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This topic has moved here: Subject: Who thinks Mendicant Bias is dead?
  • Subject: Who thinks Mendicant Bias is dead?
Subject: Who thinks Mendicant Bias is dead?

@accordingto343

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

I've seen some theories regarding Halo 4 believing that Mendicant Bias will play a role in the story. This thread isn't so much about Halo 4, bu the character of Mendicant Bias. From the quote below, there are some hints.

"And so here at the end of my life, I do once again betray a former master. The path ahead is fraught with peril. But I will do all I can to keep it stable - keep you safe. I'm not so foolish to think this will absolve me of my sins. One life hardly balances billions. But I would have my masters know that I have changed. And you shall be my example."

Mendicant Bias, Halo 3 Terminal 7, Level: Halo

And so here at the end of my life

This seems to confirm the idea. While we may not have a timeframe on a Forerunner AIs expiration date, I would think over 100,000 years is a good run.

The path ahead is fraught with peril. But I will do all I can to keep it stable - keep you safe.

Not so much as proof of Bias dying, but foreshadowing of what's to come. It's obvious why Chief, Thel, Johnson and Cortana are at the Halo's Control Room, they are going to activate it. Bias used to operate and control Halos, I'm sure even he would know what a premature firing of a particularly constructed Halo would do.

Just imagine the stress a fragmented, 100,000+ year old AI would be going through keeping a falling apart Halo stable whilst setting up the coordinates for the Ark Portal. That's taxing.

But I would have my masters know that I have changed. And you shall be my example.

To me, this one is simple. Unless Bias was going to tell the Forerunner's he changed, why would he use Chief as his example?

So, anyone have any ideas they want to knock around?

  • 08.27.2011 8:32 PM PDT

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Definitely some foreshadowing of sorts. I agree, 100,000 years is one hell of a run.

Perhaps even though dead, Mendicant Bias has left a path for the Master Chief to follow and show the Forerunners that Mendicant Bias, even though dead has changed since betraying his prior masters.

  • 08.27.2011 8:39 PM PDT

@accordingto343

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

Posted by: King Nis085
Definitely some foreshadowing of sorts. I agree, 100,000 years is one hell of a run.

Perhaps even though dead, Mendicant Bias has left a path for the Master Chief to follow and show the Forerunners that Mendicant Bias, even though dead has changed since betraying his prior masters.

I'm going to laugh if he pulls a Princess Leia and projects a hologram from Cortana.

  • 08.27.2011 8:42 PM PDT

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"Save me Master Chief! Your my only hope!"

There's a part of my that suspects, that even if Mendicant Bias could potentially be dead, or on the verge of dying that as a Contender-Class AI - literally the most advanced AI ever created by Forerunners could some how prolong his life. Longevity seems to be a trait that all of the Forerunner AI's are good at.

If Cortana was able to fragment and disperse her being in order to obtain more information at a rapid rate, I'm sure that an older, possibly even more efficient AI could find some sort of way to even put himself into some kind of stasis.

The possibility of even shutting down certain directives, or systems within himself to prolong life is always there as well.

  • 08.27.2011 8:46 PM PDT

@accordingto343

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

That's assuming he still wants to live. He seemed pretty beatup about what he did during the Forerunner-Flood War.

  • 08.27.2011 8:48 PM PDT

One Love,
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Posted by: DecepticonCobra
That's assuming he still wants to live. He seemed pretty beatup about what he did during the Forerunner-Flood War.


While this is most certainly true, do you think redemption would bring the Contender-Class AI back to his original power?

  • 08.27.2011 8:49 PM PDT

@accordingto343

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

Well first they would have to recover the rest of his fragments, two were joined in Halo 3. I can't imagine them surviving much longer. However, even with his atonement, I doubt the Forerunners would just embrace him, he murdered trillions.

  • 08.27.2011 8:54 PM PDT
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Do not waste your tears, I was not born to watch the world grow dim. Life is not measured in years, but by the deeds of men.

Posted by: goldhawk
We should know better, because we are better.

I personally think that Bias is dead but his influence will still be felt by everyone because he had some sort of contingency plan in place for this. If he is as powerful as we think he is, it should be child's play for him to create a plan that would outlive him and function without him.

  • 08.27.2011 8:55 PM PDT

@accordingto343

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

Posted by: Xd00999
I personally think that Bias is dead but his influence will still be felt by everyone because he had some sort of contingency plan in place for this. If he is as powerful as we think he is, it should be child's play for him to create a plan that would outlive him and function without him.

Well, obviously getting Chief off the Ark was the first part. I wonder what else he has planned?

  • 08.27.2011 9:02 PM PDT

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He says at the end of his life, that doesn't mean he's dead. It just means his time is running out. We don't know why MC is gonna be used as his example, I'm assuming that we'll find out Bias's intent in Halo 4.

  • 08.27.2011 9:12 PM PDT

-blam!- Was that actually blammed out? Or did I just type it? You'll never know.

No way, then they wouldn't be able to use him as a plot point in the future.

  • 08.27.2011 9:17 PM PDT

@accordingto343

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

Posted by: dahuterschuter
No way, then they wouldn't be able to use him as a plot point in the future.

Unless another active shard of his personality is coincidentally on the Forerunner sphere in Halo 4. Still though, I would hope 343 understands the concept of self-sacrifice.

  • 08.27.2011 9:18 PM PDT
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Do not waste your tears, I was not born to watch the world grow dim. Life is not measured in years, but by the deeds of men.

Posted by: goldhawk
We should know better, because we are better.


Posted by: dahuterschuter
No way, then they wouldn't be able to use him as a plot point in the future.

That is why mentioned a plan outliving him. He knows his time is coming, so he creates a plan that will continue without him and posthumously vindicate himself to his masters. His influence in life is great, his influence in death; no less.

  • 08.27.2011 9:48 PM PDT

By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

Perhaps he has multiple fragments.

We already know of 2 - one on the Keyship and the other on the Ark. They united when Truth landed on the Installation and were seemingly destroyed after 04B was destroyed, but there may yet be more.

  • 08.28.2011 8:28 AM PDT
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He could have possibly spread his remaining fragments in the form of a path for Master Chief to follow. Personally I would rather have Mendicant Bias with me instead of Cortana. Bothe would be better, but if I had to choose it would be MB.

  • 08.28.2011 8:34 AM PDT