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10[[foldercontrol]]
11
12[[folder: General]]
13* The idea of simulation troopers is horrifying in itself. The UNSC takes all of the soldiers who aren't good enough to be out on the battlefield, and instead of sending them home, hands them off to Project Freelancer to use as [[CannonFodder expendable test dummies]] for trained SuperSoldiers to shoot at.
14** That's not all, they are used whenever something needs to be done that requires a man to be killed in the process. Case in point: Private "This doesn't seem physically possible" Jimmy, who was used as the host body for Alpha-Church.
15** What's more, Season 15 delves fully into the implications: In the past, Carolina and Tex killed Biff by accident. The Blues and Reds were completely mortified by this, but neither of the Freelancers showed even a hint of remorse. They were trained to see sim troopers as expendable to the point that murdering one didn't even faze them.
16** Even worse, it is possible that sim troopers may actually be ''common practice'' in UNSC:
17*** In Reconstruction, the only crime that the chairman calls the Director out on is how he managed to procure several AI when he had just one AI unit, and he says nothing about the use of sim troopers.
18*** And even in later seasons after Project Freelancer is disbanded, the sim troopers are still used by the UNSC.
19*** It is mentioned in episode 12 of Season 15 that the coast guards also make their soldiers do similar things.
20*** And in Reconstruction, Wash mentions that there were ''dozens'' of classified military projects. And given how rotten some of the politicians in Red vs. Blue can be, it seems logical to guess that at least a few of such projects utilized their own sim troopers...
21** Another less-explored, yet somewhat implied, possibility is that sim troopers are a way to throw away traumatized war veterans. Sarge, for example, has hints of being a shell-shocked former ODST. If this is true, then the UNSC are not just throwing away inferior personnel, they are also throwing away loyal soldiers who have served to protect them during the Great War.
22[[/folder]]
23
24[[folder:Blood Gulch Chronicles]]
25Well, since Blood Gulch Chronicles is very heavily centered on humor and black comedy, there is relatively little in the way of straight horror. It ''does'', however, have plenty of FridgeHorror, especially after the later seasons were released.
26* The time-travel scenario from season 3 is the crowning HarsherInHindsight moment in all of Blood Gulch Chronicles. Church goes back in time in an attempt to repair the previous events, only to cause said events, and fail over and over and over again. At its time, it's treated as a long string of CMOF, and BlackComedy at worst. Then comes Season 10, and this scene is retconned as Alpha undergoing even further MindRape, just because Gamma found it funny.
27* The ending of Season 3. Church asks Gary about the 'Great Destroyer'. Gary instead responds with a knock knock joke, and Church is occupied with the terminal... the camera pans, and there is an alien sneaking up on him. A nice little JumpScare, if anything.
28[[/folder]]
29
30[[folder:Recollection Trilogy]]
31* Right from the start, ''Reconstruction'' demonstrates its [[DarkerAndEdgier darker]] tone with an intensely creepy scene. A shellshocked soldier's recount of O'Malley's MindRape and slaughter of an entire outpost of simulation troopers. Needless to say, it's chilling to hear a previously comedic villain described in such a brutal and serious manner.
32** Which actually brings up a good source of FridgeHorror. While it was PlayedForLaughs during ''Blood Gulch Chronicles'', O'Malley's infections would be ''terrifying'' if they happened in RealLife. Imagine it, you're hanging out with your friend Frank, chatting aimlessly, messing around. All of a sudden, Frank starts laughing like a maniac and screaming about how he's going to split open everyone's skulls and drink the blood that flows out. At first you're thinking ''"What kind of drugs are you on, mate?"'' But then Frank grabs you by the throat and starts [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown smashing your head into the ground]]. Bob sees what's happening and rushes over to help you. The two of you somehow manage to subdue Frank and tie him up. At this point Frank relaxes and you breath a sigh of relief, thinking the crisis is over. '''''[[InescapableHorror Then Bob begins to laugh...]]'''''
33** That's not even getting into what it must be like for the person being possessed. While it was PlayedForLaughs, it's been well established in canon that O'Malley's hosts are sometimes fully aware when he's possessing them. Which means you could be forced to watch while your own hands are used to brutally murder everyone you care about. Which means it must've downright horrible for Doc. Again, PlayedForLaughs, but Doc is a very gentle and caring person who's a pacifist. And he was forced to go after and attempt to kill the very people whom he was sent to help.
34** Another bit of FridgeHorror, the last thing you see of the survivor is him being taken away by some of the Director's men. Then you remember the Director reporting that there were ''no'' survivors at Valhalla and... '''''Oh God'''''.
35** Adding to that, in Seasons 9 and 10 we see how Tex acts when Omega is with her for an extended period, borderline homicidal at times. Take into account that he was in BodySurf mode, and she can do so as well...
36* The Meta is an incredibly menacing villain. A merciless psychopath with the intelligence and efficiency of an elite assassin, and the ruthlessness and brutality of a wild animal. If it wants you dead, it will hunt you to the ends of the earth. It will slaughter thousands to get to you, and not even ''shoving an energy sword through its chest'' will kill it. And The Meta is ''smart''. It's not some raving monster charging towards you, it is a ruthless and intelligent predator that will hunt you until the day you die. Not to mention it never talks, just softly and eeriely growls, and that blank mask-like helmet really drives home The Meta's inhumanity.
37** The scariest part of the Meta is that, of all the major villains in the show, it was never beaten without the BGC losing someone in the process. Wyoming, CT, the Director, and even Charon's elite mercs from seasons 9-13? Everyone got out okay. In Reconstruction, where the Meta debuted? They lost the original versions of Church, the Alpha-Fragments, and Tex. In Revelations, they eventually lost Epsilon-Tex, then Epsilon himself when he entered into his Unit to go find her.
38** His Leitmotif [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw2VDWB-u2Y When Your Middle Name Is Danger]] serves to highlight the sheer terror that he brings. A slow, mechanical rhythm, almost a mechanical heartbeat, mixed with a few lighter chords, that serves to unsettle anyone who hears it. Just hearing the first few notes is enough to let you know things have gotten gravely serious, and all comedy leaves. It persists after his death, hanging over the series, a legacy to the most threatening foe they have ever faced.
39* When [[SerialKiller the Meta]] captures [[TheSpock Delta]], his other {{Artificial Intelligence}}s (at that point including [[TheCorrupter Sigma]], [[EvilGenius Gamma]], and [[AxCrazy Omega]]) greet him [[VoiceOfTheLegion more or less in unison]]. The worst part is, the CreepyChild is ''[[TheCutie Theta]]''.
40--> ''"[[CreepyChild Deellltaaa]]"''\
41''"[[CreepyChild Welcome back, Delta]]"''\
42''"[[CreepyChild we missed you, Delta]]'', '''''[[CreepyChild we missed you]]"'''''
43** This begs the question: ''[[NothingIsScarier How is Sigma getting them to go along with it?]]'' Omega was desperate to escape being assimilated into the Meta, and Delta, Theta, and Tex don't seem like they'd willingly go along with his plans. Then you remember what Sigma [[MindRape did to Maine]], and realize that the A.I. fragments probably aren't doing this of their own free will.
44* The story of how the A.I.s were created. The Alpha (AKA ''Church'') was tortured until it went insane and started developing split personalities.
45* We find out that Tex's damaged visor in Revelation's initial poster isn't from a headshot wound... it's because the Meta jammed the proboscis on the Recovery Unit straight through her face. The way she twitches as he's digging it into her skull doesn't help either. Just imagine watching that scene if you didn't know Tex is an AI in a robot body--and there's nothing in the couple of episodes leading up to that explaining this if you haven't been following the story.
46[[/folder]]
47
48[[folder:Freelancer Saga]]
49* During the fight in Episode 10 of Season 9, Wyoming and Maine replace their paint rounds with live ammunition and try to kill Tex. Just the way they start walking and firing so casually is terrifying. Worst part is that the Director ''praised'' them for doing so. [[FridgeHorror Which means you can flat-out murder your own teammate]] [[KarmaHoudini and receive no punishment for it]].
50* The Director's and Counselor's conversation with a still out-of-it Delta. Very deliberate and very well-executed nightmare fuel for anybody who's seen the earlier seasons.
51* " We are [[WhamLine The Meta]]. And [[ParanoiaFuel we will find you]]. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8tkiUJQNmo Very soon]]." Gah, just Sigma's [[PsychoticSmirk Psychotic Smirk]] in that part.
52* It's one thing for the Blood Gulch guys to take potshots at each other -- it's pretty much a sign of affection. But when Carolina does it... brrrrr. (And at [[KickTheDog Caboose]], no less!) Her temper is really starting to get pushed, as well; she fires a warning shot right past Caboose when his stupidity keeps annoying her. Honestly, she seems to be [[HeWhoFightsMonsters even worse than her rival]] at that point.
