In the description of Halo: Silentium it says the UR Didact and Librarian. Who is this UR Didact? Is it the original Didact who actually didn’t die?!
Ur means original/prototype. So the Ur-Didact is the original Didact before the whole Bornstellar mutation buisiness.
> Ur means original/prototype. So the Ur-Didact is the original Didact before the whole Bornstellar mutation buisiness.
Bornstellar could also be the “prototype”, though. It makes sense story wise from the information for the book that the Ur-Didact is the Bornstellar Didact, I think.
Maybe the Ur-Didact is the one from Greg Bear’s books, and the ‘Didact’ is the one in Halo 4.
I’m speculating that Ur-Didact is Bornstella, will have to see in Halo4/ Silentium
If Ur means original, then its the original Didact. So there is 2 Didacts then. Which ones the evil one though? Ur-Didact or Bornstellar Didact? And before someone says that neither one is evil, that may be true now, but after Halo 4 or Halo: Silentium, that may change.
> Bornstellar could also be the “prototype”, though. It makes sense story wise from the information for the book that the Ur-Didact is the Bornstellar Didact, I think.
you know that Ur- means original and that there are two Didacts. One original and a copy. end of story. /thread.
of course the Ur-Didact is the original Didact and not a copy.
Bornstellar is a copy, which is pretty much the exact opposite of a prototype.
> If Ur means original, then its the original Didact. So there is 2 Didacts then. Which ones the evil one though? Ur-Didact or Bornstellar Didact? And before someone says that neither one is evil, that may be true now, but after Halo 4 or Halo: Silentium, that may change.
Interesting thoughts. The Didact was executed at the hands of Faber in Cryptum. Do you have some thoughts to explain how he may have survived? 
The composer perhaps?
The flood?
> > If Ur means original, then its the original Didact. So there is 2 Didacts then. Which ones the evil one though? Ur-Didact or Bornstellar Didact? And before someone says that neither one is evil, that may be true now, but after Halo 4 or Halo: Silentium, that may change.
>
> Interesting thoughts. The Didact was executed at the hands of Faber in Cryptum. Do you have some thoughts to explain how he may have survived?
Quite a few people seem to think he’s alive, which is where I got the idea from. However, not that I really think about it, there is a possibility.
Faber claimed that he executed the Didact. Claimed being the keyword here. There is a possibility, no matter how slight, that Faber may have kept him alive. That also raises the question of where. Well, the last time we saw him, he was on Fabers ship. But wait, Faber stood trial later, meaning they had his ship and the Didact wasn’t there. Well that raises questions now doesn’t it. Where did he go? Is Faber keeping him somewhere? Say, I don’t know, a Shield World? Perhaps, trapped inside a Cryptum for all eternity? If you think about it. Forerunners could produce mutations on each other like the Ur-Didact did to Bornstellar. What if Faber forced such a mutation? Locating the Shield Worlds so that he could selfishly survive the Halo Array’s firing and rule the remaining Forerunners as a Dictator of some sort.
While writing this, another thought came to mind. Silentium’s synopsis specifically states “Ur-Didact and the Librarian” Ah, so there’s an intriguing find. Maybe, the Ur-Didact is the one that fired the Array, not Bornstellar. What if, Bornstellar is meant to be the evil Didact?
Intriguing thoughts indeed. Faber, Ur-Didact, or Bornstellar Didact as candidates. Now, we know that at the present moment, the only evil one of the three is Faber. However, he too is presumed dead currently. Both Didact’s are good… right now. One could go insane, or come to some kind of revelation or conclusion. One could become corrupted. The possibilities are endless.
> Quite a few people seem to think he’s alive, which is where I got the idea from. However, not that I really think about it, there is a possibility.
>
> Faber claimed that he executed the Didact. Claimed being the keyword here. There is a possibility, no matter how slight, that Faber may have kept him alive. That also raises the question of where. Well, the last time we saw him, he was on Fabers ship. But wait, Faber stood trial later, meaning they had his ship and the Didact wasn’t there. Well that raises questions now doesn’t it. Where did he go? Is Faber keeping him somewhere? Say, I don’t know, a Shield World? Perhaps, trapped inside a Cryptum for all eternity? If you think about it. Forerunners could produce mutations on each other like the Ur-Didact did to Bornstellar. What if Faber forced such a mutation? Locating the Shield Worlds so that he could selfishly survive the Halo Array’s firing and rule the remaining Forerunners as a Dictator of some sort.
