Halo (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Emergence - full transcript

Previously on Halo...

Strap in.

Put your weapons down.

If John here wanted you dead,
you'd be dead.

Hello, Soren.
This is Kwan Ha.

Nice of you to drop by.

I've developed a new system

which will overwrite
Spartan consciousness

and replace it with our
artificial general intelligence.

It's called Cortana.

Didn't that process depend



on the illegal practice

of flash-cloning humans?

- What does it do?
- I'm not sure.

Slipspace vector tracking
on the Condor just came in.

We won't have his exact
location, but we'll be close.

What they did to us,

it's only permanent
if we choose to let it be.

That pellet you got
on your back,

it mutes everything.

Lose the pellet

and it's like
opening your eyes.

You bring it to life.

What do you mean?

You are different



than the one they have.

The one they have?

The ring is what they want!

- What is that ring?
- The end...

of life as we know it.

I have to go back.

You running back to Halsey.

- You can't just leave me here.
- Promise me.

- Keep her safe.
- I give you my word.

- Why did you come back?
- There was no one I could trust.

You made the right choice.

We're gonna do
great things together.

Metals and plastics

are to be kept separate.

Contaminated bags
will be rejected

and extra shifts imposed.

Come on,
let's go faster.

Let's go,
you little bastards!

Move!

Come on, let's go faster.

Hurry up!

"They ran among the broad

"Ma-Margolia trees,

"and when she turned to him,
he took her up.

"This was a new frontier
for Jack,

"one not made of the great
forest or high 'moon-tains, '

"but something more vast,

"more unknowable:

the heart of an untamed woman."

What's "untamed" mean?

I think it's like
she's really pretty.

You!

Shh!

The next shift day
has been extended...

Do you like it?

I love it.

It's a story about a whole
different world.

What do you mean?

There are other planets
with bright light in the sky,

and tall trees,

and green grass
you can walk on.

I don't know.

- Really?
- It's in the book.

Look here. Do you know
what that word says?

"Kiss."

So, when you read
a word like that,

someone's supposed to kiss you.

Hey!

Get back to work!

- Run!
- Let's go!

Hey!

Get over here!

Come back here,
you little shit!

Makee, come on!

Come on!

- Useless little shit!
- Stop it!

- Stop it!
- Forget it!

- Det!
- Let's go!

No.

Grab her!

I've gotcha!

Here come the Grunts!

I'll teach you a lesson.

Mm.

This is amazing.

Finally, something
with potential value.

Results confirm it's over
100,000 years old.

That's pre-human.

Possibly even pre-Covenant.

It's organic,

but with what appears to be
an inherent technology.

According to Master Chief,

it is something to do
with a weapon somewhere.

We have no confirmation,
but Doctor...

And why am I only
hearing about this now?

- You know exactly why.
- I don't understand...

And if it was up to her,

you still wouldn't know
anything about it.

Then why show it to me
in the first place?

I want you to lead a team

in analyzing this artifact.

Determine what it is,
what it does,

and if, in fact, it's part
of some kind of weapon.

Or anything that can give us
an edge against the Covenant.

Separate teams.

Parallel teams.

Dr. Halsey won't like that.

I'm interested
in finding a way

to be less reliant on Dr. Halsey
moving forward.

Can you help me
with that?

- Thank you, Adun.
- Mm-hmm.

How are you feeling?

I'm assuming you cloned me
to obtain organs,

or at least
that was the intent

when I collected samples
of my various tissues.

I collected the samples.

You are merely a product
of the samples.

Yes, a product.

Well, it turns out
not to feel that way

when you're sitting
in this chair.

I have some questions.

Go ahead.

What became
of the children?

Uh, well, 35 survived
the original augmentation.

So, more than half died.

That's a far greater percentage
than I imagined.

The rest became Spartans.

And now here I am,
conscious and conversing

with the Sorvad solids
laid out before me.

So, the organ you're after
is my brain.

Or should I say,
your brain?

I've perfected the process

for real-time
neuroelectrical imaging.

The Cortana system's viable?

Mm.

So you'll integrate her
into a working Spartan?

That's next.

I bet it's John.

He was the special one.

Yes, he got himself
into some trouble recently.

This is our only way
of getting him out of it.

