Halo: Combat Evolved Forum
This topic has moved here: Subject: Why Didn't Cortana Reveal Everything to Master Chief?
  • Subject: Why Didn't Cortana Reveal Everything to Master Chief?
Subject: Why Didn't Cortana Reveal Everything to Master Chief?
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

My main question is:
Why did Cortana send Master Chief out to stop Keyes without telling him about the flood?

She obviously knew because she's just been plugged into the control room of Halo (and installation to contain the flood), and your telling me its going to have absolutely nothing about the flood in its memory banks? She's getting information from left right and centre and from the way she talks its mainly about the flood. Shown by:
* "Those Covenant Fools! They must've known! There must've been signs!"
* "The Covenant found something, something buried deep inside this place, something horrible and now they're afraid."

One thing from what Cortana says ("The Covenant found something, something buried deep inside this place, something horrible and now they're afraid.") shows that the Flood have already been released. So what good would be rushing Master Chief to go stop Keyes except saving Keyes and some Marines? All it would do is make Master Chief absolutely clueless of the flood (basically sending him in to slit his own throat).

How long does it take for MC to call for a lift, locate Keye's last known position and get there? Keye's is 'still on route to the objective' about 1/3 through 'The Silent Cartographer' yet by the time Master Chief gets there Keye's is only just ahead of him (shown by the AR gun fire, that doesn't have any marines there if you get there in time). Are you telling me that Master Chief can waste all that time getting to the control room (AotCR) yet still be right behind the Keyes by the time he gets there? I aint buying that.

Obviously, the information is held so the flood can be a suprise but it would seem plausible to at least give Master Chief a little briefing. Obviously you don't want some AI construct spoiling the big suprise but once you've played 343 Guilty Spark the suprise is gone (unless you're memory is really bad of course).

What I would suggest is an alternate cutscene for once you've played 343 Guilty Spark. It would be Cortana telling you as much as she can about the flood by using the Control Room memory banks, of all the installation mind you! How much information do you need before you're going to shed some light on the situation to a clueless clone in an expensive, top notch suit?

I think Cortana has betrayed Master Chief a little because no-one who is trying to help would send a lonesome solidier out into the unknown without telling him some major details like the flood.

Like to hear anyone elses view on this topic.

[Edited on 6/16/2004 12:30:48 PM]

  • 06.16.2004 12:28 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

how do know why she did that? we did not make the game,nor do we make the storyline. all we can do is guesss like you.

  • 06.16.2004 1:05 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

An interesting question.
I think that th Covenat had some success in keeping the flood under control. In 343 Guilty Spark, during the recording through one of the marines helmet, a marine says something like 'Are you sure you want me to open this? The Covenant have locked it up pretty tight'.
Also, despite the fact that many players of Halo see the marines as worthless, in the game world Cortana sees these marines as the people that need saving. She also must of discovered enough about the flood to know that there is no immediate danger to the MC should he go to save the marines.
Also, there is Keyes. Captain Jacob Keyes. Hero of the war against the Covenant. A great man. Cortana and Keyes, it could be said, are the best of friends. Her logic and intelligence is at this point clouded with human emotion, as she is designed to be as human as possible. Think about how sad she sounds when she sees the captain as The Flood. She would do anything to save Keyes life, including risking the life of the MC. Although, in her eyes, he is quite capable to handle anything Halo can pitch at him.
Hope my thoughts have helped you in your time of need dudeski.

  • 06.16.2004 1:14 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Posted by: SPARTAN_3920
My main question is:
Why did Cortana send Master Chief out to stop Keyes without telling him about the flood?

She obviously knew because she's just been plugged into the control room of Halo (and installation to contain the flood), and your telling me its going to have absolutely nothing about the flood in its memory banks? She's getting information from left right and centre and from the way she talks its mainly about the flood. Shown by:
* "Those Covenant Fools! They must've known! There must've been signs!"
* "The Covenant found something, something buried deep inside this place, something horrible and now they're afraid."

One thing from what Cortana says ("The Covenant found something, something buried deep inside this place, something horrible and now they're afraid.") shows that the Flood have already been released. So what good would be rushing Master Chief to go stop Keyes except saving Keyes and some Marines? All it would do is make Master Chief absolutely clueless of the flood (basically sending him in to slit his own throat).

How long does it take for MC to call for a lift, locate Keye's last known position and get there? Keye's is 'still on route to the objective' about 1/3 through 'The Silent Cartographer' yet by the time Master Chief gets there Keye's is only just ahead of him (shown by the AR gun fire, that doesn't have any marines there if you get there in time). Are you telling me that Master Chief can waste all that time getting to the control room (AotCR) yet still be right behind the Keyes by the time he gets there? I aint buying that.

