Forum:Forward Unto Dawn Impressions

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Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Part 1

Good start to the series in my opinion. Any guesses on what that was in the sky at the end of the episode? Col. Snipes450 11:31, 5 October 2012 (EDT)

-Maybe an Orbital insertion pod. If it's not that, I got nothing. User:Yoonhyuk-740

A Covenant intelligence-gathering ship, hinted by the hacking of the UNSC computer. — subtank 11:37, 5 October 2012 (EDT)

Good start to the series. Can't wait for Part 2!--Spartacus, Halopedia Administrator ^Talk 11:55, 5 October 2012 (EDT)

I haven't even watched it yet and I saw 4.5 million views w/ 44,000 likes/1,400 dislikes! Imagine the release of Halo 4. Forget $200 million in sales, more like $400 million...I'll give my opinion after I watch it.--Killamint [Comm|Files] 12:25, 5 October 2012 (EDT)

My bad, I was looking at the wrong video.--Killamint [Comm|Files] 12:38, 5 October 2012 (EDT)

It looks alright, much better than I expected. Its a shame poor Junjie was the victim of stereotypes. I got a couple of screenshots of the symbols, but I'm not sure about licensing to upload them. They don't match the halo2.com cipher anyways.. Still looking forward to part 2 though! :D --TentacleTornado 14:36, 5 October 2012 (EDT)

I knew learning Mandarin/Chinese would be a bonus some point in my life! Junjie's father sounded like a Malaysian speaking Chinese though. —S331 _{(COM • Mission Log • Profile)} 17:41, 5 October 2012 (EDT)

Finally saw it, looks great, definitely has that "movie" feel to it.--Killamint [Comm|Files] 19:42, 5 October 2012 (EDT)

From a strictly story-based standpoint, whatever sort of ship that was would likely depend on how soon the pudu is scheduled to hit the fan... If the attack on the academy is slated to go down in the next couple days, it might be a Phantom. If it isn't supposed to happen for a couple of weeks, I'd say it was some sort of advance scout, like a modified Seraph. Both of these craft have the ability to avoid sensor detection... The Phantom would be my guess, as I could easily see a complement of 30 Sangheili laying waste to a school of unprepared cadets and their Marine security detail. The data tap could have been their way of verifying whether their approach had been detected. DJenser 12:59, 9 October 2012 (EDT)

I was thinking something much larger than a phantom or a seraph. Something along the lines of a stealth corvette. It would make more sense for a larger ship to arrive, as a phantom/seraph would have had to come from a larger ship anyway. The hacking would probably just be intelligence gathering, this is still very early in the war. I hope its a DAV-class anyway, it would look great! :D --TentacleTornado 13:21, 9 October 2012 (EDT)

A ship of that size (over a quarter of a mile long) would leave a sizable ionization trail as it descended through the atmosphere, to say nothing of the contrail(s) that its trailing edges would create. Might as well draw a big fluffy white arrow made of water vapor, leading right to it. Let's meet in the middle and call it some sort of cloaked ship, parked in orbit (such as a DAV), which sent a smaller craft (such as a Seraph or a Phantom) down to investigate the scene below the cloud layer. DJenser 15:59, 9 October 2012 (EDT)

Cadmon Lasky

I have a theory about Mama Lasky's boys: Thomas is questioning the wisdom of the UNSC's stance on the Insurrectionists because his brother was killed by them on Jericho VII (possibly in some sort of ambush or as a result of faulty intel) I'm guessing that it happened in late-2525/early-2526 right around the time the SPARTAN 2s were sent in. I believe that, as a result of this incident, he blames the UNSC as much as the Insurrection for his brother's death. It makes sense because of the way he bristles at being called an "Innie Lover", yet makes no secret of his feelings regarding the UNSC's policies toward the Insurrectionists. According to Vickers, he was apparently a squad leader at one point, but had since fallen out of favor. The video has set out to show that he has a talent for strategy & tactics (he timed their rendezvous with the rest of the squad down to the second & he's apparently quite good at chess), so it makes sense that, if his brother had been killed, he would look beyond the obvious ("The Innies killed my brother, so it's all their fault") causes & look at the larger picture ("Why did Cadmon die on Jericho VII in the first place"?) It would definitely explain his motivations in questioning Vickers' orders during the training exercise. It would also explain why he was so paranoid about someone else seeing him watching the video mail from his brother. In fact, I am making a prediction: The Chief will mention to Tom that he met Cadmon on Jericho VII, and was impressed by his bravery/skill/ingenuity/etc. This exposition will occur at a dramatically appropriate point in the series & will provide the motivational spark that lights a fire under Tom to become the soldier he's meant to be. DJenser 14:58, 5 October 2012 (EDT)

From what I remember, ODSTs were deployed to the Academy to fight the Covenant. ODST? Cadmon Lasky? Deaths? Inspired? Thomas Lasky? —S331 _{(COM • Mission Log • Profile)} 17:41, 5 October 2012 (EDT)

@S331: To paraphrase my theory: Thomas Lasky has (possibly had) a brother named Cadmon Lasky who had previously graduated the Corbulo Academy of Military Science. What we know at this point is that, upon graduation, he served in the UNSC Marines as an ODST and was deployed on Jericho VII for 131 days some time in, or before, 2526. My theory is that Cadmon (remember, that's Thomas's brother) was killed at some point during his deployment on Jericho VII. I believe this incident caused Thomas to question the UNSC's reason for perpetuating the war with the Insurrectionists when diplomacy might have been more effective.

So let's now recap and address your questions:

1) Q:ODST? A: Stands for "Orbital Drop Shock Trooper"; Deployed to the academy (along with 3 SPARTANs) to assist with the defense & evacuation of the students & personnel in 2526. Some ODSTs graduated the academy prior to serving, which brings us to...

2) Q:Cadmon Lasky? A: An ODST and graduate of the aforementioned academy, as well as the brother of Thomas Lasky (see question 5). He was deployed to Jericho VII at some point during Thomas' first year in the academy.

3) Q:Deaths? A: A staple of storytelling, the death of one close to the Hero is often a motivator for or against a course of action. In this case, I believe that a death (the death of his brother Cadmon) has caused Thomas to question the UNSC's policy regarding the Insurrection in general, and, specifically, the part that he himself is to play in it.