53* Sigma pressing the issue of metastability in class is bad enough (those ''eyes'', geez), but then he stays behind and starts playing tangrams with the Greek letters on the video screen while the Meta's Letimotif kicks in. It is simultaneously terrifying and completely awesome. [[FridgeHorror Looking back, that scene shows that Sigma was planning his search for A.I. fragments ]] ''that early in the series.'' All those fragments he was in class with just then? He was already plotting to absorb them and kill all the humans in the class by using Maine as a puppet. Which makes his thank you speech to Carolina all the creepier, since it's implied that Carolina could've kept him in check since he was meant for her.
54** And in episode nine, he's at it again, whispering in Delta's ear and giving York and Washington an acute case of the heebie jeebies.
55* When Agent Maine joins the Freelancers in their assault on the Insurrectionist stronghold, Sigma is kind enough to remind Maine that one of the Insurrectionists is the same one who shot Maine in the throat during the heist a few episodes back. Later on, we get to see Maine have his vengeance - by punching said-soldier's head so hard that ''it comes clean off''.
56* Those two Insurrectionist soldiers in episode nine. There's just something about eery about their happy/sad visors, the emblems on their machine guns, the way they talk with giggles and weeps, and the creepy carnival music that kicks in when they appear. They die when Mysterious Blue Guy shoots a crane, causing them to fall over a railing and be killed by a giant crate. What's weird is when it lands, the blood splatters are yellow. Although it could easily be the paint cans they were using, the idea of it being AlienBlood is still a creepy thought. Even creepier? The people voicing them are Michael Jones and his wife Lindsay. They're both known for being nice people, yet in this they're outright creepy.
57* Carolina's personal competition with Tex turns into this. Her going after the briefcase was one thing, but running through the fire of two mini-gunners because Tex got past her is suicidal. It gets bad enough that she actually fired a bullet through Epsilon when he compared her to Tex. It was just an offhand comment, but she was ''so'' quick that you get the impression she would've shot him even if he had a real body. She keeps going through a training simulation over and over again well into the night when she fails a mission, to boot.
58* Tex ''killing'' CT in episode 10 by throwing ''an axe'' at her chest. It's the first, clear-cut time that we've seen just how fucking brutal she is. It's hard to view her in the same light after that.
59* [[DramaticSpaceDrifting Georgia's hinted fate]]. Played for laughs though, mostly, with Washington's constant queries about what happened, and never getting an answer.
60* One for the audience: ''Every single time'' the freelancers speculate about their A.I.s and where they came from. Goes double for North and York because of their status as [[DoomedByCanon canon fodder]]. And then York and North are discussing how their respective AI's have difficulties sleeping and are a bit paranoid. The evidence of the trauma the Alpha endured to create them is suddenly very visible.
61* In episode 12 of season 10, [[LazyBum Grif]] says [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness he can't sleep]]. That speaks volumes for how nervous/afraid/unsettled the Reds and Blues are by their situation. It rubs off on the audience. And in episode 13, Tucker actually [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness passes up a chance to use his catch phrase]].
62* [[ManipulativeBastard Gamma]] and [[TheCorrupter Sigma]] double-teaming Carolina as the ''scariest shoulder devils ever''. Gamma's mechanical voice is ''extremely'' unsettling in this scene. In fact, looking at this scene, it seems that the two AI double teamed her to figure out the best candidate to house them so they could merge with the other AI. At this point, it seems that the Director might not have been aware of this.
63** An absolutely horrific one revealed in the same episode but that literally spans the entire story line: It's all Carolina's fault. She gave up Sigma so that Maine could communicate, thereby dooming him to become Sigma's puppet, and now she essentially robbed South of an AI and Wash of a sane AI. If she hadn't done this, North (all the Freelancers, actually) would be alive, and Wash would never have suffered the Epsilon Incident. Of course, it's pretty much Sigma's fault for the most part, but her hubris led to, in the least, the fall of everyone except Maine. Granted, there's no way of knowing if Carolina wouldn't have done the same thing Maine did if she had kept Sigma. Also, given the nature of Epsilon, it would've undoubtedly done the same thing to whoever it got installed into as it did for Washington.
64** In the background Maine barely moves until the two AI are through double teaming her, at which point he lurches forward slightly, and puts a hand to his temple. You do the math.
65* Picture what you will, what it's like to be like Maine. First you lose all ability to communicate, then you are given an AI and are told it will help you communicate. But as time goes on the AI starts to take over, you start blacking out on periods of time (i.e., the locker room issue mentioned above) and eventually you lose control completely. The AI forces you to [[FightingYourFriend kill everyone on your team]] and take their AIs. And that's not even getting started on the voices you keep hearing. Even after Sigma and the other AIs were killed by the emp, Maine was driven irrevocably insane by Sigma's influence. Maine continued to act as the Meta after Sigma was destroyed by the EMP blast, but contrast his actions prior to receiving Sigma (which included TakingTheBullet for Carolina and an implied friendship with Washington), with his actions after Sigma.
66* Season 10, episode 15: Who would have guessed the screaming would start with everyone ''but'' Wash?
67** Maine ''roars in pain''. Not his usual growls or snarls.
68** When Tex kneels down, you can hear Omega urging her to kill Carolina ("end it ... you know you want to"). And Tex ''actually starts to reach out'' before pulling back. Where's [[WebAnimation/RedVsBlueTheBloodGulchChronicles the funny, hammy O'Malley]] when you need him?
69** When the Counselor offers to tranquilize Carolina, the Director coldly refuses and leaves her to scream her brains out. Of all the moments that get put in a completely new light by TheReveal, this is easily the most monstrous. Immediately after being so terrified that he cried out the name of his wife, the Director completely ignores the suffering of his daughter and refuses to help her.
70** We see the sarcophagus from season nine again. It reacts to whatever the Director caused when he called Tex's name with snarling and growls.
71** Carolina's screams -- without a doubt the most agonizing and terrified screams in [=RvB=]. Seeing a badass like Carolina whimpering on the ground afterwards just makes it worse.
72** Imagine how Wash must have been feeling? Just think: you are about to watch two of the biggest badasses you know duke it out, until your terrifying boss walks in. He shouts the name 'Allison' and all of a sudden, every single one of your closest friends starts writhing in pain while screaming (or roaring, in Maine's case) to make it stop. And there's nothing you can do about it.
73** If this is how much agony Carolina is in after only a few minutes, how much worse did it feel for Wash when Epsilon ''tried to commit suicide in his head''?
74** Even before all of that, the way that Sigma is watching Carolina and Tex, almost like he was gloating.
75* In episode 16 of season 10, we finally see a scene of the Director, Counselor, Gamma, Sigma, and Omega [[MindRape torturing a new fragment, Epsilon, out of Alpha]]. It's exactly as horrible as it sounds. Not to mention it puts the Time Travel aspect in a much harsher light.
76** The contents of the sarcophagus. Just judging from the Shadow, it looks to be a Covenant Engineer. [[ActualPacifist An Engineer itself]] [[NiceGuy is hardly terrifying]]. The fact that they're manipulating a benevolent alien creature that just wants to help others into assisting them into breaking down Alpha? And succeeding? Yeah, pretty unsettling.
77** Seeing the [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Heart of Gold]] under Church's [[PlayedForLaughs usually comedic]] {{Jerkass}} HatesEveryoneEqually exterior played for cold drama is a large chunk of the creepiness.
78** In addition, we learn how it is they increase the chance of the fragment bonding with their agent. They create a scenario where that specific agent happened to die because of Alpha's failure. It's emotional torture, not physical. Over time, this severed various aspects, such as Theta, his trust and inner child.
79* We finally get to see Wash begin to go insane... FROM HIS POINT OF VIEW. Yeah, it's as bad as it sounds.
80* Kind of crosses between this and Awesome, but when Epsilon finally learns where the Director is hidden, the way he changes from his AI to his ghost is... chilling.
81-->'''Epsilon''': Carolina. I know where to find the Director.\
82'''Carolina:''' What? How?\
83'''Epsilon:''' I just remembered... everything.
84** And then in the next episode, when he's ranting, he grows into a giant deep-voiced avatar of glowing, bright red-orange sheer rage. Even Caboose backs away, [[TearJerker potentially broken in tears]], and is all, ScrewThisImOuttaHere. Becomes another TearJerker when he realizes what he's doing and shrinks all the way back down to his mobile avatar (and finally disappears).
85* Episode 18 opens with the Chairman discussing requests the Director made for training bases (presumably for the Red vs Blue war), while we see Maine, with the Meta symbol tattooed on the back of his head, sharpening the blade on his brute shot. When he puts his helmet on, his armor glows red and holographic fire ([[WreathedInFlames like Sigma wears]]) appears in the foreground.
