History YMMV / Halo

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: The side-stories, and later the games themselves, make it clear the ''Halo'' universe is not a happy place. [[TheFederation The UNSC]], [[DesignatedHero the so-called good guys]], are willing to spy on their own citizens in the name of the [[TheNeedsOfTheMany greater good]] and screw their alien allies to advance [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters humanity's self-interests]]. And the Convenant is [[ScaryDogmaticAliens even worse]]. The Forerunner book pushes the ''Halo'' series into CosmicHorrorStory territory. And our hero, the Master Chief, [[BeingGoodSucks will save the day while losing close friends and loved ones]].

** "I think [[IAmNotShazam Halo]] is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything."

** By the end of Contact Harvest, you ''will'' want to hug Mack. And Sif. And Dadab. And Lighter than Some. And [[IronWoobie Johnson]]. And maybe [[http://www.halopedian.com/Wallace_A._Jenkins Jenkins]].

* HesJustHiding: The ONI official report makes it canon that [[spoiler: Admiral Cole]] is still out there somewhere.

** Wait. That's illegal.

* AccidentalInnuendo: ''Halo: Legacy of Onyx'' has a scene in which Molly and Lucy discuss how much size matters...referring to a combatant's build in a fight, of course.
-->'''Lucy:''' Are you saying that this is all about size?

* EscapistCharacter: John-117 was ranked the eighth greatest video game character of all time by Electronic Gaming Monthly, simply because he doesn't talk much and you can't see his face, so you can easily pretend it's really you inside the armour doing all those badass things.

* {{GIFT}}: Like all online video games, Halo's online portion has had issues with {{Griefer}}s. Unfortunately due to its popularity, the GIFT has been placed at the forefront, to the point that they are actually MisBlamed for "creating" it.

* ItWasHisSled:
** It is quite impossible to hear about the series without hearing about the Flood, whose existence were the major plot twist of the first game. The later-released novelization of the first game was even called ''Halo: The Flood''.
** You're also very likely to have heard about the Arbiter being a second PlayerCharacter for ''Halo 2'', which came as a shock to a lot of people when that game was first released.

* {{Misblamed}}: Halo's userbase has been misblamed for the creation of the "juvenile and unfriendly" gamer. Apparently people haven't heard of the [[{{GIFT}} Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory]], which has been in existence long before Halo was even thought of. Halo just brought the issue to light if anything.

* {{Narm}}: The sight of the Prophet of Mercy struggling to fight off one small Infection Form was already a pretty pathetic sight. What was even ''more'' pathetic was realizing that single Infection Form [[spoiler:actually succeed in killing him]]. Downplayed in the ''Anniversary'' version, which is quite violent in comparison.

** After ''Halo 4'' was ported to PC, 343 started adding new armor options to ''Halo 3'' derived from the canceled ''Halo Online'' game. Fans became incredibly divided over this, with some embracing the addition of new armors that didn't exist in the original game while others complained over the dumping of canned assets into the armor pool [[ArtShift that don't match the game's original art style.]] Tellingly, an option was added to disable these new armor options from being visible in a future update.

** [[NobleDemon The]] [[TokenHeroicOrc Arbiter]], he and the Chief are BashBrothers extraordinaire. Many rejoiced at his return in ''Guardians.''

** [[BreakoutCharacter Sergeant Johnson]], [[spoiler: may he rest in peace.]]
** Vergil, the first Engineer we meet in the games who also provides help for the final missions. Also has quite a few SugarWiki/FunnyMoments.

** Spartans don't die, they're only missing in action, that is how you respawn when you die! Also, the Gravemind's quotes in Halo 3? You know where he calls you the 'child of my enemy?' Originally we thought it was because humanity were the inheritors of the Forerunner legacy. However new information reveals that thousands of years ago humanity repelled the Flood and found a way to destroy them without firing the halo rings. This Gravemind has the memories of its predecessor.

