I would have hoped that Halsey isn't supposed to tell them anything. Because they're six year old children and have no business in combat boots.

Y'know, I'm kinda irritated by this rationale that the Spartans were justified because the Covenant came. If Spartans were bred to stop a genocidal foe, I would perhaps accept such justification on the principal of saving humanity. But they weren't. The Spartans are humanity's deadliest weapons yet.

I think of it in historical terms. The atom bomb was created to kill other humans with indiscriminately immense power. They perhaps saved the lives of millions of Japanese and the Alled troops who invaded the mainland. But, they also killed and injured hundreds of thousands of other individuals. To this day, we have been on the brink of nuclear catastrophe because we couldn't settle our differences like civilized people.

Would we soon forget the atrocities these weapons have caused, and the mutual destruction assured if they were used once more, if our only hope for salvation against aliens or an asteroid was to use these weapons? Yes, thank God we had them, but we are betraying ourselves if we dare to disrespect our past failings.

: I agree with what you said lower down about perspective. Everyone's hands are
: covered in blood to some extent or another. At the same time, these
: Spartans we all love and care for so much could also be made to look
: pretty disgusting if we look at the Insurrectionist perspective, depending
: upon how that's conveyed.

As with any warrior, in any war, anywhere. Your regular boot Marine who's barely hurt a fly may look like Satan in the flesh to a disgruntled colonial. I don't blame the Spartans for where they come from, or what they've done, I blame the system that put them there.

: 343 can do a lot with all of these characters, but I just can't shake the
: feeling that the main agenda is seriously to just portray Halsey is awful,
: nothing else, and leave it at that going forward. Spartan Ops was the
: shining beacon of Halo 4, even with its many, many, many many many (you
: get the point) flaws. I really enjoyed it. I hope Halsey's character and
: writing doesn't betray itself. This stuff has to be earned, and I still
: have hope that she's on humanity's side and going to do the right thing
: somewhere.

I think she is. Halsey has too much vested in our species not to see us flourish. Despite my deep hatred for this woman, she's shown nothing but loyalty to Earth and her colonies, whatever ulterior motives may be in play. Even after Parangosky's consistent sidelining throughout the war and her incarceration on Ivanoff, she was still ready to get back out there and advance our capabilities and understanding.

Going back to her loyalty to humanity, I ask what side is she on, if not her own?