WERE KNIT SO EASY

Seeing as how we’ve been talking about some of the inner workings of the Universe section today, we thought it would be nice to introduce you to someone you might not have heard of, but who is helping make it easier every day for fans to consume the content they love. Symantha Reagor is a writer/producer/master-knitter who might have 99 problems but a stitch ain’t one. At 343, she plays roles as both a writer – helping make sure that the right content is pulled and copyedited from a myriad of published sources – and as a production assistant, helping organize everything from content schedules to content localization. She’s a Halo fan through and through, and probably couldn’t decide if she’d rather dive into the latest novel or drop feet first into some campaign. I sat down to talk about with her about what the Halo story means to her and find out some of her favorite aspects of the lore.

GrimBrother One: So, how did you get here? This job I mean, not my desk.

Symantha Reagor: I started off as an English Localization editor working on mobile games for a game publisher. This could mean everything from checking sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation, to having to change things like “bento box” into western equivalents like “lunch box.” Toward the end of my time with that company they switched from publishing foreign games to producing games in house, where I worked on a mobile card game for the Assassin’s Creed franchise. After my contract ended with that studio, I jumped at the chance to be part of what was going on at 343 Industries.

GRIM: So, tell us a bit about how you feel about the Halo story...

SR: Oh man, where do I even start? Halo is this truly epic story; I literally wrote a 10-page research paper in college on the various types of symbolism found throughout the first three games. There is a character for everyone. A Spartan for everyone. It's so easy to find someone in this massive universe to relate to.

GRIM: Any particular characters you gravitate to more than others?

SR: Lucy-B091 is my favorite Spartan. I think I relate the most with her. It doesn't hurt that she's only an inch taller than me, either.

GRIM: Well, except you talk more...

SR: Whatever, no cheesecake for you. (Noooooo!!! – Grim) I'm not someone you look at and think “supersoldier”. People look at Lucy like she's broken beyond repair because she's experienced trauma, but she's not broken. She's strong.

GRIM: I think we can agree there is a lot more than meets the eye with the both of you! What was your favorite Halo game?

SR: Hmm, this is a tough question. Story wise?

GRIM: Story wise.

SR: Okay, story-wise I'm going to say Halo 4.

GRIM: Why is that?

SR: Master Chief and Cortana have been through so much by that point that it was truly heartbreaking at the end when he loses her. I was a mess. Like, “tears streaming down my face, sobbing into my cat” mess. That ending just completely wrecked me, but it had to happen. He had to lose her so that he could grow. When he said "I was supposed to take care of you." And her response "We were supposed to take care of each other. And we did…"

GRIM: Okay, you can stop before I start crying... Do you have a favorite Halo novel?

SR: I loved Halo: Glasslands, in large part because of Lucy meeting the Huragok Prone to Drift. That was another time Halo made me cry.

GRIM: I loved their interactions as well.

SR: Prone to Drift telling her he can't fix her, and Lucy telling him that she's not broken.

GRIM: #Onions, for sure.

SR: Right? And he tells her she "is most definitely broken. Reclaimers speak." No joke, I'm forcing myself not to tear up now through sheer willpower. Aside from that, Halo: New Blood is my new favorite I think; I read that entire book in Buck's voice.

GRIM: What are some of your favorite aspects about working with Halo Waypoint, Halo Channel, and the Universe section specifically?

SR: I love working on new entries for the Universe. I get so excited to see the reactions in the forums. Whether it’s background research or helping fill in some of the blanks, my inner Halo fan adores getting to spend so much time around the lore.

GRIM: What's your favorite content to watch on the Halo Channel?

SR: I'm obsessed with the Hunt the Truth episodes right now.

GRIM: Who isn't?!

SR: ONI has told a lot of stories to hide the history of the Master Chief, and here is this reporter, chipping away at the very foundation. Plus, Sully. Need I say more.

GRIM: I suppose it might be safer to not. Thanks so much for talking today! And I'm sure I can speak for the fans in saying thanks for all the things you do to help awesome content get produced.

SR: Thank you. This was a lot of fun to get to talk about and I'm really proud to be part of the team that bring Halo to the fans in so many different ways. (And she does make the absolute best cheesecake ever. Seriously, ask anyone in the studio. – Grim)