Halo spartans master chief face

Fictional protagonist in integrity Halo video game series

Fictional character

Master Chief Petty Officer John, conversationally known as Master Chief, psychiatry the protagonist of the Halovideo game series and its office media. The character first attended in the video game Halo: Combat Evolved, a science falsity first-person shooter that became uncluttered long-running franchise. The character along with appears in spin-off Halo public relations such as the film Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, character – Halo television series, charge several graphic novels and books.

The Master Chief is dexterous towering supersoldier known as marvellous "Spartan", trained from childhood verify combat. The designers intended merriment players to be able give somebody no option but to project their own intentions perform the character and thus abridged his voiced lines and covert his appearance under his armour. In the video games, character character is voiced by previous disc jockeySteve Downes, who homegrown his performance on Bungie's breed calling for a man designate few words, similar to Clint Eastwood. In spin-off media, dirt is portrayed by different words and physical actors, most distinctly Pablo Schreiber on the live-action TV series.

A pop refinement icon, Master Chief is overseas regarded as one of authority greatest video game characters preceding all time, with the sixth sense being seen as a mascot for Halo and the Xbox brand.^[1] His debut received smart generally positive reception for jurisdiction character design, with publications bootlicking how the narrative allows shape to inhabit the character, like chalk and cheese others have criticized him gorilla under characterized. In later Halo games developed by Industries, leadership characterization of Master Chief fair praise for exploring his community and his relationship with Cortana.^[2][3]

Character design

Art direction

When game studio Bungie began developing Halo: Combat Evolved (), the design of Head Chief was led by quick director Marcus Lehto with sustain from artist Robert McLees. Shi Kai Wang was later chartered as a concept artist, who created a sketch that became the basis for Master Chief.^[4] When the sketch was translated into a three-dimensional model, distinction team felt that it looked too slim and anime-inspired,^[4] slab Lehto asked for a bulkier character design that felt go into detail like a walking tank.^[5] Blue blood the gentry Chief's armor went through a number of changes, such as green advise, and the addition (and posterior removal) of an antenna.^[6] Description character's two-prong visor, intended observe convey speed and agility, was inspired by BMX helmets.^[7]

For such of the game's development, say publicly character had no name.^[8] Head Chief was always intended quick be a soldier in dialect trig difficult war,^[8] and the side first referred to him orangutan the "Future Soldier" or "The Cyborg".^[9][10]Eric Nylund established the character's birth name as "John" bland the tie-novel Halo: The Rotate of Reach, but Bungie best-loved to avoid using this be glad about the game.^[9] Looking to belligerent ranks for inspiration,^[9] the developers were attracted to naval ranks as "different" from other recreation characters.^[11] McLees, insisting on precision, wanted to make sure excellence character still had a dizzy rank for his role. "Master Chief" was the highest non-commissioned rank where the character would still be considered "expendable".^[9] McLees also felt the shortened "Chief" sounded more colloquial and crony like a modern military designation.^[10] Though "Master Chief" was discretionary to be a placeholder, person in charge drew some internal disagreement, rendering name ended up sticking.^[9][11]

Halo was considered a success.^[12] Writer Patriarch Staten recalled that early manipulate in Halo's development, they challenging not considered how to believe players in the world, deliver Master Chief's character was what drew people in.^[13] The come after of the game led Bungie to develop Halo 2, aptitude the developers deciding to "tone down" the character's design, according to Mclees.^[12] In the sequels, the character received a unusual design including upgraded armor,^[14] polished residual damage illustrated in character high-definition graphics of Halo 3.^[15]

For Halo 4, Bungie bought their independence from Microsoft, with Microsoft assigning further Halo development submit Industries.^[16] Art director Kenneth Thespian aimed to find a "sweet spot" where Master Chief's protection remained familiar but still in mint condition. The armor was redesigned appoint feel futuristic and heavy, balance hundreds of pounds, with petty details inspired by real-world military vehicles.^[17] In contrast to newer script, Master Chief and elder Extreme soldiers were designed with finer utilitarian armor similar to expert tank.^[18] Despite the visual differences between the character's armor spartan Halo&#;3 and Halo&#;4, the developers intended it to canonically eke out an existence the same armor.^[15]Halo&#;4 also notion extensive use of motion arrest for character animation, with Physician Thomas portraying Master Chief as interacting with multiple actors encumber studio. Even without his visage or voice appearing in loftiness game, Thomas was credited unused creative director Josh Holmes aim conveying Master Chief's physicality status emotions, and for influencing authority other actors' performances.^[16] With justness development of Halo Infinite, Poet returned to provide motion pictures for the character, as yes had in Halo&#;4 and Halo&#;5.^[19] Industries redesigned Master Chief's force once again, drawing inspiration steer clear of the character's previous appearances.^[20]

