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{{Status|Canon}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Center|''Are you looking for the Halo 4 [[Type-3 active camouflage|version]]? For other uses, see [[Camouflage (disambiguation)]].''}}
{{Cleanup}}
{{References}}
{{Species infobox
|variant=Flood
|name=Pod infector
|image=[[File:H2A - Flood infection form model.jpg|300px]]
|latin=
|classification=[[Infection form]]
|species=[[Flood]]
|subspecies=
|diet=
|height={{Convert|89.6|cm|ftin|sp=us}}-{{Convert|131.4|cm|ftin|sp=us}}{{Ref/Game|Id=Library|HCEA|Library (feature)|Library|Detail=Infection Form}}
|weight={{Convert|16.8|kg|lb}}-{{Convert|28.6|kg|lb}}{{Ref/Reuse|Library}}
|distinctions=Small, balloon-like creatures with many tentacles for probing.
|lifespan=
|homeworld=
|techlevel=
|notable-person=
|othernames=
|languages=
}}
The '''pod infector''',{{Ref/Game|Id=PLPI|HW2|Phoenix Logs|Detail=Pod Infectors}} also more commonly known as the '''Flood infection form''',{{Ref/Book|Id=enc22|Enc22|Page=406}} is a stage of the virulent [[Flood]] xenoform. It is the most common Flood form and is usually the first forms to be released. It is the primary form for spreading the Flood infection due to its effectiveness compared to mere [[Flood spores]] when deployed in large numbers.{{Ref/Reuse|PLPI}}


[[File:HCE Camo Sniper.jpg|thumb|250px|A [[Spartan-II|Spartan]] using active camouflage.]]
==Overview==
{{Quote|One of those [[Sangheili|things]] is inside, and it is ''invisible!''|Cadet [[Thomas Lasky]]{{Ref/Film|H4FUD|Episode=4}}}}
===Physical characteristics===
'''Active camouflage''' (often shortened to '''active camo''') refers to a broad range of optical [[camouflage]] technologies that conceal or cloak its user or an object from visual detection by rapidly adapting to its surroundings.{{Ref/Book|Id=enc11|Enc11|Page=355}}{{Ref/Book|Id=h4evg|H4EVG|Page=136}} Although active camouflage originated from the [[Covenant]]—also inherited and adapted by [[Covenant remnants|its remnants]]—similar technology was employed by the [[United Nations Space Command]], with personal ppactive camouflage being directly reverse-engineered from its Covenant counterpart.{{Ref/Reuse|enc11}}  
The most commonly encountered infection forms have soft, pod-like bodies with numerous tentacle-like appendages and a frond-like array which acts as the creature's sensory system. Their tendrils are multi-purpose locomotion systems and insidious methods of control.{{Ref/Game|Id=PLIF|HW2|Phoenix Logs|Detail=Infection Forms}}


Covenant active camouflage conceals by bending and refracting light around its surface.
Each tendril ends in nano-scale barbs which can latch onto the target's body and cut through armor or environmental suits. Once the target is compromised, infection forms inject Flood cells to hijack the victim's nervous system. Even if the infection form is quickly removed, Flood cells in the wounds will slowly consume the victim and turn them into quivering, spore-packed blisters. Against unprepared victims the infection form bores into the body, quickly mutating it into a combat form.{{Ref/Reuse|PLIF}}


[[texture buffer]] and [[photoreactive panel]]
Though barely intelligent on their own, once an infection form infiltrates a sentient creature they turn the victim's cognitive power to the furtherance of Flood goals. Each is an insidious puppeteer, able to sift through memories of any sentient creature to learn of military countermeasures, security access codes, and the location of population centers. This information is then shared with other Flood through their connection with the key minds.{{Ref/Reuse|PLIF}}