* BestLevelEver: In Halo 1, there is The Assault on the Control Room, where you finally get to rampage all over the covenant with vehicles. ''Halo 2'' has Gravemind (the level, not the [[EldritchAbomination thing made of corpses]]). Here, you get to rampage through what is effectively the covenant capital city gunning down everyone in your way in one long bloodbath while chasing down the resident BigBad. Oh yeah, and partway through, some of the enemies start [[EnemyCivilWar killing each other]]. Oh yeah, and there is so much SceneryPorn that you're either killing something or looking like a view straight out of a ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' CGI cutscene. ''Halo 3'' has two; Tsavo Highway, which is going on a vehicle rampage against the covenant. The other one is a level called "The Covenant". At its climax, you get to rampage through enemy banshees and [[TankGoodness two giant enemy tank walkers!]] ''ODST'' has the Police Headquarters level which ends with an awesome last stand and an epic cutscene.
** ''Halo 1'''s Silent Cartographer level begins with an assault on a Covenant-held beach, and once that's over it does a fantastic job of providing the illusion that you've got a whole island to explore however you like. The Silent Cartographer is such a highly-regarded mission that the ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' mod ''VideoGame/MINERVAMetastasis'' [[http://www.blog.radiator.debacle.us/2009/01/mod-auteurs-adam-foster-cargo-cult.html has been described as essentially a "love letter" to that one level]]. Also, the first game's Two Betrayals level climaxes in a BigBadassBattleSequence featuring a three-way fight between the Chief, the Covenant (with two Wraith tanks at their disposal!), and the Flood.
** And then there's Midnight, the final level of ''Halo 4''. Opening with a spaceship assualt course that wouldn't be out of place in ''Starfox'', with some of the best music in the whole damn franchise, then fighting through a giant Forerunner spaceship, ending with a huge gutpunch in the level's final moments. And in the epilogue after it, if you completed the whole game on [[HarderThanHard Legendary]], [[spoiler: ''you get to see part of the Master Chief's face.'']]
** No mentioning of the final level from Halo 3, simply titled "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Halo]]", which sees the JustForFun/HolyShitQuotient go approximately supernova. Featuring battles against Flood ''and'' Sentinels, the deaths of [[spoiler: Guilty Spark and [[BreakoutCharacter Johnson]]]], and what many see, to this day, as the franchise's [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome brightest shining moment]]: Chief and the Arbiter riding a warthog through the ''exploding Ringworld'' with [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic "Finish the Fight"]] pounding in your ears in the entire time. Forget being "best level in Halo" or "best level in shooters", many would argue it's the best final mission in video games. '''Period.'''

* FridgeBrilliance: Spartans don't die, they're only missing in action, that is how you respawn when you die! Also, the Gravemind's quotes in Halo 3? You know where he calls you the 'child of my enemy?' Originally we thought it was because humanity were the inheritors of the Forerunner legacy. However new information reveals that thousands of years ago humanity repelled the Flood and found a way to destroy them without firing the halo rings. This Gravemind has the memories of its predecessor.

* FridgeHorror: You know the Focus Rifle, the Covenant [[EnergyWeapon Sniper equivalent]] in Reach? It nearly blinds you provided the beam's hitting you in the face, and makes that frightening beeping sound as it's being fired? Keep in mind this is the Covenant ''sniper''. [[GoddamnedBats Jackals]] are still in the game. [[ThisIsGonnaSuck You can start crying now.]]

** The Prophet of Truth crosses this after killing [[spoiler: Keyes]], if he hadn't already, and [[spoiler: Guilty Spark crosses over when he goes Rampant and fatally injures Johnson.]]
*** Arguably Truth's moment came earlier when [[spoiler:he ordered the Brutes to kill all the Elites.]]
*** If you consider the ExpandedUniverse, then his crossing probably was when he [[spoiler:launched the Covenant's war of extermination against humanity after learning that the humans were the true "reclaimers" of the Forerunners, a fact that could cast the Covenant religion into doubt.]]
** The Gravemind crossed it when it tortured Cortana while aboard ''High Charity''. When the Master Chief finally rescues her, Cortana says "You found me" with such pain in her voice that you can't help but both get a lump in your throat and swear that the Gravemind is going to pay for what it did.

