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Subject: Forerunners' real "name"

I only started reading cryptum, but what i noticed so far: Bornstellar refers to his species as forerunners too.
Why? Forerunners was the name given to them by the covenant, because they "ran before" the cov was around. they wouldn't call themselves Forerunners, would they? the ancient greeks certainly didn't refer to themselves as ancient...

so why did Bear (the author) not come up with a new, the real name of that species? the term "forerunner" might be iconic by now, but so are "elites", "brutes", "grunts" etc. - you get the point: humanity is still going to call them forerunners, even if they'd show up now (in the halo universe).

so why are they the only species that is featured heavily in the games, that still got no name of their own, despite having books written about them?

do you think this might be another hint to a forerunner-focused halo 4, that they'll reveal such info in the game and don't want to spoil the big stuff?

  • 06.15.2011 4:16 PM PDT
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no one knows the forerunner's real name. that is all they are called, so if they suddenly poped up in halo 4, they would still be referred to as "forunners", or maybe they were so intellegent they knew that is what they would be referred too.

  • 06.15.2011 4:22 PM PDT


Posted by: Uberpwner999
no one knows the forerunner's real name. that is all they are called, so if they suddenly poped up in halo 4, they would still be referred to as "forunners", or maybe they were so intellegent they knew that is what they would be referred too.


Yeah... well, i've stated all of this in my op already, except for the last sentence which i don't think is very likely.

every other species got their own name, but the single most important race is ignored? It makes no sense, especially with a whole trilogy of books about them coming up.

  • 06.15.2011 4:27 PM PDT

I remember in cryptum born said that they were called forerunners because they knew one day someone else would take hold of the mantle so they would essentially just be the forerunners to them. Not 100% sure of this though.

  • 06.15.2011 4:28 PM PDT

Its actually explained in the later parts of the book. Simply put, the term Forerunner acknowledges that they are a small part of the universe's long history not yet written, and that there will be those that come after them to take up the name of the Mantle's protectors of all life in the universe.

  • 06.15.2011 4:29 PM PDT

@accordingto343

Your one stop shop for all of 343's fabulous errors and ridiculous notions in the Halo lore.

I'd call them the Vultus, roughly Latin for shape, which is what they do to species.

  • 06.15.2011 4:29 PM PDT

Out of the sky, Into the flames

Well maybe its just used in the halostory to create a sort of mystery in the game that keeps you playing.

  • 06.15.2011 4:30 PM PDT
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John117 is Galactus
Galactus is God


Posted by: raindoc
I only started reading cryptum, but what i noticed so far: Bornstellar refers to his species as forerunners too.
Why? Forerunners was the name given to them by the covenant, because they "ran before" the cov was around. they wouldn't call themselves Forerunners, would they? the ancient greeks certainly didn't refer to themselves as ancient...

so why did Bear (the author) not come up with a new, the real name of that species? the term "forerunner" might be iconic by now, but so are "elites", "brutes", "grunts" etc. - you get the point: humanity is still going to call them forerunners, even if they'd show up now (in the halo universe).

so why are they the only species that is featured heavily in the games, that still got no name of their own, despite having books written about them?

do you think this might be another hint to a forerunner-focused halo 4, that they'll reveal such info in the game and don't want to spoil the big stuff?


What would happen if we encountered the forerunners during Halo 4? How would we know they were forerunners if they referred to themselves as something else? How would they react if we called them forerunners?

They probably just didn't want to have to worry about these questions. Just remember, this is a game. I'm sure that if we encountered aliens in real life, they wouldn't refer to us as humans. Yet the covenant referred to us as humans. Also.. the covenant spoke english, some things are just not to be discussed b/c this is in fact fiction.There are some stuff we can discuss such as slipspace.

I'm sure you get my point. Otherwise.. nice observation.

  • 06.15.2011 4:34 PM PDT


Posted by: ROBERTO jh
Its actually explained in the later parts of the book. Simply put, the term Forerunner acknowledges that they are a small part of the universe's long history not yet written, and that there will be those that come after them to take up the name of the Mantle's protectors of all life in the universe.


c'mon! really?
that is so lame...


EDIT - why it is lame: they weren't always that highly evolved species, protecting the mantle. they must have another name for themselves. that cryptum explanation is only a cheap way to justify the continuing use of the word forerunner - IMHO

[Edited on 06.15.2011 4:40 PM PDT]

  • 06.15.2011 4:35 PM PDT


Posted by: raindoc

Posted by: ROBERTO jh
Its actually explained in the later parts of the book. Simply put, the term Forerunner acknowledges that they are a small part of the universe's long history not yet written, and that there will be those that come after them to take up the name of the Mantle's protectors of all life in the universe.


c'mon! really?
that is so lame...


How? They essentially sacrificed themselves to preserve the universe for later species. They as a species, laid the groundwork for later sentient beings, often leaving clues to guide them along.

Or is it lame because it addresses an issue you raised?

  • 06.15.2011 4:39 PM PDT

see EDIT above

  • 06.15.2011 4:42 PM PDT


Posted by: raindoc
see EDIT above


Okay, addressing said edit.

