4 Things Even Halo Fans Didn’t Know About Master Chief

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As a devoted fan, I’ve been following the journey of John-117, famously known as Master Chief, since he first graced our screens in the initial Halo game. He’s been a constant presence in nearly every Halo title, even making a cameo as an Easter egg in Halo: Reach. Beyond his video game exploits, Master Chief has also taken center stage in the 2022 television series, with Pablo Schreiber portraying him magnificently, and starred in most of the Halo novels and comic books. In essence, Master Chief stands as one of the most revered figures in video game history, and his enduring popularity has undeniably contributed to the massive expansion of Xbox’s franchise. Despite the extensive lore surrounding Master Chief, there are still some intriguing tidbits that many players may not be aware of, particularly when considering the Eric Nylund novels.

Here are four facts about Master Chief that most Halo players still don’t know.

1) His Astonishing Backstory

The majority of Master Chief’s backstory is detailed in Eric Nylund’s novel, The Fall of Reach. In this book, it is revealed that Chief was abducted from his native planet and enrolled in the Spartan program under the supervision of Dr. Catherine Halsey and Lieutenant Jacob Keyes. At the time of his recruitment, Chief already stood significantly taller than other children due to his impressive athletic abilities. Subsequently, scientists began to enhance him with Spartan augmentations.

Through various enhancements and his Mjolnir suit, Master Chief transforms into one of the most formidable combatants in the cosmos. Standing at 6’7″ without his armor, he is capable of reaching speeds of up to 60 miles per hour when equipped. However, he seldom emerges from the suit, making him quite pale beneath it.

As they all undergo the necessary modifications for donning the Mjolnir armor, over half of the trainees perish. However, Chief is among the mere 33 Spartans who manage to endure the surgical alterations, thus becoming one of the fortunate few destined to excel as the galaxy’s most formidable warrior.

2) He’s a Canonical Team Killer

In The Fall of Reach, following his enhancements, the Chief decided to try out his increased might at the gym. As anticipated, he managed to shift weights that were beyond his capabilities before the augmentation. Regrettably, in disregard of the primary rule of the weight room, he failed to put his weights back after finishing.

As an ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper) soldier, I found myself boiling with anger, rallying my comrades to engage in a skirmish. But just as the tension ignited, a higher-up stepped in, proposing we settle our differences in a more civilized manner – in the boxing ring. With fists clenched and weapons ready, we aimed to take down the Chief, but he swiftly reversed the battle’s tide with his augmented physique, leaving us astounded by his incredible resilience.

The commander reduced the ODST troops to pulp, fracturing their bones and rupturing their internal organs with precise attacks. Being a highly-trained soldier, he shows little emotion about the event, as his primary concern was self-preservation, even if it required eliminating comrades.

3) He Once Slapped a Missile Out of the Air

Here’s another interesting tidbit from The Fall of Reach: After receiving his enhancements and armor, the Chief is instructed to upgrade his equipment. The updated Mjolnir suit comes equipped with an AI named Cortana. Before being deployed against the Covenant, his superiors decide to put this new gear through a live-fire exercise first.

Accompanied by his advanced AI partner, Chief swiftly handles the assessment, successfully eliminating a group of ODST troops, disabling anti-tank mines, and neutralizing 30mm chaingun emplacements. The concluding part of the drill is a dexterity challenge named the Pillars of Loki, yet it includes an extra level of difficulty.

As Cortana observes an incoming SkyHawk aircraft approaching from the horizon while Chief is completing his task, he finds himself exposed and unable to evade the jet’s missiles. With no other options available, Cortana quickly calculates the necessary force required to divert a missile by a well-timed slap. Successfully executing this maneuver, Master Chief successfully swerves the missile off course, granting him the precious moments needed to complete his mission and ring the bell.

4) He Has a Secret Nemesis in the First Game

At the onset of “Halo: Combat Evolved,” the Covenant embarked on the Pillar of Autumn, where Master Chief opened fire on an Elite named Zuka ‘Zamamee. As it turned out in the novel “Halo: The Flood,” this Elite managed to survive their encounter, although his dignity suffered significantly.

In the heat of the action, I found myself in dire straits, but luck was on my side when a tough squad, under the command of Yayap, swooped in and saved me from my perilous situation aboard the ship. Grateful for their intervention, I was soon recovered and ready to return to the fray.

However, as a gesture of gratitude, I appointed Yayap as my trusted assistant, a role he seemed less than thrilled about. Together, we spent the better part of our initial adventure devising cunning traps intended for none other than the formidable Chief. My mission was clear – it was personal, and I was determined to settle the score.

After multiple failed attempts at setting traps, ‘Zamamee eventually locates Chief and surprises him inside an elevator. He nearly succeeds in his attack, but Chief backs off and gets Cortana to disable the elevator, causing it to plummet downwards. Master Chief then hurls two grenades into the shaft, effectively eliminating Zamamee’s danger forever.

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2025-09-04 17:23