40 Q:Inspired? A: The synopsis for the Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn series states that the Master Chief inspired Thomas Lasky to become the soldier the UNSC needed him to be. My theory is that the Chief (at some point during the series) tells Thomas of how he had met Tom's brother on Jericho VII, and how that meeting had had some sort of a profound impact on the Chief. I believe that this will be the final bit of inspiration Thomas needs to become the hero he is meant to be.

5) Q:Thomas Lasky? A: I don't know how to answer this one... If you don't know who that is, you really should watch the videos before asking these questions. Just sayin'...DJenser 13:30, 8 October 2012 (EDT)

I actually agree with your theory DJenser. However, I have a slight alternative theory; Cadmon isn't dead, and he's one of the ODSTs deployed to Circinius IV when the Covenant attack. During the attack, he dies and Thomas is distraught. And the Chief tells him how there are always casualties in war and how one can honor his/her dead loved ones by fighting harder AND tells him he met Cadmon on Jericho VIII and how he was impressed by his bravery/skill/ingenuity/etc. NOW Tom gets the motivation/inspiration he needed and fights back. Do you think this could happen as well? User:Yoonhyuk-740 8:52PM, October 8th, 2012 (Eastern)

That's the thing about theorizing potential plotlines early on in a series... They can (and often do) still go in any direction, and usually not the one you think. Yeah, it's a perfectly plausible alternative theory at this point. Another one could be that his brother's a quadroplegic or a vegetable in a UNSC hospital somewhere... Or that he fell in love with a nice Insurrectionist girl and deserted his post (of course, that one has already been done.). The field is still wide open at this point. DJenser 08:23, 9 October 2012 (EDT)

@DJenser: Words cannot describe how I'm feeling. But it's not your fault. I blame it on my communication skills. Those "questions" were rhetorical questions. What I meant was: "ODSTs were deployed to the academy. Since Cadmon Lasky was an ODST, he might have been part of the ODSTs deployed to the academy. Cadmon's possible Death may have inspired Thomas Lasky." Basically, what I meant was what our good friend Yoonhyik-740 just posted. —S331 _{(COM • Mission Log • Profile)} 08:44, 9 October 2012 (EDT)

@S331: That's my fault. I interpreted your reply as something else entirely. The impersonal nature of the internet makes it difficult to gauge one's intents, and all too often the anonymity it provides is used as a license to troll. I guess I mistook your brevity for sarcasm. No harm, no foul. When you explain it that way, it makes a lot more sense and, given that you're not the only one who foresaw that particular scenario, you might be on to something there. ...Which is the whole reason for my post... I wanted to spark a discussion about which directions people saw this series going, based upon what we've seen thus far. I find it fascinating how closely some people come to guessing what the writer(s) had in mind and, sometimes, the ideas that pop up during these discussions turn out to be even better ones than what ends up making it into the video.—This unsigned comment was made by DJenser (talk • contribs). Please sign your posts with ~~~~

Honestly, I'm glad it didn't turn out that way. Sounded really cheesy. This is craZboy557, signing off. 07:02, 24 November 2012 (EST)

Corbulo Academy

Does anyone else find it ironic that this story takes place at an academy named after a general who unquestioningly committed suicide on the orders of emperor Nero, who is widely considered to be one of the most tyrannical rulers in the history of the Roman Empire? DJenser 15:49, 5 October 2012 (EDT)

The whole "most tyrannical ruler" thing is something of a myth.--The All-knowing Sith'ari 16:52, 5 October 2012 (EDT)

Not so much a myth as a divergence of theories based upon the opinions of those that were either in support of, or opposed to, the policies of Emperor Nero, both during and in the years after his reign. Dissenting viewpoints notwithstanding, the general consensus of those theories indicates that he was a tyrant, particularly to the upper echelons of Roman society, whom he saw as a threat to his power. This is the same Nero that had his own mother executed, then publicly ruled it a suicide, something which is not a myth, but a matter of historic record set down in the Annals. In addition to this, Corbulo was ordered by a paranoid Nero to fall on his sword due to circumstantial evidence stemming from a failed coup attempt in which a member of the general's extended family had taken part, with no real evidence implicating Corbulo himself. I think that, myth or not, you will agree that the analogy (and it's resultant irony) still holds true given that H4:FUD's story takes place in an academy for the children of the upper echelons of the UNSC's military elite... An environment in which the protagonist, Thomas Lasky, is expected to blindly follow orders, to his own detriment. DJenser 15:22, 8 October 2012 (EDT)

Nice one. Didn't think of that.--The All-knowing Sith'ari 11:15, 9 October 2012 (EDT)

Yeah, the writers who came up with the name of the academy have a pretty twisted sense of humor. DJenser 11:34, 9 October 2012 (EDT)

Overuse of "Insurrectionist"

I understand that they have a canon "umbrella" name for these groups, like modern day "Insurgents", but I don't think anyone would have minded if, after the first use of the word "Insurrectionist" they switched to shorter phrases like Tangos, Rebels/Rebs, or the canonical abbreviation Innies. We use nicknames for a reason, and referring to them constantly by a five-syllable name hardly rolls off the tongue. It wasn't a huge thing, but it did bug me. -- Qura 'Morhek ^{The Autocrat of Morheka} 17:40, 5 October 2012 (EDT)

Oh, that really got on my nerves, almost as much as the stereotypes and constant 'defocusing' cameras. Like you said, there have been many a time when other names were used. Plus this would be the prime time to let loose the elusive "URF". --TentacleTornado 13:44, 8 October 2012 (EDT)

Which year

Ok i may sound retarded but after watching the whole episode and by doing some research for a while i still try to guess in with years the first episode take place i mean on corbulo page it said that cadet are from different class. Does that mean that the episode that place after 2529? or the year is 2525? CF⁰¹ 17:41, 8 October 2012 (EDT)

The series is set in 2526. The cadets belong to the class of 2529 because that's when they're supposed to graduate. --Courage never dies. 17:44, 8 October 2012 (EDT)

Thank but i find strange that nobody care about the H-C war? They are only talking about insurrectionists. CF⁰¹ 17:50, 8 October 2012 (EDT)

