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Subject: The Ark is not what it seems to be.
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I feel that this subject needed it's own topic and clarification, but it is highly unlikely the Forerunner structure you all saw in the Halo 3 Trailer and are scrambling yourselves over is the Ark in question.

If anything, the Ark is the Forerunner Ship. Wow, what a shock huh? Here's a theory the majority of forum-goers failed to think about. Just because something's on Earth doesn't mean it's the Ark.

Since we're talking about The Flood, then it's most likely Noah's Ark. But I wouldn't be surprised if there were any references to a Ark of the Covenant. After seeing the trailer, everyone went nuts over the Forerunner structure uncovered on Earth and keep insisting that it is the Ark without any standing evidence. If that's not "the Ark", then all the theories will be..uh..squashed with disappointment and error. The only evidence that comes remotely close(it doesn't resemble it that much, if it's anything related to the Ark at all) to that structure being "the Ark" is the whiteboard concept of "Ark_09" in the Limited DVD. It could be a temple, or a landing pad for the Forerunner Ship, or something else altogether. Like the battle for the Ark is going to be 1/3 through the game... I believe the Ark is the Forerunner Ship at the end of Halo 2 due to:

1.High Charity is a Forerunner city well-designed against the Flood. If the Flood should invade(which we saw it did), then the city's population would be proceed to board the Forerunner Ship to evacuate on a countdown launch. The Forerunner Ship is gigantic compared to the city skyline. We know the Forerunner model everything in a grand scale, but that ship looks like it's got plenty of seats for passengers.

High Charity can also be seen as an Ark, if not the Ark(it's possible, but I have my money on the Forerunner Ship). If an Ark was as simple as a underground bunker control center that fires the Halos as well as protecting whoever's inside it, it wouldn't do much good for the survivors. Without food and basic necessities, the survivors' chance of survival is slim. However, High Charity comes with everything-a city built for a thriving civilization, with renewable resources. Perhaps, the Forerunner Ship is used to escape the Flood and activate the Halos..and once the Flood is gone..the Forerunner Ship returns and a civilization can be rebuilt upon immediately on High Charity.

2.The Forerunner Ship did serve it's designed purpose(as referred to above)at the end of Halo 2. There wasn't anyone much to evacuate. The Forerunner is no more, leaving a deserted city. Only Truth and his bodyguards including a stowaway MC, leaving the rest behind. They might as well slow down the Flood to ease Truth's escape. Truth and MC was saved from the Flood as the Forerunner Ship departs(probably on an auto-pilot to Earth). Why was the Forerunner Ship so important to Truth? For all we know, he could've simply comandeered one of his flagships.

3.When Arbiter asks where is the Ark at the very end, the next shot cuts immediately to the Forerunner Ship. I think this implies the Ark is the Forerunner Ship and it's now at Earth. It also gives the ending scene for MC returning to Earth. So, could be both.

4.The Forerunner Ship's engines/reactors were designed to last forever. This implies that the Forerunner Ship is of importance. Granted, the Forerunner probably could make all their ships' engines last forever. The Covenant had been tapping huge amounts of energy out of it to power High Charity. But what's wrong with High Charity's reactor that they had to improvise using the ship? It looks like High Charity's been in quite a battle before judging by its battered exterior.

5.Cortana detects an AI presence aboard the ship. It could be a Forerunner AI intellegience, or the shipmaster whose protocols were to prepare the ship for launch and is defending the ship from Cortana trying to delay the launch. Cortana could be mistakened a Forerunner AI for a Covenant AI, knowing how much the Covenant replicates foreign technology. We don't know whether Truth made it to the ship yet, whether he uploaded a Covenant AI, or whether a Covenant AI was placed aboard beforehand. I'll bet that Forerunner Ship contains revealing details and relics inside once MC gets to exploring it.

A far-off theory would be that MC comes upon this Forerunner AI, who becomes his new assistant now that Cortana's gone.

6.An Ark is usually referred to as a big boat. In Noah's terms, it meant salvation from The Flood. Again, not much difference between Halo and Biblical references. Since there's no boat anywhere in Halo, the only thing that comes close to it is a ship, a spaceship. Thus, it would make sense for the Forerunner Ship to escape the Flood, as well as being able to activate the Halos to (eventually destroy the Flood). The possibility that whoever's inside the Ark survives Halo's blast is not ruled out one way or the other.

  • 06.28.2006 11:28 PM PDT
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Good work.

  • 06.28.2006 11:35 PM PDT
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Well, this theory assumes that 343 Guilty Spark can "see" all the way to Earth with his sensors....

