This may seem like a stupid question, but I’ve had a bit of a brain fart whilst thinking about the ending of Halo 3. It’s probably really easily explained but here goes:
I was under the impression that activating 1 of the Halo rings would cause the others to follow suit and fire. Basically, what I’m asking here is why didn’t the 6 other halo rings fire when John activated Installation 04**?**
Was it because they were out of range to communicate or what? I know the Ark is out of the range of Halo’s weapons, but does this mean it’s also out of range for communications as well?
I apologise for the simple question (that is probably a waste of your time) but this has been bugging me for nearly a week now and I’d like a straight answer. Thanks!
> This may seem like a stupid question, but I’ve had a bit of a brain fart whilst thinking about the ending of Halo 3. It’s probably really easily explained but here goes:
>
> I was under the impression that activating 1 of the Halo rings would cause the others to follow suit and fire. Basically, what I’m asking here is why didn’t the 6 other halo rings fire when John activated Installation 04**?**
> Was it because they were out of range to communicate or what? I know the Ark is out of the range of Halo’s weapons, but does this mean it’s also out of range for communications as well?
> I apologise for the simple question (that is probably a waste of your time) but this has been bugging me for nearly a week now and I’d like a straight answer. Thanks!
[/quote]
Halo 3 was very obtuse in regards to certain plot details, so this is certainly not a “dumb” question to ask.
> While nothing is confirmed so far, it is likely one of three options:
> 1. It was out of range / not connected to the Array network yet.
> 2. It has different firing settings, with a small “tactical” firing used at the end of Halo 3.
> 3. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the only real evidence that all of them fire if one is fired is a line in Halo 1 that can easily be interpreted to mean otherwise (“But, once the others follow suit, this galaxy will be quite devoid of life, or at least any life with sufficient biomass to sustain the Flood.”). It doesn’t explicitly state that the other installations will fire automatically.
So there’s no official explanation as of yet? Seems like a rather important detail to skimp over.
Perhaps we’ll find an answer in upcoming media?
> > This may seem like a stupid question, but I’ve had a bit of a brain fart whilst thinking about the ending of Halo 3. It’s probably really easily explained but here goes:
> >
> > I was under the impression that activating 1 of the Halo rings would cause the others to follow suit and fire. Basically, what I’m asking here is why didn’t the 6 other halo rings fire when John activated Installation 04**?**
> > Was it because they were out of range to communicate or what? I know the Ark is out of the range of Halo’s weapons, but does this mean it’s also out of range for communications as well?
> > I apologise for the simple question (that is probably a waste of your time) but this has been bugging me for nearly a week now and I’d like a straight answer. Thanks!
[/quote]
Halo 3 was very obtuse in regards to certain plot details, so this is certainly not a “dumb” question to ask.
> > While nothing is confirmed so far, it is likely one of three options:
> > 1. It was out of range / not connected to the Array network yet.
> > 2. It has different firing settings, with a small “tactical” firing used at the end of Halo 3.
> > 3. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the only real evidence that all of them fire if one is fired is a line in Halo 1 that can easily be interpreted to mean otherwise (“But, once the others follow suit, this galaxy will be quite devoid of life, or at least any life with sufficient biomass to sustain the Flood.”). It doesn’t explicitly state that the other installations will fire automatically.
> > **
[/quote]
Its quite clearly explained in Halo 3 that it was a tactical pulse.**
> > "A tactical pulse will completely eradicate the local infestation."
Halo is very notorious for leaving out incredibly interesting (and some fairly important) details and not elaborating on them for years to come. We didn’t get any clarification on Gray Team until Cole Protocol despite them being foreshadowed back in Fall of Reach. Come to think of it, we still don’t know exactly what they were doing in 2552. For another in-game example, consider how Regret found the location of Delta Halo in Halo 2. While there’s some theories on it, I’d kill for a definite answer after 7 years.
It does keep me coming back, though, so I guess it’s a practice that works.
This ^ and also I’m very sure it was said at the end of Halo 2 or somewhere in Halo 3 it had to be fired from the Arc such as what would of happened if Chief and Arby didn’t make it to the Prophet on the Covenant level; then yes all the rings would have fired off. Firing the ring in the last level is just firing that ring from its specific control center. So with that it blew everything up including the Arc-being so close.
I think it sucks that the Arc was blown up, probably one of the biggest known Forerunners structures left…so much information on there and technology. 
In Halo1 343 says that activating the ring will take out all life in a radios of some light years, then 343 says that as soon as the other rings are fired, or he might have said follow suit or something then the galaxy will be clean. I think it was the first one and if it was then maybe 343 would have told him to go to the other rings and fire them with the help of the other monitors.