For over 2022 years,Halofans have long pondered the thought of “You ever wonder why we’re here?” This was the first major line and recurring theme of the hit Machinima web seriesRed vs. Blue. Developed by the Texas-based production company Rooster Teeth utilizing multipleHalogames,Red vs. Bluewas a 19-season-long series focused around the comedic and dramatic escapades of Red Team and Blue Team as they fight, bicker, and eventually become allies with each other. WhileRVBofficially concluded in 2024 withRed vs. Blue: Restoration, elements of the second-longest running web series can still be found inHalogames today through a variety of fun Easter Eggs and references.
The First Red vs. Blue Easter Eggs
The first season ofRed vs. Bluedebuted in 2003 and practically became an overnight sensation with its hilarious characters and innovative use ofHalo: Combat Evolvedmultiplayerto create a narrative-driven web series. While manyHalofans quickly grew attached to the Reds and Blues’ antics based in the multiplayer map Blood Gulch, Bungie themselves were fans of the show and soon thereafter began corresponding with Rooster Teeth to support the series. This would beginRVB’s long-running history with theHalofranchise and close relationship with Bungie and futureHalodeveloper 343 Industries. References toRVBfirst appear in the credits ofHalo: CE’s PC release, with its credits acknowledging the actors and producers ofRVBin special thanks.
By late 2004,RVBtransitioned to usingHalo 2’s multiplayer as its primary filming engine. Before players even had a chance to playHalo 2though, gamers who purchasedHalo 2’s limited collector’s edition could have watched a short documentary featuringRVBand its cast and crew. In terms of references in-game,Halo 2players can find a faint sketch of “Why Am I Here” on the upper wall near sniper spawn on the multiplayer map Beaver Creek in reference to theRVBline “You ever wonder why we’re here?”. Later on, in 2005’sHalo 2Multiplayer Map Pack, players can find two red and blue soda machines with a rooster and chattering teeth logos on the map Turf. These soda machines were in reference both to Rooster Teeth andRVB.
You ever wonder why we’re here?
Xbox 360 and Bungie-era RVB Easter Eggs
Red vs. Bluewouldn’t fully transition to utilizingHalo 3as its primary filming engine until 2008, but several Easter Eggs and references were already built intoHalo 3when it debuted in 2007. In thesecond campaign level, Crow’s Nest, just before players venture left toward the hanger, if players continue straight they’ll encounter a marine banging on a door and yelling at another marine. These marines are played by variousRVBactors with the pair of actors changing depending on difficulty, including:
All the Warthogs inHalo 3,ODST, andReachadditionally feature the name Puma on their wheels, a reference toRVB’s second episode “Red Gets a Delivery” wherein the Reds debate over whether the Warthog should be called a Warthog or a Puma. Following the release ofHalo 3’s Heroic and Legendary Map Packs, Bungie and Rooster Teeth debuted abrand-new gamemode called Grifballin late 2008. Based on the Grifball game mentioned inRVB’s 58th episode “Hunting Time”, Grifball has two teams of Reds and Blues equipped with gravity hammers and energy swords compete to catch the Grifball (a bomb) and score goals. Players on either team who carry the ball will turn orange, just like Red Team’s lazy soldier Dexter Grif.
Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach RVB Easter Eggs
Grifball went on to reappear inHalo: Reach, Bungie’s finalHalogame, as an official playlist. Besides the Warthog wheels, no explicit Easter Egg toRVBis found inODST, but Rooster Teeth did help produce many ofODST’s gameplay trailers. However,RVBwas featured heavily inHalo: Reach’s Halsey tribute roomEaster Egg in the ninth campaign level, The Package. After activating a hidden switch, defeating a troop of energy sword-wielding Elite Generals, and entering a secret door on Legendary, players can visit Halsey’s lab and read an entry onRVBentitled SUBJECT: RvB [CIV]. This in-universe data entry detailsRed vs. Blueas “incessant puppeteering.”
Red vs. Blueactors were able to voice the marines in Crow’s Nest after Rooster Teeth successfully bid $9,000 in a 2006 Child’s Play dinner auction to record dialogue inHalo 3.
Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians RVB Easter Eggs
When 343 Industries gained control of theHalofranchise,Red vs. Bluewas initially heavily featured in 2012’sHalo 4in a variety of Easter Eggs and references. For one, after winning five multiplayer War Games matches, players will earn the achievement I Halo 4 is more famous for its comedicRVBEaster Eggs found in the PvE mode Spartan Ops. In one chapter of each Spartan Ops episode, players can find hidden radios scattered about the level. Once the radios are shot at, a snippet ofRVB’s Blood Gulch Blues theme song will play and characters from the series will then appear, replacing the normal audio for the level.RVBcharacter appearances in Spartan Ops include:
WhileHalo 4andHalo 5: Guardiansdid see the return of Grifballin official multiplayer playlists,Guardiansdid not feature anyRed vs. BlueEaster Eggs in its campaign or other lore-related content. However, there was aRVBreference in a cosmetic weapon coating. The description of the 2016 Halo Championship Series Contender Red legendary weapon skin stated, “Let’s all take dying as an open action item.” This line is a direct quote from Simmons inRVB’s 38th episode, “K.I.T. B.F.F.” just before Sarge begins attacking the Blues. Despite this lack of Easter Eggs and references,Red vs. Bluewent on to useGuardiansas the basis for Seasons 15-19.
Halo Infinite RVB Easter Eggs
Compared to lackluster Easter Eggs and references inHalo: 5 Guardians, 2021’sHalo Infinitefeatured a plethora ofRed vs. BlueEaster Eggs and references both in its campaign and multiplayer. When players call for a Scorpion tank to be dropped off at UNSC Forward Operating Bases, the Pelican pilot Echo 216 will occasionally say, “Your Scorpion’s on the way. By the way, her name’s Sheila.” This is a reference to the recurring character Sheila inRVB, who is the Scorpion tank’s onboard artificial intelligence and close friend to Caboose and the Red Team’s Spanish-speaking robot Lopez. If players successfully bring the Scorpion to War Chief Escharum’s House of Reckoning, they’ll receive the achievementBring Sheila Home Safely, another reference toRVB’s Sheila.
Similarly, inHalo Infinite’s campaign near the easternmost gun battery, players can find a dead marine and a dead Grunt in makeshift bases surrounded by red and blue lights. This is a reference to howRed vs. Bluerepeatedly centers around the Reds and Blues being trapped in bases in enclosed spaces such as the multiplayer mapsBlood Gulch and Valhalla. If players have the IWHBYD skull activated, they can occasionally hear marines ask Master Chief, “Do you ever wonder why we’re here?” another reference to theRVBline “You ever wonder why we’re here?” fromRVB’s first episode, as asked by Simmons to Grif.
Halo Infinite Multiplayer RVB Easter Eggs
InHalo Infinite’s multiplayer, if players purchase and equip the comical personal A.I. Mister Chief based onHalo’s protagonist Master Chief, the artificial intelligence will occasionally say, “was that a blue spider?” after the player eliminates another with a plasma grenade. This is in reference toRed vs. Blue’s 11th episode “Knock, knock. Who’s there? Pain.” when Red Team’s rookie recruit Donut asks if a plasma grenade stuck to his head is a spider. Similarly, if players equip any of theirpersonal A.I. with the color Lightish Red, their A.I. will turn pink. This is another Donut reference, as the character later dons pink armor inRVB’s 16th episode, “A Slightly Crueler Cruller” but he always refers to it as lightish red.
