Okay, so by 2552, everyone and their mother knows where earth isthe insurrection, covenant, Prometheans and flood. The entire galaxy has our address. Isn’t it fair to assume that the Cole Protocol is suspended indefinitely?
I think so, unless maybe they encounter a new hostile species?
But, does that mean they know where things like the Midnight facility is? Or other possible top secret bases and ship yards? The Cole Protocol didn’t just protected Earth, it protected colonies and the data ships may have on weapon research.
Hostile forces are still out there, the UNSC don’t need them getting their hands on something as badass as the Mark I Prototype Armor Defense System.
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> I think so, unless maybe they encounter a new hostile species?
As far as sentient life that’s pretty much it, unless the librarian stashed others away in dark corners. As far as native fauna…of course! I’m sure there’s some kind of alien bear or something waiting to snack on humans on other planets.
It still exists presumably to protect the existence of other undiscovered colonies. If Earth’s location is now known, then it’s even more important to keep the remaining worlds a secret.
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> But, does that mean they know where things like the Midnight facility is? Or other possible top secret bases and ship yards? The Cole Protocol didn’t just protected Earth, it protected colonies and the data ships may have on weapon research.
> Hostile forces are still out there, the UNSC don’t need them getting their hands on something as badass as the Mark I Prototype Armor Defense System.
Toucher sir! Materials group, special projects an the like.
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> Okay, so by 2552, everyone and their mother knows where earth isthe insurrection, covenant, Prometheans and flood. The entire galaxy has our address. Isn’t it fair to assume that the Cole Protocol is suspended indefinitely?
The cole protocol would still exist because you wouldn’t want them to find the location of other human worlds or facilities. Its actually better now for those who fallow the cole protocol because after the wipe they can still hold on to the location of earth and return their if they survive.
Considering the Cole Protocol also demanded the destruction of AI, ships, and experimental technology in the event of an attack, then I’d say yes. It’s wasn’t just to conceal Earth’s location, it was also to keep Earth, ONI, and UNSC secrets just that, a secret.
Doesn’t everyone and their mother know the location of earth now. There are even covenant refugees in Rio Brazil what happens when they up and leave. I’m also sure the gravemind knows at this point, due to the events of H3, Forerunners clearly, didact didn’t even stop for directions.
Since the UNSC is still at war with Jul 'Mdama and his remnant faction, I think it would be wise to keep the Cole Protocol in effect just in case.
I think the cole protocol would still be in affect but rendered useless right now. With that being said it doesn’t mean it will never be useful again say there were stragglers from the covenant that weren’t informed that no one knows is alive to begin with find a unsc frigate and attacked it. I would say ited be a good idea to still have in in affect.
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> Okay, so by 2552, everyone and their mother knows where earth isthe insurrection, covenant, Prometheans and flood. The entire galaxy has our address. Isn’t it fair to assume that the Cole Protocol is suspended indefinitely?
OK so first the events of halo 4 are in 2557 so the prometheans are not seen there until then… That aside I would agree with those that have said the protocol is still active at least in some form. The unsc would not only want to keep its remaining assets and their locations a secret like the outdated mark I (sick anime though) and other research but far more than that the halo universe is in a massive arms race (or was prior to the discovery of the Janus key) for forerunner tech and would want to keep any discoveries a secret. Furthermore I would be very surprised if oni had not started a secret program to seed humanity into hitherto unexplored corners of the galaxy because with the looming threats to earth and a near human extinction the best offence is babies. Like so many babies. It is assumed that Cole himself had this idea back in 2543 and oni was aware of it. Check out the battle of psi serpentis for more on that.