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Subject: Forerunners: Why Didn't They Index Themselves?

"Don't mistake your rank and number for superiority.
The oldest child may learn from the youngest."

I haven't seen any threads about this, so sorry if it's old or has already been explained either here, in the books, or somewhere else. Maybe the explanation has gone unnoticed by me.

I've wondered this ever since I've looked deeper into Halo's back story. If the Forerunners took the trouble of documenting and indexing all sentient beings in the Milky Way galaxy, why not index themselves? Did they have some impairment that prevented they from indexing themselves? Perhaps they were too caught up in the war (which seems highly unlikely)?

Your thoughts, theories, or any other reliable sources are appreciated.

  • 07.23.2011 9:22 PM PDT

NY Giants
Miami Heat

This is a good question actually; Bungie PLEASE answer.

  • 07.23.2011 9:43 PM PDT

The Forerunner, the Great Journey, and Heaven Theory

[Announcement Trailer] Halo: Forerunner

Posted by: Agustus
I lol'd at the absurd miscommunication that occurs whenever dibbs post something. Perhaps his brain is so highly evolved that he can no longer clearly communicate with lesser life forms, even among his own species.

Who's to say they didn't?

  • 07.23.2011 9:47 PM PDT

Cave Johnson here, we're done!

PS: If you are reading this comment while imagining my voice, don't panic. That's just a side effect of the testing.


Posted by: AlkkaPWN
I haven't seen any threads about this, so sorry if it's old or has already been explained either here, in the books, or somewhere else. Maybe the explanation has gone unnoticed by me.

I've wondered this ever since I've looked deeper into Halo's back story. If the Forerunners took the trouble of documenting and indexing all sentient beings in the Milky Way galaxy, why not index themselves? Did they have some impairment that prevented they from indexing themselves? Perhaps they were too caught up in the war (which seems highly unlikely)?

Your thoughts, theories, or any other reliable sources are appreciated.


There are a couple ideas as to where the forerunners went after that halo array. Here are the basics.

A) They left the galaxy, admitting defeat and relinquishing their right to hold the mantle.

B) The ones that could, hid away in shield worlds like Onyx.

C) They all died because of the halo effect, a mass suicide because they could not hold the mantle.

"A" is the more commonly accepted idea as to where the forerunners are.

  • 07.23.2011 9:55 PM PDT


Posted by: tinyohyeah

Posted by: AlkkaPWN
I haven't seen any threads about this, so sorry if it's old or has already been explained either here, in the books, or somewhere else. Maybe the explanation has gone unnoticed by me.

I've wondered this ever since I've looked deeper into Halo's back story. If the Forerunners took the trouble of documenting and indexing all sentient beings in the Milky Way galaxy, why not index themselves? Did they have some impairment that prevented they from indexing themselves? Perhaps they were too caught up in the war (which seems highly unlikely)?

Your thoughts, theories, or any other reliable sources are appreciated.


There are a couple ideas as to where the forerunners went after that halo array. Here are the basics.

A) They left the galaxy, admitting defeat and relinquishing their right to hold the mantle.

B) The ones that could, hid away in shield worlds like Onyx.

C) They all died because of the halo effect, a mass suicide because they could not hold the mantle.

"A" is the more commonly accepted idea as to where the forerunners are.


Because answer A is actually stated in the Encyclopedia.

  • 07.23.2011 9:58 PM PDT

"I'm afraid of the man I'll become if I lay my life down for the people I don't even care for"


Posted by: dibbs089
Who's to say they didn't?

  • 07.23.2011 10:01 PM PDT

"Don't mistake your rank and number for superiority.
The oldest child may learn from the youngest."

Posted by: dibbs089
Who's to say they didn't?

I'm not saying they didn't, I'm just saying there isn't any evidence that they did.

Posted by: tinyohyeah
A) They left the galaxy, admitting defeat and relinquishing their right to hold the mantle.
forerunners are.

Actually, I have heard that but that raises another question as to why they never returned.

Posted by: ROBERTO jh
Because answer A is actually stated in the Encyclopedia.

I didn't know that but unless it said anything else, they still never returned.

