Pre-Credits Cutscene
“For us, the storm has passed. The war is over.” [The Storm Has Passed, Halo 3]
Hood stands near a small memorial, delivering a eulogy for “those fallen in the defense of Earth and her colonies.” The writing engraved behind him includes the date: March 3, 2553. We should recognize around him the rolling hills outside of Voi.
“For their decision required courage beyond measure. Sacrifice and unshakable conviction that their fight, our fight, was elsewhere.” [The Storm Has Passed, Halo 3]
Flowers, rifles, and dozens of pictures of Marines have been laid at the base of the memorial. Besides the pictures of Miranda and Johnson (it is still hard to believe that they’re dead), there is another photo that should be recognizable – it is a black-and-white render of the Marines from Halo 1 (see here), which can still be found on B.net. This Bungie-created photo has been floating around for ages.
Hood looks to the sky, and we flash backwards in time to see the Dawn – damaged – burning back into Earth’s atmosphere.
A group of Marines watch intently, and dispatch a Pelican in the direction of the Dawn’s crash site – which appears to be in the middle of the ocean.
A Marine with a blow torch works on the hull of the Dawn. His jumpsuit has the word “SECTION” on it – possibly referring to a section of ONI. It wouldn’t be surprising if this were true, considering the gravity of the situation, and the importance of the individuals possibly contained within the Dawn.
The Arbiter emerges, and looks at the engineer. We flash back to the present – the Arbiter is at the memorial with Hood, and the Marines. A Sangheili carrier hangs in the sky overhead.
The Admiral completes his speech:
“As we start to rebuild, this hillside will remain barren, a memorial to heroes fallen. They ennobled all of us, and they shall not be forgotten.” [The Storm Has Passed, Halo 3]
Seven Marines draw their battle rifles and perform the “three volley salute,” which unsurprisingly still exists unchanged in 2553.
Most, if not all, of the Marines in Halo 3 appear to be modeled after Bungie employees. Michael Wu’s Marine is the second one in the lineup here.
As each of the volleys are fired, we’re shown the serene landscape around the now-disabled Forerunner device; it is all very different from the blackened, Flood-tainted environment that we last saw it as. It appears as though Half-Jaw’s fleet was able to glass the land in specific areas, and this hillside was able to remained undamaged.
“I remember how this war started – what your kind did to mine.” [The Storm Has Passed, Halo 3]
The service now over, the Arbiter approaches Hood. Hood speaks to the Elite with his back to him, while he stands looking at the memorial.
“I can’t forgive you. But… you have my thanks, for standing by him to the end.” [The Storm Has Passed, Halo 3]
With just a few brief words, the leader of Earth’s peoples summarizes their feelings towards the Sangheili. Millions have died in the war… but the time for violence is over. Because of their sacrifices, it must be over. And through the Chief and the Arbiter’s alliance, humans and Sangheili try and put aside the past.
“Hard to believe he’s dead.”
“Were it so easy.” [The Storm Has Passed, Halo 3]
The last time the Arbiter spoke this phrase, he was responding to Johnson’s pleas for him and the Chief to not kill each other. Now, out of a newfound respect for the Spartan, he speaks it out of his unwillingness to believe that the Chief is actually gone.
This also reveals to us the fact that the Chief did not make it back to Earth like the Arbiter did. Could he really be dead?
Hood watches as the Elite walks away; a Phantom then ferries him to the carrier above.
On the bridge of the Sangheili ship, Half-Jaw stands looking at a hologram of the Earth. The Arbiter approaches from behind.
“Things look different without the Prophets’ lies clouding my vision.”
“I would like to see our own world โ to know that it is safe.”
“Fear not. For we have made it so.”
“By your word, Arbiter.” [The Storm Has Passed, Halo 3]
Half-Jaw echoes Hood’s sentiment in terms of putting the past behind them; he sees the Earth in a new light now. And, interestingly enough, this scene ends with them speaking of their homeworld: Sangheilios. With the Prophets dead, the Covenant’s former races are likely in turmoil. This – and the war with the Brutes – has Half-Jaw worried about the state of their planet. But the Arbiter reassures him that all is well, as he takes the Shipmaster’s chair.
