History Recap / Halo2022S2E7Thermopylae

-->'''Ackerson''': Well, we don't have to worry about that.
-->'''Parangosky''': Did you say "we?" ''You'' were the one in charge.
-->'''Ackerson''': [[LateToTheRealization Acting on your ''orders''.]]
-->'''Parangosky''': [[LoopholeAbuse But, I'm not even in the ONI.]]

Halsey, Miranda, and Kwan explore the Forerunner alcove and Halsey reveals that a puzzle was left behind for the right people to unlock. She had gotten as far as finding genetic markers left behind, which instigated her involvement with the Spartan program. Miranda had unlocked more of the puzzle through applying linguistics to Halsey's math, and Kwan is able to trigger a star map set at the time of the Forerunners to open a doorway to a Forerunner city. Investigating a lab they see a Forerunner body, but a disturbance incites them to leave, though not before Miranda recovers another artifact that the dead Forerunner was holding.

** While the symbols that Halsey and Miranda see in the Forerunner ruins aren't given exact definitions, since Miranda only has the barest understanding of the language, the bottom symbol is the one for "Guardian" while the top one represents ''[[GreaterScopeVillain the Flood]]''. Miranda correctly, if vaguely, interprets the former as a negative context and the latter as "growth," not that they take the hint.

-->'''Ackerson''': [[LateToTheRealization Acting on your orders.]]

* YouCalledMeXItMustBeSerious: As the light bridge disappears from under them, Halsey stands staring in wonder at the city below them, ignoring Miranda's increasingly-desperate pleas to flee until she calls her "Mom" instead of "Halsey". She stares at her daughter in surprise for a brief second, then runs like hell.

With Cortana's data, Parangosky is able to track the Covenant fleet and know their numbers. She deploys a SPARTAN-[=III=] team against them and they are systematically eliminated. She orders another wave against Ackerson's objections. He starts looking deeper into the data spike simulations and realizes it's a DoomsdayDevice that could wipe out the Covenant fleet, most of the star system and Halo. There will be no survivors.

** The [=SPARTAN-II=] trainees were subjected to one as a test of their willpower as youths. Now an adult, Soren turns the tables on a similar battle against potential recruits, including his son.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Ackerson may have reluctantly sacrificed Reach, but even he sees throwing the entire [=SPARTAN-III=] complement at the Covenant in the hopes that just one breaks through the line and completes their mission to be beyond the pale.

** Kai refuses to allow the SPARTAN-[=IIIs=] to go on a SuicideMission without joining them, because she helped trained them.
** A {{Downplayed}} case for Ackerson, considering he was willing to send the [=SPARTAN-IIIs=] on a SuicideMission and considers them his "life's work," but he's not willing to throw ''all of them'' away in a hopeless strategy.
* HeelRealization: Ackerson comes to realize just how callous Parangosky is when she orders every [=SPARTAN-III=] to be thrown at the Covenant, willing to sacrifice them all for the chance of just one completing the mission.

* PromotedToScapegoat: Ackerson realizes this is him when Parangosky points out that if people learn Master Chief is alive, it will bring up questions about the fall of Reach and who knew it was coming.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Parangosky is willing to sacrifice every [=SPARTAN-III=] if it means stopping the Covenant here and now, but she's absolutely right that should the Covenant gain control of the Halo, there would be no next battle. Chief even agrees with her on that point.

* MistreatmentInducedBetrayal: While Ackerson was already not on board with Parangosky's plan, the reveal that she fully intends to through him under the proverbial bus as the designated fall guy should things go sideways makes him more inclined to aid the Chief.

Haley, Miranda, and Kwan explore the Forerunner alcove and Halsey reveals that a puzzle was left behind for the right people to unlock. She had gotten as far as finding genetic markers left behind, which instigated her involvement with the Spartan program. Miranda had unlocked more of the puzzle through applying linguistics to Halsey's math, and Kwan is able to trigger a star map set at the time of the Forerunners to open a doorway to a Forerunner city. Investigating a lab they see a Forerunner body, but a disturbance incites them to leave, though not before Miranda recovers another artifact that the dead Forerunner was holding.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Parangosky is willing to sacrifice every [=SPARTAN-III=] if it means stopping the Covenant here and now, but she's absolutely right that should they gain control of the Halo, there would be no next battle.

