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Subject: Cortana == Offensive Bias??

I haven't read the books, but I've played the games and read the terminals.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but it sure seemed to me that the twist at the end of Halo: Reach (cause let's face it a twist/revelation was necessary or else Reach would be a complete formality story-wise), and in fact the last piece of the Halo 'puzzle,' was that Cortana is actually a Forerunner AI. Discovered in that underground installation where Noble team found Halsey, and the real key to winning the war.

This would explain two otherwise unsatisfactory elements of the overall Halo storyline: (a) why Pillar of Autumn conveniently winds up at the HaloCE installation after a supposedly 'random' jump through slipspace. and (b) why the Covenant/Flood/MB could be thwarted by a tiny fighting force of Spartans/marines.

Let me explain that second point a bit more, and how it relates to Offensive Bias. Obviously it's a game, so it's not unsurprising when lone heroes triumph against all odds, but in the context of a vast, well thought out storyline/history/mythology, it's a little awkward. There was something that Cortana said, though - she chose John117 as her Spartan because he had 'something the others lacked - luck.' This reminds me of a quote from Offensive Bias during the final naval battle between the Forerunner and Flood - 'I continue to fight just well enough to seem lucky.' In other words, although the OB/Forerunner forces faced overwhelming opposition and seemed to fight miraculously well (deja vu?), what seemed like good luck was actually down to a grander strategy being executed as planned.

What I'm saying is this: Masterchief was able to defeat whole armies not because he's some sort of god/demon, but because Cortana possessed the tactical genius necessary to turn tiny opportunities into fatal weak-spots. Almost as if she was created to be the ultimate military strategist, created by some race of superior intelligence to defeat their deadliest enemies...

ie. she was Offensive Bias, whose fate was never otherwise disclosed, and whose express purpose was to defeat Mendicant Bias and Gravemind in battle, and who was quite literally 'combat evolved.'

Proof? Don't really have any except that it fits nicely, the 'lucky' quotes, and that the name Cortana is derived from the name for a mythical sword (ie. offensive weapon). Oh, and also that she engineers a return to Forerunner space at the end of Halo 3 once the Flood are vanquished, disguising it, of course, as another coincidence rather like the jump that brought us to the first Halo.

As I say I've not read the books, and I don't know how much they're considered 'canon' and how conflicting they are. I remember reading some stuff about how Cortana is a image of Halsey's brain but that always seemed vague, and strange because why wouldn't they just make loads of Cortanas and constantly kick Covenant ass. Sounded like a cover story, setting us up for the big reveal at the end of Reach (the game). Also, maybe other people have already suggested this theory.

  • 01.10.2011 1:23 PM PDT

Seriously Oak, Ive been doing this -blam!- for 16 years, gimmie my Friggen starter Pokemon and dont call me till im the champion! ¬_¬

im not soo sure, Cortana is an exact replica of halsey, but as i just mentioned to someone else, she got "Something" from that structure under reach, some sort of knowledge, so im guessing personally it could be a segment of medecent bias

  • 01.10.2011 1:26 PM PDT

I don't own a copy of Reach so I can't check right now, but wasn't it quite straight forward what happened:

1. Noble Team fight their way down to the subterranean Forerunner site where they find Halsey
2. Halsey says something about ignoring their current orders, because what she has discovered is far more important and could 'turn the tide of the war'
3. She explains she's found a Forerunner AI down there inside the installation
4. She puts it in a capsule, gives it to Noble team, and charges them with delivering 'the package' to Pillar of Autumn
5. It turns out to be Cortana (who was not in the game or mentioned prior to this point)

I mean, that's what happened, right? If it's not, could someone clear that up for me...

  • 01.10.2011 1:37 PM PDT

Posted by: AquaBlader
Soon to be breaking news:


US Coast Guard prepares for massive rescue mission after Iranian fleet sinks off shore. Reports say a small thunderstorm caused most of the ships to simply...fall apart.

Cortana isn't a Forerunner AI. She was created from a flash clone of Halsey's brain (correct me if I'm wrong). I'm not sure exactly what Halsey found, but I think it was some Forerunner data. Cortana was analyzing the data.

