Piecing the Puzzle- Setting the Stage for Halo 4

Games Other Halo
1

INTRO

Hello everyone, I am writing this thread in order to bring together all the elements of Halo 4 story-line together and to create one cohesive piece of speculation. Why now? Well, this year is a busy one. Three major pieces of Halo 4 related information have already begun coming out: beginning with Halo: Glasslands, moving on to the Halo: CEA Terminals and concluding with Halo: Primordium. In this thread I will show all the leads and hints I can find within these sources and more (hopefully I can also tell people which page a certain piece of info is on or at which place a certain terminal is or even at what second within said terminal). Right, lets start with H:G (Glasslands).

the most plausible theories are in bald

HALO: GLASSLANDS

The connection with Halo 4 that I found in the book are as folloes:

  1. The Armor- at the [insert page here] page of the book, Deveraux tells Mal and Vaz that Naomi’s Mjolnir armor can update and fix itself while in cryo. When I read that, I thought that was a pretty straightforward way to explain John’s new armor but then there was another reference to Naomi’s armor which explained she had the new Mark VII armor on her (it seemed pretty vague when it comes to weather she was wearing that armor the previous time they talked about it too or if she had just received it.

Lets analyze both options. If John has an armor capable of updating itself that would make a lot of sense gameplay-wise- we could start the fighting right away (and have the speculated feel of loneliness and the closer connection between John and Cortana that everyone has been expecting) instead of having to get on the Infinty and upgrading first. If John has his normal armor it would make more sense cannonically as it seems like 343 are just trying to find an excuse to shove in some new armor, but on the other hand we would have to go through a huge phase before actually getting to play unless 343 is going to let us play around with both Mjolnirs (maybe it could be a hint at armor customization?).

Now lets observe Mark VII as a gameplay element. What could it enhance? The book stated the armor is lighter, so maybe we will have faster movement speeds? If the armor fixes itself, maybe there could be a health regeneration thing going on in the game?

I was positive that I have missed something, so I took out my Halsey Journal and now I’ll add some of the Mark VII features as stated there: next gen fusion-plasma hybrid technology (batteries?), atmospheric insertion systems, slipspace de-insertion capability, active AI transfer protocols (what?), limited shaping of energy shields (partial overlaps, airfoils, etc.). Now obviously 343 didn’t put those features in the journal just for the heck of it. Hopefully you guys can help me figure this out a little better.

  1. The UNSC INFINITY and the SPARTAN IV Program- again, I will need help with the pages of this information. The UNSC Infinity is supposedly a prototype warship that has been outfitted with a lot of findings from Forerunner ruins and technology that has been found throughout the war along with what has been found on Shield World Trevelyan. What does that mean? Energy Shielding (probably), pinpoint slipspace accuracy shorter travel times (obviously), advanced weapon systems (maybe), what else?

Anyway, back to my point… The Infinity has been spotted in Halo 4 concept art (as most of you already know), so John and the Infinity will definitley rendezvous in the game. Furthermore, it has been stated that Andrew Del Rio is the ships ranking officer (a commander) and that the ship already contains a number of Spartan IVs on it.

We don’t know sh*t about the Spartan IV project, all we know is that they were grown up volunteers and that some of the S-III survivors may have been fitted into the program as well. We can only speculate why they exist and what they are… For one, they MUST be using the Mark VII…

I think, personally, that the S-IVs were created for the very same reason the IIs were- to fight off insurrection. What else could it be? Could ONI possibly know about the Ancient Evil? Does ONI fear the return of the San-Shyum or an attack from any of the ex-Covi species? I don’t think so…

Maybe H4 will be a split campaign (H2 style) between a SIV and the Chief? That would explain the non-metallic planet that is seen in the concept art which the Infinity is orbiting… Thay wouldn’t just make a big deal out of the Legendary Planet and then brings to another one, would they? But 343i seem to want a focus on Chief this time around…

  1. Human-Sangheli Relationship- there is not much to say here as the story of the book ended with a quite abrupt conclusion and doesn’t completely answer that question… We do have a cease fire for the mean time, though.

