Summary
TheHalotelevision show has had an incredibly successful season 2, taking Master Chief and the rest of the Spartans, as well as plenty of others up against impossible odds. The Covenant is the only enemy Master Chief has to overcome, however, with a new antagonist coming from inside the UNSC, in the form of James Ackerson.
Fans of the game and the Halo show might not be familiar with Ackerson if they haven’t read much of the expanded universe from the books, comics, and other lore. If you want to know more about this enigmatic character who was recently introduced in the show, we’ve got all the details you need to get caught up.
Who Is James Ackerson?
Everyone Wants Their Own SPARTANS
If there’s one word to describe James Ackerson, it is cunning. Everything Ackerson does is a way to advance himself in his personal goals, even at the expense of others. He finds it acceptable to trade lives for military advantages and allows himself to get involved in rivalries rather than working together. He isn’t a totally unredeemable character though, as his advancements have helped humanity in the war against the Covenant and even sacrifices himself to buy the world time.
Following Dr. Catherine Halsey’s betrayal of the UNSC and humanity as a whole, an opening was left in the Spartan program.At the start of Season 2of the Halo show, that’s where we meet James Ackerson, the newly appointed Director of the Spartan Program. But in order to get to that point, Ackerson had to climb his way through the ranks.
Details about who James Ackerson is have already changed from the expanded lore to the television show, but much of it remains the same. Ackerson was born on Earth and spent his childhood playing make-believe games with his brother, Ruwan Ackerson. One of their favorite games involved them fighting a dragon to protect the Key of Osanalan, a made up device that will be important much later in Ackerson’s life.
Eventually, Ackerson would enlist in the military, spending his boot camp days on Cyrus VII, eventually putting himself in a position to present an opportunity to the Office of Naval Intelligence, or ONI, senior members. In the year 2531, six years after the start of the Human-Covenant War, Ackerson brought the concept of the SPARTAN-III program to ONI, believing it to be the next step after the success of the SPARTAN-II program, which brought the Master Chief and other SPARTANS to the war.
The SPARTAN-III program was approved, moving Ackerson from a position in the field to one behind a desk. Even though he wasn’t thrilled about it, he did enjoy the fact that his new title was a much safer one. He would begin movement on the SPARTAN-III program, taking orphans from fallen human colonies without the genetic specifications that the SPARTAN-II program required. These soldiers would be cheaper to train and acquire, while also supplying more numbers than before.
What Did James Ackerson Do?
A Military Man To The End
Ackerman became known for being an arrogant and self-centered officer, more interested in advancing his own career than caring about the war. That’s not to say he didn’t care about winning and wasn’t in the best interest of humanity, it’s just that he made sure he came out on top as well.
In the novels,Ackerson and Dr. Halseyoften competed for project funds, actively working to oppose the older SPARTANS and their development. He even went as far as to compromise a test that Master Chief was undertaking. He did this by allowing the use of anti-tank mines, an entire squad of ODST soldiers, the use of three 30mm chain-guns, and even an air strike against John-117.
His efforts were obviously in vain, but did result in the Master Chief getting heavily injured during the training session. Master Chief and Cortana were able to get revenge on Ackerson though. The two hacked into Ackerson’s personal computer and ruined his life by forging a reassignment request back to the front line and wiring a ton of money to a brothel, in hopes that it would cause a scandal with his home life. He was able to move past the scandal with relatively few lasting effects.
The End Of James Ackerson
It’s Not A Happy Ending
Sometime later, Ackerson was assigned to Mars, working as a combat officer for the UNSC. When the war came to Mars’ doorstep in the Battle of Mare Erythraeum, Ackerman led the battle against the Covenant Loyalist Army but was eventually overwhelmed by the enemy legions.
Ackerman was captured during the battle and was interrogated by the Jiralhanae Commander Lepidus. The Brute sought to get vital information out of Ackerson to help the Covenant invade Earth, but Ackerson used his quick thinking to divert the enemy forces. Ackerson told Lepidus that a powerful Forerunner artifact was located in Cleveland, Ohio called theKey of Osanalan, the mythical and 100% fake itemthat he and his brother made up when they were kids.
This ruse allowed the people of Cleveland time to evacuate the city, while also ensuring its preservation, as the Covenant wouldn’t risk destroying the city in case they damaged the artifact too. The information delayed the Covenant’s invasion, buying the planet time to mount a defense.
The Covenant would eventually realize that the Key of Osanalan is a diversion, to which Ackerson mocked the aliens for their arrogance. The act of resistance that Ackerson showed cost him his life, with him getting beheaded shortly before the Covenant began their attack.
