Halo 3: ODST Forum
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  • Subject: Theories on what happened/happens
Subject: Theories on what happened/happens

I wish I was still legendary.

UPDATED

original theories are below this one, which i guess also doubles as a plot guess.


Revised theory (summary):

The ODSTs are being dropped directly onto a covenant carrier in order to try and capture a prophet, as the Chief was supposed to before the Halo Event. However, Dare orders them, at the last moment, to change direction and they change their trajectory - to the ONI building. The EMP follows immediately after this, and whilst the other five members of the Rookie's squad land conscious, he is knocked out. They find each other via radio communications and retreat to the ONI building, which looks to be built like a fortress, blowing the bridge behind them.

At this point, you may wonder why they blew the bridge when the Covenant could just fly over in phantoms. They wanted to slow them down, keep them away from whatever they were looking for - whatever was being kept inside/under the ONI facility. Dare was the only one who knew what this was, and was the one that ordered them to regroup/defend the site. It worked, slowing down the Covenant advance - at least for a while. Whatever was inside that building, they did NOT want the Covenant getting it.

From the gameplay trailer, we see that the ONI facility is now little more then a burning hulk, but the Covenant are still searching New Mombasa. What does this indicate? perhaps that there is a much larger underground area, not unlike HighCom at Reach, containing the most important research and artifacts? After all, HighCom/Castle Base had an 'air vent' that led to a massive underground antechamber containing a slipspace-warping crystal. It's feasible to believe something similar existed below Mombasa.

Now, since the building is burning very early on in the game, and the flashback appears to be at day, it seems safe to say it has burned down within the last two hours, the Rookie being out for at least four. The other ODSTs have made some attempt to reach him via radio, but, getting no response, assumed the worst. The fact that there is still a major Covenant presence in Mombasa indicates they have not found what they wanted, meaning the others could well still be alive - after all, if half of HighCom was underground, and 'unknown' artifacts such as the crystal even further below...

They could be alive, but hiding in the (theoretical) lower, more highly protected levels. It is proved that the superintendent has at least some control over this building or the surrounding area, due to his reluctance to blow up the bridge. Is it possible he/it had some form of override code for access to the building?


At the same time as this, the other 16 pods are all empty - being dropped and controlled remotely, as a diversion. It is possible some have troops inside, but seeing as they never communicate and only 5 other people are seen in the drop bay/briefing room it seems unlikely. They did NOT change their angle of impact, at least not as much. Although some have landed throughout Mombasa, they are still tightly sealed - this could mean they were actually stocked with supplies to be used by the squad, but since the plan failed never were. What it definitely means is that they were never 'popped', so either every ODST outside your 6-man squad died on impact or they simple never were there.

This may be unorthodox (supplies being dropped), but for a mission their size - finding one prophet in a ship that size (a few kilometres at least, from memory), and the sheer amount of hostiles inside, I'd say dropping some supplies throughout the ship is a reasonable measure.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------





seen here.

EDIT: I now know for sure that the carrier was the original target, having watched the gameplay.


Why were the ODST pods headed directly for Regret's craft? Is this Dare's 'change of course' that was declared shortly before the EMP? and if so, why?

My (first and original) theory:

Dare, as an ONI officer, was tasked with the same mission earlier given to the Master Chief - capture a covenant prophet. They took command of the ODST shock squad to do this, planning to land on (and hopefully puncture into) the covenant carrier. However, the unexpected slipspace jump completely screwed their plans, scattering them across the city.

Note the large amount of drop pods in this picture. Many are extremely close to the carrier, so it is possible that some ODSTs did, in fact, manage to get on board. But without a leader (Dare), they may not have been told what their objective was, and were subsequently killed/died on impact with the ship's shields and incredibly tough shell. There is also the possibility that those closest to, but not touching the ship were torn apart by the slipspace rupture.

Secondary theory:

Very similar, but some differences. Dare's plan was actually to use the SOIEV pods to barrage the Carrier's shield and overload it, allowing a UNSC ship to fire upon & destroy it. Why they wouldn't use empty pods for this is beyond me, but they may have been aiming to:

1: secure the ONI facility in mombasa.
2: destroy/damage the covenant carrier, or knock out its shields in order to allow a strike from either a SHIVA warhead attached to a remote-controlled longsword, or a MAC cannon barrage.

Basically, it could have been a suicide mission.


