Geas Theory

Community Halo Universe
1

I know that some people believe that John 117 has a geas that led him to the Librarian during the events of Halo 4 but I believe this is absolutely incorrect. At no point during the game does John ever independently take an action that is guided by anything other than duty and a desire to stop the Didact. It is always some external force or entity that pushes John toward the Librarian. In the level in which he meets the Librarian he is only focused in taking down the cannons, and has no other focus. The only reason he even approaches the area that the Librarian speak to him is to retrieve his equipment. When he does meet the Librarian he doesn’t know who she is and she doesn’t reference him as more than a point where events collide. It is more likely and logical that it is I fact only Doctor Halsey who had a geas. She recognizes the Librarian on sight, takes active steps to find the Librarian, and her geas can also explain John ending up where he was.

Halsey created the Spartans, meaning she screened them for traits and most importantly their genetics. Part of the reason behind having John meet the Librarian was not only to inform him of the Composer but to activate a dormant part of his genetics. The Librarian in no way says that only John has that genetic mutation only that he was the one brought to her with the AI. It is logical then to conclude that the genetic mutation that could make a person immune was part of the genetics Halsey required of the Spartans. It is also likely one of the genetic qualifiers that was thrown out for the later generations of Spartans so the candidates weren’t so narrow as Halsey had nothing to do with the later generations and would to insist on it.

It is also because of Halsey that John would have been in that exact position. It’s more likely that John wasn’t guaranteed to be the Spartan that would be standing before the Librarian, that all Spartan IIs were candidates to end up in that position, but it was John because of Halsey. Halsey has an obsession with John which likely put him on the path of events that led him to the Librarian. She not only had decided he was going to be Squad Leader, placing him in charge of all Spartans, but her obsession with him transferred to Cortana.

We all know that Cortana was made through illegal acts which could be attributed again to the geas. Halsey may not have only used her own mind because she’s egotistical but because she knew she needed to ensure that the AI had the same geas guiding her. Remember that the Librarian said that he had a specific AI, indicating that the AI was somewhat predetermined. The Librarian could not have predicted exactly Cortana but she could influence how it was made to ensure simple things about it like it being made from Halsey’s brain. Cortana was likely also supposed to aid in the selection of the Spartan that would meet the Librarian, using the information gathered over the years to choose the correct soldier but, because of the inherited obsession, chose John.

It should be remembered that while John is a good Spartan and Lucky he is not the best Spartan. In fact he’s average. There are stronger, faster, and specialized Spartans. Fred is better at hand-to-hand, Sam was stronger, Linda is a better shot, Grace was better with explosives, Kurt was better at sensing trouble or ambushes, and Kelly is faster. Even John thought Fred was a better Spartan overall but it is Halsey’s obsession that’s evident in the journal included with Halo Reach that she had no interest in any of the other Spartans and had already made up her mind.

2

Geas does not activate right away its dorment as it was in Chakas and Riser. Besides we have examples of Geas in the novels the Flood and First Strike. Also John hearing the Didact and Cortana could not in the mission Shutdown which takes place after the Librarian meeting.

“The display’s shimmering geometric patterns nagged at him, as if he should recognize them somehow. Even with his enhanced memory, he couldn’t place where he’d seen them before. They just seemed…familiar. … He wasn’t sure why he touched the ‘button’ on the display. He just knew it felt right.” Pg 95 of the flood

“He seemed to know instinctively how to activate the panel–it almost seemed hard-wired, like his flight or flight response.” Pg 189 of the flood.

3

Chakas geas was always active. He walked about remembering seeing the Librarian from when he was very young. He was always waiting for the day Bornsteller would show up but he didn’t know. The exact event, like Halsey needing to get down to Requiem as soon as there were the signs to trigger her geas to force her to have to get to the planet. The Didact has nothing to do with the geas. He has no power over it, only the Librarian and they are not the same person.

The ability to use forerunner equipment and Covenant equipment isn’t from a geas. All humans have the save experience. When faced with a alien door and panel Kelly hit the correct symbol to open the door. When first getting into a tank Fred knew what to do even without any experience because it’s all based on Forerunner tech and humans have an innate ability to use it. That’s also why only humans can use Forerunner equipment. That has nothing to do with geas.