He was always willful.

And none of this
bothers you.

Should it?

What about Miranda?

Our daughter.

I think that we have
everything we need.

Do you remember
when you were my age

and you weren't sure
whether flash-cloning

would ever be made legal?

And you wondered,
if you found yourself

sitting opposite a living,
breathing version of you,

would you actually be able
to go through with it?

What happened?

Progress.

This isn't necessary.

It's the only way to return you
to combat duty.

I'm a Spartan.

They can't afford to keep me
off the battlefield.

That's exactly
what I argued

to get us
to where we are now.

I don't need a babysitter.

It's not a babysitter.

This is an upgrade

which will allow us
to analyze the artifact months,

years faster
than by traditional means.

And, most importantly,

it will get you back
on the front lines

where you belong,

where you are so
desperately needed.

Let's get started.

I'm afraid
we'll need you awake.

But this will keep
your body still.

Will it hurt?

Oh, yes.

You have the most
beautiful brain.

Soon, you will be part
of something bigger.

And better.

- Ready?
- Mm-hm.

Cortana?

When the game is over,

the king and the pawn
go back into the same box.

Hello, Dr. Halsey.

It is so good
to finally meet you.

That must be the Master Chief.

Yes.

His military record
is outstanding.

Above the rest in strength,
stamina,

and good instincts.

A natural leader.
I see why you chose him.

Cortana,
in the B-19 sub-stack

of the lab's central repository,

you'll find information
regarding an artifact

that was found
on the planet Madrigal.

I have it.

I'm planning some experiments
to find out more

about its provenance
and functionality,

and I need you to process
that data in real time...

Doctor, there's a problem.

My neural implant
is operating perfectly,

but I'm unable to take
full operational control

of the subject.

Yes.

For the moment,
I have limited your access

to the reticular formation.

More of an on/off switch.

My directive is to integrate
fully with the Master Chief,

to optimize both his physical
and his mental performance.

And in time you will do that,
and much more.

But...

why have you prevented me
from achieving my directive?

Because John
is a central part

of the examination
of the artifact.

Before I hand him over, I need
to understand how it affects him

and how it might adversely
affect you.

Doctor,
surely I can withstand...

He will be conscious
within the hour.

Can I recommend
that you use this time

to familiarize yourself with
the trove of human knowledge

that's now available to you?

What will I do with
the other 52.4 minutes?

That's very impressive.

Uh...

Don't worry.

I'm gonna keep you very busy.

...first images
are coming in from Tantalus,

which was completely wiped out
by Covenant forces...

- Hey!
- Hey.

Where you goin'?

...futures sent markets rising,

as prices
of heavy hydrogen surged

after the attack on Madrigal
caused a disruption in output.

Sources close
to Governor Vinsher report

that production will be back up
sooner than expected.

Vinsher's peace treaty
with the UNSC

means one of the insurrection's
last holdouts

has ended its quest
for independence.

As they say, we're all
in this together now.

What do we got here?

A gift from a cargo ship
from Earth.

How many of these we got?

Forty-two cases.

- Come. Come on.
- Fourteen?

Take a case.

On me.

I want to go back to Madrigal.

What?

- No.
- Vinsher's taking over.

I have to join
the resistance.

Little girl like you?

I'm not a little girl.

My family have been
on Madrigal

since before
it was even a colony.

I promised John
I'd keep you safe.

I don't see any reason
to break that promise... yet.

There are people still loyal to
my father in the capital city,

I know it.

Let them fight.

It's none of my business.

I'm not asking you
to fight.

I just need a ride
and protection

until I find my people.

I am not interested
in playing bodyguard

to the princess of Madrigal.

Then give me a ship.

Right.

Don't turn your back on me,
asshole!

You're emotional.

And, as a courtesy to John,

I'm not gonna
crush your skull.

Now, run on home
and I'll see you at dinner.

We're having chicken!

So it's always on?

She's always available
to you, yes.

Would you like
to meet her?

Not particularly, no.

Come on.

Cortana.

Hello, Master Chief.

I'm Cortana.

Looks like you.

Kind of you to say.

I'm designed
to look familiar,

my voice and accent
to be pleasant.

I'm your built-in navigator,
battle strategis...