UPDATE:

Third theory:

The unmanned pods (16 now, since I counted about 22 in the image) were dropped to fluctuate the shields, allowing a MAC cannon to fire on either the shield generators (if possible), engines or slipspace drive. This would allow further HEV strikes on the ship without fear of it jumping beneath them and/or being killed on impact with the shields.

At the same time, The Rookie's squad was SUPPOSED to land on the ship once it was disabled, but Dare somehow realized it was going to jump (perhaps because the area with the generator (which is exposed, seen in Halo 2) started to glow) and ordered them to instead drop towards somewhere they were sure would be safe - The ONI facility in New Mombasa. They changed course, but not quickly enough - they were still hit by the shockwave and scattered around the area.

Upon landing, some of the squad found each other/fell in a tighter formation due to having changed course effectively (see the bridge scene - at lest 3 ODSTs are here) and retreated to the ONI building, but the rookie, having been crashed into, was knocked away from the group and landed a few kilometres away. We know due to a voice early in the gameplay trailer that the other ODSTs at least attempted to make contact, but since he did not reply (possibly due to being unconscious) they presumed he was dead and regrouped at the ONI facility, where they may still be. After all, they did blow out the bridge to stop the covenant, which leads to the next theory.

THEORY FOUR:

16 of the pods were unmanned, and being used as a distraction so the other six could land safely. Although they may have been originally tasked with infiltrating the carrier, Dare changed their co-ordinates to the ONI facility, possibly due to either realising what was in there was too valuable to let the covenant find (whether shield technology, forerunner relics or weaponry), or realising, as in the last theory, that the ship was going to jump and wanting to land 'her' squad safely.



What should be noted is that we only definitively know that 6 drop pods (The rookie, Romeo, Butch, Mick, Dare and Buck) actually had people in them, and may have been tasked to secure ONI headquarters originally before being told by Dare to change course. It should also be noted that at least 20 drop pods are visible in this screenshot alone, which leaves at least 14 to drop in numerous places on the ship's shields and at least disrupt it, even of only for a few seconds, or distract incoming fire from the inhabited pods dropped last.

Thoughts?

[Edited on 06.02.2009 2:50 AM PDT]

  • 06.01.2009 7:13 PM PDT
Subject: Why were the pods heading for Regret's Carrier? A theory.

They wanted to copy MC landing on Miranda's ship, but classier.

  • 06.01.2009 7:15 PM PDT

My talents include always knowing the wrong thing to say.

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Posted by: llamalizard
seen here.

This is probably unimportant, but I found it odd - why were the ODST pods headed directly for Regret's craft? Is this Dare's 'change of course' that was declared shortly before the EMP? and if so, why?

My theory:

Dare, as an ONI officer, was tasked with the same mission earlier given to the Master Chief - capture a covenant prophet. They took command of the ODST shock squad to do this, planning to land on (and hopefully puncture into) the covenant carrier. However, the unexpected slipspace jump completely screwed their plans, scattering them across the city.

Note the large amount of drop pods in this picture. Many are extremely close to the carrier, so it is possible that some ODSTs did, in fact, manage to get on board. But without a leader (Dare), they may not have been told what their objective was, and were subsequently killed/died on impact with the ship's shields and incredibly tough shell. There is also the possibility that those closest to, but not touching the ship were torn apart by the slipspace rupture.

Secondary theory:

Very similar, but some differences. Dare's plan was actually to use the SOIEV pods to barrage the Carrier's shield and overload it, allowing a UNSC ship to fire upon & destroy it. Why they wouldn't use empty pods for this is beyond me, but they may have been aiming to:

1: secure the ONI facility in mombasa.
2: destroy/damage the covenant carrier, or knock out its shields in order to allow a strike from either a SHIVA warhead attached to a remote-controlled longsword, or a MAC cannon barrage.

Basically, it could have been a suicide mission.

What should be noted is that we only definitively know that 6 drop pods (The rookie, Romeo, Butch, Mick, Dare and Buck) actually had people in them, and may have been tasked to secure ONI headquarters originally before being told by Dare to change course. It should also be noted that at least 20 drop pods are visible in this screenshot alone, which leaves at least 14 to drop in numerous places on the ship's shields and at least disrupt it, even of only for a few seconds.

Thoughts?

