Warning: this review contains full spoilers for Halo: Episode 6, "Solace." If you need a refresher on where we left off, here's IGN's review of Episode 5 - "Reckoning."
The vast majority of new TV shows take four or five episodes to really find their voice and settle into a groove, and Halo is apparently no different. While the series has been enjoyable from the start, certain elements have only really clicked into place over the past couple of weeks. "Reckoning" gave fans an epic shootout worthy of the games, and now "Solace" follows that up with a heavy dose of character drama that proves the series doesn't need lavish action sequences to shine.
It's certainly no coincidence this episode rises above the rest when it's the first to almost completely ignore the frustrating Kwan Ha/Soren subplot. That particular storyline has been weighing down the series for weeks at this point. And while this episode is surely just a temporary reprieve, we might as well savor it while it lasts.
Writers Silka Luisa and Steven Kane may have recognized that there's enough going on in the aftermath of the latest UNSC vs. Covenant battle without throwing the civil war on Madrigal into the mix. The UNSC has suffered a humiliating defeat after two of its beloved super-soldiers failed to follow orders. That, plus the sudden discovery of a former Covenant POW, is more than enough drama for one episode.
The series loses absolutely none of its momentum despite pivoting from the heat of battle to its immediate aftermath. If anything, the tension only increases as Master Chief wrestles with a flood of memories and his deteriorating condition and Makee begins to play her captors like a fiddle. There's a growing sense of dread surrounding this conflict, particularly with how this episode seems to be laying the groundwork for one of the most destructive and consequential battles of the Covenant war. While this series may not be an exact, 1:1 adaptation of the games, it's close enough to know the broad strokes of what's coming (possibly as soon as the Season 1 finale at this point). That knowledge actually helps the series rather than hurts it in this case.
"Solace" leans heavily on what has always been the series' strongest element: the dysfunctional relationship between Master Chief and Dr. Halsey. Here we get a better sense of the crimes Halsey committed in the name of science. There's apparently no problem she can't solve by murdering a few clones. Along the way, this episode fleshes out the equally toxic relationship between Halsey and her daughter and generally paints a picture of a woman who believes the ends justify any and all means.
Both Pablo Schreiber and Natascha McElhone make the most of that juicy drama. McElhone in particular is a standout in this episode. Given everything we see and learn this week, it would be all too easy to dismiss Halsey as a remorseless villain. But there's just enough humanity and emotion lurking beneath her steely exterior that we can sense the toll this process has taken on her. The scene where Halsey manipulates Miranda into opening a backdoor into the lab system is a perfect showcase. McElhone's performance in that scene reveals that, while Halsey may not be 100% honest in her admission to Miranda, neither is she simply putting on an act. She's a twisted, bleak character, but also a fascinating one.
"Solace" also makes strong use of Makee in her new role as a deep-cover spy. You could argue the UNSC characters are overly gullible in not being even more suspicious of her conveniently timed arrival, but this new status quo clearly isn't intended to last long. Her presence greatly adds to the overall sense of doom permeating the show, while the climax (and the long-awaited first glimpse of the Halo) suggests she's more than just an antagonist to Master Chief. As one of the only characters completely unique to the series, Makee has the most room for growth in the remainder of Season 1 and beyond.
from IGN Reviews https://ift.tt/InG9KSB
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