  • 01.10.2011 1:51 PM PDT
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wrong. Do you even own halsey's journal? I doubt it. cortana is an AI made from the brain of halsey, as stated in the journal and fall of reach book. There was a fragment of cortana in the tunnels under sword base that accompanied halsey (while the actual cortana was aboard the poa) to extract knowledge and information from the forerunner artifact underground. The information extracted had the locations to halo, which is why the poa ended up at halo. therefore, cortana =/= offensive bias.

  • 01.10.2011 2:04 PM PDT

Interesting, but a few problems.

Cortana jumped to Halo on a jump based on the coordinates retrieved via the Sigma Octanus artifact, not randomly

The reason they didn't create multiple Cortanas is because she was a test. If they had, Dr. Halsey--the second most vital piece of the Human's efforts next to the SIIs--would have very easily have been killed in the cloning process.

Cortana did not send the Chief to the Legendary Planet; the Ark Portal can send people to multiple destinations. Medicant Bias was the one who sent the Chief to the Planet.

Though it is an interesting concept considering we know nohing about Offensive's fate.

[Edited on 01.10.2011 2:09 PM PST]

  • 01.10.2011 2:08 PM PDT

By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

Cortana was created by Halsey in 2549, this theory is officially debunked.

  • 01.10.2011 2:21 PM PDT

KIWIZ RULE THE WORLD!

Its just that nobody knows it yet...

Cortana was made with hasleys brain but forrunner tech ( with a little bit of human tech).

  • 01.10.2011 2:33 PM PDT

Doesn't that make it quite open to interpretation then, if Cortana was made with a mix of human and Forerunner technology? The Halsey/humanAI part could just be, like, a 'wrapper' for a legacy system (a Forerunner AI in this case).

However if the package was actually just some Forerunner data with coordinates for the Halo on it, which Cortana had been working on, then that's a simpler explanation for events. Except that a) from what i recall that really didn't seem like what happened in Halo: Reach and b) why does Cortana act so coy about it? Why doesn't she just say, like, 'hey Chief, Halsey gave me this Forerunner data so we're going to like check out this Halo installation'. Seems to me that Cortana was 'playing dumb' for most of the series - which would make sense if she was actually Forerunner, but not so much if she just had some Forerunner USB sticks

  • 01.10.2011 2:41 PM PDT

By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

Cortana was created solely with human tech, nothing Forerunner involved, she is a smart AI like any other.

Also, the Latchkey Artefact's purpose and the data it carried has never been said. They already had Installation 04's coordinates from the battle of Sigma Octanus IV.

  • 01.10.2011 2:44 PM PDT

So the whole 'package' thing that is the whole point of Reach (the game) is never actually explained at all? It's just a McGuffin?

Considering this was the final Halo game and a chance to tie up any loose ends, AND deliver a satisfying final chapter to the story... doesn't that seem a tad unlikely to you? I thought the obvious implication was that Cortana WAS the package. Now maybe i misinterpreted, but it seems strange they'd just throw in some redundant Forerunner 'secret' at the last moment (if we don't know what it is now, we'll probably never know because as we know the saga is concluded. we know exactly what Cortana did from that point onwards)

I put it to you that -
a) maybe the Cortana=clone/AI story was just a cover up
b) maybe the books or whatever other sources contradict the games? maybe they decided on a better story and don't care too much about writing off some prior literary development?
c) maybe there's supposed to be conflicting versions of events. Bungie have done that before with Marathon where you had to figure out for yourself which version of events was 'the truth', as everything was a 'source' of questionable integrity

  • 01.10.2011 3:10 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: Traxus 04
So the whole 'package' thing that is the whole point of Reach (the game) is never actually explained at all? It's just a McGuffin?

Considering this was the final Halo game and a chance to tie up any loose ends, AND deliver a satisfying final chapter to the story... doesn't that seem a tad unlikely to you? I thought the obvious implication was that Cortana WAS the package. Now maybe i misinterpreted, but it seems strange they'd just throw in some redundant Forerunner 'secret' at the last moment (if we don't know what it is now, we'll probably never know because as we know the saga is concluded. we know exactly what Cortana did from that point onwards)

I put it to you that -
a) maybe the Cortana=clone/AI story was just a cover up
b) maybe the books or whatever other sources contradict the games? maybe they decided on a better story and don't care too much about writing off some prior literary development?
c) maybe there's supposed to be conflicting versions of events. Bungie have done that before with Marathon where you had to figure out for yourself which version of events was 'the truth', as everything was a 'source' of questionable integrity


I don't understand why it's so complicated. Cortana is a human made AI. She is at the Forerunner structure to process the data stored there. You are sent to retrieve that part of Cortana filled with vital data and bring it to the Autumn to unite with the rest of the Autumn. For those that only get a whiff of the game it is strongly implied at the end of the game in the prologue that the data that Cortana retrieved from the artifact contained the coordinates to Halo. For those reading the book it's a combination of that data and the sigma octanus rock artifact data. Simple. No where do they even imply in Reach that Cortana is a Forerunner construct of any sort.