First plan seems legit, but the second would kill them all, and some carriers can take a MAC shot and keep shields up. The second one is highly unlikely. I guess we'll see.

  • 06.01.2009 7:16 PM PDT

http://www.forgehub.com/forum/aesthetic-maps/68563-sphinx.htm l#post850282
http://www.forgehub.com/forum/competitive-maps/69714-coventry .html#post860181
http://www.forgehub.com/forum/competitive-maps/69421-ivory-to wer-h3.html#post857275
http://www.forgehub.com/forum/competitive-maps/69648-hangem-h igh.html#post859461
http://www.bungie.net/Online/Halo3UserContentDetails.aspx?h3f ileid=75416482
http://www.forgehub.com/forum/competitive-maps/69452-blamnati on-h1.html#post857500

They probably wanted to drop ODSTs onto the ship to breach it and capture the prophet but the unexpected slip space jump set off their initial plans.

  • 06.01.2009 7:16 PM PDT

Brains beats brawn get used to it

Fear the Red Comet

Variety is the spice of life.
Long live games.
Death to all fanboys.

Judging from the logs from B.Net leading to the ODST teaser trailers, and also from in game dialogue from Dare and what appears to be Buck from Staten's demo of the game, it appears that Dare's objective was never the Carrier in the first place. They change direction at the last second and one of the ODSTs makes note of it indicating the carrier was their original target all along, but that seemed to be a cover up by Dare as she seems to be looking for something else. From the sounds of it (though I could barely hear and make it out), it sounds like her objective isn't the carrier, but what the carrier's forces were attempting to find.

  • 06.01.2009 7:16 PM PDT
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I like your first theory it could be either that or the carrier wasnt expected to be there. Or there were multiple missions going on at once. The rookie probably was sent on a ground mission to destroy the covenant forses in New Mombasa.

  • 06.01.2009 7:16 PM PDT

I wish I was still legendary.

Posted by: StealthSlasher2
Judging from the logs from B.Net leading to the ODST teaser trailers, and also from in game dialogue from Dare and what appears to be Buck from Staten's demo of the game, it appears that Dare's objective was never the Carrier in the first place. They change direction at the last second and one of the ODSTs makes note of it indicating the carrier was their original target all along, but that seemed to be a cover up by Dare as she seems to be looking for something else. From the sounds of it (though I could barely hear and make it out), it sounds like her objective isn't the carrier, but what the carrier's forces were attempting to find.


This is plausible too...maybe they were looking for some form of Forerunner relic that was contained inside ONI HQ, and the ODSTs were sent down in order to either repel the Covenant or destroy the artifact?

To revise my second theory:

perhaps the launched 6 manned and 14+ unmanned pods, in an attempt to bring down the carrier's shields. From there, a MAC blast would be directed at the engines/generator (which, according to Halo 2, is suspiciously underprotected & exposed) , hopefully crippling/immobilizing the Carrier. The 6 manned pods would then land on and hopefully puncture the ship, thereby leading into the objective of capturing a covenant prophet.

It was done to the Truth and Reconcoliation, it could be done to Regret's carrier.

  • 06.01.2009 7:24 PM PDT

Without me, it's just "Aweso".

Personally, I agree with your fisrt theory, which is what I believed. But perhaps some ODSTs did puncture the ship, but only a few due to the slipspace rupture, which combined with their disorganization as quite a few officers probably missed as well, would have caused them to be easy prey for the covenant on board.

  • 06.01.2009 7:29 PM PDT

I wish I was still legendary.

Posted by: mike120593
Personally, I agree with your fisrt theory, which is what I believed. But perhaps some ODSTs did puncture the ship, but only a few due to the slipspace rupture, which combined with their disorganization as quite a few officers probably missed as well, would have caused them to be easy prey for the covenant on board.


That would be what my first thought was. I thought of the second one after seeing how many pods there were, and thinking - 'hang on, don't those carriers have shields?)

I should probably add the theory about how they unmanned pods were dropped to disrupt the shields to allow a ship to disable either the engines, shield generators or slipspace drive on the Carrier. POA did it without anything dropping the shields (truth and reconciliation), with 3 weaker MAC blasts, so it's possible.

  • 06.01.2009 7:42 PM PDT
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Sounds possible, I guess...I think Dare is evil though.

  • 06.01.2009 8:19 PM PDT

Brains beats brawn get used to it

Fear the Red Comet

Variety is the spice of life.
Long live games.
Death to all fanboys.