==Personal active camouflage==
===Covenant usage===
===Human usage===
==Personal active camouflage==
===Covenant usage===
===Human usage===
----
Both the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]]<ref name="goo">'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''', ''page 291''</ref> and the [[Covenant]] use various forms of active camouflage technology, though the term is .
Technically, active camouflage is not quite invisibility, though it is very similar. Rather, the There are a variety of ways to do this, though the UNSC uses [[photoreactive panel]]s on its [[Semi-Powered Infiltration armor]] and [[prowler]] stealth ships for optical camouflage, adapting to the object's background to account for movement. Meanwhile, Covenant active camouflage actually ''bends light'' around the camouflaged object,<ref name="h4evg">'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 136''</ref> a task well within the Covenant's [[Technological Achievement Tiers|tier two technology level]]. The technology can be utilized on human armor systems, such as the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|MJOLNIR armor]], but the UNSC has only developed rough equivalents.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'''</ref>
==Covenant active camouflage==
{{Quote|Show yourselves, assassins! The scent of your cloak is faint, but it still fouls the air.|[[Atriox]] smelling active camouflage.<ref name="HP">'''[[Hunting Party]]'''</ref>}}
[[File:HCE Stealth Elite in AC.png|thumb|200px|A camouflaged [[Stealth Sangheili]] aboard ''[[Cairo Station (station)|Cairo Station]]''.]]
Covenant active camouflage technology uses a field of energy to bend light around the user, thus making them effectively invisible. The armor used by [[Special Operations Sangheili|Spec-Ops]] and [[Stealth Sangheili]], as well as that of [[Arbiter]]s, [[Jiralhanae Stalker]]s and even certain [[Sangheili Zealot]]s,<ref name="ReferenceA">'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[Tip of the Spear]]''</ref> include built-in active camouflage generators. These built-in generators have a severe drawback in that they divert power from shielding equipment. Troops equipped with permanent active camouflage generators tend to have weaker shielding than those not equipped with an active camouflage generator.
Arbiter [[Ripa 'Moramee]] was equipped with an active camouflage generator capable of generating a near-perfect cloaking field indefinitely. Arbiter [[Thel 'Vadam]] was also equipped with an active camouflage generator, but the device was capable only of providing a cloak for a few seconds, and although 'Vadam was equipped with personal shielding, his shields were relatively weak for an individual of such high rank, equivalent to those of a [[Sangheili Minor]].
Aircraft or ships can also be equipped with active camouflage systems, including the {{Pattern|Ru'swum|Phantom}} that has its own active camouflage generators on board for various stealth missions,<ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]''</ref> and the [[Klavbrig Workshop Shroud]] used by the [[Banished]] to cloak the advance of their armies.<ref name="HW2">'''[[Halo Wars 2]]'''</ref> Larger vessels such as [[Covenant supercarrier|supercarriers]], or entire armies, can be effectively hidden from both plain sight and sensors by using external stealth systems such as [[stealth pylon]]s and [[Cloaking Generator]]s.{{Ref/Reuse|ReferenceA}}{{Ref/Reuse|HW2}}
For personnel not equipped with built-in active camouflage, it can be provided by a variety of devices. Typically, the energy used to provide the effect is suspended inside a small, transparent pyramidal container, or a larger spherical force-field. Personnel can use the light-bending energy by coming into physical contact with the container or force-field, which will cause it to break and release its contents. Upon release, the energy envelops the wearer and bends light around their skin; armor or [[energy shielding]], conforming to their form and rendering them almost invisible. After a short period of time, the energy will gradually dissipate and wear off, slowly revealing its user. The active camouflage provided by these devices lasts for ten seconds, and only prevents visual detection; those using active camouflage can be observed by other means, including motion tracking, noise, and environmental disturbances such as footprints on soft terrain.


===Function===
===Function===
{{Quote|Trust me, because I heard… uhhh… from a friend, that if you have active camouflage on and do a crys, it makes a big sizzle sound and everybody can see me hidin' in the corner.|[[Dimkee Hotay]] shares his bad experience with active camo.<ref name="Alliance">'''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''', campaign level ''[[Alliance]]''</ref>}}
Once the parasite can establish a hive it can begin to produce massive numbers of infection forms that spread out in search of new sentients to infect, and non-sapient animals on which to feed. Both ground and airborne infection forms are used as living weapons, hurling themselves at the enemy to overwhelm defenses and assimilate the unprepared.
Covenant active camouflage will easily cloak its user, but its effect does not completely extend to items in the user's possession; [[human]] [[weapons]] are easily cloaked by active camouflage, but Covenant weapons are visible even with active camo, as the light-bending energy cannot mask the glow of the weapons' plasma. In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', however, plasma glow is hidden quite well by the cloaking equipment.
 
Though active camouflage is quite effective from a distance, it can faintly be seen if an observer is close enough to the wearer. However, it is difficult to spot a camouflaged opponent from a distance using a scoped weapon—actual physical proximity is required to reliably spot a person using active camo. It should be noted, though, that active camouflage does not mask environmental effects such as footprints, meaning that it is not as effective on soft terrain such as snow.
 
The shielding provided by Covenant active camo can be disrupted if projectiles pass through it; such a disruption weakens the invisibility effect and temporarily reveals the wearer. The [[power-up]] can be disrupted if the wearer fires shots or if the wearer is hit. It also progressively worsens: the longer the wearer fires (or is hit), the more visible they become. Once the disruptions end, however, the wearer quickly regains their invisibility.
 
Talcum powder and other atmospheric particles can disrupt the systems, causing the technology to overload and fail.<ref name="firststrike">'''[[Halo: First Strike]]'''</ref> The device also generates a considerable amount of heat, causing its user to be clearly visible on human thermal goggles and some variations of the [[SRS99C-S2 AM sniper rifle]].<ref>'''[[Halo: The Flood]]'''</ref> The humans of [[Alpha Base (Installation 04)|Alpha Base]] on [[Installation 04]] used this advantage when their base was infiltrated by stealth Elites, equipping their [[fireteam]]s with infrared goggles allowing them to easily see the attackers. In addition, [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-IIs]] [[William-043]] and [[Kelly-087]] employed talcum powder in order to overload the camouflage on [[Reach]] in order to find them.{{Ref/Reuse|firststrike}} [[Atriox]] was able to detect the use of active camouflage through smell.{{Ref/Reuse|HP}} However, it is possible he was just smelling the users themselves rather than the cloaking field, and was calling them out for its use.


During the [[Requiem Campaign]], active camouflage was used to shield the [[seven]] [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon]]s smuggled aboard the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} from detection by the ship's AI [[Roland]]. After [[Fireteam Crimson]] took out a Sangheili holding a cloaking remote, Roland realized this tactic. By tracking the energy signature from the cloaking generator, Roland was able to locate the warheads in the Engine Room and direct Crimson where to go to disarm them before they could be used to destroy the ''Infinity''. Unlike conventional active camouflage, this type shielded the warheads from sensors but they could be physically seen by nearby persons without any issue.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', [[S1/Invasion/Engine of Destruction|S107 ''Invasion'', ''Engine of Destruction'']]</ref> Later, in the [[Warrens]], the Covenant hooked up active camouflage to their shield generators to prevent the human forces from finding and destroying them. Spartan [[Jared Miller]] was eventually able to identify the Sangheili who controlled the active camouflage and after Crimson took him out, the active camouflage dropped, revealing the generators.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', [[Expendable/Lancer|S108 ''Lancer'']]</ref>
Pods hurl themselves at infantry units, bursting and dealing damage.  
It uses its tentacles to attack and infect organisms.{{Ref/Book|Id=enc11|Enc22|Page=180}}


After the death of [[Gek 'Lhar]], his corpse was looted by [[Fireteam Majestic]]. Spartan [[Gabriel Thorne]] took Gek's active camouflage module<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', [[Expendable|S108 ''Expendable'']]</ref> which he subsequently used during the attempted rescue of Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]].<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', [[S1/Key|S109 ''Key'']]</ref>
Though individually weak and easily killed, pod infectors strike in vast numbers and can move over cliffs.


