Why Master Chief?

[Anton P. Nym]

Also, in response to Anton P. Nym pet peeve, the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer is not reserved to just spec ops. As an actual member of the Navy, I have met many Master Chiefs, and I would shit a brick if any of them could run fast enough to even do basic soldiering. There are spec ops Master Chiefs, but there is nothing specific to the rank relating it to any special group inside the military.

Oh, I know that... sorry I wasn't clear on that in my post. I agree; most Master Chiefs are more administrator than combat leader, perhaps clinging to the lower rungs of PT evaluations but carried over because of their colossal seniority and long on-the-job experience.

MCPO Spartan-117 (aka "John", aka "the Master Chief") is an exception in part because he is front-line in Special Warfare Operations... and in part from the bio-enhancements. I mentioned that he was spec.ops more to emphasize he was in the Navy and had a Naval rank, and less to point out that he was a cyber-SEAL.

-- Steve

edited to add, and avoid a double-post

Plus, 117 is a proverb in the bible, Look it up.

Specifically John 1:17... "I am the first and the last." Candidate 117 was the first SPARTAN selected for the program, and appears to be the last surviving SPARTAN at the start of the first Halo game.

 

[Bigeyez]

Heres a letter I just got from someone too afraid to comment

Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.
From:
rtgfadf

Master Chief is built faceless and plain because he's a shell character and an enigma. It makes the player feel like you're in Master Chief's helmet and says what the player is thinking.

Plus, 117 is a proverb in the bible, Look it up.

You might as well bash Gordan Freeman too.

------------------------------------------

No, I won't "Bash" gordon freeman, because there's not many "Fans" who make him out to be this god of an epic hero, and instead recognize the fact that Gordon is just the role you take up, not an actual character.

But I will also add you cannot claim your character is an enigma fully when he has lines.

But what he said was 100% correct...It's a very common technique used in videogames. And no one makes Gordon Freemen out to be an epic hero???LOLWHAT. Have you never seen the HUNDREDS of Half-Life threads on the Escapist. Oh I see your new to the Escapist. I guess thats why your acting like a prick. *Moves along*

Edit: LOL Did someone really create a new account just to troll below me. /sigh It's sad to see the Escapist reach the levels of stupidity that other boards are normally at.

 

[open trap]

because he survived due to his luck, duh

 

[happysock]

Today, I want to talk about something that has been bothering me lately; Master Chief. Some people might not know this, but Bungie has made many books about the extended universe of Halo (all of them I like expect the latest one). In one of these books, you learn the origins of Master Chief and the other Spartans, plus what happen on Reach before the first (and best) game. When you are reading, you might pick up the fact the each Spartan has "special abilities" unique to them. Kelly is the fastest, Sam is the strongest, and Linda is the sniper of the bunch and has the best aim. John is just the luckiest. That's it.

So my question is, if Bungie had created all of these wonderful characters that I actually liked, cared about, and had better "abilities", why, why did the fell the need to put one of the most plainest characters, and that (lets face it) weakest of the bunch to make the main charter in their story?

I'm not anti-Halo, I'm anti-Master Cheif.

Just wait till Halo reach their going to incorperate the other spartans into the game

 

[Cama Zots]

In order to make MC identifiable to everyone, which is something they go out of their way to do (he never shows his face), they made him an average Joe.

 

[WhiteTiger225]

Heres a letter I just got from someone too afraid to comment

Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.
From:
rtgfadf

Master Chief is built faceless and plain because he's a shell character and an enigma. It makes the player feel like you're in Master Chief's helmet and says what the player is thinking.

Plus, 117 is a proverb in the bible, Look it up.

You might as well bash Gordan Freeman too.

------------------------------------------

No, I won't "Bash" gordon freeman, because there's not many "Fans" who make him out to be this god of an epic hero, and instead recognize the fact that Gordon is just the role you take up, not an actual character.

But I will also add you cannot claim your character is an enigma fully when he has lines.

But what he said was 100% correct...It's a very common technique used in videogames. And no one makes Gordon Freemen out to be an epic hero???LOLWHAT. Have you never seen the HUNDREDS of Half-Life threads on the Escapist. Oh I see your new to the Escapist. I guess thats why your acting like a prick. *Moves along*

LOL! Lets see... when I come onto a forum what is the first thing I hear when people talk about their favorite characters between gordon freeman and masterchief? I hear masterchief, masterchief, masterchief... but rarely do I ever hear gordon freeman. Why? Well, because the fans who do happen to call him a likeable or epic character tend to keep to only a few forums, while the rabid fanboy cult following of the mediocre game called Halo 3 (2 and 1 were okay) will shout out that masterchief is an epic character. Hell, unlike gordon freeman, 2 FUCKING GAME MAGAZINES did 3 page articles on why master chief is an epic hero and an awesome character.

And again, I pointed out he WOULD BE CORRECT, if infact masterchief had no actual lines outside of one liners or situational gameplay lines. But since he DOES have lines, talks, interacts, etc, he falls under a character, a lame one, but a character. Gordon Freeman is uninteresting, but at least he is a true enigma.

And no, I am not actually new, I have been hanging around the escapist since before Zero Punctuation joined (back when he was doing videos for youtube) and back when the escapist website looked like complete crud XD I only actually bothered making an account recently is all. And yes, once again, Gordon Freeman DOES get called an epic hero, but never, ever, have I seen 2 well known magazines talking about what a great character he is, nor do I see his name being popped into as many forums.

