]
[breathing heavily]
[ragged breath]
[controlled breath]
[Halsey] John has a girlfriend.
How ordinary.
[Cortana] Their connection is deep.
Their dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin levels
are all elevated,
all in biochemical synchrony.
John is no longer alone in the galaxy.
[Halsey] Well, John was never alone.
He had me.
Of course.
What time's the test today, Cortana?
They're bringing Makee to the artifact at 1200 hours.
Okay.
That's all for the moment. Thank you.
So, is there a problem?
Why do you ask?
I've been watching contingency teams
coming and going from Fleetcom all night.
Rooftop antennae shifting positions.
It's nothing you need to concern yourself over.
What, you've-- you've just come for a chat?
[Keyes chuckles]
Actually, I came to say goodbye.
Parangosky wants you off the planet by noon today.
High noon.
Yeah, well, that's impossible.
Why?
Because I'm organizing and collating my life's work.
I suggest you prioritize.
Grab what you need,
and we'll send the rest along after.
But why is she so desperate to get me off the planet?
Well, Margaret knows what a valuable asset
you've been to the war effort,
and the sooner you're up and running in your new lab--
Come on, you can do better than that.
I am still a valuable asset right here.
You tell me what you're planning,
and I can help you with it.
You've become a liability, Catherine.
-Jacob. -You're out.
We had an agreement.
You got to play the good guy.
I didn't play anything.
Well, you were supposed to have my back.
You were supposed to have my back. We had a deal.
You think it's been easy for me, carrying around your secrets?
My sec-- our secrets!
It is a little bit late for your self-righteous anger.
No, I am angry.
I'm angry at you. I'm angry at myself.
I'm angry at this system
that so easily sacrifices human life
in the name of progress, or order,
or whatever bullshit catchphrase you come up with in the lab.
But more importantly,
I'm angry because you, you just won't stop.
How can I stop?
-We are on the precipice... -Oh, my God.
-...of everything that-- -The future, right.
This obsession that you have with the future
has cost you every relationship that you have today.
Me. John.
Your only child.
What else are you willing to sacrifice?
Everything.
I am willing to sacrifice absolutely everything.
♪♪♪
I pulled some strings...
so that you could keep your ship.
It's fueled. It's on the tarmac.
You leave by noon.
[whirring]
[Halsey] Is it finished?
[Adun] Only just.
Iris, retinal, and vascular matching complete.
You now have Category One clearance.
Courtesy...
of your daughter.
♪♪♪
[scanner beeping]
[computer voice] Miranda Keyes. Access granted.
[Halsey, over projector] Hello, Makee.
Who are you?
Apologies for hijacking your entertainment system,
but it's urgent that I talk to you.
-Guard? -It's about John.
How do you know John?
You could say I know him better than anyone.
I raised him since he was 6 years old.
He's very fond of you,
and I hear that you feel the same way about him.
Makes me very happy.
What is it you want?
John is in great danger. In fact, you both are.
[Makee] What do you mean?
The artifacts must never be delivered to the UNSC.
John believes they're safer under human control.
Well, you lived among us. Would you agree?
You don't care for humanity.
I love humanity,
but humans are the problem.
We're stuck.
We're still venal, selfish creatures
who create misery and pain wherever we go.
If the Halo is indeed a weapon,
we will doubtless use it to destroy ourselves
once and for all.
John won't let that happen.
Makee, there is no John.
There's been no John for years.
There is only Master Chief,
a product of the species who made him necessary.
John has been used, just as you have been used.
But both of your gifts are too precious
for either side to claim.
You two must be the ones to control the Halo,
with my help.
Why are you telling me this?
Why not tell John?
You have a connection with John that I will never have.
It's been wonderful to watch.
I'm so glad that you've found each other.
He will listen to you...
but you must--
What do you want?
Who were you talking to?
I know that they're planning to use you
to find the second artifact.
