The Flood - Origin, History and Future?

Community Halo Universe
1

I do not claim to be an expert, but I have done some research and I think I have this mostly figured out. Correct me if any of this is incorrect, as I have not read any of the books. From what I’ve heard, some books contradict others, and some books even contradict game lore. If there are any discrepancies, please point them out.

The initial infestation was caused by opening a Precursor capsule. The Precursors were a race from another galaxy that predated the Forerunners, and had technology that could traverse galaxies in seconds. They were considered the gods of the milky way galaxy and created the Forerunners, the Sangheli, the Humans, pretty much all sentient races. They were capable of creating life and controlling evolution. Their goal was create a galaxy with intelligent life that would thrive and be able to inherit the Mantle of Responsibility from them. For a long time, the Forerunners seemed like they would inherit it, and for a while they did (I think).

Then the precursors sent the Flood into the galaxy, to test the mettle of the races they had created to see if any of them were deserving of the Mantle. It started as a capsule of dust, which started infecting human-controlled space, and the first galactic infestation had started. The ancient humans were fighting it and glassing any world that had been infected, this included both human and forerunner worlds alike. The Forerunners took this as an act of war, and retaliated against the humans until the humans were eventually defeated and had their genetic code reset. The Forerunner realized only too late that the Humans were acting only as caretakers, as if they held the Mantle. I’m not entirely sure how the Didact, or the Forerunners in general, felt after learning this information. I’m not positive if it was pride or fear that motivated their actions, but they decided to fight the flood with all their might. They were losing. Badly. The Halo rings were then constructed by the Forerunners for the purpose of annihilating all life in the galaxy, except for what was sealed in capsules for reseeding, those sealed in shield worlds like Requiem, and those specimens sealed inside the Halo rings themselves for further study. After exhausting all other strategic options (skipping over details of the Prometheans here) they fired the Halo rings, eradicating everything so that the galaxy could, basically, reset itself using the seeds the Forerunners planted.

Cue Master Chief’s era. Each Halo ring had flood specimens that the Forerunner had contained for research, for the purpose of finding a cure as yet another contingency plan in case there were more flood lurking outside of the galaxy (which would be outside the range of the Halo rings). To my knowledge, no cure was ever found. The Covenant were responsible for releasing the second infestation on installation 04, which was later destroyed by Master Chief, which was done in part to end the infestation as well as make sure the ring wasn’t fired. Then the third infestation happened on installation 05 when, once again, the Covenant (or a “heretical” offbranch, I can’t seem to remember) released the flood specimens on that ring. This infestation was worse than the second, spreading to the covenant city of High Charity and consuming it entirely. It also threatened Earth and resulted in a fraction of it being glassed. This infestation ended when Master Chief (Spartan John 117) and the Arbiter (Thel Vadam) fired the new installation 04 that was currently under construction on the Ark. This single Halo ring destroyed all nearby life, ending the infestation. To my knowledge, no human or Covenant occupied planets were within range of this particular ring, and Arbiter and Chief each made it out alive.

So the flood has threatened to consume the galaxy at least three times. The second outbreak was isolated to a single Halo ring, the third threatened Earth and consumed a Covenant city as well as spread across installation 05 and the Ark, but none were as terrible as the first infestation. The first infestation grew so large that there were numerous Graveminds coordinating a central Flood intelligence in order to lay siege to and infect the entire galaxy. At the height of the conflict before the firing of the Halo rings, I expect that the Flood had consumed at least half of the galaxy.

Correct me if any of this is wrong.

It would be nice if the Flood made a return during the Reclaimer trilogy, since they are an iconic aspect of the Halo franchise. I feel they are really the only class of enemy that is not only intimidating, but frightening as well, and learning how to defend yourself against a swarming horde of fleshy tentacle-slapping monsters is one of the most essential elements in any Halo campaign in my opinion.

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Someone corrected me on the detail of multiple graveminds. There may only be one gravemind at a time, but there may be multiple proto-graveminds. If there are two separate infestations, then it is possible for two graveminds to be formed, but if and when they meet, either one will step down or the two will merge.

3

I trust that 343 will be able to fix the frustrations that accompanied the flood in previous iterations, especially with the way they handled the Prometheans.

Also, 343 has started the Halo 5 will be darker than ever. What could be darker than being forced to destroy a human colony or planet due to flood infestation. We’ve seen it before with the ancient humans in the terminals.

4

That is definitely an interesting and likely possibility. The Flood could return in any myriad of ways, either through the remaining Halo rings, other Forerunner facilities, or through spores traveling between galaxies.

