History Trivia / Halo

* CreatorBacklash: Bungie began to regret what it created; note that this only applies to the ''franchise'' specifically. They're proud of their own games, but were neutral-to-hostile when it came to the spin-off games, novels, etc. that cropped up around them, despite originally giving their blessing. According to Eric Nylund, author of several of the EU ''Halo'' novels, [[http://ericnylund.com/?p=1256 Bungie tried to kill the whole EU project in the cradle halfway through the first novel]], thinking that the EU filled in too many details that would be [[RuleOfPerception best left to the players to decide for themselves]], most notably [[VanillaProtagonist Master Chief's personality, which they wanted to be a blank slate]] a la previous FPS protagonists. According to Ensemble Studios founder Tony Goodman, Bungie flat-out said that letting spin-offs be made (like the ''Halo Wars'' project he worked on) constituted [[https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-09-27-halo-wars-bungie-saw-it-as-whoring-out-franchise-says-ensemble-founder "whoring out the franchise."]]

* AdoredByTheNetwork: It's becoming clear that Microsoft loves their franchise based on references cropping up in their other products. Besides the smartphone assistant named after Cortana, the replacement for Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, was codenamed Spartan while the Windows 10 codename was Threshold, the name of the fictional gas giant that Halo orbits.

* {{Defictionalization}}: The Windows Phone and Windows 10 digital assistant [[http://www.theverge.com/2014/4/2/5570866/cortana-windows-phone-8-1-digital-assistant is named Cortana.]] Jen Taylor even voices her, [[StealthPun and the avatar is a halo]]. WordOfGod states that the two are completely different entities, though she does give some {{Continuity Nod}}s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFweSyEQiv0 if you ask the right questions.]]

-->'''Answer:''' [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFweSyEQiv0 Not to brag, but apparently I'm going to save the universe in about 500 years.]]

*** Truth's voice changed from [[Film/TheCrow Top Dollar]] (Michael Wincott) to [[{{Film/Superman II}} Zod]] (Terence Stamp).

* ReferencedBy: In ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'', one [[BigDumbObject Megastructure]] you can build is a RingWorldPlanet. Doing so may net you a visit from a neighbor civilization concerned that it might be a Weapon of Mass Destruction.

** One of the major complaints from the fandom when 343i took hold is that they made the Jossed the idea that the Forerunners were human, and instead established the ancient humans as another species entirely. Many fans seemed to think the Bungie-Era games unambiguously painted the Forerunners as ancient humans, and that 343i was [[Retcon retconning]] a major aspect of the franchise. In reality, there was always enough evidence (both in the Bungie games and in the EU) for both interpretations of the Forerunners, so what 343i did was more like CuttingOffTheBranches on a MultipleChoicePast than anything else.

** One of the major complaints from the fandom when 343i took hold is that they made the Jossed the idea that the Forerunners were human, and instead established the ancient humans as another species entirely. Many fans seemed to think the Bungie-Era games unambiguously painted the Forerunners as ancient humans, and that 343i was [[Retcon retconning]] a major aspect of the franchise. In reality, there was always enough evidence (both in the Bungie games and in the EU) for both interpretations of the Forerunners, so what 343i did was more like CuttingOffTheBranches on a MultipleChoicePast more than anything else.

** One of the major complaints from the fandom when 343i took hold is that they made the Jossed the idea that the Forerunners were human, and instead established the ancient humans as another species entirely. Many fans seemed to think the Bungie-Era games unambiguously painted the Forerunners as ancient humans, and that 343i was [[Retcon retconning]] a major aspect of the franchise. In reality, there was always enough evidence (both in the Bungie games and in the EU) for both interpretations of the Forerunners, so what 343i did was more like CuttingTheBranches off a MultipleChoicePast more than anything else.