  2. Huragok- the renewed focus that Huragok are starting to get in this series is very noticeable. From ODST to Contact Harvest (woops, wrong order) and finally to Glasslands… something is coming… Considering to Huragok-like creatures seem to be flying all around the concept art trailer, maybe I am correct. Now that ONI has 4 Huragok (the Adj and the three new ones created by Prone to Drift), soon enough, ONI could have an army of them. I had a feeling this would happen…

  3. Ancient Evil- this was the part that got to me the most in the whole book. Prone to Drift said that there is something outside the Shield World, and that it may be a threat. Then, he was asked what he was talking about and got the vaguest answer anyone can ever imagine: something that is both there and not there simultaneously. What does that even mean?- was my first reaction. Then I remembered that Precursors were supposed to be able to reach a higher state of mind in which they exist omnipresent-ly (am I correct here, only just started Cryptum). Maybe the AE is the Precursors after all… I direct you to this photo for further speculation (pieced together from the final glimpse in the concept art trailer: http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110928213822/halo/images/2/2e/Ancient_evil_2.jpg

  4. Halo Installation 03- I have to admit that one took me off guard… it really did. Halsey was taken there at the very end of the book- and she will probably do some exploration in the sequel. Why do I find this so interesting and related? The Halo 4 concept art trailer contains the very image which is the cover of Primordium- and it contains a Halo.

Bear with me here- they wouldn’t have put an image of a Halo in the trailer for no reason. This Halo will play a certain role. If it didn’t, than they would have emitted it just like they emitted the cover of Cryptum. It should also be noted that Abject Testament (the monitor that has been shown and voiced in the second terminal of anniversary) is the monitor of this Halo installation.

So, what do you think of that? Will we still continue our Halo related adventures in the Reclaimer trilogy? Personally, I hope there is no focus on that whatsoever.

  1. Phillips Under Attack- who did it? It surely wasn’t the Abiding Truth and probably wasn’t the Arbiter either (its not his style to allow Phillips to roam a city which he will soon bomb). Who could it be? Insurrection? Venezia? Another Sangheli faction? Brutes?
2

HALO: COMBAT EVOLVED ANNIVERSARY- TERMINALS

There is not much to be said about the Terminals, sadly, but here you go:

  1. The Ancient Evil-
    The fourth and fifth Terminals showed a ship of unknown nature crashing down to the surface of Halo 40,000 years before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. The ship is dented and curved and almost resembles Covenant ships, but it is colored gray and green. Pictures can be seen here:

http://www.halopedian.com/File:Alien_ship_1.png

http://www.halopedian.com/images/c/c2/Alien_ship_2.png

Now that I look at it, it is extremely similar to these ships from the concept art:

THE SHIP LOOKS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THIS IMAGE FROM THE CONCEPT ART OF HALO 4:
http://www.halopedian.com/File:Halo4conceptart12.jpg

It may not be a ship but the architecture seems identical.

Back on topic… This ship is not forerunner, as 343GS would have acknowledged that, and I doubt it is of human origin too. I think that the ship is directly connected with the Ancient Evil. One thing doesn’t fit, though. The AE, as seen in the concept art trailer, is a mechanical creature. Spark said that there were sentients on that ship, and that the ship contained an atmosphere similar to that of Installation 04, which GS hinted means the sentients could have been cataloged on the installation and therefore were existent before the Halo firing- ancient, you may call them.

The ship broadcast-ed an automated distress signal that repeated every 72.8 seconds. The symbols that Spark is shown to be broadcasting seem neither human, forerunner or of any of the Covenant species.

The biggest question is, why? Why would 343 open up a story thread that will die away along with Halo’s destruction and not even finish it up. Was its very purpose to tease? Will the story of this crash landing ever be continued?

Conjecture begins here…

I strongly believe that whatever the AE is, it is directly connected with the Precursors, as they are the true main bad guys of the Halo series (created the flood which made FR make the Halos and destroy all life in the galaxy and what not). I believe that while they may not be the Precursors themselves- they work under the Precursor’s and do their bidding in some manner or form.

So basically the ship is either Precursor or of a new species and it is DEFINITELY an Ancient Evil ship. Whatever the Ancient Evil is, it seems that it only started to empower 60,000 years after the activation of the Halo Array, its a sentient species that lives under similar conditions to that of Earth and I04 (and may have been cataloged there too), and has found its way onto the LP. They are some how a threat that is both there and not there. Did they survive the activation of the Halos? Or were they repopulated in a similar way to, say, humanity?