Communication is pretty slow, considering that it took until September 2525 for the UNSC to learn the fate of Harvest, even though it had been glassed between February and March.--Spartacus, Halopedia Administrator ^Talk 17:53, 8 October 2012 (EDT)

I'd guess that information on the Covenant was probably still classified or at the very least simply not publicized very widely. I don't really know this so if anyone can confirm it that would be awesome. Weeping Angel 17:57, 8 October 2012 (EDT)

I believe First Contact occurred in 2525. DJenser 18:53, 8 October 2012 (EDT)

According to Halo: Contact Harvest, Our very first contact with the Covenant came in the form of a long-range scan on 02/03/2525. Actual formal contact came 8 days later on 02/11/2525. 11 days after that, the War officially began as the Colonial Militia evacuated Harvest while the Covenant glassed it, making it the first casualty in the war. The UNSC officially went on alert in November of that year. On March 1st, 2526, Adm. Cole's fleet returned to Harvest. The WINTER CONTINGENCY protocol was first enacted on 03/10/2526. If we use the date on the newsfeed Chyler Silva was reading as a reference(04/02/2526), this would put the events in H4:FUD about a month or so after the UNSC began enacting emergency measures under WINTER CONTINGENCY, which would fit in line with that brief scene (11:05) where Gen. Black was deploying marines to various parts of the campus. DJenser 09:24, 9 October 2012 (EDT)

Reason why everyone in Corbulo was talking about innies and not Covenant was because the Covenant's existence was still classified. Sully is on the verge on finding out. —S331 _{(COM • Mission Log • Profile)} 09:43, 9 October 2012 (EDT)

Further research indicates that the Battle of Chi Ceti took place on 11/27/2525, though it was a very small engagement consisting of 3 SPARTANs in brand-new Mark IV armor infiltrating and destroying a single Covenant vessel, so it was probably covered up quite effectively. On 02/13/2526, the Battle of Bliss took place. Interestingly enough, an ISN news printout (I think it's from Halsey's journal) was supposedly posted on 04/06/2526 (4 days after the newsfeed that Chyler was scanning), reporting on the aftermath of this battle. It mentioned the first Harvest campaign as well, which would seem to indicate that the war should have been public knowledge by this point... My guess is that any and all information coming into the academy is heavily filtered before being posted, which would make sense in an environment like that. Though, as S331 pointed out, not filtered well enough to keep Sully from piecing the clues together from the redacted feeds... DJenser 09:53, 9 October 2012 (EDT)

Part 2

Fight scene, revealing Cadmon's dead, Thomas rises to a leadership role, and Frank O'Connor in a cameo. It was a good episode in my opinion. Col. Snipes450 10:09, 12 October 2012 (EDT)

The beginning scene had Cortana said all she did was "wait". I thought she had some fun modifying Chief's armor. *Shrugs* —S331 _{(COM • Mission Log • Profile)} 10:48, 12 October 2012 (EDT)

So was Frankie the janitor in the mess hall during the fight scene?--Spartacus ^{Talk • Contribs} 11:09, 12 October 2012 (EDT)

Oh, yeah! "Beamish", they could have made it a little more subtle, instead of focusing on him directly. --TentacleTornado 11:47, 13 October 2012 (EDT)

I love that straight and emotionless face. I like how someone modified that scene. —S331 _{(COM • Mission Log • Profile)} 11:58, 13 October 2012 (EDT)

Well, I guess that explains the whole "space mop" running gag that BSAngel & Frankie were throwing around in the previous Halo Bulletins.DJenser 00:23, 14 October 2012 (EDT)

Oh, and Cadmon's death? I TOTALLY called it!!! (Sorry to sound so obnoxious, but it's not often I get it so completely right, so I have to enjoy it while it lasts.) DJenser 00:31, 14 October 2012 (EDT)

Part 3

Best one yet. Live-action Covenant forces definitely my favorite part.Col. Snipes450 09:43, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

I think I saw Dimah again at 15:58... All kidding aside, I'm glad to see that the Sangheili CGI looks legit. I was worried that it would be clunky like the Terminal (Halo 4) prologue, but Mr. Hendler, the esteemed director, appears to have spent his money wisely during post production DJenser 10:16, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

Enhance that image and you can see an obscure image of something. If only the power wasn't cut off, I'm sure he'll enhance the image further. :P — subtank 10:26, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

Can't see her, but I suppose the implication is there. That's what happens when you say "screw the rules! I have connections!"--The All-knowing Sith'ari 10:32, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

I know what you mean DJenser, I know the Sangheilli are taller than humans, but playing from the perspective of John-117, looking them in the eye, you don't really get a feel for it. When we see the Sangheili from the cadets point of view, a towering alien species, then you can get a feel for how tall they really are. Col. Snipes450 10:44, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

Characters like Dimah are destined to die... I really look forward to the next episode; can't wait until Lasky and the Chief meet. —SPARTAN331 10:54, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

@The All-knowing Sith'ari: Dimah is proof positive that all the connections in the world don't mean squat when you're stuck on the business end of a plasma turret... @Spartan331: I suspect he'll make his debut at the end of the next episode... Seems like an ideal place for a cliffhanger-worthy entrance. DJenser 13:24, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

Anyone who can get it, a good-quality shot of Lasky's medical discharge form would be nice. I have a feeling we could learn a lot from it.--The All-knowing Sith'ari 17:11, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

I got a good look, not much we can see just where he's from- Tricode Village, Mare Erythraeum, there is something about a commanding officer but the name wasn't visible. Col. Snipes450 17:19, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