Obviously, the information is held so the flood can be a suprise but it would seem plausible to at least give Master Chief a little briefing. Obviously you don't want some AI construct spoiling the big suprise but once you've played 343 Guilty Spark the suprise is gone (unless you're memory is really bad of course).

What I would suggest is an alternate cutscene for once you've played 343 Guilty Spark. It would be Cortana telling you as much as she can about the flood by using the Control Room memory banks, of all the installation mind you! How much information do you need before you're going to shed some light on the situation to a clueless clone in an expensive, top notch suit?

I think Cortana has betrayed Master Chief a little because no-one who is trying to help would send a lonesome solidier out into the unknown without telling him some major details like the flood.

Like to hear anyone elses view on this topic.


The gunfire at the first would have to be the flood. First reason, the Covenant don't run from humans. Second, If you have the pistol when you cross the big tree, Use the zoom feature to watch the Covenant stationary gun. You will see something come and stand by it then run back to where the gun fire will be. That is a Flood form. Third, When Foe Hammer is dropping you off she says that they lost contact with keys dropship 12 hours ago, so, it has been a while since keys has been there.

[Edited on 6/16/2004 1:42:49 PM]

  • 06.16.2004 1:40 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

you quote the cutscene but not fully, it goes. Cortana:"It isnt a cudule you barbarian, its somthin much more, Halo was designed to.... no wait.. those covenant fools, They must of know there must of been signs." "The captian weve got to stop the captian!" MC: "Whats goin on?" Cortana "Theres NO TIME, Find a transport and find the captian NOW!" And mc turns and runs out. The covenant found the flood and were scared of the potential outbreak, They did thier best to lock them down, Now keyes Searching for the secret to using halo as a weapon, Found instead the flood, and as someone said Cortana was designed to be as human as possible, and to save human life when The cost is less than the reward. But she had no time to sit there and discuss the flood and what was going on over tea with the mc. So there you go, It was act fast or not at all.

  • 06.16.2004 1:58 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Cheers guys. I have a good memory of the accounts that happen in Halo but sometimes get muddled up and forget some things.

The points you made are correct, making most of my assumptions wrong. Good point about Cortana being AI (programmed to save Marines) and about the human emotion. Really helped my get my head straight.

  • 06.16.2004 2:52 PM PDT

Spamming Bungie since 2004!
Those who want to live, let them fight, and those who do not want to fight in this world of eternal struggle do not deserve to live.
GT-I Final I (i's)
Plz uze prper inglish n ur poasts!11! it makez it eazeer 2 reed!

Posted by: SPARTAN_3920
My main question is:
Why did Cortana send Master Chief out to stop Keyes without telling him about the flood?
How long does it take for MC to call for a lift, locate Keye's last known position and get there? Keye's is 'still on route to the objective' about 1/3 through 'The Silent Cartographer' yet by the time Master Chief gets there Keye's is only just ahead of him (shown by the AR gun fire, that doesn't have any marines there if you get there in time). Are you telling me that Master Chief can waste all that time getting to the control room (AotCR) yet still be right behind the Keyes by the time he gets there? I aint buying that.
What if the captain and his squad was on foot for most of the mission? And the dropship found them and took them to the objective. There's no proof that the dropship took them the whole way.

[Edited on 6/16/2004 3:05:24 PM]

  • 06.16.2004 3:04 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Or it could be because FoeHammer lost contact with Keyes and his squad 12 hours ago. Meaning around 12 hours ago they were dropped off and we didn't hear anymore from him (meaning he went into the underground facility).

  • 06.16.2004 3:12 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

It would be horribly stupid to fully explain to MC about the flood. Imagine you are cortana... sexy... but if someone you admired as much as Keys (say your mom or dad) had just gone down into that place with the flood. You would probably do what she did--tell MC they found something horrible and tell him to get his a$$ down there as fast as possible. If someone you admired was in extreme perril you wouldn't waste time painstakenly explaing to Chief about the flood and what they are. Cortana knew Keyes had to be saved so she told Chief to go as soon as possible.

[Edited on 6/16/2004 3:32:51 PM]

  • 06.16.2004 3:28 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

The books explain all of this. They tell you why Captain Keyes went down there and they explain, within the boundaries of being able to infer, the reason(s) that Cortana didn't tell the MC about the ring and the Flood when she was plugged into the data base of the control room.

  • 06.16.2004 6:20 PM PDT