With 2026 soon approaching alongside the 25th anniversary of theHalofranchise, the sci-fi video game series is on the precipice of expanding exponentially. Currently, there are rumors of a sequel toHalo Infinitebeing developed, a ground-up remake ofHalo: Combat Evolved, and ports ofHalo: The Master Chief Collectionto the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. While all of these rumored projects are based directly on previousHalogames, Halo Studios has the potential to develop more games based on the franchises’ expanded media, such as comics, books, and even theHaloParamount+ show. One possibleHalogame in particular, the long-demandedHalo Wars 3,could be based on deep lore from the novelHalo: Divine Wind.
Halo: Divine Wind Explained
First published in 2021 and written by veteranHaloauthor Troy Denning,Halo: Divine Winddirectly builds off of the events ofHalo Wars 2:Awakening The Nightmareas well as previous Denning booksHalo: Retribution,Halo: Shadows of Reach, andHalo: Sacrifice. InRetribution, ONI Veta Lopis and hergroup of Spartan IIIs Ash-G099, Mark-G313, and Olivia-G291, managed to join the Brute-led Covenant remnant faction, the Keepers of the One Freedom, to keep an eye on the machinations of its leader Castor. Following the brief Flood outbreak in Awakening the Nightmare, Banished forces managed to gain access to the Forerunner Dreadnought from High Charity on the Ark inSacrifice. Here, the Banished unknowingly unleashed remnants of the original Covenant led by a San’Shyuum Prelate.
Banished forces managed to recover fragments of a Forerunner slipspace crystal that would be used to reactivate a portal on the Ark to return Atriox to the Milky Way galaxy. With the portal on Earth under Cortana’s control, Atriox ordered Escharum and the Keepers to uncover a hidden Ark portal on Reach to allow him to return. The Keepers succeeded but stole Atriox’s Lich just as he stepped on the planet and headed to the Ark to activate the installation and begin the Great Journey the Keepers still believed in. On the Ark, the Keepers briefly aligned themselves with the Prelate to activate the installation and the Halo array, but they were ultimately thwarted by Lopis,theSpirit of Fire, and Banished forces.
The Ending of Halo: Divine Wind
Over the course of the Keeper’s journey on the Ark, nearly all of the faction are eliminated save for Castor and an Elite blademaster called Inslaan ‘Gadogai. Just as the two were about to activate the Ark, they come to the realization that the installation is no holy site and that the Great Journey was a farce. However, in response to Lopis’s betrayal, the two seek to achieve vengeance against all of their enemies. Mark-G313 was killed by the Prelate, butLopis, Ash-G099, and Olivia-G291 managed to reunite with theSpirit of Fireand join their ongoing fight against the Banished and remaining Covenant forces on the Ark.
The storyline of Veta Lopis and Castor has been featured in five books, includingHalo: Last Light,Halo: Retribution,Halo: Shadows of Reach,Halo: Divine Wind, andHalo: Silent Storm.
The Potential of a Halo Wars 3 From Halo: Divine Wind
It’s been nearly10 years sinceHalo Wars 2first releasedand fans have been longing to see the resolution of the conflict on the Ark as well as the plot point suggested from its legendary ending. When completed on Legendary difficulty, players witness Dr. Ellen Anders aboard the newly constructed Halo Installation 09 traveling in slipspace before it is suddenly stopped by one of Cortana’s Forerunner Guardians. While the ongoing fight between the Banished and theSpirithas been followed up on numerous times, fans still have no clue what happened to Anders all these years later. Based on Forerunner and Created concept art forHalo Wars 2, this ending was presumably going to be addressed in a cut DLC campaign, but this storyline was abandoned for unknown reasons.
Given how it took seven years forHalo Wars 2to come out afterHalo Wars 1and howHalo Wars 2is almost 10 years old, Halo Studios should strive to addressHalo Wars 2’slingering plot threads inHalo Wars 3soon. ThisHalo Wars 3will undoubtedly be different from Creative Assembly’s original concepts for the sequel, but it can still follow-up on storylines on the Ark and beyond in satisfying ways. Instead of just the Banished and UNSC,Halo Wars 3can also feature the Covenant and Created factions, since both still have some numbers left in theHalouniverse. These factions could giveHalo Warsmore unit variety than ever seen before and help shed light on affairs in the universe beyond Master Chief’s story.
Halo Wars 3’s Possible Storylines
Halo Wars 3could pick up right whereDivine Windleft off, with theSpirit of Firestruggling to survive a three-pronged war on the Ark. With a portal reactivated, theSpiritcould send Lopis and her Spartan IIIs alongside a small entourage through the portal looking for Anders’ Halo ring. The rest of the campaign could then be split between two stories, with one focused on theSpiritfighting Banished and Covenant forces and the other focused on Lopis recovering Anders from the Created whilst striving to get UNSC reinforcements. This could tie-in with the rest of theHalouniverse by having Let ‘Volir struggle to maintain control amid Atriox and Escharum’s apparent deaths and Lopis becoming shocked when she learns of theInfinity’s disappearance.