You have to convince John
to help you to remove the artifact
and bring it to me.
I'll have a ship waiting to take us away from here.
And then what?
Then we tap into the intelligence of the Halo,
and we unleash our full and true potential
as a species.
Finally, we become--
Like gods.
What?
I've heard enough.
Makee, it is too dangerous to leave the artifact--
-How do I make it stop? -Makee, listen, listen.
-How do I make you go away? -It is too dangerous...
...to leave the arti...
[projection shuts off]
[Halsey sighs]
Of the human brain's myriad design flaws,
the hardest to overcome is attachment.
It makes us sentimental.
People abandon all reason for the sake of pride or fear or...
Or love.
Yes. Or love.
That's why they need us, Cortana.
To save them from themselves.
I hope we can deliver.
[Halsey] Signal the Spartans.
♪♪♪
-[high-pitched tone] -[alarm chirping]
[Halsey, over comms] Spartans,
the artifact you discovered on Madrigal
has adversely affected senior leadership
in the military chain of command.
No one of rank can be considered
trustworthy or reliable.
As the senior civilian representative,
I am therefore invoking Zed Protocol,
effective immediately.
I have activated the emergency Spartan back channel.
This is the only way you'll receive new orders
for your next mission.
From this moment onwards,
my orders shall supersede all and any others.
You've all been trained for this eventuality,
so I trust that you're ready for the task at hand.
-[Vannak] Copy. -[Riz] Copy.
[Kai] What about Master Chief?
Why isn't he here?
John is unwell.
His repeated exposure to the artifacts
has impaired his cognition and compromised his judgment.
He can no longer be trusted to stay on mission.
Therefore, it is up to you to save him.
On my command,
bring John, the prisoner,
and the artifact to my ship,
and we will leave Reach together.
John won't go without a fight.
Cortana will take the fight out of him.
At the appropriate moment, she can put him into stasis.
[beeping]
[Kai] Ma'am, are you sure
this is the right plan of action?
There must be another way to help Master Chief.
I wish there were, Kai.
[beeping]
But this is the only way.
Good luck, Spartans.
Guys, we can't do this.
You know we can't do this.
[buttons beeping]
Riz, Vannak...
listen carefully.
This is John we're talking about.
There's no way he was compromised.
There's so much you don't know about Halsey.
-We need to find-- -[grunts]
[computer beeps]
It's just Riz and Vannak now.
That should be enough.
Could you give me access to all cameras in Sector D?
Yes.
[Cortana] Doctor, may I ask,
what do you intend to do with Master Chief?
Once we have Makee,
we'll no longer need John to activate the artifacts,
which means you'll be free to assume full control
of his body and consciousness, just as I promised.
I see.
Well, that's what you wanted.
Where's that patented enthusiasm?
Forgive me, Doctor.
As you said, sentimentality is a weakness I do not possess.
Ah, but in this case, enthusiasm is warranted.
This is a big day, Cortana.
You and John combined...
[Halsey exhales]
you will be the best of all of us.
Congratulations.
Ready?
Let's go.
[garbled voices in recording]
Master Chief is escorting Makee to the secure room.
Be right there.
[garbled voices continue]
Admiral Parangosky and Captain Keyes are also en route.
Okay, they're on their way.
[Vannak] Copy that.
Kill the internal comms on the base,
but keep my line to the Spartans open.
Done.
What is it?
The hope for humanity.
Or the end of everything.
John.
Hmm?
What will we do when we find the Halo?
Destroy the Covenant.
End the war.
And then what?
What do you mean?
[Makee] I mean...
after you've beaten the Covenant.
What happens with the Halo?
I guess we'll see.
Riz, Vannak, they're on your level, now headed towards you.
Copy.
Doctor, it's time--
Just stop talking, please.
[garbled voices in recording]
[voice becomes clearer]
[Makee speaking Sangheili in recording]
Oh, my God, it's her.
