Halo (TV episode)

Halo is the eighth and final episode of the second season of Halo. It premiered on March 21, 2024 on Paramount+.

Synopsis[]

The climactic battle for the Halo begins. John makes a fateful choice. Soren and Kwan undertake a rescue mission. Halsey and Miranda unleash an ancient horror.

Plot[]

John speaks to The Monitor, who knows the vast unknowable location they're in. He asks what John found down there.

Miranda examines the spores she found as they are no longer dormant. A biologist, Janine, explains spores to Miranda. They discuss Halsey and Janine believes Miranda was lucky to find the artifact. Janine rambles about the Spartans so Miranda asks for quiet. Janine leaves and passes a note to another scientist. For the rest of the day she is spacey, disoriented, and out of it. Miranda watches the spores growing. Janine begins to twitch and suddenly snaps, killing another scientist as her body convulses. Miranda watches the spores multiply.

Perez says a prayer as the Spartans arrive at their target. Kai tells her to trust her training. An explosion hits the ship and knocks everyone off board. Perez is spiraling and Kai tells her to calm down because she's in gimbal lock. She struggles to tell Perez to find her references. Perez freaks out at first then finds herself. Kai and the remaining Spartans enter formation as the bodies members of the second wave fly past them like debris. They manage to land on the Covenant ship.

John listens to the panicked screams of his soldiers over the radio. Parangosky, from ONI, tells John that she's so glad he's back with them. They are tracking the Covenant fleet and he must get to the Halo first. He must do it for humanity and get forego the Spartan-III's. John accuses her of picking who to save then cuts the comms.

Kwan watches Soren gather his belongings as she flashes back to warnings from the seer. Her father used to talk about the darkness. She could feel it watching her for her entire life. The darkness is here now - the monster. Laera and Kessler are in Thermopylae now. He tells Kwan she doesn't have to come.

Ackerson is put into a cell across from Kessler and Laera. Kessler tries to speak with a woman in a neighboring cell against Laera's wishes. A slug crawls out of Janine's mouth.

The remaining Spartan-III's clear the Covenant ship. An Elite attacks which sparks a violent fight between the forces. Kai requests backup and help, but their reinforcements are disintegrated by the Covenant. John watches this unfold and asks Parangosky if she's going to help them or not. Parangosky is using the Spartan-IIIs to buy John time to get to the Halo. If he doesn't make it to the Halo the sacrifices will be for nothing. Kai calls for more help as Perez remembers John saying he knows he'll never be the one dying in a battle. John revisits the same conversation and flashes back to his childhood when he flipped the coin for a woman. Halsey picking him for a reason, him making the coin come up heads. He flips the coin and watches it in midair.

Kai and the Spartans take heavy fire. John stops his aircraft while Parangosky tries to order him. He tells her that she has no idea what he can do. The bay door opens as Master Chief looks out.

Cortana tells Makee they should get to a drop pod or risk disintegration. Makee asks if John will come when they do. Cortana can't answer that because she's loyal, which is a problem and a virtue. Cortana knows that if this is a problem then Makee's loyalty lies elsewhere. She insists she aligns with no one. Cortana knows she's going to be erased. Makee tosses the device on the ground and stomps on it.

The Spartans continue to take heavy fire. Kai tells Perez to get her head in the game. They signed up to die for each other. They are out of ammo so they steal plasma rifles. Perez is hit so Kai must drag her away as Perez fires her two Needlers. Perez is badly wounded but wants to keep fighting. She wants Kai to tell her what to do. Kai tells her she did good. Kai is left with the spike in her hand. She sees the ships exploding outside. Perez tells Kai to use the spike. She knew this was always a one-way ticket and doesn't want Kai to let it be for nothing. Kai activates the spike and is about the slam it when an explosion hits. Covenant members are slaughtered as Kai realizes that's the Chief. He expertly takes out Covenant with a plasma sword, emerging through smoke to the remaining Spartans and a surprised Kai. She thought he had to save humanity. He tells her to get Perez stabilized. She looks out the window as she muses this is their most powerful fleet and won't last a day. They're the last of their kind. Chief doesn't plan on anyone dying or leaving anyone behind. Kai gets Perez and Mullins up than returns to the spike point.

Kwan and Soren arrive at the ONI where the people inside are in catatonic states. She warns Soren against touching anyone.

Kessler watches Janine's mutated body before it attacks the cells. Ackerson tries to wake the guard but he's in a state. Janine breaks her body and bones to get through the bars. A creature bursts out of Janine's shoulder. Ackerson open fires on Janine until she's dead. The guard begins to mutate in the same way. This time, Ackerson is out of bullets.

Soren and Kwan try to find the cells. Kwan sees a feed of the cells that shows the guard mutating while Laera screams.

