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  • Subject: Enkidu - Cortana Letters Revisted?
Subject: Enkidu - Cortana Letters Revisted?
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Posted by: Bobtomatoe
i do think they have found more flood.

i agree that i was glad to be done with the flood in HALO, but i guess we will see more of them in HALO 2.

as long as the story continues to be smooth! :)


but now that he's been "corrupted" (or whatever) he now believes his intelligence is too vast to be confined in a human.

yup - and this is similar to durandal's behavior after he went rampant. it would be interesting if E hooked up or went rampant after joining a similar ancient AI.

and where is the installation's keeper like spark was for the initial HALO. or was this an incomplete/ intial HALO which was abandon.



It's not a halo, it's a planet.

  • 05.08.2004 7:58 PM PDT
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Posted by: Bobtomatoe


and where is the installation's keeper like spark was for the initial HALO. or was this an incomplete/ intial HALO which was abandon.


Remember when E transfered down he had a few glitches and he patched them up with some sort of alien programming (i think). Maybe he found the installations keeper and broke him down and used his coding, thusly beginning the corruption. Another possibility is that the Installation AI could be tending to those causing the quakes? Or supervising repairs somewhere? Who knows...

  • 05.08.2004 7:59 PM PDT
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Posted by: Stitch
Posted by: Bobtomatoe


and where is the installation's keeper like spark was for the initial HALO. or was this an incomplete/ intial HALO which was abandon.


Remember when E transfered down he had a few glitches and he patched them up with some sort of alien programming (i think). Maybe he found the installations keeper and broke him down and used his coding, thusly beginning the corruption. Another possibility is that the Installation AI could be tending to those causing the quakes? Or supervising repairs somewhere? Who knows...



Again this is a planet not a halo, therefore, more than likely it is a basic Forerunner AI. Not a monitor.

  • 05.08.2004 8:03 PM PDT
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Well, may be a planet, but remember, Halo in the game is only referred to as Halo by the Covenant and Humans. By 343GS it is called Installation04, so other installations may be non ringworld types, but in the form of "planets" as well. So this may another "Halo", or rather, another installation.

  • 05.08.2004 8:12 PM PDT
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Posted by: Tartarus
We can then conclude that the JD is the halo equal to Gilgamesh. The new Enkidu AI is trying to (in a symbolic way) warn the JD character from coming to Frigid.


This seems to be right on....jd comes to frigid, messes around a little and releases the "vermin" (flood)

  • 05.08.2004 8:15 PM PDT
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In response to some of the posts regarding what has happened to Enkidu.

We have been told by Capt. Mathers in his letter to JD ("Sit(down)uation Report") that Enkidu patched himself with Forerunner code and that's what changed him. He wouldn't have needed another AI to steal code from, he had the AI part, all he needed was code that allowed him to interact with the Forerunner system (protocols, etc).

All the evidence points to Enkidu just being plain rampant:
1) access to a planetary network
2) modifying his coding
3) "rampant AI" in every terminals source code
4) the chapters/stages echoing the stages of rampantcy
5) Capt. Mathers telling JD to get Enkidu to cooperate

I wanted to repeat the deffinition of rampant. Some people seem to think Rampant means evil.
Rampant: flourishing excessively, unrestrained.
(taken from the Oxford English Dictionary)


[Edited on 5/8/2004 8:20:03 PM]

  • 05.08.2004 8:18 PM PDT
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Posted by: GS Destroy
That was my point - another option would be the data network, and knowing Bungie, that's a viable option as they never like to do things the same twice. (No wonder they're games are so good.)


Thank you! I finally found someone who agrees with me on the Flood issue - why would we want to play the same damned old boring game again? It'd be Halo on a planet this time, not Halo 2. But then again, I could be wrong.

As for a few other things...

I agree with Shifty's analysis of Enkidu's terminal signings - they seem to reflect a fragmented sense of self. As for the whole thing about Enkidu being not a man anymore, I've said before how, since he's been in the network and patched with Forerunner code, he has EVOLVED to something more than what a human AI could ever be. In other words, while his capacities and abilities are more than any other human AI at the moment in this network (and I'm gonna stick my neck out and say Cortana is included in this group), it is because he is now a hybrid AI, one made of human and Forerunner code - hence he is no more a man in the eyes of his creators - but he's still an AI.