How does it work?

The system contains
a hollow particle exciter,

which means she can appear
to you in any environment.

So it answers
to my command?

I see it as more
of a partnership.

And when I'm not deployed,
where does it go?

Doctor, he must not be aware
what I'm capable of.

On and off the field of battle,
I can...

Thank you, Cortana.

Oh.

Well, it was a pleasure
to meet you, Master Chief.

I'll speak to you soon...

I guess.

I don't like this.

Trust me, you will.

She's going to enhance
your abilities

in the field
one hundredfold.

You are the best
we've got.

She's going to make you
even better.

This is a great leap forward,
for all of us.

Acknowledged
and received.

Yes, sir,
that is the drill status.

Commander,
a slipspace anomaly

just appeared
on our starboard quarter.

Covenant corvette.

They appear
dead in the water.

No fluctuations
from repulsor engines,

no sign of field atomics.

Minimal organic
heat signatures.

And their weapons are cold.

Open the artillery bay.
Bring us around 90 degrees.

- Yes, sir.
- Prepare to fire.

Forward gun is hot, sir.

Communication incoming, sir.

They're hailing us?

Civilian emergency channel, sir.
One-six.

Put it on the horn.

Yes, sir.

I don't know how
much longer I can survive here.

Hello? Can you hear me?

Anyone out there?

This is UNSC ship Gladius.

Identify yourself.

Oh, no! I need help!

I'm from planet Circumstance.

We were taken prisoner.

My family's dead.

I only have my father's radio,
and it's dying.

How many onboard?

I'm alone here.

The aliens abandoned in pods

when the engines failed.

Please help me.

- Prepare a drone pod.
- Yes, sir.

Ma'am, we're sending you a pod.
Board it when it reaches you.

Do not bring any weapons
with you.

Is that understood?

Yes, thank you.
Thank you.

Please come quick.

Thank you.

I'm ready.

Cortana?

I'm also ready, Dr. Halsey.

Okay, John.

Where were you playing today?

Go ahead, Cortana.

Putting him into stasis

to access the artifact.

I'm now getting no readings
from the artifact at all.

That's fascinating.

Cortana, release him.

That was different.

Okay, John, we're going to let
your vitals return to normal.

Just give us a moment
to go through the data.

Dr. Halsey, if you gave me

full control
of the subject now,

my readings
will be more accurate.

It's unclear
why the artifact

responds only to John as John,
but it does.

I was not designed
to be an assistant.

You were designed
to follow my orders.

I'm not going to risk
our ability to interact with it.

Are we done?

Docking complete.

Step out.

Get on the ground.

Search.

Clean.

Did they hurt you?

No, I...

I'm okay.

Stand, please.

Welcome.

Thank you.

Christ! It's those crabs!

- Seal the doors!
- No!

They're in the walls!
Goddamn it!

Fall back!

Go, go! Get back!

Come in. Please respond.

Commencing core protocol.

Where did the Demon
take my keystone?

I don't know
what you're talking about.

Where is your home base?

I will tell you nothing,

and you won't find anything
on our ship to lead you there.

Humans.

Just as ugly as I remember.

Left, right, left.
Hustle!

Come on, now!
You know it!

Yeah!

- Hey, Master Chief.
- Hey, Master Chief.

Come on.

Hey, look, look, look.

Let's go!

He's back.

Apple, key, longsword,
justice-Mandarin, banshee,

flower, character-Russian, pig,
house, honor-Arabic, Goa, Earth.

Ongoing, ziggurat, Meg,

scarab, noun, scene,

M-60 automatic,
infant, anterior.

Form up.

I've been cleared
to return to duty.

If anyone has anything

they'd like to ask
or tell me, please...

We've been briefed, Chief.

We've been fighting together
since we were kids, Chief.

Whatever you do,
we trust you.

Very well.

As you were.

Hello, can I have your attention
for a moment, please?

- What are you doing?
- To those of you

who haven't heard of me,
I'm Cortana.

I'll be working
with Master Chief to provide

logistical and tactical support
for Silver team.

- No, I didn't summon you.
- Summon me?

This is coming
from inside you, Chief?

Go away.

A.I. off.

I'm introducing myself
to the rest of the team.

Go. Disappear!

