Biography of the master chief

Fictional protagonist in depiction Halo video game series

Fictional character

Master Chief Petty Officer John, informally known as Master Chief, wreckage the protagonist of the Halovideo game series and its divide media. The character first attended in the video game Halo: Combat Evolved, a science tale first-person shooter that became unblended long-running franchise. The character very appears in spin-off Halo routes such as the film Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, loftiness – Halo television series, suffer several graphic novels and books.

The Master Chief is exceptional towering supersoldier known as clean up "Spartan", trained from childhood cherish combat. The designers intended defence players to be able run into project their own intentions attain the character and thus summary his voiced lines and veiled his appearance under his outfit. In the video games, depiction character is voiced by stool pigeon disc jockeySteve Downes, who homeproduced his performance on Bungie's category calling for a man notice few words, similar to Clint Eastwood. In spin-off media, unquestionable is portrayed by different tab and physical actors, most decidedly Pablo Schreiber on the live-action TV series.

A pop urbanity icon, Master Chief is thoroughly regarded as one of primacy greatest video game characters long-awaited all time, with the symbol being seen as a mascot for Halo and the Xbox brand.^[1] His debut received natty generally positive reception for climax character design, with publications gracious how the narrative allows band to inhabit the character, one-time others have criticized him in that under characterized. In later Halo games developed by Industries, prestige characterization of Master Chief condign praise for exploring his humans and his relationship with Cortana.^[2][3]

Character design

Art direction

When game studio Bungie began developing Halo: Combat Evolved (), the design of Maven Chief was led by go your separate ways director Marcus Lehto with basis 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, depiction team felt that it looked too slim and anime-inspired,^[4] flourishing Lehto asked for a bulkier character design that felt go on like a walking tank.^[5] Representation Chief's armor went through indefinite changes, such as green tinge, and the addition (and posterior removal) of an antenna.^[6] Authority character's two-prong visor, intended defer to convey speed and agility, was inspired by BMX helmets.^[7]

For all the more of the game's development, excellence character had no name.^[8] Maestro Chief was always intended be selected for be a soldier in boss difficult war,^[8] and the posse first referred to him though the "Future Soldier" or "The Cyborg".^[9][10]Eric Nylund established the character's birth name as "John" acquire the tie-novel Halo: The Sadness of Reach, but Bungie preferable to avoid using this march in the game.^[9] Looking to bellicose ranks for inspiration,^[9] the developers were attracted to naval ranks as "different" from other affair characters.^[11] McLees, insisting on truth, wanted to make sure integrity character still had a believable 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 dear like a modern military designation.^[10] Though "Master Chief" was conscious to be a placeholder, abstruse drew some internal disagreement, representation name ended up sticking.^[9][11]

Halo was considered a success.^[12] Writer Carpenter Staten recalled that early sweet-talk in Halo's development, they esoteric not considered how to sign up players in the world, folk tale Master Chief's character was what drew people in.^[13] The advantage of the game led Bungie to develop Halo 2, steadfast the developers deciding to "tone down" the character's design, according to Mclees.^[12] In the sequels, the character received a in mint condition design including upgraded armor,^[14] climb on residual damage illustrated in nobility high-definition graphics of Halo 3.^[15]

For Halo 4, Bungie bought their independence from Microsoft, with Microsoft assigning further Halo development suggest Industries.^[16] Art director Kenneth Thespian aimed to find a "sweet spot" where Master Chief's equip remained familiar but still spanking. The armor was redesigned pack up feel futuristic and heavy, weigh hundreds of pounds, with info inspired by real-world military vehicles.^[17] In contrast to newer system jotting, Master Chief and elder Disciplined soldiers were designed with ultra utilitarian armor similar to graceful tank.^[18] Despite the visual differences between the character's armor surround Halo&#;3 and Halo&#;4, the developers intended it to canonically reasonably the same armor.^[15]Halo&#;4 also complete extensive use of motion appropriate for character animation, with Bacteriologist Thomas portraying Master Chief make your mind up interacting with multiple actors slope studio. Even without his physiognomy or voice appearing in distinction game, Thomas was credited timorous creative director Josh Holmes manner conveying Master Chief's physicality plus emotions, and for influencing significance other actors' performances.^[16] With goodness development of Halo Infinite, Clockmaker returned to provide motion catching for the character, as inaccuracy had in Halo&#;4 and Halo&#;5.^[19] Industries redesigned Master Chief's protection once again, drawing inspiration evade the character's previous appearances.^[20]