Corbulo: A damning insight into the UNSC

Is no one else slightly disturbed by what Corbulo implies? The Academy works on the highly cronyist and nepotistic idea of training the children of high-ranking officials within the government and military to become commissioned officers of the colonies. In other words, the boys and girls of the top brass and politicians get the best training, irrespective of actual competence. There seems to be very little in the way of discipline: The repeatedly insubordinate and Leeroy Jenkins'ing Lasky is subjected to no more than an inspiring talk from Mehaffey, despite doing things that would endanger the lives of his squadmates in a real situation; Sullivan is somehow able to hack into ultra-secure ONI files in his bedroom and it isn't picked up until he's managed to access the juiciest information; Tchakova marches around flaunting her parents's status in everyone's face; and Lasky and Vickers get away with starting a brawl in the mess hall, which is pretty much grounds for dishonourable discharge in a modern military. There's no sign of any punishment runs or the "drop and give me twenty, maggot!" so beloved of military fiction writers. And yet the cadets at Corbulo are considered to be the cream of the crop of the UNSC's officer corps and government personnel. Anyone who has Corbulo on his CV is probably sent right to the top of the promotions list. It seems to me that Corbulo was intended by leadership of the UNSC and UEG to "keep it in the family" and ensure their continued control of the government and military. It sounds awfully like the era of aristocratic dominance in European militaries and governments. Maybe Lasky's sympathies with the Insurrectionists aren't entirely misplaced...--The All-knowing Sith'ari 11:46, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

This was the first thing that came into my mind after the first episode. Having a pro-UNSC poem above you while you sleep, propaganda posters everywhere, "From Earth, For Earth". Like you say, it does not do the UNSC any favours. The insurrectionists (apart from detonating nuclear devices in atmosphere) don't seem as bad as they did. But I guess this was what Admiral Cole wanted to end, in Impossible Life and Possible Death. --TentacleTornado 14:57, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

In the words of Roger Daltrey: "Meet the New Boss... Same as the Old Boss...". It's perhaps a lot less surprising when you look at it from the perspective that the UNSC sees itself as being largely responsible for Humanity getting as far into space as it has. They are the largest, most organized human presence in space by the 25th Century, and on into the 26th. As far as they're concerned, Humanity would still be stuck in its own solar system if not for them. For nearly 400 years, they've represented the presence of the Unified Earth Government throughout all of known space. In fact, after the war, they largely replaced the CAA's oversight of the Colonies (what few remained by that point anyway). From that perspective, it's not hard to see how an organization like that might not begin to resemble some other form(s) of past governments whose influence and structure was largely defined by their militaries. While it's not quite as bloodthirsty and jingoistic as, Heinlein's Terran Federation, the UEG (and, by extension, the UNSC) does seem to be built along a more militaristic style of government such as, say, that of the Roman Republic. The Republic lasted nearly 500 years (about a century longer than the UEG has been in existence by 2557) and had a long history of leaders whose political accomplishments were matched only by their military ones....Which makes the "Corbulo" reference that much more ironic (see my Topic above), given that Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo lived and died during the time of the Roman Empire, which came after, when the old-school views of patrician superiority were being eroded (if not crushed outright) and a new aristocracy was steadily rising up from out of the plebian classes. Indeed, Corbulo died as a direct result of Nero's "private" war against the patrician-controlled Senate, whom he saw as the most direct threat to his power. The UNSC chose Corbulo as their supposed role model of "Honor, Valor and Allegiance" for it's future military elite, because he unhesitatingly fell on his own sword when ordered to do so. The irony was that it was an emperor that gave the order. An emperor who was working to crush the established political/military upper-class that stubbornly clung to the power it had from the days of the Republic. The same sort of military upper class that the UNSC was trying to groom and develop at CAMS. Of course, if the UEG & UNSC were to acknowledge, or even perceive, any sort of similarity at all to previous forms of government, they would likely do so from the viewpoint that they were avoiding the mistakes of the past, rather than repeating them. DJenser 15:32, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

One imagines that the military and government have become so intertwined because of places like Corbulo that the two are virtually indistinguishable. Heinlein's Terran Federation was not as jingoistic and bloodthirsty as you suggest, DJenser, but the UNSC/UEG seems to be a civilisation designed along those lines taken to its logical extreme: Only those who "serve" or have served hold power. Perhaps it worked on Earth, where to quote Starship Troopers, "personal freedom for all is [the] greatest in history, laws are few, taxes are low, living standards are as high as productivity permits, crime is at its lowest ebb", but it most certainly did not work on the colonies.--The All-knowing Sith'ari 17:11, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

While I can agree that the UEG/UNSC are inextricably intertwined, in much the same way as the Terran Federation government & military, I'd have to say that its so-called extremity when compared to the latter is still a matter of debate. Now I'm not saying that it isn't, but we've only really seen the UEG through the eyes of its military, whereas "Starship Troopers" routinely intercut back and forth between Juan Rico's experiences as a civilian & a soldier, which gave us a pretty thorough view of that overall civilization. The UEG hasn't explicitly defined itself as a meritocracy in the same way as the TerraFed. The most telling example I can think of is that Federal service was a requirement if one wanted, among other things, voting rights in the Terran Federation, whereas we have no evidence that this is the case in the UEG. Granted, there could be something not unlike that which simply hasn't been written about yet. Keep in mind too, that "personal freedoms" in the Terran Federation are probably as different from our own as their concept of democracy is from ours... My take on that particular line was that Heinlein was attempting to convey to the reader that this viewpoint, like so many others in the book, could have been carefully crafted though any number of Federal propaganda campaigns, given its almost slogan-like delivery. Keep in mind, Heinlein own military experiences were instrumental in creating the TerraFed society... His work in opposing the ban on nuclear testing and the subsequent flak he caught from friends and fans alike inspired him to write the book as a way of clarifying & defending his political views & his belief in the US's need to maintain a strong military. Then, of course, he took that three steps beyond... However, most of what we've seen of the UEG is through the eyes of UNSC personnel, so we have no real basis for comparison on a truly civilian level, other than some pretty basic stuff.DJenser 15:45, 22 October 2012 (EDT)

Death Discussion

I think we all saw what was coming when Dimah ducked away from the rest of Hastati Squad to get on the tether. As soon as the elevator doors closed I literally said aloud, "Yep, she's dead." And that got me thinking. There are 6 preview trailers for FUD: Enlist, Cryo, Flag, Joyride, Lecture, & Squad. She was in 3 of them (tied only with JJ Chen), despite the fact that she actually doesn't play a huge role in the series itself. Her entire purpose seems to be: being Sullivan's room mate, having a high-ranking mom, and getting killed. Even Lasky, the series' protagonist, only appears in 2 trailers. So why was she in 3? Any two characters could have filled the roles in Cryo and Flag in particular, so why her - or Chen for that matter? If I had to guess, I'd say she was chosen to be in the trailers in order to get the viewers to actually care about her when she dies. Of the characters in the series, she's the one you see the least of: Vickers fights Lasky, Sullivan cracks the video, Silva's the romantic interest, JJ is under pressure from his father, and Dimah... doesn't really do very much at all. Without those trailers, there's nothing to make you care about what happens to her. The trailers serve to develop her character a little before her untimely demise.