As for the posts about 343 GS - stop it. This is not 343 GS. He died (vaporized, floating in space, whatever) in Halo. So far, the only way Enkidu can communicate with JD is via the terminals, and if it was another Monitor (like 343 GS), why communicate via terminal? Wouldn't it just show up in a blink of yellow energy and teleport around? For the function of a monitor, that would be much more efficient - and monitors would be able to move JD from places they don't like via teleportation. If there is a monitor on Frigid, we haven't seen him yet. Also, monitors, being in charge of their place, would not act like spoiled children or angry parents when people they can't stop go into things they aren't allowed to - they'd just instead try to find some way to stop them (ala 343 GS siccing his sentinels on MC).

I don't know what is behind the doors - perhaps a data core, or (here's an idea) the Index for the world of Frigid. We don't know if there is an Index for Frigid, but we also don't know if there isn't one either. Whatever it is, it is something that Enkidu doesn't want the others to see and/or have - and I don't think it's out of concern for JD and his friends, but more for himself and his own designs.

Maybe it's the little man behind the curtain pulling the levers and gears and speaking into the mouthpiece, trying to scare JD (and for all we know, the D could stand for Dorothy) from seeing the real him.

Now, here's a crazy-assed idea about WHY the Covenant want to kill the human race...

First off, BEFORE the Covenant encountered humans or Halo, they knew about the Flood somehow. They were able to neutralize the Flood, and afterwards were scared to death of them. Most likely because the Flood would have nearly kicked their butts out of existence.

Second, while the Covenant revere Forerunner tech, it doesn't necessarily mean that they revere the Forerunners themselves. For all we know, they could despise the Forerunners, but since none of them are around, the Covenant ruling cast (Prophets and Elites) acts like it likes them, for the sake of appearance.

Third - somehow, humans and Forerunners are connected, and the Covenant ruling castes know this and don't like it, because it somehow challenges and upsets the foundations of their own power base. For more on this, look up Nietzsche's analyses of religion and see how he equates priests (in his book "The Anti-Christ") as people who use their position to maintain power and control over others.
Solution? Kill the offenders - dead men don't tell secrets and can't answer questions.

Finally - when the Covenant came to Halo and found the Flood, they were afraid (Cortana - "The Covenant found something buried, something horrible, and now... they're afraid.") . How would they be afraid unless they automatically knew what it was, be it from legend, history, or experience as a race? They sent in a strike team to deal with the Flood, because they knew the magnitude of the threat. Perhaps their reverence for their technology is what prevented them from destroying the Truth and Reconciliation, whereas with the humans, tech was and is a lot more expendable. They were looking for more tech, but instead found something that they already knew could whup their ass like nothing else. So they chose to try and eradicate it, but not having had experience with disastrous outbreaks like humans have (and who are we to say? All that we've been hearing so far is the human side of all these stories - I'd love to get a primer on Covenant history).

Anyways, crazy ideas aside, I've been working a lot, so that's why I haven't been posting. As for the similarities between the original Cortana letters, the Enkidu terminals, and the Epic of Gilgamesh, well, all I have to say is that there are DEFINITELY connections between all of them.

Here is an excerpt from my copy of the text (Gilgamesh, Gardner, John and Maier, John; Vintage Books, 1984).

For I am the first and the last
I am the honored one and the scorned one.


and here's another doozy...

The one who saw the Abyss I will make the land know;
of him who knew all, let me tell the whole story
... in the same way...


and finally, here's an interesting description...

Two-thirds of him is divine, one-third human.
The image of his body the Great Goddess designed.
She added to him...


Now I don't know about you guys, but that last one sounded like a description of the MC, and more importantly, his "mother", Dr. Halsey.

Any comments?