1 Like
4

> Chakas geas was always active. He walked about remembering seeing the Librarian from when he was very young. He was always waiting for the day Bornsteller would show up but he didn’t know. The exact event, like Halsey needing to get down to Requiem as soon as there were the signs to trigger her geas to force her to have to get to the planet. The Didact has nothing to do with the geas. He has no power over it, only the Librarian and they are not the same person.
>
> The ability to use forerunner equipment and Covenant equipment isn’t from a geas. All humans have the save experience. When faced with a alien door and panel Kelly hit the correct symbol to open the door. When first getting into a tank Fred knew what to do even without any experience because it’s all based on Forerunner tech and humans have an innate ability to use it. <mark>That’s</mark> <mark>also</mark> <mark>why</mark> <mark>only</mark> <mark>humans</mark> <mark>can</mark> <mark>use</mark> <mark>Forerunner</mark> <mark>equipment</mark>. That has nothing to do with geas.

cough Jul activating Requiem fail safe .

5

> > Chakas geas was always active. He walked about remembering seeing the Librarian from when he was very young. He was always waiting for the day Bornsteller would show up but he didn’t know. The exact event, like Halsey needing to get down to Requiem as soon as there were the signs to trigger her geas to force her to have to get to the planet. The Didact has nothing to do with the geas. He has no power over it, only the Librarian and they are not the same person.
> >
> > The ability to use forerunner equipment and Covenant equipment isn’t from a geas. All humans have the save experience. When faced with a alien door and panel Kelly hit the correct symbol to open the door. When first getting into a tank Fred knew what to do even without any experience because it’s all based on Forerunner tech and humans have an innate ability to use it. <mark>That’s</mark> <mark>also</mark> <mark>why</mark> <mark>only</mark> <mark>humans</mark> <mark>can</mark> <mark>use</mark> <mark>Forerunner</mark> <mark>equipment</mark>. That has nothing to do with geas.
>
> cough Jul activating Requiem fail safe .

That’s actually one of the plot holes on 343’s part. Remember also in Spartan Ops that Jul needed humans and was even taking prisoners to try to get them to run things. It’s absolutely ridiculous that he was able to do that and breaks canon in all over games/books/comics.The Ark, the Halo, only humans being able to reach the Librarian, and even Halo Wars.

6

It was never impossible for the covenant to activate forerunner technology, merely difficult. Humanity simply has it easier and The reason humanity has it easier is full of plot holes.

Aside from the rings.*

7

> It was never impossible for the covenant to activate forerunner technology, merely difficult. Humanity simply has it easier and The reason humanity has it easier is full of plot holes.
>
> Aside from the rings.*

They also weren’t able to reach the Librarian. They are able to use doors and such, and light bridges. This is all beyond the point of this thread. That ability and instinct isn’t a geas. This is about geas.

8

What is this about humans being the only ones? That’s just a misconceptions fans came up with. Nothing in the canon has ever stated that. We’ve had a consistent narrative that Covenant have always been able to activate Forerunner tech. It’s the significant stuff where humans need to be involved (IE Covenant finding and activating Shield Worlds to advance their tech, releasing the Flood in Halo CE, piloting the Key Ship, activating the X50 construct, activating gondolas, firing sentinel beams, repurposing Forerunner tech, etc.

In Spartan Ops with Jul sending Requiem into the sun, after he initiates the process, the Ur-Didact’s glyph shows up, implying he gave Jul his blessing.

With the cover art and summary for Issue #9, it seems even more likely since the Didact appears to have still been active even immediately after the events of Halo 4.

9

> What is this about humans being the only ones? That’s just a misconceptions fans came up with. Nothing in the canon has ever stated that. We’ve had a consistent narrative that Covenant have always been able to activate Forerunner tech. It’s the significant stuff where humans need to be involved (IE Covenant finding and activating Shield Worlds to advance their tech, releasing the Flood in Halo CE, piloting the Key Ship, activating the X50 construct, activating gondolas, firing sentinel beams, repurposing Forerunner tech, etc.

It is canon that humans are the only ones that are able to fire Halos and run the major pieces of Forerunner tech. That’s why Johnson was needed by Truth in Halo 3.

> In Spartan Ops with Jul sending Requiem into the sun, after he initiates the process, the Ur-Didact’s glyph shows up, implying he gave Jul his blessing.

Except that never actually happened and there’s no indication that the Didact ever had any contact with the Didact and is more likely an oversite on 343’s part because they needed it for the plot.

> With the cover art and summary for Issue #9, it seems even more likely since the Didact appears to have still been active even immediately after the events of Halo 4.

As is clear from the covers of the other issues of Escalation they don’t have any connection to the actual events. Lasky never fought a gold armored elite, There was no ranger elite fighting a soldier on a booster frame, there was no forerunner structure and Majestic was unimportant #6. Covers have no connection to the actual events of the comic.

