Halo’s Story Potential is Still Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Since 2001, Halo has remained one of the biggest first-person shooter franchises in gaming. Microsoft’s flagship series helped bring the Xbox to prominence, and it continues to bring compelling new entries to gamers. Although the popularity of Halo may have dwindled since its prime, there is still more on the horizon.

After the events of Halo Infinite, there are a lot of questions hanging in the air that another game is hopefully preparing to answer. From the dangers of the Endless to where Master Chief goes from here, the next chapter in the series is wide open with possibilities. There is also the chance that Halo will step away from Master Chief for a bit. Although Halo Infinite wouldn’t exactly be the most satisfying ending for the iconic protagonist, it at least leaves him in a somewhat positive state. There is currently no concrete information about what the next Halo will choose as its plot, but sticking with Master Chief and introducing a new protagonist both have promise.

Halo Branching Out to Explore Other Protagonists Could Be a Breath of Fresh Air

Making Way For a New Story

Master Chief is usually the main focus of Halo‘s many stories, but this hasn’t always been the case. Two of the most beloved entries, Halo 3: ODST and Halo Reach, are games that don’t focus on the decorated Spartan. ODST‘s Rookie and Reach‘s Noble Six both presented fresh looks at the war with the Covenant. The next game offering a new perspective could give the franchise a chance to dive deeper into certain aspects of Halo‘s lore that may be better suited for a character that isn’t as stoic as Master Chief.

Protagonists who are strong, silent types make for fantastic leads. From Kratos to Joel from The Last of Us, it’s a great character trope for storytelling, and Master Chief is the poster model for this archetype. However, the next Halo game may benefit from a small change in this formula, at least for now.

A story following a non-Spartan soldier who is fresh-faced and not as emotionally hardened by battle could be fascinating to see unfold. As the game progresses, their experience could begin to form them into a more silent and battle-ridden personality, mirroring Master Chief. Ultimately, this may work better for a potential spin-off game. At the end of the day, bringing things back around to Master Chief may be for the best.

Halo Needs to Wrap Up Master Chief’s Story in a More Satisfying Way

Worthy of a Hero’s Send-Off

The post-credits scene of Halo Infinite was nothing but a massive cliffhanger, promising that more turmoil was on the way. If interpretations of the scene are correct, then Atriox is about to unleash the rest of the Endless, meaning a threat even more powerful than the Flood is imminent. Keeping Master Chief out of such a massive story could potentially feel as though the franchise was snubbing the character.

If the Endless are truly more powerful than the Flood, then it feels quite possible that Halo may be setting up a grand finale pitting humanity against its ultimate threat. This hasn’t been confirmed, but if this is the case, then Master Chief needs to be present for such a major event. Putting this powerful enemy in the hands of a new protagonist could be a disservice. Even if Master Chief dies trying to defeat the Endless, the character is worthy of a send-off that is on par with his status in the franchise.

Not only that, but there are plenty of questions about how The Weapon will play into all of this. As the new version of Cortana, this new companion and Master Chief have some relationship-building to do that requires at least one more story focused on the Spartan, even if it is his final chapter.