The Halo franchise is one of Microsoft's flagship series, and it's packed with memorable characters and moments. John 117, the Master Chief, may not be a particularly talkative protagonist, but he still opens up several times throughout his five games to reveal the personality under the helmet.
These brief character moments also help the players follow Master Chief's subtle evolution as a character. While he was initially designed with a minimal personality to let players better put themselves into the games, the newer franchise entries have shown that even an elite Spartan can only take so much before he starts to let his emotions show.
"That's Not Going To Happen." (Halo: Combat Evolved)
For a significant stretch of Halo: Combat Evolved, Master Chief works alongside 343 Guilty Spark to fire a Halo ring. However, right before Master Chief uses the Index to initiate the ring's firing sequence, Cortana appears to inform Master Chief that the rings will destroy all life in the galaxy if Guilty Spark succeeds.
The AI's tone immediately changes, and Guilty Spark reveals himself to be one of the most arrogant bad guys in a video game. Master Chief shows his complete faith in his AI partner and his dedication to the safety of humanity by instantly turning on Guilty Spark and refusing to give him what he needs to continue the firing sequence. Without this refusal to comply, the rest of the Halo series never would have happened.
"She Said That To Me Once, About Being A Machine." (Halo 4)
343 Industries' first entry in the Halo franchise may have been divisive for fans and critics, but it did push Master Chief into a new conflict that revealed more about his personality than had been previously shown.
Towards the end of the game, Cortana appears to sacrifice herself to defeat the Didact and save Master Chief. John 117 may put on a solid front in front of Captain Lasky, but this somber line of reflection once Chief is alone shows that his perceived loss of Cortana has genuinely affected the stoic one-man army.
"We'll Make It." (Halo 3)
Master Chief and Cortana may have been close allies and friends, but their combat tactics and philosophies couldn't be more different. While Cortana's computerized mind allows her to analyze all available options and outcomes, the Master Chief prefers to rely on unwavering confidence and bravado. This dichotomy is showcased nowhere better than in Halo 3 when John is flying a damaged Banshee towards the Pillar of Autumn.
Cortana insists that there's no way the craft will make it to a safe landing, but John simply insists that they will. Of course, the vessel goes down feet in front of the landing area, and Chief pulls himself up to safety in dramatic fashion.
"Slow Down, You're Losing Me." (Halo: Combat Evolved)
Unlike many game protagonists, Master Chief never pretends to be a strong thinker. When Cortana realizes that the Halo rings are more dangerous than Chief believes them to be, she tries to explain what's going on and what will happen if he fires the rings off.
Without missing a beat, Chief unashamedly admits that she's throwing out too much information, and he can't keep up. Cortana doesn't scold him but instead accepts his strengths and weaknesses and explains the situation in a way that convinces him to make the right decision.
"I Need A Weapon." (Halo 2)
The first few Halo games may not have given Master Chief much pathos, but what he lacked in empathy was compensated for with an unwavering dedication to protecting humanity at any cost. After the Covenant makes their first surprise visit to Earth, John doesn't waste any time with questions of "how" or "why."
Instead, Master Chief is instantly ready to jump into continued conflict with an overwhelming enemy force without even a moment's hesitation. He doesn't need any briefings or detailed plans of action; he only needs one thing: a gun.
"Sir, Finishing This Fight." (Halo 2)
Bungie famously referenced this line in Halo 3's tagline, "Finish the Fight," but it angered a large portion of the player base at the end of Halo 2. The blowback didn't have anything to do with the quality of the line, which succeeds in showcasing Master Chief's stalwart grit and determination, but instead because of the massive cliffhanger that it set up.
Players were excited to continue the Halo 2 campaign after hearing this threatening promise, but instead of moving on to the next mission, the game abruptly ends and leaves the rest of the action to the sequel. Thankfully, this cliffhanger isn't as bittersweet for modern players that can immediately move on and continue Halo's sprawling narrative and plot points, something players should be familiar with before playing Halo Infinite.
"...To Give The Covenant Back Their Bomb." (Halo 2)
Partially by plan and partially by accident, the Covenant gets the jump on humanity in Halo 2. During a portion of their assault, the Covenant plants several bombs on human ships in an attempt to blow them out of orbit.
Master Chief fights his way to one of them, and he's able to turn the tides of the battle in humanity's favor. Instead of defusing the bomb or simply jettisoning it into space, John 117 drags the bomb to the airlock and guides it through the middle of a massive space battle to blow up an enemy ship.
"Wake Me When You Need Me." (Halo 3)
The Halo franchise didn't end with Halo 3. In fact, Master Chief's third outing wasn't even Bungie's last entry in the Halo universe. That being said, the beloved Halo 3 is arguably the best campaign in the franchise and felt very much like the end of an era for both players and the studio. After Master Chief uses the arc to stop the flood and ensure humanity survives, he is left drifting in space with his AI companion.
Master Chief may say this line to Cortana, but players knew that he was talking to them, too. Though two more Halo games were released shortly after Halo 3, it was five years before Master Chief retook center stage in 343's Halo 4.
"No, I Think We're Just Getting Started." (Halo: Combat Evolved)
It's difficult to imaging now, but Halo: Combat Evolved was not a guaranteed success, and Bungie didn't know that the game would go on to spawn six mainline entries and several spin-off games, some better than others.
That being the case, it was a slightly risky move for the writers to hint at the continuation of Master Chief's story and risk the sequel hook becoming unfulfilled. However, in hindsight, the line is a comforting promise that the Master Chief will always have more aliens to take down.
"Our Duty As Soldiers Is To Protect Humanity, Whatever The Cost." (Halo 4)
Captain Lasky attempts to relate with Chief's more human side in the aftermath of Master Chief's fight with the Didact at the end of Halo 4. Lasky expresses condolences for John's loss of Cortana, a close friend, and engages in an open dialogue with him.
While it's clear that Master Chief is hurting, and he expresses it in private moments later, this line shows how important it is to John that he remains a stalwart pillar for humankind to rally behind. This mix of grief and stoicism is pressed even further as the truth about Cortana's fate is revealed in Halo 5.