If he can.... then he is the Lord our God and we should welcome him with hallelujahs :)

  • 06.28.2006 11:39 PM PDT
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Well, this theory assumes that 343 Guilty Spark can "see" all the way to Earth with his sensors....

If he can.... then he is the Lord our God and we should welcome him with hallelujahs :)


Why do you say that?

  • 06.29.2006 12:02 AM PDT
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I only read a bit of your theory, but so far I agree with what you say about the Ark. The thing on Earth is not neccesarily the Ark, like you said there is no proof.

  • 06.29.2006 12:13 AM PDT
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I'll bet if the figureheads at Bungie ever glances at the forums, they'd be snickering to themselves...

  • 06.29.2006 12:27 AM PDT
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highchairty is not the ark, it was built by the covies. note the purple/blue architecture scheme compared to the grey human/forrunner theme.

  • 06.29.2006 12:34 AM PDT

Dream Theater FTW!!

Posted by: elah cixlysyd
highchairty is not the ark, it was built by the covies. note the purple/blue architecture scheme compared to the grey human/forrunner theme.


I agree. Humans and Forerunners have a similar design structure.

  • 06.29.2006 12:45 AM PDT
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Regret's exploration fleet landed on Earth knowing this not because they 'found' the Human home world, remember they were surprised, and no human presence was 'foretold'. This obviously means that they were led there by other forerunner artifacts. The structure is most likely the Ark.

  • 06.29.2006 12:58 AM PDT
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Your comparison to Noah’s Ark, and the creatures the flood, seems solid. However, I disagree on the idea that the ship at the end of halo 2 is the elusive arc. The Forunners were a race of highly advanced sentient beings. They likely built hundreds of similar ships. My guess is that the covenant just stumbled upon one of there battle or transport ships, and used its reactor to power High Charity. I believe that the true Arc is earth as a whole. It is perfect. Earth would be created to sustain life in times of flood containment. Also as I remember a while back somebody calculated that the combined blast radii of all halo installations would leave a small whole, the size of our solar system. To address the artifact dug up on earth. That is a firing mechanism used to remotely activate the halo installations. If you want proof of earths role as the arc there is plenty.

1.When the covenant fleet under the control of regret made its premature attack it did not realize humans were inhabiting it. This is based off of the fact that the fleet attacking reach was considerably larger. Also Cortana picked up the transmissions from the covenant fleet, and the covenant was in disarray.

2.The hole created by the positioning of the rings. Primarily the off centering of Alfa halo. Installation 01 cannot be at the center of the galaxy. (There is a massive black hole.)

3. There is considerable evidence that humanity is either later forunner or creations of the forunner. For example only humans can be reclaimers. 343's statement in the engine room of the Pillar of Autumn. "Amazing a record of all OUR lost times, Human history is it..."

4. The Covenant landed with Mining machines scarabs.

All of this leads to one conclusion humanity was created by the forunner to activate the rings when necessary. Wouldn't it only make sense to put the Arc on the home planet of the reclaimers, which is the only real planet protected from the effects of the rings. Not make it a ship identical to hundreds of others, and have it end up as part of a covenant city. Being that its protected from the blast it would be a haven for the humans to live and survive. And to one day correct an out break of flood caused by some medlesome being.

  • 06.29.2006 1:11 AM PDT
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Posted by: AceofSwords
Posted by: elah cixlysyd
highchairty is not the ark, it was built by the covies. note the purple/blue architecture scheme compared to the grey human/forrunner theme.


I agree. Humans and Forerunners have a similar design structure.


I also agree because I feel like it and that bungie said that structure on Earth is the Ark, it's not like them to lie so why do people make non commen sense post like this. Who would be dumb enough to think that High Charity is the Ark it is just a covenant city built by the covenant; that ship they found and used to power High Charity. How possibly could it be the Ark.

  • 06.29.2006 4:01 AM PDT

I go by many names, Shinigami, osiris, thanatos, Ares are but a few. But my name is not important for i am god and i am coming for you.

i am a master of my trade with these two hands i create great works. What is it i do?? ... well lets hope for your sake you never find out.

Like guns?? so do we, join Halo Armory and you can too

i like your theory i made a similair one a while back here statig that the structure on earth when open looks like it could be a dock for the forerunner ship and maybe to stop it being set off y accident the ship and structure could be like two parts of a key neither will do anything on their own but when combined..........


something to think about.

  • 06.29.2006 4:13 AM PDT
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its a good theory but the the pic with ark 09 on it is some measure of proof, which is more than can be said for your theory

i like it but theres more evidence pointing to the structure on earth

  • 06.29.2006 4:28 AM PDT
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um are we saying indiana jones is a forerunner or that the ark is protecting you it's not tied to christianty so i wouldn't say that the ark is something refuring to christanty and if corection is right master chief was on the forerunner ship at the end of halo 2 so that would mean he killed him in the first level of halo 3 so this means your terioe is a bust

[Edited on 6/29/2006]

  • 06.29.2006 2:18 PM PDT
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Halo does have biblical elements.