...Or maybe I'm totally over-thinking things. But if I'm right, JJ may be the next one knocking on heaven's door.-- Rusty - 112 20:03, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

Totally agree, typical scary movie reaction telling her "Don't go in there!". Col. Snipes450 20:11, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

Since the first episode i knew she would died, i had a bad felling about this. BTW everyone the actress Kat de Lieva have a facebook page where she personally response to her posts here is the link https://www.facebook.com/katdelievaofficial CF⁰¹ 21:28, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

They are probably going to kill off Orenski (maybe from protecting her squad), Vickers (stood there in fear as an Elite approaches him, and he closes his eyes like we saw in the official trailer), JJ, and maybe Sully. But if Sully does survive, he will probably get into a bit of a trouble for messing with ONI. Back to Dimah though. Her relationship with Lasky was so insignificant that she is almost a redshirt (funny how there were some cadets wearing red shirts during the evacuation). The moment she left Hastati, we know she's doomed. To me, she just seems to be a character who represents what a typical cadet in Corbulo is like. —SPARTAN331 23:58, 19 October 2012 (EDT)

I totally agree about Vickers. If Orenski dies it'll be in Episode 5, as we know from behind-the-scenes footage that she plays a big role in the Warthog sequence. As for JJ, I bet that A) he'll survive by pulling off some amazing combat maneuver or B) he'll die valiantly, proving himself to his father. I honestly don't expect Sully to die; if he is killed, though, Tom will know doubt be stirred by the death of his closest Academy buddy. The same goes for Chyler. I'll wager a million bucks that John makes it to the end. --Courage never dies. 00:07, 20 October 2012 (EDT)

Now that would be a twist! :P -- Rusty - 112 00:10, 20 October 2012 (EDT)

UNSC Defense of CAMS

The initial defense of Corbulo Academy, and Circinius IV as a whole, was poorly conducted. Now I'm not saying I'm an expert military tactician, I'm just saying, from a modest military-educated standpoint, it was ill-conceived.

General Black implied that he knew of the Covenant threat, having redeployed/stationed various Marine garrisons throughout Corbulo's campus. He also ordered frequent communication black-outs, disguised as routine maintenance procedures, in order to reduce their chances of being sought after by the Covenant.

Here are the problems though. First of all I would of thought that Gen. Black, having known of the alien threat, would have a suitable contingency plan in the case of a Covenant invasion. I guess not. Instead, he ordered a campus wide evacuation (a big cluster-BLAM!- I might add) at the last moment before being invaded. This amass of cadets evidently took the duties away from most of the Marine guards from their real purpose to fight in force. Also to mention, if Black knew of the unparallelled dangers the Covenant posed, especially to his cadets and the academies personnel and staff, then a few fire-teams (a squad at the most) of UNSC Marines re-stationed here and there would be futile at best. Although we don't know the exact number of Marines stationed at Corbulo itself, its most likely safe to say it wasn't enough. However, I don't want to rule out that Circinius IV had, perhaps, a UNSC military base nearby. Who knows. All in all, I just found it weird that Black was ill-prepared for something he knew was inevitable to come. If he did have a proper plan (in this case an evacuation) then someone at a far-reached scanning outpost most likely missed something in their hourly reports to Circinius IV... oops (If they utilized them back then that is). It would of made sense to evacuate sooner than, well... now

Second, UNSC orbital defenses were lackluster even for an evacuation such as this. Even though CAMS was a well respected military academy, I'm sure it did not have any Orbital Defense Platforms stationed in orbit over Circinius IV (I think at this point they were starting to come around, or at least not as common as they were 20 years from then). Making use of the academies space tether to evacuate the campus population back-fired immensely, and with seemingly no eyes or ears in space to notify that three Covenant corvettes were descending upon Corbulo itself (although they could of masked their approach via the storm) proved to be a massacre. Not to mention, I found it odd that SOIEV's were dropping from orbit, indicating that the UNSC had some-what of a presence over Circinius-IV, but clearly missed the Covenant ships dropping towards the academy. I guess this could be explained though, other Covenant ships could of engaged UNSC Naval assets from above while the three corvettes were committed to ground operations. Also, ODST's dropping onto the academies grounds itself? Seems courageous, but rather unorganized since there whole purpose is to drop behind enemy lines, regroup, form a perimeter, then move in. All I saw were individual troopers dropping in what looked like random intervals and drop-points. Either they acted as pathfinders for a much larger force, or were sent ahead in groups to set up a quick defense, I don't know.Killjax 23:03, 20 October 2012 (EDT)

Looks like Black went to Corbulo.--The All-knowing Sith'ari 09:06, 21 October 2012 (EDT)

The UNSC probably thought they could hold the Covenant off. During the Fall of Reach, the UNSC discovered the Covenant on July 24, and yet evacuations weren't initiated until a month later. General Black probably thought that the Covenant wouldn't reach Corbulo that quickly, and even if they did, their forces would be so small Marines could take care of them. The lack of ODPs is probably because ODPs are placed in geosynchronous orbit of the planet's cities, and since Corbulo is situated in the middle of nowhere, they probably didn't have any ODPs above them (The space elevator, and like what you said, the ODSTs indicate some sort of UNSC presence in orbit). To me, the ODSTs are just a desperate attempt to the hold the Covenant off. The Covenant were so overwhelming the UNSC had to throw everything at them. It's like an RTS game: Your enemies are right outside your base, and you are running out of options. You will probably throw what whatever you have at them. —SPARTAN331 05:40, 22 October 2012 (EDT)

More specifically, it's like playing as Captain Cutter in Halo Wars. Press Up on the D-pad, drop some Helljumpers, and - Bam! - your defenses have just been bolstered quite nicely. It may not stop the Covenant but it'll certainly slow them down, at least until adequate reinforcements can arrive. --Courage never dies. 08:28, 22 October 2012 (EDT)

