The following article contains major spoilers for Halo Episode 8 "Allegiance."
The latest episode of Paramount's live-action Halo series was met with widespread confusion from fans as Master Chief loses his virginity.
The penultimate episode of the series' first season sees protagonist John-117 bonding with Makee, a Covenant spy that was previously captured by the UNSC. After Master Chief relays the news that his superiors will allow Makee to interface with the mysterious Forerunner artifact, she thanks him with a kiss which leads to the two sleeping together. While the scene is framed as a tender moment between the pair, fans are outraged by the interaction. Many took to social media to express their frustration, noting that Master Chief having sex doesn't fit within Halo's lore and that having his AI companion Cortana watch the process was a bizarre creative choice.
Fans of the iconic Halo video games have widely agreed that the scene felt out of place, believing it to be a misreading of Master Chief's canonical character. Others expressed confusion with how the moment seemingly impacts the rest of the series' story as many believe that the incident will indirectly trigger the fall of Reach, a major event in Halo lore.
While enthusiasts may be frustrated with Halo's creative choices, Paramount's live-action adaptation was always framed as telling its own story set within the greater Halo universe. "We're referring to this as the 'Halo Silver Timeline' as a way of differentiating it from core canon -- and both protecting core canon and protecting the television story," explained executive producer Kiki Wolfkill. "And by that I mean, being able to give ourselves the chance to evolve both, and for both to be what they need to be for their mediums, without colliding with each other."
The reaction to Master Chief sleeping with Makee echoes another controversial moment from Halo's first episode, wherein the Spartan warrior removes his helmet. Many fans were outraged by the reveal of John-117's face which had remained obscured for over two decades in the video games. "[T]he decision to remove Chief's helmet was not a decision made lightly, nor was it a foregone conclusion when we set out to make the show," Wolfkill explained. "That said, it was always a goal of the show to deliver a differentiated experience from the games, not a carbon copy."
Halo is now streaming on Paramount+ with new episodes dropping every Thursday.
Source: Twitter