>
> While writing this, another thought came to mind. Silentium’s synopsis specifically states “Ur-Didact and the Librarian” Ah, so there’s an intriguing find. Maybe, the Ur-Didact is the one that fired the Array, not Bornstellar. What if, Bornstellar is meant to be the evil Didact?
>
> Intriguing thoughts indeed. Faber, Ur-Didact, or Bornstellar Didact as candidates. Now, we know that at the present moment, the only evil one of the three is Faber. However, he too is presumed dead currently. Both Didact’s are good… right now. One could go insane, or come to some kind of revelation or conclusion. One could become corrupted. The possibilities are endless.
You sir just blew my mind.
> Quite a few people seem to think he’s alive, which is where I got the idea from. However, not that I really think about it, there is a possibility.
>
> Faber claimed that he executed the Didact. Claimed being the keyword here. There is a possibility, no matter how slight, that Faber may have kept him alive. That also raises the question of where. Well, the last time we saw him, he was on Fabers ship. But wait, Faber stood trial later, meaning they had his ship and the Didact wasn’t there. Well that raises questions now doesn’t it. Where did he go? Is Faber keeping him somewhere? Say, I don’t know, a Shield World? Perhaps, trapped inside a Cryptum for all eternity? If you think about it. Forerunners could produce mutations on each other like the Ur-Didact did to Bornstellar. What if Faber forced such a mutation? Locating the Shield Worlds so that he could selfishly survive the Halo Array’s firing and rule the remaining Forerunners as a Dictator of some sort.
>
> While writing this, another thought came to mind. Silentium’s synopsis specifically states “Ur-Didact and the Librarian” Ah, so there’s an intriguing find. Maybe, the Ur-Didact is the one that fired the Array, not Bornstellar. What if, Bornstellar is meant to be the evil Didact?
>
> Intriguing thoughts indeed. Faber, Ur-Didact, or Bornstellar Didact as candidates. Now, we know that at the present moment, the only evil one of the three is Faber. However, he too is presumed dead currently. Both Didact’s are good… right now. One could go insane, or come to some kind of revelation or conclusion. One could become corrupted. The possibilities are endless.
Nice ideas! Reminds me of this other topic: https://forums.halo.xbox.com/yaf_postst97006_The-Precursors-to-aid-the-Flood-in-Silentium.aspx
If the Didact did survive somehow, I’d think he would perhaps want to contact Bornstellar for several reasons. However, if he was forced into a mutation from Faber, it definitely brings up an interesting thought.
Mind not blown. I disagree. Bornstellar-Didact does errands for the librarian.
Not mutations, the composer is more likely, or the flood itself, perhaps the primordial?
> Mind not blown. I disagree. Bornstellar-Didact does errands for the librarian.
>
> Not mutations, the composer is more likely, or the flood itself, perhaps the primordial?
The cover summary for Silentium mentions that the Flood have “unexpected allies”. The Primordial (Precursors by extension) already have a well established connection with the Flood. That’s neither a novel nor an unexpected ally (not to mention that it’s singular and not plural).
I still don’t think that the Didact is alive, but I’m really not sure at this point. I hadn’t really considered the Composer. I suppose that’s a possibility. It just seems like an odd choice. Based on what we know, the Composer’s function served to manipulate the personalities and memories of the ancient humans. We really–or at least I really–didn’t get the feeling that the Composer was bent on betraying his/her/it’s fellow Forerunner.
> Mind not blown. I disagree. Bornstellar-Didact does errands for the librarian.
>
> Not mutations, the composer is more likely, or the flood itself, perhaps the primordial?
The mutation aspect I didn’t give much thought so lets just move that off to the side, shall we? Now, I had given some thought towards the Composer in another topic in the Halo 4 section. The Composer, being the enigmatic being that he is, could have easily placed the conciousness of normal Forerunner citizens, or military personnel, perhaps Promethean’s, into robotic bodies. This would result in the Defense Constructs seen in Halo 4, though that raises the question as to why they are Defense AI’s, which could easily be normally manufactured, which puts the idea at a complete stop. Another possibility, is that he took those normal civilians, turned them into mechanical slaves, using the Promethean Defense AI’s as, well, a defensive force. The Prometheans could be in hiding or turned into robotic slaves. No matter how much I think on the Composer, it always comes back to robots since that’s his thing. Turning people into AI’s or robotic constructs.
