- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
I'm 99% sure someone thought this before, but here's my say:
I do not think the Ark is a weapon at all. Honestly, the name pretty much gives it away, and I know this theory has been stated a million times, but it makes sense: The "Ark" (of the "Covenant", possibly?) is a refuge from the "Flood". Now the Halo rings, when activated in unison, were designed to wipe out all sentient life in the universe, or at least all life capable of supporting the Flood. Supposing the above is true, perhaps the Forrunners built the Ark as a sanctuary from their own weapon of universal destruction. This would indeed have major significance to the Covenant religion, however... this theory is flawed.
Assuming the Forrunners were/are the "creators" or the "grandparents" of mankind, where did the Covenant and their alien species come from? Obviously, they could not have survived the first activation of the Halo superweapon, though it is unclear WHEN the Halo rings were first activated (perhaps enough time for primitive life to evolve?). Is it possible that the Forrunners and the Covenant were at one time part of a collective and sought refuge in the Ark side by side?
Still, this leaves an unexplained hole: Where did the Flood come from? The "will of God"? Or a Forrunner accident? Who knows? We'll just have to wait for Halo 3 I suppose... just another reason to wait with great anticipation for its release!