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  • Subject: Theory on The Captive (Spoilers)
Subject: Theory on The Captive (Spoilers)

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"Sometimes life gives you lemons, and then you have to say 'f**k the lemons' and bail."

If you're reading this, you need to stop stalking me. If you can't stop stalking me, you might as well go here.

Okay, so in their conversation with The Didact, The Captive claims to be the last remaining Precursor; let's run with that.

The Captive states that The Forerunners were created by the Precursors, which The Forerunners themselves also believe, so I'll take his word for it. However, the real revelation comes when The Captive reveals that it was The Forerunners who destroyed the Precursors: dun dun dunnn!

What we need to keep in mind here is that The Captive was originally found on Charum Hakkor imprisoned using Precursor technology. Whoever this guy was, another Precursor(s?) thought that he should be held against his will for all eternity; this guy might have been an -blam!-.

So why would The Precursors imprison one of their own for all time?

I'm just throwing an idea out there, but maybe the Precursors were divided. Think of this: the Precursors, after giving life to all in the galaxy, are at the top of the food chain. As it's said that the Precursor's are able to speed-up the evolution of a species, they do so with their "children."

Much like the Forerunner considered themselves superior to the Humans, some Precursors feel that, as the holders of The Mantle, they have dominion over all life. They feel that further evolution of the species they created will threaten their power. Tension between the two sects ensure, and these Precursors begin slaughtering Forerunners/Humans/etc, as a means of "population control." The other side, who still follow the true purpose behind The Mantle, strike back, in defense of The Forerunners/Humans/etc.

Civil War breaks out, with the Mantle-purists having the advantage of Forerunner and Human allies.

In a desperate attempt to regain control, the Precursor separatists create The Flood, which devastates the other Precursors.

While The Mantle-purist are defeating the Precursor Separatists, both sides are also being consumed by The Flood. The Mantle-purists find a way to neutralize the Flood, but the damage has been done. However, before they a completely defeated, the Mantle-purists capture a high-ranking officer of The Precursor Separatist's militant forces, and imprison it on Charum Hakkor.

The Separatists, or at least what's left of them, are ravaged by their own creation, and use the fallen Mantle-purists' solution to The Flood, and The Flood is forced into a dormant state.

In their weakened state, what is left of the Precursor Separatists are defeated by The Forerunners.

Brought to the brink of extinction themselves, very few Forerunners remain, and memory of the war quickly fades in to oblivion after several generations.

[Edited on 01.19.2011 10:20 AM PST]

  • 01.19.2011 10:19 AM PDT

I don't care. I really don't.

Wow, that makes sense and I can't find any holes in it. *thumbs up*

[Edited on 01.19.2011 10:40 AM PST]

  • 01.19.2011 10:40 AM PDT

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"Sometimes life gives you lemons, and then you have to say 'f**k the lemons' and bail."

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Posted by: Venator82
Wow, that makes sense and I can't find any holes in it. *thumbs up*
The only thing that I feel is a stretch is that the Purists would simply lock up one of their enemies. Then again, as they're trying to stay true to the Mantle, they could be trying to preserve his life in order to broker a treaty, which obviously doesn't end well in this theory.

Given what we currently know, it kinds of fits with the theme, as we learn in Cryptum that The Forerunners weren't all they've been cracked up to be, and that, in general, they were a bunch of elitist hypocrites.

  • 01.19.2011 10:51 AM PDT

Brains beats brawn get used to it

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Seems like a solid theory.

I can't help but feel though that there's going to be a random twist involving the Captive that none of us can see though. Something much like the revelations behind ancient humanity, the prophets, and their ties to the Flood. For all we know Bear is going to reveal that the Captive is some sort of all knowing being that threatened even the Precursors, but was ultimately imprisoned. Now it just wants to screw around with the lesser species like humanity and the Forerunners just for -blam!- and giggles. Guess we'll just see when the next book comes out...whenever that is.

  • 01.19.2011 10:55 AM PDT

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"Sometimes life gives you lemons, and then you have to say 'f**k the lemons' and bail."

If you're reading this, you need to stop stalking me. If you can't stop stalking me, you might as well go here.

Posted by: StealthSlasher2
I can't help but feel though that there's going to be a random twist involving the Captive that none of us can see though.
Oh definitely. I fully expect my theory to be 100% off. Something much like the revelations behind ancient humanity, the prophets, and their ties to the Flood.What almost made me laugh is how nonchalant he went about writing that. I mean, those were huge pieces of information that pretty much shattered every theory about The Forerunners/Precursors/Humanity that anyone has ever had. He pretty much revealed it as if in passing:

"Oh yeah, by the way, the Humans and Forerunners fought each other in a war. Can you pick up a gallon of milk on the way home from work?"

It seems like those would have been much bigger "DUN DUN DUNNN!" moments than the Precursor bit at the end, but no. Then again, I'm satisfied with how they were presented.

  • 01.19.2011 11:06 AM PDT

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Posted by: StealthSlasher2
Seems like a solid theory.

I can't help but feel though that there's going to be a random twist involving the Captive that none of us can see though. Something much like the revelations behind ancient humanity, the prophets, and their ties to the Flood. For all we know Bear is going to reveal that the Captive is some sort of all knowing being that threatened even the Precursors, but was ultimately imprisoned. Now it just wants to screw around with the lesser species like humanity and the Forerunners just for -blam!- and giggles. Guess we'll just see when the next book comes out...whenever that is.


Exactly.

Nothing is out of the question, given the bombshells just in the first chapter, I say we all need to take a step back and make all of the existing canon more or less in order with the other, SOLID new info.

Anything out of anybodys mouth thta isn't bornstar should be taken with a few pounds of salt at this point, the captive with 5 metric tons.

  • 01.19.2011 11:21 AM 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.

It's a nice idea. But I think it's based on too many assumptions, even for a Universe theory.

  • 01.19.2011 11:36 AM PDT

I am a monument to all your sins

interesting, it makes sense, although its possible the captive was simply a criminal that received a life sentence. There are human and forerunner criminals so why not precursor?

[Edited on 01.19.2011 12:01 PM PST]

  • 01.19.2011 12:00 PM PDT