On Precursors...

Community Halo Universe
1

"Why are the Precursors evil?
“Are the Covenant aware of the Precursors?”
“Could the whole galaxy be deemed unworthy?”
“What I think will happen in Halo 5 and 6”
“Did Precursors create Hunter as well?”
“If humanity fights the Precursors”

Take a look at the Halo Universe forum now. As of 12/14 at the time of this post, I count 7 similar topics on the Precursors. My point? Keep thinking about those amazing theories. I haven’t made my own up yet, but for you story junkies out there, it’s your time to bump heads together and piece together a plausible theory. I keep thinking back to all the hype about Halo 4. The Forerunners were finally brought into the light. As far as I know, a few people came close. I was appalled by their accurate theories.

Unfortunately, we know little of the Precursors. 343 has a habit of slitting their wrists open to drip feed juicy Halo stuff to us, the blood thirsty audience.

Feel free to post your own theories here and/or list what we know thus far to be fact about the Precursors. Let’s put the puzzle pieces together!

2

IF the Precursors were to be introduced in the future games or novels. I have a feeling that they may be quite vastly different then we expected them to be, in looks as well as in thinking.
For once they can be a mighty scared bunch who create life but when they feel the life they created has grown strong they destroy without second thoughts just to ensure their authority in the galaxies they conquered is un-challenged.
I think the ‘Mantle’ is a ruse they made up so that they may experiment with the species they created( who have gained enough sentience to oppose them) to ensure that their world is the Final word.
As opposed to being the mighty Chutulu which so many have imagined them to be , they might actually be a scared little bunch like the Salarians from Mass Effect series (Who want their wars finished before even they are started).

3

I wrote basically all we know about the Precursors in one thread, I’ll quote it here:

> The Precursors seeded life in the galaxy. With their supremely high-tech machinery, they bordered on being gods: creating life, creating worlds, traveling even between galaxies within seconds.
>
> As “gods”, their life was devoted to ‘the Mantle of Responsibility’ (later followed by the Forerunners).
> "Guardianship for all living things lies with those whose evolution is most complete. The Mantle of Responsibility shelters all.”
>
> Millions of years before the Halo event, they reigned across the galaxy. But after getting into a quarrel with the Forerunners (presumably about them not being worthy of reclaiming the Mantle) they got obliterated in open combat, massacred. Most of them died but few managed to escape to somewhere “beyond your reach” (presumably out of the galaxy). The Forerunners took control of the galaxy, then, and with it they claimed responsibility for the Mantle.
>
> Hundreds of thousands of years past, and the Forerunners were still in control, when Ancient Humanity found a derelict ship drifting through space. Inside, there were thousands of canisters filled with a powdery substance. One thing led to another and humanity and their friends the San Shyum- the Ancient Prophets- ended up using that substance as pet steroids (not really but there is no good way to explain this).
>
> A few years later, when upgrading your pet became part of the norm, these pets started growing extra eyes and antennae and became exceedingly violent. They began tearing the human civilization from within, killing millions and reanimating their corpses to create horrific deformities. They are known as the Flood.
>
> In an effort to survive the Flood, humanity ended up invading Forerunner territory- which was taken by the Forerunners as an act of war. Soon, humanity was fighting on two fronts. The Flood were at their back while the Forerunners were at their front. They had to take extreme measures to survive, and they did. They injected two thirds of their society with some sort of cure and sacrificed them to the Flood, which this cure was attacking. They ended up driving the Flood away, out of the galaxy, but they were too weakened to deal with the Forerunners.
>
> The humans were held up on Charum Hakkor when they were defeated, and there they held the Primordial- an ancient entity that claimed to be the last Precursor but was really just a next step in a gravemind’s evolution- imprisoned in a time lock. As a punishment for their crimes, humanity was devolved and placed on their supposed home planet (Earth) to continue their lives.
>
> Thousands of years later, the Flood returned with a whole invasion force, wiping out Forerunner colonies one by one. The Forerunners, remembering that humanity made a cute for the Flood, began an intense operation by implanting ‘composed’ personalities of ancient human generals into the devolved humans, to try and reveal the cure and a way to fight the Flood.
>
> Meanwhile, Forerunner AI Medicant Bias was assigned to investigate the Flood and their intensions, after finding the Primordial while conducting an experimental Halo firing. MB and the Primordial talked for forty years straight and in the end, MB realized that the Primordial was right- the Flood was necessary. MB turned on his creators, fighting for the Flood and taking a Halo with him.
>
> Near the end of the conflict, the Didact managed to find the Primordial on MB’s captured Halo. There the Primordial revealed that the Flood are the answer to life’s great problem. Every sentient life form fights wars, it’s at their nature to do so, and yet it goes against the Precursors Mantle to fight. After learning that the tough way with the Forerunners, the Precursors decided an answer must be found. As long as there are multiple factions there will always be war, they realized. So their answer was unity.
>
> They would unite all sentient life, capable of destroying and warring, under one faction, one essence, one hive mind. The gravemind. This creature would enviro irate the personalities of all the creatures it consumes. It will spread like an infection, devouring all that come in its path to unity. There will be years of war and death between sentient life and the Flood, but the end would justify the means, for there would be no more war. Only unity.
>
> Some people theorize that after creating the Flood, the Precursors gave themselves to it. Sacrificing their bodies for the mantle and thus creating the Primodial, although those are just theories.
>
> Before the Didact kills him, the Primordial reveals that there was never a cure to the Flood. The Flood simply chose to recede after testing humanity, finding them worthy of reclaiming the Mantle. There is no cure for the Flood, and they were coming in hard.
>
> That was when the Forerunners resentfully activated the Halo Array, cleansing the galaxy from life and thus starving the Flood until it disappeared. Although, some Forerunner facilities still keep Flood samples, in hope to find the cure that the Primordial states had never existed.

