Main Antagonist: Precursors

Games Other Halo
1

<mark>Not confirmed, but just a comprehensive theory on the subject. SPOILER WARNING!</mark>

Anyway, many of you have probably already heard, through vague rumors or firsthand knowledge from the books, about the Precursors. The Precursors are a race of extraterrestrials that surpassed the Forerunners in terms of technological advancement. The Mantle ideology comes from them and to find the right group of beings to uphold it, they would create races and test them. Each one had failed time and time again until they made the Forerunners and humanity. Through unknown means the Forerunners rebelled after learning they were due for extermination and beat the Precursors to the point most of them were dead and the remaining few fled the galaxy.

All of that should sound somewhat familiar with all the Halo 4 enemy topics posted. Now while a lot of emphasis seems to go for the Forerunners as the enemy, I feel it is misguided. I will now present my evidence that points towards the Precursors as the main antagonists.

> The Mysterious Ship on Installation 04

Much debate has been raised over the nature of the ship examined in the Assault on the Control Room terminal in CEA, however I see Precursor influence all over it. A ship of unknown origin was also found in Halo Cryptum. These ships harbored powder that would eventually morph into the Flood.

> Humans suspected it was conveyed on ancient starships, clumsy in design but completely automated. The ships had neither passengers nor crew, and carried little of interest but uniform kind of cargo - millions of glassy cylinders containing a fine, desiccated powder.
>
> Humans found wreckage of the ships on uninhabited and inhabited worlds alike.

The the ship that crashed on Installation 04, we see a ship, that from my end doesn’t look all that aerodynamically sound. Big difference is that we don’t know what is inside of it. Spark believed there to be sentient beings inside because of venting atmosphere and a distress call. Yet we know none came out. What points towards the Precursors is that the Flood was something they created.

According to the Timeless One in Primordium…

> “Those who created you [the Precursors] were defied and hunted. Most were extinguished. A few fled beyond your reach. Creation continued.”

So we have a Precursor tactic in play here. They created the Flood, which were found on mysterious ships of unknown origin crashed on planets. Fast forward and and we have a mysterious ship of unknown origin landing on Installation 04. Curious.

PURE, IDLE SPECULATION HERE

Perhaps this could explain what happened on Delta Halo. We know the Flood escaped due to a mechanical error in the containment facility and 2401 Penitent Tangent’s lax security. However, even escaped they would not have a sizable force big enough to defeat the Sentinel force on the ring. While distracted, could a similar ship have landed with some sentient race onboard, crafted by the Precursors as a sacrifice of sorts, to bolster the Flood to the point they could craft a Gravemind and lead a resistance? If so this deliver method may explain the Precursors haveing an influence eon the Legendary Planet.

Just speculation on my end.

END PURE, IDLE SPECULATION

> The Timeless One’s Warnings

Once more in Primordium, the Timeless One does give a set of warnings to the Didact and Chakas (now a Monitor).

> Forerunners will fail as you have failed before. Humans will rise. Whether they will also fail has not been decided.

Right there the Timeless One says that humans will also experience the Precursors judgement.

> We are the Flood. There is no difference. until all space and time are rolled up and life is crushed in the folds…no end to war, grief, or pain. In a hundred and one thousand centuries…unity again, and wisdom. Until then - sweetness.

Seems about as much of a declaration of war if I ever heard it, much more than the ramblings of 343 Guilty Spark regarding the Didact and how he wishes he and his warriors would protect Alpha Halo. And with this knowledge in mind, I must ask why the Didact would fight humanity? He knows about the Precursors and the Flood, more senseless fighting would hurt the Forerunners own self-interests. That and the UNSC really has nothing to fight back with besides the Infinity and that is experimental still.

> Conclusion

While I don’t have much information, information itself is scarce after all, I’m pretty confident to say the Precursors will be the main threat. Doesn’t mean we will fight them directly. The Precursors routinely made races to test and destroy such as humanity and the Forerunners, if not every other race perhaps. They also made the Flood. New races they made could serve as their proxies to wage war while they sit beyond the galaxy plotting our demise.