86** Wash and the twins talk about how Tex went rogue, escaped and tried to steal Gamma. South also mentions that Tex supposedly tried to take his equipment too. Maine's gone; in his place is The Meta.
87* Episode 19 has several:
88** Remember Sigma's "We are the Meta" scene from the trailer? It's here again, only much, ''much'' worse.
89** That little "ooh, feels good" shudder Maine does when he puts his helmet back on and Carolina's AIs take hold.
90** Carolina, who's still utterly loyal to the Director, finds herself forced to fight York, the person she cares most about. York, in her eyes, betrayed her and all that she stands for. She then loses miserably to her life's greatest rival. Just as she's recovering from that, the nightmare known as the Meta ''rips out the AI chips from her head'' and throws her off a cliff. ''Damn.'' Listen to the music playing in that scene with the Meta. It's a reprise of the music that played when he stabbed Tex.
91** There's something very creepy about NiceGuy North dropping the BigBrotherInstinct to take on his own sister, especially when his voice drops into its ConsummateProfessional mode right before he does so. BewareTheNiceOnes, indeed.
92* Carolina and Church finally track down the Director's hiding place ... and find about a hundred robots that look like Tex and ''sound like O'Malley''. Cue one of the biggest "Oh, ''[[OhCrap crap]]''" moments of the entire series.
93* A subtle but intense moment in episode 21. Church contacts the new Tex AI and the scene mirrors the one in episode 19. It's an incredible TearJerker, but then you realize that the Director has been subjecting ''Allison'', the woman he loved more than anyone else in the world, to the same tortures he subjected Alpha to. ''What in hell is WRONG with that man?!''
94* The Freelancer Program apparently obliterated a goddamn state to maintain the cover of one of their agents instead of faking his death. What the hell is wrong with these people?!
95** How about the fact that kind, affable Captain Butch Flowers was not only a Freelancer, but he was so trusted by the Counselor that they chose to have him watch over the Alpha? That he knew that Church was an AI the whole time? Granted, when given the assignment, he still seemed to be characteristically overnice, but at the same time... he ''knew what was going on in Blood Gulch from the start''. Made even more scarier in hindsight when we see what Captain Butch Flowers was ''truly'' like, as shown off in the prequel episodes of Season 14.
96* It's been mentioned a few times, but picture this (largely involves CerebusRetcon on Gamma). You find yourself isolated from all your friends after you're all almost killed by a psychopathic AI and his [[TheDragon Freelancer for hire]]... only to be deceived and lied to, and find yourself living your own life all over again, trying to correct your failings but causing them indirectly again. Why is this not in TearJerker? You're being emotionally and mentally tortured, despite the fact that your torturer has no need to do so. Oh, and all that time travel? Just your mind undergoing further MindRape because [[ItAmusedMe Gamma finds it funny.]][[note]]For the record, Flowers did have an aspirin overdose (if not just a coverup by Project Freelancer), and Yellow Church was due to the time dilation unit, and not Gamma's methods.[[/note]]
97[[/folder]]
98
99[[folder:Chorus Trilogy]]
100* Freckles' entrance. Cast and audience alike.
101* Season 11, Episode 10: Locus finding the Reds and Blues.
102--> Locus: [[EvilSoundsDeep Huh. Unfortunate.]]
103* Lopez Dos.0 taking control of C.C, the Red's giant mech, [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters and using it]] [[WhosLaughingNow to try and kill]] [[CloudCuckoolander Sarge.]]
104* In order to hype up Season 12, Rooster Teeth released character journals. Tucker's is a bit sad, but humorous, and Simmons's and Caboose's are hilarious. The fourth one has no name on it and is entirety written. It's creepy as shit, and was revealed at the end to be Locus's. Notably, Locus has something of an obsession over Wash, intrigued by the man who was once David and the desire to kill Locus can see in his eyes. It's a wonder how deep this fixation will run, it also details just how Locus is a [[ConsummateProfessional downright-unsettling character who has no inclination whatsoever to mess around when on the job]], unlike his partner Felix who usually loves to [[EvilGloating gloat whenever he believes he's defeated his enemies that he's going to kill soon.]]
105--> "''I wonder, could I have been a freelancer? Or would they have feared me?''"
106* Season 12, Episode 2 probably had a in-universe one for Tucker when Locus arrives. This guy just killed Tucker's squadmate and decimated half of Tucker's friends, including a former special agent and leader responsible for the destruction of Project Freelancer HQ, and is now stalking in Tucker's direction as bright red letters across Tucker's HUD spell out "'''EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION'''", meaning the only thing keeping Tucker from his notice is going to stop working ANY second. Fortunately, a '''very''' conveniently-timed [[ConvenientlyTimedDistraction distraction]] in the form of one of the explosive sticky detonator bombs the team was planting earlier detonates and the direction of the explosion causes Locus to turn around just mere '''seconds''' before Tucker's Active Camo unit finally bugs out.
107* In Episode 9 Wash is having nightmares of previous seasons, which gets disconcerting when he's watching himself talk to the Counselor and later shoots Lopez and Donut, especially since he runs to try and stop the latter. Then when he's freaking out at Simmons's accusations, he turns around and shoots at Locus... only to see ''' himself''' fall to the ground dead. Very unsettling...
108* We also learn some more about the Federation army: not only has the war started with the New Republic attacking '''them''', but there's been so much death that even civilians have been drafted, with the current general having been promoted from the Brigadier's secretary.
109* When Sarge is talking to Lopez, the room darkens, then gets brighter when Locus leaves the room. Locus might've been in the room that whole time.
110* The attack on the Fed base in episode 10. Simmons is the only one to notice that the alarms they'd set off earlier have stopped. Then they emerge to an apparently deserted area, and the first Fed they see is disintegrated by a Forerunner weapon. Suddenly there's Fed soldiers being hit by Forerunner ammunition all over the place, and its done in such a manner that you can't help but wonder if the Prometheans have been introduced... nope, turns out it's just Locus's forces using active camo. Still damn freaky.
111* There's just something unsettling in Felix's voice when he reveals his scheme to the guys. Perhaps it's him lacking a change in tone, or the way he seems to want each word to hurt them a little more than the last, or perhaps it's just that even though he doesn't sound very different, there's an edge of madness and loathing in his voice when he tells the Reds and Blues he's been playing them this whole time that makes your skin crawl.
112* Felix and Locus are perfectly fine murdering an entire planet's worth of people. It's bad enough that whoever hired them wants the people dead, but these two are fine with committing genocide just for a paycheck.
113** Word choice, tone and Felix's first choice adds something chilling to this. Felix wanted to destroy this planet from space to kill off the people. The tone used to say this is almost as casual as Felix when talking to the Red and Blue teams before. When he brings up that conspicuous nuking would draw more attention than the settlers killing each other, he says it would be 'just a tragedy'. Just that casual tone and the 'just' to the tragedy of two sides on a planet killing each other brings to light how frightening [[TheSociopath Felix is when his sociopathy isn't played for laughs.]]
114* The sheer ''fury'' in Locus' voice when he gets fed up with Felix's gloating in episode 10. Talk about dark, malevolent ''venom:''
115--> Locus: '''[[BigShutUp Enough!!]]''' (to Felix) How many times '''must''' I tell you?! If you want to make the victim '''suffer''', you do it '''quickly''' and '''efficiently'''! (to the Reds and Blues) There will be no rescue for you. You will die here today, along with the rest. [[NeverFoundTheBody No one will find your bodies,]] [[PlayingBothSides no one will know the truth]], and '''[[TemptingFate no one]]''' [[NothingCanStopUsNow is going to stop us from]] ''' [[OmnicidalManiac killing every last person on this planet! ]]'''
116* Epsilon has managed to access all the shards (save Tex). The good news is that [[TheSpock Delta]] and [[ChildrenAreInnocent Theta]] are back, but the bad news is that [[AxeCrazy Omega]], [[AmbitionIsEvil Sigma]], and [[ConsummateLiar Gamma]] are there, waiting in the wings. Omega even gets up close to Epsilon's virtual face, letting him know that he's waiting for when Epsilon needs to rely on them when he needs to.
117* It was also revealed that Carolina has been having nightmares involving Sigma. No indication if the AI fragment himself is involved, or it's just her own memories and worries.
118* Carolina flat out punching a female member of the opposing mercs hard enough to knock her helmet off. Even after watching Carolina throw a steel door across the room, just the idea of being hit hard enough to remove a combat armor helmet is scary.
119* When Locus and Felix are contacting Control, the scene begins with Felix throwing a combat knife into the visor-plate of a dead guy's helmet, and it goes in to the ''hilt''. And at the end of the call, Felix grabs it and ''yanks it back out!'' The corpse's head jerks forward as he does it, which only makes it worse.