It's a valid point comparing it to Reach, the UNSC presence probably felt they could handle the "small" Covenant force, but things got out of hand and they sent in what they could to hold off the Covenant. Remember it's still relatively early in the war, and the UNSC probably still doesn't know the Covenant by this point all too well. Col. Snipes450 12:35, 22 October 2012 (EDT)

@Killjax: My guess is that Black & the UNSC figured that the Covenant wouldn't consider Circinius IV to be a military target of any significant value, since it's main feature is a school. Based on this, he was probably keeping the bulk of the UNSC forces in orbit to guard the other end of the tether, while taking cursory steps on the ground to position troops to better handle a rapid evac, rather than fortifying the school itself against an attack and, in the process, creating a widespread panic among the student body. Of course, he obviously underestimated the effectiveness (or simply wasn't aware) of the SDVs' active camouflage which hid their presence from any UNSC forces in orbit until they began to descend through the atmosphere, at which point they would have created enough of a disturbance that their presence no longer remained a secret. The end result was yet ANOTHER application of the Pincer strategy, in which the Covies slipped past his defenses & attacked the school's main escape route, literally cutting it off. If anything, Black & the UNSC failed to grasp that the Covenant weren't looking at the planet as a target of any real strategic military value (as he had been trained to do), but simply as another planet that needed to be cleansed of its Human infestation. The ironic thing is that the Covenant probably didn't consider them to be a high-priority military target, which is why they didn't send more than a few unshielded corvettes to attack the school and eliminate the human presence without needing to resort to glassing the whole planet. As for the ODST's & their random drop patterns, I believe that SOEIVs aren't known for their pinpoint accuracy, but rather they're like the 26th century equivalent to the parachutes used by Airborne paratroopers in Operation OVERLORD during the Normandy Invasion in WWII. Their goal was probably the same as well: Get dirt-side, form up & fortify positions. Of course, the Nazi's weren't 7-8 feet tall & equipped with energy weaponry and personal shielding. DJenser 12:45, 22 October 2012 (EDT)

I agree with DJenser. This was, quite literally, one of the opening shots of the true Human/Covenant War. We didn't know their tactics, their motivations (Most people would assume that a school, of all things, is quite insignificant), etc. We were fumbling in the dark, especially when it comes to groundside battles. Missing Mandible 13:17, 22 October 2012 (EDT)

It is a school in the middle of no where. Wouldn't think it would be hit and so soon in this unknown war. Might even imagine that a quick evac through the transport would be fast enough to get out of system but a plan that failed fast due to I am sure a large covie fleet if 3 cruisers are going to be dropping troops! The Covies are still a new and unknown enemy at this time period still. As far as the ODST, yeah, that is part of what they do, drop behind the lines and flank, but that isn't the only thing they do either. Here, there are no "lines" to drop behind but that isn't going to stop them from dropping in. ODST are also known for dropping in the middle of a firefight ON the frontlines. (ODST Live Action short anyone!?) A compound needed reinforcements. Whatever ships where in space saw the covvies going into the atmosphere so started dumping their ODST for backup. Plus who knows, maybe those UNSC ships were about to get destroyed so just needed to get rid of as much assets as possible before being destroyed. Redog007

My take on it is that whatever UNSC forces Black had available were probably positioned around the space station that serves as the counterweight to the tether to defend it, and any ships docked there, against Covenant attack. I'm assuming it was a a pretty sizeable military presence (perhaps 5-10 cruisers & frigates)... Enough that the Sangheili would have sought to divide the defending forces by going straight for a ground attack. In this way, they could (and did) cut off the main means of escape for any people stuck dirt-side and, since their SDV-class corvettes are unshielded, they would be afforded relative protection from enemy fire from above due to their position right over the school. Taking this action would force any UNSC ships above them to commit resources to a ground battle, which is just the sort of fight that the Sangheili prefer. That way, if the situation appeared untenable & it looked like the UNSC might decide to fire MAC rounds "danger close" onto the academy's location in order to hit the ships, they could simply cloak & move to more favorable positions against the UNSC forces in orbit. Apparently, the Sangheili were watching Col. Mehaffey's lecture on the Battle of Cannae as well... JJ wanted to know how to apply the strategy? I think he just got his answer...DJenser 17:05, 22 October 2012 (EDT)

Part 4

Awesome, even better than 3. The sudden violence of how nearly everyone dies really emphasises just how screwed humanity is at this time. There are no final speeches, emotive last words or heroic dying actions: Mehaffey gets ripped apart by Needler fire, JJ gets impaled by a Sangheili he can't even see (incidentally, the scene of his glasses steaming up just before the Elite runs him through was brilliant), the otherwise tough and strong Vickers goes up against the same Elite and gets taken to pieces, Laksy finds Black's corpse just slumped in the seat of his Warthog (was he running away?). Then there's the survivors - according to John, he Lasky, Chyler, April and Sully are the only people left on the planet. April, who put up a show of being a Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, seems to be on the point of losing it in a truly stressful situation. So is squad joker Sully. And the four have just endured the terrifying experience of sharing a room with an invisible Elite (which reminded me of something from Alien) before John's knife-in-the-neck greeting. All of it brilliant.--The All-knowing Sith'ari 09:09, 26 October 2012 (EDT)

I agree, all of it was awesome beginning to end. I like how Lasky continues to show what a good leader he's going to be. My favorite part was when Sully told John the weapons were locked and they couldn't get them, John's stares at him, then punches open the locker, I was like "Not for him they're not." Col. Snipes450 11:08, 26 October 2012 (EDT)

Sully still had some humor to lighten up the mood. There were lots of beats in the conversations: "Who's the best shot here?" -beat- "You, probably?" -beat- "Chyler is." But then again, this episode is much darker than the previous ones. Didact scanned the FUD, JJ, an insignificant character like Dimah, died, and Vickers, someone more connected to Lasky, died. The fear portrayed in this episode was pretty well done. I felt the anxiety the characters had. There were some I didn't get though. Why didn't the other cadets helped Vickers when he was bashing open the lockers, and instead just told him to hit harder? Also, weren't their MA5Ds using TTR, how did they even ? I did felt somewhat bad for Vickers. If he had not run at the Elite, the Chief probably would have arrived and saved Vickers as well... One last thing: Chief got a bit hammy when he said "Call me Master Chief."—SPARTAN331 12:02, 26 October 2012 (EDT)

