WARNING POSSIBLE SPOILERS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THIS THREAD…TREAD LIGHTLY IF YOU PLAN ON READING THE BOOK*
It is worth checking out or passing the time if you do not plan on buying the book. HaloFollower does a pretty good job of summarizing and theorizing.
HaloFollower Review of Shadows of Reach and its ties to Infinite.
Hopefully this thread can be the discussion point on all things related to the book and theories regarding the Infinite story based on said book.
ordered mine ages ago waiting extra week in the uk before i can read it sadly.
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> ordered mine ages ago waiting extra week in the uk before i can read it sadly.
I didnt have plans on purchasing the book. I’m actually watching the above video as we speak. He breaks it down by chapter as to whats going on and everything.
Just finished up watching HaloFollower’s review of the story. It starts by summarizing the events prior to and leading up to the event. Then breaks it down chapter to chapter. Essentially the mission Blue Team is given is to return to Castle Base and retrieve 4 packages (although the package contents are never given even at the end of the book). The book’s focus is on the journey/mission and sounds like a great read for a Halo fan. The video itself doesnt really reveal anything about Infinite (unless Infinite will have a level or levels from a portion of the book). One of the 4 packages retrieved had significant meaning according to Halsey and no one could know what was in them.
Oof, sadly 343 and Troy Denning asked to not release any spoiler content till a week after release
Source: HiddenXperia - YouTube
Nonetheless, Shadows of Reach does sound promising so far.
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> Oof, sadly 343 and Troy Denning asked to not release any spoiler content till a week after release
> Source: HiddenXperia - YouTube
>
> Nonetheless, Shadows of Reach does sound promising so far.
yeah I dont know how i was supposed to know that. Cat is already out of the bag and im just sharing what was shared. I suppose that equates to receiving stolen property?
i left HaloFollower a note with the information and source you noted above.
So, I have read the whole book and there are probably 2 or 3 big things that will tie into infinite, but I want to make sure I’m allowed to talk about them first… Moderators?
> 2533274809988140;4:
> Just finished up watching HaloFollower’s review of the story. It starts by summarizing the events prior to and leading up to the event. Then breaks it down chapter to chapter. Essentially the mission Blue Team is given is to return to Castle Base and retrieve 4 packages (although the package contents are never given even at the end of the book). The book’s focus is on the journey/mission and sounds like a great read for a Halo fan. The video itself doesnt really reveal anything about Infinite (unless Infinite will have a level or levels from a portion of the book). One of the 4 packages retrieved had significant meaning according to Halsey and no one could know what was in them.
I and many others speculate that the 3 cryo containers hold the frozen flash cloned brains of Halsey, the leftovers from when she created Cortana a few years before Reach fell. As for the lockbox… unfortunately that is speculation at this point. I just finished the book and was a little disappointed we didn’t find out what was in it. Hopefully it’ll have ties to Infinite for those of us who have read it so we can have that closure.
> 2535452160767047;7:
> So, I have read the whole book and there are probably 2 or 3 big things that will tie into infinite, but I want to make sure I’m allowed to talk about them first… Moderators?
I checked on the forum rules shortly after it was brought to my attention. I couldn’t find any clauses that went against the forum policies.
> 2533274837720524;8:
> > 2533274809988140;4:
> > Just finished up watching HaloFollower’s review of the story. It starts by summarizing the events prior to and leading up to the event. Then breaks it down chapter to chapter. Essentially the mission Blue Team is given is to return to Castle Base and retrieve 4 packages (although the package contents are never given even at the end of the book). The book’s focus is on the journey/mission and sounds like a great read for a Halo fan. The video itself doesnt really reveal anything about Infinite (unless Infinite will have a level or levels from a portion of the book). One of the 4 packages retrieved had significant meaning according to Halsey and no one could know what was in them.
>
> I and many others speculate that the 3 cryo containers hold the frozen flash cloned brains of Halsey, the leftovers from when she created Cortana a few years before Reach fell. As for the lockbox… unfortunately that is speculation at this point. I just finished the book and was a little disappointed we didn’t find out what was in it. Hopefully it’ll have ties to Infinite for those of us who have read it so we can have that closure.
It was pretty disappointing that they were never revealed, but I think that was done intentionally so that people wouldn’t complain that another major game plot point wasn’t revealed in a book. As for the rest of the book, it was also kinda disappointing… aside from a few pages of team dynamics and furthered story, it was basically 400 pages of combat which in my opinion, just doesn’t work in a book. Overall very dry.
> 2533274809988140;9:
> > 2535452160767047;7:
> > So, I have read the whole book and there are probably 2 or 3 big things that will tie into infinite, but I want to make sure I’m allowed to talk about them first… Moderators?
>
> I checked on the forum rules shortly after it was brought to my attention. I couldn’t find any clauses that went against the forum policies.
Alright well,
The biggest things are 1. The banished consistently refers to Cortana as the “Apparition” and there is no indication that they will be working together in Infinite. So the “Harbinger” referenced in the gameplay demo released this summer is most likely not Cortana and is something new. And 2. Atriox is no longer stuck on the Ark, as he used the portal on Reach to come back and has "more important things to deal with than either Cortana or humanity (Harbinger?). 3. This has already been mentioned but my best guess is the packages contain Halsey’s cloned brains and a matrix for a new Cortana and this will be a major plot point in the next game.
> 2535452160767047;11:
> > 2533274809988140;9:
> > > 2535452160767047;7:
> > > So, I have read the whole book and there are probably 2 or 3 big things that will tie into infinite, but I want to make sure I’m allowed to talk about them first… Moderators?
> >
> > I checked on the forum rules shortly after it was brought to my attention. I couldn’t find any clauses that went against the forum policies.