  • 01.10.2011 3:39 PM PDT

Oh hey there

Posted by: petarded2
It's a metaphor for the 07s' lack of identity. too old to be newfa­g, yet too new to be oldfa­g, we wander b.net in search of a home, forever trying to be something we are not.

Posted by: Traxus 04
I haven't read the books, but I've played the games and read the terminals.

You should read the books.

  • 01.10.2011 3:43 PM PDT


Posted by: Traxus 04
Doesn't that make it quite open to interpretation then, if Cortana was made with a mix of human and Forerunner technology?


Which is why its still a possibility you're right. I only say a theory is wrong when it is 100% proven wrong.

  • 01.10.2011 3:57 PM PDT

Cortana is not a forerunner ai, she was with halsey collecting the data from the forerunner artifact.

This entire thread is wrong.

  • 01.10.2011 4:04 PM PDT
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I like the Mk V armor.

Cortana is not -blam!- forerunner dumb asses, but a human AI designed to be extremely intelligent, because shes cloned from a cloned brain, which belongs to Halsey, and designed to help crack open codes and what not.

She was split in half to help Halsey and Keyes at the same time. So she is not half and half either. Just saying right there.

So, my conclusion, your retarded for basing things off your own knowledge before checking. I really believe you are retarded. And nothing will convince me other wise. I hate people who don't check before being a dip-blam!-.

  • 01.10.2011 4:11 PM PDT
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I like the Mk V armor.


Posted by: StealthSlasher2

Posted by: Traxus 04
So the whole 'package' thing that is the whole point of Reach (the game) is never actually explained at all? It's just a McGuffin?

Considering this was the final Halo game and a chance to tie up any loose ends, AND deliver a satisfying final chapter to the story... doesn't that seem a tad unlikely to you? I thought the obvious implication was that Cortana WAS the package. Now maybe i misinterpreted, but it seems strange they'd just throw in some redundant Forerunner 'secret' at the last moment (if we don't know what it is now, we'll probably never know because as we know the saga is concluded. we know exactly what Cortana did from that point onwards)

I put it to you that -
a) maybe the Cortana=clone/AI story was just a cover up
b) maybe the books or whatever other sources contradict the games? maybe they decided on a better story and don't care too much about writing off some prior literary development?
c) maybe there's supposed to be conflicting versions of events. Bungie have done that before with Marathon where you had to figure out for yourself which version of events was 'the truth', as everything was a 'source' of questionable integrity


I don't understand why it's so complicated. Cortana is a human made AI. She is at the Forerunner structure to process the data stored there. You are sent to retrieve that part of Cortana filled with vital data and bring it to the Autumn to unite with the rest of the Autumn. For those that only get a whiff of the game it is strongly implied at the end of the game in the prologue that the data that Cortana retrieved from the artifact contained the coordinates to Halo. For those reading the book it's a combination of that data and the sigma octanus rock artifact data. Simple. No where do they even imply in Reach that Cortana is a Forerunner construct of any sort.

That and it literally states in the newest released book, her journal, that she is her cloned AI, out of 27. Only two lived, and Serina dies.

So, as others have said in politer ways, this gys dumber than a -blam!- boot.

  • 01.10.2011 4:14 PM PDT

Well if it actually does explicitly say in the books that Halo was located due to a combiation of the data under Castle on Reach and the data from some other artifact they'd already found, then certainly that would disprove this.

I can't be bothered reading the books though, cause people say they contradict other canon anyway. Maybe I'll read the new one though since it's a whole different story.

Posted by: StealthSlasher2

Posted by: Traxus 04
So the whole 'package' thing that is the whole point of Reach (the game) is never actually explained at all? It's just a McGuffin?