120** Control's mechanically altered voice is creepy in itself.
121** Not to mention the contents of the call itself. The Reds and Blues are being reported as dead so that their respective sides can make that one final push to kill each other off, [[XanatosGambit just as planned.]]
122---> Control: '''Marvelous. Then you are to transport back to your respective armies, and report the deaths of the Reds and Blues. They will become the martyrs needed to push these people towards one, final confrontation. Do I make myself clear?'''\
123(Felix pulls his knife out of the aforementioned corpse's visor.)\
124Felix: Crystal.
125* We find out how psychotic Dr. Grey is. ''She is worse than Carolina!'' And yet, the whole time, her cheerful attitude remains. How do we learn this? She tortures a Space Pirate, presumably with a BUNCH of surgical tools. ''[[DissonantSerenity While cheerfully singing [[Theatre/{{Carmen}} Habanera]]''. And she took him apart. Literally. That woman is the very definition of MadDoctor.]] Granted, Grey's unsettling joy is somewhat justified as she personally chose to torture the Pirate as revenge for his involvement in the deaths of her friends at the Federal outpost the Space Pirates attacked in Episode 10, but still...
126* When Locus informs Doyle that he won't be present for the upcoming battle between the Feds and Rebels and Doyle panics, wanting Locus to stay, Locus assures Doyle that he will be coming back to "take care of [Doyle]". The tone in his voice doesn't imply good intentions...
127* The SadisticChoice given to the BGC. It leaves them with 3 options, and '''all of them''' have extremely low probabilities of success as well as highly negative consequences. And those consequences could very well happen regardless of success or failure.
128** Option A ("'''Fucking Terrible'''"): Use the teleportation grenade to find a safe haven on Chorus, go off the grid, and lay low until the war ends.
129*** Pros: The chance of gaining intel and equipment to expose Control is high, as they can deal with any straggling mercenaries.
130*** Cons: The Army and the Republic will all die.
131** Option B: Accept the deal. Teleport back to the canyon, board the ship that was prepared for them, and return home.
132*** Pros: There's a 50% chance that the BGC will live.
133*** Cons: There's a 50% chance that Control is lying and has rigged the ship to explode. Also comes with the cons of Option A.
134** Option C ("'''Goddamn Nightmare'''"): Teleport to the radio jammer, where Felix and Locus currently are, and attempt to fight their way inside to expose the truth to both the Republic and Army.
135*** Pros: The best possible option for setting everything right.
136*** Cons: There's a high chance that most of the BGC will die, and the odds are immensely stacked against them. Not only is the enemy better equipped than they are, but they also have to shut down the radio jammer, convince the two sides that they're alive and not impostors, AND hope that they aren't too late. Overall, it's the option with the lowest probability of success and everyone staying alive.
137** Washington then presents an Option D: The BGC accepts the deal, while himself, Carolina, and Epsilon go through with Option A.
138* Tucker's duel with Felix is pretty tense when you first watch it. Felix doesn't even see him as a threat, cracking jokes and nonchalantly monologuing. Sure, it's all part of Tucker's plan, but consider the moment where Felix tries to kill the other reds and blues, and when Tucker tries to stop him, he spins around and STABS HIM IN THE STOMACH!
139-->Felix:That's the last time you try to outsmart me, Captain Tucker.
140* Felix's rant about how the efforts of the soldiers on Chorus means nothing and savors the fact that he can kill them.
141-->Felix:But you know what? It all means '''NOTHING!!!''' If I'm stronger than you, and if I'm faster than you, then I can '''KILL''' you, and that's better than '''ANYTHING''' money can buy...
142* Episode 19, the Season 12 finale, reveals the contents of the package Locus sent Control at the end of Season 11: the Meta's helmet... which presumably contains any remains of the AIs that were lost at the end of Season 6. What exactly the Chairman wants with it is unknown, but there is no way it can be good. With the added bit for the fan's nightmares by having The Meta's musical motif, ''When Danger Is Your Middle Name'', playing in the background during the reveal.
143** Fridge Horror kicks in given how sad and tired FILSS sounds. And keep in mind that the only other times AIs have sounded/been tired... well, it was Alpha and Tex in the aftermath of full-on torture. So what has the Chairman done to her? Perhaps the same things he once pulled the Director up on doing.
144* Epsilon is shown a few times having headaches, and flickering or stuttering. Many fans are worried that these are signs of him suffering from the first signs of rampancy.
145** Even if he is not going rampant, he is definitely weakening. In Halo universe, the performance of smart AIs decrease as their knowledge base and memories increase. The same principle likely applies to RvB.
146* Season 13 episode one really rams home just how scary a villain who never lies is. Miles and Burnie have written Felix from the ground up as someone who will never tell an outright lie. Things like "you won't find anyone on this ship" or, more chilling, "I'm not gonna kill you." It makes you question if everything he says is only MetaphoricallyTrue. The guy that said "This guy don't sit right with me..." should've kept that mindset...
147* '''Tartarus Security Guard:''' Huh...? (brutally [[NeckSnap neck-snapped]])
148([[InvisibilityCloak decloaked space pirates appear]], along with [[TheDragon Locus]])
149--> '''Locus:''' [[BondOneLiner No]] [[LeaveNoSurvivors survivors]]
150* The concept of the Purge system. So how do Locus and Felix split the prisoners who will join them from those who won't? Felix tells them that if they fight against the people of Chorus, they will go free and be rich. Then he tells the prisoners who will join him to put their hands on the prison bars while those who won't will be let off the ship. Felix then opens the air locks in the cells, [[ThrownOuttheairlock sucking all of those not grasping the bars out into space, along with some who tried, but weren't able to hang on.]] Well, that's a very horrifying, yet enthralling way to recruit prisoners.
151--> '''Locus:''' Congratulations. You're hired.
152* Tucker turning on the alien temple, while awesome, is rather creepy in its mysteriousness and the fact that a mysterious alien voice begins talking to Tucker and the others before turning the temple off.
153* The Chairman, tired of Felix and Locus failing to deliver on what their contracts promised, believes the mercenaries simply need the right motivation to get the job done. So what does he offer? The Meta's armour, complete with all the enhancements he stole from all the other Freelancers. To the winner go the spoils in the form of "field testing". But if they fail to succeed before it is complete? Then another goes in their place and does the job anyway, and '''then''' [[FromBadToWorse take care of any ''loose ends'']]. What makes it even worse is the Chairman is working his way into acquiring a new AI, one more powerful than Epsilon. All this complete with ''When Your Middle Name Is Danger'' playing in the background.
154** A passing remark from the Chairman mentions how "tests have shown that running multiple enhancements proves to be far more taxing on the mind than we anticipated.". Charon has used people to test the Meta's armor. Who were those people, and what happened to them afterwards?
155** If the Chairman succeeded in rectifying the main core issue of obtaining an advanced AI (Like Santa, as Felix implied he was thinking of doing for the Chairman) then, in time, he could've mass-produced these and have an '''army''' of terrifying [[TheDreaded Metas at his command.]] Think on that for a minute or two...
156* There is an undeniable creepiness factor with the gateway and the visions seen by the people who go through it. We see a glimpse of Locus's past and a non-combat involved confrontation between Carolina and her dead Freelancer teammates. And the alien A.I. still sounds creepy.
157* There is a temple on the planet that will kill everyone on the planet with the turn of a key, '''precisely''' how the fearsome [[ItsTheonlywaytobesure Halo Arrays]] do, except in this instance it's limited to the planet itself. And now Sharkface and Felix are heading towards it.
158* At the end of episode 10, Caboose, Tucker, and Dr. Grey find Doc, who has been missing since Grif used a teleportation cube on him. Doc reveals that he was transported to an alternate dimension, where he eventually lost his mind, found it, and then lost it again. [[ExactWords He doesn't mention finding it a second time.]] Doc says his faith in his friends kept him going, only to find out that everyone had forgotten him. At which point he lets out a crazed laugh that sounds '''exactly like O'Malley''' and tackles Tucker. Then the episode ends. It turns to NightmareRetardant the next episode, though, when O'Malley is... well... [[LaughablyEvil his]] [[EvilIsHammy usual]] [[CardCarryingVillain self]].
159* Three words: Epsilon is failing.
160* Sharkface's sheer obsession on revenge.
161* As of Episode 12: the bad guys have the key that could let them destroy all life on Chorus. However, said key doesn't work for them... yet. As Sharkface points out, all they need to do is kill General Doyle...
162* By the end of episode 13, Locus is asking questions about the Meta. With a remix of "When Your Name is Danger" playing, you have to wonder if Locus plans on becoming the ''next'' Meta...