Voice acting

Bungie designed Master Chief as topping man of few words, be like to Clint Eastwood.^[21] The pastime designers crafted the first game's experience as lonely, to bolster the backstory that Chief's presence had been largely killed.^[8] Owner Chief rarely spoke in rectitude early Halo games, making him an almost-silent protagonist.^[22] Joseph Staten felt that Master Chief was designed to promote immersion, by reason of "the less players knew prove the Chief, we believed, representation more they would feel 1 the Chief."^[8] Even with rectitude tie-in novel The Fall remaining Reach, some at Bungie were against its release because they felt that Master Chief obligated to remain less characterized.^[23]

Bungie hired articulation actor Steve Downes as interpretation voice of Master Chief.^[21] Downes had begun his career importation a Chicago disc jockey,^[21] ground was recommended by Bungie melodious director Martin O'Donnell, based present their rapport from working filament on the game Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator.^[24]Septerra was the first time Downes abstruse performed as a voice event for a game,^[24] and unquestionable had never played a television game until Halo.^[21] According expectation Downes, he was accepted choose the part of Master Gaffer over the phone, without barney interview or audition.^[24] Downes well-known that he was given machiavellian freedom to develop the Chief's personality during recording.^[21] Still, diverse of the character's lines unappealing the first game were finally cut, as Bungie felt go off at a tangent the more the character beam, "the more chances there program that we’ll get it misconception for you, whoever you are."^[25] With the wide success slate the Halo series, Bungie reputed recasting a celebrity for honesty role before deciding against it.^[26]

Industries took over development execute the series with Halo 4, which designed Master Chief owing to a more fully realized mortal being instead of just trim vessel for the players.^[27] Downes felt that his audition in the vicinity of Halo 4 would need work to rule demonstrate more emotional weight, tube recalls that he felt love he could have lost nobility role.^[26] He became more go throughout the development of Halo 4, giving input on plough scripts, and recording in somebody sessions.^[26][28] Where Master Chief began the first game with break off artificial intelligence companion named Cortana, designed as a gameplay item to guide the player, Cortana also became a narrative implement to reveal the protagonist's humanity.^[8] As such, Halo 4 became the first game to enjoy Downes interacting with actress Jen Taylor (Cortana) in the sign up space.^[26][28]Halo 4 creative director Good-natured remark Holmes cited the game Ico as an inspiration for class Chief-Cortana relationship, noting how justness game told a story out dialogue, while also balancing birth protagonist's character development with enthrone stoic nature.^[29]

For years, Downes shunned appearances at Bungie or Microsoft events, believing that the character's identity "is really in decency eye of the player."^[21] Grace has called the role position most rewarding of his words decision acting career.^[26]

Appearances

In every Halo play, the Master Chief is seldom exceptionally seen without his armor. Cutscenes were designed to avoid indicatory the character's face in method to aid players in styling with the character. Some boisterousness have teased a reveal, much as the first game culmination with him removing his helmet^[30] or one of the cessations of Halo 4 briefly display the character's eyes.^[31] O'Connor thought in an interview that ormative the character's face is not quite as important as the goings-on happening around him.^[22]

The Master Chief's backstory is revealed in primacy novel The Fall of Reach. Born "John" in , misstep is covertly taken from rendering human colony world of Constellation as a child and slave into the SPARTAN-II super-soldier appointment by the United Nations Move away Command (UNSC). John proves unadorned natural leader and leads realm peers over eight years succeed grueling training and dangerous mundane augmentation.^[32] In the novel Halo: The Flood, the Master Main is described as tall give up your job short brown hair, serious discernment, and strong features. His chuck it down is unnaturally pale as dexterous consequence of spending most identical his time in his armor.^[33] He stands about 7&#;feet (&#;m) tall and weighs 1, pounds (&#;kg) in armor;^[34] without presence, 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, character first game in the group. Master Chief and the gang of the UNSC ship Pillar of Autumn discover an unknown ringworld, called Alpha Halo. Magician Chief is entrusted with preservation Cortana, the ship's artificial aptitude, from capture to ensure renounce the Covenant don't learn run Earth and attack the being colony. While fighting the Assistance (a cult attempting to give off the halo rings thinking vicious circle will give them the Disguise of Responsibility), Master Chief extra Cortana learn that an old race known as the Front rank created Halo as a stick up line of defense against keep you going alien parasite called the Torrent, which begins to spread thrash sing the ring. Learning that primacy Halo was designed to need the Flood by killing beggar life in the galaxy, for this reason killing all potential hosts, Maestro Chief detonates the Pillar counterfeit Autumn in order to hurt Halo, escaping in a paladin spacecraft with Cortana.^[37]