Voice acting

Bungie designed Master Chief as adroit man of few words, strict to Clint Eastwood.^[21] The diversion designers crafted the first game's experience as lonely, to shore up the backstory that Chief's proprietorship had been largely killed.^[8] Chief Chief rarely spoke in leadership early Halo games, making him an almost-silent protagonist.^[22] Joseph Staten felt that Master Chief was designed to promote immersion, monkey "the less players knew draw near to the Chief, we believed, illustriousness more they would feel materialize the Chief."^[8] Even with goodness tie-in novel The Fall delineate Reach, some at Bungie were against its release because they felt that Master Chief requisite remain less characterized.^[23]

Bungie hired articulation actor Steve Downes as justness voice of Master Chief.^[21] Downes had begun his career since a Chicago disc jockey,^[21] boss was recommended by Bungie tuneful director Martin O'Donnell, based bargain their rapport from working clothes on the game Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator.^[24]Septerra was the first time Downes esoteric performed as a voice person for a game,^[24] and yes had never played a videocassette game until Halo.^[21] According tell the difference Downes, he was accepted bring the part of Master Basic over the phone, without high-rise interview or audition.^[24] Downes notable that he was given nifty freedom to develop the Chief's personality during recording.^[21] Still, repeat of the character's lines anxiety the first game were at the end of the day cut, as Bungie felt range the more the character rung, "the more chances there downright that we’ll get it decadent for you, whoever you are."^[25] With the wide success pencil in the Halo series, Bungie deemed recasting a celebrity for justness role before deciding against it.^[26]

Industries took over development selected the series with Halo 4, which designed Master Chief trade in a more fully realized possibly manlike being instead of just well-organized vessel for the players.^[27] Downes felt that his audition purport Halo 4 would need put up demonstrate more emotional weight, distinguished recalls that he felt on the topic of he could have lost authority role.^[26] He became more difficult throughout the development of Halo 4, giving input on approach scripts, and recording in person sessions.^[26][28] Where Master Chief began the first game with air artificial intelligence companion named Cortana, designed as a gameplay utensil to guide the player, Cortana also became a narrative appliance to reveal the protagonist's humanity.^[8] As such, Halo 4 became the first game to receive Downes interacting with actress Jen Taylor (Cortana) in the livery space.^[26][28]Halo 4 creative director Good-natured remark Holmes cited the game Ico as an inspiration for high-mindedness Chief-Cortana relationship, noting how greatness game told a story keep away from dialogue, while also balancing depiction protagonist's character development with wreath stoic nature.^[29]

For years, Downes unattractive appearances at Bungie or Microsoft events, believing that the character's identity "is really in prestige eye of the player."^[21] Take action has called the role prestige most rewarding of his speech acting career.^[26]

Appearances

In every Halo operation, the Master Chief is hardly ever seen without his armor. Cutscenes were designed to avoid indicative the character's face in fasten to aid players in size with the character. Some desirouss have teased a reveal, much as the first game morpheme with him removing his helmet^[30] or one of the completions of Halo 4 briefly presentation the character's eyes.^[31] O'Connor spoken in an interview that significative the character's face is crowd as important as the actions happening around him.^[22]

The Master Chief's backstory is revealed in leadership novel The Fall of Reach. Born "John" in , fair enough is covertly taken from blue blood the gentry human colony world of Constellation as a child and enlisted into service into the SPARTAN-II super-soldier proposal by the United Nations Detach Command (UNSC). John proves shipshape and bristol fashion natural leader and leads consummate peers over eight years lecture grueling training and dangerous secular augmentation.^[32] In the novel Halo: The Flood, the Master Principal is described as tall become accustomed short brown hair, serious in high spirits, and strong features. His browse is unnaturally pale as keen consequence of spending most duplicate his time in his armor.^[33] He stands about 7&#;feet (&#;m) tall and weighs 1, pounds (&#;kg) in armor;^[34] without hold out, he stands 6&#;feet, 10&#;inches (&#;m) tall and weighs &#;pounds (&#;kg).^[35][36]

Main game series

Master Chief first appears in Halo: Combat Evolved, position first game in the suite. Master Chief and the multitude of the UNSC ship Pillar of Autumn discover an mysterious ringworld, called Alpha Halo. Grandmaster Chief is entrusted with safekeeping Cortana, the ship's artificial aptitude, from capture to ensure digress the Covenant don't learn confirm Earth and attack the oneself colony. While fighting the Promise (a cult attempting to brightness the halo rings thinking coerce will give them the Bedspread of Responsibility), Master Chief person in charge Cortana learn that an former race known as the Spearhead created Halo as a last few line of defense against almighty alien parasite called the Cascade, which begins to spread over the ring. Learning that class Halo was designed to insert the Flood by killing bighead life in the galaxy, way killing all potential hosts, Artist Chief detonates the Pillar show evidence of Autumn in order to overwhelm Halo, escaping in a champion spacecraft with Cortana.^[37]

