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This topic has moved here: Subject: What were the Cortana "moments" in Halo 3?
  • Subject: What were the Cortana "moments" in Halo 3?
Subject: What were the Cortana "moments" in Halo 3?

What exactly was the explanation behind Cortana slowing me down during the campaign and spewing Halsey quotes?

  • 10.23.2012 11:58 PM PDT

Probably amplification of the signal she uses to speak to John, amplification by the Gravemind (who as revealed in Human Weakness, tried to lure John into a trap so he could kill him.)

Most of the Cortana moments are simply the Gravemind using Cortana to speak his own words. Some are her efforts to resist.

  • 10.24.2012 1:08 AM PDT
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Were any of those Halsey quotes?

  • 10.24.2012 5:36 AM PDT

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Posted by: CoRaMo
Were any of those Halsey quotes?

They were indeed.

One line in a "Cortana Moment" is "You will become to protectors of earth and all her colonies" (or something like that).
Halsey says this line in the book "The Fall of Reach" when she is introducing the Spartan II program to the young children, and why they are at the camp.

[Edited on 10.24.2012 5:55 AM PDT]

  • 10.24.2012 5:47 AM PDT

The HELL you are! These are precious gifts to me and they are non-transferable! How dare you regift my challenge prize. You might as well hock a wedding ring for beer money. -DeeJ

It is said that they are cryptic messages in one of the Halo 3 vidocs.

  • 10.24.2012 6:27 AM PDT

I doubt Gravemind had that far of reach across the Galaxy from Delta Halo, where High Charity was all the way to Earth. I interpreted it as something Cortana left behind in his mind. She left memories of herself behind.

  • 10.24.2012 10:46 AM PDT

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Posted by: nemesishunter7
I doubt Gravemind had that far of reach across the Galaxy from Delta Halo, where High Charity was all the way to Earth. I interpreted it as something Cortana left behind in his mind. She left memories of herself behind.
But what about the Gravemind moments, were they also memories? He could have accessed the Domain for all we know, it would certainly explain a lot. But then again, not everything, such as how Chief recieved the messages even if they were sent through it?

I've always wondered why the Gravemind didn't annoy John with it 24/7, it would have mad it a lot harder for him? ...
Posted by: Wolverfrog
Most of the Cortana moments are simply the Gravemind using Cortana to speak his own words. Some are her efforts to resist.
It's been a while since I read Evolutions, but isn't the last message Cortana sends right before Chief finds her in Halo 3 indicative of her being in control until then, that she sent the messages in order to give John a glimpse of the bigger picture? Is it certain that everything Cortana tells/shows John is directly controlled by the Gravemind, even things such as guiding him to the window at the end of The Covenant (level)?

Now where is that book? ...

[Edited on 10.24.2012 11:21 AM PDT]

  • 10.24.2012 11:19 AM PDT


Posted by: soulEATER123666
What exactly was the explanation behind Cortana slowing me down during the campaign and spewing Halsey quotes?

You are sloven down at cortana and gravemind moments because you are KIA.
I think i was the 1st mission when you are going with marines and then you get cortana moment and one of the marines says:''Chief are you all right? Your signs went KIA for a second.'' Or something along those lines.

  • 10.24.2012 11:24 AM PDT

I think the Gravemind was using his telepathy to mess with Chief. It could have been moments of rampancy being telepathically forwarded to chief by the Gravemind though.

  • 10.24.2012 1:06 PM PDT


Posted by: AnubissWarior

Posted by: soulEATER123666
What exactly was the explanation behind Cortana slowing me down during the campaign and spewing Halsey quotes?

You are sloven down at cortana and gravemind moments because you are KIA.
I think i was the 1st mission when you are going with marines and then you get cortana moment and one of the marines says:''Chief are you all right? Your signs went KIA for a second.'' Or something along those lines.


Do you know what KIA means?

  • 10.24.2012 2:21 PM PDT


Posted by: soulEATER123666

Posted by: AnubissWarior

Posted by: soulEATER123666
What exactly was the explanation behind Cortana slowing me down during the campaign and spewing Halsey quotes?

You are sloven down at cortana and gravemind moments because you are KIA.
I think i was the 1st mission when you are going with marines and then you get cortana moment and one of the marines says:''Chief are you all right? Your signs went KIA for a second.'' Or something along those lines.


Do you know what KIA means?

Killed In Action
Go replay halo 3 and you will probably find the dialog.

  • 10.24.2012 2:39 PM PDT


Posted by: AnubissWarior

Killed In Action
Go replay halo 3 and you will probably find the dialog.


The Master Chief probably goes into some kind of comatose state whenever he gets those messages from the Gravemind/Cortana. Yes, that marine in Halo 3 says something like "Your vital signs say you were KIA", but that's probably because whatever device that monitors the Chief's health is too dumb to tell the difference. Like it just assumed the Chief was killed because his heart stopped for a moment.

  • 10.25.2012 11:09 PM PDT


Posted by: the real Janaka
Posted by: nemesishunter7
I doubt Gravemind had that far of reach across the Galaxy from Delta Halo, where High Charity was all the way to Earth. I interpreted it as something Cortana left behind in his mind. She left memories of herself behind.
But what about the Gravemind moments, were they also memories? He could have accessed the Domain for all we know, it would certainly explain a lot. But then again, not everything, such as how Chief recieved the messages even if they were sent through it?

I've always wondered why the Gravemind didn't annoy John with it 24/7, it would have mad it a lot harder for him? ...
Posted by: Wolverfrog
Most of the Cortana moments are simply the Gravemind using Cortana to speak his own words. Some are her efforts to resist.
It's been a while since I read Evolutions, but isn't the last message Cortana sends right before Chief finds her in Halo 3 indicative of her being in control until then, that she sent the messages in order to give John a glimpse of the bigger picture? Is it certain that everything Cortana tells/shows John is directly controlled by the Gravemind, even things such as guiding him to the window at the end of The Covenant (level)?

Now where is that book? ...

As far as the Gravemind moments, the first one is within the Flood-infested ship. So Chief's vicinity to the Flood would be enough for Gravemind to transmit his message, I would think. Gravemind did control Cortana, but not fully. As you mentioned, the end of The Covenant, showing the rebuilt Halo really didn't fit into Gravemind's plan at all. Also, she was able to hide the index and the fact that she had the index from Gravemind. Immediately, after you rescue her, he says, "At last! Her secret is revealed!"

  • 10.26.2012 11:35 AM PDT


Posted by: nemesishunter7
I doubt Gravemind had that far of reach across the Galaxy from Delta Halo, where High Charity was all the way to Earth. I interpreted it as something Cortana left behind in his mind. She left memories of herself behind.

Halo 3, dude.

  • 10.26.2012 5:58 PM PDT

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Still begs the question of how she managed to send him messages before High Charity crashed.

The Domain is possible, I suppose. Especially if John has a geas. I remember her getting the physical warning message to Earth via the infested cruiser. That was explained in Evo, but I can't think of anything else for the messages prior.

  • 10.26.2012 10:34 PM PDT


Posted by: Darth Ra 7365

Posted by: nemesishunter7
I doubt Gravemind had that far of reach across the Galaxy from Delta Halo, where High Charity was all the way to Earth. I interpreted it as something Cortana left behind in his mind. She left memories of herself behind.

Halo 3, dude.

Yes... I know. There are Cortana moments in nearly all Halo 3 levels. High Charity is where before arriving on the Ark?

  • 10.30.2012 2:23 PM PDT