Halsey keeps talking about Spartans being humanity’s next step, “our destiny as a species” and so forth … however being a Spartan requires augmentations. So my question is, once a Spartan is augmented and fully becomes a Spartan, does the process alter their DNA as well, and if that Spartan were to have children with another Spartan, would those children be 7 feet tall super-humans?
And if they had children with a regular person, would only certain traits show up, etc.? (Creepy blue glassy eyes)
If their DNA is altered, then on a chromosomal level, that would be passed on. At least half of a child’s chromosome count, unless both parents were Spartans.
(Like if my Spartan IV and Sarah Palmer hooked up … they totally would. lol)
There are a lot of Spartan IVs, I don’t know how many canonically there are, but I’m assuming at least everyone who bought Halo 4 and created one is technically in the Halo Universe, right?
That’s a lot of possible children. Either full or half bred Spartans. And if the human population started booming with Spartan kids, what would that mean for social equality and civil rights among those who cannot jump 8 feet in the air and run 25MPH? That’s a side thought.
Does that make any sense or is it possible? Humanity’s next step?
The Librarian mentioned Chief’s physical evolution … but his is artificial; unless that’s what she’s referring to.
I’d imagine that this “next step” is supposed to be a lot like the Forerunner’s mutation system.
Take Bornsteller for example. He was born a Manipular as all Forerunners are. Both his parents had mutations to improve their bodies both physically and mentally. These enhancements were not passed onto Bornsteller but he would receive them later in life and become a first form as a right of passage into adulthood.
I’d imagine that at some point all Forerunners were Manipulars and spent their whole lives as Manipulars before Mutations were invented just like how humans were before Spartans were invented (Not the Greek ones).
It can be assumed that this is the eventual goal of the Spartans. To get to the point where every child is born and will receive improvements at some stage to improve their effectiveness in society therefore propelling humanity forward.
So to answer the question, no Spartan augmentations wont get passed onto the child or at least to the point where the child will be just as much as a Spartan as his/her parents would be without later augmentations.
As for the transition between now and the Librarian’s planed end result your guess is as good as mine. Everything seems to be going smoothly so far but who knows where things might start getting bumpy. Maybe it’ll be when other professions like being a Doctor or an Architect will start having augmentations available or when the number of Spartan citizens out number that of unaugumented citizens.
The point should also be made that Mutations were part of the Forerunner’s culture and not just seen as a way to physically and mentally improve ones self. Bornsteller never felt like he had to have his mutation, he naturally wanted and expected it just like getting a drivers license or a birthday. This is what might be planed for humanity when we take this step.
That’s my understanding of the librarian’s geas anyway.
It doesn’t actually change their DNA, as far as I know.
Where you be Cobra…
> It doesn’t actually change their DNA, as far as I know.
>
> Where you be Cobra…
Yeah, pretty sure evolution doesn’t work like that.
Spartans currently cannot pass on their augmentations to any children.
All enhancements have been physiological & anatomical (implants, etc.); I’ve never read about any Spartan augmentations that have been gene therapy based.
Unless an augmentation alters the genes of reproductive organs (e.g., genetic mosaicism at a minimum), augmentations won’t get passed on.
> Spartans currently cannot pass on their augmentations to any children.
>
> All enhancements have been physiological & anatomical (implants, etc.); I’ve never read about any Spartan augmentations that have been gene therapy based.
>
> Unless an augmentation alters the genes of reproductive organs (e.g., genetic mosaicism at a minimum), augmentations won’t get passed on.
I don’t know about the Spartan-IIs and up, but didn’t the Orion Soldiers pass on some of their enhancements to their children? I know they had to take drugs to supposedly prevent potential birth defects.
> > It doesn’t actually change their DNA, as far as I know.
> >
> > Where you be Cobra…
>
> Yeah, pretty sure evolution doesn’t work like that.
Science “Fiction.” I’m also pretty sure you can’t pass memories through DNA either, but Assassins Creed fans don’t seem to mind. I took a lot of Biology and a wee bit of Physics in college and I’m pretty sure 80% of Halo couldn’t happen.
But that’s why we love it.
Halo is a modern day Iliad & Odyssey with Chief as Odysseus / Ulysses and … um, well, I forget most of those stories. You get what I mean. Mythology.
Also:
> The point should also be made that Mutations were part of the Forerunner’s culture and not just seen as a way to physically and mentally improve ones self. Bornsteller never felt like he had to have his mutation, he naturally wanted and expected it just like getting a drivers license or a birthday. This is what might be planed for humanity when we take this step.
^ THAT is not evolution.
Isn’t it considered a type of evolution if a sentient species reached a point where, culturally and technologically, they could readily and easily alter their own physical bodies for whatever purposes are required or necessary?
That’s not natural physical evolution no, but it’s cultural evolution, it’s reaching a high enough level of thinking in order to develop technology that will allow you to alter yourself according to what work best suits your personality and enjoyment.
It’s taking the slow physical evolution process into your own hands. But you’re still evolving culturally and as a sentient species in order to further the technologies allowing you to do any alterations or mutations to begin with. I’d consider it a type of evolution.
> > Also:
> >
> >
> > > The point should also be made that Mutations were part of the Forerunner’s culture and not just seen as a way to physically and mentally improve ones self. Bornsteller never felt like he had to have his mutation, he naturally wanted and expected it just like getting a drivers license or a birthday. This is what might be planed for humanity when we take this step.
> >
> > ^ THAT is not evolution.
>
> Where in my post did I ever use the word evolution?
>
> I’d imagine that the Librarian loosely uses the word when referring to this “Next step” and moving forward as a species and taking the Mantle.
> > > Also:
> > >
> > >
> > > > The point should also be made that Mutations were part of the Forerunner’s culture and not just seen as a way to physically and mentally improve ones self. Bornsteller never felt like he had to have his mutation, he naturally wanted and expected it just like getting a drivers license or a birthday. This is what might be planed for humanity when we take this step.
> > >
> > > ^ THAT is not evolution.
> >
> > Where in my post did I ever use the word evolution?
> >
> > I’d imagine that the Librarian loosely uses the word when referring to this “Next step” and moving forward as a species and taking the Mantle.
>
> I guess what I should have said instead of “That is not evolution” is “then what did the Librarian mean by ‘evolution’?”
>
> But apparently we don’t know yet.
> So much for my idea of an animated “Spartan Babies” Saturday morning cartoon.
> > Spartans currently cannot pass on their augmentations to any children.
> >
> > All enhancements have been physiological & anatomical (implants, etc.); I’ve never read about any Spartan augmentations that have been gene therapy based.
> >
> > Unless an augmentation alters the genes of reproductive organs (e.g., genetic mosaicism at a minimum), augmentations won’t get passed on.
>
> I don’t know about the Spartan-IIs and up, but didn’t the Orion Soldiers pass on some of their enhancements to their children? I know they had to take drugs to supposedly prevent potential birth defects.
I see no listed enhancements under Orion, S-II, S-III, or S-IV program that would be genetically heritable traits.
Much of the alterations are physiological, which should not be heritable.
However, endocrine organs (especially thyroid, pancreas, hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis) have been targeted for manipulation, and my guess is that dramatic hormonal differences within the mother while carrying the -Yoink!- could result in changes to the child. But again, that is only if it is a FEMALE Spartan that is carrying a child.