  • 07.23.2011 10:02 PM PDT


Posted by: AlkkaPWN
Posted by: dibbs089
Who's to say they didn't?

I'm not saying they didn't, I'm just saying there isn't any evidence that they did.

Posted by: tinyohyeah
A) They left the galaxy, admitting defeat and relinquishing their right to hold the mantle.
forerunners are.

Actually, I have heard that but that raises another question as to why they never returned.

Posted by: ROBERTO jh
Because answer A is actually stated in the Encyclopedia.

I didn't know that but unless it said anything else, they still never returned.


Well that's the mystery. But I think the point was they no longer felt they could trust themselves with any cosmic responsibility so completely exiled themselves. Its also said in the Terminals (well, at least implied heavily) the Forerunners went on the Great Journey to follow the Precursors, wherever they are.

But do note that the Encyclopedia specifically makes a point that nobody knows the Forerunners final destination.

"The shattered remnants of Forerunner the civilization left the galaxy. There current status and whereabouts remain unknown" leading people to speculate, even those who haven't read the terminals, that any sequel to Halo 3 would involve discovering the location of the Forerunners.

I, personally, want to know what this Great Journey truly is, because it clearly is more then the machinations of some mad theist sitting on a seat of power that they do not deserve.

  • 07.23.2011 10:08 PM PDT

I wake up to find myself
After all these years
And where all the time has gone
Still seems so unclear

Well, they make it very, very clear in Cryptum that the Forerunners have become a vex on the Galaxy. They uproot and move civilizations they don't want near them or devolve them if they challenge their rule and their "Mantle."

I assume Didact believed his species had broken and sinned so much by just making the Halos that they shouldn't be allowed to be reseeded. They also stated that the Forerunners believe themselves to be "just a stage" in the "living time" of the universe. That's why they named themselves Forerunner, because they knew they'd eventually be extinct and they'd pass on the Mantle to the Reclaimers.

  • 07.23.2011 10:24 PM PDT

Nate-117

The fate ofnthe forunners is being released in the new forerunner saga books. READ THEM. The second one is coming out soon

  • 07.23.2011 10:30 PM PDT
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Deva Path


Posted by: DecepticonCobra

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

no point in indexing yourself when you are going to live anyway.

not to mention it would be odd for them and the survivers.

  • 07.23.2011 10:58 PM PDT

"Don't mistake your rank and number for superiority.
The oldest child may learn from the youngest."

Posted by: ROBERTO jh
Well that's the mystery. But I think the point was they no longer felt they could trust themselves with any cosmic responsibility so completely exiled themselves. Its also said in the Terminals (well, at least implied heavily) the Forerunners went on the Great Journey to follow the Precursors, wherever they are.

But do note that the Encyclopedia specifically makes a point that nobody knows the Forerunners final destination.

"The shattered remnants of Forerunner the civilization left the galaxy. There current status and whereabouts remain unknown" leading people to speculate, even those who haven't read the terminals, that any sequel to Halo 3 would involve discovering the location of the Forerunners.

I, personally, want to know what this Great Journey truly is, because it clearly is more then the machinations of some mad theist sitting on a seat of power that they do not deserve.

That does seem to explain at least why they didn't return, but I'm still interested in where they went exactly. I honestly thought the Great Journey was created by the Prophets to make their subordinates more loyal to their cause, but if it is something more, that makes things much more interesting.

Posted by: Ageless Durandal
Well, they make it very, very clear in Cryptum that the Forerunners have become a vex on the Galaxy. They uproot and move civilizations they don't want near them or devolve them if they challenge their rule and their "Mantle."

I assume Didact believed his species had broken and sinned so much by just making the Halos that they shouldn't be allowed to be reseeded. They also stated that the Forerunners believe themselves to be "just a stage" in the "living time" of the universe. That's why they named themselves Forerunner, because they knew they'd eventually be extinct and they'd pass on the Mantle to the Reclaimers.

Those do seem characteristic of the Forerunners but I'd love to know more about their "Mantle".

