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This topic has moved here: Subject: Speculation: Filling in the gaps of the Halo Universe
  • Subject: Speculation: Filling in the gaps of the Halo Universe
Subject: Speculation: Filling in the gaps of the Halo Universe
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Hi all. I'm a relatively new member, and perhaps you've all discussed this already, but I wanted to post some thoughts on the general storyline of the Halo universe, see where it goes and hope some of you have things to add. Here's what I've been able to piece together from the three books, the website, the Enkidu thing, the Halo 2 announce trailer, the E3 demo, and of course, from the original game itself.
Ok, a long time ago, like a 100,000 years ago, a humanoid race of organic beings spread out into space, ostensibly to explore and colonize, much like humanity has historically done. So these beings, which we refer to as "Forunners" incredibly advanced. However, they eventually came across something horrible: the flood.
Now here's where the first elements of speculation come in. Where the Flood an alien lifeform discovered by the Forerunners, or did the Forerunners (or maybe enemies of the Forerunners) somehow create the Flood? I suspect they were not created, simply because 343 Guilty Spark talks about "studying" and "containing" the Flood.
Anyway, more importantly, we're left with a mystery about the Forerunners themselves. What were they like? What happened to them? It seems obvious that Halo was triggered before, and this probably wiped out the Forerunners. However, I believe that Forerunners were strikingly similar to humans. I believe this for a couple of reasons. One is during the Library level, when Guilty Spark notes that "... I am pleased to see that some of their offspring survived to reproduce" (or something like that). A second clue is when Guilty Spark exclaims how wonderful it is to "have a record of all our lost time... Human history is it?" Also, he confuses two humans for the "reclaimer" Mobuto (from the book "The Flood"), and the MC. I think the most tantilizing moment of the entire game is when Spark turns to MC and says something like (I don't have the exact words in front of me) "you asked me last time, if it were my choice, would I do it. And my answer since then has remained unchanged. We must activate the construct".
So basically, it seems that a mysterious person over 100,000 years ago faced a very difficult choice. The flood were obviously spreading. Should he push the button, so to speak, and wipe out his people? I think he hesitated. I think Spark is the one with the blood on his "hands", the one who actually activated the rings.
But were the Forerunners human? Probably not exactly human... we have damn good evidence that humans evolved from life already on Earth that existed billions of years ago. The genes don't lie. However, what if Earth is the Forerunner homeworld? This answers some key questions.
One such question is why are the Covenant so dead-set on killing all humans. Well, if the Humans are the descendents of the Forerunners, then there are a few implications to the power of the Prophets. Since they make demi-gods of the Forerunners, then if the lower castes of the Covenant knew the truth about Humans, they would naturally owe allegiance to them... and NOT to the Prophets. Obviously, the Prophets can't allow this. They are physically weak and their power depends on their religious control.
Another question explained by this theory is why Humans are so inventive. Obviously, the other races of the galaxy are imitative (as the books went to such lengths to point out) but humans are different. Since the Forerunners built everything in the first place, they would have HAD to innovate, thus they share yet another feature with humans. The most striking similarity between humans and forerunners is their art and architecture. Though it may just be lack of imagination on the part of Bungie...
Anywy, from what we know about the history of life on Earth, the last triggering of the Halo rings took place right about the time humans first reached sentience, or at least that's what the fossil record says. Some 60,000 years ago to maybe 120,000 years ago. That's when neanderthals may have overlapped with modern humans. Could neanderthals have been original forerunner refugees, reduced to a stone-age after the fall of their civilization? Could humans have learned from them, then outcompeted them? I think that's a bit of a stretch, but it's a possibility.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, it's likely that the races of the Covenant evolved parallel with humans, but the Prophets were lucky enough to do so on a planet with easy access to Forerunner technology. Learning from this technology, they must have discovered space flight perhaps a few thousand or a few hundred years earlier than humans or any other race. Thus, they encountered, one by one, the somewhat primitive races that were to make up the rest of the alien alliance. Awed or overpowered into submission by the Prophets' technology, they were dragged into the Prophets' claims of gods and all that religious crap. We already know how well that works on Earth, so why not with aliens. Thus encouraged, the Prophets kept spreading out, harvesting new technology and adding to their power. Anyone who innovated was obviously a threat to the Prophets' power, so over time, innovation was erradicated from the Covenant hierarchy. Soooo, when the Covenant came across an entire RACE of beings who not only occupied Forerunner territory, but behaved like the Forerunners, the Prophets had to act. Humans were not to be subdued and enslaved. They had to be exterminated.
They weren't counting on the Master Chief, naturally. Sooo. What happens next? Well, in HALO 2 it seems likely that the plot will build on these elements. One, the discovery of Forerunner technology on human planets like Reach and, most likely, Earth. As we have seen, the Covenant do not obliterate planets with valuable Forunner technology. Thus, the fact that the Master Chief has to engage Covenant on the ground on Earth suggests that Earth hides a forunner facility of some sort and the Covenant don't know exactly where it is.
Since Bungie has been kind enough to inform us that another ring plays a role in Halo 2, it seems likely that the Covenant are seeking the location of all the rings. They also, as we saw in "First Strike", seem to possess knowledge of the Index and it's uses as a firing key. Why would they desire Indexes, such as the one on Reach, or on Halo? Perhaps because of the temporal effects caused by the device, but also perhaps simply because they want to fire all the Halo rings they can. I really can't guess at this point. Not enough info. It does seem ominous that the Prophet Council views the loss of the Earth invasion armada as insignificant. What's this Great Journey? Could it be that the Forerunners have "ascended" to another universe and the Covenant mean to follow them? Could it be that they really believe the crap they spout about eternal paradise and seek to trigger the rings as a way to get there? Who knows. I guess we'll find out.