==UNSC active camouflage==
[[File:ONIPRO 01.png|thumb|250px|''[[ONI PRO-49776]]'' disengaging its advanced cloaking field, an outlier in UNSC camouflaging technology during the [[Covenant War]].]]
The UNSC has developed several varieties of active-camouflage technology. These do not utilize the same light-bending energy as Covenant active camouflage and are generally less effective. The most common form of human active camouflage technology operates on a different principle than the Covenant counterpart, using [[photoreactive panel]]s to impersonate the surrounding environment like a chameleon. A device known as the [[camouflage cloak]] can hide the wearer's infrared signature, beside serving as a form of camouflage.{{Ref/Reuse|goo}}
[[File:Headhunters Roland camo.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Roland-B210]] with his camouflage activated.]]
The [[Semi-Powered Infiltration armor]] used by the [[SPARTAN-III program|Spartan-IIIs]] utilizes photo-reactive panels to conceal the wearer's infrared signature and to blend in with the surrounding environment. When combined with their natural talent and training for stealth, it can be a very effective tool. Some [[Headhunters]] used a prototype camouflage almost identical to the Covenant version, rendering them almost invisible, except that it only lasted 3–5 minutes and other systems have their power drained while it recharged. This feature saw very limited use in field tests by [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper|ODSTs]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''', ''[[Headhunters]]''</ref>


A common human active camouflage device, copied from similar Covenant technology, comes in the form of a "plug" which attaches to a socket located on the lower back of compatible armor. The non-integral nature of the device allows it to be added or removed at will for improved operational flexibility. The device provides a conditionally effective cloak; as long as the user remains still or moves slowly, the camouflage will be highly efficient, providing near-total invisibility for minimal energy loss. However, if the user moves more quickly, the camouflage will only provide rudimentary coverage and drain its energy very rapidly. Firing a weapon will also disrupt the camouflage and reveal the user. Furthermore, external sounds will be highly muffled to the user while this camouflage is in use, and if the user is equipped with motion tracking equipment, the detection capability of the motion tracker will be severely compromised, jamming the display with "ghost" targets.<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]'''</ref>
Pod infectors are the primary vector for the Flood infection. While small (roughly the size of a [[human]] torso) and weak, they travel in huge swarms and overwhelm foes using sheer numbers. Once within range of a potential host, they leap for the victim's chest area, rasping away at armor, clothing and flesh with their numerous tentacle-like limbs. These appendages penetrate deep into the body, tap into the victim's spinal cord, and unleash an attack on the host's nervous system via direct contact with the spine. Once this is accomplished, the form rewrites the neural pathways of the victim's brain with its tendrils, forcing a resonant frequency match between its neural signals and the host's. At this point, the Pod infector has complete control over the body's motor functions.


Much like the SPI armor, UNSC [[prowler]]s use [[texture buffer]]s or "active camouflage skin" in conjunction with [[stealth ablative coating]]s to conceal themselves from view in addition to masking their heat and radar signatures.{{Ref/Reuse|goo}} This camouflage is not perfect, however, and cannot keep up with a constantly changing background such as a gas giant's atmosphere.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''', "The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole", ''page 477''</ref> However, more advanced stealth ships were developed, such as ''[[ONI PRO-49776]]'' using a form of cloak "bubble" similar to the light-bending energy fields used by the Covenant. This technology has not been observed in widespread use.<ref>'''[[Halo Legends]]''', ''[[The Package (animated short)|The Package]]''</ref>
As the Pod infector hacks into the host's nervous system, it releases encapsulated [[LF.Xx.3273 Flood Super Cell|Flood Super Cells]] into the body. These cells interface with the host's cells, "digest" them and convert their components into new Flood cells. At this point, the Pod infector burrows into the host body, moving aside the internal organs and taking up residence within the chest cavity (or any approximate equivalent). Having achieved total control over the host, the Pod infector reshapes the body into a form more suitable for attacking enemies - a [[Flood combat form|combat form]]. Even if the Pod Infector is quickly removed from the host body, the injection of Flood cells into the host's system is enough to cause rapid transformation into spore-packed [[Flood blister|blisters]].<ref name="Infection Forms">'''Halo Wars 2''', ''[[Phoenix Logs]]'' - Infection Forms</ref>


The [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor (GEN2)|MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor [GEN2]]] system is capable of incorporating Covenant [[Type-3 active camouflage|T-3 Refraction Dissonance Modifier/Camouflage]] modules for stealth.<ref name="Waypoint">[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-US/Halo4Guide '''Halo Waypoint:''' ''Halo 4 Interactive Guide'']</ref>
The speed and intensity of this process occurs at the same rate as an energetic chemical reaction, often taking mere seconds to accomplish. The consequences for the host organism are extreme, as their brains are purged of all traces of their original personality and their bodies are reconstituted into Flood biomatter. The organism effectively becomes a pawn of the Flood's collective intelligence, to be used in any way it deems necessary.