  • 05.08.2004 8:21 PM PDT
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Posted by: psycho stevens
Well, may be a planet, but remember, Halo in the game is only referred to as Halo by the Covenant and Humans. By 343GS it is called Installation04, so other installations may be non ringworld types, but in the form of "planets" as well. So this may another "Halo", or rather, another installation.



No, that is not the Forerunner's style. They are perfect about everything. No reason to have the installations different. The halo contained the flood, it was a weapon. I don't think this planet could be the same kind of weapon. Especially with such a different design. That is the main reason I don't believe the Flood are here. Without 1 Installation firing, the others will not know there is trouble and the flood could escape. I think Frigid contains something different entirely.

  • 05.08.2004 8:25 PM PDT
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Posted by: GOD Halo Fan
In response to some of the posts regarding what has happened to Enkidu.

We have been told by Capt. Mathers in his letter to JD ("Sit(down)uation Report") that Enkidu patched himself with Forerunner code and that's what changed him. He wouldn't have needed another AI to steal code from, he had the AI part, all he needed was code that allowed him to interact with the Forerunner system (protocols, etc).

All the evidence points to Enkidu just being plain rampant:
1) access to a planetary network
2) modifying his coding
3) "rampant AI" in every terminals source code
4) the chapters/stages echoing the stages of rampantcy
5) Capt. Mathers telling JD to get Enkidu to cooperate

I wanted to repeat the deffinition of rampant. Some people seem to think Rampant means evil.
Rampant: flourishing excessively, unrestrained.
(taken from the Oxford English Dictionary)


I agree. Rampant, but also fragmented or troubled ("Tell me about your mother, Enkidu..."). Otherwise, why would he not just kill off JD? He needs him to do things, since he knows that JD can get the job done. JD is trying to come off as powerful, but he is also trying to hide his deficiencies as well with all of his big talk and threats to JD - remember, he couldn't stop him from getting into that oh-so secret cubbyhole, could he?

His "ego" seems malicious at points, but since the majority of E. is from a human brain (how they get AIs - read TFoR), his basic inclinations and loyalties lie with humans (though a part of the new him may not want to, otherwise).

  • 05.08.2004 8:28 PM PDT
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Posted by: Bring the Noise
Posted by: psycho stevens
Well, may be a planet, but remember, Halo in the game is only referred to as Halo by the Covenant and Humans. By 343GS it is called Installation04, so other installations may be non ringworld types, but in the form of "planets" as well. So this may another "Halo", or rather, another installation.



No, that is not the Forerunner's style. They are perfect about everything. No reason to have the installations different. The halo contained the flood, it was a weapon. I don't think this planet could be the same kind of weapon. Especially with such a different design. That is the main reason I don't believe the Flood are here. Without 1 Installation firing, the others will not know there is trouble and the flood could escape. I think Frigid contains something different entirely.


I agree. And even more evidence - why would Bungie want to bore us with the same damn stuff twice? No, methinks something much more wicked this way comes...

  • 05.08.2004 8:30 PM PDT
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Ogun:

Wow that's a nice big post... lots of input, good to see.
EDIT: (the first one on this page... again my slow typing rears it's ugly head)

I agree with most most of things your've said, but I wanted add some comments / point out a few things you missed.

First off Enkidu's "fragmented sense of self". This reminds me a lot of the Network Status (top left hand corner), which is always switching between Fragmented, Nominal, Expanding, etc. Also reminds me of one of my theories that Rampant AI's find it hard to define themselves, because they are expanding so much and have some many thinigs in their system.

343 GS didn't die in Halo, he escapes at the end. These events are also before Halo has finished. That said, 343 GS is NOT Enkidu so we are in total agreement.

The "one who saw the Abyss" is Cortana, she said so in one of her letters to Hamish.