>
> Alright well,
> The biggest things are 1. The banished consistently refers to Cortana as the “Apparition” and there is no indication that they will be working together in Infinite. So the “Harbinger” referenced in the gameplay demo released this summer is most likely not Cortana and is something new. And 2. Atriox is no longer stuck on the Ark, as he used the portal on Reach to come back and has "more important things to deal with than either Cortana or humanity (Harbinger?). 3. This has already been mentioned but my best guess is the packages contain Halsey’s cloned brains and a matrix for a new Cortana and this will be a major plot point in the next game.
So what is up with that cortana like thing that was guarding access to Halseys lab? She was referred to as something of Cortana’s older sister in some terms.
yeah idk how cortana will play into infinite but at least that cleared the air sort of speak in regards to the banished helping cortana or vice versa. Also what’s up with those ONI personnel working with that one group within the banished? She handed Fred a note which would lead me to believe she is sort of playing the double agent role.
> 2533274809988140;12:
> > 2535452160767047;11:
> > > 2533274809988140;9:
> > > > 2535452160767047;7:
> > > > So, I have read the whole book and there are probably 2 or 3 big things that will tie into infinite, but I want to make sure I’m allowed to talk about them first… Moderators?
> > >
> > > I checked on the forum rules shortly after it was brought to my attention. I couldn’t find any clauses that went against the forum policies.
> >
> > Alright well,
> > The biggest things are 1. The banished consistently refers to Cortana as the “Apparition” and there is no indication that they will be working together in Infinite. So the “Harbinger” referenced in the gameplay demo released this summer is most likely not Cortana and is something new. And 2. Atriox is no longer stuck on the Ark, as he used the portal on Reach to come back and has "more important things to deal with than either Cortana or humanity (Harbinger?). 3. This has already been mentioned but my best guess is the packages contain Halsey’s cloned brains and a matrix for a new Cortana and this will be a major plot point in the next game.
>
> So what is up with that cortana like thing that was guarding access to Halseys lab? She was referred to as something of Cortana’s older sister in some terms.
>
> yeah idk how cortana will play into infinite but at least that cleared the air sort of speak in regards to the banished helping cortana or vice versa. Also what’s up with those ONI personnel working with that one group within the banished? She handed Fred a note which would lead me to believe she is sort of playing the double agent role.
The AI that was guarding the lab was just a piece or shadow of Halsey’s old AI, Kalmiya who was destroyed when Reach fell. She is referred to as Cortana’s “older sister” in the book.
I don’t know if you have read HALO: Last Light or Retribution but those characters are spartan 3’s and Veta Lopis undercover with the Keepers. I don’t think that storyline will be in Infinite at all but will definitely be followed by either another Dunning novel or maybe Halo Wars 3 because they are now on the Ark.
So, my copy did not come with the short story “Sacrifice” that was supposed to launch with the Walmart version of the book… Would anyone be willing to summarize that story here?
PSA to those who are curious, it’s actually just fine to be discussing the book and any spoilers it contains. I’m just moving it to the universe section because that’s usually where it goes.
> 2535452160767047;10:
> > 2533274837720524;8:
> > > 2533274809988140;4:
> > > Just finished up watching HaloFollower’s review of the story. It starts by summarizing the events prior to and leading up to the event. Then breaks it down chapter to chapter. Essentially the mission Blue Team is given is to return to Castle Base and retrieve 4 packages (although the package contents are never given even at the end of the book). The book’s focus is on the journey/mission and sounds like a great read for a Halo fan. The video itself doesnt really reveal anything about Infinite (unless Infinite will have a level or levels from a portion of the book). One of the 4 packages retrieved had significant meaning according to Halsey and no one could know what was in them.
> >
> > I and many others speculate that the 3 cryo containers hold the frozen flash cloned brains of Halsey, the leftovers from when she created Cortana a few years before Reach fell. As for the lockbox… unfortunately that is speculation at this point. I just finished the book and was a little disappointed we didn’t find out what was in it. Hopefully it’ll have ties to Infinite for those of us who have read it so we can have that closure.
>
> It was pretty disappointing that they were never revealed, but I think that was done intentionally so that people wouldn’t complain that another major game plot point wasn’t revealed in a book. As for the rest of the book, it was also kinda disappointing… aside from a few pages of team dynamics and furthered story, it was basically 400 pages of combat which in my opinion, just doesn’t work in a book. Overall very dry.
I personally liked most of it. Though there were a few parts that dragged out too long I think. Like the section before they meet up with the Pioneers at the Banished base, that was pretty boring for me. Same with some of the planning stages underglass with the militia.
A little off topic… anyone other me that got the Walmart edition pissed about them printing that sticker on the cover instead of putting an actual sticker. It just ruins that artwork and annoys me that they did that.
So it seems that at the end of the book… there’s some wild cards that hang in the air
Reading through the replies here, I share many of the same thoughts. I’m sure those containers have Dr. Halsey’s cloned brains, and that she plans to make another Cortana.
Ever since I heard the hidden Cortana audio from the trailer, I felt it was Cortana meeting herself in some way. So Dr. Halsey making a new Cortana fits. History is repeating itself, this current conflict may end up mirroring Mendicant Bias vs. Offensive Bias.
One very important thing regarding the state of the galaxy established in the book was this: If a conflict is small the Guardians can’t detect it. Which makes me believe Cortana and her guardians will be at Zeta Halo, they couldn’t ignore the big explosion or whatever damaged Zeta Halo right?
Blue Team, Cpt Lasky, Spartan Palmer, Halsey, Infinity crew are present on Reach. Fire team Osiris, an Red Team make no appearances they may be hinted at. The Spirit of Fire crew made no appearance. Atriox an the Banished from Halo Wars 2 are on Reach an The Ark. Its Hinted the Banished already know of Cortana. Takes place in Year 2559 October.