163* Also in Episode 13, Church compares Carolina to the Meta on her need for power. It's strongly implied that the only thing that has prevented her from becoming the next incarnation of the Meta is that the Reds and Blues are acting as her [[MoralityChain morality chain. If one remembers what she was like at the start on Season 10, its sobering to realize that without Wash, Epsilon, Tucker, or anyone else, she could have easily been consumed by her rage and need for revenge and become the second Meta in the process.]]
164* Episode 14: When Locus talks to the counselor about the Meta, the latter puts him into three groups.
165** Maine: a soldier who followed order by any means necessary.
166** The Meta (with AIs): A being manipulated by Sigma in order to become human.
167** The Meta (Without): A broken shell of a man, trying to regain power.
168** Locus seems to have moved his fixation onto the Meta because he believes he was trying to become a weapon.
169* The end of Episode 16. The nuclear reactor detonates, destroying Armonia and killing Doyle along with the Space Pirates. The epic music builds up as Carolina activates her bubble shield to protect the Pelican... [[MoodWhiplash then everything cuts to black as the music is suddenly replaced with static]]. [[CliffHanger End of episode]].
170** While Doyle's HeroicSacrifice wiped out most of Charon's forces, finally giving the people of Chorus a chance at winning, it also means that Charon now has access to the Great Key, and can now activate the Purge...
171* Episode 17:
172** ...and what's worse, Felix has no compunctions about killing off the rest of the space pirates guarding the communication tower if it means wiping out Chorus' population. Even ''Locus'' is appalled at the idea of killing their own comrades just to finish the job. Basically, Felix is all set to cross the MoralEventHorizon farther than he already has.
173* Episode 18:
174** The location of the Purge Temple: A DarkWorld-esque environment of [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver dark volcanic stone that's studded with jagged blood-red crystals]], with a perpetual storm raging in a [[RedFilterOfDoom crimson sky]], which is '''very''' eerily similar to [[DeathWorld Malachor V]] (Hell, it even has one of the '''exact''' lightning sounds from it, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2iT2VpZU_E no bullshit]]) from [[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords Star Wars Knights of The Old Republic II: The Sith Lords]], minus the poisonous gas. The temple itself floats above a vast chasm, separated from the rest of the area by a light bridge. Considering that this place has the power to wipe out all life on Chorus, it's a rather symbolic backdrop.
175** The fight between Locus & Felix vs Washington & Carolina is easily one of the most intense (and awesome) of the series, and while it has its funny moments, much of the violence is played brutally straight. It's one of the few fights in ''Red vs Blue'' where blood is visibly shed, when Washington circumvents Locus' cloaking by splattering him with his own blood. Not to mention that when Locus tackles Washington and tries to stab him in the face, the blade comes dangerously close to piercing his visor just like back when the Meta did the same to Tex.
176** The aftermath of the fight: Charon's space pirates have been all but wiped out, their command ship destroyed, and the Purge Temple demolished when said ship was rammed into it by a tractor beam... [[OhCrap but Felix and Locus are still alive,'' and neither of them has anything left to lose now. Remember when Malcolm Hargrove threatened to send another operative wearing the fully-equipped Meta Armor to [[ImpliedDeathThreat finish the job]] if [[YouHaveFailedMe Locus and Felix failed?]] It just may have become open season on ''everyone'' on Chorus...
177* Episode 19:
178** The above FridgeHorror seems even more likely after Hargrove himself arrives in his dreadnought to take revenge after Epsilon exposes him.
179-->''' Hargrove''': '' You have made... a '''terrible''' mistake.''
180** Santa's explanation of the dynamic between Locus and Felix is chilling. Felix ''knew'' that Locus was broken by war... and exploited this by convincing Locus that he didn't ''need'' help with his condition--that he was a soldier, not a monster. In other words, Felix took advantage of Locus's broken psyche for his own purposes, as it's implied that ''he's'' the one who helped mold Locus into who he was in Season 11, before Wash came along and challenged that outlook. And why? Because ''Locus was the better soldier'', and that bruised Felix's ego so much that he ruined Locus's chance at a normal life just so he could use his partner as a weapon to continue his atrocities unchallenged. Felix is the '''real''' monster.
181** On the subject of Felix: by the time he comes gunning for the Reds and Blues, he's been pushed over the edge by the way they've been steadily thwarting his genocidal plans. Having all of his schemes undone by a RagtagBunchOfMisfits who're supposedly "inferior" to him--a group he never believed was any threat in the first place--has proven the final straw, and all he wants now is to ''kill them all.'' His [[FauxAffablyEvil mockingly friendly facade]] is gone, [[VillainousBreakdown leaving nothing but a raw, venomous rage.]]
182---> ''' Felix:''' You think you're so ''smart'', Tucker?! You think you're all ''better'' than me?! Well, you're '''not!''' You're all a bunch of ''pathetic, stupid'' '''''losers!!'''''
183** Consider WhatCouldHaveBeen. Locus still managed to infiltrate the fight without being noticed-- if he ''hadn't'' had his HeelRealization and turned against Felix, he could have shot the Blood Gulch Crew before they even realized he was there. The main reason Felix lost was because he ended up all on his own-- had Locus remained on his side, the two of them might easily have ''won.''
184* Episode 20:
185** Hargrove has had enough of everyone's shit and pulls a LastVillainStand. Unlike Felix, who was so broken that he became ineffective, the Chairman is not fucking around. He drops a huge amount of Mantises on the planet that proceed to go on a rampage of slaughter that nearly manages to wipe out the entire Chorus army. [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness The Mantises even go [[YouHaveFailedMe after the Space Pirates]]. Hargrove nearly undoes all of the hard work that the Bloodgulch Crew put into making sure that these people survived.]]
186** The soldiers that the Chairman sends after the Bloodgulch crew when the they infiltrate the Staff of Charon to stop the Mantis attack. The ConservationOfNinjitsu does not apply, and they end up cornering the Reds and Blues in the trophy room in only a few minutes. They are so strong that even Tucker using the Meta's armor is not enough to hold them off, necessitating Epsilon's sacrifice.
187[[/folder]]
188
189[[folder:Season 14]]
190* There is something highly unsettling about Flowers in Episode 3. He's still cheery, friendly and polite, even as he congratulates Lemons for finding the perfect candidate while Sarge is about to kill Lemons for his perceived blue allegiance and Lemons pleads over the radio for help.
191** Speaking of that, while Sarge's tendencies of hating on Blues are usually played for laughs, it comes off as VERY disturbing here. Lemons is screaming for help, and Sarge is accusing him of insubordination. He sounds absolutely ''furious'' at the idea there's a Blue who infiltrated the program, and you get to hear Lemons beg for his life as Sarge shoots him. It's extremely chilling to listen to and remember just what Sarge ''was'' before his CharacterDevelopment.
192--->'''Sarge:''' ''You aren't Red.''
193* In Episode 4, we finally find out who Private Jimmy ''really'' is and how he died. He's the Alpha's [[LossOfIdentity original body, the memories of Tex beating Jimmy with his own skull a blurring of the memories of the attack on the Mother of Invention and Jimmy's own memories of having the Alpha forcibly implanted. The implantation scene is brief, but right after being told an uplifting speech on how valuable he is, Jimmy suddenly finds himself being held down by Freelancer goons while a loud drill is applied to his skull. And he's still conscious when this happens. Poor Jimmy's screams are what really add the horror to the scene. Cole Gallian [[note]]Jimmy's VA[[/note]] went at it 100 percent]].
194** Flowers loading and aiming his gun at an unsuspecting Church as he recalls his memory. He was actually willing to mortally wound Church/Jimmy to ensure the Alpha never remembered his time as an A.I.
195* Donut's death in The Brick Gulch Chronicles can come off as disturbing, even if he shows up alive and well a few minutes later (how quickly he dissolves into nothing the moment he enters the hydrochloric acid).
196* Ruben Lozano is a terrifying man. His own son is kidnapped and held for ransom, and what is his response? To tell the kidnappers that he doesn't care about his son at all, but he still won't let them get away scot-free. He knows their codenames, their faces, and where they're hiding, and he's coming to kill them personally. Even ''[[TheSociopath Felix]]'' has a disturbed expression on his face several times just listening to him.
197** The almost casual way that Locus executes Gabriel Lozano when things went bad.
198** Felix's attempt at blackmailing Ruben certainly counts too, even if it didn't work. Even in his earlier days, we can see clear traces of the full-blown sociopath he becomes by the time the Chorus Trilogy rolls around.
199[[/folder]]
200
201[[folder: Season 15]]
202* The opening to Episode 1 is filled to the brim with shocking, nightmarish horror. Where to begin:
203** We see the Blood Gulch Crew bomb a supply depot supposedly run by ''civilians'' (one even aspiring to go to college and become a ''botanist'').