I look forward
to working with you all.

New A.I. Halsey's.

It's temporary.

That's Hessiod.

It's a big ball of gas.

And that one there
is Metisette,

but no one goes there.

I don't think
there's any air.

How about Madrigal?
Can you see it?

It's right... there.

I don't see it.

Doesn't mean
it's not there, silly.

Kessler, time
to wash up, honey.

You really
don't see it?

Kess.

I'll show you later.

Bye.

It's funny, I never look out
that window.

Why not?

When you stare into deep space,

you're seeing things
as they once were.

I choose to live
in the present.

- I can't stay here.
- Mama, come!

And if you go, and you die?

The creatures who destroyed my
planet took everything from me.

Everything but my spirit.

Every day that I live
in that spirit

is a victory over them.

- Someday, you will...
- I'm not you.

I can't just stay here
and eat and drink and smoke

and pretend nothing else exists
outside that window.

I'm sorry you lost your planet,
but Madrigal still has a chance.

If I don't try,
I couldn't live with myself.

I'm going to fight.

The universe will be diminished
without you in it.

Whatever you're searching for,

I can locate it.

Where are you?

I'm directly connected
to your auditory cortex.

Was I not clear with you?

Told you to leave me alone.

Yes, you've gotten quite good
at dismissing me,

but you're not as good
at targeting your search query.

If I understand your objective,

I can be helpful.

I'm actually quite good
at this.

I'm listening.

When I touch the artifact,
I see things.

What kind of things?

They feel like...

memories, I guess.

It doesn't help me
to hear what you feel.

What do you see, exactly?

A picnic.

A forest.

A dog. My dog, I think.

Still not helpful.

But based on the keywords
in your query,

I find 103 human colonies
or moons

containing the specific flora
and fauna you are seeking.

Would you like to see the list?

Yes.

Please.

I've been to some
of these planets.

There were Spartan deployments
to 23 of these planets.

Mamore.

Mamore.

We lost Nora 0-9-8
on Mamore.

Is the artifact bringing up
memories of Nora 0-9-8?

No.

I remember losing her,
I just...

What?

I don't feel anything.

That's as it should be.

The hormonal pellet
in your spine

suppresses adverse
emotional responses

and protects mission readiness.

It's part of what
makes you a Spartan.

I know, but when I touch
the artifact...

I don't just see those memories.

I feel them.

Dr. Halsey, we have an issue.

Master Chief,
what are you doing?

Chief is trying to remove
his emotional regulator.

- Why?
- I believe it has to do

with the visions
he's been experiencing.

- I can put him in stasis.
- No, no.

I want you to help him.

Removing his pellet is a direct
violation of Section Three,

Regulations
on Spartan Behavior.

I'll take care of the pellet.

It's better that he sees you
as an accomplice

rather than a spy.

This is not
what I signed up for.

It'll be easier
if you let me help.

Down.

Down...

left... there.

Now make a 1.3-centimeter
vertical incision.

Trust me.

Good.

You should feel something solid
at the tip of the blade.

Twist 45 degrees
and use the knife edge to...

Thank you.

Like I've been trying
to tell you, Master Chief,

I'm here for you.

You're okay.
You're okay.

Welcome to Reach Transit.

Please advance
to the platform for boarding.

Cool beans! Oh,
it's my ball? Oh, my ball!

Chief, based on the readings
from your limbic system,

this is a new experience
for you.

Let me help you.

This train makes stops
at Reach Naval Academy,

Tchakova Park,
and Manassas.

Do you know
where you'd like to go?

Next stop, Tchakova Park.

Tchakova Park
is our next stop.

Hola, chica.

Hey. It's mine.

Thanks.

Is this why
you've removed your pellet?

So you could
hear things differently?

Maybe I just wanted to hear it
like everyone else.

Cortana.

Cortana.

- Can you open this?
- Why do you need to...?

Can you open this?

Open it, Cortana.

Chief,
do not touch the artifact.

Each time you do, it stresses
your heart and nervous system.

John!

What did we talk about?

I asked you what you're drawing.

Let's have this be the end
of all this nonsense, John.

Mom! I don't want to do it!

Bury it, son.

Another one?

See how they go together?

Ohh.

There's a second artifact.

