Halo 5: Guardians is set to release later this year, but despite its imminent release, there is still very little we know about the story this game will tell. We've seen a few trailers that have given us small hints, but other than that, its been one big, intriguing mystery. That's about to change though. The marketing train is now picking up steam with a "Hunt the Truth" campaign that will see a fictional journalist named Benjamin Giraud begin to unravel just who the Master Chief really is. We'll now begin to get a few more clues to Halo 5's story in the lead-up to E3, where there will likely be a big unveiling. So for now, I've decided to share my own theory on what Halo 5 will be about. Being a big Halo fan, I feel I have enough knowledge to make an educated guess that will most likely be completely off base. But there's no harm in trying, right?
[WARNING: Spoilers for the Halo series follow, specifically Halo 4]
First, let's start with what we know. The Master Chief is on the run. From the first trailer shown at E3 2013, we see the Chief wearing some tattered robes to cover his trademark armor. He also seems to be holding onto Cortana's chip. Perhaps he's looking for a way to bring her back? The trailer ends with a Forerunner-looking AI coming from the ground and confronting the Chief, but more on that later.
Our next bit of information comes from the debut trailer of The Master Chief Collection at E3 2014. Here, we get our first glimpse of Jameson Locke, a Spartan IV and ONI agent who will play a major role in Halo 5. We learn that Locke is searching for the Chief, and that our old friend the Arbiter is assisting in the hunt, or at the very least advising. This is further evidenced in the terminals found in Halo 2 Anniversary, where Locke is asking the Arbiter questions concerning the Chief. After a brief discussion, where the Arbiter refers to Locke as a "Spartan Hunter," the two prepare to embark on some kind of mission before the scene ends. No doubt this will be an actual mission we play through during Halo 5's campaign.
Then we have the most recent teaser trailer. A bullet engraved with the word "TRAITOR" is shot from a sniper rifle and shatters the Master Chief's helmet. We've also come to learn that the words SON, ABDUCTEE, VICTIM, ORPHAN, RECRUIT, SOLDIER, WARRIOR, ALLY, HERO and SAVIOUR are also etched into the bullet. These are words that, aside from "traitor," can be used to describe the life of John-117.
Finally, there's the "Hunt the Truth" marketing campaign. The fictional journalist, Benjamin Giraud, is doing a piece on the Master Chief, but in his first log, he reveals his belief that he is onto something big regarding the Chief. He also mentions the word "traitor." He promises to reveal more as the weeks go on.
So what gives? Why is the Master Chief, the man who has saved mankind several times, being branded a traitor? The Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), whom Agent Locke works for, has always been presented as a shady organization in the Halo novels. So are we supposed to believe them when they label the Chief a traitor? There's clearly more to the story, and so here begins my theories.
At the end of Halo 4's Spartan Ops story, Catherine Halsey, creator of the Spartan II program, has joined the Covenant after the UNSC has ordered her assassination. Her ultimate goal is to find out more about the Forerunners, so joining the Covenant is more of a means to an end for her. But she is also seeking revenge against the UNSC after the attempt on her life resulted in her having her left arm amputated. So the real traitor in all this can be considered to be Halsey. How does the Chief fit into all of this? Well, it's possible that he's protecting her, possibly because he believes she can bring Cortana back. After all, that's what the ultimate goal in Halo 4 was: save Cortana. The Chief also has a mother figure in Halsey, which would also drive him to protect her from the UNSC. So the Chief, by association, is also a traitor, and Locke is tasked with finding him to learn of Halsey's whereabouts.
Another hint lies in the prologue to Halo 4. In it, Halsey is being interrogated by a mysterious ONI agent about her Spartan II program and the Master Chief. From the line of questioning, Halsey deduces that ONI is looking to "replace" him. But why? Well, let's consider the fact that the Spartan II program represents a pretty dark chapter in ONI's history. They abducted children against their will, replaced them with clones, and put them through a rigorous training regimen that many didn't survive. Something like that getting leaked to the public wouldn't exactly make ONI look good. They already have a bad reputation, so clearly they can't let something like this get out there. Labeling the Chief a traitor by pinning some kind of crime on him to get the public opinion against him would present ONI a good opportunity to bury this part of their past. This one isn't likely, but it is something to consider.
In addition to all the traitor talk, there seems to be a new threat to the universe. In the MCC trailer, the Arbiter tells Locke that the Chief must be found because "all of our lives are at stake." In Benjamin Giraud's first log, he briefly mentions deep space anomalies. The Halo novels detail a Forerunner AI named Mendicant Bias, the most advanced AI of its time before it betrayed its creators. During its trial, the Forerunners decided to entomb Mendicant in a desert on the Ark.
Sound familiar?
The reason the Forerunners kept Mendicant Bias alive was because of its knowledge of The Flood. If The Flood were ever to return, they would seek Mendicant's help in fighting them and, in turn, Mendicant can atone for his betrayal. So is it possible that these "deep space anomalies" is the return of The Flood? If that Forerunner in the trailer is indeed Mendicant Bias, which many believe to be the case, then it's possible the Master Chief is seeking its help. How this would fit in with ONI hunting him down remains to be seen. I'm still trying to connect the dots.
So what do you guys think? Am I crazy or am I actually onto something here?