Again this has nothing to do with subject of this post. The ability to use Forerunner tech is not a geas therefore is not the point of this thread. Can we get back on topic?

10

> It is canon that humans are the only ones that are able to fire Halos and run the major pieces of Forerunner tech. That’s why Johnson was needed by Truth in Halo 3.

Exactly, so what’s this nonsense about humans being the only ones who can activate Forerunner technology?

> Except that never actually happened and there’s no indication that the Didact ever had any contact with the Didact and is more likely an oversite on 343’s part because they needed it for the plot.

Considering the Didact assumed command of the Covenant forces at Requiem, he had to have had contact with Jul.

Again, it’s heavily implied. Why would the Ur-Didact’s glyph come up after initiating a scorched earth failsafe? Not just that, but the camera lingers on his glyph as Jul walks away, putting significant emphasis on it while at the same time the Didact’s theme song is playing.

Seems pretty clear to me the Didact had some influence over Requiem’s destruction.

> As is clear from the covers of the other issues of Escalation they don’t have any connection to the actual events. Lasky never fought a gold armored elite, There was no ranger elite fighting a soldier on a booster frame, there was no forerunner structure and Majestic was unimportant #6. Covers have no connection to the actual events of the comic.

Lasky fighting an Elite Warrior
They still use booster frames in Issue #5
Yes, Majestic was unimportant for saving the UNSC Infinity. It’s not like they saved the ship or anything.

The covers for Issue #6 and #7 have no correlation to the events in the comic because they both use a half of concept art Sparth did presumably for Halo 5, or another unannounced game.

> Again this has nothing to do with subject of this post. The ability to use Forerunner tech is not a geas therefore is not the point of this thread. Can we get back on topic?

You brought it up. I’m simply correcting something that is incorrect.

In regards to geas, nothing indicates Chief as not having geas. Here’s an explanation and list of geasa.

11

> You brought it up. I’m simply correcting something that is incorrect.

No I didn’t. Someone else brought it up. My original post didn’t mention if things could or couldn’t be used at all. They stated that a geas was why John knew how to use things which is blatantly not true. None of this has anything to do with geas so drop it. If you want to have a discussion about to what degree humans are exclusively able to use Covenant equpiment then take it to another thread.

P.S. The covers of the comic have always had no connection, even more with the fact that they wouldn’t make it a cover with anything that hinted at the events of the comic because that’s for E3 and they aren’t going to give away what will likely be a major part of their E3 presentation.

12

> No I didn’t. Someone else brought it up. My original post didn’t mention if things could or couldn’t be used at all.

That’s actually one of the plot holes on 343’s part. Remember also in Spartan Ops that Jul needed humans and was even taking prisoners to try to get them to run things. **It’s absolutely ridiculous that he was able to do that and breaks canon in all over games/books/comics.**The Ark, the Halo, only humans being able to reach the Librarian, and even Halo Wars.

You’re the one saying it breaks canon when it doesn’t.

> They stated that a geas was why John knew how to use things which is blatantly not true. None of this has anything to do with geas so drop it. If you want to have a discussion about to what degree humans are exclusively able to use Covenant equpiment then take it to another thread.

Then maybe you should do the same since you instigated this conversation. It’s a topic that came up as a result of natural discussion within another topic.

You’re no mod and I see no need to move my posts elsewhere.

> P.S. The covers of the comic have always had no connection,

Yes they have. Whether it’s a vague connection or a strong one, all of them have had one except for Issue #6 and #7.

Issue #1 - Lasky, Infinity, and Palmer are a main focus of Issue #1
Issue #2 - Lasky gets into a fight with an Elite Warrior in a Covenant setting/location
Issue #3 - Palmer has no helmet and uses both her pistols
Issue #4 - Dogfight ensues between HW vehichles and Broadswords
Issue #5 - Spartans ride Booster Frames

> even more with the fact that they wouldn’t make it a cover with anything that hinted at the events of the comic because that’s for E3 and they aren’t going to give away what will likely be a major part of their E3 presentation.

It’s something that’s out of their control if they intended for it to be a surprise.

They can’t make Dark Horse stop soliciting their roster for a given month to CBR. If you’ll note, Issue #9 is supposed to come out in August, almost 3 months after E3 occurs.

13

John has some sort of geas. The question who is the geas? I know this has been mention elsewhere but could John have the geas of Iso Didact? There is support for the idea. The Guilty Spark dialogue about doing it activating the array again and this “Your nobility has blinded you, as ever.” phase from the level Forerunner that the Ur Didact says. We know that after the Ur Didact is saved from the Flood burn he goes insane. He starts to clash with everyone and IMO Bornstellar most of all, he also launches his mad scheme to stop flood by his digital army.