Let’s fix my mistakes, make it shorter and add whatever I missed. We could use something that’s not from the wiki.

4

Dude, you just wrote down everything we know about the Precursors and the Flood.
What the OP wants is theories. Crazy but relevant theories. Some of them who may post theories may actually hit the bullseye with the story of Halo 5.
Btw, I still loved reading your post. Nicely written. smiley faic

5

> I wrote basically all we know about the Precursors in one thread, I’ll quote it here:
>
>
>
> > The Precursors seeded life in the galaxy. With their supremely high-tech machinery, they bordered on being gods: creating life, creating worlds, traveling even between galaxies within seconds.
> >
> > As “gods”, their life was devoted to ‘the Mantle of Responsibility’ (later followed by the Forerunners).
> > "Guardianship for all living things lies with those whose evolution is most complete. The Mantle of Responsibility shelters all.”
> >
> > Millions of years before the Halo event, they reigned across the galaxy. But after getting into a quarrel with the Forerunners (presumably about them not being worthy of reclaiming the Mantle) they got obliterated in open combat, massacred. Most of them died but few managed to escape to somewhere “beyond your reach” (presumably out of the galaxy). The Forerunners took control of the galaxy, then, and with it they claimed responsibility for the Mantle.
> >
> > Hundreds of thousands of years past, and the Forerunners were still in control, when Ancient Humanity found a derelict ship drifting through space. Inside, there were thousands of canisters filled with a powdery substance. One thing led to another and humanity and their friends the San Shyum- the Ancient Prophets- ended up using that substance as pet steroids (not really but there is no good way to explain this).
> >
> > A few years later, when upgrading your pet became part of the norm, these pets started growing extra eyes and antennae and became exceedingly violent. They began tearing the human civilization from within, killing millions and reanimating their corpses to create horrific deformities. They are known as the Flood.
> >
> > In an effort to survive the Flood, humanity ended up invading Forerunner territory- which was taken by the Forerunners as an act of war. Soon, humanity was fighting on two fronts. The Flood were at their back while the Forerunners were at their front. They had to take extreme measures to survive, and they did. They injected two thirds of their society with some sort of cure and sacrificed them to the Flood, which this cure was attacking. They ended up driving the Flood away, out of the galaxy, but they were too weakened to deal with the Forerunners.
> >
> > The humans were held up on Charum Hakkor when they were defeated, and there they held the Primordial- an ancient entity that claimed to be the last Precursor but was really just a next step in a gravemind’s evolution- imprisoned in a time lock. As a punishment for their crimes, humanity was devolved and placed on their supposed home planet (Earth) to continue their lives.
> >
> > Thousands of years later, the Flood returned with a whole invasion force, wiping out Forerunner colonies one by one. The Forerunners, remembering that humanity made a cute for the Flood, began an intense operation by implanting ‘composed’ personalities of ancient human generals into the devolved humans, to try and reveal the cure and a way to fight the Flood.
> >
> > Meanwhile, Forerunner AI Medicant Bias was assigned to investigate the Flood and their intensions, after finding the Primordial while conducting an experimental Halo firing. MB and the Primordial talked for forty years straight and in the end, MB realized that the Primordial was right- the Flood was necessary. MB turned on his creators, fighting for the Flood and taking a Halo with him.
> >
> > Near the end of the conflict, the Didact managed to find the Primordial on MB’s captured Halo. There the Primordial revealed that the Flood are the answer to life’s great problem. Every sentient life form fights wars, it’s at their nature to do so, and yet it goes against the Precursors Mantle to fight. After learning that the tough way with the Forerunners, the Precursors decided an answer must be found. As long as there are multiple factions there will always be war, they realized. So their answer was unity.
> >
> > They would unite all sentient life, capable of destroying and warring, under one faction, one essence, one hive mind. The gravemind. This creature would enviro irate the personalities of all the creatures it consumes. It will spread like an infection, devouring all that come in its path to unity. There will be years of war and death between sentient life and the Flood, but the end would justify the means, for there would be no more war. Only unity.
> >
> > Some people theorize that after creating the Flood, the Precursors gave themselves to it. Sacrificing their bodies for the mantle and thus creating the Primodial, although those are just theories.
> >
> > Before the Didact kills him, the Primordial reveals that there was never a cure to the Flood. <mark>The Flood simply chose to recede after testing humanity, finding them worthy of reclaiming the Mantle.</mark> There is no cure for the Flood, and they were coming in hard.
> >
> > That was when the Forerunners resentfully activated the Halo Array, cleansing the galaxy from life and thus starving the Flood until it disappeared. Although, some Forerunner facilities still keep Flood samples, in hope to find the cure that the Primordial states had never existed.
>
> Let’s fix my mistakes, make it shorter and add whatever I missed. We could use something that’s not from the wiki.