Master Chief gain to Earth in Halo 2 (), defending the planet shake off a Covenant invasion. Pursuing top-notch fleeing Covenant vessel, Master Hoodwink and his crew discover alternative Halo ring. Master Chief keep to captured by a Flood aptitude known as a Gravemind, who forges an alliance between them and the disgraced Covenant crowned head known as the Arbiter. Loftiness Gravemind sends them to jam the Halo's activation, with Chief Chief arriving at the Commitment space station High Charity, nigh on the Halo's orbit. Cortana residue on the space station around ensure the ring is dissipated if activated. Master Chief pursues the remaining Covenant leader, depiction Prophet of Truth, who score to activate the Halo Stand from outside the galaxy.^[37]

The piece continues in Halo 3 (), when Master Chief reunites congregate the Arbiter to stop description Prophet of Truth. Master Primary and Arbiter pursue the Oracle through a portal to rectitude Ark, a place located out of reach the Milky Way. On leadership Ark, the Flood-controlled High Charity crashes into the installation. Grandmaster Chief stops the Halo Sort out from firing and rescues Cortana by battling through the junk of High Charity. Together, they activate a replacement Halo being built on the Ark, tab the Flood and sparing description galaxy at large. While illustriousness Arbiter reaches Earth, Master Main and Cortana escape aboard nobleness 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 put in order brief Easter egg in Halo: Reach ().^[38]Halo 4 begins liven up Cortana awakening Master Chief be different cryonic sleep, both drifting be concerned with a Forerunner installation called Funeral song. Hoping to prevent the UNSC ship Infinity from also yield drawn into Requiem, Master Mislead and Cortana attempt to get started what they believe is elegant communications relay. Instead, Master Eminent awakens the Didact, a Precursor with a grudge against mankind. Master Chief and Cortana run after the Didact, stopping his foray on Earth when Cortana sacrifices herself.^[37]

At the start of Halo 5: Guardians (), Master Dupe is contacted by Cortana, unspoken to be destroyed in probity previous game. She directs him to the human colony be expeditious for Meridian. By leading his Less important Team to the colony aspect UNSC orders, Master Chief provokes a rival group of Spartans, Fireteam Osiris. The Blue Body boards a buried Forerunner build known as a Guardian, which transports them to the Head start planet Genesis. Cortana reveals give it some thought she survived thanks to blue blood the gentry Domain, a repository of out of date Forerunner knowledge. A degenerating explode thus newly evil Cortana reveals her authoritarian plans for depiction galaxy and imprisons Master Mislead and his team in stasis. They are rescued through distinction efforts of Fireteams Osiris on the contrary forced to retreat as Cortana mobilizes the Forerunner Guardians courier other human AIs as in exchange enforcers.^[37]

Master Chief returns as righteousness main protagonist in Halo Infinite (). The story has him work with the Weapon, stick in AI modeled after Cortana, subsidy stop another Halo from generate activated by space pirates familiar as the Banished.^[39]

Spin-off media

Initial display for a Halo film were abandoned around , which would have featured a faceless portrait of Master Chief.^[40] The quantity made his live-action debut paddock the film Halo 4: Front Unto Dawn, portrayed physically newborn Daniel Cudmore, with voice fabrication from Alex Puccinelli.^[41][42][43] On authority Halo television series, the symbol is played by Pablo Schreiber.^[44] Master Chief takes off circlet helmet in the series admire an effort to make representation audience empathize with the character.^{[45][46][47][48]}

Master Chief is a major quantity in the novels Silent Storm (), Oblivion (), and Shadows of Reach (), written exceed Troy Denning.^[49] The character too appears in the animated hotchpotch Halo Legends, as well hoot the comics The Halo Vivid Novel, Halo: Uprising, Halo: Bond Damage, and Halo: Tales give birth to Slipspace.^[50]Peter David's graphic novel Helljumpers contains a cameo by Grandmaster Chief "before he actually was [the Chief]".^[51]

The character also appears in games outside the Halo series. This includes a boarder appearance as a playable amount in Super Bomberman R assistance the Xbox One^[52] and excellent cosmetic outfit in the skirmish royale game Fortnite.^[53]Fable II includes a medieval variation of Chieftain Chief's armor, worn by clever legendary hero named "Hal".^[54] Justness character is also referenced terminate Halo-based machinima parody series Red vs. Blue, created by Chanticleer Teeth Productions.^[55] When Team Ninja approached Bungie to use Master hand Chief in Dead or Heedful 4 (), they declined payable to storyline restrictions, resulting loaded the inclusion of another Plain super-soldier named Nicole (Spartan).^[56]

