The Master Chief has long been the helmeted hero of humanity through multiple games, comics, books, and spin-offs. But after 20 years of hiding his face, it’s been confirmed that the upcoming Paramount+ TV show will unmask the iconic character.
In an interview with IGN, Halo TV show executive producer and 343's studio head of transmedia, Kiki Wolfkill, confirmed that fans will “see his face.” She also explained why the helmet was coming off. It comes down to the story they are telling in the streaming show.
“I think we set out to tell a character story and a personal story,” Wolfkill told IGN. “And once we really got into what that story was, it became clear that you really needed to see the person in the armor and under the helmet.”
Wolfkill, 343, and Microsoft seem to be aware that removing the character’s helmet is a controversial choice. While some fans will be over the moon about it, many others wish for the character to remain faceless and mysterious.
“For some people, it’s been a moment 20 years in the making, and for other people it is something that feels very hard to imagine,” she explained. “We absolutely respect both sides of that fence, those who really want to see Chief’s face and those who really don’t. But for the nature of this story, it felt really important to connect with the Master Chief in a different way, and that meant showing the face.”
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Now, another possible reason for showing his face is because it’s likely Microsoft, Paramount and everyone involved decided to give Master Chief actor Pablo Schreiber a break from having to run around all day in a helmet. Helmets can quickly get sweaty, gross, and smelly.
One thing to keep in mind is that, as previously confirmed by 343 and Microsoft, this version of Master Chief isn’t the same as the one we know and love in the games. This is a different timeline and exists outside the game’s established canon. So the real Master Chief’s face continues to remain a secret.
Halo on Paramount+ begins airing on March 24, 2022. It’s already been picked up for a second season. Oh and keep your eyes open for a classic truck if you check it out next month.