[Edited on 5/8/2004 8:43:16 PM]

  • 05.08.2004 8:41 PM PDT
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You bring up some good points Ogun. First, I think I know where they could be going with this. The Flood unleashed on Frigid wouldn't do any good. Odds are that the MC isn't going there. Ever. But, let's say, there were a few ships just laying around on the planet. Things that fly to places, like the Sword of Justice. And well, this time there's no Pillar of Autumn to overload. And so what if the Flood take over a CCS class cruiser? "The Covenant are terrified the Flood will repair the shp and use it to escape Halo." So, then what? If the Flood get off Frigid? Well, the Flood slowly become smarter and they learn more and more. And let's say right about then, a message comes in from the Covenant high command. The time of the invasion has come (2nd time, not the first). And attached are coordinates to Sol... And boom! Then we've got the Flood on Earth, one hell of a problem, and a cool plot twist.

Just a possible scenario, but I think it sounds like fun. Makes humanity look kinda, you know, more screwed.

I'm going to comment on the rest later. I'm a little too tired right now.

  • 05.08.2004 8:43 PM PDT
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I have a theory that might not of been thrown to the wolves yet. I think that the Marines/Covenant are about to release a species that were contained by The Forerunners, but I don’t think it is the flood. These are the reasons why…..

1. Different locations: This is an ice planet not a halo. And while it’s possible to store the flood there the Forerunners must have had more then enough resources to build one more halo. Plus if this is in human space it is very close to halo, if it was the flood it would make more sense to put the flood on Halo. There was more then enough room to do this. On the other hand there are several reasons that it could be flood. Doesn’t she refer to the area as a weapons catch, same as halo right. Maybe that the Forerunner word for “containment area for dangerous galaxy destroying creatures” translates to “Weapon Catch” lol

2. Bungie likes to keep things fresh. Maybe the Forerunners were some type of zoo people (someone flame me for not using better wordage there). Maybe they liked to study and research dangerous species, it’s the only reason I can think off that they kept the flood around. If so that gives reason for them to keep other (maybe even deadlier) creatures then the flood. So maybe they are about to release a new type of species.

3. Don’t talk about fight club….. Oh wait never mind…..


[Edited on 5/8/2004 8:49:01 PM]

  • 05.08.2004 8:46 PM PDT
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I didn't think Halo was that close to Earth, from Reach the PoA lead the Covies away from Earth. I've often heard of that piece of space refered to a a "forgotten corner", dosen't sound like something near Earth to me...

  • 05.08.2004 9:00 PM PDT
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Hmmm good point, But maybe the forerunners had a better way of traveling. They were a huge empire. The space between Halo and and the ice planet (cant remember the name) might not of been very far to travel for them.

And besides wasnt Reach well inside human space?

Besides our Forgotten Corner might not be someone elses Forgotten Corner......

[Edited on 5/8/2004 9:08:24 PM]

  • 05.08.2004 9:05 PM PDT
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I think it's the closest one to Earth. I think the MC and Cortana have already set in motion the savior of humanity. I think humans were wiped out the last time the halos fired, but this time the nearest one can't fire and can't destroy Earth or anything in this section of the Galaxy. It can't fire because the Chief and Cortana blew it up. I believe that John and Cortana will give their lives by traveling to a distant halo and firing it, thus, saving humanity.

  • 05.08.2004 9:09 PM PDT
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The title of the 3rd chapter (stage) - "Credo in un dio crudel"- it comes from some opera and roughly translated means "I believe in a cruel God". Just throwing this out there so minds far greater than mine can tear it apart and decipher its meaning

  • 05.08.2004 9:12 PM PDT
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There was some speculation that lifeforms on a Halo itself could survive a firing.

  • 05.08.2004 9:18 PM PDT
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-Bring the Noise, that would be a very good way to end the game.

I dont know exactly how the halo works, but if the rings had fired/detonated wouldnt they be gone.....

[Edited on 5/8/2004 9:31:35 PM]

  • 05.08.2004 9:30 PM PDT
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Speculations, nothing more.

  • 05.08.2004 9:31 PM PDT
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Posted by: GOD Halo Fan
Ogun:

Wow that's a nice big post... lots of input, good to see.
EDIT: (the first one on this page... again my slow typing rears it's ugly head)

I agree with most most of things your've said, but I wanted add some comments / point out a few things you missed.