==Changes throughout ''Halo''==
In exceedingly rare cases, such as if the Pod infector has been damaged or is incredibly old, it will go through this process without killing the host, leaving them at least partially aware of what is going on, but unable to move or act. This was the fate of UNSC Private [[Wallace A. Jenkins]] during the raid on the "[[Flood containment facility|Covenant weapons cache]]" on [[Installation 04]].<ref>'''[[Halo: The Flood]]''', ''page 176''</ref> This aged version of the Pod infector must have been kept in captivity for far too long, thereby reducing its potential of complete transformation of its host into a Flood combat form. Jenkins survived infection, and even remained conscious, with short periods of time where he could exert control over his mutated body.  
{{Cleanup|Section}}
If the active camo is active during [[Campaign]], the player is completely invisible to the AI enemies unless they fire their weapon. Active camouflage is only usable in Campaign when playing as the [[Thel 'Vadam|Arbiter]] in ''[[Halo 2]]'', or if the player obtains the [[Halo 2 skulls#Envy|Envy Skull]] and restarts Campaign (active camo replaces Master Chief's flashlight). In ''[[Halo 3]]'', rather than Active Camouflage, the slightly different [[Cloaking]] is available. It is also available as a powerup in five levels during ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'': [[The Truth and Reconciliation]], [[Silent Cartographer]], [[343 Guilty Spark (level)|343 Guilty Spark]], [[Keyes]], and [[Assault on the Control Room]].


An interesting fact about Active Camouflage is that although the player can see the [[Type-1 energy sword]]-wielding Active Camo Elites in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' (due to the sword), the [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]] cannot see them; this is likely because the developers did not realize that the energy sword showed through the Active Camo, leading them to code the Marines' AI to be oblivious to it. This advantage is removed in ''Halo 2''—the Elites now wait, only activating their swords when they're about to kill the player.
A Pod infector may abandon its host if the corpse has been heavily damaged, and look for a new one. If the Pod infector inside a combat form has been destroyed, but the combat form itself is intact enough to continue serving its purpose, loose Pod infector may burrow inside the body and take the place of the one that mutated it, effectively "re-animating" the combat form.


===''Halo 2''===
Pod infectors develop from [[Flood tadpole|a form]] vaguely resembling a larva or tadpole but bearing the basic superficial characteristics of a Pod infector. A number of Flood forms in this stage of their life cycle were kept in stasis by the Forerunners in [[Flood research facility|Flood research facilities]], such as the one in the [[Threshold gas mine]].<ref name="onefinaleffort">[http://halo.bungie.net/news/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=25650 '''Bungie.net''': ''One Final Effort (4/16/2010)'']</ref>
In ''Halo 2'', it is noted that the Arbiter's armor, while possessing a built-in active camouflage generator, is not permanent, unlike the more modern generators used by Special Operations Elites. There is a circle on the player's HUD that shows the amount of time left (unfortunately, not shown numerically) for both the usage of the active camouflage and the recharging sequence. The Master Chief can gain this ability with the Envy Skull on Legendary only; however, his screen will lack the meter, forcing you to remember the time allowed for use.


When playing as the Arbiter, using any attack will cause the active camouflage to deactivate, and the player must wait for it to recharge before using it again.<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]'''</ref>
While an effective vector of infection against armored and shielded organisms as well as those equipped with atmospheric filters, a Pod infector is not necessary for the Flood to infect a host; merely ingesting [[Flood spore]]s or inserting them via a wound is sufficient to initiate Flood conversion. Such infection may occur several seconds or perhaps minutes later, yet the transformation will occur almost instantaneously once it has begun.<ref>'''Halo Wars''', campaign level ''[[Anders' Signal]]''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Evolutions''' — ''"[[The Mona Lisa]]"''</ref>


===''Halo 3''===
=== Effects on host forms===
{{Main|Cloaking}}
[[File:TFS-Likeafrog.png|thumb|A carrier form spawning Pod infectors aboard the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} in 2537.|250px]]
In ''Halo 3'', the Active Camo is no longer contained inside a pyramid construct. Instead it appears as a large, glowing sphere with what appears to be containment devices around it, enclosing the powerup in ''[[Halo 3]]'' [[multiplayer]]; but unlike past Halo games, active camo is ''not'' found in campaign. In campaign, Active Camouflage is replaced by the [[Cloaking]] [[equipment]], which functions in the same way as active camouflage once did. Melee attacks, shooting, throwing grenades and using equipment will negate the effect of the power-up. Also, wearing the [[Armor customization (Halo 3)#Spartan Armor Permutations|Flaming Helmet]] is an obvious give-away to the opponent because the fire is still visible.
While any large life form with some level of awareness and/or sentience can be infected by a Pod infector, not all of them are suitable to serve the function of Combat Forms, the Flood's signature and preferred mobile form utilized during the Feral Stage. While these hosts are transformed in a similar fashion to the traditional combat forms, these forms are not often employed in front line combat for several reasons.
By default, the pick-up lasts 30 seconds and doesn't dissipate with movement, unlike in Reach.