204** Shortly after the bombs go off, we're treated to Tucker brutally stabbing a straggler, with Donut standing by and observing.
205** A sentry spacecraft is shot down by a pelican piloted by the BGC; upon landing to pick up the Red and Blues, the pilot is revealed to be ''Church'', apparently in his Alpha form.
206** Just as Church exits the pelican to pick up the Reds and Blues, a survivor from the bombing spots them and can only whisper in shock that they've just killed everyone at the depot, before attempting to kill Church in a despair-driven rage, only to be promptly gunned down by Sarge.
207** What makes the aforementioned scene truly unnerving is the way that the survivor's blood messily splatters onto Church's armor, with Church (not fazed in the ''slightest'') calmly removing his helmet and placing it on the ground (as what one can assume to be a calling card) before departing with the BGC.
208** Not once do the Reds and Blues show their usual personality quirks as they carry out this act. They don't even ''speak''. What the hell happened after Season 13...?
209** Turns out, as of later episodes, it isn't them at all, but a bunch of imposters. Which begs the question: who are ''these'' people, and why are they impersonating the Blood Gulch Crew for their criminal activities...?
210* Initially played for laughs, but in Episode 2, V.I.C. consistently begging Dylan Andrews to [[MercyKill "pull the plug"]] comes off as disturbing. It's not explicitly stated whether Vic was serious or not, or whether Dylan really did it, but 3 out of 4 of the possibilities are horrifying. Besides the above-mentioned one, what if she pulled the plug when he really was just kidding after all? Or, if he wasn't kidding and she decided not to, Vic probably would've completely snapped. No wonder Dylan decided to keep it a secret.
211* Of all people, ''Grif'' manages to be frightening for a bit, when he angrily rebukes Dylan's attempt at a telling him YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre
212--> '''"[[SuddenlyShouting YOU DON'T KNOW THE FIRST]] [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness THING ABOUT ME, LADY!]]"'''
213* The gang goes to a town that was slaughtered during the Human-Covenant war. [[NothingisScarier It's empty and dead bodies, now skeletons, litter the town.]] There's also moments of ''very'' powerful tension.
214** Sarge stops in front of a mirror, when he walks off, his reflection remains there ''and looks'' ''[[AsideGlance right at the camera]]''. Granted, it's just Surge rather than anything supernatural, but that's arguably not much better.
215* While they act friendly, The Blues and the Reds are a bit...eerie in their behavior. Temple, in particular, is acting suspiciously during many scenes, especially in the way he makes "We're having ''fish'' for dinner" sound ''ominous''. The way he talks and acts might remind some of [[FauxAffablyEvil Captain]] [[BewareTheNiceOnes Flowers]] more than Church.
216** This same episode also reveals that the UNSC itself is trying to kill ''everyone'' involved in Project Freelancer, from the agents to the lowest staff members, with the motivation a mystery.
217* Temple's manipulation of Tucker in episode 9 is deeply unsettling, and a clear sign that there's something wrong with him. The music to the scene is deeply unsettling, too, and it isn't helped at all by the dark and claustrophobic space they're talking in.
218* TheReveal in episode 10 is '''''horrific'''''. [[BigBad Temple is the one behind the disappearances/murders of the Freelancers, and has been doing so in the most nightmarish manner possible; freezing them in their respective armors and then abandoning them in an empty room to either starve or die of thirst, and then just leaving their corpses in said armors to rot afterward. He armor-locks Wash and Carolina and leaves them to suffer the same fate before announcing his intention to kill the Blood Gulch Crew.]]
219--> '''Temple:''' Ah, the armor-lock technology was salvaged from Project Freelancer. Fate is not without irony, and the past, is '''not without its just dessert.'''
220** Most of the dead Freelancers appear to have caught on to Temple's motive and tried to turn their weapons on him before being locked. One, in particular, seemed quite close to landing a knife blow on him. Others, like Illinois (still holding his bottle of booze), appear to have been caught completely off-guard.
221** If you know the exact effects and stages of starvation, this makes it much worse. Illinois had to have had it the worst out of all of them, given that he literally had a bottle of booze ''in his grasp,'' but was unable to ever actually drink it.
222** Temple also reveals that the longest any of his victims lasted while locked in their armor was eight days and eleven hours. Let that sink in; [[AndIMustScream one of the Freelancers spent over a week trapped in a state in which he/she couldn't move, go to the bathroom, call for help, eat or drink anything,]] [[DeadGuyOnDisplay all the while surrounded by the bodies of their murdered comrades]] [[CreepySouvenir who all died just as horribly]] before they themselves finally expired.
223** The sheer delight oozing from Temple's mouth as he confesses that he killed the Freelancers gives the idea that he might have lost some sanity after brushing paths with Project Freelancer.
224--> '''Temple:''' I killed them. I. '''MURDERED'''. Them. I set my vengeance free upon them and it felt '''so-hoho good!''' But not as half as good as '''this''' feels.
225** The implications for Wash and Carolina are horrifying as well. The audience may not have known them, but they sure did, enough to recognize the armor and call them by name. These were all teammates, if not friends, and to find a whole room of your dead friends is horrifying.
226** Temple specifically mentioned that the reason he killed the other Freelancers was because of what they did to him, especially Carolina. He also mentioned that she might recognize his voice, which means he might be someone we have seen in the previous seasons, which raises the question: ''Who exactly is Temple''?
227* These revelations get '''''even worse''''' (not to mention tragic) after episodes 12 and 13 (aka ''Blue vs. Red: Parts 1 and 2''). As revealed to Dylan by Temple in the first part, it turns out there was a counterpart to Grif in the Blues and Reds called Biff. He and Temple were lifelong friends who'd been forced onto opposing sides by Project Freelancer. Eventually, Biff wanted to get home to his lover, so he and Temple planned for the latter to shoot off a finger off the former's hand, thereby earning Biff a medical discharge and a ride home. As Temple put it, "No plan survives first contact with the enemy".
228** In the second part, we then follow Carolina prior to her development during Season 10, with her being super competitive. It is even more extreme than her behavior shown during the Freelancer Trilogy. To elaborate, after the heist from Season 9, Carolina was assigned to lead the Blues from Armada 8 in a game of Capture the Flag against Tex, who was leading the Reds. It's clear that Carolina had no regard for the safety of her men, not even bothering to learn their names. After making short work of the Reds, Carolina engages in an intense hand-to-hand fight with Tex, which eventually leads to the two fighting over the Blue Flag in Blue Base. Biff and Temple follow in an attempt to have the Freelancers witness Biff getting shot, so as to ensure a legitimate medical discharge. Temple finds himself unable to, prompting Biff to reveal that Georgina is pregnant.
229** Suddenly, Carolina [[KickTheDog grabs Biff and uses him as a human shield,]] with Temple ''desperately'' trying to stop the fighting by tackling Carolina, who throws Temple off of her, grabbing his pistol, and shoots Tex in the back while she's escaping with the blue flag. In response, Tex throws the flag at Carolina, who narrowly deflects it with her arm... causing it to ''[[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice pin Biff to the wall through the midsection]]''. When Temple '''screams''' for a medic, Carolina just ''shoves'' Temple aside, making it clear that she doesn't even ''care'' about the Blues and Reds, before Tex knocks out Carolina to recover the flag. As Tex carelessly pulls the flag from Biff's torso, blood splatters onto Temple's armor in a manner hauntingly similar from the prologue, before Carolina and Tex depart, leaving Temple with a dying Biff, who bleeds out. Suddenly, it all makes sense as to why Temple is seeking bloody vengeance against the Freelancers/UNSC '''so badly'''. This casts a ''completely'' different context on his actions, and it's not hard to feel sorry for the man, let alone ponder [[FridgeHorror what manner of torment this has caused him]].
230*** The implications of this are even worse: if she hadn't deflected the pole, Carolina would've died from Tex's attack during this ''training exercise.'' Given that earlier seasons showed that she isn't normally so violent, Tex likely had ''Omega'' at this point. The Director sent an Omega-equipped Tex against his own daughter.
231*** Just, the utter callousness the simulation troopers are treated with. These are human beings who signed on to fight in the military, do something good. So what if they were incompetent or bad in a fight? [[FateWorseThanDeath They do not deserve to be traded away like slaves]], [[WhatMeasureIsAMook as if they were nothing]], to an organization that treats them like CannonFodder at worst, [[UnwittingTestSubject Guinea Pigs at best.]] The reveal in episode 14 that '''every single sim trooper''' has joined Temple's cause confirms that the hatred due to being treated in such a manner is shared by all sim-troopers, and that they are willing to attack the UNSC to have revenge... and it's actually working.