I guess we'll have to wait for more concrete evidence and explanations of what happened to the Forerunners.
Posted by: Dustin 6047
So, we wait for:

Forerunner Saga books 2 and 3
Halo 4
Halo 5
Halo 6
Halo Glasslands
Halo Movie
Halo Visual Guide

  • 07.24.2011 6:46 AM PDT


Posted by: AlkkaPWN
Posted by: ROBERTO jh
Well that's the mystery. But I think the point was they no longer felt they could trust themselves with any cosmic responsibility so completely exiled themselves. Its also said in the Terminals (well, at least implied heavily) the Forerunners went on the Great Journey to follow the Precursors, wherever they are.

But do note that the Encyclopedia specifically makes a point that nobody knows the Forerunners final destination.

"The shattered remnants of Forerunner the civilization left the galaxy. There current status and whereabouts remain unknown" leading people to speculate, even those who haven't read the terminals, that any sequel to Halo 3 would involve discovering the location of the Forerunners.

I, personally, want to know what this Great Journey truly is, because it clearly is more then the machinations of some mad theist sitting on a seat of power that they do not deserve.

That does seem to explain at least why they didn't return, but I'm still interested in where they went exactly. I honestly thought the Great Journey was created by the Prophets to make their subordinates more loyal to their cause, but if it is something more, that makes things much more interesting.

Posted by: Ageless Durandal
Well, they make it very, very clear in Cryptum that the Forerunners have become a vex on the Galaxy. They uproot and move civilizations they don't want near them or devolve them if they challenge their rule and their "Mantle."

I assume Didact believed his species had broken and sinned so much by just making the Halos that they shouldn't be allowed to be reseeded. They also stated that the Forerunners believe themselves to be "just a stage" in the "living time" of the universe. That's why they named themselves Forerunner, because they knew they'd eventually be extinct and they'd pass on the Mantle to the Reclaimers.

Those do seem characteristic of the Forerunners but I'd love to know more about their "Mantle".

I guess we'll have to wait for more concrete evidence and explanations of what happened to the Forerunners.
Posted by: Dustin 6047
So, we wait for:

Forerunner Saga books 2 and 3
Halo 4
Halo 5
Halo 6
Halo Glasslands
Halo Movie
Halo Visual Guide


@my post's response

Well thats what everyone else thougt until IRIS and the Terminals. Didact says something along the lines of "I begin this Great Journey without you" referring to the Librarian, right before Halo fires. I believe he said it in the IRIS campaign.

The Covenant were right in the sense the Journey is an undertaking the Forerunners partook in at the end, but misinterpretted the information. They thought Halo started the Journey when really the Forerunners went upon it immedietely after . Halo and the Journey are related only in the sense that Halo's existance lead to the Forerunners' self imposed exile, not the actual firing.

But how correct the Covenant were in other aspects of the Journey--such as ascension to godhood--is unknown.

  • 07.24.2011 6:55 AM PDT

"A LIE is a LIE"


- Truly intelligent and deep Black ops trailer

They had shield worlds. They didn't need to index themselves.

  • 07.24.2011 6:59 AM PDT

My personal thoughts:

A: They left the galaxy, as is the main speculation.

b: SOmething happen, causing them to activate the halo arays before they should of, before they indexed them selfs.


As to why they never returned, my gues is that after the halo arays where fired, seeing as the flood was still throughout the galaxy, it was still as dangerious, as before, they settled, whilse the next phase of their plan was put into effect, my gues it being the sentinals steralising the flood from the galaxy, but decided never to return and start anew, given the amount of time it would of taken to complete the sterolisation, they would of completely settled else where in that time.

  • 07.24.2011 7:37 AM PDT

"Don't mistake your rank and number for superiority.
The oldest child may learn from the youngest."

Posted by: ROBERTO jh
@my post's response

Well thats what everyone else thougt until IRIS and the Terminals. Didact says something along the lines of "I begin this Great Journey without you" referring to the Librarian, right before Halo fires. I believe he said it in the IRIS campaign.

The Covenant were right in the sense the Journey is an undertaking the Forerunners partook in at the end, but misinterpretted the information. They thought Halo started the Journey when really the Forerunners went upon it immedietely after . Halo and the Journey are related only in the sense that Halo's existance lead to the Forerunners' self imposed exile, not the actual firing.