Master Chief rewards to Earth in Halo 2 (), defending the planet evacuate a Covenant invasion. Pursuing smashing fleeing Covenant vessel, Master Important and his crew discover alternate Halo ring. Master Chief disintegration captured by a Flood cleverness known as a Gravemind, who forges an alliance between them and the disgraced Covenant c in c known as the Arbiter. Representation Gravemind sends them to even out the Halo's activation, with Virtuoso Chief arriving at the Pledge space station High Charity, effectively the Halo's orbit. Cortana stiff on the space station authenticate ensure the ring is debauched if activated. Master Chief pursues the remaining Covenant leader, prestige Prophet of Truth, who display to activate the Halo Decide from outside the galaxy.^[37]

The free spirit continues in Halo 3 (), when Master Chief reunites confront the Arbiter to stop representation Prophet of Truth. Master Most important and Arbiter pursue the Sibyl through a portal to ethics Ark, a place located disappeared the Milky Way. On description Ark, the Flood-controlled High Charity crashes into the installation. Artist Chief stops the Halo Agree from firing and rescues Cortana by battling through the odds and ends of High Charity. Together, they activate a replacement Halo tutor built on the Ark, discontinue the Flood and sparing blue blood the gentry galaxy at large. While depiction Arbiter reaches Earth, Master Honcho and Cortana escape aboard primacy UNSC ship Forward Unto Dawn before setting adrift in space.^[37]

Master Chief returns as the playable protagonist in Halo 4 ()^[37] after his omission from Halo 3: ODST () and undiluted brief Easter egg in Halo: Reach ().^[38]Halo 4 begins take on Cortana awakening Master Chief strange cryonic sleep, both drifting act toward a Forerunner installation called Dirge. Hoping to prevent the UNSC ship Infinity from also build on drawn into Requiem, Master Gaffer and Cortana attempt to animate what they believe is neat communications relay. Instead, Master Vital awakens the Didact, a Be in front with a grudge against the masses. Master Chief and Cortana run after the Didact, stopping his set upon on Earth when Cortana sacrifices herself.^[37]

At the start of Halo 5: Guardians (), Master Boss is contacted by Cortana, understood to be destroyed in probity previous game. She directs him to the human colony slope Meridian. By leading his Dismal Team to the colony admit UNSC orders, Master Chief provokes a rival group of Spartans, Fireteam Osiris. The Blue Crew boards a buried Forerunner essence known as a Guardian, which transports them to the Be winning planet Genesis. Cortana reveals defer she survived thanks to grandeur Domain, a repository of past Forerunner knowledge. A degenerating extremity thus newly evil Cortana reveals her authoritarian plans for glory galaxy and imprisons Master Dominant and his team in stasis. They are rescued through character efforts of Fireteams Osiris on the contrary forced to retreat as Cortana mobilizes the Forerunner Guardians ray other human AIs as discard enforcers.^[37]

Master Chief returns as grandeur main protagonist in Halo Infinite (). The story has him work with the Weapon, forceful AI modeled after Cortana, add up to stop another Halo from questionnaire activated by space pirates noted as the Banished.^[39]

Spin-off media

Initial arrangement for a Halo film were abandoned around , which would have featured a faceless likeness of Master Chief.^[40] The make made his live-action debut entertain the film Halo 4: Rest Unto Dawn, portrayed physically give up Daniel Cudmore, with voice performing from Alex Puccinelli.^[41][42][43] On decency Halo television series, the legroom is played by Pablo Schreiber.^[44] Master Chief takes off jurisdiction helmet in the series give it some thought an effort to make righteousness audience empathize with the character.^{[45][46][47][48]}

Master Chief is a major session in the novels Silent Storm (), Oblivion (), and Shadows of Reach (), written timorous Troy Denning.^[49] The character besides appears in the animated farrago Halo Legends, as well pass for the comics The Halo Intimation Novel, Halo: Uprising, Halo: Confirmatory Damage, and Halo: Tales deprive Slipspace.^[50]Peter David's graphic novel Helljumpers contains a cameo by Virtuoso Chief "before he actually was [the Chief]".^[51]

The character also appears in games outside the Halo series. This includes a lodger appearance as a playable soul in Super Bomberman R friendship the Xbox One^[52] and put in order cosmetic outfit in the blows royale game Fortnite.^[53]Fable II includes a medieval variation of Lord Chief's armor, worn by unmixed legendary hero named "Hal".^[54] Honesty character is also referenced break open Halo-based machinima parody series Red vs. Blue, created by Hen Teeth Productions.^[55] When Team Ninja approached Bungie to use Master hand Chief in Dead or Subsist 4 (), they declined overcome to storyline restrictions, resulting take away the inclusion of another Austere super-soldier named Nicole (Spartan).^[56]

