It didn't. Halo 3 was a direct continuation of the events in Halo 2. Unless he found Mark VII (identical to Mark VI, but with jetpack) armor on that ship...

I just wish they had kept on making the games for PC
Had a lot of fun with CE, but not enough to warrant a new console.

Nah, I'm on about the start of Halo 3 when John crashes and is in stasis. The gauntlest have more triangular pads rather that square as seen in Halo 2.

Also the fact that there's a magic transition between being on the Ark at the end of Halo 2 and then crash-landing at the beginning of Halo 3.

Look closely next time you see that scene. The Ark is the large fireball, Master Chief is on a smaller fireball. If you look around the crash site, you'll see a large smoldering metal plate a few feet from the Chief. That's what he used to land.

My theory is that he found some way to detach (shoot off, blow off, punch off, however) a piece of the Ark's exterior (or maybe that was an escape pod he was on) and crash land on that, so that he wouldn't be around when the Ark landed smack dab in the middle of the Covenant lines.

So magic transition without any explanation in between? Thanks for backing me up, bud.

They have an entire backstory in the halo novels depicting events between Halo 2 and 3.

So in the games: Magic transition without any explanation in between, ie, what I've been saying? Thanks for the support, guys, but you're being a bit redundant.

Meh. I hoped that bungie had suscessfully killed it with reach. I also hope nobody sees this and it doesn't get any press. Yolady is right, game's run it's course. Bungie's gone, Halo's done. Leave it be microsoft.

I have to admit it does annoy me when games release plot in external media like books and then expect you to have read it in order to understand the next game installment. They do this in a couple of other places I can think of too.
Everything I need to understand the game's plot should be in the game.

Say wat.

holy ♥♥♥♥ alpha you think halo is ever going to end?

halo is to microsoft as star wars is to george lucas

as long as it makes money, it will not end

And as long as the game play remains fun I'll still keep playing. After Halo 3, and seeing ads for Reach, I was ready to say "Alright I've had enough." but now after playing Reach, I'm willing to give Halo 4 a chance.

Everything you need to understand the plot of the games IS in the games. What's left out is universe fluff.

WHICH IS ALL GETTING TORN TO ♥♥♥♥ NOW APPARENTLY.

See what I mean? THEY KILLED IT.