2

> <mark>Not confirmed, but just a comprehensive theory on the subject. SPOILER WARNING!</mark>
>
> Anyway, many of you have probably already heard, through vague rumors or firsthand knowledge from the books, about the Precursors. The Precursors are a race of extraterrestrials that surpassed the Forerunners in terms of technological advancement. The Mantle ideology comes from them and to find the right group of beings to uphold it, they would create races and test them. Each one had failed time and time again until they made the Forerunners and humanity. Through unknown means the Forerunners rebelled after learning they were due for extermination and beat the Precursors to the point most of them were dead and the remaining few fled the galaxy.
>
> All of that should sound somewhat familiar with all the Halo 4 enemy topics posted. Now while a lot of emphasis seems to go for the Forerunners as the enemy, I feel it is misguided. I will now present my evidence that points towards the Precursors as the main antagonists.
>
>
>
> > The Mysterious Ship on Installation 04
>
> Much debate has been raised over the nature of the ship examined in the Assault on the Control Room terminal in CEA, however I see Precursor influence all over it. A ship of unknown origin was also found in Halo Cryptum. These ships harbored powder that would eventually morph into the Flood.
>
>
>
> > Humans suspected it was conveyed on ancient starships, clumsy in design but completely automated. The ships had neither passengers nor crew, and carried little of interest but uniform kind of cargo - millions of glassy cylinders containing a fine, desiccated powder.
> >
> > Humans found wreckage of the ships on uninhabited and inhabited worlds alike.
>
> The the ship that crashed on Installation 04, we see a ship, that from my end doesn’t look all that aerodynamically sound. Big difference is that we don’t know what is inside of it. Spark believed there to be sentient beings inside because of venting atmosphere and a distress call. Yet we know none came out. What points towards the Precursors is that the Flood was something they created.
>
> According to the Timeless One in Primordium…
>
>
>
> > “Those who created you [the Precursors] were defied and hunted. Most were extinguished. A few fled beyond your reach. Creation continued.”
>
> So we have a Precursor tactic in play here. They created the Flood, which were found on mysterious ships of unknown origin crashed on planets. Fast forward and and we have a mysterious ship of unknown origin landing on Installation 04. Curious.
>
> PURE, IDLE SPECULATION HERE
>
> Perhaps this could explain what happened on Delta Halo. We know the Flood escaped due to a mechanical error in the containment facility and 2401 Penitent Tangent’s lax security. However, even escaped they would not have a sizable force big enough to defeat the Sentinel force on the ring. While distracted, could a similar ship have landed with some sentient race onboard, crafted by the Precursors as a sacrifice of sorts, to bolster the Flood to the point they could craft a Gravemind and lead a resistance? If so this deliver method may explain the Precursors haveing an influence eon the Legendary Planet.
>
> Just speculation on my end.
>
> END PURE, IDLE SPECULATION
>
>
>
> > The Timeless One’s Warnings
>
> Once more in Primordium, the Timeless One does give a set of warnings to the Didact and Chakas (now a Monitor).
>
>
>
> > Forerunners will fail as you have failed before. Humans will rise. Whether they will also fail has not been decided.
>
> Right there the Timeless One says that humans will also experience the Precursors judgement.
>
>
>
> > We are the Flood. There is no difference. until all space and time are rolled up and life is crushed in the folds…no end to war, grief, or pain. In a hundred and one thousand centuries…unity again, and wisdom. Until then - sweetness.
>
> Seems about as much of a declaration of war if I ever heard it, much more than the ramblings of 343 Guilty Spark regarding the Didact and how he wishes he and his warriors would protect Alpha Halo. And with this knowledge in mind, I must ask why the Didact would fight humanity? He knows about the Precursors and the Flood, more senseless fighting would hurt the Forerunners own self-interests. That and the UNSC really has nothing to fight back with besides the Infinity and that is experimental still.
>
>
>
> > Conclusion
>
> While I don’t have much information, information itself is scarce after all, I’m pretty confident to say the Precursors will be the main threat. Doesn’t mean we will fight them directly. The Precursors routinely made races to test and destroy such as humanity and the Forerunners, if not every other race perhaps. They also made the Flood. New races they made could serve as their proxies to wage war while they sit beyond the galaxy plotting our demise.

Good post. Well made. I agree.
I wonder how chief can fight off a tier 0 race. I know he may have potential forunner tech assistance, but thats still a stretch.

3

> Good post. Well made. I agree.
> I wonder how chief can fight off a tier 0 race. I know he may have potential forunner tech assistance, but thats still a stretch.

The Precursors themselves may be in too few numbers for a direct fight, so potential proxy races may come into play. Forerunner help might work, but we have no idea what to expect.