* Before ''VideoGame/HaloWars'', ''Halo'' fanon had claimed that the armor worn by Arbiters was the same exact suit that it had been through history, the successor receiving it after his predecessor had died (which is implied, but not said, in ''Halo 2'', with the Prophets saying that the bodies were all in the mausoleum, and the armor's systems being outdated). However, the Arbiter of ''Halo Wars'' [[BloodKnight Ripa 'Moramee]] was killed and pushed down a chasm before his body was destroyed in a EarthShatteringKaboom. Henceforth, that meant the armor had been destroyed with it. Fans were annoyed, but it was later pointed out that since the Arbiter is intended to be sent on suicide missions, there would have been many cases where the armor was destroyed and/or impossible to recover. Such as falling to the core of a gas giant, like Thel 'Vadamee was about to.
* One of the major complaints from the fandom when 343i took hold is that they made the Jossed the idea that the Forerunners were human, and instead established the ancient humans as another species entirely. Many fans seemed to think the Bungie-Era games unambiguously painted the Forerunners as ancient humans, and that 343i was [[Retcon retconning]] a major aspect of the franchise. In reality, there was always enough evidence (both in the Bungie games and in the EU) for both interpretations of the Forerunners, so what 343i did was more like CuttingTheBranches off a MultipleChoicePast more than anything else.

* GodNeverSaidThat: Before ''VideoGame/HaloWars'', ''Halo'' fanon had claimed that the armor worn by Arbiters was the same exact suit that it had been through history, the successor receiving it after his predecessor had died (which is implied, but not said, in ''Halo 2'', with the Prophets saying that the bodies were all in the mausoleum, and the armor's systems being outdated). However, the Arbiter of ''Halo Wars'' [[BloodKnight Ripa 'Moramee]] was killed and pushed down a chasm before his body was destroyed in a EarthShatteringKaboom. Henceforth, that meant the armor had been destroyed with it. Fans were annoyed, but it was later pointed out that since the Arbiter is intended to be sent on suicide missions, there would have been many cases where the armor was destroyed and/or impossible to recover. Such as falling to the core of a gas giant, like Thel 'Vadamee was about to.

* CashCowFranchise: Five main games, various books and comics, the requisite action figures, an ''anime series'', five GaidenGames (including two on mobile), several {{Alternate Reality Game}}s, and two live-action serials, not to mention various promotional tie-ins.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Among the most [[SoCoolItsAwesome famous]], [[TropeCodifier influential]] and [[CashCowFranchise profitable]] console first-person shooters ever... was originally going to be an {{RTS}}. For '''Mac'''.[[note]]Except not really, Halo was originally being developed for Microsoft Windows, a first for Bungie, when they were invited to MacWorld 1999 they had to scramble to put together a Mac port. Steve Jobs, just falsely claimed it was being developed for Mac first.[[/note]]

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Among the most [[SoCoolItsAwesome famous]], [[TropeCodifier influential]] and [[CashCowFranchise profitable]] console first-person shooters ever... was originally going to be an {{RTS}}. For '''Mac'''.

* AdoredByTheNetwork: It's becoming clear that Microsoft loves their franchise based on references cropping up in their other products. Besides the smartphone assistant named after Cortana, the replacement for Internet Explorer is codenamed Spartan while the Windows 10 codename is Threshold, the name of the fictional gas giant that Halo orbits.

* TheWikiRule: Two, [[http://www.halopedia.org Halopedia]], an independent wiki and [[http://halo.wikia.com Halo Nation]], which is hosted by Wikia. The two were previously one wiki, but split apart after a dispute about the new Oasis skin for all Wikia websites. The two share many of the same administrators but have a tense relationship otherwise. There was also a third, [[http://halowiki.net/ Halo Wiki.net]], which focused primarily on multiplayer, but is since mostly defunct.

* TheWikiRule: Two, [[http://www.halopedian.com/Main_Page Halopedia]], an independent wiki and [[http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Halo Nation]], which is hosted by Wikia. The two were previously one wiki, but split apart after a dispute about the new Oasis skin for all Wikia websites. The two share many of the same administrators but have a tense relationship otherwise. There was also a third, [[http://halowiki.net/ Halo Wiki.net]], which focused primarily on multiplayer, but is since mostly defunct.