 

[Asickorphan]

Because its not the character that plays the game its the player. Example if it was a sniper character and you suck at sniping wouldn't make sense would it! The master chief can do mutliple thing not just be the greatest in; one he but still depends on your actions to win. Oh and it was probably his voice its just sounds too kickass

 

[Fingolfin High-King of the Noldor]

Because he was the leader. He was a mixture of all of them.

 

[BonerMacTittyPants]

He was the most mediocre character.

Doesn't that make much more sence?

 

[Herb sewell]

Seems likely they did it to not force the character into a specialty instead allowing them to be the blank jack of all trades and choose how they want to go about the fight.

 

[AvsJoe]

Some people might not know this, but Bungie has made many books about the extended universe of Halo (all of them I like expect the latest one).

God I loved those books. They may be a little below my reading level (okay, far below), but for a PG-13/T for Teen action novel, it's hard to get better than these. The Fall of Reach was by far the best of the series, but I liked all three.

Master Chief was chosen because it was he who found himself in that situation. Besides John wasn't just the luckiest, he was also a born leader.

 

[Ashbax]

Today, I want to talk about something that has been bothering me lately; Master Chief. Some people might not know this, but Bungie has made many books about the extended universe of Halo (all of them I like expect the latest one). In one of these books, you learn the origins of Master Chief and the other Spartans, plus what happen on Reach before the first (and best) game. When you are reading, you might pick up the fact the each Spartan has "special abilities" unique to them. Kelly is the fastest, Sam is the strongest, and Linda is the sniper of the bunch and has the best aim. John is just the luckiest. That's it.

So my question is, if Bungie had created all of these wonderful characters that I actually liked, cared about, and had better "abilities", why, why did the fell the need to put one of the most plainest characters, and that (lets face it) weakest of the bunch to make the main charter in their story?

I'm not anti-Halo, I'm anti-Master Cheif.

Well, im sorry, but if chief was the worst, how did he survive the prequel books, then the game trilogy without so much as a scratch?

and dont bang on about him being simply lucky, luck is hardly a bad thing. If hes very lucky, then I wouldnt call him weak.
However, it seems we are trying to give a videogame character some depth, something they dont need at all and trying to apply it usually results in idiocy.

 

[Bradfucius]

I think he had the best leadership skills and the best drive to win.

 

[Arkhangelsk]

Luck is better than any other ability, cause then you don't even have to put any effort into whatever you do.

 

[Davey Woo]

Because for the games, if it forced you to play as for example the "sniper" it would change the way the game plays. Giving players the "all-rounder" character lets them in a way customise how they play as him.

 

[Halo Fanboy]

But what he said was 100% correct...It's a very common technique used in videogames. And no one makes Gordon Freemen out to be an epic hero???LOLWHAT. Have you never seen the HUNDREDS of Half-Life threads on the Escapist. Oh I see your new to the Escapist. I guess thats why your acting like a prick. *Moves along*
LOL! Lets see... when I come onto a forum what is the first thing I hear when people talk about their favorite characters between gordon freeman and masterchief? I hear masterchief, masterchief, masterchief... but rarely do I ever hear gordon freeman. Why? Well, because the fans who do happen to call him a likeable or epic character tend to keep to only a few forums, while the rabid fanboy cult following of the mediocre game called Halo 3 (2 and 1 were okay) will shout out that masterchief is an epic character. Hell, unlike gordon freeman, 2 FUCKING GAME MAGAZINES did 3 page articles on why master chief is an epic hero and an awesome character.

And again, I pointed out he WOULD BE CORRECT, if infact masterchief had no actual lines outside of one liners or situational gameplay lines. But since he DOES have lines, talks, interacts, etc, he falls under a character, a lame one, but a character. Gordon Freeman is uninteresting, but at least he is a true enigma.

And no, I am not actually new, I have been hanging around the escapist since before Zero Punctuation joined (back when he was doing videos for youtube) and back when the escapist website looked like complete crud XD I only actually bothered making an account recently is all. And yes, once again, Gordon Freeman DOES get called an epic hero, but never, ever, have I seen 2 well known magazines talking about what a great character he is, nor do I see his name being popped into as many forums.

GamesRadar did an article on him and he has won one or two character contest around here.

I think Master Chief is regarded as one of the greatest heroes is because he has accomplished some of the greatest deeds.

 

[adam_148]

MC is probably the most 'normal' of the Spartans to make him the "Jack of all trades, master of none" so that the player can enjoy a more varied gameplay, or stick to their preferred skills.

This effect is kind of ruined by giving him a personality instead of leaving him as a blank slate like Gordon Freeman, who we know very little about except that he's a Physicist.

 

[Guitar Gamer]

well I see your point but I think his skill was being a leader though personally I think that you can be teach people to know how to give orders and take initiative, I did read the book that I think your talking about: Fall of Reach, correct? I actually thought is was a pretty good read, of course when everyone see's it they don't really seem impressed also considering that I don't even own a x-box

 

[cormacd12]

The Others might feature in Halo: Reach, fingers crossed. I loved The Fall of Reach, by the way.

 

[Slycne]

The novels were written after the initial games, so I imagine the writer was looking for ways to add more variety to the individual Spartans beyond a name and a number. Given the relative lack of story and exposition before the novels all there characters were likely created by the writer and not something Bungie originally had in mind. Also wasn't he the first or only Spartan to be paired up with an AI? When linked with Cortana he has a significant advantage over the other Spartans even if some of them process a higher prowess for certain skills.