4

also what I’ve noticed is what would you rather fight? a humanoid in an owl like suit or a tall powerful four armed scorpion thing? just the appearance of it makes it clear to me…

5

Forerunners for H4 first, Precursors for H5-H6 that’s my guess

6

> <mark>Forerunners for H4 first</mark>, Precursors for H5-H6 that’s my guess

I’m not too sure about that. I mean there isn’t really much motivation for such a fight, at least one that is logical.

7

This makes sense. As you stated the precursors did eliminate any of there creations that they did not deem worthy. Perhaps the flood was their tool for such a thing, and considering Master Cheif beat the flood, maybe the precvursors are going to do the job them selves. It’s possible becasuse perhaps the humans became a failure, i mean our technology(in the halo universe) isn’t rally as advanced as the forerunners. maybe the precursors are just finishing the job.

However, while writting that omething dawned on me. What happened AFTER the precursors left? What did they do? They had to stick together, or they would go extinct most likely… What if they didn’t stop? What if the reestablished them selves, then continued to create new races to find one to enherit the mantle. Maybe the enemy in Halo 4 is there latest attempt to create something that will inherit the matnle, and upon finding the master cheif, this new race feel threatened, and seeks the destruction of humans.

8

> This makes sense. As you stated the precursors did eliminate any of there creations that they did not deem worthy. Perhaps the flood was their tool for such a thing, and considering Master Cheif beat the flood, maybe the precvursors are going to do the job them selves.

Oh Chief didn’t destroy the Flood. As we’ve seen with the Gravemind, it has a real stubborn desire to die. Chief blew up High Charity with it on it and it still tried to rebuild on Installation 04 II. Not to mention it probably wouldn’t be very hard for the Precursors to make more Flood.

> It’s possible becasuse perhaps the humans became a failure, i mean our technology(in the halo universe) isn’t rally as advanced as the forerunners. maybe the precursors are just finishing the job.

I’m not too sure on that yet. I feel we haven’t even undergone our real test yet.

> However, while writting that omething dawned on me. What happened AFTER the precursors left? What did they do? They had to stick together, or they would go extinct most likely… What if they didn’t stop? What if the reestablished them selves, then continued to create new races to find one to enherit the mantle. Maybe the enemy in Halo 4 is there latest attempt to create something that will inherit the matnle, and upon finding the master cheif, this new race feel threatened, and seeks the destruction of humans.

I cannot say on what happened to them. All we know is that they fled the galaxy and left behind Graveminds. We still have to undergo our own test and any proxy race could be a means to that end.

9

> Forerunners for H4 first, Precursors for H5-H6 that’s my guess

I could see this.

I could also see it just being Precursor or a Precursor proxy race, like the OP says.

Either way, I’m excited for it. Good post. :slight_smile:

10

> > This makes sense. As you stated the precursors did eliminate any of there creations that they did not deem worthy. Perhaps the flood was their tool for such a thing, and considering Master Cheif beat the flood, maybe the precvursors are going to do the job them selves.
>
> Oh Chief didn’t destroy the Flood. As we’ve seen with the Gravemind, it has a real stubborn desire to die. Chief blew up High Charity with it on it and it still tried to rebuild on Installation 04 II. Not to mention it probably wouldn’t be very hard for the Precursors to make more Flood.
>
>
>
> > It’s possible becasuse perhaps the humans became a failure, i mean our technology(in the halo universe) isn’t rally as advanced as the forerunners. maybe the precursors are just finishing the job.
>
> I’m not too sure on that yet. I feel we haven’t even undergone our real test yet.
>
>
>
> > However, while writting that omething dawned on me. What happened AFTER the precursors left? What did they do? They had to stick together, or they would go extinct most likely… What if they didn’t stop? What if the reestablished them selves, then continued to create new races to find one to enherit the mantle. Maybe the enemy in Halo 4 is there latest attempt to create something that will inherit the matnle, and upon finding the master cheif, this new race feel threatened, and seeks the destruction of humans.
>
> I cannot say on what happened to them. All we know is that they fled the galaxy and left behind Graveminds. We still have to undergo our own test and any proxy race could be a means to that end.

your right. There is the possibility that the cheif is ment to be the humans champion, and in a way he alone is supposed to determine if we inherit the mantle. God how amazing of and ending the say halo 6 would the be? Cheif earns as the right to inherit the mantle, but in the end sacrifices his own life? My god, i would cry because IMO i don’t think Halo could end in a better way then that.

