- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
I think the repetition of "durability" is meant to give you different
perspectives on what the word means. In conjunction with the title
Infinity, the word durability would obviously have some connotation
with that, but as you mentioned, the word is similar to Durandal's
name as well.
The knife seems to have some connection with Durability as well,
because the toupeed man mutters "durability" while he is dying,
and the nameless female character in the dream becomes
obsessed with "durability" as well after she touches the knife.
We also know that the knife is the cause of the narrator's grief,
but he can't put the knife down for whatever reason.
If I were to venture a guess at what "durability" means, I would
say it meant immortality, but not in the traditional sense. It's my
belief that the Security Officer from Marathon is one of many
incarnations of Heroes throughout history, like the Kill Your
Television terminal seems to depict. I think the Jjaro are behind
these time warping shenanigans, (Forerunner possibly) and
send in this perfect combatant to bring balance to the universe.
Another reason I think the Jjaro send in the "hero" is the final
screen of M:i where it says something like grafted to
machines your builders did not understand. We know that
Forerunner outposts are scattered throughout the galaxy,
so it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say that the Mjolnir
technology is Jjaro (Forerunner). This could also explain why
343 GS recognizes your armor. (although I'm still puzzled
about that Marathon symbol glaring at me on his face)
Now, if durability has some connection with the knife, then
perhaps the knife is what gives the "hero" his immortality.
(or durability) The possiblity of immortality would be very
appealing to those who don't have it, so their obsession
would be understandable. It's odd that the narrator ignores
the word durability, but he may not even know he is "hero."
The KYT terminal mentions the river Lethe, which is the
river of forgetfulness, and souls that are to be reincarnated
drink from it.
This sets up an interesting irony. (if I'm even close to the
meaning of these terminals)
The knife is durability, (immortality) and is the object
of everyones desires in the terminals. The MiBs, the
toupeed men, and the nameless female. That's everyone
but the sanitation workers. The irony is the one person
that has the knife, (immortality) doesn't know (most of the
time) and is tortured by his fate. The problem is knowing
who has the knife. Is it the cyborg, or is it Durandal? Could
it be both? Maybe time will tell. . . maybe.