* TheScrappy: It would be hard to find someone who likes 343 Guilty Spark. You can't tell us you all didn't enjoy [[spoiler:finally getting to shut him up at the end of ''Halo 3''.]] With ''Primordium'', ''Silentium'' and ''Anniversary'' out, [[spoiler:he [[TheWoobie just might get some sympathy]], considering his backstory. ''Renegades'' is his RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap moment for some, as his ChronicBackstabbingSyndrome is finally confronted, ending with him ultimately overcoming it.]]
** Arguably, Sarah Palmer. She is disliked by many fans because of her lack of respect toward the Master Chief and generally abrasive attitude, as well as her pointless shooting of Dr Halsey despite being ordered not to.

* WoobieSpecies: Poor [[http://www.halopedia.org/Huragok Engineers]]. Initially pacifist critters who just like fixing technology, late in the war many of them end up defecting to the UNSC because of how the Covenant has been mistreating them, such as having bombs strapped to them. And how has {{Creator/Bungie}} managed to design a species that's both StarfishAlien ''and'' cute??

* {{Adorkable}}: 031 Exuberant Witness Does her best to help Fireteam Osiris in a very cheerful and friendly manner, and is in general quite endearing with her commentary. This quote sums it best:

* CompleteMonster: The [[IronicNickname Prophet of Truth]], [[OmnicidalManiac Ord Casto]], is one of the {{Big Bad}}s of the franchise and instigator of the attempted genocide of two species. After finding out that humans are the descendants of Forerunners, thus violating [[Characters/HaloTheCovenant Covenant]] doctrine, Truth, along with his cohorts Mercy and Regret, decide to wipe out humanity rather than risk their species losing power. While originally more concerned with personal power instead of the Covenant religion, as time goes on Truth becomes more and more devoted to the idea of procuring [[GodhoodSeeker godhood for himself]] through [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence the Great Journey]], and takes more drastic steps to make it a reality. Believing the Jiralhane (Brutes) to be more vicious and mindlessly devoted pawns than the Sangheili (Elites), Truth secretly orders the genocide of the Sangheili race after ensuring the Jiralhane will supplant them. This triggers the Covenant Civil War. Cold-blooded and ruthless, Truth feels no loyalty or affection for his fellow Prophets. Truth prevents Covenant forces from saving Regret in order to use Regret's death for political gain, and allows Mercy to be killed by the Flood in order to seize absolute power over the Covenant. Even when having evidence that the Halo Rings were not devices to procure godhood but are instead weapons of mass destruction, Truth decides to activate all of them anyway, willing to risk the death of all life in the galaxy just to have the chance to become a god.

* CompleteMonster: * ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'': The Prophet of Truth, Ord Casto, is one of the {{Big Bad}}s of the franchise and instigator of the attempted genocide of two species. After finding out that humans are the descendants of Forerunners, thus violating [[Characters/HaloTheCovenant Covenant]] doctrine, Truth, along with his cohorts Mercy and Regret, decide to wipe out humanity rather than risk their species losing power. While originally more concerned with personal power instead of the Covenant religion, as time goes on Truth becomes more and more devoted to the idea of procuring [[GodhoodSeeker godhood for himself]] through [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence the Great Journey]], and takes more drastic steps to make it a reality. Believing the Jiralhane (Brutes) to be more vicious and mindlessly devoted pawns than the Sangheili (Elites), Truth secretly orders the genocide of the Sangheili race after ensuring the Jiralhane will supplant them. This triggers the Covenant Civil War. Cold-blooded and ruthless, Truth feels no loyalty or affection for his fellow Prophets. Truth prevents Covenant forces from saving Regret in order to use Regret's death for political gain, and allows Mercy to be killed by the Flood in order to seize absolute power over the Covenant. Even when having evidence that the Halo Rings were not devices to procure godhood but are instead weapons of mass destruction, Truth decides to activate all of them anyway, willing to risk the death of all life in the galaxy just to have the chance to become a god.