How would you know the MC kills Truth on the first level of Halo 3?



No common sense huh? You know, in my defense, I just think you're all just dead-set on believing the structure has to be the Ark that you fail to consider any other possibilities.

Bungie never said the structure in the trailer is the Ark. Everything's an assumption based on what each person thinks, but I might as well make a educated one. At least I have logical points. Just because Regret was looking for something on Earth doesn't mean it has to be "the Ark". I'm sure Earth is a treasure trove of Forerunner relics... That's almost like saying the random rock you dug up in your backyard is gold...

The city is metallic-grey. Its angular archeitectural designs make it similar in all aspect to Forerunner design principles. Joe Staten personally said himself that High Charity was the Prophet homeworld, which we know that it is a former Forerunner inhabited world. Only the Hierach Sanctum, the Mausoleum, and the Hanging Gardens were blue/purple, which leads me to believe the Hierach Sanctum was the only structure on High Charity Covenant built.

  • 06.29.2006 2:35 PM PDT
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Posted by: Seven7h
Halo does have biblical elements.

How would you know the MC kills Truth on the first level of Halo 3?



No common sense huh? You know, in my defense, I just think you're all just dead-set on believing the structure has to be the Ark that you fail to consider any other possibilities.

Bungie never said the structure in the trailer is the Ark. Everything's an assumption based on what each person thinks, but I might as well make a educated one. At least I have logical points. Just because Regret was looking for something on Earth doesn't mean it has to be "the Ark". I'm sure Earth is a treasure trove of Forerunner relics... That's almost like saying the random rock you dug up in your backyard is gold...

The city is metallic-grey. Its angular archeitectural designs make it similar in all aspect to Forerunner design principles. Joe Staten personally said himself that High Charity was the Prophet homeworld, which we know that it is a former Forerunner inhabited world. Only the Hierach Sanctum, the Mausoleum, and the Hanging Gardens were blue/purple, which leads me to believe the Hierach Sanctum was the only structure on High Charity Covenant built.





based on your ideas i belive you never whatched the halo 2 cutscene movies because if the forerunner ship is the ark and mc was on the ark at the end of halo 2 he could just blow the ship up a nd be over weith it but no meaning it must be on earth

  • 06.29.2006 2:42 PM PDT
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lolz, maybe the Ark really is a giant ship.

They're gonna take control of it and fly the earth into the sun, LOL

  • 06.29.2006 2:45 PM PDT
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You assume too much.

  • 06.29.2006 2:47 PM PDT
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ya and if they fly the earth into the sun mc would die it wouldn't make sense if he dies

  • 06.29.2006 2:49 PM PDT
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if the earth is the ark and the humans were the only survivors, than how did the covenant race come into existance?

  • 06.29.2006 2:56 PM PDT
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If the ship there is the ark then maybe it could have been used to get past the field of attack the rings can produce there by saving the Forerunners race, but they didn't use the "ark" as we can see so are they all dead or not?

  • 06.29.2006 2:56 PM PDT
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Posted by: Sekeres
If the ship there is the ark then maybe it could have been used to get past the field of attack the rings can produce there by saving the Forerunners race, but they didn't use the "ark" as we can see so are they all dead or not?


Not sure. The Forerunner could possibly exist in another time and another place, and the Prophets wish to follow their transcedence(listen to Regret's sermons on Delta Hao). If they read some kind of prophetetic inscription, then there might be a way to get to where the Forerunner are. Judging by all the stuff we've seen and heard throughout the Halos, I think it's not too far off to guess that there were survivors from the last war. Earth could be the final stop for the portal(is it the famous structure in the trailer?), hence Truth announcing that "the Great Journey begins at Earth " from 343 Guilty Spark. I'm also considering what Mercy said that none of the humans would be left behind of the Great Journey, but this doesn't tie in with this theory(another one, yes).

  • 06.29.2006 3:05 PM PDT

I go by many names, Shinigami, osiris, thanatos, Ares are but a few. But my name is not important for i am god and i am coming for you.

i am a master of my trade with these two hands i create great works. What is it i do?? ... well lets hope for your sake you never find out.

Like guns?? so do we, join Halo Armory and you can too

but didnt the moniter when asked say that they "reffering to the forerunners" and everything else within 3 galacti or whatever its range was of the galactic circle died?

  • 06.29.2006 3:20 PM PDT

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