So we all know that there is this AI in Halo, she’s called Cortana. A central character, we know this of course. What you probably did not know was that in Bungie’s shooters, the main characters were a parralel to old legendary figures in stories and poems. These legendary figures yielded special swords, one whom even yielded the blade ‘Curtana’.
Cortana in Halo is in fact named after that blade, and this blade was yielded by Ogier the Dane.
And, the whole concept is pretty interesting and there are many connections but how this relates to Halo 4’s story is rather simple.
Curtana beared an inscription that read the following;
> My name is Curtana, of the same steel and temper as Joyeuse and Durendal.
Who, or what is Joyeuse and Durendal? They are other swords yielded by legendary figures. The main character AI in Bungie’s Marathon was named Durandal, so another AI that is parralel to a sword.
The yielder of Durendal was in fact Count Roland. We know there is an AI in Halo 4 named Roland. While in Bungie’s games, the ‘yielder’ was often the protagonist player character and the ‘sword’ was an AI, I figure this is very vague homage to Bungie’s Marathon. And that’s pretty cool.
> Don’t forget in the H3 trailer, Cortana specifically says “I am your shield. I am your sword.”
Well, definitely then. Because Halo 3 and before that was absolutely riddled with Marathon easter eggs, references, and connections. Halo IS still riddled with Marathon connections, but nothing outright in your face like the emblem or anything.
Another thing to consider, the last game of Marathon was called Marathon: Infinity. Obviously we have the UNSC Infinity in Halo 4. There are naming patterns that extend to multiple classes of cruisers in Halo. Like ‘Forward Unto Dawn’, ‘Pillar of Autumn’, ‘Say My Name’, ‘In Amber Clad’, ‘Aegis Fate’. There are a lot of ships and almost none of them have one word names. The Infinity does, and why? Probably another reference.
Plus Roland the AI is technically in control of the ship, he could do what he wanted with it. So as Count Roland had a weapon, Roland the AI has a weapon. The Infinity.