* CompleteMonster: The Prophet of Truth, Ord Casto, was one of the {{Big Bad}}s of the ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' series and instigator of the attempted genocide of two species. After finding out that humans were the descendants of Forerunners, thus violating Covenant doctrine, Truth, along with his cohorts Mercy and Regret, decided to wipe out humanity rather than risk their species losing power. While originally more concerned with personal power instead of the Covenant religion, as time went on Truth became more and more devoted to the idea of procuring [[AGodAmI godhood for himself]] through [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence the Great Journey]], and took more drastic steps to make it a reality. Believing the Jiralhane (Brutes) to be more vicious and mindlessly devoted pawns than the Sangheili (Elites), Truth secretly ordered the genocide of the Sangheili race after ensuring the Jiralhane supplanted them. This triggered the Covenant Civil War. Cold-blooded and ruthless, Truth felt no loyalty or affection for his fellow Prophets. Truth prevented Covenant forces from saving Regret in order to use Regret's death for political gain, and allowed Mercy to be killed by the Flood in order to seize absolute power over the Covenant. Even when having evidence that the Halo Rings were not devices to procure godhood but were instead weapons of mass destruction, Truth decided to activate all of them anyway, willing to risk the death of all life in the galaxy just to have the chance to become a god.

-->'''343 Guilty Spark:''' UNACCEPTABLE! UNACCEPTABLE!

* FridgeHorror: You know the Focus Rifle, the Covenant [[FrickinLaserBeams Sniper equivalent]] in Reach? It nearly blinds you provided the beam's hitting you in the face, and makes that frightening beeping sound as it's being fired? Keep in mind this is the Covenant ''sniper''. [[GoddamnedBats Jackals]] are still in the game. [[ThisIsGonnaSuck You can start crying now.]]

* TheScrappy: It would be hard to find someone who likes 343 Guilty Spark. You can't tell us you all didn't enjoy [[spoiler:finally getting to shut him up at the end of ''Halo 3''.]] With ''Primordium'', ''Silentium'' and ''Anniversary'' out, [[spoiler:he [[TheWoobie just might get some sympathy]], considering his backstory.]]

* CreatorsPet: Sarah Palmer from ''Halo 4'' is accused of this, being the main character in ''VideoGame/HaloSpartanAssault'' and having a large presence in ''Spartan Ops'' despite being largely disliked for her self-righteous attitude. This was downplayed in later works; Palmer had more genuinely awesome moments and HumblePie in ''Escalation'', and acts much more appropriate of her standing in ''Halo 5: Guardians''.

* CompleteMonster: The Prophet of Truth, Ord Casto, was one of the {{Big Bad}}s of the ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' series and instigator of the attempted genocide of two species. After finding out that humans were the descendants of Forerunners, thus violating Covenant doctrine, Truth, along with his cohorts Mercy and Regret, decided to wipe out humanity rather than risk their species losing power. While originally more concerned with personal power instead of the Covenant religion, as time went on Truth became more and more devoted to the idea of procuring [[AGodAmI godhood for himself]] through [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence the Great Journey]], and took more drastic steps to make it a reality. Believing the Jiralhane (Brutes) to be more vicious and mindlessly devoted pawns than the Sangheili (Elites), Truth secretly ordered the genocide of the Sangheili race after ensuring the Jiralhane supplanted them. This triggered the Covenant Civil War. Cold-blooded and ruthless, Truth felt no loyalty or affection for his fellow Prophets. Truth prevented Covenant forces from saving Regret in order to use Regret's death for political gain, and allowed Mercy to die by the parasitic Flood for no reason at all. Even when having evidence that the Halo Rings were not devices to procure godhood but were instead weapons of mass destruction, Truth decided to activate all of them anyway, willing to risk the death of all life in the galaxy just to have the chance to become a god.