Looks like I was right about JJ. I won't say "I hate to say I told you so," because I love being right, and I love saying "I told you so." :P -- Rusty - 112 12:42, 26 October 2012 (EDT)

@331, to answer your question about the TTR's, it's very possible/probable that the lockers contained both live rounds and TTRs (clearly marked I would hope) for just this type of situation. Another possibility is that they had their weapons in the lockers and each received a clip or two of ammunition from the Chief, which would explain how Silva and Orenski ran out so quickly.-- Rusty - 112 12:50, 26 October 2012 (EDT)

A few gripes such as Zealot not being agile like what we saw in Reach... but I guess it's intentional on the director's part, and the fact that John's rank is inaccurate (still a Chief Petty Officer in 2535). Other than that, I share the opinions here too. Loving how active camouflage does not cover the energy sword. *Halo 2 nostalgia* — subtank 13:03, 26 October 2012 (EDT)

So far, for a small-budget film, this has been very well done. If only this was longer and they had more time, we of could seen more development of the story, characters wouldn't have to be killed right away (although that is the nature of war), and more action scenes against the Covenant. However, I found it a little odd that almost immediately the fighting between the UNSC and Covenant ground-forces was over. I would of really loved it if they showed, even just a small snippet or scene, the ODST's and marines just fighting it out against the Covenant. All we got was Hastati running through what seemed like your common paintball/air-soft match with everyone everywhere shooting pretty much anything. Why they ran through that foray is beyond me.

Seeing Col. Mehaffey being killed was just devastating, no matter how quick it was. The look on Lasky's face when that happen made you feel like someone you knew had just been killed. His motherly figure now gone in an instant and his thoughts of her now pushed aside by the on-going adrenalin of survival now taking its place. Truly thrilling. The dormitory scene was fantastic. Hearing the screams when that zealot impaled that hapless cadet was nothing short of horrifying. The Elite going "invisible" really conveyed that fear in Lasky's eyes that it could be right in front of you, which was the unfortunate case for JJ Chen... The locker scene that followed tied the ruthless and chilling concept of the Covenant in a neat little bow. It effectively, at least to me, put you in the shoes of the cadets. Gripping for life -gripping the edge of my seat and holding my breath. That zealot was hulking huge compared to the cadets! It really brought on a whole new meaning in fighting the Covenant. We've pictured them as these simple push-overs on a video game or these honor-bound, overly zealous religious fanatics in the novels... but here, you're just another human on the other side of that adamant blade.

When Chief finally showed up, it really cleared the air and gave me a fresh breath to inhale after staring into the eyes of that Elite. Vickers sacrificing himself for his squad surprised me to say the least, but it was to soon when Chief showed up and made me feel like his death was in vain really. Seeing the corpse of Col. Black (whom I almost did not recognize) being pulled from his warthog was very surprising. I always imagined that the cadets would stumble upon him surrounded by carnage and dead bodies, Covenant and human alike, with him slumped against his vehicle or wall, clutching his M6 Magnum to his chest whilst at the same time dying of his wounds. His death really struck me in that "everyone is vulnerable". For the cadets, seeing a man they knew in power and discipline, now dead.

The part where Chief explained that the cadets were the only survivors on the planet came off as lame. Seriously? They're the only ones? They has to be some survivors, even Corbulo itself. I expected him to say that they were the only survivors that he found. Oh well, still great episode, or part whatever. -Killjax (talk | contribs)

Not enough time to write a full review but loved it! Favorite episode thus-far. Can't wait for the next one!--Killamint [Comm|Files] 13:28, 26 October 2012 (EDT)

Good catch Subtank, major rank fail on 343s part, I'm guessing that was for the fans more than anything. Col. Snipes450 13:33, 26 October 2012 (EDT)

John's rank during the Battle of Jericho VII is not stated in the 2011 Definitive Edition of The Fall of Reach. Therefore, he very well may have been a Master Chief by that time. Granted, I would prefer it if John were a PO1 or a CPO during the webseries - that's four promotions in less than a year! - but if 343 Industries says he was already an E-9, so be it. While "Call me 'Master Chief'" is obviously for the benefit of newcomers and casual fans, the line is actually pretty cool. On the other hand, I find it completely ridiculous that he ends his message to Kelly with, "Chief out." Really? "John out" would have been far more believable.

One of my favorite parts is when John sees the needle rifle projectile heading toward Sully, then steps forward and takes the blow. That's the best representation of the Spartans' reflexes we've ever been shown outside the novels. I expected JJ and Vickers to die, so I wasn't surprised, but their sacrifices were handled very well. I agree with Killjax that Colonel Mehaffey's death really felt devastating. It was one thing to see her go down, but the supercombine explosion really drove her death home. Apart from Mehaffey's death, I thought the saddest part was when the survivors are approaching the Warthog and come across a dead ODST; that part made me consider that even the best of the best are no match for the Covenant. I'm really looking forward to Kelly and Fred's inevitable cameos in the next episode. --Courage never dies. 14:31, 26 October 2012 (EDT)

Its been stated prior that he was promoted to Master Chief long into the Human-Covenant War. Its more than likely that they only referred to him as "Master Chief" to the cadets to identify with the viewing majority who have no concept that John could be any other rank. Grizzlei ♥ ツ

"Petty Officer 1st class, John 117" would have been much better, and I think it would have gotten the point across to the ignorant masses, but overall I was very pleased about Cudmore's performance. His voice sounded a little off in previous trailers etc. but he really nailed here. Weeping Angel 16:05, 26 October 2012 (EDT)

"John" would have sufficed. Its vague and puts a Human face to an otherwise impersonal facade. Cudmore didn't voice John and unfortunately didn't take off his armor either. :P Grizzlei ♥ ツ

A human face would've helped Sully not refer to him as a "giant robot", that part made me laugh. Col. Snipes450 17:57, 26 October 2012 (EDT)

"Cudmore didn't voice John and unfortunately didn't take off his armor either. :P" - Sounds like someone here is a Colossus fan. :D

Back on topic: Upon hearing that line, my gut reaction was that it felt out-of-place. This was further reinforced by the fact that, throughout the rest of the episode, everyone else (including himself) referred to him as "Chief". No doubt there was a discussion amongst the writers about this prior to airing the films & they decided that appealing to a wider audience trumped canonicity in this case. After all, millions more have played the games than have read the books. It's also possible that future releases of the series will have him saying "Call me 'Chief'". As it stands now, that line makes it sound like the person who wrote his dialog didn't bother to read the character's backstory, whereas everyone else did.

