In the halo 5 short trailer, a large promethean entity emerges from the ground in a possible “ark” location. The thing about this is, the entity is known as a forerunner war sphinx and is described in detail in “cryptum” the first book in the forerunner saga. During the first ten chapters a cryptum, the sphere from halo 4, emerges from the ground close to 8 war sphinxes and is unlocked revealling a deceased forerunner…the didact! When he is removed from the cryptum the sphinxes transport him to a safe area for resurrection where pipes are inserted into his mouth and blood stream by the books main character. These pipes seem to appear on the war sphinx in the trailer dangling from its head, almost like it is ready to resurrect someone! Plus, in the last mission of halo 4 when the didact is blown up by a grenade he seems to fall into a slip space portal which could have teleported him to the ark.
Well, we know he’s coming back. Like I’ve said before, it’s Fiction 101: if you don’t see the villain’s body and his fate is left ambiguous, he’s still alive. I just don’t know what part he’ll play.
> In the halo 5 short trailer, a large promethean entity emerges from the ground in a possible “ark” location.
Do we know it is Promethean in origin? Not at this point.
> The thing about this is, the entity is known as a forerunner war sphinx and is described in detail in “cryptum” the first book in the forerunner saga.
It has not been confirmed as a War Sphinx. It might be one, or it’s newer counterpart known as a Seeker. But still, nothing concrete yet.
> During the first ten chapters a cryptum, the sphere from halo 4, emerges from the ground close to 8 war sphinxes and is unlocked revealling a deceased forerunner…the didact! When he is removed from the cryptum the sphinxes transport him to a safe area for resurrection where pipes are inserted into his mouth and blood stream by the books main character. These pipes seem to appear on the war sphinx in the trailer dangling from its head, almost like it is ready to resurrect someone! Plus, in the last mission of halo 4 when the didact is blown up by a grenade he seems to fall into a slip space portal which could have teleported him to the ark.
Thing is, the Didact wasn’t defeated in a way that would allow for a Halo: Cryptum style resurrection. Being preserved for a Cryptum is a long process with multiple stages that leaves the occupant mummified. The Didact’s chest exploded and he fell into a slipspace event, not really the same.
His speech at the end of Halo 4 also implies he is still awake and in no need of a revival, but in custody.
That thing coming out of the ground was mendicant bias. He was buried in the sand on the ark. The orange lights indicate that the didact is still kicking though, and chief needs help to stop him and potentially cortana, by enlisting the help of mendicant bias.
> That thing coming out of the ground was mendicant bias. He was buried in the sand on the ark. The orange lights indicate that the didact is still kicking though, and chief needs help to stop him and potentially cortana, by enlisting the help of mendicant bias.
It wasn’t confirmed to be Medicant Bias either, but it does sound more plausible than a War Sphinx or Seeker. Sphinxes weren’t that tall, and Seekers had no “face.” On top of that, it appeared that Chief was looking for it, on the Ark no less, the place Bias was last seen buried in the sands of.
> > That thing coming out of the ground was mendicant bias. He was buried in the sand on the ark. The orange lights indicate that the didact is still kicking though, and chief needs help to stop him and potentially cortana, by enlisting the help of mendicant bias.
>
> It wasn’t confirmed to be Medicant Bias either, but it does sound more plausible than a War Sphinx or Seeker. Sphinxes weren’t that tall, and Seekers had no “face.” On top of that, it appeared that Chief was looking for it, on the Ark no less, the place Bias was last seen buried in the sands of.
I think this makes the most sense, but still, it doesn’t seem like something Mendicant Bias would look like.
> > > That thing coming out of the ground was mendicant bias. He was buried in the sand on the ark. The orange lights indicate that the didact is still kicking though, and chief needs help to stop him and potentially cortana, by enlisting the help of mendicant bias.
> >
> > It wasn’t confirmed to be Medicant Bias either, but it does sound more plausible than a War Sphinx or Seeker. Sphinxes weren’t that tall, and Seekers had no “face.” On top of that, it appeared that Chief was looking for it, on the Ark no less, the place Bias was last seen buried in the sands of.
