- Wolverfrog
- |
- Fabled Legendary Member
We know a lot more than you think about the Mantle; all that's needed is interpretation and extrapolation of sources.
Of course the Forerunners have misinterpreted the original meaning of the Mantle; that's the core of what I'm saying -- that at the end, they realised this and chose to figuratively pass it on to humanity, hoping we would succeed where they failed. I don't literally mean that the Didact went to human tribes and said 'guys, protect the galaxy. Uphold the Mantle. kthnxbai.' But the Forerunners left, leaving behind their technology and secrets for us to uncover, naturally make our own judgements and carry out their Mantle in a way they didn't, even if we're not consciously aware we are.
Mantle denotation (Oxford) - an important role or responsibility that passes from one person to another.
It derives from a biblical passage (and we all know that Halo is a universe holding many Christian/Religious allegories) where Elijah passed his cloak to Elisha (Kings 2:13) -- in this sense, a metaphoric cloak is being passed down, ideologies and guardianship wrapped within.
We are sworn to
protect life, not destroy it! That is
the Mantle we were given to carry.
This shows that they were given the Mantle, or at least the Forerunners believe they were given a mantle -- the ideology of which being to protect life. They are 'sworn,' implying that it is a central doctrine of their culture and demanded of them. From this one can infer that even if the Forerunners did not like a species such as humanity, their fealty to the Mantle would force them to pragmatically pass it down to us in the event that they could no longer carry it out.
Belief in the Mantle
sealed our doom! Weakened our
[protectorates], bred dependence and
sloth. Our [so-called Guardianship]
has stripped those we would keep
safe of any capacity for
self-defense!
This shows that the Forerunners took onto their shoulders the plights of species they found -- their interpretation of the Mantle flawed in the Librarian's opinion, so that they effectively forced peace through totalitarianism. This belief that they had wrongly carried out the intentions of the Mantle further alludes to a passing on from the failed sentinels to the new; humanity.
You still hold to
that [fairy tale] after all that
has happened?
This paints the Mantle in another light, implying that is has more significance than just ideology -- it could be that there is a physical 'cloak' as well as a figurative one, but 'fairy tale' shows that if there is it hasn't been found yet.
the Mantle you have
shouldered I do rescind - with far
more consideration than it was
granted.
Shows that the Forerunners imbued the beliefs of the Mantle into their AIs. 'Far more consideration than it was granted' implies that the Forerunners have a reason for believing that the Precursors left it them.
And now you claim the Mantle
is justification for impeding
nature's inevitable refinement?
Shows that the Forerunners used the Mantle to prevent any change from occurring, or at least in Mendicant Bias' opinion. Yet more proof that the Forerunners didn't uphold the Mantle as intended.
dictates of the Mantle
The Mantle forbade the
eating of the flesh of unfortunates.
Against the
greatest and most solemn instructions of the Mantle, I might have killed myself then
and there.
Further evidence that it's a doctrine, a way of life obviously all about protecting a preserving it.
we were but a stage in the stewardship of
Living Time. That others would come after us. Otherand better.
This is highly telling. Straight from the Forerunner's mouth, telling us that they're just the current stewards of the ever-shifting Mantle -- that others will inherit it, and hopefully do a better job. Here, Greg Bear is obviously foreshadowing humanity's inheritance of the Mantle.
It goes against the very Mantle that we so strive to inherit and hold
Shows that not only are they trying to justify their inheritance of the Mantle, but are also reluctant to let go of it even when they know they're not carrying the Mantle out correctly.
"Precursors felt the Mantle
extended to the entire universe, energy and matter as well as living creatures...
some say."
I find this quote especially interesting. "Precursors felt the Mantle" -- what an interesting choice of wording. Surely if the Precursors had created this 'Mantle,' this set of beliefs and ideologies, then they would of course know for certain all about it, and wouldn't have to 'feel' anything -- 'feel' implies that theirs was a subjective view upon something not of their own.
Humans believed
they were the true inheritors of the Mantle.
This leads me on to my next little theory; humanity was always supposed to be the one the Mantle was to pass down to, but the Forerunners took it and took that dominion, that belief that they were the lords of the galaxy, their little 'manifest destiny,' so to speak. After the war with the Flood, the Forerunners understand why it wasn't supposed to go to them and pass it down to the rightful inheritors -- humanity.
Making sure their
opponents could never rise again, never present a threat to Forerunner
dominance, all while claiming the privilege of protecting the Mantle
Further supporting evidence for the above; with the Forerunners claiming to be the stewards of the Mantle, they could justify to their people all the atrocities they committed to stay in power by claiming that it was all in the interests of the Mantle and thus relieve the consciences of all who would feel such barbarism was wrong.
and that peculiar connection
to the Mantle that all have but seldom know or feel.
More implying that the Mantle isn't just figurative and that it has some sort of corporeal manifestation; 'seldom know or feel' implies that most Forerunners can't connect with it truly, further supporting the idea that they weren't supposed to be the true inheritors -- that humanity are the Reclaimers, not they.
With
a shiver, she suggested we retire to contemplate the Mantle before spending the
hours of darkness in private study.
Further demonstrates how deeply ingrain into Forerunner society the Mantle is, that after some small strife they would break to contemplate its articles.
a unique sacred epistle of the Mantle's creed
and prayer.
'Epistle' is the key word here, alluding to an extract from a religious text -- in the real word, it refers to the New Testament; perhaps implies that the Forerunner consider their interpretation of the Mantle a 'new testament' of sorts whilst the Precursors and whoever possibly possessed it other than they had the 'Old Testament.'
To conclude...
Although we don't know much about the Mantle in its pure, original form, we know a fair bit about the Forerunners' interpretation of what it is, what it allows them to do, where it came from and who they believe should inherit it.
As previously said, I believe the Precursors originally intended for we (humanity) to inherit the Mantle, but the Forerunners took it instead and used it as an excuse to justify their species-autocracy throughout the galaxy.
After the war with the Flood when all their society lay in ruins around them, largely due to their utter failure to uphold the Mantle, they acknowledged their wronging and passed it along with all they left behind down to we, the rightful inheritors. The true Reclaimers.
All the hypothesis about we being the ones who were meant for the Mantle is just conjecture, but what's undeniable is that the Forerunners left behind everything for us and almost certainly the Mantle too after the realisation that they'd failed to uphold it. Whether it was all of Forerunner society that came to this revelation or just the Didact and Librarian is questionable.
*
Been ages since I've written something like that. Good fun.