Ever since I picked up Halo 3 and found the last terminal, I have been wondering what Mendicant Bias’ plan for the Chief was. It seems like everyone has forgotten about this plan, too. Here’s what Mendicant said in the last terminal:
> And so here at the end of my life, I do once again betray a former master. The path ahead is fraught with peril. But I will do all I can to keep it stable - keep you safe. I’m not so foolish to think this will absolve me of my sins. One life hardly balances billions. But I would have my masters know that I have changed. And you shall be my example.
We all assumed that Mendicant was talking about betraying the Flood for his former masters the Forerunners, but after playing Halo 4, I don’t think this is the case. Why would Mendicant send the Chief to Requiem as an “example” when Mendicant probably knew that the Didact was going to try and kill him? I have the answer:
Mendicant Bias sent the Master Chief to Requiem to kill the Didact.
Think about it: it was never explicitly stated which “former master” was being betrayed. It could have been the betrayal of the Forerunners again, not the Flood. Then, the quote “one life hardly balances billions” probably refers to the Didact either killing billions of Humans, or firing the Halos, saying that by killing the Didact, the wrongs that he has done cannot be undone. Bias could be a former human, like the AI that became 343 Guilty Spark (cant remember the name) and maybe he still holds resentment towards the Didact.
It would make sense with the Halo 4 plot, too. Most of us were expecting the Precursors to appear in the new trilogy, and we were disappointed when they didn’t in Halo 4. But it would make sense that, if Mendicant Bias was still working with the Precursors and Flood, that he would want the Forerunner’s greatest warrior and greatest threat to the Flood out of the way. Now, the plot of Halo 5 depends whether or not the Didact is actually dead or not. If he is, the Flood and Precursors could appear early in Halo 5, if not, it would surely be dramatic if Chief killed him and immediately a fleet of Precursors shows up at Earth.
I’d still go with the more obvious explanation that he is betraying the Gravemind. When he says “one life hardly balances billions,” he means that even though he is helping MC that doesn’t make up for the billions he destroyed when he turned on the Forerunners.
I do not think Mendicant Bias truly knew that the Ur-Didact had betrayed the Librarian or the Forerunners himself by doing what he did, composing harmless Humans to turn into weapons.
It is almost impossible for Mendicant to have known about the Ur-Didact’s betrayal, or evil intentions, he would have still thought he was a loyal servant to the Mantle and the Forerunners, and perhaps not a threat to Humanitys reclamation at all.
Mendicant however would definitely know of the test that will be issued on Humanity by the Precursors, whether the Flood will be the test or not is up for debate. Mendicant became a loyal servant to the Precursor/Gravemind Primordial, and ally to the Flood, so I would say he believed by saving John he was betraying the Flood in general.
I’m going to go with Raine on this one. But if I may add, I was disappointed that Bias was not mentioned, even indirectly, in Halo 4 or the Terminals. He played a huge role in the story and was ignored.
> I’m going to go with Raine on this one. But if I may add, I was disappointed that Bias was not mentioned, even indirectly, in Halo 4 or the Terminals. He played a huge role in the story and was ignored.
Seconded. I can’t think of much he could do in H4, but the Terminals were a no-brainer. He was central to both sides in the Forerunner-Flood war
Mendicant thought he did the right thing by sending the Chief to Requiem, but he had no way of knowing that the (assumed) Ur-Didact turned in to a Composer-happy psychopath hell bent on destroying the Human race.
But, we still don’t know who the “former master” is. Medicament Bias was a joint project by the Master Builder and the Ur-Didact(before the sought to kill each other). He fired Installation 07 at Charum Hakkor under the Master Builder’s orders. Just a thought.
> I’m going to go with Raine on this one. But if I may add, I was disappointed that Bias was not mentioned, even indirectly, in Halo 4 or the Terminals. He played a huge role in the story and was ignored.
I feel the same way. Hopefully he’ll at least be mentioned in Halo 5 or 6.
Unless Bias knew sending Chief to Requiem with an unbound Didact would cause the Librarian to take action and accelerate Chief’s evolutionary journey which would help Humanity along the path to the Mantle and defeat the crazy Didact.
But I agree that there should have been at least a mention of his involvement in sending the Chief towards Requiem.
Could someone pls explain to me when did bias send the chief to requiem and who the hell is bias I’ve never read the books and im thinking in buying them which book should I read first thanks
> Could someone pls explain to me when did bias send the chief to requiem and who the hell is bias I’ve never read the books and im thinking in buying them which book should I read first thanks
Mendicant Bias first showed up in the hidden terminals found in Halo 3’s campaign. Long story short: He was a super-advanced AI built by the Forerunners to fight the Flood. But he ended up encountering and having a long conversation with the Gravemind, who convinced him to betray his makers and help the parasite. He ended up leading a final epic battle against the Forerunners at the ARK, where he tried to prevent them from firing the Halos. But he failed, and the Flood was destroyed (along with all other intelligent life in the galaxy). After that, he basically felt remorse for his actions and eventually helps Master Chief in unspecified ways in Halo 3.
As to how he got Chief to Requiem, I too am curious…