First off Enkidu's "fragmented sense of self". This reminds me a lot of the Network Status (top left hand corner), which is always switching between Fragmented, Nominal, Expanding, etc. Also reminds me of one of my theories that Rampant AI's find it hard to define themselves, because they are expanding so much and have some many thinigs in their system.

343 GS didn't die in Halo, he escapes at the end. These events are also before Halo has finished. That said, 343 GS is NOT Enkidu so we are in total agreement.

The "one who saw the Abyss" is Cortana, she said so in one of her letters to Hamish.



Okay... so I have this theory as to why the "network status" is always changing, and something more important in particular.

It's obvious that JD is changing his location, be it because of Covenant forces or "persuasion" by Enkidu. Remember that Capt. Mathers indicates that Enkidu remaps the entire battlenet down into the computer network that the installation has - but for some reason, Enkidu has control in some places and not such great control in others. That might be a clue as to the whole "network expanding/nominal/fragmented" messages, along with the other ones as well - the fact that JD's changing location is reflected by the terminals. It can also give us clues as to what is going on with Enkidu and the Covenant as well during that terminal transmission.

As for Cortana saying how she was the one who saw into the Abyss, well, I agree, but then look at the fact that that line comes from the tablets of the Tale of Gilgamesh, and how Gilgamesh's best friend was Enkidu. That is a direct link, even if it's just Bungie trying to mess with our heads. They are related, somehow, but how, I don't know.

I'll add more as I do more research.

  • 05.08.2004 9:31 PM PDT
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Posted by: Zk315
You bring up some good points Ogun. First, I think I know where they could be going with this. The Flood unleashed on Frigid wouldn't do any good. Odds are that the MC isn't going there. Ever. But, let's say, there were a few ships just laying around on the planet. Things that fly to places, like the Sword of Justice. And well, this time there's no Pillar of Autumn to overload. And so what if the Flood take over a CCS class cruiser? "The Covenant are terrified the Flood will repair the shp and use it to escape Halo." So, then what? If the Flood get off Frigid? Well, the Flood slowly become smarter and they learn more and more. And let's say right about then, a message comes in from the Covenant high command. The time of the invasion has come (2nd time, not the first). And attached are coordinates to Sol... And boom! Then we've got the Flood on Earth, one hell of a problem, and a cool plot twist.


This would be fine but for the fact that Bungie themselves have said that while the Covenant make it to Earth, the MC and Cortana will take the fight to the Covenant and THEIR homeworld (I read it somewhere about what the plot/story to Halo2 is going to be like, and while not saying much, they did say this - I'll link it if I find it in the future). So I don't think the Flood are going to be a plot twist because it would make for too long of a game (like we'd complain, though), but realistically, if Earth was infected, that just doesn't sound like the twisting, turning kind of surprise plot twist that Bungie has had in store in the past. It would be more of the same, to be honest.

And I just had a brain fart about how this is all going to turn out - for those of you who know about the story of Scipio Africanus and the sack of Carthage, well, I'll just say that MC is now also Scipio of Roman history.

More comments on THAT, I know, are gonna be forthcoming...

  • 05.08.2004 9:42 PM PDT
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Bungie state that the MC will take the fight to the Covenant in the FAQ. They don't mention a homeworld, but it wouldn't be much of an ending if they left the story hanging on some halfway world.

Also the new OXM article says that the S-player will be much longer, with Levels being at least 4 times as big...

I do agree that Flood would not be a very good plot twist - especially if we find out about them now.

  • 05.08.2004 9:51 PM PDT
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January 30, 2004 (Warthog's Day)
The Master Chief emerged from his code. After seeing his dynamically lit realtime shadow, he went back for 9 more months of development.


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Flood will play a small part in Halo 2 I believe. They have to be reintroduced to give us reason to find out who they are and in doing so find out more about the forerunner. I have reason to think we will go to the extinct flood homeworld.

  • 05.08.2004 10:25 PM PDT
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Oh I'm pretty sure Flood will be in Halo 2, I just don't think they're at Frigid.

  • 05.08.2004 10:27 PM PDT