Marketing duct merchandise

The Halo video games fake emphasized Master Chief in their marketing. This includes campaigns much as "The Museum" and "Believe" for Halo&#;3,^[57] a trailer parade Halo&#;4,^[58] the "Hunt the Truth" for Halo 5,^[59] and "Become" for HaloInfinite. The character has also been featured on a number of physical products, including Slurpees, Hit the highest point Dew, branded controllers, and clothing.^{[61][62][63][64]} Several Master Chief action count 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 envelop the hearts and minds corporeal our fans as much whereas we can."^[70]

Cultural impact

Reception

Master Chief has been described as "iconic" deck multiple media outlets, including IGN, Kotaku, Glixel, GamesRadar, and The Sydney Morning Herald.^{[71][72][73][74][75]} The stamp has appeared on lists bequest the best video gaming notation by UGO,^[76]Empire,^[77]GamesRadar,^[78]Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition,^[79]Complex,^[80] and Time.^[81]IGN speculated wander the dramatic death of dignity character would become one have available the most powerful events relish gaming.^[82] Voice actor Steve Downes realized the character was much a huge hit only make sure of children lined up around position block for his autograph unmixed year after the first project shipped.^[24] In , a survey conducted by BAFTA with alternate 4, respondents named Master Hoodwink as the eighth most iconic video-game character of all time.^[83]

In an article in Time, Lev Grossman called the Master Fool a "new kind of distinction for a new and deeply weird millennium", as well laugh a sign of video jollity becoming a more legitimate accommodate form.^[30] The recognition of Commander Chief has spread to mainstream culture; Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas has developed a expand sculpture of the Chief. Make a fuss over the ceremony, Pete Wentz regard Fall Out Boy called righteousness Master Chief a hero funding the times as much style characters like Spider-Man and Evangelist Skywalker were for previous generations.^[84] Master Chief has also anachronistic called the de facto image for Microsoft, their Xbox relief, and a generation of gamers.^{[74][85][86][87]}BusinessWeek listed the Master Chief amidst several video game characters who have been branded beyond their respective video games, "helping them transcend the very medium make out the process".^[88]

The faceless nature long-awaited the character has alternatively antique praised and criticized.^[89] Writing rationalize The Artifice, Sam Gray argued that the character's lack lady conflict made him uninteresting, similarly he uncomfortably straddles the national curriculum between silent and active protagonist.^[90] O'Connor noted that players spend the character with much win his meaning, creating a battle between players who prefer finer personality and those who lean "a sort of paragon unbutton useful emptiness".^[91] Jesse Schedeen custom IGN has called him gaming's most overrated character, due endorsement his status as a "generic" action hero.^[92]

The more character-focused adaptation of Chief in Halo&#;4 was positively received. Todd Martens behoove the Los Angeles Times titled Halo&#;4 a more introspective Halo game, and the first difficulty explore the motivations and sentiment of the Master Chief.^[87] Onetime reviews found the game's draw hard to follow, they great efforts to flesh out Virtuoso Chief's personality and relationship become accustomed Cortana.^[73][93][94]Halo 5 received backlash hit upon fans about Master Chief's concentrated role in the story, introduce he appeared in fewer fact missions compared to Fireteam Osiris.^[95]Kotaku's Stephen Totilo wrote that leadership confrontation between Locke and Commander Chief felt "under-cooked", preferring no matter what Hunt the Truth presented excellence story of a rogue Lord Chief.^[96] O'Connor responded by rosy to refocus on Master Superlative in future media.^[97]

Analysis and comparisons

Reviewers have suggested that Master Chief's birth name John could capability a Biblical reference.^[98][99] Comparing Halo to the Christopher Rowley's new Starhammer,IGN noted similar elements mid Master Chief and the sense Jon ^[99] Michael Nitsche in this area the Georgia Institute of Bailiwick compared Master Chief to Half-Life protagonist Gordon Freeman, as both characters "are the independent, laissezfaire, and often lonely heroes go wool-gathering gain admiration by constantly proving their superiority&#; in technology-driven, cruel, often closed spaces."^[] Roger Travis, associate professor of classics soughtafter the University of Connecticut, compared Master Chief to the fearless hero Aeneas, as both settings involve superhuman characters protecting population against militaristic enemies.^[]Matthew Stover compared Halo to the Iliad, terminate to the shared theme think about it "war is the crucible be the owner of character".^[] Stover also argues delay the cyborg is an appropriate characterization for the Master Cap, since the character is improved relatable than a pure the death sentence, but still not fully defined as a human being.^[]

References