* CrazyAwesome:
** The Master Chief and the Arbiter themselves. Special mention goes to ''Halo 2'', where the Crazy part is taken UpToEleven with the Chief leaping out of a space station to plant a massive Covenant bomb inside their ship, and the Arbiter sending the orbital mining station he's in into freefall to flush out a mark.
** Admiral Cole. [[spoiler:Who else would think of nuking a gas giant with 100 Shivas to turn it into a sun and then a supernova to wipe out several hundred Covenant warships?]]
** A requirement for being an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper. As the saying goes, "It takes a special kind of crazy to be a Helljumper".
** Admiral Danforth Whitcomb's final stand against the Covenant after the fall of Reach? Leading the mission that sees the Spartans capture a supercarrier and then sacrificing himself to destroy a space station supporting no less than ''five hundred'' Covenant warships bound for Earth; How does he top himself? By allowing the Covenant on Reach to find the NOVA bomb, armed with nine thermonuclear warheads which later detonate above a Covenant colony, destroying a Covenant armada, scorching the entire planet, and ''shattering its moon''.
** How Thom-B293 died? Picking up the nuke Kat had been carrying, using his Jetpack to carry it aboard the overhead Covenent Battlecruiser, and lobbing it into the ship's vehicle hanger ''just'' before the timer hits zero (in order to ensure that it couldn't be thrown back out), before [[UnflinchingWalk walking out of the hanger]] as the nuke goes off, blowing up the entire ship and him with it.

* CompleteMonster:
** The Prophet of Truth, Ord Casto, was one of the {{Big Bad}}s of the ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' series and instigator of the attempted genocide of two species. After finding out that humans were the descendants of Forerunners, thus violating Covenant doctrine, Truth, along with his cohorts Mercy and Regret, decided to wipe out humanity rather than risk their species losing power. While originally more concerned with personal power instead of the Covenant religion, as time went on Truth became more and more devoted to the idea of procuring [[AGodAmI godhood for himself]] through [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence the Great Journey]], and took more drastic steps to make it a reality. Believing the Jiralhane (Brutes) to be more vicious and mindlessly devoted pawns than the Sangheili (Elites), Truth secretly ordered the genocide of the Sangheili race after ensuring the Jiralhane supplanted them. This triggered the Covenant Civil War. Cold-blooded and ruthless, Truth felt no loyalty or affection for his fellow Prophets. Truth prevented Covenant forces from saving Regret in order to use Regret's death for political gain, and allowed Mercy to die by the parasitic Flood for no reason at all. Even when having evidence that the Halo Rings were not devices to procure godhood but were instead weapons of mass destruction, Truth decided to activate all of them anyway, willing to risk the death of all life in the galaxy just to have the chance to become a god.
** Police Commissioner Kinsler is a brutal thug and DirtyCop who took advantage of the chaos caused by the Covenant's invasion of New Mombasa to carry out his crimes without repercussion. The first time Sadie encounters him, Kinsler reveals his intention to rape and kill her. When Sadie escaped from him with the help of Kinsler's driver, Mike Branley, Kinsler swore revenge on both of them. After Vergil, a subroutine of the AI that maintained New Mombasa's infrastructure, prevents Kinsler from killing Branley and recapturing Sadie, Kinsler responds by shutting the AI down. This has the effect of grinding New Mombasa's evacuation to a halt and causing many unnecessary deaths. Kinsler's final attempt to capture Sadie has him [[ScarpiaUltimatum threatening to murder her father if Sadie doesn't willingly turn herself in]]. When Sadie arrives at Kinsler's private train car, Kinsler's having his corrupt officers fire into the crowd of panicked refugees to prevent them from escaping on his train. Once Sadie's in his clutches, Kinsler reveals that he already murdered her father by flooding his lab with argon and then tries to have his way with her again.