Actually, it seems more like their test was incomplete.

The Primordial states that long ago through careful study, the Forerunners were deemed unworthy. It was then decided that Humanity will be tested next.

The Floodsoon arrive and attack Humanity, and most people assume this is Humanity being tested. But then the Primordial says that they still need to decide if Humanity will fail. If this still needs to be decided, then what was the Flood here for? Did the Flood decide this wasn’t a good time? Or was the Flood really the test at all?

It was stated that the roots of the Flood came from an enormous act of barbarity 10 Million years ago. Finding a way to make a species worthy doesn’t sound very barbaric. It makes it seem like the Flood wasn’t a test.

It seems more like the Flood were the Precursor’s response to the Forerunner agressions, likely the first species to defy them and win. The Flood’s goal is Unity. Unity by brutally stripping and individual of its life and memories and turning it into a parasitic form commanded by a Gravemind, the place where all the memories go.

Its as if the Precursors decided nothing could bear the Mantle. War would continue, life will always be selfish. The Flood will be use dto end war… you can’t have war if everyone is amassed into one thinking hive.

The Primordial promised tfhat in 100,000 years… Unity again. If Unity isn’t the test… then that means the Precursors are planning to take another shot at infestin gthe galaxy. No more tests, no Mantle, no life. Its been decided that Humanity will fail?

Silentium needs to come sooner… the Didact and Librarian share information of the Precursor relationship to the Flood, and what really happened during the Forerunner Flood War. What is the Librarian planning for, that we need to be ready for so soon? What is the Didact trying to prevent us from stopping ourselves? He wants the Mantle to remain in Forerunner control. His mind is set that something is coming that Humanity can’t handle. The Didact isn’t the biggest threat coming… and whatever is coming, its coming as we speak… and we’re not ready.

6

> snip

I agree completely. It’s just that theories vary and the book is very vague, so I may have mixed some things in my head. But we did reach a conclusion that the Precursors gave up, that they found a problem no test can fix- one that needs an answer. The Flood was their and answer, and it doesn’t seem like they’re about to give up.

Hence the Flood’s return (in some form or another) is likely within this trilogy. How likely would this be, though? People really hate the Flood and hate fighting them and the tone I get from 343 so far is that they don’t plan on bringing the Flood back. Maybe they’ll keep it a secret till the game releases and just change them enough so they will be as fun to fight as the other enemy classes and then people won’t complain and would accept their role in the trilogy?

Random Theory:

With the Didact dead, what Forerunner would oppose us? Master Builder? No. I think the next game will have a giant red herring (at least for non-book-readers) concerning the true enemy of the game, beginning with the Forerunners and smoothly shifting into the Flood, after revealing the Forerunners aren’t really an enemy anymore. A good character to play the part of the Forerunners’ leader here could be Bornstellar. He is generally amiable towards humans but still has the Didact’s geas.

If Born gets revived then surely (being foolish) the UNSC will strike at him taking him as an enemy just because of the whole Didact situation in Halo 4. This could lead to some human vs. Forerunner situations similar to Halo 4 until the Flood arrives, forcing them to work together.

I do think that if the Flood returns we will get more into their origins than before, maybe revealing the whole Precursor story through them. The cure might also come to play here, since it’s been given a lot of emphasis both in the Forerunner Saga and in one of the additions to First Strike (I think) in its re-release.

