So, I don't really have a problem with this in general (Halsey = boogey man), but it kinda bugs me that it's the banner 343 and the Haloverse has chosen to fly into the future. Especially because it pretty much contradicts the fact that Halsey was very much a sympathetic character in all the pre-Evolutions books. Yea, she was still an ice queen at times and was out for herself (and by extension her spartans), but for the most part she felt bad for what she did to the Spartans. Now it seems to be the entire narrative universe has realized she is so terrible, like all at once. Before it kinda was just ONI, and I'm not surprised they would take it public to quash Halsey, who by all accounts was a bit too rogue to be controlled under ONI, but now everyone hates Halsey thematically and ONI is in the right?....hmmm.

I kept trying to see ONI as trying to dispose of Halsey and the S-II's now that the war is over and their control secured, and using this political statement to burn down her name and reputation, but (much like Palmer in SpOps*) my hopes for some deeper statement was traded in for a "no, she's the bad guy now."

*On the Palmer thing, I kept waiting for Spartan Ops to eventually let the player know that Palmer was pretty much a straight up nazi. Hingeheads, Eggheads, shoot first mentality, Spartans becoming their own division in the UNSC, no attempt to understand what is going on on the mysterious science planet, extreme prejudice toward Halsey from the beginning, etc. I kept waiting for a reveal or a self-realization from herself that she is wild military fascist, but nope the game let's you know she's the one you're supposed to like.

I don't know I just can't wrap my head around how this turn around happened and wasn't apart of some bigger more consistent play. It's like if tomorrow, the Arbiter said the Prophets were right and his journey through halo 2/3 was misguided (could still happen.)

So, ok. Halsey is bad guy and John's mom I guess. So there's some future stuff there, and maybe john can say some nice things or decide he doesn't like her either. who knows, I'm cool with it.

:- Margaret Parangosky: She could have been less of a kinda sweet old lady and more evil. Be :consistent!

Maybe I should be more worried they actually took the mecha-hitler of Halo and her more good. I don't know anymore.

At any rate, maybe I should've read these books. I mean they have Brutes in them right?.... RIGHT?!... please....