OPINION: Why Cortana Was A Good Thing

[TheTallSpartan]

I don't think they will, or ever did plan to kill off Cortana. If they were going to they would of made sure it was final and it clearly isn't when you see some of the better and very possible theories out there suggesting how she could have survived. Therefore the only logical explanation into doing it is they wanted to "humanize" the Chief. Which looks like it could open up a very interesting storyline for the coming games. Also I have to agree that as they made Halo 4 so epic I really don't see them screwing up and killing Cortana.

 

However on a more negative note, Halo 5 is supposed to be a much 'darker' game and although this pretty much guarantees the return of Cortana, she may as previously suggested be on the wrong side or in a diar situation.

 

Moving on, even if 343 got it wrong initially and planned to kill of Cortana, surely after the opinions of the majority of the fan base have been voiced they will realise and change their plans.

 

Just an additional thought, I don't want to wait until Halo 5 so I'd like something to happen in Spartan Ops regarding Cortana, which in my opinion it's incredibly likely that you'll at least a clue to her whereabouts as Crimson team.

 

Finally, I know I've mentioned it already but does anyone know if there's anything behind the terminals on Anniversary linked to Cortana... Saying she's alive. I read a comment on YouTube about it?

[RisingPho3nix]

I'm confused about the title of this thread. "Why Cortana Was A Good Thing" is imho incorrect, because Cortana IS a good thing. Cortana is created by Dr. Halsey of her own personality, so Cortana is like a digitalized human. The composer digitalize lifeforms and can recreate them, but this proccess is buggy. We know these recreated lifeforms as "Prometheans"

Cortana was with her mad copies in this whole forerunner system where the composer was a part of it. So Cortana, as a digital lifeform, could be recreated as a promethean-style lifeform Cortana.

 

I wrote the title as it is to avoid spoilers. I figured that anyone who had beaten the campaign would know what I was talking about.

[xenfire13]

All storyline building comments and emotional side of chief ideas aside, I still hope they bring back cortana because I like the relationship between her and chief. he has always tried to be there for her and she has always helped him in any way she can but I believe that it has been growing to be more than that and i would really like it if they brought her back as a human that fights along side chief or something along those lines...

 

if they get rid of cortana it will be the death of halo for me and I will have to play Call of Duty... yikes!

 

(no offence to those who like Call of Duty, I just like Halo more)

[calm]

All storyline building comments and emotional side of chief ideas aside, I still hope they bring back cortana because I like the relationship between her and chief. he has always tried to be there for her and she has always helped him in any way she can but I believe that it has been growing to be more than that and i would really like it if they brought her back as a human that fights along side chief or something along those lines...

 

if they get rid of cortana it will be the death of halo for me and I will have to play Call of Duty... yikes!

 

(no offence to those who like Call of Duty, I just like Halo more)

 

"death of cortana = death of halo"

 

That's honestly all that needs to be said. Halo without Cortana is like a sandwich that consists of two pieces of bread and nothing else

[emperor413]

^ this. halo needs cortana just as much as it needs the chief. I can agree on her not coming back till partially or at the end of 5, but we need her and the chief back together. A hint to her positive status in spartan ops would be great and help many of us sleep again, but just bring her back, AI or human, preferably still on our side, just bring her back

[Cephemin]

I think in Halo 5, Master Chief should be trying to cope with Cortana. As in, having flashback and memories and stuff (Kind of like the way they did it in Halo3, only better, imo) Maybe she comes back in Halo 6 or the very end of 5, but i agree, even though they have been together throughout everything, it would give an interesting plotline in 5.

[xenfire13]

"death of cortana = death of halo"

 

That's honestly all that needs to be said. Halo without Cortana is like a sandwich that consists of two pieces of bread and nothing else

 

I totally agree, we need cortana back and without her the game just won't be the same... it would be even worse then getting a new AI if she comes back with no memory. I kind of want her to be able to switch from AI to human at will but ether one on its own would be great

[shinobi602]

"death of cortana = death of halo"

 

That's honestly all that needs to be said. Halo without Cortana is like a sandwich that consists of two pieces of bread and nothing else

 

Exactly.

[RisingPho3nix]

"death of cortana = death of halo"

 

That's honestly all that needs to be said. Halo without Cortana is like a sandwich that consists of two pieces of bread and nothing else

 

You know, I usually hate that equation, but having actually given it some real thought, I can't help but agree with it. Cortana is an integral part of the Halo formula, and Halo would not be the same without her. The Master Chief and Cortana have become one of those inseparable duos where it's either both of them, or none of them.

 

That said, I think given the goal of humanizing the Master Chief, that strength of partnership makes her "death" pretty much mandatory. And also makes it even more important that she does not return in Halo 5 (unless it's in a bonus legendary ending clip). The Master Chief needs a serious taste of life without her.

 

What would be really interesting, story wise, is if Halo 6 was a conflict between stopping Didact and saving Cortana. As in, make it seem like you can either stop Didact or save Cortana, not both. And to prove that his humanity is winning out over the soldier/machine side, have him choose to save Cortana. And then, through the kind of daring and luck the Master Chief is known for, have him do both anyway. That way, you can complete the humanizing arc by ending it on the point that our humanity is what gives us the greatest strength.

[SCARRIOR]

Cortana is the best, halo is not halo without cortana and the chief together. Otherwise it would be just another shoot em up action game. Cortana and the chief is what makes Halo Halo, sticking together after all goes to **** and everyone dies. You remove cortana you basically remove the game it self. Making another copy without her memories is stupid because it represents a shadow of their friendship and past accomplishments. It's like replacing your pet with an exact copy.

 

It is pointless and stupid to create another cortana although the representation of feelings between the chief and the new cortana (Rejection) would create a story depth effect it is highly not worth it, thus making the game pointless to play.