“Take us home.” [The Storm Has Passed, Halo 3]
Familiar strings play as we watch the carrier fly off; then, the camera pulls closer to the memorial. For the duration of the scene, Hood’s positioning has cleverly blocked us from seeing the entire engraving on the ship fin at the memorial. Now, we are able to see what has been hidden from us:
Someone has etched the Master Chief’s callsign into the metal below the rest of the writing. Countless have died in this war; friends and family members have given their lives defending Earth, and this memorial is for all of them. But there is likely not a single Marine who is unaware of the reason that the Earth is safe – not a single one who doesn’t know of the sacrifice that was made in the eleventh hour. So, while this memorial does exist in remembrance of all who have given up everything, one Marine was unable to withstand paying a final respect to the man who seemed to have surpassed the limits of human endurance in order to save his brothers.
And, in their simplicity, these three numbers speak the thanks of a billion voices:
“117.”
Perfect! You did a perfect job.
Comment by Cory Brown — December 17, 2008 @ 11:11 am
Brilliant, i’m heading over to the post credits section without any further ado.
Comment by Kilo MisFiT — December 17, 2008 @ 4:29 pm
The Marines could have found a better picture of Miranda to put next to the memorial. The photo used is not very flattering.
Comment by Mark Swenson — December 17, 2008 @ 4:32 pm
Great job. I have read all of the Hindsight articles, they are awesome. Just one thing that I thought was possibly wrong. Right at the end you say that 117 was etched by a marine. I always thought that it was the Arbiter who scratched those numbers on. I think it would have more significance that way.
Comment by Serious Suicide — December 17, 2008 @ 8:44 pm
Excellent as always, but the first mistake I’ve seen on these, you said it was a cruiser, but it was the Shadow of Intent, which is an Assault Carrier, but you may as well just referred to it as the SoI
But like I said it’s the first time i’ve noticed any mistakes.
Comment by Alex L — December 17, 2008 @ 9:28 pm
Believe.
Comment by SonofMacPhisto — December 17, 2008 @ 10:14 pm
I thought that the Arbite said “Fear not. For we have made it so.” not “Fear not. For we have made it safe.”. Seems more like something an Elite would say…
Comment by Divine Plan — December 17, 2008 @ 11:23 pm
I always thought it was the Arbiter who scratched ‘117’ into the fin at the memorial site. Now that I think about it, was he even aware of the Master Chief’s callsign? Lord Hood was, obviously. He asked Miranda the status of “Sierra 117” during the run to Voi. Anyway we can find out if someone specific is responsible for this addition?
And I would hope the military honor guard would resist breaking any tradition concerning funeral services and memorials, even after five hundred years. “Honoring those who served, with dignity.”
Comment by Trace — December 17, 2008 @ 11:51 pm
Maybe you missed this, but below the scratched “117”, someone taped a military rank insignia. Would this be the rank insignia for a Master Chief Petty Officer?
Good job. A fitting post mortem for such a poignant scene.
Comment by R. Acosta — December 18, 2008 @ 10:19 am
Changed the “made it safe,” to “made it so.” Thanks, guys.
Comment by Cocopjojo — December 18, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
One thing you may wish to add: I’m not sure which novel, but one of the early Halo novels mentioned that Spartans were never pronounced dead; the loss of morale would be too much for the UNSC. Instead, Spartans were always listed as missing in action (MIA). I think that the etching of 117 on the ship fin was an unofficial memorial to Master Chief. They could not officially recognize his sacrifice. So instead, they honored him this way.
Comment by Furious D — December 19, 2008 @ 2:36 am
Lovely description
I believe that when the Arbiter first says “Were it so easy,” he is making it clear that it would be far more difficult to kill him than just sticking a gun in his face. This would make his second statement imply that it would take more than an existence-destroying space construct to kill Master Chief.
Comment by Chris Haldor — December 21, 2008 @ 9:19 pm
Excellent write-up, as always.
About the line, “Were it so easy.”…
I always kind of took this to mean, “Were it so easy that he be dead.”, i.e. I think the Arbiter is saying that he doesn’t believe the Master Chief is dead. In light of the original use of the line about how difficult it would be for them to kill each other, this is the possible interpretation that struck me.
It could go either way, I suppose, and in the end the interpretation comes to similar outcomes: “I can’t believe he’s dead” vs “I don’t believe he IS dead.” (or “I believe his is NOT dead”).
