Just went through the original Halo 2 story boards and man does it make me wish we got to see it unfold. The idea of Forerunners being just that, forerunners, to humanity just seems to make so much sense. I think there was a lot more potential in Bungie’s original vision for the Forerunners and their story (no hate to 343 Industries at all though, they chose to take it in a different direction, that’s cool). I know it sounds weird especially given how much we all love Halo Lore, but I feel like too much information was given to us about the history of Forerunners/Humans pre-Halo Array and so there isn’t a whole lot more to uncover there. Whereas if it had just been revealed that Humans were the descendants of the Forerunners, it would have left the door open for so many stories to be explored (maybe even a dedicated Halo game).
Anyway, just think it’s a cool topic to ponder on. What’s your thoughts?
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As the history of the Forerunners was filled in, we were given the mystery of what the Ancient Human society was like, as well as the motivations and full abilities of the Precursors being hinted at throughout Greg Bear’s trilogy without being directly stated.
There’s still a lot of lore to debate and uncover, because there are layers to it that aren’t readily apparent on first read-throughs.
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I hope 343i take the bungie story route for the precursors.
Forerunner memory of them is erroneous as is so just make if the precursors were humans that evolved to a point were their was nothing left to discover.
And over time that lead them to be lost so they made an genetic ancestor species and seeded them the forerunners were an un forseen of shoot of this ancient species and humanity was the goal that is why forerunners misunderstood the “passing of the mantle to humanity”
It wasn’t because forerunners weren’t worthy it was nepotism.
It is also why we have an affinity for their tech not just that left behind for us by the librarian. It also means the forerunners are still our forerunners they grew up as a species like our older sibling and knocked us down only to eventually see us as their successors.
The next mystery for halo is outside the galaxy imo.
I personally prefer the narrative hinted at in the Forerunner Saga.
As I understand it: The Precursors created the mortal races, and established the Mantle, the rule that every race was to be afforded the opportunity to reach its maximum potential, and that it was the duty of the chosen race to ensure that no other race is denied that opportunity.
The Precursors created one specific race to be the chosen race to eventually uphold the Mantle without the Precursors’ consistent intervention. That chosen race then split into two races.
One of them remained biologically as they’d been designed (Humans), and they strove and fought and advanced alongside the other races. It wasn’t a peaceful existence, but it didn’t violate the Mantle.
The other race that split off from that chosen race substantially altered their genetics in their attempt to turn themselves into the ultimate biological race by taking samples from the other races and incorporating their genetic strengths into themselves (Forerunners). In this quest for supremacy, the Forerunners subjugated other races, de-evolving them and stealing their technology repeatedly so they wouldn’t be able to challenge the Forerunners. This was a blatant violation of the Mantle, because it was perpetually preventing the other races from ever achieving their full potential. This is why the Forerunners were deemed unworthy to hold the Mantle.
This is why Humanity is in line to inherit the Mantle, and the Forerunners are not.
post script: At the end of Halo Silentium, it’s pretty clear that the Forerunner civilization peaked, finally shedding off many of the flaws that defined the history of their people, all just before the Flood made the final push, destroying the Greater Ark, along with the remnants of their civilization. That means even the Precursors’ judgement against the Forerunners, carried out by the Flood, was still in adherence to the Mantle.
Not all of that is actually stated in the saga though and the narrators aren’t reliable when the precursors are discussed.
As I said my theory doesn’t really contradict any of the established lore as we know it.
But I can understand wanting to go in that direction also.
I just think my theory fits the themes and goes pretty hand in hand with the forerunners peaked mantra.
I’m sure 343i won’t go my route though.