>
> I think this makes the most sense, but still, it doesn’t seem like something Mendicant Bias would look like.
The War Sphinx/Seeker is theorized to be guarding Mendicant Bias, it’s not Mendicant Bias himself.
If the didact is truly dead, then someone please explain why the prometheans in Spartan Ops are still orange and trying kill everything.
> If the didact is truly dead, then someone please explain why the prometheans in Spartan Ops are still orange and trying kill everything.
The Librarian isn’t around to turn them blue again?
> If the didact is truly dead, then someone please explain why the prometheans in Spartan Ops are still orange and trying kill everything.
They still obey Jul 'Mdama.
I can see the Didact having a “change of heart” then saving the Chie-hehehehe- saving the Chiehahahahahaha…sorry…it’s hard to say it without laughing. I could see the Didact having a change of heart and saving the Chief in a cutscene…teehee!
> If the didact is truly dead, then someone please explain why the prometheans in Spartan Ops are still orange and trying kill everything.
The Essential Visual Guide says that the Didact’s current status is “unknown”. So yeah. He’s definitely not dead.
If people can claim cortana is still alive when she’s being called dead directly multiple times. Than someone who’s status is ‘unknown’ is definitely still alive.
Otherwise he literally fell into a plot hole.
That said, the Didact’s original revival was entirely based on outdated cryptum tech.
> That thing coming out of the ground was mendicant bias. He was buried in the sand on the ark. The orange lights indicate that the didact is still kicking though, and chief needs help to stop him and potentially cortana, by enlisting the help of mendicant bias.
Bias wasn’t a giant bird. 
The possibility of the machine being mendicant bias seems a little far fetched to me. In the Halo 3 terminals and “Contact Harvest”, Mendicant Bias tells the prophet of truth and the Master Chief that he wishes to help the Reclaimers as atonement for his betrayal of the forerunners. This being the case, I can’t see why he would be an antagonist.
The didact fell into a slipspace portal below the composer on his ship, “Mantles Approach”. Another possibility is that the Didact could have made his way to the machine (possibly a forerunner Seeker) in the trailer for use as a new vessel, command post, etc. The Master Chief could be hunting the Didact down either to avenge the death of Cortana and/or to stop the Didact once and for all. This would explain why the Chief looks down at Cortanas chip as the machine emerged from the sand. To me this seems to be the most straight forward answer.
Now you should also take the ending of spartan ops season one into account, but this may just lead into another season of spartan ops rather than merging into the main story line.
Agreed with Andy about Mendicant, and the pros are orange in spops still since Librarian can’t turn them back, well now she isn’t for sure, but perhaps she wasn’t able to at first.
> The possibility of the machine being mendicant bias seems a little far fetched to me. In the Halo 3 terminals and “Contact Harvest”, Mendicant Bias tells the prophet of truth and the Master Chief that he wishes to help the Reclaimers as atonement for his betrayal of the forerunners. This being the case, <mark>I can’t see why he would be an antagonist.</mark>
Uh… exactly where in the trailer did it say the owl was an antagonist?
My question is: Which didact are you talking about? Ur-Didact? Or Iso-Didact?
> > The possibility of the machine being mendicant bias seems a little far fetched to me. In the Halo 3 terminals and “Contact Harvest”, Mendicant Bias tells the prophet of truth and the Master Chief that he wishes to help the Reclaimers as atonement for his betrayal of the forerunners. This being the case, <mark>I can’t see why he would be an antagonist.</mark>
>
> Uh… exactly where in the trailer did it say the owl was an antagonist?
Indeed, I’d say its an ally, or at the very least, non-hostile. Chief would have his gun out, or at least be in some sort of combat pose if he considered it a threat. Instead he just stared at it.
> > If the didact is truly dead, then someone please explain why the prometheans in Spartan Ops are still orange and trying kill everything.
>
> They still obey Jul 'Mdama.
but wasn’t the composer destroyed? thats whats the Didact uses to create the prometheans.