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Cortana is voiced by actress Jen Taylor in Halo: Combat Evolved and its sequel Halo 2.
Overview
Cortana is a "smart" artificial intelligence construct, which grants her the ability to learn and adapt, but at the cost of a limited "lifespan" of only seven years. She was constructed from the cloned brain of Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey, the creator of the SPARTAN project. Her primary mission was to assist the SPARTANs in the capture of the Covenant High Prophets, and then to negotiate either a truce or peace treaty.
Cortana has no physical form, unlike 343 Guilty Spark's avatar. However, she maintains the ability to communicate a strong female voice through available communications systems, and, if possible, project a holographic image of herself. She projects herself as a woman made of purple light, said to be a younger version of Dr. Halsey. Later her appearance changes to a similar figure with longer hair.
Originally, the core of Cortana was contained in a disk, which could be inserted into most systems; however, the MJOLNIR Mark VI armor system is apparently equipped to allow her to transfer from system to system with a mere touch of the palm. Cortana was designed to infiltrate any security system, and once she is physically inside, there is little that can stop her from taking absolute control.
Aside from that, she is very proficient in the coordination and use of UNSC and later Covenant military hardware. Because one of the UNSC's primary uses of artificial intelligence is to oversee the targeting of point-defense and ship-to-ship weaponry, space navigation, and calculating Slipspace jumps, Cortana can operate ships and space stations by herself. But, for Cortana at least, this is only a secondary function.
Cortana was made to share the SPARTANS' MJOLNIR suits. Later the Master Chief is set to escape with her from the attacked ship Pillar of Autumn, guiding him through his various mission tasks on Halo. Master Chief's reaction speed is greatly increased by this, as Cortana resides in the space between his mind and his suit and further boosts his already inhuman reaction speed.
She frequently jokes about having a relationship with the Master Chief, and it is often implied that the two characters have developed some form of attachment.
Cortana's loyalty
Cortana has a smart, witty personality, and a sense of humor. She has hardwired loyalty to humanity and the UNSC, but seems to be genuinely loyal in any case. The loyalty to the human race could also result from the fact that "smart A.I." are "ghost" images of former human selves (as she is partially a ghost to her creator, Dr Halsey).
Quotes
Working on it. I'd like to see YOU crack a 128,000-bit modulating encryption key.
No! Without the Captain, the Covenant have already won.
What the hell are you doing? Security to the bridge - the Master Chief has gone rampant. Take him down, boys.
We need to get going, Chief. We need to get OFF the ship before it's completely overrun by Covenant.
Cortana's role in Halo 3
The May 2006 announce trailer for Halo 3 contains a flickering image of Cortana's face several times while she says the words:
"I have defied gods and demons.
I am your shield, I am your sword.
I know you; your past, your future.
This is the way the world ends."
Whether Cortana is experiencing rampancy is up for debate.
One storyboard listed on bungie's website also shows Cortana seemingly screaming in pain.