 

Halo is not about action, it is about story, you kill off every single character before Halo 4, then it is not halo it is a completely new game, a new game that I would not like to be a part of.

 

This is a great blog to look at and it can point some ideas to Cortana's return.

http://cortanasa.blogspot.co.uk/

[Nick Schlabach]

I wish they would just drop a hint already... So I can get some sleep... 343, it worked, we get it and it's awesome! Just let me have some peace so I can get back to finishing mass effect and see how depressing that ending is. We need more happy endings.

[TheTallSpartan]

Okay this is just another theory about Cortana's survival, however this time related to Spartan Ops. In the campaign it seems unlikely that the librarian, who had made such accurate predictions regarding the outcome of the Chief would let Cortana "die". So similar to other theories it's very possible that the librarian either copied her when they met, or made some modification that would save her. There are many modifications she could have made, but if you notice when Cortana's terminal is destroyed, a similar data field. To that knights etc leave when killed. So maybe this data field was then uploaded to some forerunner digital world and that's were Cortana is now.

 

You may now be wondering how this links to Spartan Ops, well so far those who have played through them will have noticed that many humans have been sucked into what could easily be a 'digital world'. Now if then look at the Halo 4 achievements, there are two back to back achievements for Episode 4 - Chapter 5 and Episode 5 -chapter 1. Now this is only a couple of weeks away so it would be early, but maybe there'll be further clues there?

[emperor413]

what nick said on this page- many of us are having trouble sleeping now. can we please get a hint (spartan ops) that cortana IS coming back and her and the chief WILL be together again- I dont want halo to be my worst story/gaming memory

[gregus01]

without Cortana the game is absolute ****! they started it together, they should end it together... >< i only play halo for Cortana's love story with the chief... outside of that... there's really nothing great about halo.

[TheTallSpartan]

what nick said on this page- many of us are having trouble sleeping now. can we please get a hint (spartan ops) that cortana IS coming back and her and the chief WILL be together again- I dont want halo to be my worst story/gaming memory

 

I'm sure they will... though I'm sure you've seen my post above

[emperor413]

yeah I saw it tall- dude I hope we see something good for cortana in sp ops. I havent been able to go a single day without thinking about her- shes a fictional video game character for god sake! and shes affecting my day to day!!! congrats 343- please bring her back- and please let us know that you will- soon

[RisingPho3nix]

yeah I saw it tall- dude I hope we see something good for cortana in sp ops. I havent been able to go a single day without thinking about her- shes a fictional video game character for god sake! and shes affecting my day to day!!! congrats 343- please bring her back- and please let us know that you will- soon

 

You know, that point about Spartan Ops is a pretty good one. I think that would be the perfect way to set up Cortana's return. But maybe save it for Halo 5, should Spartan Ops return. That way, it serves as a prequel of sorts to the ending clip of her return.

[Caboose The Ace]

hmmm im 50 50 on her returing

[KellyAwesome]

I actually believe that if Cortana does come back she won't be rescued, but rather the rescuer. In the final moment of the last body she showed tremendous capability, n where I believe she actually formed a functional body purely from the light bridge. (I assume she protected the Master Chief by also forming an encasing around him until the blast of the HAVOK mine was through.)

 

Who knows what Forerunner technology she could have linked to in those few moments to preserve herself. Or where one of her many rampant copies ran off to.

 

I have a feeling she'll probably arrive at the end of Halo 5 and invariably save the day. Probably with a body of her own.

 

It's also possible that she could find some way to bond with the Librarian similar to a Forerunner Brevet Mutation. Which I also have to note, I don't believe we've seen the Bornstellar Didact either. He'll no doubt end up being a positive force in one of the next two games.

[RisingPho3nix]

So after a fair bit of thinking and playing a TON of Spartan Ops, I'm starting to think that with the death of Cortana, John's new partner in crime could become Commander Sarah Palmer. The way she leads Fireteam Crimson is not that different from the way Cortana helped John.

 

While we would all like Cortana to return, I would rather the Chief partner up with Palmer than be paired with another AI.

[LiQuid BioniX]

Agreed. Plus, she was super annoying by the end of this game.

 

Almost like Navi.

 

"Hey, listen!"

[PlumbumVelocity]

I made an account here because this conversation was rather appealing to me, and I thought I'd give my two cents no matter how odd it may be. I especially was intreagued by TheTallSpartan's post from 17 November 2012 - 12:17 PM, and his idea of human's being sucked into a "digital world" as well as the comments mentioning Cortana was created by Dr. Halsey's personality. If you implement those facts with the statement mentioned by Dr. Halsey herself in Spartan Ops episode 6 when she said,

 

"Life is too short. I will never learn all that exists in our tiny galaxy, let alone the rest of the universe... and I so despretely want to know everything."

 

I have a theory that Halsey could possibly be searching for eternal life for the purpose of intellectual persuit (ie. AI incarnation). Not only this, but Halsey demonstrates a unique care for John than anyone else, a care almost akin to Cortana's. Proof of this care can be found throughout the books, games, as well as in episode 7 when she learns of John's existence. All this, coupled with Halsey's knack for getting in the middle of important events makes her, in my opinion, a prime candidate for Master Chief's plus one.

 

Now take note that I do understand that AI's have an 8 year life span and that this is the whole reason we're having the conversation in the first place. But this is Halo, anything can happen. And for the record, I'm also in the boat that wishes that 343 would somehow bring back Cortana in a classy way, I just think that this might be a plausible idea as well.

 

Thank you for your time.

[HappehNinja]

I agree. I found Cortana's death to be an interesting twist for the game actually. Makes me wonder how Chief can move on with that, and how will Halo 5 follow.