[Edited on 5/9/2004 2:51:10 PM]

  • 05.09.2004 2:43 PM PDT
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Well, that made more sense than anything else I've heard all day.

  • 05.09.2004 2:50 PM PDT
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Excellent. Bravo. Very nice work.


Posted by: TheGreatXenophon
But were the Forerunners human? Probably not exactly human... we have damn good evidence that humans evolved from life already on Earth that existed billions of years ago. The genes don't lie. However, what if Earth is the Forerunner homeworld? This answers some key questions.


I believe you are right. it has been confirmed that there is a level in Halo 2 that has a forerunner construct on Earth. I think that adds to your research. And again, VERY NICE WORK.

  • 05.09.2004 2:51 PM PDT
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Great work! Awfully perceptive! I gained a lot of knowledge throught this.

  • 05.09.2004 2:57 PM PDT
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I don't think Bungie could have done any better with that fine piece of information.

[Edited on 5/9/2004 3:02:26 PM]

  • 05.09.2004 3:02 PM PDT
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Yeah. Credit where credit is due. I didn't think about most of the stuff that was said.

  • 05.09.2004 3:04 PM PDT
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Longest and best post I ahve seen speculating about the Halo universe. Sir, I urge you to submit this to the HBO spectulation section.

  • 05.09.2004 3:05 PM PDT
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holy crap i dont have time to read all that


one comment i cant belive you didnt run out of charachters

  • 05.09.2004 3:05 PM PDT
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I wonder if bungie will allow that to be posted in the main site, you know, as like background information. That'd be a nice treat, wouldn't it?

  • 05.09.2004 3:06 PM PDT
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Very interesting observations all around. It's all quite correct too.

  • 05.09.2004 3:07 PM PDT
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Yeah, get it over to HBO.

  • 05.09.2004 3:07 PM PDT
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If you're wonderin how to get it to HBO, mail it to halo@bungie.org with your name and stuff.

  • 05.09.2004 3:10 PM PDT

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That, folks, is damned fine speculation. Hat's off, Xenophon. Good work.

-- Steve is really impressed... you should send that in to H.B.O.

  • 05.09.2004 4:22 PM PDT
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Posted by: Master Chief 115
holy crap i dont have time to read all that


one comment i cant belive you didnt run out of charachters


then dont post, kiddy.

excellent observations, btw.

  • 05.09.2004 4:28 PM PDT
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Crimson Clover

Now if everyone read this post, that could solve a lot of problems.

[Edited on 5/9/2004 6:08:09 PM]

  • 05.09.2004 6:07 PM PDT
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ummmmmm....-blam!-.. that was long

  • 05.09.2004 6:35 PM PDT
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k, finnished reading, bravo ,xeophone, bravo

  • 05.09.2004 6:44 PM PDT