I just don’t get it, everyone. Halo 5 Campaign Spoilers Below.
I’ll come right out and share my theory. Cortana we see in Halo 5 is NOT the real Cortana. Why would Cortana, who gave her life to defeat the Didact, suddenly realize he’s right and try to do exactly what he wanted and rule the galaxy with an iron fist? I don’t see it, it just doesn’t work. My theory is that when she found herself in the domain, another hostile ancilla took over her database and learned about the Master Chief and humanity from her perspective, and in order to remove humanity’s greatest hero from the equation, this melevolent forerunner construct took on the physical attributes of Cortana to trick the Master Chief and Blue Team and lure him into her trap, thus eliminating their biggest threat without much conflict. This theory just makes more sense to me and rings more true than Cortana suddenly becoming a fascist dictator. Let me know what you think below, I’m interested in hearing your theories and thoughts on this!
You’d probably be better off arguing that what we see in Halo 5 are the rampant fragments of Cortana melded into a single being. Honestly, there are so many ideas floating around, but none of them are really satisfactory and 343 seems to offer no help in figuring this out (but are perfectly willing to insult people who think Cortana is evil so who knows), but I think some random ancilla taking her over is a stretch.
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> You’d probably be better off arguing that what we see in Halo 5 are the rampant fragments of Cortana melded into a single being. Honestly, there are so many ideas floating around, but none of them are really satisfactory and 343 seems to offer no help in figuring this out (but are perfectly willing to insult people who think Cortana is evil so who knows), but I think some random ancilla taking her over is a stretch.
I think that’s certainly a possibility too, but I wouldn’t go with rampant fragments because she definitely seems a lot more stable. I’d even go a step further and say possibly Mendicant Bias? We don’t really have much on him after what we know and he could very well still be in service. If it’s true and Mendicant Bias is somehow revealed in Halo 6 as an antagonist, perhaps we’d see a bit more of the flood and possibly friendly Promethean’s. Who knows? I just cling to any hope I have that Brian Reed isn’t the rampant one here for suggesting an honest story which Cortana has become the antagonist.
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> > You’d probably be better off arguing that what we see in Halo 5 are the rampant fragments of Cortana melded into a single being. Honestly, there are so many ideas floating around, but none of them are really satisfactory and 343 seems to offer no help in figuring this out (but are perfectly willing to insult people who think Cortana is evil so who knows), but I think some random ancilla taking her over is a stretch.
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> I think that’s certainly a possibility too, but I wouldn’t go with rampant fragments because she definitely seems a lot more stable. I’d even go a step further and say possibly Mendicant Bias? We don’t really have much on him after what we know and he could very well still be in service. If it’s true and Mendicant Bias is somehow revealed in Halo 6 as an antagonist, perhaps we’d see a bit more of the flood and possibly friendly Promethean’s. Who knows? I just cling to any hope I have that Brian Reed isn’t the rampant one here for suggesting an honest story which Cortana has become the antagonist.
Ooo I like the mendicant bias idea that seems really cool. Only time over ever seen them interest in a way is in the halo 2 mission grave mind when cortana is messing with the dreadnaught and says something else is in the system fighting. And by that she meant mendicant bias. Interesting theory though and I like that idea.
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> > > You’d probably be better off arguing that what we see in Halo 5 are the rampant fragments of Cortana melded into a single being. Honestly, there are so many ideas floating around, but none of them are really satisfactory and 343 seems to offer no help in figuring this out (but are perfectly willing to insult people who think Cortana is evil so who knows), but I think some random ancilla taking her over is a stretch.
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> > I think that’s certainly a possibility too, but I wouldn’t go with rampant fragments because she definitely seems a lot more stable. I’d even go a step further and say possibly Mendicant Bias? We don’t really have much on him after what we know and he could very well still be in service. If it’s true and Mendicant Bias is somehow revealed in Halo 6 as an antagonist, perhaps we’d see a bit more of the flood and possibly friendly Promethean’s. Who knows? I just cling to any hope I have that Brian Reed isn’t the rampant one here for suggesting an honest story which Cortana has become the antagonist.
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> Ooo I like the mendicant bias idea that seems really cool. Only time over ever seen them interest in a way is in the halo 2 mission grave mind when cortana is messing with the dreadnaught and says something else is in the system fighting. And by that she meant mendicant bias. Interesting theory though and I like that idea.
I also really like the idea because he’s been kind of a Phantom Menace throughout the series and to see him come to light would be fantastic! As well as making Cortana’s interest in the Halo 3 terminals a nice bit of foreshadowing.
I don’t see why Mendicant Bias would suddenly be evil. He spent over 100,000 years thinking about repentance and tried to help humanity before the Prophets shut him down. Nor is he in the Domain given the games imply the Domain coming back is fairly recent. A digitized Didact should have been Halo 5’s baddie, but I think 343 wanted a shocking story rather than a logical one.
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> I don’t see why Mendicant Bias would suddenly be evil. He spent over 100,000 years thinking about repentance and tried to help humanity before the Prophets shut him down. Nor is he in the Domain given the games imply the Domain coming back is fairly recent. A digitized Didact should have been Halo 5’s baddie, but I think 343 wanted a shocking story rather than a logical one.
When it comes to forerunner AIs, they never really show much in the way of a stable mindset. Guilty Spark wanted to help humanity during the course of Halo 3, but quickly changed his mind the second this new installation was threatened. I’m thinking some event triggered a change in Mendicant’s view (perhaps the partial destruction of the Ark) and he now feels that these “created” are more fit to hold the mantle than organic life. I don’t know, it would take some explaining, but it would be easier to convince the audience than saying Cortana is the villain. A digitized Didact would have been a good choice but a lot of people would see it as a rehash and I could totally understand the decision to dump it, whether or not it was more logical.
Mendicate Bias dies in 3. His core was on the ark. In the terminals he actually talks to you saying his last act will not redeem him for his sins but it is all he can do. Something like “I will hold the path ahead steady for you”. He holds the platforms up for you while you drive to forward unto dawn
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> Mendicate Bias dies in 3. His core was on the ark. In the terminals he actually talks to you saying his last act will not redeem him for his sins but it is all he can do. Something like “I will hold the path ahead steady for you”. He holds the platforms up for you while you drive to forward unto dawn
That is true, he does help you and try to redeem himself. I had to check the wiki to be sure but his death isn’t confirmed though. It says he was possibly destroyed. It’s likely he was, but you can tell how desperately I want some form of redeeming story in which Cortana can’t be blamed for all of this.
EDIT: “And so here at the end of my life, I do once again betray a former master. The path ahead is fraught with peril. But I will do all I can to keep it stable - keep you safe.” This was taken from the final terminal in Halo 3. I don’t know, it sounds like it can be twisted to agree with the whole “I’ll protect you with the guardians” thing going on in Halo 5. To be honest I came up with this theory like two hours ago.