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There is only every 1 active gravemind. Many proto-graveminds can exist, but only 1 gravemind can exist for a given Flood outbreak. It’s possible that 2 Flood outbreaks can start independently and each create a Gravemind. However, if these two outbreaks “met”, either 1 Gravemind would take control, or the two would merge into a new Gravemind.

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Gravemind Halsey, you saw it here first.

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Well after reading Primordium again I noticed that they leave installation 07 with all systems still malfunctioning and they leave the half flood infected half composed forerunners there as a “tomb” and there was a proto gravemind in a cage on the city that was on water. There are so many ways the flood could return it could happen any way but we know for sure there was a proto on 07 and there were still flood infected forerunners running around so it’s not impossible the entire ring has been compromised. I personally hope we find out that a ship crashed on a human colony and had the same capsules as the ancient humans found and it sets off the second galaxy wide infection. That would make for a much darker game than any before and humans learning of the precursors and and of humanity’s adoption of the mantle would really make for an interesting dilemma seeing how ONI is basically spitting all over the mantle.
Edit- sorry I’m on iPad if my typing is weird

8

Installation 07 is mentioned in other areas of Halo lore. They mention in a few places that there is a Halo ring that is lost the entire surface shrouded in greenish gray murky cloud.

This would have to be the flood infested installation 07. Remember the area of the ring riser crashed on with the spore clouds. Sounds like that has spread to the entire ring.

The flood will make a return. They are the ones who must test our ability to carry the mantle.

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> Someone corrected me on the detail of multiple graveminds. There may only be one gravemind at a time, but there may be multiple proto-graveminds. If there are two separate infestations, then it is possible for two graveminds to be formed, but if and when they meet, either one will step down or the two will merge.

that can sound very intimidating.

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The Mantle of Responsibility, does not belong to Forerunners and was not meant to be given to Forerunners…

And humans will be it’s true carriers…unless that test is failed.

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> Gravemind Halsey, you saw it here first.

You may have a point here, especially if Infinity is taken over by Flood.

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I believe they are 10 Proto Graveminds sealed on Installation 07, and it simply seems to be a true recipe for disaster there in general.

I am however not sure if Humanity has any idea at all where 07 may be, I believe it was hidden quite well and on the outskirts of the Galaxy.

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The resurgence of Flood will be caused by the containment centers being breached on Installation 07 by the UNSC (or even ONI). That will be Halo 5 and 6.

On a side note, to really make it interesting, I’d like to actually see Halsey be assimilated into a proto-gravemind to make this story more climatic and thrilling. The knowledge she has, absorbed by the Flood would make the final battle even tougher for humanity.

14

I wouldn’t doubt that the Flood make a return in this trilogy. They’re an integral part to the Halo Universe.

That said, I hope they don’t return. The Flood are an enemy that is uninteresting. I mean, they don’t really have a character arc, and their sole purpose is to consume. That was threatening in the original Halo games (CE-3), but there doesn’t seem to be a lot more to flesh out. I’m hoping for a more well-rounded enemy to appear (ie-more Forerunner, Precursors, et al).

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I think there is a reason why they seem uninteresting. This is probably related to a grand scheme that ties them directly to the Precursors. They are an army belonging to them, which will test humanity once and for all.

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> I wouldn’t doubt that the Flood make a return in this trilogy. They’re an integral part to the Halo Universe.
>
> That said, I hope they don’t return. The Flood are an enemy that is uninteresting. I mean, they don’t really have a character arc, and their sole purpose is to consume. That was threatening in the original Halo games (CE-3), but there doesn’t seem to be a lot more to flesh out. I’m hoping for a more well-rounded enemy to appear (ie-more Forerunner, Precursors, et al).

Blasphemy!

The Flood is the most interesting part of the Halo lore. And they aren’t just the force of nature that they seemed in the Halo CE, they are a being with a personality.

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> The resurgence of Flood will be caused by the containment centers being breached on Installation 07 by the UNSC (or even ONI). That will be Halo 5 and 6.
>
> On a side note, to really make it interesting, I’d like to actually see Halsey be assimilated into a proto-gravemind to make this story more climatic and thrilling. The knowledge she has, absorbed by the Flood would make the final battle even tougher for humanity.

I believe if doctor Halsey ever was infected by the flood and turned into a gravemind that it would be impossible for humanity to win…she simply knows way to much. Especially about the spartans.

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They have to return. Whether the Precursors themselves are returning is a mystery though. If they don’t, we might as ignore Silentium along with the rest of the Forerunner saga.