This is Dr. Keyes, I need to speak to Captain Keyes.
Do you have comms?
No.
I want that voice crystal clear, okay?
Yes, Doctor.
♪♪♪
Cortana, on my signal, drop him.
Thirty meters.
Get ready.
-John. -[Cortana] Chief?
-Not now. -What?
[Cortana] I know you don't want to talk to me,
-but it's important-- -Go away.
-Who are you talking to? -Chief, listen to me--
No one.
[Halsey] Twenty meters.
[Cortana] Stop!
Why'd they stop? What's the problem?
[Cortana] Halsey initiated the Zed Protocol.
-John... -You're walking into a trap.
...what's happening?
Turn around and get out, now.
-Adun! -I-I've lost everything.
[computers beeping]
Cortana!
-I've lost Halsey. -We've been compromised.
I knew she would do something like this!
I said she would end up doing something like this!
[laughs]
"No sentiment."
You need to leave. Look for a Marine.
Stay with them. I'll find you.
-No, I want to stay with you. -I need you to leave! Go!
Dr. Keyes, what's your twenty?
Miranda?
[breathing heavily]
[soft groans]
Come on!
All right.
Let's talk.
[Vannak roars]
Vannak, don't do this!
[grunting and groaning]
[Vannak roars]
[cocks weapon]
Whatever she told you, it's not true.
♪♪♪
[Riz roars]
[John groans]
[Vannak] You're not well, Chief.
Don't make this harder on yourself.
We're on the same side--
[Vannak roars]
♪♪♪
-Hand me your radio. -Sir.
♪♪♪
-Comms are down? -Sergeant Malya...
find Master Chief and the girl and bring them here.
Yes, ma'am.
[grunts]
-Hey! -Help! Please!
-Please, I need your help! -What are you doing?
Marine! Halsey's ship is on the tarmac.
-Do not let it leave the ground! -Yes, ma'am!
Shoot it down if you have to!
[Makee yelping]
Where's Master Chief?
Two other Spartans attacked him.
-She's lying. -I'm not!
-Shut your mouth. -That's enough.
-[Makee] Let go of me! -Go find Master Chief.
You stay here.
-Please! -Not another word.
[speaking Sangheili]
[Cortana] The left leg servo is out of spec.
Take out his knee.
Riz, six o'clock.
[grunting]
[Vannak] Get up!
You're coming with us!
[Cortana] Accessing Warthog.
-[engine revs] -Slide right.
[Vannak grunts]
[engine revving]
Chief, the cable.
[grunting]
♪♪♪
[John groans]
Containment pattern Delta 5-1-6-4!
Do not let that ship take off!
We're out of time. We have to go.
Your Spartans aren't coming. Let's go!
Not yet.
♪♪♪
[grunts]
[Cortana] Two more shots to disable Vannak's shields.
Doesn't have to end this way, Chief.
[Kai] Chief!
[Kai grunts, Vannak grunts]
♪♪♪
[Vannak] Take the shot, Riz.
Exactly how did you manage to get away from two Spartans?
John spoke with someone in his head.
Cortana.
He sent me away, but they found him.
Halsey. It has to be Dr. Halsey.
Halsey?
-Where's Dr. Halsey now? -I don't know!
John sent me to find you. He needs your help--
Keep her away! It was her voice on the recording from Gladius.
I heard you! You slaughtered that entire crew.
I had no choice.
-So, it's true. -Malya!
I'm sorry.
No, no! Please! Talk to John.
He knows who I really am.
When John finds out, he'll kill you himself.
No, no, please!
Please!
[screams]
[sizzling]
Don't!
Humans are the problem.
[Vannak] I said take the shot!
Riz...
it's me.
[Makee gasping]
You'll pay for this.
[speaking Sangheili]
No!
[all scream]
[breathing heavily]
♪♪♪
Goodbye, John.
No.
♪♪♪
[low rumbling]
♪ end theme music plays