Dr. Catherine Halsey
As the "mother" of Cortana, the SPARTAN II's, and project MJOLNIR, Dr. Halsey (civilian ID #10141-026-SRB4695) is quite possibly the author of Humanity's only true chance at halting the Covenant's campaign of genocide and pillage. Although a civilian, her work for ONI and dedication to the survival of a unified Human government and its people have earned her the highest security clearance available for non-military personnel, a restriction that has been stretched and broken innumerable times. A growing respect and budget have also ensued, much to the embarrassment and frustration of her rivals, namely Colonel Ackerson and his own mysterious special weapons program.
Her motivations have always been pure; to protect Humanity from forces both without and within. However, focusing on the necessity and positive yields of her operations, Dr. Halsey had reluctantly bought into ONI's concept of "acceptable losses", always for the greater good and preservation of the species. Her pride and and satisfaction have always been coupled with a deep remorse for those she has sacrificed along the way; a remorse she had told herself she should not entertain.
And so she has repented, and is now taking steps (known only to herself) to save not only the many, but the few. How her kidnapping of Kelly-087, with her anomalous DNA, and sudden departure in an ONI stealth prowler will accomplish this is yet to be seen.
SN (sorenn@attglobal.net) writes:
It seems that there is a reason that Mr. Nylund put Dr. Hasleyís office in an old titanium mine deep underground. He could have just been trying to show how much the rest of the navy resented her work. Or he might have been writing a possible means of survival for her. I donít think it would be to much of a stretch of the imagination to assume that her office was deep enough to survive the glassing. Though how she gets out when the door has become a huge sheet of glass is a mystery. But she could of blasted out or contacted a salvage team surveying the wreckage in the system. Some Spartans could be down there too for that matter. Why not go take shelter with your closest thing to a mom when you realize the worlds doomed.
-mnemesis
UrsusActos (zloty5@netscape.net) writes:
Catherine Elizabeth Halsey has a really wonderful name. Each part of it has something to do with the Halo universe.
Catherine-From the greek Katharos, which literally means 'pure'. For someone who is the closest thing Master Chief has to a mom, someone who's awowed to save the entire human race no matter what the monetary cost, it fits. It might be a very subtle way of differentiating her from her AI copy, Cortana(Blink-blink,wink-wink)
Elizabeth-The greek version of the Hebrew Elisheva, which means "My God is my oath" or "My God is my sustenance". Sheva also means se7en.
Halsey-A reference to World War Two admiral William Halsey, which fits with her probable attraction to Jacob Keyes and the very prominent navy/military theme in the game.
-Jillybean
Embarrassingly Overdue
Oi. I just noticed the obvious reference to Halsey originating from The Fountainhead.
Thankfully for humanity, Dr. Catherine Halsey is somewhat of a miscreant or fool (or both) according to Ann Rynd's delightful philosophy. Interesting.
-Finn
