343 Industries has the unenviable task of bearing the weight of legacy — creating anew under a stoic green shadow. A shadow that spanned the length of the entire Halo franchise, validated the Xbox, and coloured first-person shooters indefinitely.

It’s evident that the studio has struggled under the weight of that legacy. Narrative missteps have left the ‘Reclaimer’ trilogy disjointed. Viable and compelling villains are few and far between. Integral plot points are relegated to external media. Technical issues have squandered releases, diminishing the multiplayer community Halo once dominated.

RELATED: Halo Infinite Didn't Deserve To Be A Failure

In spite of those struggles, 343 deserves praise for adding nuance and characterisation to the ever-beating heart of Halo - The Master Chief. Playing through Infinite, it's abundantly clear that the events of the current and previous trilogies have irrevocably changed the iconic hero. He’s no longer the ‘blank slate’ that was previously presented by Bungie. He’s a fatigued, damaged and fallible protagonist, and one who is meandering through currents of grief, while reveling in his newfound agency. Giving the Chief a compelling and meaningful voice was no small feat, and 343 should be proud of that victory.

Master Chief and Fernando Esparza in Halo Infinite

Halo 4 fulfilled its objective with the Chief impeccably. Humanize him. Delve into the man behind the myth and mask. He’s processing Cortana’s inevitable descent into rampancy. Her time with The Gravemind and stasis left scars. In the duo’s typical fashion, they deal with the fallout - together.

Chief’s protection of Cortana, and vice versa, has always driven Halo’s major events. Many of those events play out as action, as opposed to words. Halo 4 took a different approach, leading to intimate and complex character moments. Chief rails against the structures that have governed his life for so long. He refuses to hand Cortana over to an incensed commanding officer, going after the Didact, alone.

Del Rio acknowledges The Chief’s deterioration too, calling him an ‘aging’ Spartan. The Captain then orders Sarah Palmer, a Spartan IV, to arrest John. She stands there in disbelief, paralyzed by inaction and a conflict of duties. In this moment, 343 retains the elements of Chief’s allure and mythic status, whilst also conveying his independence and love for his companion.

Del Rio and Master Chief

All of this culminates in the Chief reflecting on his loss of Cortana. When Lasky attempts to console him, Chief espouses a programmed answer: ‘Our duty, as soldiers, is to protect humanity. Whatever the cost.’ Lasky then points out that the Spartan is ostracizing soldiers from humanity, when they are in fact one and the same. The Chief considers this, and Lasky walks away. The crux of Chief’s emotional journey happens alone. He attempts to reach out, but the moment has sadly passed. ‘She said that to me once…about being a machine.’

RELATED: Lightfall Could Have Been Destiny's Halo 3: ODST

Halo 5 featured significantly less of Master Chief, a mistake that 343 has since acknowledged and rectified. In spite of how the time is allotted, Chief fully embraces his agency and goes AWOL. This time, in the name of finding Cortana. He’s now forced to deal with her transition into a megalomaniac who is attempting to bend the galaxy to her will. Cortana’s conquest reveals the problematic legacy of the Forerunners and Precursors.

The Mantle of Responsibility has left the galaxy in disarray, providing justification for immense pain and suffering. The Chief is perceptive enough to realize this, labeling it an ‘imposed peace.’ His stance on The Mantle demonstrates his intelligence, a facet explored in novels, but only revealed in previous games through dry quips. To directly include one of the more esoteric parts of Halo’s lore, giving the Master Chief an active stance on the concept, is formidable characterisation from 343.

These threads develop further in Infinite. The Chief is more open with his allies, at times rousing them through his words. He lifts The Pilot from despair, elicits trust in The Weapon and compassionately tends to Escharum as he dies. 343 is able to utilize the immense talent of Steve Downes. His voice acting in every installment of the Reclaimer trilogy is nothing short of spectacular. He’s able to make the 7 foot hero feel small.

Master Chief with gun against the sky

The Chief confides in the Pilot, taking the chance he missed with Laksy. He acknowledges their shared humanity, the thread that binds them. ‘We all fail. We all make mistakes. It’s what makes us human.’ The Pilot is stunned, he rejects the notion that Chief could possibly fail humanity. Chief has his moment of reflection, he says he failed his most trusted ally - Cortana. The reflection then allows Downes to deliver the sublime : ‘I failed her. I will not fail you.’ Chief keeps his promise, an old habit. His arc comes full circle. He is no longer as alien to humanity as their old covenant foe. He’s more than a machine, far more. 343 are responsible for this development, and the franchise is all the better for it.

NEXT: Halo Infinite Fan Accidentally Recreates Custom Counter-Strike Mod