- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Let's get the facts straight.
~The Covenant invasion of Earth was primarily due to fact that they had located yet another Forerunner artifact, not mainly because of the ongoing war against humanity.
In Halo 2 Cortana states:
"They're suprised, confused, I don't think they expected us to be 'here'. Not you or me, but humanity on Earth."
~Take this theory into account, in the novel 'First Strike', there was a huge Covenant armada massing around the station 'Unyielding Hierophant', which would then be used to secure the location 'Earth' because of the discovery of coordinates found on some Forerunner artifact.
~Sure they are destroying humanity at the same time, and since Earth is the last major planet with humans on it, the Covenant would make a quick strike to 'glass' them, but logically speaking, couldn't the reason for so many ships to amass in one area was because of the triumphant unveiling of the greatest or perhaps final Forerunner artifact?
In Halo 2 Fleet Admiral Hood states:
"This is the only place the Covenant decided to land, that Prophet is going to tell us why."
~Duh, they're after the Forerunner artifact, or coordinates, which brings them to 'Delta Halo'.
~Throughout the books there's numerous clues that the Covenant were really searching around for something, and all the major battles mentioned in the novels had some significance to their discovery of 'something'. With humanity 'in the way', couldn't you speculate that the statement, "your destruction is the will of the gods, and we are their instrument", is simply because the humans are in the way of thier grand operation (Great Journey)?
~Since the humans were initially unaware of the hidden Forerunner artifacts, which were really beneath their noses, the Covenant finally lost patience after studying them and declared their unworthyness for existence. Thus war.
Again in Halo 2 Cortana states:
"I knew the Covenant was good at repurposing Forerunner technology but this is amazing..."
~The Covenant saw the Forerunner's as the ancient divine race, just speculating it really, using their ships to power their cities and finding artifacts to answer questions, wouldn't you think the Covenant are trying to find some way to contact the Forerunners? It makes sense when you tie it in with the activation of the Halo installations, the Prophets (in this sense), may have believed that the Halo installations could be some sort of gateway, perhaps a portal to the Forerunners?
::HERE IS MY THEORY TO THE HALO MYSTERY::
~Cortana and 343 Guilty Spark are 'lying'. After Cortana's encounter with the Halo systems she began acting oddly, even for an AI. 343 Guilty Spark could be twisting his words with the Chief and somehow manipulated Cortana during her time within the Halo system. 343 Guilty Spark could also be giving a false story to the Arbirter and the humans.
~The activation of Halo is a critical component in all of the games. What would 'happen' if they were activated? Would all sentient life die as 343 said says, or perhaps the flood? I believe all the Halo installations will be activated in Halo 3
~The Ark is that 3 mile stretch of Forerunner installation in the Halo 3 Trailer, let's face it folks they gave this particular installation the name for a reason. The ark is simply a safe haven for life, all life for that matter, I believe the remaining survivors of humanity are hiding out there. Wouldn't that be an explanation for the Covenant armada racing towards that location? They've found the last of the humans!
[Edited on 5/12/2006]