7

There actually is no cure.

8

I took a stab on their origin and possible motives here.

9

> There actually is no cure.

That’s what the Primordial says, do we believe it? Maybe.

10

> There actually is no cure.

No one ever said that there was. What is being referred to in the Forerunner Saga as “The Cure” was never one at all. It didn’t save anyone already infected or who became infected, they still died, what it was however, was a counter-infection. What would happen is when the Flood infected someone, they would get the counter infection. We don’t know what specifically it did, whether making the Flood form weaker, and then spreading that amongst the rest of the Flood as it encountered other forms, or if it would kill off the infecting Flood, and then spread that amongst others it encountered. What we do know about it is that whatever the cure (it’s not an actual cure, remember) did, it was something that allowed the Ancient Humans to beat the Flood back and forced them to retreat from human held space. And do you really implicitly trust the Gravemind? Nothing he says is at all trustworthy, whatever he says, at best, contains half-truths or enough of the truth to get you to believe it.

11

Remember that almost all of what people are basing their ideas of the precursors on is what a gravemind said to the didact at the end of halo:primordium.

Personally, I dont really believe most of what it said. We know this gravemind would have known that the didact was the supreme military leader of the forerunner. Based on that, its not that much of a stretch to think that it lied to try to decieve the didact. Demoralizing the supreme military commander is a huge win for the gravemind/flood, and could destabalize the entire forerunner war effort.

I dont blieve at all that the flood chooses who it infects or not, nor do I believe that the flood willingly left humanity alone during the human-forerunner war. It makes sense to hide a weakness from your enemy, so the gravemind would obviously try to convince the didact that there was no cure for the flood. As has been mentioned before, technically the solution ancient humanity came up with, and the solution current humanity stumbled upon, arent really cures by the typical definition.

The fact of the matter is that really dont know anything at all about the precursors aside from their name, and that the forerunner rose up against them and somehow managed to defeat them.

12

“and whatever is coming, its coming as we speak…and we’re not ready”

Hence the much more “darker” part of the Halo 5 story continuation. Ladies and gentlemen, I’m willing to put money down on the Precursors/Flood return (in some form or another). I’ll make a detailed theory over the next few days as to why they are returning. Right now I’m a bit tired and too lazy. Silentium? Why u no come out sooner?!

13

Just dug up some more gold. This might have to come in two posts because I’m going to develop a far-fetched theory. How? By bouncing off of other people’s theories I’ve read on here, and from what I’ve gathered from primary sources (the books). This will change over time, I’ll bet because of Silentium’s release. Now back to the gold.

One member, by the name of ybz90 posted a VERY compelling theory on the Precursors, the Mantle, etc. From his I’ll speculate as to what happens in Halo 5.

Are you ready to face this madness? Here we go:

First start by reading his ENTIRE POST here.

Ok, take a moment to take all that in. TL;DR? Well read it anyway!

Ok, now that you have read it, let’s start putting pieces together.

At face value we know little tid bits about the Precursors. But upon further examination, one can add something new to the conversation (like ybz90 did in his post). I’m going to take it a step further. This may be spot on, or total fallacy. Let’s see how the Precursors and the Chief’s story intertwine.

Ok, now here is what we know thus far about le Presursors (which many of you have already defined in this very thread, thank you).

The Precursors seeded life in the galaxy. They created life. It is believed that they hold the Mantle of Responsibility-aka the “guardianship for all living things lies with those whose evolution is most complete. The Mantle of Responsibility shelters all”. Precursors were presumably defeated by Forerunners. Forerunners took the responsibility of the Mantle. The Primordial-claiming to be the last Precursor in the form of a Gravemind states that humanity will be tested 100,001 years later. Aka, close to the present time of Halo 4’s events (correct me if I’m wrong there). Now ybz90 said that this was a hoax of sorts, to which I agree. The “unity” the Primordial wants to impose upon every living species is a misnomer for “I want to see which species is the best, so I can therefore absorb their power!” Until that test, there will be “sweetness”.

It is stated that Halo 5 will be “darker”. Something so atrocious-it will make it darker. That is most likely the “test”. I have reason to believe that whatever that test is will be revealed in Silentium. Both the Librarian and the Didact know what that is.

Here is evidence that the Precursors or the “Floodcursors” (as I like to call them now) still exist, as stated in Primordium. Keep in mind that they want unity, not vengence.

