The odds of Halo getting a third season are high, but not guaranteed. The brand remains massive, but the show is arguably its least impactful arm. Halo season two has some buzz on social media and a host of articles across various gaming-adjacent publications, but it’s hard to find larger communities discussing it. As Halo prepares to deliver its second season finale, “Thermopylae” raises unpleasant questions about the future of a show that still seems mediocre to its ever-shrinking audience.
“Thermopylae” comes from one of the series’ more unique directors. Dennie Gordon has worked in TV since the early 90s, but he’s perhaps best known for directing the David Spade comedy, Joe Dirt. He has credits on shows like Suits, Burn Notice, and White Collar. He doesn’t frequently work in science fiction, but his filmography includes a wide variety of genres and tones. Gordon will also direct the season finale, placing considerable weight on his shoulders.
After John-117’s self-destructive vengeance quest lands him in prison in the last episode, the once and future Master Chief bides his time awaiting a way out. He finds his chance when a few soldiers arrive to execute him. Seems an extreme response, but John’s living legend status stays the gunman’s hand. Kai-125 quickly shifts motivation to save John, plucking him from the prison she just put him in to deal with the oncoming threat. John’s new prerogative is to find his armor, kill Margaret Parangosky, and then deal with the Halo ring. His grudge, well-founded though it may be, irritates Kai as she devises multiple strategies. One of the most corrosive issues in Halo so far has been its inability to pay off the things it sets up. Kai and John’s fight last week didn’t resolve any of the moral disputes that led to violence. Every time they prepare to deal with a thematic element, aliens show up to force them back into predictable sci-fi action.
James Ackerson completes his half-hearted hero turn in “Thermopylae.” Halo season two established the power-hungry bureaucrat as a ruthless villain, but he’s been thoroughly supplanted by Parangosky. This somewhat mirrors their place in the Halo novel Ghosts of Onyx, but it doesn’t feel like an arc. Ackerson loses even the pile of tropes he had in place of a personality. He, too, is shoved aside as the aliens attack. John briefly interrogates Ackerson for his armor, but Ackerson is already on his side. He discovers Parangosky’s spike is an explosive that will obliterate the Covenant ship. She’s sending an army of Spartan-III’s to their death, win or lose. Ackerson was fine sending Cobalt Team to their death and letting countless civilians die on Reach, but a suicide mission is a step too far. His moderate heel-face turn carries no impact, but Parangosky’s new low is compelling.
Halsey and Soren’s subplots were bizarrely side-lined last week, but they’re back to explore Onyx in “Thermopylae.” Halsey, Kwan, and Miranda find ruins of the ancient Forerunner civilization. Fans will almost certainly enjoy the strong production design, but there isn’t much narrative depth to these scenes. Halsey finds a new MacGuffin, they almost die on a hard light bridge, and Miranda calls Halsey “mom” for the first time. A viewer could watch the scenes muted without subtitles and enjoy the same experience. Soren’s adventure is marginally more exciting. He and Laera wander into a Spartan training facility where their son, Kessler, prepares for gladiatorial combat. Soren’s worst fears are realized, but as an adult with years of pirating experience, he fights off the armed guards to save his son. Unfortunately, the conditioning has already partially taken hold, prompting Kessler to ignore his dad. It’s a sad scene, though it presages a subplot in next week’s finale.
Makee enjoys the final notable subplot in “Thermopylae.” Halo season two doesn’t know what to do with this character. People hated her sex scene with the Master Chief, but that romance seems to be the central idea the first season’s showrunner had in improving the narrative. They kicked off a new timeline because they didn’t believe anyone would watch a TV series without a love interest. She’s subsequently spent most of her screen time arguing with the Arbiter in a spaceship. Cortana briefly returns to save her from heretical Covenant soldiers. She does enjoy a brief conversation with John about their various atrocities and differing worldviews. They’re likely saving her for the finale, suggesting a wildly overstuffed final episode.
“Thermopylae” is a sub-par episode of TV, even divorced from the context of Halo season two. For all the high-stakes discussion of the end of all life in the universe, it’s stunningly dull. Every element is predictable, every well-executed scene falls apart an hour later, and the human drama that made the show watchable in its first couple of episodes fades every time someone picks up a gun. Good sci-fi action shows have put in the work to maintain thematic depth and narrative engagement during all the flashy violence. Halo season two is building towards a finale without the stakes, depth, or engagement to make it worthwhile.
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