Iso-Didact / Bornstellar's Fate

Community Halo Universe
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After Halo: Escalation #10, we know (or think we know) the final fate of the Ur-Didact (the Didact you fight in Halo 4). Ever since finishing Halo: Silentium, though, I’ve been curious about his “twin”, Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting / Iso-Didact (hereby called Iso-D). The last I recall of Iso-D was him firing the Halo Array from the Lesser Ark to stop the Flood’s corrosion of the galaxy. We are left to assume his utter demise at the hands of the Array; however, I’m not so sure this is the last we’ll see of Iso-D.

Take into account that everything that is done with Halo cannon is methodical and purposeful. If 343i decides to not specifically showcase the Iso-D’s death, then I believe there is reason behind this.

Do you guys think the Iso-D is still alive (whether in a Cryptum, or otherwise), and will make a physical appearance in the upcoming future of the Halo canon? Do you think the Iso-D is as dead as dead can be? Or do you think the Iso-D will live on in other, more clever ways?

I’m personally of the opinion of the last option. Consider what Iso-D asked Chakas/343 Guilty Spark while on the Greater Ark in Silentium. He asks Chakas “Tell me Chakas, if it was your choice, after all we have seen and survived… would you fire the rings?”. The next time we see a mention of this is in Halo: Combat Evolved, where 343GS says to Master Chief “Last time, you asked me, if it were my choice, would I do it?..”. It seems clear from these statements that 343GS views Master Chief and Iso-D as the same being. Whether or not this is true remains to be seen, but I have a theory of why this comparison is made.

I theorize that Master Chief has had a gaea placed within him, and that his gaea contains none other than the Iso-D. We already know that the Librarian specifically planned for Master Chief’s presence. This could hint that she further planned to aid Master Chief by giving him a gaea. While we have yet to see a gaea of a Forerunner placed within anyone, that isn’t to say it isn’t possible to do. Even if the process was rare or difficult to do, I’d imagine pairing the likes of the Iso-D with the future “salvation” of humankind and/or the Mantle would justify such an act. John-117 having this gaea could explain several things. We have known since close to the beginning of Halo that one of John’s primary unique characteristics is his luck. He was just “lucky” enough to know what to do to activate the light bridge in the belly of Alpha Halo, etc. What if this came naturally to him not because of his luck, as much as because of the Iso-D’s subconscious guidance?

You might be asking, though, why Iso-D would then allow John to almost activate Alpha Halo and wipe out the galaxy. I suspect that was more because just as John took 343GS at face value, Iso-D must have assumed his former friend still had human judgment left within him, though we find that this is far from the case. Iso-D would have felt more betrayed by 343GS/Chakas than John did.

Also consider the similarities between Iso-D and John-117. Both had their fates altered by another force to become a much greater leader than they could have been otherwise. Both were physically altered to become much stronger and more powerful to do the added tasks given them. Both consider the greater need of all life’s existence moreso than their own existence though the service of life (and/or death).

Ultimately, we don’t yet know what Iso-D’s fate was/is. I’m just wanting to lay all this out and hear from you guys. Do you think we’ll see from or hear about the Iso-D again? If so, how?

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Considering that not only is the Ark outside of the Halo’s firing range, and that Silentium: Rebirth shows the IsoDidact and the remaining Forerunners exiling themselves after repopulating the galaxy, it’s fair to assume that he survived the Halo’s.

That said, the questions that remain are not only where he and the remaining Forerunners went (probably Path Kethona), and if he’s still alive because after all, 100,000 years is a pretty long time for a Forerunner if you don’t have a Cryptum or a time-manipulating device.

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Hasn’t it been shown that within Shield Worlds (specifically thinking of Onyx/Trevelyan) that time is altered while inside? I can’t recall if time is faster or slower inside than outside the sphere. Just a thought along those lines.

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We’ve known since 2007 that he went on the Great Journey with the other surviving Forerunners. The Forerunners remained on the Ark for seven seasons, according to Riser - so they were there for just under two years, Trial states that they are checking if the galaxy is truly safe.

> “We will do what we can with what we are given,” Riser said. “But what of you? Where will the Forerunners live?”
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> “I do not know,” Bornstellar said, “Not yet. All I know for certain is that we cannot return to these places. We have already meddled too much in the affairs of others.”
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> Riser grimaced. “Forerunners refusing to meddle? Is that a promise?”
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> “A promise,” Trial said.
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> “Truly this will be a different place,” Riser said.
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> “The portal will stay,” said Bornstellar.
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> “Ah, then you have lied,” Riser said, but with no anger or surprise.
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> “It will be buried to be found when needed. Perhaps one day your children will make their way back, and, I hope, meet our children.”
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> “I doubt even I will long enough to see that day,” said Riser.
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> “But it is good to think our young will rise to another challenge, as brothers should, making trouble, finding strength.”
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> Bornstellar felt this deeply, and even with his armour to protect him, the emotion was almost too much. “Hope,” was all he could say. Then they returned to the fish-ship and left the humans alone to find their way.

Interestingly, Bornstellar links humanity making their way back to the Ark with meeting future Forerunners and being the brothers they always should have been. So it’s clear that Bornstellar has hope for the future of his species, even with their severely limited numbers following the galaxy’s cleansing.

At this point, the Forerunners do not yet know where they will go.

In Halo 3’s final Terminal, we see the final message sent ot the Librarian from the IsoDidact.

> Mendicant Bias is trying to prevent us from firing the Array. He speeds back to the Ark, but he won’t succeed. Offensive Bias will stop him, and I will burn this stinking menace in your name.
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> And then?
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> I will begin our Great Journey without you, carrying this bitter record. Those who came after will know what we bought with this [false transcendence] - what you bought, and the price you paid.

‘Great journey’ is a direct, literal translation. It’s not bracketed like many other terms (e.g. [Eden]), and it’s mentioned again by the Librarian in Halo 4 that “the Forerunners made plans for a final Great Journey”.

Personally, I think they might’ve gone back to Path Kethona - a place which, as we know, stands as a monument to the Forerunners’ sins. There’s a poetic sense of coming full-circle, as that’s where the Forerunners who committed the final genocide against the Precurors 10 million years prior exiled themselves, so it’s a distinct possibility. It’s where Librarian went to find the origins of the Flood, and with the Flood on the galaxy’s horizon again it’d be interesting to see a similar voyage mounted by humanity (and possibly the other races).

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Isn’t faber also among the surviving forerunners?

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> Isn’t faber also among the surviving forerunners?

No, he sacrificed himself at the Greater Ark.