So, last night, I decided to re-read Soma the Painter on a whim. I have also recently re-read the first two Forerunner books in preparation for Halo 4. Well, something popped out at me when I was reading Soma: the short story ends with a Forerunner known as the Prelate being told about the Flood appearing on the planet G617 g. He then tells another Forerunner, the Auditor to contact the Didact.
Now, as some may know, 300 years before the Halo Array was fired, when the Flood re-appeared, the Didact was sleeping in a Cryptum in exile. It is also note-worthy that Greg Bear was already writing the Forerunner books, so I doubt the Soma story was written in ignorance of the Forerunner books. So the question becomes, how does the Soma story connect to the Forerunner books? I am now hoping Silentium addresses this. Does the Prelate not know about the Didact’s exile? Is there a third Didact? Does the Didact travel back in time?
What do you guys think?
It’s possible that Soma the Painter is no longer canon, but the mention of “fur” seems in indicate it was written in line with the Forerunner books.
I believe the Didact was aware of the Flood threat and knew that the Flood were present but entered the Cryptum anyway, doesn’t he ask if they fired the Halos yet when he is awakened by Bornsteller?
> I believe the Didact was aware of the Flood threat and knew that the Flood were present but entered the Cryptum anyway, doesn’t he ask if they fired the Halos yet when he is awakened by Bornsteller?
He did know the Flood would return, and he entered the Cryptum after the plan to make the Halo Array had been approved. However, the Array had only been construct a few hundred years before Cryptum takes place. Soma the Painter take place 300 years prior to Cryptum, when the Flood first shows up on G617 g and the Didact is still in his Cryptum.
> I believe the Didact was aware of the Flood threat and knew that the Flood were present but entered the Cryptum anyway, doesn’t he ask if they fired the Halos yet when he is awakened by Bornsteller?
He did know, seeing how he was trying to push the build of his Shield Worlds.
I think the story would only break cannon if the didact made an appearance or spoke.
Merely telling them to contact the didact may simply be trying to send someone to wake him, which fails for some reason, quite possibly because he his hidden if I recall.
Depending on the man’s rank, he may also not have known the didact was in exile. Imagine if the commander of your country’s armies decided to take an ‘extended vacation’ publicly.
> I think the story would only break cannon if the didact made an appearance or spoke.
>
> Merely telling them to contact the didact may simply be trying to send someone to wake him, which fails for some reason, quite possibly because he his hidden if I recall.
>
> Depending on the man’s rank, he may also not have known the didact was in exile. Imagine if the commander of your country’s armies decided to take an ‘extended vacation’ publicly.
You are correct that the location of the Didact’s Cryptum was unknown to all but the Librarian. I guess it is possible that the Prelate tried and failed to awaken the Didact. However, at that point, the Prometheans were already in exile, and Warrior-Servants in decline. From what was seen in Halo Cryptum, it seemed like Builders took over as the leaders of Forerunner forces.