It kind of bothers me how much this show gets right (props like armor and weapons, CGI, the ships, etc), and how much it decided to change the characterization of the protagonists, to the point where most of the time I'm not enjoying it. I will keep watching and hope it gets better (for me), but seeing some of the positive reactions to the changes made to Chief's character and his relationship with Cortana makes me think the show will continue this way, which is definitely not what I was expecting of it.
I'm still trying to figure out who this show is for, if not the fans, then who? There's so much lore and breadth in the books and games, that they could have just made up a story in the universe and it could have been good. Instead, they made a story that's parallel in another universe and it sucks.
I'm on the same page. Why make a "silver" universe? What's the endgame? The games/books are DECADES ahead of where the show begins, so it's not like the show's going to mess up the ending of the source material (like HBO Game of Thrones did). Why make Chief go AWOL over an insurgent teenager in the very first episode? Why have Cortana's relation with Chief differ so much from what we know is canon in the games and books? Why "Silver" team instead of Blue Team? I concede that the show could course correct all of this (e.g. kill Silver team during attack on Reach and have Chief work with Blue Team) but... why? Like, what is the point in deviating so much from the characters? It brings nothing to the table for people that are not familiar with the lore, and can't possibly be alluring for people that are into the games/books/etc. In E3 when Halsey and her clone (pre-Cortana) are talking, the clone says something to the effect of Halsey choosing John for the Cortana integration because he was always the faster/stronger Spartan. That's also not canonical. There were stronger and faster Spartan IIs, and John was chosen (by Cortana, not Halsey) to work with the AI program for the same reason Halsey chose him on Eridanus II: his apparently above average "luck". I don't need the show to spell out the stuff I know from the books, but why change it? Again, who is this show for?
She could always do this. In Halo: The Fall of Reach she was able to help him swat away a missile fired from a fighter jet at point blank range. She can significantly help accelerate his physical strength, speed and reflexes.
Your post is absolutely correct
except for the fact that you're replying with "She could always do this" to the question of "So Cortanna [sic] can control masterchief and spy on his every actions now ?"
That is incorrect; Cortana cannot control Chief, or the armor. The event you're referencing (Chief swatting missile) was Chief's idea; he requested Cortana to assist in the calculations to
tell him when to react. She did not react for him. In the show, Cortana is for some reason "installed" directly in Chief's brain (I guess so they can keep showing him without the armor), while in the books Chief is given an upgrade to his neural interface (which connects with the armor) and Cortana "runs" on the armor while interfacing between the Chief AND the armor. A quote from the book:
John had a sudden flash—AIs handled a great deal of point defense during Naval operations. “Can she control the MJOLNIR armor?” He wasn’t sure he liked that.
“No. Cortana resides in the interface between your mind and the suit, Master Chief. You will find your reaction time greatly improved. She will be translating the impulses in your motor cortex directly into motion—she can’t make you send those impulses.”
Then the event you correctly described but incorrectly misattributed to Cortana controlling Chief:
“I’ll need your help, Cortana,” he said.
“Anything,” she whispered. The Master Chief heard nervousness in the AI’s voice.
“Calculate the inbound velocity of a Scorpion missile. Factor in my reaction time and the jet’s inbound speed and distance at launch, and tell me the instant I need to move to sidestep and deflect it with my left arm.”
Cortana paused a heartbeat. “Calculation done. You did say ‘deflect’?”
The show gets so much stuff right. The prop and costume design is amazing. Whenever Chief has the armor on (and as long as he's not talking) it really does feel like Halo. The CGI for The Covenant is so, SO good. The Pelicans, Warthogs, Phantoms, the weapons, the customized armor of "silver" team, all of that is great. The action sequence of E1 was such a joy to see. The plasma damage from the Coventant weapons was a HOLY CRAP moment for me, just fantastic. I'll keep watching just for those moments.
