The Halo Character You Forgot Was Played by Game of Thrones' Most Despicable Targaryen

I did not have 'Viserys Targaryen voices one of Halo's weirdest villains' on my 2024 bingo card, but here we are. Halo Season 2 finally brought 343 Guilty Spark — aka The Monitor — into live action, with Harry Lloyd behind the voice. If you blinked and missed him, you are not alone. But if the show gets a third season, that little floating nightmare could become a big deal.

Wait, who is The Monitor again?

In the games, The Monitor is the perky, protocol-obsessed AI caretaker built to contain the Flood at any cost. And when I say 'any cost,' I mean collateral damage is a feature, not a bug. Dropping that into the live-action story opens the door to the kind of morally messy clash with Master Chief that Halo does best. Season 2 teed it up; Season 3 could cash it in.

Harry Lloyd went small on purpose after Game of Thrones

Fans might not remember Lloyd's brief Halo stint, but they definitely remember his five-episode firecracker as Viserys Targaryen in Game of Thrones Season 1. He made maximum impact in minimum screen time.

Instead of riding that wave into only giant franchises, Lloyd deliberately chased variety. He has talked about liking a mix of roles, which tracks with a resume that zigzags across genres. He still looks back fondly on Viserys — not to excuse the character, but to understand him — while acknowledging the guy did plenty that was, let's say, nonredeemable.

As of this year, Lloyd's TV work is limited to two projects: 'Prime Target' and 'I, Jack Wright.'

So... is Halo getting a Season 3?

Here is where it gets messy. The show originally premiered on Paramount+, and after two seasons and a lukewarm fan response, it was canceled. Then Netflix picked it up for streaming, and suddenly Halo started charting again.

According to FlixPatrol, the series climbed to Number 4 on Netflix's rankings. That little resurgence has people whispering about a renewal. Between The Monitor setup and Season 2's cliffhanger, there is plenty left to mine — and it would give Lloyd a chance to make his Halo character less blink-and-you-miss-it.

• Halo hit Number 4 on Netflix's charts, per FlixPatrol.
• Rotten Tomatoes scores: Season 1 at 70%, Season 2 at 90%.
• Harry Lloyd voiced The Monitor in Season 2; he is best known as Viserys in Game of Thrones.
• Lloyd's recent TV credits this year: 'Prime Target' and 'I, Jack Wright.'
• Halo originally premiered on Paramount+; after two seasons, it was canceled, then added to Netflix where it found fresh attention.

If the Netflix bump turns into a true second life, The Monitor vs. Master Chief could be the thing that finally makes Halo feel like Halo.

Halo is currently streaming on Netflix. Game of Thrones is available on HBO Max.