Humans weren't always called humans. Yet that is what we are currently called, and that is what we are called in the canon of Halo. Furthermore, consider that the Forerunners inherited the Mantle from the Precursors. Are you seeing a theme here? Perhaps they weren't called the forerunners when they first became sentient, but by the time Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting is around, they are at what may well be the apex of their evolution. Hence why he calls them Forerunners. There is no need to refer to their primitive name, if they even had one.

  • 06.15.2011 4:53 PM PDT
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Deva Path


Posted by: DecepticonCobra

We are all going to get banned aren't we?


Posted by: Muechelmoerder

Posted by: raindoc
see EDIT above

Furthermore, consider that the Forerunners inherited the Mantle from the Precursors.


People do understand that nothing in canon states that right?

  • 06.15.2011 8:45 PM PDT

I heard the Forerunners are the Flood may not be right just heard

  • 06.15.2011 8:58 PM PDT
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Deva Path


Posted by: DecepticonCobra

We are all going to get banned aren't we?


Posted by: right u r harry
I heard the Forerunners are the Flood may not be right just heard


Thats something a 4 year old would say/believe.

  • 06.15.2011 9:00 PM PDT


Posted by: Muechelmoerder
Humans weren't always called humans. Yet that is what we are currently called, and that is what we are called in the canon of Halo.


WTF are you talking about?

  • 06.15.2011 9:48 PM PDT
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Deva Path


Posted by: DecepticonCobra

We are all going to get banned aren't we?


Posted by: raindoc

Posted by: Muechelmoerder
Humans weren't always called humans. Yet that is what we are currently called, and that is what we are called in the canon of Halo.


WTF are you talking about?


Exactly what he said. i am positive that ancient man didn't call themselves humans if anything.

  • 06.15.2011 9:58 PM PDT
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SC = Supreme Commander/Supreme Canadian.

De Facto leader of the military of the APE (Allied Planets Empire).

Coup = Admiral Asskicker, ZPM hive ship


Posted by: grey101

Posted by: right u r harry
I heard the Forerunners are the Flood may not be right just heard


Thats something a 4 year old would say/believe.

In a way, he's right. Most Forerunners were infected by the Flood, so using troll logic, the Forerunners are the Flood.

Odd, huh?

  • 06.15.2011 10:00 PM PDT
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Deva Path


Posted by: DecepticonCobra

We are all going to get banned aren't we?


Posted by: SC Matt Klassen

Posted by: grey101

Posted by: right u r harry
I heard the Forerunners are the Flood may not be right just heard


Thats something a 4 year old would say/believe.

In a way, he's right. Most Forerunners were infected by the Flood, so using troll logic, the Forerunners are the Flood.

Odd, huh?


well i get what you are trying to say, but normally people mean the flood and forerunner are one and the same which they are not.

  • 06.15.2011 10:03 PM PDT


Posted by: grey101

Posted by: Muechelmoerder

Posted by: raindoc
see EDIT above

Furthermore, consider that the Forerunners inherited the Mantle from the Precursors.


People do understand that nothing in canon states that right?


Not stated, no, but heavily implied. Not so much a direct "Hey Forerunners take care of this for us" as a "Hey, we think the Precursors believed in this so let's do it too."

Posted by: raindoc

Posted by: Muechelmoerder
Humans weren't always called humans. Yet that is what we are currently called, and that is what we are called in the canon of Halo.


WTF are you talking about?


You asked what they were called before they were called Forerunners. Its like asking what we were called before we were called humans. What did the first group of people that could be identified as -blam!- sapiens sapiens call themselves? Certainly not "human".

  • 06.16.2011 4:39 AM PDT
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Deva Path


Posted by: DecepticonCobra

We are all going to get banned aren't we?

So they clearly remember getting the mantle yet don't remember fighting them?

yea that adds up.

  • 06.16.2011 4:43 AM PDT


Posted by: Muechelmoerder
What did the first group of people that could be identified as -blam!- sapiens sapiens call themselves? Certainly not "human".


yes they did. about every ancient culture i know of referred to our species as "man", in their language.

  • 06.16.2011 4:47 AM PDT
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i could be wrong, but for one, i don't think bear has access to the halo bible, plus their has to be some basic foreknowledge put into the fact that if he made up some race name, no one from halo would know what the hell he is talkin about.


so, simple is best.

  • 06.16.2011 6:03 AM PDT
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Deva Path


Posted by: DecepticonCobra

We are all going to get banned aren't we?


Posted by: Atom Alchemist
i could be wrong, but for one, i don't think bear has access to the halo bible, plus their has to be some basic foreknowledge put into the fact that if he made up some race name, no one from halo would know what the hell he is talkin about.


so, simple is best.


eveybody who writes a book gets to see it thought bear had alot of freedom when writing the book.

  • 06.16.2011 6:06 AM PDT

Didact's Reprisal -
Now is the time of our unworlding
One final effort is all that remains
And I am not afraid
We shall fulfill our promise
We fight for the grace of the Mantle
And this time none of you will be left behind

"Even the name we gave ourselves, 'Forerunner,' implied a fleeting, impermanent place in the Mantle -- accepting that we were but a stage in the stewardship of Living Time. That others would come after us. Other -- and better."

  • 06.16.2011 7:27 AM PDT

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