(SPOILER)Ignoring the books for a bit (which I know means ignoring something considered canon for many years) would you opinions have been different? I just think that the fact Cortana actually chose Noble 6 initially and then ends up with the chief through no option was a little retarded though I love the last stand of Noble 6 his final mission; "There'll be another time" was pretty awesome though I would have loved for the story to allow him to escape without dying so that unknown to the UNSC surviving on Reach stood 1 single spartan who lives off the land or something.