With Cortana's data, Parangosky is able to track the Covenant fleet and know their numbers. She deploys a SPARTAN-[=IIIs=] team against them and they are systematically eliminated. She orders another wave against Ackerson's objections. He starts looking deeper into the data spike simulations and realizes it's a DoomsdayDevice that could wipe out the Covenant fleet, most of the star system and Halo. There will be no survivors.

Chief is confronted by Captain Briggs who orders her men to shoot him, but he talks them down and Kai knocks out Briggs. Cortana leads Chief and Kai to Ackerson, who is shaken by recent events and is compelled to expose Parangosky's plans before leading them to Chief's armor. Kai knows the SPARTAN-[=IIIs=]s are on a suicide mission, but is compelled to lead them since she helped train them and feels responsible for their fate. Chief needs to reach Halo before the Covenant do.

Haley, Miranda and Kwan explore the Forerunner alcove and Halsey reveals that a puzzle was left behind for the right people to unlock. She had gotten as far as finding genetic markers left behind, which instigated her involvement with the Spartan program. Miranda had unlocked more of the puzzle through applying linguistics to Halsey's math, and Kwan is able to trigger a star map set at the time of the Forerunners to open a doorway to a Forerunner city. Investigating a lab they see a Forerunner body, but a disturbance incites them to leave, though not before Miranda recovers another artifact that the dead Forerunner was holding.

Chief is back in his armor and meets with Perez. There are many things at stake and they have separate missions, but offer encouragement. Chief goes through the base in full armor letting everyone know he is back, which causes Parangosky to have Ackerson arrested. Chief takes a Condor and travels to the site of the battle, but his target is further in the distance... Halo.

With Cortana's data Parangosky is able to track the Covenant fleet and know their numbers. She deploys a Spartan III team against them and they are systematically eliminated. She orders another wave against Ackerson's objections. He starts looking deeper into the data spike simulations and realizes it's a DoomsdayDevice that could wipe out the Covenant fleet, most of the star system and Halo. There will be no survivors.

Chief is confronted by Captain Briggs who orders her men to shoot him, but he talks them down and Kai knocks out Briggs. Cortana leads Chief and Kai to Ackerson, who is shaken by recent events and is compelled to expose Parangosky's plans before leading them to Chief's armor. Kai knows the Spartan III's are on a suicide mission, but is compelled to lead them since she helped train them and feels responsible for their fate. Chief needs to reach Halo before the Covenant do.

* ArmorPiercingResponse: Kai calls Chief out for lying to Silver Team about their mission authorization during "Visegrad", saying he put everyone in danger. Chief bluntly responds that it was Kai who chose to believe the people who were lying to them from the beginning, and absconded with their armor.

** A {{Downplayed}} case for Ackerson, considering he was willing to send the [=SPARTAN-IIIs=] on a SuicideMission and considers them his "life's work", but he's not willing to throw ''all of them'' away in a hopeless war.

** While the symbols that Halsey and Miranda see in the Forerunner ruins aren't given exact definitions, since Miranda only has the barest understanding of the language, the bottom symbol is the one for "Guardian" while the top one represents ''[[GreaterScopeVillain the Flood]]''. Miranda correctly, if vaguely, interprets the former as a negative context and the latter as "growth", not that they take the hint.

* NotSoDifferentRemark: Ackerson questions Parangosky using the SPARTAN-[=IIIs=] for a mass assault, sacrificing as many as needed to get the job done. When Chief questions his current spark of conscience he says the [=IIIs=] are his "life's work" and Chief only replies that he's heard that before, as Halsey often said the same about the SPARTAN-[=IIs=].