‘Halo 5’: The Essential List To Get Caught Up On The Universe

The Halo series has developed into a franchise with an extended universe in books and other media that helps fans understand what is going on in the games. The release of Halo 5: Guardians to the Xbox One is just three months away, so it’s time to get started on reading to understand all the events and new characters that are being introduced.

Microsoft and 343 Industries handily put out the chart below that helps explain some of the connections the extended Halo universe has with Halo 5. I’ve read, watched, and listened to all the ones that have been released and am going to rate them on how essential they are as well as their entertainment factor.

Halo: The Fall of Reach

Developer 343 Industries is pushing the new Fall of Reach animated series to acquaint gamers with the origin story for Master Chief and the entire Spartan II program. However, this will only be available in the Limited and Collector’s Editions of the game. If you want to get the complete story, Eric Nylund’s Halo: The Fall of Reach novel is the preferred source.

This book is undoubtedly the linchpin to the entire Halo franchise as it introduces all the major characters, events, and backstory in a way that the games can’t. It’s also lays the foundation of the entire extended Halo universe with nearly every entry still referencing it in some way. It really is the first thing that any fan of the series should read and is entertaining as well.

Halo: Escalation Dark Horse Comic Series

The Halo: Escalation series is now up to 22 issues and covers the events in the universe after Halo 4. The art can be questionable, but some of the storylines are chock full of major events that will have an impact on Halo 5. It also serves as a way of catching up on Master Chief’s Blue Team as well as introduce new characters such as Holly Tanaka, a member of Spartan Locke’s Fireteam Osiris.

The essential issues to read here are issues seven through 10 to catch up on Blue Team. Issues 13 through 17 deal with Jul M’Dama, Commander Palmer, and Catherine Halsey with a four-part follow-up from issue 19 to 22. This is worth catching up on as it is both a continuation of Spartan Ops and helps move pieces around for Halo 5.

Those interested in the backstory on Spartan Tanaka and how she became a Spartan IV should read issues 18 and 19.

Halo: Nightfall

The second live-action entry into the Halo franchise also serves as an introduction to Spartan Locke when he was just a regular human Oni agent. Unfortunately, the storyline of a small team sent to a broken piece from the Alpha Halo ring to stop a biological weapon that contains an element that can kill only humans isn’t very compelling. The plot and characters in Halo: Nightfall can be read a mile away. Additionally, there’s not much to be gleaned about Locke from this digital series. It’s skippable.

Halo: New Blood

Everybody loves that lovable Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck, as played by Nathan Fillion in Halo 3: ODST. His addition to Fireteam Osiris begged for an explanation of how he became a Spartan IV and New Blood delivers.

The novel is a light, fun read that is both entertaining and overflows with backstory. It’s also written in a way that you can’t help but hear Fillion’s voice do the narration since the book is read from his perspective.

New Blood combined with Halo 3: ODST are essential for the backstory on Buck.

Hunt the Truth Serial Podcast

If someone suggested a serial podcast for Halo done like the radio plays of old, you’d probably call them crazy. However, a combination of a great voice cast plus a twist-filled plot made Hunt the Truth more entertaining probably than it deserved.

It’s supposed to be a look into Master Chief’s past and the information you are able to glean is best covered in Halo: The Fall of Reach. However, it turns into a perspective of just how twisted and nefarious ONI can get as the secret service that quietly puts the screws to humanity to keep control.

There are tidbits of information dropped in Hunt the Truth that seem likely to crop up in Halo 5. It’s essential for those that want the dirt on ONI and be entertained.

Hunters in the Dark

Olympia Vale rounds out Fireteam Osiris and Hunters in the Dark introduces her pre-Spartan self. She feels like a secondary character throughout a large part of the beginning, but she comes into her own by the end. Something is causing the Halo rings to activate and it is up to a team of human and Sanghelli (Elites) to find out why and stop it.

The story is entertaining and introduces some of the wildlife that was supposed to show up in the original Halo game, but was scrapped. More importantly, Vale’s background as an expert on Sanghelli culture and language is explained.

Halo: Last Light

The final Halo novel before the release of Halo 5 is set for September 15. It’s hard to peg how essential Halo: Last Light will be without first reading, but it is supposed to catch us up on Blue Team and Fred-104.

Older Books to Check Out

Those still wondering what is up with the Forerunners should read the Forerunner Trilogy by Greg Bear. It’s admittedly a slow read at times, but pays off with Silentium.

Those interested in the history of the Spartan program should read Halo: Ghosts of Onyx by Eric Nylund. This setup Karen Travis’ Kilo Five trilogy that explored both the troubled origins of the Spartans plus the state of the galaxy after the collapse of the Covenant.

Stand-alone novels worth reading are Halo: First Strike by Eric Nylund, Halo: Contact Harvest by Joseph Staten, and Halo: The Cole Protocol by Tobias S. Buckwell. They are in no way essential for Halo 5, but provide more background for the Halo universe.

Avoid Halo: The Flood. It is the novelization of Halo: Combat Evolved and is probably the worst entry in the extended universe.

[Images via Halo Waypoint, Dark Horse Comics]