Now, that's how you follow up a premiere.
HALO Season 1 Episode 2 had the right amount of action, moving pieces, and world-building to reiterate that the TV adaptation has the legs to carry the franchise to new heights.
The desperate mission to Rubble was an excellent way to bring more humanity to John.
While HALO Season 1 Episode 1 highlighted there was more going on behind his eyes than we were being led to believe, "Unbound" stressed that his kindness seems deeply tied to his past.
Giving Soren that head start all those years ago was a key development because it gave John and Kwan somewhere to hide out temporarily.
Soren clearly understood there was something amiss about the Spartan program and didn't want to lose the memories that we've witnessed return to John.
There are many questions surrounding Soren's survival, but he certainly seemed trustworthy enough to look after Kwan.
Maybe I'm too skeptical, but with so many years passing, it's hard to believe that no one on Rubble will feed information back to Vinisher that Kwan is alive and kicking.
Rubble being this incredible place the people who fall out of favor with society was a clear direction to take things.
But with a bounty on Kwan, it will only be a matter of time before someone -- or something -- enacts a plan to make some quick money.
Leaving Kwan in the care of Soren was huge, but Kwan doesn't strike me as the type of person to be told what to do.
Yes, she'll be upset at John for leaving her behind, but if she understands the bigger picture, it might build some trust between them down the line.
The mystery surrounding the object is being told at a decent enough pace, and Reth's observations about it only added to the intrigue.
Reth living to tell the tale after spending time on a Covenant ship is something commendable, but it's clear the aliens did a number on him.
Will he ever be able to regain the life he lost, or will he be destined to be locked up for the rest of his life?
Reth touching the artifact was even more shocking. Did he expect that the time he spent with the aliens would give him some sort of power?
Reth was visibly shocked by what happened when John was forced to touch the device. The blue energy is pretty consuming, but it also made me think that Reth has not seen the true extent of its power.
Might it be the case that John's connection to it is natural? I mean, we know he's been experimented on in some way, but what if his family line has something to do with it?
The series seems intent on diverging from the games, which is good. Beyond the locations and some of the characters, the series has been standing on its own two feet throughout these first two episodes.
John's trust in Halsey continued to shine through, and when you think about it, it makes sense. Halsey has given viewers no reason to question her motives.
She's been intent on the Spartan cause since the beginning, and you could tell John's return allowed her to delve deeper into her machinations.
The tricky part of her operation is that the Admiral is getting annoyed about the fact that she's being told things on a need-to-know basis.
Maybe that makes Halsey scarier, but there's a lot of interest in the products she makes.
Heck, maybe Halsey wants to create an army of her own. Cortana should get her closer to the goal, assuming Halsey is not fabricating anything.
There are many, many questions about what is going on with the UNSC, and I expect John to come in contact with Vinisher before long.
Vinisher is another excellent character because he's so darn cutthroat. He's unpredictable and will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Knowing that Kwan survived the ordeal on Madrigal and is still alive after a Spartan did not follow orders must be eating away at him.
There is so much we don't know about the other characters and their wants, and it's part of the fun.
Over to you, HALO fanatics!
What did you think of the trip to Rubble?
Do you think Soren is to be trusted?
What are your thoughts on John's visions?
Will the Admiral turn on Halsey, or does she know they need to work together?
How long do you think Vinisher will spend looking for everyone?
Hit the comments.
Catch new episodes of Halo every Thursday on Paramount+.