I also felt that Sully's use of humor as a shield was very well done. I definitely got the impression that he was cracking jokes to keep from falling apart at that moment.

All in all, a far more effective way of injecting humor into a tense situation than, say, stumbling across the plasma-scored body of poor Beamish, surrounded by a dozen battered & broken Covenant corpses and clutching the shattered remains of his space mop in his cold, dead hands... - DJenser 11:45, 27 October 2012 (EDT)

Watch out, John might pull a "Horatio" in the next episode! — subtank 03:55, 28 October 2012 (EDT)

No, no, no. Beamish is clearly out in the wilderness, hunting down Covies and slaughtering them with his mop-fu, and will die heroically saving the Master Chief. Janitors never die, they just go missing in action. -- Qura 'Morhek ^{The Autocrat of Morheka} 17:58, 28 October 2012 (EDT)

Part 5

And so we get to the end. Firstly, I have to say Forward Unto Dawn was probably my favorite entry in the Halo series in a while; aside from minor annoyances, most of which were probably the result of budget restrictions, the series stayed very true to both the spirit and canon of the Halo franchise, something I only wish I could say about certain other recent entries in the series.

Chyler's fate is pretty much exactly how I predicted it would go down, right down to the "It's okay", Lasky sobbing hysterically over her and the "You have to leave her!" It was mostly a matter of time, given the grim thematic direction of the series but also certain subtleties about her portrayal. Sad, but not entirely unpredictable; by the time major characters started dropping in the last episode, a happy ending started to seem more and more unlikely. I was nearly certain that Orenski would sacrifice herself for the squad or otherwise die and was somewhat surprised to be proven wrong. Meanwhile, Sully's survival didn't come as a real surprise. I like the fact that the cadets started on mostly equal footing in terms of character development (at least for those of us who watched the preview snippets) and while the main characters obviously got more screen time, the rudimentary level of build-up with the rest made their Whendonesque deaths hit harder, though none of them quite as much as Silva despite her more conventional death scene. I did find it somewhat strange that there were two members of Hastati outside the core cast who were there in the background but were never quite acknowledged. Perhaps they get a few lines in the extended Blu-ray release.

The Chief was pulled off very convincingly; he was clearly the John from The Fall of Reach, all business and still lacking his characteristic quips we know from the games. Fred and Kelly appeared to be mostly in for fan service; for instance, there was no real reason for them to remove their helmets (especially in the presence of random cadets) but they did it anyway just so that fans can watch with a dumb grin on their faces and say "Hey look, it's Fred and Kelly". Still, I am glad that they acknowledged the presence of other Spartans and didn't have the Chief going entirely solo, something I was initially worried about (though why was he alone looking for survivors in the academy?). Would've liked to see Linda and Kurt too (Fred and Kelly always seem to get the most attention even though Linda is also part of the core gang), but I can understand that the budget probably didn't allow for more Spartans. As for their looks, the contact lenses were somewhat distracting but other than that, they looked fairly believable. More distracting, however, was the present-day Lasky looking so different from his in-game appearance.

On a side note, Requiem must be pretty far away if the Infinity crew need to go to cryo during the jump, given the ship's advanced slipspace capabilities and how it only took a few hours at most to reach Sanghelios. --Jugus (Talk | Contribs) 08:04, 2 November 2012 (EDT)

Saw episode 5. Ugh. If episode 4 was the episode that dropped the ball, episode 5 was the one that had the ball hitting the ground. Least it makes for a good drinking game.--Hawki 08:16, 2 November 2012 (EDT)

I'll specify that I usually comment on the HBO forums. Don't want to come across as a troll, think the series is okay overall. Just the last two episodes didn't hold up to the standard set up in the first three.--Hawki 08:26, 2 November 2012 (EDT)

Funny you should say that about older Lasky, Jugus. I thought I could see a distinct resemblance between young and old, albeit one weathered by thirty years of war. Seeing Fred and Kelly's faces was a brilliant moment, and I think it reinforces something that it's all too easy to forget: John and co. are, at most, fifteen at this point (Hey! That's why the Chief asks Lasky to drive, he's too young to! Thanks TV Tropes!). No wonder Sullivan was surprised! Another great moment was Lasky at the end: He kept Chyler's dog tags for over thirty years. I wonder if he became something of a death seeker moments after Chyler died: "I'll be the decoy, sir!" "Lasky, we don't need a decoy and I'm a 7 foot armored supersoldier..." "AXIOS!" "Oh my God, he just ran in..."--The All-knowing Sith'ari 08:34, 2 November 2012 (EDT)

Really wish they would put those CG content to the Warthog. The non-rotating chain-gun and the old wheel-axle is really distracting. A good show nevertheless, since it's the only proper one. :) — subtank 09:18, 2 November 2012 (EDT)

Nice last episode. The whole part with the Hunter was my favorite part, jumping on the hunter, stepping on the Lekgolo worm, I also like when Tom accidentally hit the Jackal with the Warthog.Col. Snipes450 09:44, 2 November 2012 (EDT)

Hearing the classic monk chant after John blows up the Hunter made me shed happy tears. --Courage never dies. 10:14, 2 November 2012 (EDT)

I got chills when they played that.Col. Snipes450 11:14, 2 November 2012 (EDT)

As for Infinity's crew going into crew, maybe Del Rio wanted to keep pace with the ship's much slower escort vessels. A painfully slow jump would be better than arriving at Requiem alone, with no backup arriving for weeks or more. --Courage never dies. 11:18, 2 November 2012 (EDT)

Infinity escort group

It seen that the UNSC Infinity's escort group is far more bigger than we seen before i have numbered around 20+ ships maybe more! CF⁰¹ 09:05, 2 November 2012 (EDT)