Quote Originally Posted by Cortexian View Post
Since when have you ever heard or seen John's last name used in the canon after he became a fully augmented Spartan II?

He always responds with his full official name of "Master Chief Petty Officer, John 117". For all intents and purposes, 117 is his last name since the whole Spartan program dehumanized the Spartan candidates.
You don't seem to understand what I said. In today's USN, regular E-9s are addressed as Master Chief Whatever-The-Fuck-Their-Last-Name-Is.
In the lore, he lost his last name after being abducted and was given two pieces of identity. John and 117.
It is stressed that his identity and even the nature of the Spartan II program is classified. Hell, it's not even announced that the Covenant is fucking over planets yet.
Do you expect him to just merrily announce, "Why hello there cadets, I am Master Chief Petty Officer John 117," to these people?
They needed a way to address him, other than 'giant robot guy', and he gave them what he could to get by.
What I was pointing out was that the Petty Officer half of the title being left out was not wrong.
Never once did I say he should use a non-existent last name.