Posted by: llamalizard
Posted by: mike120593
Personally, I agree with your fisrt theory, which is what I believed. But perhaps some ODSTs did puncture the ship, but only a few due to the slipspace rupture, which combined with their disorganization as quite a few officers probably missed as well, would have caused them to be easy prey for the covenant on board.


That would be what my first thought was. I thought of the second one after seeing how many pods there were, and thinking - 'hang on, don't those carriers have shields?)

I should probably add the theory about how they unmanned pods were dropped to disrupt the shields to allow a ship to disable either the engines, shield generators or slipspace drive on the Carrier. POA did it without anything dropping the shields (truth and reconciliation), with 3 weaker MAC blasts, so it's possible.


From the sounds of the dialogue though and from the text from b.net, it seems as though the ODST attempt to take the carrier was merely a cover up for the true objective. Looking back at the demo vid. Dare ordered the course correction away from the carrier before Regret's Carrier even begun the slipspace jump.

Remember in Halo 2 In Amber Clad had no intention of trying to attack the carrier, but instead to stealthily follow it. Perhaps there is a greater conspiracy dealing more with ONI and the city than with the carrier at all. The carrier's pressence perhaps merely sparked greater interest for ONI to do careful recon of the New Mombasa area closer to ground zero (by which I'm refering to what was at the time the Covenant LZ rather than the point of the slipspace rupture).

  • 06.01.2009 8:24 PM PDT
Subject: My theory on why the squad changed course/headed for the carrier

I wish I was still legendary.

Posted by: StealthSlasher2
Posted by: llamalizard
Posted by: mike120593
Personally, I agree with your first theory, which is what I believed. But perhaps some ODSTs did puncture the ship, but only a few due to the slipspace rupture, which combined with their disorganisation as quite a few officers probably missed as well, would have caused them to be easy prey for the covenant on board.


That would be what my first thought was. I thought of the second one after seeing how many pods there were, and thinking - 'hang on, don't those carriers have shields?)

I should probably add the theory about how they unmanned pods were dropped to disrupt the shields to allow a ship to disable either the engines, shield generators or slipspace drive on the Carrier. POA did it without anything dropping the shields (truth and reconciliation), with 3 weaker MAC blasts, so it's possible.


From the sounds of the dialogue though and from the text from b.net, it seems as though the ODST attempt to take the carrier was merely a cover up for the true objective. Looking back at the demo vid. Dare ordered the course correction away from the carrier before Regret's Carrier even begun the slipspace jump.

Remember in Halo 2 In Amber Clad had no intention of trying to attack the carrier, but instead to stealthily follow it. Perhaps there is a greater conspiracy dealing more with ONI and the city than with the carrier at all. The carrier's presence perhaps merely sparked greater interest for ONI to do careful recon of the New Mombasa area closer to ground zero (by which I'm referring to what was at the time the Covenant LZ rather than the point of the slipspace rupture).


Read the update. I said something like this, with the other drop pods either being a diversion so that these 6 could land and secure ONI facility, which, seeing as the covenant seemed relatively desperate to get to it ( a couple of wraiths & some banshees), may well have had something they wanted - whether artifact or superior technology. This would also explain blowing the bridge - keep the Covenant away as much as possible, at least their heavy weaponry, and stop them getting inside.

[Edited on 06.01.2009 8:36 PM PDT]

  • 06.01.2009 8:27 PM PDT
Subject: Why were the pods heading for Regret's Carrier? A theory.

I am a forum shark.

i think dare will kill all of the remaining ODST's and try to kill you last with ONI tech

  • 06.01.2009 8:34 PM PDT

I wish I was still legendary.

Posted by: SkyDisCharge
i think dare will kill all of the remaining ODST's and try to kill you last with ONI tech


A lot of people think that, but we got told we would never meet the main villain a long time ago, which rules it out for me.

  • 06.01.2009 8:44 PM PDT
Subject: Theories on what happened/happens

I wish I was still legendary.

Moved to OP.

[Edited on 06.02.2009 2:54 AM PDT]

  • 06.01.2009 11:38 PM PDT

I wish I was still legendary.

Nobody likes my wall.

  • 06.02.2009 7:06 PM PDT

Without me, it's just "Aweso".

Nice theory!

  • 06.02.2009 7:08 PM PDT