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This topic has moved here: Subject: Flood Longevity
  • Subject: Flood Longevity
Subject: Flood Longevity

"Don't mistake your rank and number for superiority.
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I'm sure that most of us know that the firing of the Halo Array leads to the starvation of the Flood, but ever since knowing how long it was since the array was fired, which was some 100,000 years, I've wondered how long does it take for the Flood to starve?

An obvious component to this would be that the Flood was preserved on at least two of the seven Halo installations, but how if they would starve after a set amount of time?

  • 10.25.2011 6:36 PM PDT

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Well the Forerunner weren't absolutely sure starvation would even work against The Flood. Not only that, but the Forerunner cataloged the Flood and kept them locked up in Instillation 04 and 05 for study. No one knows if they did the same on the other Halos.

  • 10.25.2011 6:40 PM PDT

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

Posted by: MegaMuffin16
Well the Forerunner weren't absolutely sure starvation would even work against The Flood. Not only that, but the Forerunner cataloged the Flood and kept them locked up in Instillation 04 and 05 for study. No one knows if they did the same on the other Halos.

That's interesting that the Forerunner were unsure if it would even work. You know, the Forerunner became really lazy during the Forerunner-Flood war apparently.

  • 10.25.2011 6:44 PM PDT

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Posted by: AlkkaPWN
Posted by: MegaMuffin16
Well the Forerunner weren't absolutely sure starvation would even work against The Flood. Not only that, but the Forerunner cataloged the Flood and kept them locked up in Instillation 04 and 05 for study. No one knows if they did the same on the other Halos.

That's interesting that the Forerunner were unsure if it would even work. You know, the Forerunner became really lazy during the Forerunner-Flood war apparently.


Not lazy, desperate. They ran out of options with the Flood since they had underestimated them and let them spread at the beginning of the war, towards the end it came to a point where the Forerunners would sacrifice their own planets and make solar systems collapse just to beat the Flood, since they had Mendicant Bias on their side.

  • 10.25.2011 7:19 PM PDT

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

Posted by: RKOSNAKE

Posted by: AlkkaPWN
Posted by: MegaMuffin16
Well the Forerunner weren't absolutely sure starvation would even work against The Flood. Not only that, but the Forerunner cataloged the Flood and kept them locked up in Instillation 04 and 05 for study. No one knows if they did the same on the other Halos.

That's interesting that the Forerunner were unsure if it would even work. You know, the Forerunner became really lazy during the Forerunner-Flood war apparently.


Not lazy, desperate. They ran out of options with the Flood since they had underestimated them and let them spread at the beginning of the war, towards the end it came to a point where the Forerunners would sacrifice their own planets and make solar systems collapse just to beat the Flood, since they had Mendicant Bias on their side.

True, bad wording on my part. I just never understood why they would underestimate something that serious. From what I've read about Cryptum, they saw what it did to the humans and how serious the Flood were.

The Forerunner seem to have an air of overconfidence to me, so perhaps since they never really had to try that hard against an enemy, the Flood just overwhelmed them. Still though, 300 years and it ended in a last resort. It just baffles me.

  • 10.25.2011 8:00 PM PDT
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Posted by: DecepticonCobra

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


Posted by: AlkkaPWN
Posted by: RKOSNAKE

Posted by: AlkkaPWN
Posted by: MegaMuffin16
Well the Forerunner weren't absolutely sure starvation would even work against The Flood. Not only that, but the Forerunner cataloged the Flood and kept them locked up in Instillation 04 and 05 for study. No one knows if they did the same on the other Halos.

That's interesting that the Forerunner were unsure if it would even work. You know, the Forerunner became really lazy during the Forerunner-Flood war apparently.


Not lazy, desperate. They ran out of options with the Flood since they had underestimated them and let them spread at the beginning of the war, towards the end it came to a point where the Forerunners would sacrifice their own planets and make solar systems collapse just to beat the Flood, since they had Mendicant Bias on their side.

True, bad wording on my part. I just never understood why they would underestimate something that serious. From what I've read about Cryptum, they saw what it did to the humans and how serious the Flood were.

The Forerunner seem to have an air of overconfidence to me, so perhaps since they never really had to try that hard against an enemy, the Flood just overwhelmed them. Still though, 300 years and it ended in a last resort. It just baffles me.


Read cryptum again, that was told from the didacts point of view on the situation. He quickly says after that most forerunners though the flood was a mad up lie to justify what the humans "did to them". Which is why bornstellers mother though of it to be some old stellar disease.

The forerunners didn't care for the flood because they though "if the mere apes could beat them so can we" while in reality the misguided use of this "mantle" along with politics held them back. Which is why the master builder went berserk after the elder san shyuum said the san shyuum that knew the cure was recently killed. This is another reason why they didn't kill the humans completely (which they would have done other wise).

