Feels. Oh so many feels. This was the first issue that I felt was suited perfectly for comic format. I don't think Halo has ever done all too well in this medium but this issue was certainly a step in the right direction. It had a clear focus from beginning to end to tell the story of a single character and it did its job remarkably well. Gabriel Thorne, a Spartan of Fireteam Majestic, is front and center in this issue following his family and early life from since he was a wee baby. The anguish both Gabriel and companion Tedra Grant had for their terrible loss hit me deeply. I think you could actually feel what they were going through.

All in all, it was a well executed emotional tale and one that I hope to see a lot more in the Haloverse. Now for some other random bits...

- North America seems to suffer from terrible tides or something because its geography is never consistent. Like Greenland doesn't even exist and neither do considerable chunks of southwestern Europe and North Africa.

- Daddy Thorne looks like a scruffy Tom Cruise.

- I really wasn't ready to see a bunch of people get composed. Sad. :(

- Seeing Gabriel in these flashbacks to the New Phoenix Event clad in his MJOLNIR was a poignant moment for me in realizing the motivations of his character. Made me like him even more.

- Can I be a Spartan too? I want a body like Tedra's.

- And her hair color. Sexy!

- Ruth Charet kinda reminds me of Elena Kagan or Janet Napolitano. Also, is all she's ever good for are speeches? Like she's been in two different stories now and hasn't done anything but be inspirational. She's the leader of the sole remaining superpower in the galaxy. Put her in a supporting role in a novel or something!

- Spartan dress uniforms are a re-colored blue version of those seen on Corbulo Academy cadets. It's not a bad looking uniform at all, really, with its gender-neutral design and functionality both in semi-formal occasions and working conditions. Kinda reminds me of a more modest Hussar uniform. However, it's pretty lazy, just as giving each of the service chiefs the same uniform in Escalation #1 was, save for Lord Hood and his pearly whites. These Spartans are also propaganda tools for the UEG and their uniforms should reflect that. They shouldn't be confused for a different class of teenage cadets.

- Civilian fashion is still fucking hideous. I know you people got out of a cataclysmic war six years ago but come the fuck on. Get real and stop wearing such drab shit. Y'all dress like a bunch of mid-aged and elderly people from the Pacific Northwest. They even wear fucking puffy vests! Why oh why couldn't the Covenant wipe us all out...

- Spartans kinda detached from anything civilian. And people don't consider the fourth-generation deserving of the Spartan name...

- Gabriel Thorne drives through small urban roads in a Warthog like a 16-year old. I'm surprised he didn't think he was cool [like me] and drifted into his grandmother's driveway.

- Clouds are shaped differently on Earth and preferred by many. Fuck yeah, Earth!

- "I've seen no evidence of turtles or creeks" lol

- I have a Master Chief action figure too! These fictional ones look ten times better than the shit McFarlane releases.

- They could have saved so much space, material and money on Infinity by cutting out these vast berthing spaces and hallways. It's built like New Mombasa.

- Some of the art is really weird. Like the perspectives aren't totally right and look totally out of place. Especially with Infinity and a bunch of surrounding warships and starfighters towards the end.

- I'm always happy to see the emotions of Spartans. 343i has been very attune to each of these characters in that regard and I'm happy that we get to see that.

- Gabriel and Tedra... together? Well his parents were two asskicking soldiers together. I could totally ship it!