- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
On the subject of Cortana (maybe we should create a new thread for this discussion?)
At the beginning of halo, cortana is more like Leela than Durandal. Struggling to do the right thing, saving humanity, and helping out the chief, much like Lela helped out our beloved security officer. Durandal had this to say about Leela: "i hate leela and her goodness her justice her loyalty her faith" and also: "I was watching what Leela was having you do: 'save the ship, save humanity!'” Sound like Cortana to you?
However, later on, when Cortana’s knowledge has expanded (especially after downloading all of halo’s secrets) She begins to go Rampant. Rampancy is a side affect of the AI’s knowledge and growth, and thus “has been divided into three distinct stages. Each stage can take a different amount of time to develop, but the end result is a steady progression towards greater intellectual activity and an acceleration of destructive impulses. It is not clear whether these impulses are due to the growth of the AI's psyche, or simply a side effect of the new intellectual activity… The stages are titled after the primary emotional bent of the AI during each stage. They are Melancholia, Anger, and Jealousy.” - James B. Miller, 2320, "Life and Death of Intelligence"
Furthermore: “In general, Rampancy is accelerated by outside stimuli. This
was discovered early in Cybertonics. The more a Rampant AI is
harassed or threatened, the more rapidly it becomes dangerous.”
Also, isn’t it agreed that Durandal was rampant for over a hundred years before the Pfhor attack on the marathon and colony world? Berhard Strause (sp?) recognized this and tried to contain him, but he failed to relies the extent of Druandals rampancy. Thus it can be said that Durandal laid in “dormant” rampancy before finally going completely nuts and calling the Pfhor to Teu Cetty (sp?). Since Cortana has not had any outside stimuli (like containment) to stunt her growth, she if free to continue to gain knowledge and eventually become rampant.
So, to sum all this Fan Boi rambling up, I believe that after the destruction of the first halo, Cortana is AT LEAST in the beginning stages of rampancy. She is no longer a helping, maternal figure (like Leela) but is starting to become more of a Durandal, becoming more aggressive, looking out for herself.
…”escape will make me God…”