The reason it ended in a last resort is because (as of now) the only forerunners that took the flood seriously were the librarian and didact. The builders just saw it as a perfect way to ensure their political dominance.

Had the forerunners not fought a secret war,used all of their military might,and paid attention from the start; they would have won no problem.


Another issue is the gross "misuse" of this "mantle". Interesting how it would have been perfectly fine to outright exterminate humanity for pretty much no reason yet they couldn't kill the flood due to the mantle.

They deserved it.

  • 10.26.2011 5:42 AM PDT

Maybe the flood were in some kind of cryo on the Halo installations that way they could wake from cryo and the problem of starvation would be completely avoided.

  • 10.26.2011 6:34 AM PDT

I agree. Though if I might say this, the Forerunners wiped out the Precursors. As far as we know the flood was their form of revenge. Both were powerful factions so we can imagine how lethal the flood would become.

  • 10.26.2011 6:38 AM PDT

Though it seems rather unclear to me whether the Flood instantly kills all flood or starves it, considering recent media.

  • 10.26.2011 7:02 AM PDT
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Posted by: DecepticonCobra

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


Posted by: katamariguy
Though it seems rather unclear to me whether the Flood instantly kills all flood or starves it, considering recent media.


You do understand that cortana was the one to start that "it doesn't kill the flood" garbage correct? that is how she interpreted the data.

The halo effect kills anything that can or is infected by the flood. And in order to be infected you must have all of the following.

1.central nervous system

2. sufficient calcium deposits

3. spinal cord

If you don't have all 3 you can not be infected.


Posted by: epic waffle848
I agree. Though if I might say this, the Forerunners wiped out the Precursors. As far as we know the flood was their form of revenge. Both were powerful factions so we can imagine how lethal the flood would become.



And where the hell did you get that information from? Didact clearly stated that the humans knew that the "thing" wasn't a precursor and waved it off as an aberration. it is lying for whatever reason.

Greg bear even said that on his board with " Lets see what the forerunners and precursors were really up to".



Posted by: Eldor Thug 37
Maybe the flood were in some kind of cryo on the Halo installations that way they could wake from cryo and the problem of starvation would be completely avoided.


All the halo installations have flood in cryo for study.

  • 10.26.2011 7:09 AM PDT


Posted by: grey101

Posted by: katamariguy
Though it seems rather unclear to me whether the Flood instantly kills all flood or starves it, considering recent media.


You do understand that cortana was the one to start that "it doesn't kill the flood" garbage correct? that is how she interpreted the data.

The halo effect kills anything that can or is infected by the flood. And in order to be infected you must have all of the following.

1.central nervous system

2. sufficient calcium deposits

3. spinal cord

If you don't have all 3 you can not be infected.


Posted by: epic waffle848
I agree. Though if I might say this, the Forerunners wiped out the Precursors. As far as we know the flood was their form of revenge. Both were powerful factions so we can imagine how lethal the flood would become.



And where the hell did you get that information from? Didact clearly stated that the humans knew that the "thing" wasn't a precursor and waved it off as an aberration. it is lying for whatever reason.

Greg bear even said that on his board with " Lets see what the forerunners and precursors were really up to".



Posted by: Eldor Thug 37
Maybe the flood were in some kind of cryo on the Halo installations that way they could wake from cryo and the problem of starvation would be completely avoided.


All the halo installations have flood in cryo for study.

Right that is what I was saying. The flood are in cryo on the Halo installations that is why they did not starve as they had no need for food in their dormant state. Also I don't think that Cortana literally meant starve as in a nutritional sense. More along the lines of starving them of new hosts to use to reproduce which would halt their spread. Although it does seem that in Halo 3 the effect was instantaneous and killed all the local flood right then and there. It also makes sense that if it kills all the hosts it must also kill the infected as well as they are simply composed of their hosts and would be subject to the same effects.

  • 10.26.2011 9:15 AM PDT

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

Posted by: grey101

Posted by: AlkkaPWN
Posted by: RKOSNAKE

Posted by: AlkkaPWN
Posted by: MegaMuffin16
Well the Forerunner weren't absolutely sure starvation would even work against The Flood. Not only that, but the Forerunner cataloged the Flood and kept them locked up in Instillation 04 and 05 for study. No one knows if they did the same on the other Halos.

That's interesting that the Forerunner were unsure if it would even work. You know, the Forerunner became really lazy during the Forerunner-Flood war apparently.


Not lazy, desperate. They ran out of options with the Flood since they had underestimated them and let them spread at the beginning of the war, towards the end it came to a point where the Forerunners would sacrifice their own planets and make solar systems collapse just to beat the Flood, since they had Mendicant Bias on their side.