14

> John has some sort of geas. The question who is the geas? I know this has been mention elsewhere but could John have the geas of Iso Didact? There is support for the idea. The Guilty Spark dialogue about doing it activating the array again and this “Your nobility has blinded you, as ever.” phase from the level Forerunner that the Ur Didact says. We know that after the Ur Didact is saved from the Flood burn he goes insane. He starts to clash with everyone and IMO Bornstellar most of all, he also launches his mad scheme to stop flood by his digital army.

Geas aren’t people,and the IsoDidact had no ability to plant geas. The comment about nobility has nothing to do with anything other than John’s actual personality. The things is the IsoDidact should be dead, he wasn’t in a shield world when the Halos went off, it’s why also the Librarian is dead. The Didact’s plan at the end of the book series wasn’t to stop the Flood with a digital army. He was making an army to assert Forerunner dominance. Either way a geas isn’t a person. You’re thinking of the old warriors that Chakas and Riser had in them but that’s not a geas. A geas is what made Chakas help Bornsteller, which had nothing to do with the old warrior in him.

15

Geas is a rather broad term, one that encompasses many things. Composed souls being imprinted on someone included.

The IsoDidact is very much alive to our knowledge. He fired the Halo Array from the Citadel at the Lesser Ark and was alive to go on the Great Journey with the surviving Forerunners.

In regards to the Prometheans: While they were created to assert Forerunner dominance, they were absolutely intended to defeat the Flood.

16

> Geas is a rather broad term, one that encompasses many things. Composed souls being imprinted on someone included.
>
> The IsoDidact is very much alive to our knowledge. He fired the Halo Array from the Citadel at the Lesser Ark and was alive to go on the Great Journey with the surviving Forerunners.
>
> In regards to the Prometheans: While they were created to assert Forerunner dominance, they were absolutely intended to defeat the Flood.

I was going to say the same thing as you did, but since you already said it, just going to thank your post and keep to my empty corner~

17

> and the IsoDidact had no ability to plant geas.

But he has a number of Lifeworkers and the new Lifeshaper with him who can. We actually see Trial give Riser and the other human specimens a new geas to help them survive on the Ark for the years that they’ll live there before going home.

> The things is the IsoDidact should be dead, he wasn’t in a shield world when the Halos went off, it’s why also the Librarian is dead.

He fired the Halos from the Lesser Ark, located outside of the galaxy and away from the effects of the Halos… We’ve known this since Halo 3.

> The Didact’s plan at the end of the book series wasn’t to stop the Flood with a digital army. He was making an army to assert Forerunner dominance.

You did read Silentium, right? Endurance makes it crystal clear that the Prometheans are to be the Didact’s means of defeating the Flood:

> “He believes he will defeat the Flood with these new Prometheans, that the scattered remnants of the Forerunners will survive, and that they will eventually reunite. He will summon them, then govern and reorganise. Requiem will become the centre for the Forerunner resurgence, the foundation upon which we will rightfully claim the Mantle. […] He will begin a program to eradicate all suspect species. Purge all dangerous planets. Wipe the galaxy clean of threats. Never again allow the galaxy to rise up against Forerunners.”

Wouldn’t really make sense for him to attempt to assert Forerunner dominance without stopping the Flood who were the prime contender for that at the time…

> Either way a geas isn’t a person. You’re thinking of the old warriors that Chakas and Riser had in them but that’s not a geas. A geas is what made Chakas help Bornsteller, which had nothing to do with the old warrior in him.

Nope, a geas can be an imprinted personality as well. Vinnevra’s geas took the form of a child:

> Vinnevra reached forward from her bench to touch my shoulder. Her face was clear and calm and her eyes bright. “I think I understand now. This used to be a place for children. Forerunner children. A safe place to learn and play. And I know where my geas comes from,” she said. “It comes into my head like sunshine through the dark. It comes new and fresh when there is something important to tell me. And it is the voice of a child—a lost child, very young.”
>
> “Why a child?”
>
> “I don’t know, but it is young.”
>
> “Male or female?”
>
> “Both.”
>
> “What does it tell you now?”
>
> “We’re going where we need to be.”
>
> “Where’s that?” Mara held out her huge paw and Vinnevra gripped her thumb.
>
> “We’re all going to Erda,” she said.