* AscendedFanon: The first edition of the ''Halo Encyclopedia'' pretty clearly copied a lot of its information from the ''Halo'' wiki, including several of the latter's errors. While Creator/ThreeFourThreeIndustries have said that the ''Encylopedia''[='s=] errors should not be considered canonical, one bit of fanon that snuck ''has'' managed to become official canon; the United Rebel Front, which originated from a misinterpretation of a single line in ''Literature/HaloGhostsOfOnxy'', was eventually established as an official faction in later ''Halo'' media.

** There was originally going to be a [[TheFilmOfTheGame Film of the Game]] directed by Creator/NeillBlomkamp, the director of ''Film/{{District 9}}''. Of course, ''District 9'' was only made because Blomkamp couldn't do the ''Halo'' movie; if there had been a ''Halo'' movie, we might very be lamenting the opposite situation.

** Creator/NathanFillion appears in ''VideoGame/{{Halo 3}}, voicing [=GySgt=] [[{{Series/Firefly}} Reynolds]]. He also appears in ''VideoGame/Halo3ODST'', as a sergeant leading a squad that includes characters portrayed by Creator/AdamBaldwin and Creator/AlanTudyk. [[Series/{{Firefly}} Again!]]

* ActorAllusion: Creator/NathanFillion appears in [=H3=], voicing [=GySgt=] [[{{Series/Firefly}} Reynolds]].
** He's back in ''Halo 3: ODST'', as the squad leader. Alongside [[{{Expy}} Wash and Jayne!]]. Again!
** In [=H3=] Creator/AdamBaldwin voices an ODST who yells: [[{{Series/Firefly}} Gee it sure would be nice if we had grenades, don'tcha think?]]
*** In ODST his character yells out "Gorramit!" occasionally, another Firefly reference.
** Creator/KateeSackhoff, the actress who portrays Kara Thrace in the 2003 revival of ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'', voiced a marine in Halo 3. You can hear her yelling "Frak!" if she gets hits.

* TheOtherDarrin: Both Miranda Keyes and the Prophet of Truth get new voice actors in between ''Halo 2'' and ''3''.
** Doubled with Miranda Keyes, as she gets a new (even sexier) design as well.
** In the ''Halo Legends'' episodes "The Package" and "Odd One Out", John-117 is not voiced by Steve Downes. Cortana isn't voiced by Jen Taylor in the latter, either.
*** Doesn't sound like either of them returned for the ''{{VideoGame/Halo 4}}'' trailer either...
*** Either way, they're back for the game proper. Oh, and for the first time, they're working side-by-side (they first met in '''2010''')
* Truth's voice changed from [[Film/TheCrow Top Dollar]] in ''Halo 2'' to [[{{Film/Superman II}} Zod]] in ''Halo 3''.

** The Film of the Game was going to be directed by Neill Blomkamp, the director of ''Film/{{District 9}}''.
*** Of course, District 9 was only made because Blomkamp couldn't do the Halo movie. If there had been a Halo movie, we might very be lamenting the opposite situation.

* HeyItsThatVoice: Early-rising fans of classic rock in Chicago will recognize Master Chief's voice as that of Steve Downes, the former 5AM-10AM DJ on 97.1FM. Bungie was based in Chicago before being bought by Microsoft.
** {{Seattle}} area insomniacs would be just as familiar with Sgt. Johnson's voice actor, David Scully, from ''Series/AlmostLive'', which also launched [[{{Series/Community}} Joel [=McHale=]]] and Series/{{Bill Nye|TheScienceGuy}}.
** [[VideoGame/StarFox Falco]] dislikes flip music.

* CashCowFranchise: Five main games, various books and comics, the requisite action figures, an ''anime series'', five GaidenGames (including two on mobile), several {{Alternate Reality Game}}s, and three live-action serials, not to mention various promotional tie-ins.