True, bad wording on my part. I just never understood why they would underestimate something that serious. From what I've read about Cryptum, they saw what it did to the humans and how serious the Flood were.

The Forerunner seem to have an air of overconfidence to me, so perhaps since they never really had to try that hard against an enemy, the Flood just overwhelmed them. Still though, 300 years and it ended in a last resort. It just baffles me.


Read cryptum again, that was told from the didacts point of view on the situation. He quickly says after that most forerunners though the flood was a mad up lie to justify what the humans "did to them". Which is why bornstellers mother though of it to be some old stellar disease.

The forerunners didn't care for the flood because they though "if the mere apes could beat them so can we" while in reality the misguided use of this "mantle" along with politics held them back. Which is why the master builder went berserk after the elder san shyuum said the san shyuum that knew the cure was recently killed. This is another reason why they didn't kill the humans completely (which they would have done other wise).

The reason it ended in a last resort is because (as of now) the only forerunners that took the flood seriously were the librarian and didact. The builders just saw it as a perfect way to ensure their political dominance.

Had the forerunners not fought a secret war,used all of their military might,and paid attention from the start; they would have won no problem.


Another issue is the gross "misuse" of this "mantle". Interesting how it would have been perfectly fine to outright exterminate humanity for pretty much no reason yet they couldn't kill the flood due to the mantle.

They deserved it.

Wow, thanks, you really know your stuff. I haven't read Cryptum at all but it's definitely on my Christmas list, trust me, lol. I still wonder though if the Flood are being starved, how long does it take for them to die?

Eldor Thug 37 also made a point about if the Flood are made of the same materials as their hosts, why aren't they killed by the firing of the Array? Are the hosts' spinal cords assimilated into something else or some other reason?

  • 10.26.2011 1:18 PM PDT
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Posted by: DecepticonCobra

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

The flood are killed, the most basic form (infection form) is what lives on.

  • 10.26.2011 1:23 PM PDT

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

Posted by: grey101
The flood are killed, the most basic form (infection form) is what lives on.

Oh that makes sense. Thanks again.

  • 10.26.2011 3:13 PM PDT


Posted by: grey101
The flood are killed, the most basic form (infection form) is what lives on.

But the question is, why do they live on? Why aren't they killed?

  • 10.26.2011 3:25 PM PDT
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Posted by: DecepticonCobra

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


Posted by: AnubissWarior

Posted by: grey101
The flood are killed, the most basic form (infection form) is what lives on.

But the question is, why do they live on? Why aren't they killed?


Because the forerunners couldn't out right kill them due to the mantle.

  • 10.26.2011 3:29 PM PDT


Posted by: grey101

Posted by: AnubissWarior

Posted by: grey101
The flood are killed, the most basic form (infection form) is what lives on.

But the question is, why do they live on? Why aren't they killed?


Because the forerunners couldn't out right kill them due to the mantle.

Sorry, my question was wrong.
Why didn't they die from halo effect?

  • 10.26.2011 3:37 PM PDT
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Posted by: DecepticonCobra

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

Because they were kept in stasis

  • 10.26.2011 3:38 PM PDT


Posted by: grey101
Because they were kept in stasis

Not them, the flood that were outside.
Forerunner plan was to starwe them to death, that means that forerunners knew that flood would be immune to halo array.

But what made them immune?

  • 10.26.2011 3:56 PM PDT

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Posted by: grey101

Posted by: AnubissWarior

Posted by: grey101
The flood are killed, the most basic form (infection form) is what lives on.

But the question is, why do they live on? Why aren't they killed?


Because the forerunners couldn't out right kill them due to the mantle.


Well, then why did they kill themselves? Plus, if MM maps are considered canon (which I do), a pure flood form exists on installation 04 on the map Cold Storage. Why wasn't it killed as well? Perhaps they are "built" the same way as infection forms, and thus do not have a spinal chord, brain, or anything that could make them "killable". Since pure forms, and, (according to the lifecycle of the flood) at least one gravemind existed dunring the forerunner-flood war, the forerunners should have realized that those pesky pure forms wouldn't die. Beacuse of this reason, I belive that the Halos do both, they kill the flood, and their food. Perhaps the Halos have a sort of "minimum range"? this would explain why the flood on and near the rings didn't die, yet most others did.

  • 10.26.2011 3:56 PM PDT
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Posted by: DecepticonCobra

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

The forerunners didn't kill themselves they just relocated to another space in the galaxy.

Multiplayer maps are not to be taken as 100 percent canon, more of a common sense thing.

you noticed how on cold storage that it is contained right? it isn't walking around; seriously people use your brain.

The halos combined range overlaps the outside of the galaxy. And it kills anything that is or can be infected.

  • 10.26.2011 4:32 PM PDT