Considering this was the final Halo game and a chance to tie up any loose ends, AND deliver a satisfying final chapter to the story... doesn't that seem a tad unlikely to you? I thought the obvious implication was that Cortana WAS the package. Now maybe i misinterpreted, but it seems strange they'd just throw in some redundant Forerunner 'secret' at the last moment (if we don't know what it is now, we'll probably never know because as we know the saga is concluded. we know exactly what Cortana did from that point onwards)

I put it to you that -
a) maybe the Cortana=clone/AI story was just a cover up
b) maybe the books or whatever other sources contradict the games? maybe they decided on a better story and don't care too much about writing off some prior literary development?
c) maybe there's supposed to be conflicting versions of events. Bungie have done that before with Marathon where you had to figure out for yourself which version of events was 'the truth', as everything was a 'source' of questionable integrity


I don't understand why it's so complicated. Cortana is a human made AI. She is at the Forerunner structure to process the data stored there. You are sent to retrieve that part of Cortana filled with vital data and bring it to the Autumn to unite with the rest of the Autumn. For those that only get a whiff of the game it is strongly implied at the end of the game in the prologue that the data that Cortana retrieved from the artifact contained the coordinates to Halo. For those reading the book it's a combination of that data and the sigma octanus rock artifact data. Simple. No where do they even imply in Reach that Cortana is a Forerunner construct of any sort.

  • 01.10.2011 4:20 PM PDT
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  • Exalted Legendary Member

This signature is now diamonds.
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Every time I look at my member title, all I can think is, "-blam!-, I'm old..."

Cortana is not a forerunner AI.

She was created from a flashclone of Dr. Halsey's brain. No Forerunner tech was used in her implementation.

Halsey says that "Before you is an alien artifact neither human or Covenant in origin. Advanced beyond our comprehension...until now. Thanks to Noble Two, the decryption of its data is nearly complete." In this quote, she is talking about the huge Forerunner structure in this area of the Package, not an AI.

When you enter her lab, she says that this artifact contains "Knowledge. A birthright from an ancient civilization. This AI is its custodian, and she has chosen you as her carriers." A custodian is someone who is responsible for something valuable. This does not, however, mean that she came from the artifact.

You should read this and this and this article on the Halo Wiki to learn more about Cortana and the general AI creation process.

And you should read the damn books. There are no canon breaks.

[Edited on 01.10.2011 4:29 PM PST]

  • 01.10.2011 4:28 PM PDT

Nope.

Cortana was manufactured from a flash clone of Dr. Halseys brain, and the "random" jump was generated by Cortana from co-ordinates found on an artifact that was recoverd by Blue Team from Cote D'Azure.

  • 01.10.2011 7:26 PM PDT

I like video games, Jesus, music, and love my girlfriend. :) PM me, we'll talk.

Title is very misleading.

  • 01.10.2011 7:32 PM PDT
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UWG

My jokes, so I don't lose them (ignore this):
ZedFish's Opinion on Sgt. Foley.
ZedFish's Forerunner Rickroll.

Cortana was created in the late 2540's (2547?), so by 2552 she'd be 5 years old.

She wasn't discovered in the ruins; she was studying them.

Also:
This would explain two otherwise unsatisfactory elements of the overall Halo storyline: (a) why Pillar of Autumn conveniently winds up at the HaloCE installation after a supposedly 'random' jump through slipspace.

Cortana's jump wasn't random, but it wasn't because she's Forerunner.
In Halo: Fall of Reach, a Forerunner crystal is discovered and revealed to be a "star map"; it is hinted that Cortana launched the jump to co-ordinates she had remembered from the crystal: i.e., to Installation 04.

[Edited on 01.10.2011 8:44 PM PST]

  • 01.10.2011 8:42 PM PDT

Sour0deez is the leader of the t-P-t
And Administrator of The Clan Union Group
this file is not linked to sour0deez due to technical difficulties this file is linked to MUGBEER19 also IMPORTANT here my name is sourodeez on xbox it is sour0deez

but what about that forrunner fragment she found? sounds like one of the biases

  • 01.11.2011 4:33 AM PDT

Per Audacia Ad Astra!

Nailed it..........
This whole thread is awesome though, lots of lulz and great discussion.

  • 01.11.2011 12:55 PM PDT

Per Audacia Ad Astra!

I meant stealth slasher pretty much nailed it in his post, and I think most of you are personally expanding on details of the fiction that have yet to be completely solidified or cleared up.

  • 01.11.2011 12:57 PM PDT

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