Halo Ep 5 “Reckoning” Review

This episode starts in the past like so many at this point. Likely, this showed the first meeting of John and Dr. Halsey. Just seeing John both challenge another kid to keep their balance, stop him from falling and manage to pull the bigger kid up on his own. This is likely what got Capt Keyes and and Dr Halsey interested in him. There was always something more going on with John. This whole opening gives us the insight to see that. He's competitive, but will be a good sport about it.

 

The storylines converge as well here. Kai, Miranda, Captain Keyes, Halsey and Master Chief are now all on Eridanus-II. The only ones missing are Makee and Kwan. Kwan has no interest while Makee has all the interest in the galaxy to find the artifacts. Makee has to have a way to infiltrate the UNSC. It does seem like she has a style to get that access. John has been getting more and more curious about his life on Eridanus and what happened there. A few things are definitely ready to come to a head in this episode. This cold open just proves that.

 

The problem here is Halsey is too caught up to notice her daughter or listen to her suggestions, as usual. While her parents are at odds, they do want to protect their daughter, at least a bit. Halsey does get called out for having her own agenda. She could full well have one or its just she wants to win the war with her Spartans and the technology around them. She is fairly enigmatic for all the time we've spent with her. Even then, it's usually in the context of someone else being in the lead of the scene. She is after something, that is obvious, just what weapon or tool is the question.

 

Miranda does managed to connect a few more things about her parents. She knows her mother has leverage over her father now. It could be the origins of the Spartans, or just just some major breach of something he did. And it is plainly something big. Miranda does still want to prove herself to her mother. Getting the help from the Spartans did give her linguistics a huge boost. She can understand more of the covenant's language. Finally, we do get to see Halsey actually show she's human (to a degree), rushing out to save her daughter. It's always good to see Miranda. She is one of the characters I just like to see what's happening with her. She has a lot to prove and does want to get the recognition that she feels she deserves (and rightly does). Her very influential mother is hard to be independent of.

 

Kwan and Soren are now completely at odds. Soren invokes the debt Kwan accrued and makes it clear she's going to work for him to repay him. Soren leaves to get a new ride, and handcuffs Kwan to their now broken motorcycle. Kwan very much acts the child but also manages to break the handcuffs and ambush Soren. These two definitely need to work on communication. Ultimately a subplot for this episode. We'll get back to them soon enough, likely next episode.

 

Kai continues to show her new-found independence in little ways, but it is much more obvious. Just about as obvious as the other Spartans at least register she is acting different. Then John calls her on it and immediately tells her to get on Halsey's ship and stay there. She is not supposed to get into the fight. Kai remains confident about her combat abilities without the pellet. She's got almost no experience without it, so almost everyone else can see what she can't. It's a trial by fire and not an easy one to say the least.

 

Cortana does exactly what she did in the game, help with giving some color commentary. Additionally there is the obvious question of how both John and Kai will now respond to a combat situation without their pellet. John might not be “The Demon” the same way the Covenant.

 

John has something more now: remembering the truth of his past. He confides in his captain about his memories. This was just prelude to something bigger. As the episode goes on, John has a chance to touch the larger keystone artifact. Halsey and Cortana try to stop him, but both fail to convince him. This unlocks a bombshell of a revelation with him and Halsey. And also likely where the episode gets its title. John knows the truth of what happened to him and what got him into the Spartan program. This is just what Adun and Halsey were worried about.

 

Captain Keyes does share this Halsey, making it clear that those memories are resurfacing. They are not controlled. During a call with Parangosky, she makes it clear she sees this as very dangerous for their war effort and threatens to cut off Halsey.

 

There was also when the UNSC broken the Crystal around the Artifact, it affected almost everyone outside. John was unaffected and seemed just drawn to the larger Artifact. Miranda noticed the spike but, being inside a ship, seemed to be spared the painful screech that incapacitated everyone at the camp. That likely was a defense on the device, left by the Forerunners. Was wondering if it was going to get anyone

 

Makee is back with the Covenant. They are searching for the larger keystone. And when the UNSC breaks the surrounding crystal, Makee feels the release and touches where it was. She understands what she's doing better and knows where to go for the second artifact. She was clear throughout that the reading from the first artifact site would lead them to the second. She also seems to have a second plan to get at the smaller artifact that the UNSC has. She had another plan, and being taken in by the UNSC is plainly it. She has her forces shoot at her after she “escapes” from the ship. She is ready to infiltrate the UNSC with John-117 right there, the other “Blessed One.” And she's still only been called “Blessed One.” Unless I'm missing something, she still hasn't been addressed by her name. I'm willing to bet on next episode though. She needs to get in decently with the UNSC

 

War, war never changes. It is an ugly, infinitely hungry beast. Halo and Destiny both show this very well in their own way. While the games make you feel fairly powerful, the reality of it is never far away (especially once you start pushing into Legendary difficulty). Kai and John respond differently to the combat situation. Kai gets thrown off, without the pellet she is stunned by the death all around her. This almost gets her killed because she couldn't get away from it. Only John rushing in saves her. Unfortunately, this seemed to come at the cost of the larger Keystone artifact. He does fend off the Covenant that were attacking her at least. John does show, even with his memories coming back and with his emotions, he is still deadly in combat. In ways, he is more deadly, being absolutely brutal to protect Kai. Kai showed she's good until things really turn against her and her surroundings. She froze in the worst possible way and time. Without the support of the pellet, she became a massive liability.

 

It was something seeing everyone come together in an episode. Makee is alongside John-117, so the Blessed Ones are together. Miranda, Dr. Halsey, and Captain Keyes are together and just want to keep each other safe. The Spartans took some hits during the fight and lost the large Keystone. Kwan got the upper-hand on Soren and wants to keep it. How Makee makes a play for the other Keystone is going to be a thing to see. There is also the question of how Kai will fare in her recovery. She got beaten down bad on Eridanus. Plus there is the matter of her removed pellet. The other Spartans have to have a sense of that having happened. Now it is just a question of how all this will play out.


Comments (0)

New comments are currently disabled.


Subscribe to me on YouTubeFollow us on Twitter!
Join our Steam group!