Why Did The UNSC Take Kessler In Halo Season 2?

Spoilers are ahead for Halo season 2, episode 5, “Aleria.”

In Halo season 2, episode 5, “Aleria,” Soren (Bokeem Woodbine), a Spartan-turned-pirate and Rubble insurrectionist, searches for his son, Kessler (Tylan Bailey), alongside his tough-as-nails wife Laera (Fiona O’Shaughnessy). Before Soren found himself escorting Dr. Catherine Halsey (Natascha McElhone), the Spartan program creator, through the Covenant invasion of Reach, Laera and Kessler try to flee the Rubble on Soren’s ship. Unfortunately, Soren’s mutinous crew turn violent once more, prompting Kwan Ha (Yerin Ha) to separate from Kessler in order to save Laera’s life. With his Master Chief helmet on, Kessler boards a ship, leaving the Rubble.

During episode 5’s opening, Soren, Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber), and the other Fall of Reach survivors are cornered by a Brute. Just before the Covenant glass the planet, Laera and Kwan Ha appear on Soren’s ship to save Halo‘s key players. While Master Chief and Riz (Natasha Culzac) grapple with their futures — both as Spartans and as people — Soren and Laera dig up leads on Kessler’s whereabouts. According to a shopkeeper on Aleria, he was taken in by two local women. When that turns out to be a lie, Soren and Laera uncover the truth.

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It’s Revealed In Halo Season 2, Episode 5 That Soren’s Son Was Abducted By The UNSC

After the Fall of Reach, searching for Kessler brings up a larger conflict between Soren and Laera. While the ex-Spartan harbors a lot of resentment towards Halsey and the way she destroyed his childhood, Soren tries to get through his pain by being the cast’s happy-to-lucky personality. With their son missing, Laera can’t stomach her husband’s optimism. Frustrated that Soren’s pursuit of Halsey led to his capture, Laera clearly feels that Soren doesn’t always put their family first. Not to mention, she can’t believe her husband isn’t more outwardly upset by Reach’s destruction and Kessler’s apparent abduction.

As the couple navigate their very different approaches to the issues at hand, they encounter the Alerian women who supposedly took Kessler in. These women not only refuse to believe that Laera and Soren are Kessler’s parents, but claim to be keeping the orphaned kids’ best interests in mind. Laera’s chance encounter with another child — who was gifted Kessler’s Master Chief helmet — confirms that Kessler is no longer on Aleria. Back at the main outpost, a frustrated Laera threatens the shopkeeper who initially lied to them and learns the truth: Kessler was taken by the UNSC.

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How Kessler & Soren Factor Into Halo Season 2’s Larger Story

For now, it’s not abundantly clear what the UNSC and ONI want with Kessler. In all likelihood, Halo season 2, episode 6, “Onyx,” will see Soren and Laera head to the titular UNSC-controlled planet to find their son. However, earlier season 2 episodes do hint at Kessler’s larger purpose. One of the biggest moments of Halo‘s Fall of Reach episode unfolds between Soren and Dr. Halsey, who asks Soren how Kessler is doing. While Halsey insists she wants to know more about Soren’s seemingly impossible biological son from a scientific standpoint, the ex-Spartan doesn’t want to share anything.

Since Dr. Halsey’s Spartan-II program was meant to render her supersoldiers sterile, the very existence of Kessler is a fascinating development. Clearly, James Ackerson’s (Jospeh Morgan) Spartan-III program — a cheaper endeavor that widens the pool of Spartan candidates — is primed to take center stage in Halo season 2. Given Halsey’s latent interest in Kessler and the UNSC’s efforts to find a replacement for the Spartan-IIs and Master Chief, Soren’s son may be crucial to not just the UNSC’s scientific endeavors, but the Spartans’ future as a whole.