Halo and Philosophy by Luke Cuddy

Author:Luke Cuddy
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Open Court
Published: 2011-05-04T21:00:00+00:00

Havoc on the Earth

This situation sounds remarkably like the situation described in a little-known version of the biblical flood mythology. Fragments of the story appear in the Genesis account, but are fleshed out in the Book of Enoch, an ancient Jewish apocalypse with narrative layers as old as 300 B.C.E. One of these oldest sections is called The Book of the Watchers, and relays the experiences of the visionary Enoch, the great grandfather of Noah. From an angel, Enoch learns the story of angels who descend to Earth, teach humans about technology, weaponry, and herb healing, then mate with human women and give birth to “Watchers,” or giants who themselves want only to consume human resources, eventually devolving into cannibalism. It is Enoch’s job to petition to God for the Watchers’ forgiveness, a task that he fulfills but which does not result in success for the Watchers, who are then judged and destroyed by God. This little known variant of the reason for the biblical flood likely lies behind Genesis 6 and the “sons of God” who mate with “daughters of men” and give birth to the “Nephilim,” the “mighty men that were of old, the men of renown” (Genesis 6:1–4).

The flood in Genesis can then be read as God’s solution to the problem of the Nephilim, creatures that are part divine and part human, much like the humans in Halo. However, in Halo the Covenant represents the consuming force, whereas in Genesis it is the divine-human entities, the Nephilim, who wreak havoc on the Earth. Thus, the Halo mythology borrows from but problematizes the Enoch account, suggesting that consumerism itself is the enemy, and that humans have the ability to stop it, albeit by violent means. Halo’s revisions also deny that any supernatural force can rectify the problem of the Flood and instead identify the Flood as its own sentient force, implicitly suggesting that any entity causing such destruction should not be worshipped but be utterly destroyed. This reading suggests an indirect but powerful critique of traditional theology, suggesting that the biblical flood was a brutal force enacted by a vicious God.

The sinister association of biblical divine forces with the evil forces in Halo continues in the game’s depiction of the “Prophets” as agents of the Covenant who seek to destroy humanity out of fear of sublimation of their own power and beliefs. Ironically, only humans in Halo can activate Forerunner technology, while those with a sacred “Covenant” find themselves helpless. This is the point at which the games situate us: humanity is on the brink of destruction. The Covenant’s threat is real and dedicated. The Covenant has obliterated every other human colony besides Earth. Without help, humans will surely be destroyed. The game unfolds with the player taking on a messianic role within the Halo universe, seeking to use a combination of skill and nerve (and weaponry, of course) to lead a force against the Covenant as they descend upon Earth. The Master Chief leads a force defending the planet and chases the Covenant off the planet and back to the Ark.

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