Origins Pt. 1
Season 1, Episode 1 TV-14
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Cortana, the AI from the Halo trilogy, narrates a history of events from the Forerunner construction of the Halo array, to the "present day" ending with the revelation that she is aboard the crippled spaceship seen in the alternate ending of Halo 3 and speaking to a Master Chief stuck in cryo-sleep. Purpose of this episode is to bring non-Halo fans up to speed on the main events in a complicated Halo universe, without dwelling too much on potentially off-putting elements of canon.
Origins Pt. 2
Season 1, Episode 2 TV-14
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Cortana, the AI from the Halo trilogy, narrates a history of events from the Forerunner construction of the Halo array, to the "present day" ending with the revelation that she is aboard the crippled spaceship seen in the alternate ending of Halo 3 and speaking to a Master Chief stuck in cryo-sleep. Purpose of this episode is to bring non-Halo fans up to speed on the main events in a complicated Halo universe, without dwelling too much on potentially off-putting elements of canon.
The Duel
Season 1, Episode 3 TV-14
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In ancient times, at the dawn of the Covenant, a shamed Elite defies his role as an "Arbiter" – an honored but suicidal role that would regain him a shred of honor—to take a path of revenge against those that stole the only thing that matters to such an amazing warrior: His true love. This ancient Arbiter must fight his way through ever-growing groups of his former allies (grunts, elites, hunters, etc.) until he finally stands face-to-face with the elite who betrayed his trust and killed his wife. Purpose is to show off the richness and depth of the Halo universe, and give fans a glimpse of their second-favorite protagonist. Also allows the artists at Production IG to take a very different path stylistically - and build a kind of Samurai mythos around the Elites.
Homecoming
Season 1, Episode 4 TV-14
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A new Spartan (one of Master Chief’s fellow Spartan-IIs) is involved in a pitched battle on a Human colony planet, and during the course of this battle she experiences a number of flashbacks to when she was a young girl growing up as part of the top-secret and morally questionable Spartan program. Flashback episodes will focus on an early escape from the Spartan training grounds and a return to the family she was stolen away from as a very small child. Between present-day battle sequences we learn that when this Spartan made it back to her home, she discovered the flash-cloned copy of herself which was left in her place when she was abducted by ONI and Dr. Halsey. Most of these flash clones didn’t live more than a few months, but in this case the teenage Spartan escapee comes face to face with a teenage copy of herself... taking her place with the family she missed so much. The battle with the memory of this meeting is as dangerous as the fight she’s in with the Covenant. Purpose of this episode is to create a richer background for a fairly lightly sketched character - the Master Chief - without actually showing his specific origin. Rather, we see that of one of his classmates.
Odd One Out
Season 1, Episode 5 TV-14
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(Very non-canon) Spartan 1337 gets into another “situation” as he accidentally slips out of his transport ship while flying over a primitive planet. After climbing out of his crater, 1337 meets a few young inhabitants of this very unusual planet, and they aren’t terribly impressed by his repeated attempts to convince them that he is the “most powerful soldier in the galaxy.” Meanwhile, a Covenant Prophet has created a fearsome (if not terribly clever) new warrior and wants to test it out on the Master Chief… unfortunately the Prophet mistakes 1337 for the Chief and sends this new warrior to the wrong address. After fighting this new Covenant threat in a very semi-effective way and coming close to defeat, Spartan 1337 has to team up with the locals to finally emerge victorious. If 1337 can avoid falling off any other cliffs, he’ll probably make his rendezvous and maybe even make it back home. Purpose of this episode is to have some fun with the seriousness of the Spartans and the Halo universe, while still respecting what Master Chief stands for. This plot plays to the strengths of Toei, who is known for their ability to handle comedy and the super deformed style of anime.
Prototype
Season 1, Episode 6 TV-14
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Human Marines struggle to defend a secret weapons research facility from invading Covenant troops. When it becomes obvious that the facility cannot be saved, the Cole Protocol is put into effect and the Marines are ordered to destroy everything rather than let the weapons and valuable navigational data fall into the hands of the Covenant. In a desperate but noble sacrifice, a war-torn officer dons the prototype suit of powered armor being developed at the facility in a last-second gambit to buy time for his soldiers to escape. After an amazing battle showing the potential of human technology, the suit finally falters... but the officer’s troops are safe and his mission ends with a self-destruction to give the gathering Covenant one last surprise. Purpose of this episode is to mostly be awesome (plays to the strengths of Bones’ amazing ability to represent aerial and mecha-style combat).
The Babysitter
Season 1, Episode 7 TV-14
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ODST's unhappily accept a Spartan Sniper as an unwelcome addition to their strike team as they attempt to assassinate a high-ranking Covenant Prophet. Each discipline learns something important about the other as the mission progresses into hostile territory - and old rivalries must be reexamined if the mission is to succeed. Purpose of this episode is to show a side of ODSTs as it relates to their relationships with Spartans. We also dwell on the difference in ability and style between the two soldier types.
The Package
Season 1, Episode 8 TV-14
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Master Chief and 4 specially selected Spartans are launched out a stealth cruiser and into the heart of a giant Covenant fleet in a bid to recover a valuable intelligence asset. This episode will show off the fact that Spartans are just as amazing fighting in zero-G and piloting never-before-seen light attack vehicles (packed with more weapons than should fit in such a small craft). After a Covenant trick costs the life of one of Chief’s Spartans, he sees through the Covenant scheme and heads, naturally, to the most dangerous spot around... the Covenant command vessel. Once Chief and the remaining Spartans blow their way on board, the action gets hand-to-hand as they fight through an army of Covenant troops and eventually the only truly honorable Elite on the ship in order to recover the most important Human intelligence resource there is: Dr. Catherine Halsey, the creator of the Spartan program. Purpose of the episode is to be awesome... in space.