The quality of camouflage in custom games may be set to two different settings:<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/player/20131.html '''Game Trailers''': ''Custom Games Glitch Gameplay'']</ref>
The first of these would be the fact that such life forms, despite their sophisticated nervous systems and adequate levels of sentience, simply lack the necessary biomass, calcium reserves, and physical strength to make first-choice combat units. More specifically, when a host life form is transformed, the activities of the Pod infector require not only the aforementioned levels of biomass, calcium content, and strength (Though humans become combat forms more often than the much larger and stronger unggoy for whatever reason.) but that the host has the physical endurance and stamina to withstand the process. Species such as humans, Forerunners, Sangheili, and the Jiralhanae are almost always turned into combat forms because their biology and physical properties enable them to withstand the Pod infectors' abilities, which are violent and resource-intensive.
*'''Poor Camo''': The player has camouflage that might fool a [[Unggoy|Grunt]].
**The player is still somewhat visible.
*'''Good Camo''': The player has camouflage that will fool an attentive [[Sangheili|Elite]].
**This makes the player almost invisible, but the light is distorted within the player's shape.


===''Halo: Reach''===
In contrast, other life forms, such as the [[Kig-Yar]], and perhaps the [[Yanme'e]], lack these important qualities, or in the case of the [[Unggoy]] have other limitations due to their physique despite their perfectly adequate levels of sentience and neural complexity. Because of these factors, these hosts are primarily used for other but equally important purposes. These involve multiple mission profiles that are essential to the development of Flood outgrowth: establishment of mobile incubators, biomass and calcium reserves, hive structures, and the components of a [[Proto-Gravemind|coordinating and controlling intelligence]].
The Active Camo in ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' has undergone many major changes. It is now available as an [[Armor abilities|Armor Ability]] to both Spartan and Elite players. As a secondary effect, when used, it acts as a Radar Jammer, scrambling the radar of the user and all enemies within 25 meters, making the user harder for enemies to detect on their motion trackers. This function can be both beneficial and detrimental to the player; on the one hand, it can make enemies easier to ambush, however, it also informs the enemy team that someone is using Camo nearby. This can backfire on the player by making the enemy team more perceptive to possible ambushes. The Active Camo also greatly reduces the volume of all sounds for its user, making it more difficult to notice a grenade being thrown or a nearby enemy firing a weapon.


The strength or effectiveness of the Camo also varies depending on whether/how fast the user is moving. When standing still, the player is rendered almost completely invisible. Moving slowly or crouch-walking will slightly decrease the quality of cloaking, although the user is still hard to spot. When moving faster than crouch-walking speed, the Active Camo becomes much less effective, cloaking the user only partially (similar to the Poor Camo from Halo 3). The player's movement speed does not affect the rate at which the Armor Ability meter drains.  
When utilized for the creation of the hive and the central intelligence, the weaker hosts gather together and merge into single mass or a collection of masses spread around whatever environment the Flood have established themselves in. In this way, the weaker host forms serve as 'building blocks' for the creation of a Flood Hive, which if all goes according to its logical conclusion, will spawn a fully-developed collective and the next stage of the Flood's development: the [[Coordinated Stage]] and its crowning achievement, a [[Gravemind]]. Surrounding life forms such as significantly smaller animals as well as the full range of plants, microbes, lichens, and fungi, are seized by the growing Flood collective and digested as raw material to create more generic Flood biomass.
The freedom for the player to control when they activate their camouflage makes it much more effective, as it allows for use in the most opportune situations, instead of restricting the player to activate it on pickup. However, the reduced hearing and radar jamming effects require the player to be more aware of his surroundings than usual,<ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=26366 '''Bungie.net''': ''Halo: Reach Beta Survival Guide '']</ref> and must also take care not to move too fast.


Enemies in campaign and Firefight will detect the user after a while. As such, it is far less effective than previous iterations.
The next vital use for lesser hosts is to serve as the second signature form of the [[Feral Stage]], the mobile Pod infector incubator known as a Carrier Form. While these are usually formed from weakened, damaged, and/or aged Combat Forms, weaker host forms are just as frequently employed for this purpose. The first step in the creation of a Carrier Form by this method involves a single appropriate host to function as a nucleus, which is then followed by one or more other weaker forms attaching themselves to the leading unit. The congregated hosts then fuse, with the external host forms being rapidly digested by the central form, with the result being that the other hosts have been reduced to extra, generic biomass, contributing to the structure of the now significantly distorted, bloated incubator.<ref>''''[[Halo: The Flood]]'''', ''page 291''</ref>


===''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''===
While this complex methodology is largely standard procedure for the Flood, there are occasionally exceptions to these rules due to the Flood's adaptive nature. In at least [[Battle of the Trove|one notable campaign]]<ref>'''''Halo Wars'''''</ref> early in the Human-Covenant War, this mode of operation was contradicted by the Flood. The outbreak present on this installation employed Kig-Yar and Unggoy quite frequently as front line combat units despite their inadequate status, and was also distinct from other outbreaks with the fact that it was predominantly formed out of life forms lacking sentience such as plants, fungi, etc., or those possessing lower levels of sentience, such as the wide range of animals living there.
Active camouflage now makes the user extremely hard to spot due to the enhanced graphics. Distortion also covers more the exact shape of the user, unlike previous iterations.


===''Halo 4''===
=== Immunities and defenses ===
The '''[[Type-3 active camouflage|Type-3 Refraction Dissonance Modifier/Camouflage]]''' bends light around a structure, hiding it via advanced pattern realignment. It is similar to the version in ''Halo: Reach'', however the jammer no longer makes false hostile contacts appear on the motion sensor, rather it makes neutral contacts appear and in a much tighter grouping than before, therefore not only preventing the user from using it to trick enemies, but possibly giving away their location. Despite this, it still is an effective tool for hiding outside of cover and ambushing enemies.
[[Energy shielding]] destroys Pod infectors on contact, causing them to explode in a small burst of gas and flesh. Conventional body armor is generally ineffective against Pod infectors; they can easily squeeze through gaps in armor plating, and their grasping tentacles can burrow through rubber, fabric or polymer (including MJLONIR MK V undersuits) in order to reach the flesh underneath.  


