Created by the frequently puntastic ZZoMBiEXIII

I have long held the belief that sometimes a game is more than just a game. Occasionally, hidden amongst the smallest of pixels, is the power to change our lives. Halo is that game to me, and it’s also that game to Jenny. When she found herself going through the trials and tribulations of an unexpected divorce, she popped Halo 3 into her disc tray, hoping to find a mindless distraction. What she discovered instead was a stress reliever, an outlet for meeting like-minded people, and, above all else, something to keep her sane through an extremely difficult time. Because of the impact it made on her life, she decided to give Master Chief’s helmet a permanent place on her body. Nestled upon a flower and a slew of brightly colored leaves, Jenny’s Halo tattoo serves as her own “personal symbol for life after divorce.” Normally, at this point, I would be insanely jealous, but in this case I think I’ll go ahead and share. There is, after all, more than enough of Master Chief to go around. You can trust me on that!

*Image posted with permission

*Image posted with permission

When I was in my preteen years, a fictional universe inhabited by Spartan super-soldiers, multiple alien races, and popcorn-like parasites had not yet entered into existence. Today’s generation, though, does not have the same hardship. Halo, which just so happens to be one 11-year-old’s preferred pastime, provided the inspiration behind his brand new wall adornment. Having outgrown the previous dinosaur theme, his stepmother approved covering it up with a more grown-up Master Chief-based mural. The 9′ x 6′ creation, which took the very talented Dave Denner two days to design and three days to paint, features John-117 accompanied by the Arbiter, a Warthog, and a small fleet of Hawks. Pictures documenting the process are awaiting your arrival after the jump, but know in advance there is no Cortana. Apparently he has to wait until he’s 17 for that.

*Images posted with permission