There were many questions leading into Halo Infinite's campaign regarding how important the previous games' plot points would be, especially whether Spartan Locke would appear. Now that Halo Infinite is out, and players know just who is (and who isn't) in the game, one fan has drawn Spartan Locke in what they imagine he is doing on Zeta Halo.
Generally, the story of Halo 5: Guardians was not received too fondly by fans and critics, though it was not without some highlights, such as the game's co-protagonist, Spartan Locke. The game had an exciting enough premise: Master Chief has gone rogue, with Spartan Locke and Fireteam Osiris sent out to capture him. Where Halo 5: Guardians fell flat for many was how this story was executed, especially in its balance of missions, with the majority of the campaign being spent in Locke's perspective, and just a handful of levels as Master Chief. By the end of the game, though, Spartan Locke and Master Chief put aside their differences as a new existential threat has arisen.
Aside from being mentioned in a couple lines of dialogue, Spartan Locke does not appear in Halo Infinite, but thankfully, one fan has imagined his appearance for the community. Garrett Post, a Concept Artist at ProbablyMonsters, shared on Twitter a beautiful illustration of a worn down, helmetless Locke. "Elsewhere on Zeta Halo, Spartan Locke, beaten and discarded by the brothers Hyperius and Tovarus, has to stealthily move behind enemy lines back to the UNSC," Post writes, providing context for Locke's whereabouts on the ring. Halo Infinite's campaign goes to great lengths in describing the Zeta Halo conflict in the six months between the fall of the Infinity and Master Chief's awakening.
Interestingly, a Mega Bloks Halo Infinite toy set features a Hyperius figure who is wearing what looks like Locke's helmet as a shoulder pauldron. This set was released prior to Halo Infinite's official launch, in turn sparking theories that Spartan Locke was dead or was going to die during the game's events. One line in particular may support this, the propaganda Grunt stating through one of his towers randomly, "Man, that Spartan Locke sure did know how to get ahead — which is why Hyperius used his helmet as arm decoration!" Fans are hoping for a stealth-based Halo Infinite campaign DLC that details Spartan Locke's survival on Zeta Halo (or potential demise).
Post's design for Locke perfectly blends the art styles of Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Infinite. The slender and tighter armor of the previous game is paired nicely with Locke's face and the added scarf around his neck. Just by looking at the image, it is clear that he is a Spartan, but is also not fully equipped, and the possibilities of that gameplay-wise are very exciting. Hopefully one way or another, Spartan Locke's fate will be more clearly addressed whether it's through Halo Infinite or the series' extended media.
Halo Infinite is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