18

> That’s actually one of the plot holes on 343’s part. Remember also in Spartan Ops that Jul needed humans and was even taking prisoners to try to get them to run things. **It’s absolutely ridiculous that he was able to do that and breaks canon in all over games/books/comics.**The Ark, the Halo, only humans being able to reach the Librarian, and even Halo Wars.
>
> You’re the one saying it breaks canon when it doesn’t.

That was in reference to Jul being able to hit the big blow-up-the-whole-planet button. Not things like light bridges.

> Yes they have. Whether it’s a vague connection or a strong one, all of them have had one except for Issue #6 and #7.
>
> Issue #1 - Lasky, Infinity, and Palmer are a main focus of Issue #1
> Issue #2 - Lasky gets into a fight with an Elite Warrior in a Covenant setting/location
> Issue #3 - Palmer has no helmet and uses both her pistols
> Issue #4 - Dogfight ensues between HW vehichles and Broadswords
> Issue #5 - Spartans ride Booster Frames

Did you actually read any of the comics?

Issue# 1: Infinity had nothing to do with the story. A proper cover would have featured the Arbiiter or the Brute leader who’s name I would spell so off base only the L at the stat would be correct.
issue#2: Ray gets in a fight with an Elite and Lasky only at the last second hits it with an assault rifle but doesn’t really fight it.
Issue#3: Palmer is always shown with her helmet off, only Spartan Assault used her helmet for promotion. She only has one pistol and fires it only once. There is no big gun fight as the cover would show. In fact the image is closer to the events of Spartan Ops than anything in the comics at all.
Issue#4: There is no dog fight at all and no broad sword. A (I think it was a vulture) that leaves the wrecked ship but they don’t have a dog fight in any way.
Issue#5: but they don’t do any combat on them and the Spartan on the Booster frame is clearly molded after Fred from the Package, not any Spartan that was on a booster frame.

Even the summaries of the future issues about the master chief are vague and there’s a reason for that, because the comic artist and writers don’t get to just so whatever they want to. The picture still promotes the comic, it looks good, but the point of the cover isn’t to give away the events of the comic particularly something like what happens with John as keeping it a total mystery and even having pointless just pretty covers is better advertisement.

19

> That was in reference to Jul being able to hit the big blow-up-the-whole-planet button. Not things like light bridges.

Does this suffice?

That’s also why only humans can use Forerunner equipment.

> Did you actually read any of the comics?

Yes.

Did you?

> Issue# 1: Infinity had nothing to do with the story. A proper cover would have featured the Arbiiter or the Brute leader who’s name I would spell so off base only the L at the stat would be correct.

Actually, Infinity has a lot to do with the story considering it’s assigned to protect the Brute and Elite delegates.

How else would the UNSC forces get to Ealen-IV?

> issue#2: Ray gets in a fight with an Elite and Lasky only at the last second hits it with an assault rifle but doesn’t really fight it.

He still fought with the Elite.

You’re grasping at straws.

> Issue#3: Palmer is always shown with her helmet off, only Spartan Assault used her helmet for promotion. She only has one pistol and fires it only once. There is no big gun fight as the cover would show. In fact the image is closer to the events of Spartan Ops than anything in the comics at all.

Note that I never said the covers 100% depicted what goes on in the comics. Don’t strawman this.

Her actions in other media is irrelevant. This is about Issue #3. And in Issue #3, she has no helmet, and dual wields pistols. Go back and check the comic. There’s no need for me to post a picture if you have it.

> Issue#4: There is no dog fight at all and no broad sword. A (I think it was a vulture) that leaves the wrecked ship but they don’t have a dog fight in any way.

Go back and check. There’s dogfights going on in the background of some of the panels.

> Issue#5: but they don’t do any combat on them and the Spartan on the Booster frame is clearly molded after Fred from the Package, not any Spartan that was on a booster frame.

Fred-104 wore grey MJOLNIR MK. IV in the Package, not MJOLNIR GEN 2 Recruit.

> Even the summaries of the future issues about the master chief are vague and there’s a reason for that, <mark>because the comic artist and writers don’t get to just so whatever they want to.</mark>

What?

> The picture still promotes the comic, it looks good, but the point of the cover isn’t to give away the events of the comic particularly something like what happens with John as keeping it a total mystery and even having pointless just pretty covers is better advertisement.

I’d agree with you on that if it wasn’t for the fact we’re technically not supposed to be seeing the covers this early.

20

> I’d agree with you on that if it wasn’t for the fact we’re technically not supposed to be seeing the covers this early.

I would say that 343I have weighed the impact of showing the covers. They are very precise about what bits of canon they let out into the wild. It’s actually rather brilliant how they are disseminating it all…