The lore for the Halo series is robust and deep, but not always cohesive. After all, there are so many books and other materials that some wires get crossed along the way. But fans have crafted many theories based on the games (including Halo Wars) to explain what the plot of Halo Infinite could be. After Halo 5, Spartan teams group up as AIs become compromised and colonies are attacked. The events of Halo Wars 2 occur, the Flood escapes to the Ark, and the Infinity with Spartan teams search for ways to fight Cortana and rescue useful people. That’s the set-up for Halo Infinite, but fans have plenty of theories about what the new game’s plot will be.
Only time will tell which of these theories might come to pass. Perhaps Master Chief will use his Iso-Didact lineage to further explore the Domain. Or perhaps this will just be a reboot of Halo: Combat Evolved with better graphics. But fans have plenty of their own ideas as to what will happen in Halo Infinite.
10 Excellent Theory: Cortana Dominates The Majority Of The Galaxy
Cortana has had an army of AIs at her disposal in a world dependent on technology. That means that she will likely have conquered most of developed civilization in Halo Infinite. Her Guardian police will no doubt have taken control of various colonies.
Though there are sure to have been rebellions, fans know how ruthless Cortana can be. With her Guardians, Prometheans, and other enforcers, it is highly unlikely that there are many places that aren’t under her rule. After all, humanity only just escaped the clutches of the Covenant only to be taken over by a snippy AI.
9 Not-So-Great Theory: Master Chief Talks Cortana Out Of Her Mission
This theory follows Master Chief as he is somehow able to enter the Domain. He did it before, but the method behind it remains a bit fuzzy in terms of explanation. As he traverses the Domain, he finds Cortana in order to chat her up a bit.
He pleads with her to stop her onslaught under the auspice that humanity was meant to take up the Mantle and not AI. Somehow, his words appeal to her and they use the Domain to annul the Guardians. Then, in order to fight the Flood, Master Chief repeats actions from Halo: Combat Evolved and destroys the ring. This isn’t that nonsensical, but it’s definitely the more hand-wave space magic way of doing it.
8 Excellent Theory: Master Chief & The Infinity Crash Landed On A Ring
Fans suspect that if Cortana doesn’t have control of at least some rings, she is certainly aware of them. It’s also accepted that she’s been hunting down key actors such as the people aboard the Infinity. This makes it likely that she knows that the Infinity crash-landed on Zeta Halo.
Halo Infinite may start with Master Chief rescuing survivors and trying to get off Zeta Halo. After all, the Banished will likely want to restore the ring’s power. It is the last remaining original ring from the first 12 despite being made inert by Master Chief’s actions in Halo 3.
7 Not-So-Great Theory: Cortana, Controlled By The Gravemind, Kills Master Chief
Her goal isn’t a bad one: protect the galaxy from war. But Cortana seems to be going about achieving this is such a dangerous, inflexible way. Some fans believe that it is the logic plague at work that is slowly overtaking Cortana. This theory involves Cortana killing Master Chief to ready the galaxy for total collapse.
All of the events leading to that moment were calculated by the Gravemind in order to infect all life. They want to bring “judgement day” upon all species and life. This isn’t necessarily a bad idea, but it isn’t the most fun or cathartic either.
6 Excellent Theory: There Is Something On Zeta Halo That Master Chief Wants
Though Cortana and Master Chief might not have a romantic relationship, they are still very close. One can’t separate from a joined AI that easily — especially a lonely Spartan with few close connections. He knows that he needs to stop Cortana, but that doesn’t have to mean pulling the plug on her.
Some fans assert that Zeta Halo is the home of a device that will allow Master Chief to disconnect Cortana from the Domain. But it will also prevent her from “dying”, as it were. This theory puts the whole Cortana-controlled-by-the-Gravemind option on ice in a more interesting way. Or perhaps it could help the player choose to use the item (at a cost perhaps) to save Cortana and then unite against the Gravemind.
5 Not-So-Great Theory: Cortana Communicates With Master Chief Telepathically Again
There is significant precedence for the two communicating in the mind. This occurs in Halo 3 and 5, but the Gravemind can do this, too, thanks to neural physics (most likely). Though it wouldn’t be out of place, it wouldn’t make sense from a stealth perspective.
Cortana has ruling power over the galaxy and is hunting Master Chief. Why would he leave himself a neural physics-led backdoor for threats to use? The communication could be used as a part of a plan. But having Master Chief and Cortana using telepathy to regularly talk seems like a bad move story-wise.
4 Excellent Theory: Master Chief Is The Iso-Didact
Hardcore fans know that 343 Guilty Spark wasn’t always called that. Long ago, he was a human named Chakas whose mind got transferred into a monitor. He was to be saved thanks to his Geas or genesong — a genetic imperative enforced on a species that can be passed on through bloodlines. His lines to Master Chief in Halo: Combat Evolved seem to indicate that John has a similar genetic imperative.
This connects to Bornstellar, a Forerunner Manipular and an Iso-Didact who first asked 343 Guilty Spark if he would light the ring. Guilty Spark then responds to Master Chief that his answer “has not changed” and they must activate the ring. He goes on to say that Master Chief must have remembered this; he has been with Guilty Spark this whole time, after all. This implies that Master Chief is also an Iso-Didact and contains the genetic imperative and memories of the forerunners. Having this millennia-long destiny for Master Chief feels over-the-top, but falls in line with motifs in Halo lore.
3 Not-So-Great Theory: Fractured Cortana Gets Rebuilt
After Cortana eventually uploaded herself to the Forerunner’s Domain terminal, parts of her self became fractured. They could be reassembled, but they didn’t always get put together in the right way. This could explain why Cortana was rampant and ruthless.
Basically, the Cortana from Halo 5 Guardians could have had a series of zeroes where there should have been ones or something. Extrapolating from there, that means that there could be a “Perfect” or “Stable” Cortana that helps Master Chief take down “Bad” or “Unstable” Cortana. It might be a plausible theory, but it isn’t the best one by any means.
2 Excellent Theory: Mendicant Bias Helps Rescue Cortana, Overcome Gravemind, & Fight The Flood
This is most likely the chonkiest theory on this list. Fans will remember the Mendicant as another OP AI that fell victim to the Gravemind. But, this one has been imprisoned for thousands of years and it already sought redemption by helping Master Chief once. Why not enlist this AI’s help once more in such a dire scenario?
In short: Mendicant helps Cortana realize that the Gravemind has made a puppet out of her. Master Chief reunites with “Good” Cortana and, with the help of Mendicant, rebels, and UNSC forces, they take out the Gravemind. Furthermore, Mendicant may or may not know of a cure for the Flood. More likely, however, Master Chief must destroy the ring as in Halo: Combat Evolved.
1 Not-So-Great Theory: The Spirit Of Fire Returns
Halo fans will know that the Spirit of Fire was declared “lost” after the sacrifice of its slipspace drive. However, fans also know that it ended up at the Ark fighting Banished 28 years later. It is assumed that Professor Ellen Anders was stranded there, but intercepted by a Guardian.
This theory has the Spirit of Fire rescuing Anders from wherever she ended up then tracking down Master Chief. Of course, this is after they’ve fully caught up on all of Cortana’s shenanigans. The ship will play a key role in a battle against her and her armies as she tries to fire the Rings to eliminate the impending Flood threat. Having the Spirit of Fire return wouldn’t be out of the realm of logical possibility, but it feels a bit too much like fan-service.