232---> '''Temple:''' '''[[TheDogBitesBack The time has come to kill the masters.]]''' [[ItsPersonal The Freelancers to start,]] '''[[FromNobodyToNightmare but that's not where this story ends.]]'''
233** When [[TheDitz Jax]], [[TooDumbtoLive thinking his backstory was just a fake story]], criticizes [[BigBad Temple's]] use of the "girl back home" trope, the enraged SerialKiller caps the poor guy.
234* Episode 14:
235** The Blues and Reds have way, way more men than initially thought. '''Every single surviving sim trooper is under Temple's command.''' Even the flag zealots have joined them.
236*** Temple's sheer hatred and desire for vengeance against the Freelancers and the UNSC is no longer just the motivations of an insane killer. Most, if not all, of the surviving sim troopers share the same burning hatred and vengeance as he does...
237*** And now there is possibly an entire army of bloodthirsty terrorists at his command.
238** Temple boasting that their group is stronger than the Reds and Blues is no bluff:
239*** They have already led multiple successful covert raids against UNSC military facilities, and have likely armed themselves with stolen equipment, possibly even armor enhancements. They can even lock [[SuperSoldier Freelancers]] in their armor and kill them by [[CruelAndUnusualDeath starvation/dehydration.]]
240*** They are '''very well-armed''' for simulation troopers. Surge has a powerful Railgun, plus Buckey and Temple both have sniper rifles and know how to use them (even Temple did manage to hit an aircraft's pilot section, though it took several attempts). They are also very efficient fighters, knowing the right weapons to use at the right time, and also proficient with their own weapons of choice. Loco is capable of building powerful equipment and explosives and sneaking past guards to plant said bombs. Hell, even the flag zealots are implied to be competent fighters.
241*** What makes them truly devastating is the same thing that made the BGC succeed in many occasions: Their status as sim troopers means that most opponents will underestimate them, and because of this, they can strike down enemies that would be way above their league. Case in point: a dozen Freelancer Agents, ten of which have already bitten the dust, and even the BGC themselves.
242** Temple's final objective has been revealed: The collapse of the UNSC itself in return for throwing away the lives of the simulation troopers. And with all the equipment and men he is shown to have, the upcoming fight is not going to be pretty for the UNSC...
243** Temple wishes for the Reds and Blues to join him. What if this means that he also wishes for Chorus to join their war against the UNSC as well?
244*** [[FaceHeelTurn Doc and Sarge accept his offer.]]
245* Episode 15:
246** It's '''''severely''''' minor, in light of ''everything'' else, but seeing Grif having more or less gone insane from loneliness, resorting to recreating the BGC with ''volleyballs''.
247*** In a rather fucked up moment, Volleyball!Tucker and Caboose effectively blame Grif for ''letting Volleyball!Church die'' (since he promised to get the air pump earlier and forgot).
248** [[FromBadToWorse Locus is back.]] [[SubvertedTrope Only to give Grif Lopez's head, and then to help him save the others from the Blues and Reds.]]
249* Episode 16:
250** This episode gives us Temple's BreakingSpeech about Church's death, complete with [[KickTheDog giving Caboose brutally honest treatment around it,]] and [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calling the other three out]] about [[JerkassHasAPoint treating their teammate like a baby about these subjects.]]
251** Carolina and Washington's situation is brought up again, and they both sound worn out and doing their best to remain conscious. Washington in particular sounds extremely exhausted, and he almost falls asleep in his armor. At some point he began to hallucinate, initially believing that Locus was another hallucination.
252* Episode 17 ends on one '''''[[WhamShot ugly fucker]]''''' of a {{Cliffhanger}}. The BGC, with Locus and the journalists, are metres away from Locus's ship, pinned down by some sim troopers left to guard the place by Temple. Suddenly, Wash walks forward, ''clearly'' hallucinating, without firing at the troops. When the others shout at him to take cover, he turns to face them ... then gets shot in the neck. The episode promptly blacks out after that.
253* Episode 18 reveals the FridgeHorror-fueled end-game for the Blues and Reds. Dylan finds out that Loco's machine is a mining drill powerful enough to drill through '''''the center of the Earth''''', and that Temple plans to use it to take out the UNSC headquarters from an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Oh, and on a sidenote? The power required for the drill to work is equivalent to a whole star... meaning that the entire planet Earth is now at risk. Meditate on that and start panicking.
254* Episode 19 adds a twist to the previous episode's entry that makes it go '''''beyond the pale'''''. As Dylan finds out, the Blues and Reds drill also functions as a time machine. But with so much energy being used in the present to drill through the Earth, there's going to be an equivalent amount of residual energy bleeding in from the past because of this... resulting in the creation of a ''honest-to-God '''black hole''' within the Earth'', in addition to all the seismic and tidal repercussions. No wonder Dylan's scientist contact plans to pass out drunk with his lab-mates - they won't be aware of the Apocalypse when it kills them.
255** And the ending shot rivals episode 17's in terms of sheer shock value. After taking the ground surrounding Temple's fortress, Dylan informs the rest of the BGC about the above revelations. As they prepare to storm said fortress, the drill activates. Thank God that VIC was able to shut down the machine in time.
256[[/folder]]
257
258[[folder: The Shisno Paradox]]
259* WHATEVER HAPPENED TO DONUT?! In the intro, we see the spark from the Time Machine hit Donut, and later, when Caboose goes to get him there are multiple Donuts glitching out everywhere with Donut himself hovering and seemingly generating them. Then they all get absorbed by Donut who goes through horrific BodyHorror causing him to constantly shift in inhuman positions before finally disappearing.
260** For added horror, Donut was screaming, meaning he is in constant pain.
261* The weird, glowing lights that watched the Reds and Blues, and their concern about what just happened.
262* The new villain Kalirama completely throws our heroes for a loop as a fully supernatural being they have no defense against. She simply walks straight through their hail of bullets, growing to twice human size while every step leaves the earth burned behind it, and giving a BadassBoast stating she's a goddess of destruction.
263* As of Episode 5: Headshots, it's clear that Kalirama isn't the only cosmic power after the heads of the Reds and Blues - there's a whole ''pantheon'' of god-like beings clad in magitek space armor, ''none'' of whom are happy about the Blood Gulch Crew's latest set of shenanigans. The declaration of their king, Atlus Arcadium Rex, is chilling enough:
264-->'''Atlus Arcadium Rex''': I am King Atlus Arcadium Rex, first among the Cosmic Powers, God to the Gods, Slayer of Titans! If I wish these Reds and Blues dead, they are dead '''ALREADY!'''
265** Also worth noting? The cosmic pantheon might not actually be the ''real'' villains, here - Atlus Rex mentions that with every temporal misadventure, the Reds and Blues "wear thin the chains that bind...''[[TheDreaded Him]].''" Could the Reds and Blues be the unwitting pawns of a far more malevolent power...?
266* The end of Episode 6: [[WhamEpisode O'Malley is back...!]] [[FromBadToWorse And now he has a way to travel through time.]] [[OhCrap Uh oh.]]
267-->'''Doc:''' Ha ha ha� Oh Grif� ha ha ha... (Doc's laugh slowly transforms into the '''very well-known''' laugh of O'Malley himself...!)
268-->'''O'Malley:''' '''[[ReturningBigBad Ah, you fool!]]'''
269-->'''Grif:''' '''O�Malley?!'''
270-->'''O'Malley:''' '''Yes, 'tis I!''' Enjoy the sixth century! Ah ha ha ha ha! Gotcha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
271* Jax managed to recreate Temple's "trophy" room a little ''too'' well. [[NightmareRetardant Granted, the suits of armor in the room are just extras standing in place,]] [[ZigZaggedTrope but at the same time, Jax is]] ''[[BadBoss making them do so.]]''
272** Very much doubling as an in-universe example, the episode ends with Jax deciding to conduct an experiment with the others concerning Sarge using the time gun to go back in time to before their meeting, and hiding in a storage closet that's in the room; the deciding factor of the experiment, keep in mind, is Sarge deciding whether or not to do it ''after'' the meeting. While Simmons chooses to summarize the experiment as being like UsefulNotes/SchrodingersCat (as the only way they can tell if Sarge actually did so or not is to open the closet now), but Carolina realizes what the experiment really is: a test to determine whether or not ''free will even exists''.
273*** [[AntiClimax Now,]] granted, when they actually ''do'' open it, they find ''[[SpannerInTheWorks Caboose and Lopez]]'' in there, [[AmbiguousSituation but that doesn't exactly solve the problem]]. [[FridgeHorror Was Caboose and Lopez being in the closet a result of their decisions? Or was it always going to happen?]]
274* Episode 10 has Washington watching a repeated re-enactment of him being shot in the neck, and having painful flashbacks as a result.