So many questions…

Another point worth noting is that GS referred to both the Flood and ancient humans as the Forerunner’s “ancient enemy” although I doubt that they are Halo 4’s “ancient evil”. Also, GS said that there still might be flood living outside the galaxy.

  1. John-Chakas Connection-
    as supported by what Greg Bear said in the Comic Con panel, Chakas and John seem to have a direct connection (maybe John is his descendant?). In the terminals, GS further hints that humans were the ones that actually activated the rings when the time came. He says that it has been a long time since you (referring to John) were here- implying that it may have been Chakas himself that activated the Array- as they are connected in some way.

  2. Installation 03
    “But if something were to go wrong with one of the Halos, if our tools were ever used against us… long plans indeed.” ONI has got themselves a Halo (03) by 2553 (as seen in Halo Glasslands). What will they do with it? How will they approach it? What are these “long plans” GS speaks of?

The monitor of installation 03- Abject Testament- was also shown in the terminals- and he was also voiced. Maybe that was set as a hint to a future Halo game set (at least partially) on this installation, or its just a nod to the sequel of Halo Glasslands.

  1. Fragment?!-
    I have absolutely no idea what happened at the end of the 7th terminal. Do you?

  2. The Didact-
    He seemed to have some focus in the terminals- with his symbol showing multiple times and GS emphasizing him in the end of the last normal terminal (terminal 10). I think this is another hint to Halo 4- I don’t know how or why, but I do believe it.

Is there anything I missed?

3

THE FORERUNNER SAGA

Currently based off of Cryptum:

  1. The Organon- the Precursor artifact that activates all of their other ones, because they are (or, were) dormant. The fact that so much information is emitted about this artifact seems to me like Greg was not the one that created it and that 343i supplied it as a hint to future games (Halo 4, mainly).

  2. Forerunner Legacy- well, as of Cryptum, it is hinted that the Shield Worlds would be used by the Forerunners (at the very end- nothing too big). Beyond that, though, I truly have nothing. I think we will only know their fate in the series finally.

  3. Precursors- the creators of both the humans and the forerunners (and, speculatively the Flood as well). this species is where the thread ends, where we are truly stuck in terms of plot speculation.

So, after the Forerunners figured out that they created them, they decided to go to war with them, and eventually cleanse them from the galaxy- leaving their immortal structures and technologies as the only proof of their existence.

Apparently, all their technology is dormant, and can only activated by the “non-existent” Organon (please, it obviously exists). What is up with that? I don’t think there is any relevant information to dig for there though…

Now, lets talk about the Timeless One- the so called last Precursor. 10 meters tall, twenty wide; it has four four fingered hands with one claw (each), they have an Eurypterid-like flat head with multiple oval eyes and a tail coming out of its back connected to a two meter barb. That doesn’t sound like the creatures that created humans and forerunners in their form.

Whatever this guy is, he was bad enough to go to Precursor prison. I do not think it is the ancient evil though… Gameplay wise, fighting ten meter high creatures all the time doesn’t work. Plus, the TO obviously became the Gravemind eventually (MB spoke to the GM for 43 years, the TO was stuck with MB on the stolen Halo for 43 years, the GM said he listened through time and metal- like the TOs prison)…

I think we will get our answers with Primordium.

  1. John’s Connection With One of The Characters- Greg Bear let it slip in the comic-con panel so I might as well write it down… Primordium seems to be from Chakas’ view point as he tells his story to “the last true Reclaimer” (maybe this is a way to break the fourth wall, or he is talking to John.

  2. Reclaimers- As of Cryptum, Forerunners hate humans… When will the Forerunners begin admiring us? Maybe in Primordium, as it is from a human’s perspective (Chakas).

  3. Biblical Allegory- God(Precursors) created man(Forerunners and humans) and then, bad humans(forerunners) pissed God off (exterminated the Precursors). As a punishment, God sent out a flood (The Flood) to kill all the bad humans while the good humans(humans) and a couple of every other living species (DNA samples of all living beings) survived on an Ark (the samples were placed on the Ark) and then the surviving species left to dry land (spread across the universe). Halo is obviously a Biblical allegory to Noah’s Ark. The question is, what comes next in this allegory?