===''Halo 5: Guardians''===
[[Staff Sergeant]] [[Avery Junior Johnson|Avery Johnson]] was thought by Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]] to be incompatible with Flood Pod infectors due to the fictitious "[[Boren's Syndrome]]"<ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page 244''</ref> — in reality a cover for the augmentations he received as part of the [[ORION Project]].<ref>'''Halo Graphic Novel''', ''[[Halo Graphic Novel, Page 122|page 122]]''</ref> However, it is apparent that Johnson's augmentations did not make him truly immune to the Flood conversion process itself, instead granting him the ability to fight off and escape the parasite more effectively than the baseline humans alongside him.<ref>[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2969315_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post2969315 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Catalog Interaction - Page 14'' (''"No known biological <nowiki>[scaffolding]</nowiki> augmentation impedes efficacy of parasite conversion process.]"'')</ref><ref name="hgn">'''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]''', ''[[Breaking Quarantine]]''</ref><ref>''See [[Avery Johnson#Notes]]''</ref>
Active camouflage is now a powerup that can be picked up in Arena or requisitioned in Warzone. While active the user is invisible to the motion sensors of enemies as long as they are not sprinting. Moving while crouched no longer deteriorates the quality of camouflage, though moving faster would. It now displays a meter on the HUD that shows the remaining duration of the power up, and shortly before it runs out, the player will be notified via a quiet beeping sound.


===''Halo Wars 2''===
The [[Mgalekgolo]]'s lack of a central nervous system and nature as an invertebrate colony consisting of multiple worms likely make them immune to Flood infection.<ref>'''''[[Halo: First Strike]]'''''</ref> The invertebrate nature of the [[Yanme'e]], along with their hard, chitinous exoskeleton, would seem to make them immune as well. However, while their unique physiologies make standard infection difficult, it is likely that the Flood are still capable of consuming and converting Lekgolo and Yanme'e into Flood biomass.
Shrouds are able to cloak themselves and other units. [[Let 'Volir]] is able to cloak units with leader abilities.


===''Halo Infinite''===
Active Camouflage is activated via an animation similarly to ''Halo 5: Guardians'', although it can now be used at will. If the player is killed before they can use it, or while in the process of activating it, they will drop the powerup which can now be picked up by another player. Active camouflage in ''Halo Infinite'' behaves like a hybrid of the active camouflage seen in the original trilogy, and the active camo seen in all the games since ''Halo: Reach''. If the player is simply moving and strafing, the camouflage remains consistent, but if they sprint or fire their weapon, the camo fades out. {{Ref/YouTube|Id=mpoverview|n-O7OuliQRY|HALO|Halo Infinite <nowiki>|</nowiki> Multiplayer Overview|D=4|M=7|Y=2021}}
==Non-canon and dubious canon appearances==
===Silver Timeline===
{{Main|Silver Timeline}}
Active camouflage is used by Covenant Sangheili.{{Ref/Film|[[Halo: The Television Series Season One]], [[Contact]]}}
==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*Changing the graphics card settings on [[Halo: Combat Evolved (PC port)|''Halo: Combat Evolved'' for PC]] (lowering the quality and effects) makes active camouflage users appear as an easily-seen gray, opaque silhouette.
{{Linkbox|gameplay=yes}}
*In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', the flood can still see you if you use active camo.
*In ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', if a Pod infector latches itself onto a Marine or one of the Covenant, instead of mutating the host, it will become irrevocably attached until the host is dead. If at least one Pod infector manages to leap onto an unshielded player in this game, it will deal a noticeable amount of damage (this will increase depending on difficulty and number of Pod infectors attached), fall off, and attempt to strike the player again. This effect on the player also appears in ''Halo 3''.
*Oddly enough, a group of Major and Minor Grunts in the ''Halo 2'' level [[Delta Halo]] used Active Camouflage as they fought alongside a group of [[Stealth Sangheili|Stealth Elites]]. Spec Ops Grunts are also seen using this in the level [[The Arbiter]] just before entering the gas mine. This suggests that at least some Grunts have this equipment.
*An [[energy sword]] will not lose energy by killing Pod infectors in ''Halo 2'' and ''Halo 3'', but this method is highly ineffective as Pod infectors are extremely hard to hit with an Energy Sword.
*When used in association with an [[Overshield]], the Active Camo becomes completely useless due to the charges of the overshield washing over the player's body (except in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''). In ''[[Halo 3]]'', the same effect occurs when Active Camouflage and Overshields are both working.
*Pod infectors do not add points to the player's meta-score when the [[campaign scoring]] is activated in ''Halo 3'' and ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]''. This is most likely because Pod infectors come in swarms, and could be used to rack up points with almost no effort.
*The active camouflage has no effect on the flames on the [[Bungie Armor]], allowing enemies to more easily locate the user of the chest piece.
*Unlike in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and ''Halo 2'', the Pod infectors in ''Halo 3'' float in water. Thus, they cannot infect corpses that are in water ponds because of this animation.
*With the [[Halo 2 skulls#Envy|Envy]] skull on in ''[[Halo 2]]'', the [[John-117|Master Chief]]'s flashlight will be replaced with active camouflage. This can also be combined with a glitch which allows you to reload from a checkpoint, after saving and quitting, and turning off your console, with infinite active camouflage. This makes the Campaign on ''Halo 2'' considerably easier, even on Legendary difficulty.
* In ''Halo Wars'', when Sergeant Forge shoots the Flood Pod infectors that are attacking Professor Anders, they do not pop like all other Pod infectors. Instead, they simply fall lifelessly to the ground.
*In any Halo game, when you have active camouflage on and you get in a vehicle, the camouflage stays on and appears as if there was a ghost driving it or that it was driving itself (works particularly well with the Warthog LAAG). It works with any vehicle which exposes the occupants to view.
*In ''Halo 3'', code exists for a deleted "banger" variant of Pod infector, which would explode like a plasma grenade when destroyed.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R60geSLtnWk '''YouTube:''' ''Halo 3 - Cut Enemy: Flood Infection "Banger"'']</ref>
*In ''Halo 2'' for Windows Vista, when playing on Threshold, your comrades are not picked up by radar when camouflaged.
*In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', Pod infectors are not affected by fall damage, most likely due to the script or slow speed during freefall.
*The lights on a [[Gravity hammer (fiction)|gravity hammer]] can be seen clearly when camouflaged. It is not recommended to have a Gravity Hammer either as your primary weapon or secondary weapon when using active camo, as the lights make you an easy target for experienced snipers.
*In ''Halo 3'', go in Monitor mode and find an Active Camouflage. Go inside it. After about 10–20 seconds, the Active Camo will stop making its shimmering noise and you'll hear a brief whispering sound (like a sigh or breath), and then it will continue its shimmering noise.
*Strangely, the active camo module in the ''Halo: Reach'' [[Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta|Beta]] had "UNSC" printed on it, even when being used by Elites, though this is likely because it was a placeholder file.
*The Overshield as well as Active camouflage were requested by Hardy LeBel as a feature for Halo: CE's multiplayer. The team working on the campaign saw that they were and added them too.