11

> your right. There is the possibility that the cheif is ment to be the humans champion, and in a way he alone is supposed to determine if we inherit the mantle. God how amazing of and ending the say halo 6 would the be? Cheif earns as the right to inherit the mantle, but in the end sacrifices his own life? My god, i would cry because IMO i don’t think Halo could end in a better way then that.

There could be another way. Chief could be severely injured and is then carried off into a light by the Forerunners, never to be seen again. Ever. That way his legend remains and we can all talk about what happened to him. That or he dies. Frankly, I’m game of any of it.

12

> > your right. There is the possibility that the cheif is ment to be the humans champion, and in a way he alone is supposed to determine if we inherit the mantle. God how amazing of and ending the say halo 6 would the be? Cheif earns as the right to inherit the mantle, but in the end sacrifices his own life? My god, i would cry because IMO i don’t think Halo could end in a better way then that.
>
> There could be another way. Chief could be severely injured and is then carried off into a light by the Forerunners, never to be seen again. Ever. That way his legend remains and we can all talk about what happened to him. That or he dies. Frankly, I’m game of any of it.

Agreed. Chief deserve a good end, live or not. He’s saved humanity, he’s stopped the religious tyranny of the prophets(wile he may have caused a civil war in the proccess of that one), and now he’s going up against something to likes of which we have never seen. And the thing is, it’s doesn’t seem impossible, or fairy-tailistic. When i think about cheif I know it can get done.

13

So the carriers of the mantle could create new species? So precursors created the mantle, and those who they thought would be worthy would have this power?

14

> So the carriers of the mantle could create new species? So precursors created the mantle, and those who they thought would be worthy would have this power?

I don’t know if that were the case. But the Forerunners did create the Engineers. However they never really were intended to have the Mantle. So far, it’s only the Precursors who can do this.

15

> > So the carriers of the mantle could create new species? So precursors created the mantle, and those who they thought would be worthy would have this power?
>
> I don’t know if that were the case. But the Forerunners did create the Engineers. However they never really were intended to have the Mantle. So far, it’s only the Precursors who can do this.

But the engineers are part machine right? That’s what i heard in ODST.

16

> > > So the carriers of the mantle could create new species? So precursors created the mantle, and those who they thought would be worthy would have this power?
> >
> > I don’t know if that were the case. But the Forerunners did create the Engineers. However they never really were intended to have the Mantle. So far, it’s only the Precursors who can do this.
>
> But the engineers are part machine right? That’s what i heard in ODST.

That’s the gist of it, yes.

17

> also what I’ve noticed is what would you rather fight? a humanoid in an owl like suit or a tall powerful four armed scorpion thing? just the appearance of it makes it clear to me…

Scorpion thing.

I’d punch him right in the long wicked horrifying tail barb.

Then the mouth.

18

> > also what I’ve noticed is what would you rather fight? a humanoid in an owl like suit or a tall powerful four armed scorpion thing? just the appearance of it makes it clear to me…
>
> Scorpion thing.
>
> I’d punch him right in the long wicked horrifying tail barb.
>
> Then the mouth.

You’d pretty much be punching God at that point.

19

This all makes me incredibly excited for the next series!

Definitely seems Precursor-Proxy to end with a final showdown with the Precursors. Problem is they announced it as a trilogy. Games will be without climaxes I’m sure.

Expect the second act, the fall (H5), to be the best of the series.

20

Very awesome thread, again, Cobra.

OK, so remember in, I forget which terminal video, but it shows a beautiful shot of a Halo ring, and then all of a sudden it’s covered by Flood. By your theory, what if that was what the goal was of the ships? Sort of like a dream of what the Flood or Precursors wanted for Installation 04, or maybe what actually happened to part of Delta Halo/ 05.
(Aside: Should the Flood covered Halo ring from the terminal be sort of a wish from the Flood, it reminds me a bit of the most recent episode of The Walking Dead when Shane dies and then it shows a glimpse inside his angry, insane brain and it’s all Walkers.)

The Didact part is the only weird part. I can’t explain why the final terminal of CEA would end with “Without the Librarian there to temper his rage, why, these “Reclaimers” might just even prefer the Flood.” What is up with the Didact.