The Flood is unlikely as they were the previous test used by the Precursors. Something new I believe would be more appropriate for a second test. Though it’ll be hard to trump the Flood. Perhaps the Precursors themselves?
As for the Primordial, Silentium will be exploring him more. I have a feeling we havn’t seen the last of him in any form which may very well still allow for his return in present day. So he does still remain a possibility.
I mean, perhaps the master builder killed him and the flood took him.
And perhaps requiem was built after the firing and the Prometheans are the harvested Prometheans before the halo array firing,To preserve them.
> > Mind not blown. I disagree. Bornstellar-Didact does errands for the librarian.
> >
> > Not mutations, the composer is more likely, or the flood itself, perhaps the primordial?
>
> The mutation aspect I didn’t give much thought so lets just move that off to the side, shall we? Now, I had given some thought towards the Composer in another topic in the Halo 4 section. The Composer, being the enigmatic being that he is, could have easily placed the conciousness of normal Forerunner citizens, or military personnel, perhaps Promethean’s, into robotic bodies. This would result in the Defense Constructs seen in Halo 4, though that raises the question as to why they are Defense AI’s, which could easily be normally manufactured, which puts the idea at a complete stop. Another possibility, is that he took those normal civilians, turned them into mechanical slaves, using the Promethean Defense AI’s as, well, a defensive force. The Prometheans could be in hiding or turned into robotic slaves. No matter how much I think on the Composer, it always comes back to robots since that’s his thing. Turning people into AI’s or robotic constructs.
>
> The Flood is unlikely as they were the previous test used by the Precursors. Something new I believe would be more appropriate for a second test. Though it’ll be hard to trump the Flood. Perhaps the Precursors themselves?
>
> As for the Primordial, Silentium will be exploring him more. I have a feeling we havn’t seen the last of him in any form which may very well still allow for his return in present day. So he does still remain a possibility.
I was under the impression that the Composer was a merely a machine built for the purpose of transferring essences of any living specie.
Also, regarding your theory, Faber had no need of the Didact. In fact he was always in favor of putting him down. It wouldn’t make sense for him to all of a sudden need the Didact’s Shield Worlds.
Furthermore, Bornstellar had completed the transition to Didact due to the Original Didact’s execution. But then again, Mr. Ur-Didact pops up outta nowhere which basically derails what I know so far.
> I mean, perhaps the master builder killed him and the flood took him.
>
> And perhaps requiem was built after the firing and the Prometheans are the harvested Prometheans before the halo array firing,To preserve them.
Didn’t the terminals in Halo 3 heavily imply that the Didact had Shield Worlds due to him asking his wife (Mrs. Librarian Didact) to join him in his safe haven?
If you pay attention to nuance, the death of the original Didact is only hear-say. The Librarian says “it is said” that Faber killed him. First of all, that’s character dialog (subject to perspective and misinformation) not omniscient narration. Second, even that dialog represents uncertainty in its autograph. This is ripe for a “surprise” return of this original Didact.
I wanted t post this theory last night, but for some reason it wouldn’ let me post. So here it is.
This conclusion branches off in my previous post, assuming the Ur-Didact did indeed survive, and that he is somewhere unknown. I decided to throw the Flood and Precursors into the equation and got an interesting result.
Beginning where Faber supposedly executed the Didact, what if, instead of executing him, he stranded him on a Flood infested world or Installation 07 as part of his tests. Maybe this goes for the other named and unnamed Prometheans as well. Due to the Promethean’s genetic make-up, when the Flood infected them, it didn’t infect them normally. That is to say, it didn’t turn them into Combat Forms or Carrier Forms. Now, assuming all Precursors can control the Flood like the Primordial, then perhaps the Precursors seized control of the Promethean’s minds, driving them mad while also controliing them. This could be the unexpected allies mentioned in the Halo: Silentium synopsis. Its a long shot, but not unbelievable. I think this would be unexpected, don’t you?
The fact that they even used “Ur” in differentiation TO BEGIN WITH insinuates that he is still alive in some form. I mean, did anyone else find it kind of odd how Greg Bear just wrote The Didact out of the story? Oh, he’s dead, someone says, and life goes on.
Nope. It all seems too easy.