Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Halo episode “Emergence.” Read at your own risk!
Paramount+’s Halo series needed to prove itself as a worthy adaptation of the games from the beginning, and so far, results are mixed. Critics certainly had their gripes with the opening episodes, and while fans are slowly being won over by how Halo honors some details of the source material, others are upset about it ignoring other parts. Master Chief’s helmet removal was a hot-button issue heading into the series, but it didn’t really hold a candle to the latest episode showing much more of Chief’s body than just his face.
Fans have thoughts after “Emergence” featured Master Chief in the nude as he attempted to remove the pellet inside his body that dampened his emotions. Mainly, I think it’s fair to say that many Halo fans were surprised to be seeing the character’s butt, to the point many seemed to overlook the fact he cut into his own body with a knife.
I did not expect to see Master Chief's naked butt cheeks today #HaloTheSeriesApril 7, 2022
In the Halo games, Master Chief seldom left the protection of his Spartan armor. As such, gamers seeing Pablo Schreiber as the face of John-117 (Master Chief’s designated name) was surprising enough. Some fans wondered if the scene was done to lessen the impact of the helmet removal, as it seems like the Paramount+ series is progressively upping the ante by further removing Chief’s armor with every episode.
Im convinced now that #HaloTheSeries is trolling cause first episode it was the helmet, next the entire armor and this episode Chief got butt ass nekid 😂. I think the show is cool tho. pic.twitter.com/5BtodmhB2jApril 7, 2022
It’s also worth noting that this isn’t the first time Halo (available with a Paramount+ subscription) featured a nude scene in which someone’s bare backside was visible. The second episode, called “Unbound,” featured a nude scene with Makee, played by actress Charlie Murphy. The conclusion drawn by some, in jest perhaps, is that two rears in three episodes might just suggest the show has a theme going.
The #HaloTheSeries is obsessed with butts.April 7, 2022
The Halo series has its haters (who Pablo Schrieber recently addressed), so it seemed inevitable that at least a few fans wouldn’t be on board with seeing Master Chief nude. There are some questioning if the show (and maybe the scene itself) was made for Halo fans who didn't expect to see nudity or for another intended audience.
Who approved this? And who is this show for? #Halo #HaloTheSeries pic.twitter.com/bGqD0ga9n4April 7, 2022
Because this is the internet, there was also a corner of the fandom set on making Chief’s nude scene into a humorous meme. The hilarity of the name created for the moment more or less depends on your sense of humor, though it seems clever enough for anyone who enjoys puns.
The master cheeks pic.twitter.com/lFlOACpjpFApril 7, 2022
In the grand scheme of things, it’s hard to imagine Master Chief being naked will make or break Halo fans’ interest in the streaming show. We’ll see where the majority of opinions ultimately fall after Season 1 and if the show will try to respond to fans’ thoughts in the already green-lit Season 2. Pablo Schrieber is already very excited about Season 2, and given that Season 1’s premiere beat a streaming record set by Yellowstone spinoff 1883, I’d say that he’s right to be excited!
Halo streams new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays. Tune in to see more of Master Chief in action and how his new relationship with Cortana will evolve as Season 1 continues.