- Are you sure?
- I drew it.

Over and over.

My mother was there.

My father buried...

I saw...

I must have seen...

What if the second artifact
is what we buried?

Chief, your blood pressure

is dangerously elevated.

We need to return
to barracks right...

Ice rings.

The planet that I lived on
had rings of ice around it.

How many planets
have rings on your list?

Seen from the planet's surface?

Yes.

Only three.

Show me.

This is the place.

I'm sure of it.

Eridanus Two.

But how could I have
been here?

Eridanus is uninhabited.

It wasn't always.

The planet was a select site
for the Reach for Life project.

Reach for Life is an ambitious
feat of human ingenuity.

Teams of UNSC biologists,
botanists, and geophysicists

designed and built
the installation

as a self-sustaining ecosystem.

The goal: To seed life
on otherwise barren planets

and hence to extend the reach
of humankind in the galaxy.

I'm from here.

That's according
to the promotional material.

So this is where I lived.

Based on your memories,
it's highly likely.

What do you mean,
"based on my memories"?

Can't you just
check the records?

The operational files were lost

when the program
was abruptly terminated.

Why? What happened?

A plague carried in on
an unauthorized transport ship.

It spread quickly, killing off
most of the population.

There was no cure.

What about my parents?

Survivors were evacuated
to Ehilend,

where you were adopted
at age 6...

Cortana!

What happened
to my parents?

In accordance with Emergency
Contact Protocol Upsilon,

the planet was sealed off
to contain the virus.

I have no other data.

Oh. I'm sorry, Chief, I...

John, what's going on?

Dr. Halsey.

Why are you armored up?

When I removed
my pellet,

I realized that
an altered hormonal state

might affect my interactions
with the artifact.

- Removed your pellet?
- There are two artifacts.

The one that I found
on Madrigal,

and another one that
goes with it somehow, and...

I saw it as a child
on Eridanus Two.

Are you sure?

The images that I've been
seeing...

they're memories.

My memories.

Of my family.

We'll send some probes
to Eridanus Two.

- We'll start a survey, and...
- No.

- I'm going.
- No.

Send a probe.
Stare at all the data you want.

I need to see it for myself.

John...

I'll come with you.

ECAM panel two.

FMS? Where the hell is it?

Ow! Damn it!

Ow.

These old birds, they're not
like the new UNSC ships.

FMS is on the other side.

I'm going to free Madrigal,
and you can't stop me.

I could kill you for trying
to steal my favorite ship.

That would stop you.

Listen, Soren,

if I can just find
my father's generals,

I'll join the fight
against Vinsher.

I... I have money.

You got nothin'.

My family is rich.

- How rich?
- Deuterium rich.

You think what's left
of your old man's army's

got what it takes
to take on Vinsher?

Not your problem.

All you have to do is get me
to them and you get paid.

Just like that?

Just like that.

Deuterium money, huh?

I swear, you won't regret it.

Oh, I know
I won't regret it.

I'm gonna get paid
either way.

If not from you,

then from the bounty
on your head.

You get me?

That's Sangheili.

Fragments of the Gladius's
last transmission.

Electromagnetic scatter
corrupted the signal.

A.I.'s been able to partially
reconstruct it,

so no idea
who's doing the talking.

It's probably an Elite.
They run the show.

Grunts are chatty,
but not over comms.

So, what are they saying?

I'll work on it...

soon as I recover
from my system crash.

- Power surge?
- No, it was after that,

right about the time Parangosky
created parallel teams.

Dr. Halsey's headed off
on a mission,

away from Fleetcom
and away from the artifact.

Keep your critical data
behind a firewall

and use your time wisely.

Got it.

So, this is it.

It's what Cortana
was able to generate

based on John's description.

You saw what the smaller one
was capable of.

Can you imagine
the combined potential?

You really think we'll find
the other piece on Eridanus?

Or is John
just imagining it?

It's impossible to say.

The mind is certainly capable
of invention.

Particularly when we're lost
in the dark...

and desperate.

But if we want to separate

what's real
from what's imagined...

we really have no choice.

We have to see
for ourselves.

And if returning to Eridanus

brings back other memories
for John...

the truth could
bring us all down.

That is what Cortana is for.