Comment by mamoru — December 28, 2008 @ 6:34 am
@Furious D
The novel is Ghosts of Onyx. The idea was to make Spartans these mythical savior figures, and by never listing them as KIA the UNSC promoted this idea that Spartans can’t die. I never noticed it before, but that probably is the reason the UNSC wouldn’t/couldn’t acknowledge the Chief officially.
@cocopjojo, great job with all these write ups. I’ve really enjoyed them.
Comment by superguh — January 20, 2009 @ 8:41 pm
Okay, I have read all of the articles here and have come to a conclusion. It may be a bit farfetched but… Cortana mentions it could be years before anyone picks up there signal beacon, noting that they are a long way from Earth. But are they as far away as other planets… like the Elite’s homeworld? Obviously The Arbiter does not accept the MC is dead, so just maybe he could pick up the signal, would it not be interesting that the MC’s only backup were to be Elites? Might just work right?
Comment by bjb yo — January 22, 2009 @ 1:18 am
Hey
i just wanted to point something out… They stuck a rank insignia underneath the etching “117”.
I checked and it matches exactly with the current United States Navy “Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy” rank .
Considering the UNSC is the United Nations Space Command, which is basically the navy, this matches perfectly.
This was someones final way of showing respect to the Master Chief, someone that could never be marked as KIA, someone that saved all of humanity…
Pity he’s off, lost in space somewhere… I rekon humanity could do with a bit of a morale boost.
Well… thats about all from me.
Oh and everyone… BELIEVE!
Comment by Valinor000 — April 4, 2009 @ 5:48 am
All of your reviews have been exceptionally well done, Cocopjojo. Many thanks.
While the first time the Arbiter said, “Were it so easy,” he seemed to me a little peeved. “Trust me, it’s not that easy to kill him or me. We’ve both tried. A LOT.”
This time he seemed almost as if he would laugh were the occaision not so somber. That final “Were…” comes across to me as an almost amused comment at Hood’s reluctant belief. “The Spartan? Dead? Ha! Do you really think he’s that easy to kill? Ha! What makes you think THIS, after everything else, did him in?”
Comment by TheAsterisk! — April 27, 2009 @ 2:33 am
I have never had a problem with any article on this site but you skipped my favorite line from this eulogy and one that carries a lot of power. “But let us never forget, those who journeyed into the howling dark and did not return.” -Hood. Its a great line and you should stick it in here.
Comment by Max12345 — May 11, 2009 @ 1:42 am
I’m lead to believe that, like chris said he means that
also some friends of mine say it’s a pelican fin but I think it’s a skyhawk fin like the one master chief escapes in on halo combat evolved.halo 3 odst is coming out 9/22/09 can’t wait
Comment by lolololololololololol — September 8, 2009 @ 3:14 am
I dont know if anyone noticed but the memorial is actually a pelicans forward wing(i think) i read this on a website, halopedia i think but i cant remember but anywayz great article!
Comment by bluecow22334 — October 21, 2009 @ 5:02 pm
Wow super effort that, really made me think hard not only of the marines in Halo 3 but also the marines with the smallest of parts in the game the marines that would follow you into dark corners of halo 1 the marines of halo 2 that would never release their trigger on an enemy.
If you look closely at the bottom of the entire memorial towards the middle
you will see an old picture from “halo the untold story” in it there are 6 marines all in black and white imagery the Sargent on
the front is Pete stacker.
Halo forever!
Watto
Comment by Michael watterson — February 20, 2010 @ 12:43 am
Excellent series of articles! They offered many insights that hadn’t occurred to me.
Regarding the memorial at the end. To me it seemed kind of small and insignificant considering the billions that died on earth alone (only 200 million humans left alive). They could cover the ENTIRE hillside with photos and/or names of the fallen and it still wouldn’t be enough room.
Comment by Hardcore — July 8, 2010 @ 5:06 am
You didn’t mention the music!
The Tribute music and it’s Halo 2 Counterparts (as well as Bits and Pieces from ODST) is THE saddest music I have ever heard. It fits the part where it is played: The storm has passed, but we will always remember every moment of it, and cherish those who died to save us.
Comment by Chronicler 177 — July 10, 2010 @ 6:24 pm