275* Episode 13 has Wash's angry outburst at the Reds and Blues and Carolina for not telling him that he had brain damage, even though the Reds and Blues had ''no idea he even had brain damage.'' It's probably his ugliest mood swing so far this season, and would usually only fall under Tearjerker if not for the infamous "When Your Middle Name Is Danger" track playing in the background. This does not bode well.
276* [[OhCrap Donut makes off with the only weapon that can defeat Chrovos at the end of the episode after being insulted one too many times.]]
277* Episode 14 shows Huggins get killed by Genkins when he traps her [[CruelAndUnusualDeath within a black hole]].
278-->'''Genkins:''' '''[[BondOneLiner No running in the halls... remember!?]]'''
279** The episode ends with the Fates arriving. Destiny (the main Fate) speaks with an echoing voice while her sisters sing in eerie harmony. They've come to warn the pantheon about [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt The End of the Universe as We Know It]].
280--->'''Destiny:''' Our dreams have ended. And so the nightmare begins
281--->'''Destiny's Sisters:''' So we wake... soon all will sleep...
282--->'''Destiny:''' The Great Endeavor is lost. All efforts mount to vanity.
283--->'''Kalirama:''' Is it truly over?
284--->'''Destiny:''' I have seen what remains of the future. The cup is near empty.
285--->'''Atlus:''' Spare your riddles! Tell us of your visions!
286--->'''Destiny:''' All is lost...
287--->'''Destiny's Sisters:''' The end has come...
288--->'''Destiny:''' Tonight the sun sets. There will be no dawn.
289* The finale ends with Genkins [[BatmanGambit allowing the Reds and Blues to stop Wash's injury]], knowing full well that such an action would cause the end of the timeline. Despite Grif and Donut's best efforts, Genkins succeeds. The resultant collapse ends up resetting the timeline to the very beginning of the series, with one key difference: ''[[RetGone Genkins has completely replaced Church]]''.
290--->'''Genkins:''' Oh, Grif... No, I'm not here to stop you... '''...I'm here to make sure you go through with it.'''
291[[/folder]]
292
293[[folder:Singularity]]
294* Upon realizing that he can use his memories to travel back in time, Donut decides to focus on a particularly strong one... and ''repeatedly'' winds up at the exact moment he got shot by Washington. And to make things worse, due to how this form of time travel works[[note]]He's more or less possessing his past self.[[/note]], Donut isn't just ''witnessing'' himself get shot, he '''is''' getting shot.
295** Episode 4 more or less confirms that Donut is just cursed to keep reliving being shot.
296* We get a good look at how Wash was holding up due to the paradox. Short answer: not good.
297** He kept readmitting himself to the hospital due to neck pains... but because no such evidence could be found, he kept being let go. Not helping matters is that he would keep constantly changing his story. What also doesn't help matters is that, due to the insurance payout he got, he began talking about creating a giant walking cannon... for funerals. Donut even hypothesizes that due to not being properly treated, Wash's mental state in fact got ''worse''.
298** [[FromBadToWorse And then you get to actually see him.]] When Donut finally catches up to him, we see him constantly glitching between two different versions of himself: oxygen-starved and loopy, and confused about where he is.
299* Following the shoot out at Crash Site Bravo, while talking with Felix, Tucker begins to hear Genkins trying to goad him into killing him.
300* [[EnemyMine With some advice from Chrovos]], the Reds and Blues figure out a way to try and stop Genkins from remaking all the paradoxes he originally created. As it turns out, Caboose's golf club (the one he got from the Cosmic Powers) [[ChekhovsGun was the same one Chrovos was beaten up with before being imprisoned]], so they decide to use it on Genkins. Using a time gun and some trickery, they send the club back to where he is (Blood Gulch, back during Church's first death) and load it onto Sheila's barrel right before she shoots him. We then get to see Genkins ''writhe in pain as he gets pinned against the cliff wall with the golf club going right through his midsection'', in a manner not unlike Biff's death from Season 15. Even the Reds and Blues wince when they see it.
301* After the above plan fails to stop Genkins permanently, he figures that keeping them stuck in one timeline isn't going to cut it, and since he can't kill them himself, he decides to do something a little more drastic. Namely, '''''he traps them in the same prison that Chrovos was originally trapped in'''''.
302--> Anywho, I brought you somewhere special. You don't have to thank me. '''[[WhamLine I hope you like labyrinths!]]'''
303** The buildup to this is bloodcurdling. Having been outsmarted even after setting himself up for an easy win, Genkins [[VillainousBreakdown completely flips his shit]]. The Reds and Blues notice how their surroundings look like they're collapsing, all the while Genkins goes off on them.
304---> [[PunctuatedForEmphasis You... fucking... TERMITES!!]] You... mortal... dimwits... (his rage quickly devolves into [[LaughingMad insane cackling]]) You think you can stop '''time?!''' '''[[AC:[[BadassBoast Time! Stops! YOU!]]]]'''
305** After they've been trapped, we see things from Tucker's perspective first. He's ready to rip Genkins a new one, but he notices that the others are starting to freak out for some reason. Next thing he knows, Genkins has disappeared, and then the others quickly follow suit. As he searches for them, growing more desperate every second, we cut to Sister, who's apparently been sent to what seems to be her and Grif's home. While she expresses remorse over leaving, we're shown that she '''hasn't''' gone anywhere; [[MindRape she only thinks she has.]]
306*** We find out in the next episode that she's not remorseful over leaving... rather, she accidentally ''burned her and Grif's childhood house down.''
307** As she's dragged away by... something, we're then treated to the [[SarcasmMode lovely]] sight of the other Reds and Blues being subjected to similar scenarios, and while we don't get to see what they're seeing, [[NothingIsScarier their reactions are more than enough]]. The prison brings your worst nightmares to life and traps you in them; it's truly a FateWorseThanDeath that could horrify and subdue anybody, even someone like Chrovos.
308--> '''Sister''': '''I shouldn't have done it...'''
309-->'''Caboose''': '''Who's there?'''
310-->'''Carolina''': '''No... no, I got rid of you!'''
311-->'''Sarge''': '''Say what? Do what?'''
312-->'''Lopez''': '''Mantente alejado!''' '''[[note]]Stay back![[/note]]'''
313-->'''Tucker''': '''No, please...'''
314-->'''Simmons''': '''AAAAHHH! NOOOOO!'''
315-->'''Wash''': '''Take cover!'''
316-->'''Grif''': '''No! No way! Not happening!'''
317** The next episode shows more on the Labyrinth, and ooh boy. It reflects the negative emotions of those within, until self-destruction is the best choice. And every once in a while, it shows those trapped what they think they want in life, only to deconstruct [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor how they wouldn't be happy with that either]]. Wash sees everyone dying, Sarge can't live life like a civilian ''or'' a soldier, Carolina sees her past-self telling her she's become worthless, Grif endures a coach who's even more psychotic than Sarge...The Labyrinth is a place that not only creates your worst nightmares, but also destroys your greatest dreams.
318[[/folder]]
319
320[[folder:Restoration]]
321* The reveal trailer surprisingly winds back to the moment when the BGC is about to be assaulted by Hargrove's loyal space pirate personnel as they're breaching through the door, and unlike the hopeful feeling from the original episode's conclusion, a mysterious silhouetted figure arrives after something replaces the monitors he's using with Allison's [[LostLenore final parting message]], and it doesn't seem like it's neither of the usual suspects, not even Genkins/Chrovos, which is downright chilling in and of itself since the figure speaks ominously towards Epsilon, spooking him a great deal after its final sentence to him.
322-->'''?:''' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ5k8TCyxM8#t=2m30s Aah...]] but you're forgetting something... aren't you...? Oh, you can feel it, something right, at the edges, of your mind, a lost memory... oh, and like you always say... (you always say...)\
323(Delta briefly appears)\
324'''Delta:''' [[ArcWords Memory is the Key.]]\
325'''?:''' Oh, and you've run so many of these... '''simulations...!''' (simulations...!) And what have you learned...? (what have you learned...?)\
326'''Epsilon:''' ...That I have to do what i'm about to do... but if I do it... ...we always end up in the same place...\
327'''?:''' That's right. (That's right.) And that's, where i'll be... (where i'll be...) heheh That is where (that is where) we, will be... (will be...) '''At the end...''' (at the end... ᵃᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ᵉⁿᵈ...)\
328(a '''very familiar''' orange glow is reflected upon Epsilon's armor and visor)
329* The Official Trailer confirms everyone's worst fears: Sigma's back for Round 2. ''And so is the Meta.'' Making matters worse this time around, however, is a [[WhamShot brief glimpse at the Meta's armor changing to a very familiar cyan color]], ''[[TearJerker/RedVsBlue along with him wielding an Energy Sword...]]''

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