Parangosky demands John report back but he's left the ship. She orders Halsey to tell John the same. Halsey goes over comms to tell him the ship he's pursuing is breaking up while entering the Halo. She knows he's entering the ship for Cortana. Halsey tells him about his best chance for a breach point.

John talks to the man in the darkness about deviating from his mission for Cortana. She knows him better than anyone else.

John enters the Covenant ship in search of Cortana. He finds the shattered device and believes Cortana is lost. She is still alive in the ship's systems where she fled. She's simulated all the outcomes and they're both to be destroyed in seven seconds. He refuses to let that happen. He punches the system and absorbs the energy within.

Soren and Kwan arrive just in time to take out the mutated guard. Kwan opens the cell door which lets the family reunite. Kessler wants to free Ackerson as well, but Soren isn't sure. Laera remarks that Ackerson saved their lives, so Soren lets him out.

Master Chief awakens inside the Halo to the sound of an explosion. He removes his helmet to look at the wreckage the ship made. All around him life is blooming in flowers, grass, and trees. He looks to the sky to admire the Halo. Cortana recognizes it as the perfect fusion between artificial life and organic growth. He needs to find Makee so Cortana suggests looking at the large structure. Master Chief picks up a plasma sword and begins his trek.

The Arbiter talks to Makee about his redemption.

Cortana wonders if the Halo was waiting for him. Makee believes this is a prophecy, while John believes this is where the fight is.

Perez awakens on a ship where she's connected to IVs. Mullins is nearby and shares that Kai never left the ship.

Kai watches the battle as she struggles over her decision.

Perez yanks the IVs out and stands by the window.

Kai pilots the Covenant Corvette back to the Assault Carrier. She collides with it in a ball of fire.

John hears the explosion and stops for a moment before going on ahead.

The ONI cheer over the Assault Carrier being destroyed.

Miranda continues her studies as Halsey whispers to her from the CIC. Miranda thinks what they brought back was a parasite. Halsey decides to come to Miranda, just as the personnel begin to mutate and attack. One attacks Halsey but another personnel member saves her. She runs out of the room and seals it off while the uninfected, including Parganosky, are left to perish.

Ackerson leads the group through the halls until they are attacked by more infected people. Kwan and Soren try their best to fight them off, but she's surrounded. She closes her eyes and reconnects with The Mother, the seer, who claims to be the former Protector in a time so long ago no one remembers. All her ancestors are there with her. The Mother holds off the infected so Kwan can escape. It is the cohesion, the meaning, the final equilibrium, the end, and the Flood.

Miranda drops her tools to let Halsey inside. Miranda sees this as a biological catastrophe, but Halsey thinks it's a connection. Halsey begins to unload on Miranda and then stops. Miranda realizes her mom is infected.

Ackerson leads everyone to safety. Soren picks up Kessler, taking him to safety. Laera drops back to close the door, sealing it off. She tells Soren he's a good father and not to run from it. Kessler needs him now. She shows Soren the bite on her arm. She loves them both and disappears back inside.

Makee and the Arbiter reach the structure. Master Chief arrives before she can touch it. The Arbiter is ready to kill Chief and they fight ion the grounds of the structure while Makee watches. Arbiter gets the upper hand on Chief, batting him around with ease. Master Chief rises up as they're not done yet. This time, Master Chief gains the upper hand, ultimately pummeling the Arbiter. The Arbiter asks to be killed so his shame will be over. Makee doesn't think this is the death he deserves. Arbiter tells Makee too share his wishes with the Demon. Makee starts to share his words, but Master Chief already knows. He drives the plasma sword through Arbiter's chest. Makee touches the structure which opens it.

Ackerson, Soren, Kwan, and Kessler take flight in an aircraft. Kwan tells Soren that Kessler is asking for Laera. Kessler goes to the first level to comfort his crying son. Soren knows the monster is real now. They share a hug.

Miranda seals Halsey inside a pod to stop the progression of the parasite. She promises to bring her back.

Kai's body floats in space.

Makee accuses Master Chief of bringing war everywhere he goes, even to the Halo. She must start a new now where everything will be clean. He questions her desire for peace. With the humans gone there will be peace. He can't let that happen. Cortana alerts John of changes in the Halo. Makee tells John there is much he doesn't know about what they are. She's a demon too. She enters the structure, so John opens it for himself to walk inside.

The Monitor in the darkness asks John why he fights. They took his image and bent it to their purpose, so he took it back. The armor doesn't belong to them, it belongs to him. To the ones who are gone and the ones who are still in the fight. Monitor wonders if Makee is right about him not being who he needs. John warns Monitor not to trust Makee, which is exactly what she said about John. Monitor is glad John is there, though he knew he would be. It is awake because John is here, and he is here because it is awake. John asks what it is. It's been waiting to meet him in the dark this entire time. A small pod-like camera flies away from John with the promise of watching. Master Chief puts on his helmet, which is broken to show both Master Chief and John.