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:HaloCE-ActiveCamouflage.jpg|A Stealth Elite using active camouflage in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
File:HCE_InfectionForm_Concept.jpg|Concept art of a Pod Infector from ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
File:HCE_Campaign_ActiveCamo_Pickup.jpg|Active Camo in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' campaign.
File:Flood3.jpg|Flood Pod infector in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''.
File:HCE_MP_ActiveCamo_Pickup.png|Active Camo in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' multiplayer.
File:HCE Flood Infection Form.png|In-game view of a Flood Pod infector in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
File:HCEPC ActiveCamoflage.png|Active camouflage on ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved (PC port)|''Halo: Combat Evolved'' for PC]]''.
File:HCE Infectionforms.jpg|The Master Chief watches as Pod infectors prepare to consume a dead Elite and a dead Grunt.
File:H2 Active Camouflage.png|The Active Camouflage in ''Halo 2''.
File:H2 Flood Infection Form.png|A Pod infector in the [[Threshold gas mine]] in ''[[Halo 2]]''.
File:H3_ActiveCamo.jpg|The Active Camouflage in ''Halo 3''.
File:H2_PodInfector_Closeup.jpg|A Pod infector in ''Halo 2''.
File:H3_Bungie_Camo.jpg|Bungie Armor and Active Camouflage in ''Halo 3''.
File:HTMCC Avatar InfectionForm.png|Render of the ''Halo 2'' Pod infector in ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]''.
File:HReach Active Camouflage.jpg|The Active Camouflage powerup in ''Halo: Reach''.
File:InfectionForm Profile.jpg|Pod infectors in ''[[Halo 3]]''.
File:HR SpecOpsElites.jpg|Multiple SpecOps Sangheili using active camouflage, with one also possessing [[Overshield]].
File:Flood infection form in HaloWars.jpg|A Pod infector in ''[[Halo Wars]]''.
File:H4 ActiveCamo_Spartan.jpg|Active Camouflage in use in ''[[Halo 4]]''.
File:Anders Flood.png|Pod infectors assaulting [[Ellen Anders|Professor Anders]].
File:H2A-ActiveCamo.png|Active camouflage in ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'' multiplayer.
File:HW PodInfector Blur Render.jpg|A render of the pod infector asset created for ''Halo Wars''{{'}} cutscenes.
File:H2A-CloakedSpartan.png|A Spartan using active camouflage in ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' multiplayer.
File:Infectionformpet.png|A pet Flood Pod infector which can be purchased as a feature for any Xbox 360 Avatar.
File:REQ Card - Active Camo I.png|REQ card for Active Camouflage in [[Halo 5: Guardians]].
File:Floodsuit.png|An [[Avatar (Xbox 360)|Xbox 360 Avatar]] customized with a Flood Pod infector suit.
File:Activecamo2.png|REQ Card for Active Camouflage II.
File:HTMCC-H4 Terminals LibrarianAtWork.png|The [[Librarian]] investigating a Flood Pod infector in ''[[Halo 4]]''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> [[Terminal (Halo 4)|terminals]].
File:Activecamo3.png|REQ Card for Active Camouflage III.
File:Flood infector Spirit of Fire.jpg|A Flood Pod infector inside the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}'s cryo-room in ''[[Halo: Escalation]]''.
File:H5G-Camo.png|A Spartan-IV using active camouflage in ''Halo 5: Guardians''.
File:HSA Flood mode.jpg|Flood Pod infectors in ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''.
File:HINF ActiveCamouflage Icon.png|HUD icon for the active camouflage in ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.
File:MercyFlood.jpg|A Pod infector attacks the Prophet of Mercy, eventually killing him.  
File:HINF-CamoOrko.png|[[Okro 'Vagaduun]] using active camo in ''Halo Infinite''.
File:TFS-Krunch.png|Jerome-092 destroying a Pod infector in a single punch in ''[[Something has Happened]]''.
File:HINF-Deadlockcamo.jpg|A Spartan-IV carrying an active camo module in ''Halo Infinite''.
File:HW2 - Flood infection form models.jpg|Models of the Pod infector for ''[[Halo Wars 2]]''.
File:HINF-Camo1.png|A Spartan-IV activating an active camo module in ''Halo Infinite''.
File:HW2 - Flood infection form.jpg|More detailed models.
File:HINF-CamodSpartan.png|A Spartan-IV with active camo in ''Halo Infinite''.
File:HW2_InfectorTidalWave_Concept.jpg|Banished forces succumbing to a tidal wave of Pod infectors.
File:HTV-Contact-ActiveCamomodule.jpg|A Sangheili with an active camo module in ''[[Halo: The Television Series]]''.
File:HW2-SpikedInfectionform.jpg|A Pod infector killed by a Banished Jiralhanae's Spiker in ''Halo Wars 2''.
File:HTV-Contact-ActiveCamo.jpg|The same Sangheili activating the active camo.
File:HW2-Squish.gif|Atriox crushes a Pod infector.
File:HOD-InfectionForm.jpg|An infection form at [[Outpost Discovery]].
File:HINF Unknown Cylix Scan.png|A Pod infector trapped in a [[Cylix]] on [[Installation 07]] in ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.
File:HINF - Charm icon - Infection charm.png|A Pod infector weapon charm in ''Halo Infinite''.
</gallery>
</gallery>


