3 replies to this topic

[TorchuVadergear]

Hey Halo fans, I recently had to complete an essay for a simple essay class that I'm taking. I was allowed to choose my topics and everything, but I have to make sure it follows grammatical rules, has a clear topic, and ultimately that I didn't goof up in some way. Also, this is suppposed to be a Compare/Contrast essay in "Point-by-Point" format. I have no character limit/goal, and am supposed to keep it down to three body paragraphs with an introduction and ending paragraph each equipped with a thesis.

So here goes, my Star Wars and Halo essay, in a Halo forum. Please tell me what you think.

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Sci-fi is the most recognizable genre in modern media. Its unique way of warping reality is usually recognized by any random passerby. Two of the biggest names in Sci-fi are Star Wars and Halo; both offer games as well as rich, detailed novels which illustrate their storylines. Star Wars offers six very popular films as well as a few noteworthy games, whereas Halo has no films but rather is a giant for console gamers with feature-rich stories and multiplayer systems. Whether it is because of the storyline, the big ships, or for the iconic characters, people of all ages enjoy both Halo and Star Wars in various ways.

Though both of these franchises are Sci-fi related, their storylines vary immensely. Star Wars has a widely scoped universe. The content created for it merely takes “peeks” into its widely varying array of stories and characters. Halo, however, has focused more specifically around a particular war between two factions. The most notable difference is that Halo offers a home for humanity; Earth, whereas Star Wars has no such home planet, least of all an “Earth”.

Big ships and massive constructs are not uncommon in either franchise. Entire stories can be developed around a single object or location merely because of their sheer scale. Star Wars has famously portrayed the Death Star battlestations, massive starships, and even a city that is literally a whole planet. Halo has likewise flaunted manufactured planets (shield worlds), alien space cities, the Halo rings, the Ark--where the Halo rings were created--, and large vessels such as the UNSC Infinity. Though these constructs are becoming more and more known for each series it was created for, they would be nothing without the characters.

The character makeup of each franchise differs drastically. Star Wars has both created and retains the ability to create many iconic, stand-out characters such as Darth Vader or C-3PO. Halo, however, has fewer faces to remember as a result of its tighter-knit storyline. In all actuality, the Master Chief is the most recognizable character from the entire franchise, and not a single fan has ever even seen his face. It’s actually the Chief’s green armor that is recognized by fans, in much a similar way as Darth Vader’s mask is seen as one of the greatest icons of Star Wars.

In the end, both franchises are totally different in nearly every respect. Sure, they have some similar ideas, but once a fan can get past them the things that happen in their stories are dramatically different. If one is to be called a true Sci-fi fan, it would truly be arrogant for that person to say that Halo is better than Star Wars, or vice-verse. These two franchises have and are developing very different stories and characters which can all cater to public taste in similar ways, while not being overly closed-mined, nor having ideas which are too similar to each-other. Some may prefer aspects of one over the other, but overall people enjoy both franchises in very similar ways.

[RobotChicken]

Good job on your essay! It's true that both "Star Wars" and "Halo" have things in common, but I think they're still pretty different. You really need to play (or watch) both to know the difference. The gaming experience is not the same, and I personally liked Halo better, by far.

[Pergatory]

Nice essay I'm sure you got a good grade

[Shimus]

That wasn't actually badly written. I never noticed exactly how many parallels that the shows drew upon until you highlighted some of them. I hope it did well for you!