But how correct the Covenant were in other aspects of the Journey--such as ascension to godhood--is unknown.

That's right, I do remember seeing that conversation between the Librarian and Didact. You know, that took me so long to realize. I had never made the connection between the "Great Journey" and the Forerunners leaving the galaxy. Thanks for that, honestly.

  • 07.24.2011 3:37 PM PDT

Not all of them are dead, they went on the great journey, whatever that is.

  • 07.24.2011 3:39 PM PDT
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If the Great Journey were to cross into another galaxy, it would invalidate their Tier level of 1. Only the Precursors are listed with the possiblility of intergalactic travel.

  • 07.24.2011 7:45 PM PDT

No animals were harmed in the sending of this message. However, a few electrons were slightly inconvienienced...


Posted by: AlkkaPWN
I haven't seen any threads about this, so sorry if it's old or has already been explained either here, in the books, or somewhere else. Maybe the explanation has gone unnoticed by me.

I've wondered this ever since I've looked deeper into Halo's back story. If the Forerunners took the trouble of documenting and indexing all sentient beings in the Milky Way galaxy, why not index themselves? Did they have some impairment that prevented they from indexing themselves? Perhaps they were too caught up in the war (which seems highly unlikely)?

Your thoughts, theories, or any other reliable sources are appreciated.

Maybe they did.
(GASP!)

  • 07.24.2011 9:44 PM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
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Deva Path


Posted by: DecepticonCobra

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


Posted by: Wazooty
Not all of them are dead, they went on the great journey, whatever that is.


You do understand of you read the terminal and took the full context in that he was talking about death or atleast being alone.

  • 07.24.2011 9:50 PM PDT

The Forerunner, the Great Journey, and Heaven Theory

[Announcement Trailer] Halo: Forerunner

Posted by: Agustus
I lol'd at the absurd miscommunication that occurs whenever dibbs post something. Perhaps his brain is so highly evolved that he can no longer clearly communicate with lesser life forms, even among his own species.

Posted by: Dante536
If the Great Journey were to cross into another galaxy, it would invalidate their Tier level of 1. Only the Precursors are listed with the possiblility of intergalactic travel.
All that quote really means is that they cannot travel from one galaxy to another. It says nothing about their capabilities to actually leave the Milky Way for an unspecified amount of time and then return.

From what I've read, the reason why intergalactic travel would be difficult is that a large portion of the space between galaxies is comprised of superheated gas (with some regions reaching ~180,000 F). I don't think the Forerunner possessed the capabilities to survive that (and it was unlikely they could perform a slipspace jump between galaxies). But there is nothing mentioned of their capabilities to enter the space between galaxies for a short amount of time.

A very likely scenario was that the Ark was right on the edge of the galaxy and those who were still alive by the time MB broke through the Maginot Sphere simply got on ships and headed just outside the galaxy. The blast would have affected everything in the galaxy, they would have been safe (they were just outside of the area of effect), then they could have just returned and went on their way (to wherever they eventually went). Those who were not on the Ark could still have hid within the shield worlds.

  • 07.24.2011 10:55 PM PDT

Welcome to bungie, you have no rights. play nice!
CLICK!

Forerunners found the great voids unatractive. VOID, VOID. Bornstellar states that Old forerunners do not tell everything so it is possible. They could but they just weren't inrerested in it.

  • 07.24.2011 11:03 PM PDT

Glory and fame, blood is our name!
Souls full of thunder, hearts of steel!
Killers of men, a warrior's friend!
Sworn to avenge our fallen brothers!
Sons of the gods, today we shall die.
Open Valhalla's door!
Let the battle begin, with swords in the wind! Hail Gods of War!

I think it had something to do with them not waning to live with the guilt of using the Halo Array. They figured they didn't deserve to survive after inflicting mass-genocide on the galaxy, even if it was for the sake of it's survival.

  • 07.25.2011 12:08 AM PDT
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I would assume they did index themselves sometime through the course of their existence.

But then again, what would be the point of indexing themselves if the only species capable of stopping the flood at that point of time fell?

  • 07.25.2011 12:25 AM PDT

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