Primordial to the Didact: Those who created you were defied and hunted. Most were extinguished. A few fled beyond your reach. Creation continued." To which the Didact replied: “Defied! You were the monsters set upon destroying all who would assume the Mantle”. Further suggesting the fact that the Precursors are indeed the Flood, the Primordial shot back: "Humans will be tested next. We are the Flood. There is no difference.

Ehhh…sorry I’m so scatter-brained. Just setting up the background for what comes next. Stay with me here.

At the end of Primordium, the 343 GS fragment or core or whatever he is, goes off to find the Librarian. Apparently the last time he’s seen her was aboard one of the Arks. It is not stated which one. Why would he want to find her? What’s his duty to her? Or the Didact for that matter? I am unsure. It may be obvious, but right now my brain is starting to fry.

So the question remains. What does MC have to do with all this?

Let’s ponder whether or not MC has a geas. After all the reading I’ve done, I’m convinced that he does indeed have a geas. Whose? Bornstellar’s of course. Read this theory, that perpetuates MC’s possible geas. Again, I’m bouncing off of other people’s ideas ( in this case Im a Fishy).

There is more to MC’s “luck”. He was set up by the Librarian and Halsey to do great things and be excellent. He has luck because of Bornstellar’s geas. Whatever the Librarian did to MC in Halo 4 made him immune to the Composer, as well as be able to hear the Didact speak to him, when Cortana could not. Also Guilty Spark asks MC: " Last time you asked me, if it were my choice, would I do it?" This could mean that Guilty Spark thought MC was the Bornstellar Didact, who is believed to have fired the Halo Array during the Forerunner Flood war.

If your still with me at this point, kudos to you, for I am almost done nerdgasm-ing.

So Master Chief wants to “regain” his humanity? That is one of the core aspects of the Reclaimer trilogy after all, right?

Here’s the new part of the conversation:

The Master Chief will face and/or pass the Floodcursor’s test, whatever that may be. In order to make himself more human…he will do the opposite not to feel “numb” like Chakas did after being composed in Primordium. Being numb brings pain and suffering, as experienced by Chakas. Since Master Chief cannot be composed, he will somehow use this to his advantage, in order to overcome the potential return of the Flood. Will he sacrifice himself in order to reveal his humanity? That would be one hell of a hero’s death; he would save the whole universe from this looming threat.

A couple more thoughts: Relating to his humanity, will MC/Bornstellar struggle with the Ur-Didact? Maybe. Will MC unite the Forerunners and/or the Covenant to defeat the Floodcursors, given they return? Maybe. Are Riser and Vinnevra reincarnated into Fred and Kelly, respectively? Maybe.

Ok, I’m pretty worn out. I’d say this is a good place to stop.

I hope you take my ideas into consideration, no matter how minuscule they were. I had the intention of throwing down a totally rad theory, but all I could muster was speculation and possibilities. Hopefully Silentium will help move my ideas forward.

14

> I took a stab on their origin and possible motives here.

gets excited

Nothing I post here will be more informative than what’s already been said. Keep it up guys I love this stuff.

And Greg Bear, if you suddenly get the urge to check the way-point forums, check this thread, and see this post, please, for the love of god, finish that book as soon as possible. We’re all dying over here.

Love,

The Halo Universe community.

15

If the Precursors return in the Reclaimer Trilogy, it can happen in 3 ways:

  1. The Flood- highly likely and discussed above

  2. A New Test- also likely, but not discussed much in this threat. If the Forerunners were tested millions of years ago and failed, triggering the Flood invasion, and Humanity remains to be tested even though they have already fought and overcome the Flood, maybe the test isn’t the Flood, but something else entirely. Bringing back the Flood will anger many fans who didn’t enjoy fighting them (not me, I love the Flood) and I’m not sure 343i would do that… We should explore this possibility.

  3. The Precursors In the Flesh- highly unlikely, but if someone to prove me wrong I will accept it.

16

>

Very nice, I now agree with these theories :slight_smile:

17

cough bump cough

18

> cough bump cough

Bumping threads is not allowed… wink

19

Good stuff. . .

20

Ive read through a lot of this. And so far I havent seen anyone mention this yet and it think I could play a Huge role in halo 5
Chakas: aka, 343 Guilty Spark
Hes still out there. The ending of Primordium? Guilty spark has basically hijacked a ONI ship and knows where to find the Librarian. Now I could have sworn I read somewhere that the Librarian destroyed her fleet and left herself on earth. Yet, somehow shes an “AI” on requiem and is seen in the terminals putting didact in his cryptum. (Terminal 7)
So what im asking is how is Guilty spark going to play a role in the halo universe now? The Librarian?

Right now halos story is looking like swiss cheese. Halo 5/silentium better explain so much. I have so many questions!!!