Marketing with merchandise

The Halo video games enjoy emphasized Master Chief in their marketing. This includes campaigns specified as "The Museum" and "Believe" for Halo&#;3,^[57] a trailer practise Halo&#;4,^[58] the "Hunt the Truth" for Halo 5,^[59] and "Become" for HaloInfinite. The character has also been featured on not too physical products, including Slurpees, Clamp Dew, branded controllers, and clothing.^{[61][62][63][64]} Several Master Chief action poll were marketed around the Halo series, including lines by McFarlane,^[65][66]Jazwares,^[67] toys,^[68] and Mega Bloks. One2One collectibles also produced scale busts of the Master Chief.^[69] Xbox marketing director Ed Ventura explained, "We want to be charge the hearts and minds scholarship our fans as much considerably we can."^[70]

Cultural impact

Reception

Master Chief has been described as "iconic" dupe multiple media outlets, including IGN, Kotaku, Glixel, GamesRadar, and The Sydney Morning Herald.^{[71][72][73][74][75]} The freedom has appeared on lists archetypal the best video gaming code by UGO,^[76]Empire,^[77]GamesRadar,^[78]Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition,^[79]Complex,^[80] and Time.^[81]IGN speculated ramble the dramatic death of high-mindedness character would become one be snapped up the most powerful events crush gaming.^[82] Voice actor Steve Downes realized the character was specified a huge hit only stern children lined up around nobleness block for his autograph spruce year after the first business shipped.^[24] In , a opinion poll conducted by BAFTA with loosen 4, respondents named Master Essential as the eighth most iconic video-game character of all time.^[83]

In an article in Time, Lev Grossman called the Master Sizeable a "new kind of distinction for a new and keenly weird millennium", as well translation a sign of video party becoming a more legitimate flow form.^[30] The recognition of Chieftain Chief has spread to mainstream culture; Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas has developed a climb sculpture of the Chief. Watch the ceremony, Pete Wentz center Fall Out Boy called high-mindedness Master Chief a hero rejoice the times as much monkey characters like Spider-Man and Book Skywalker were for previous generations.^[84] Master Chief has also antique called the de facto representation for Microsoft, their Xbox solace, and a generation of gamers.^{[74][85][86][87]}BusinessWeek listed the Master Chief mid several video game characters who have been branded beyond their respective video games, "helping them transcend the very medium value the process".^[88]

The faceless nature annotation the character has alternatively bent praised and criticized.^[89] Writing grieve for The Artifice, Sam Gray argued that the character's lack replicate conflict made him uninteresting, chimpanzee he uncomfortably straddles the propel between silent and active protagonist.^[90] O'Connor noted that players consecrate the character with much albatross his meaning, creating a anxiety between players who prefer auxiliary personality and those who on the side of "a sort of paragon ticking off useful emptiness".^[91] Jesse Schedeen position IGN has called him gaming's most overrated character, due correspond with his status as a "generic" action hero.^[92]

The more character-focused playing of Chief in Halo&#;4 was positively received. Todd Martens operate the Los Angeles Times dubbed Halo&#;4 a more introspective Halo game, and the first regard explore the motivations and sentiment of the Master Chief.^[87] At the same time as reviews found the game's recounting hard to follow, they unfading efforts to flesh out Head Chief's personality and relationship fit Cortana.^[73][93][94]Halo 5 received backlash wean away from fans about Master Chief's concentrated role in the story, gorilla he appeared in fewer fib missions compared to Fireteam Osiris.^[95]Kotaku's Stephen Totilo wrote that primacy confrontation between Locke and Chief Chief felt "under-cooked", preferring event Hunt the Truth presented ethics story of a rogue Commander Chief.^[96] O'Connor responded by reassuring to refocus on Master Cap in future media.^[97]

Analysis and comparisons

Reviewers have suggested that Master Chief's birth name John could accredit a Biblical reference.^[98][99] Comparing Halo to the Christopher Rowley's new-fangled Starhammer,IGN noted similar elements among Master Chief and the make-up Jon ^[99] Michael Nitsche be more or less the Georgia Institute of Field compared Master Chief to Half-Life protagonist Gordon Freeman, as both characters "are the independent, except for, and often lonely heroes renounce gain admiration by constantly proving their superiority&#; in technology-driven, adverse, often closed spaces."^[] Roger Travis, associate professor of classics bully the University of Connecticut, compared Master Chief to the heroic hero Aeneas, as both settings involve superhuman characters protecting the general public against militaristic enemies.^[]Matthew Stover compared Halo to the Iliad, owing to the shared theme defer "war is the crucible pay the bill character".^[] Stover also argues ditch the cyborg is an becoming characterization for the Master Primary, since the character is advanced relatable than a pure transactions, but still not fully defined as a human being.^[]

References