Well, if Precursors are “God(s)”, and they locked the Timeless One away in a prison, you can say they banished him- much like the Devil was banished from god’s “inner circle” and thrown away into hell. So, if TO is in fact our devil, how can that relate to Halo 4’s ancient evil? Well, if our enemy is of Precursor origin (not necessarily the Precursors themselves, but maybe their minions) as I suspect, maybe they are not another punishment from god. Maybe they were sent by the Devil (a.k.a the Timeless One) and that would make them, what? Demons? Its all theoretical, but also very possible…

January 3rd- Primordium will release and I will update as fast as I can.

4

Awesome analysis man! That description of the ancient enemy IS incredibly vague, I wonder what it means. But something is DEFIANTLY coming, they wouldn’t be starting another spartan program without reason. But now we know why Chief got an armor change. But anyway more people need to see this. Installation 03, hmm…

5

this is an awesome analysis man! i definitely agree that the S-IVs are probably to fight the insurrection…i would be surprised if ONI knew about the ancient enemy, but maybe their newly acquired huragock gave them some info

6

This is awesome thanks for taking the time to put that together. To me that alien you pieced together so well looks kinda like a robot if you look at the joints between the thigh and the pelvis it is too skinny to be flesh. As i am on the subject, didanyone state that that was the ancient evil, not a supposed ally

7

Great so far, hope you keep it up!

8

> This is awesome thanks for taking the time to put that together. To me that alien you pieced together so well looks kinda like a robot if you look at the joints between the thigh and the pelvis it is too skinny to be flesh. As i am on the subject, didanyone state that that was the ancient evil, not a supposed ally

Actually, I did not make it. Sorry if I implied that I did. It was made by someone from B.net (I think).

9

> > This is awesome thanks for taking the time to put that together. To me that alien you pieced together so well looks kinda like a robot if you look at the joints between the thigh and the pelvis it is too skinny to be flesh. As i am on the subject, didanyone state that that was the ancient evil, not a supposed ally
>
> Actually, I did not make. Sorry if I implied that I did. It was made by someone from B.net (I think).

nah thats fine i must of misread. But the AE is the thing i am most looking forward to in the campaign, personally i am hoping it is something completely new

10

Me too. Hopefully the game will surprise us when it comes out, I don’t want to know half of the campaign before I play it (like in Reach- they revealed way too much before release).

11

No i just want anothr trailer with a bit more info, hopefully at VGA or something. Maybe the heat will start after CEA

12

I think a big reveal will come around Feb/March… Maybe even a GI cover article or a “Waypoint Exclusive” (ViDoc).

13

I find it unlikely that the armour can radically update itself, because if that were possible it simply would have been designed like that from the start. ‘Updating’ to a new environment/to suit the wearer better/to repair itself is plausible, or to a new design because it was fed the specifications, similar to how anti-spyware companies update their software… yes.

A suit completely disconnected to the UNSC, in a broken-down half of a ship, magically coming up with a superior design… no.

14

Well, as I said… That was written in the book. They may have been talking about the Mark VII though…

15

I updated with some Cryptum info. My cope of CEA should arrive by Sunday, so my interpretation of the Terminals should come along around next Friday (as I plan on searching them myself).

16

Methinks:

UNSC+The Arbiter’s forces (maybe some ex-covie species as well)+Forerunners
VS.
Precursors+Flood+Servants of Abiding Truth

Then again just my idea. most likely wrong, but…

17

I don’t think the SAT fit into the “enemy” department. They are far too stupid.

18

> I don’t think the SAT fit into the “enemy” department. They are far too stupid.

But they want to kill the arbiter. they can do so with the help of precursors.

19

I think 343 are done with the covenant and its remnants as enemies… Or at least for now. Maybe in a side game or later on in the series we will see a return in some capacity, but I don’t see it… Definitely not as soon as Halo 4.

20

> > I don’t think the SAT fit into the “enemy” department. They are far too stupid.
>
> But they want to kill the arbiter. they can do so with the help of precursors.

I don’t know, that doesn’t seem too feasible to me. Why would the Precursors care about some “silly” civil war? In plus, it’s not like the Servants of Abiding Truth have the technology or numbers to really do much against the UNSC or to help the Precursors. I doubt that we’ll see any of them in Halo 4.