==List of appearances==
==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
{{Col-begin}}
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''
{{col-2}}
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: The Flood]]''
*''[[Halo: The Flood]]''
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]''
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo 2]]''
*''[[Halo 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''
**''[[Conversations from the Universe]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]''
**''[[Breaking Quarantine]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo Wars]]''
*''[[Halo Wars]]''
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' {{MCCo}}
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
**''[[The Package (animated short)|The Package]]''
**''[[Origins]]''
*''[[Halo Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
{{col-2}}
**''[[Headhunters (short story)|Headhunters]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''
**''[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]''
**''[[The Mona Lisa]]''
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''
*''[[Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
**''[[Spartan Ops]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo 4)|Terminals]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]'' {{C|Simulation-only}}
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminals]]''
*''[[Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo]]''
*''[[Halo: New Blood]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]''
*''[[Halo: Last Light]]''
**''[[Something Has Happened]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''
*''[[Halo: Fractures]]''
**''[[Oasis]]''
*''[[Halo: Smoke and Shadow]]''
*''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]
**''[[Hunting Party]]''
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Envoy]]''
*''[[Halo: Fireteam Raven]]''
*''[[Halo: Collateral Damage]]''
*''[[Halo: Outpost Discovery]]''
*''[[Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Divine Wind]]''
*''[[Halo Infinite]]''
*''[[Halo Infinite]]''
*''[[Halo: The Television Series]]''
{{col-end}}
**''[[Contact]]''
*''[[Halo: The Rubicon Protocol]]''
*''[[Halo: Outcasts]]''


==Sources==
==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}
{{Ref/Sources}}


{{Navbox/Pickups/Gameplay}}
{{Flood}}
 
[[Category:Flood forms]]
[[Category:Camouflage]]
[[Category:Armor abilities]]
[[Category:Power ups]]

Revision as of 05:28, May 17, 2024

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Pod infector
H2A - Flood infection form model.jpg
Biological overview

Classification:

Infection form

Species:

Flood

Physical information

Avg. height:

89.6 centimeters (2 ft 11.3 in)-131.4 centimeters (4 ft 3.7 in)[1]

Avg. weight:

16.8 kilograms (37 lb)-28.6 kilograms (63 lb)[1]

Distinctions:

Small, balloon-like creatures with many tentacles for probing.

 

The pod infector,[2] also more commonly known as the Flood infection form,[3] is a stage of the virulent Flood xenoform. It is the most common Flood form and is usually the first forms to be released. It is the primary form for spreading the Flood infection due to its effectiveness compared to mere Flood spores when deployed in large numbers.[2]

Overview

Physical characteristics

The most commonly encountered infection forms have soft, pod-like bodies with numerous tentacle-like appendages and a frond-like array which acts as the creature's sensory system. Their tendrils are multi-purpose locomotion systems and insidious methods of control.[4]

Each tendril ends in nano-scale barbs which can latch onto the target's body and cut through armor or environmental suits. Once the target is compromised, infection forms inject Flood cells to hijack the victim's nervous system. Even if the infection form is quickly removed, Flood cells in the wounds will slowly consume the victim and turn them into quivering, spore-packed blisters. Against unprepared victims the infection form bores into the body, quickly mutating it into a combat form.[4]

Though barely intelligent on their own, once an infection form infiltrates a sentient creature they turn the victim's cognitive power to the furtherance of Flood goals. Each is an insidious puppeteer, able to sift through memories of any sentient creature to learn of military countermeasures, security access codes, and the location of population centers. This information is then shared with other Flood through their connection with the key minds.[4]


Function

Once the parasite can establish a hive it can begin to produce massive numbers of infection forms that spread out in search of new sentients to infect, and non-sapient animals on which to feed. Both ground and airborne infection forms are used as living weapons, hurling themselves at the enemy to overwhelm defenses and assimilate the unprepared.

Pods hurl themselves at infantry units, bursting and dealing damage. It uses its tentacles to attack and infect organisms.[5]

Though individually weak and easily killed, pod infectors strike in vast numbers and can move over cliffs.


Pod infectors are the primary vector for the Flood infection. While small (roughly the size of a human torso) and weak, they travel in huge swarms and overwhelm foes using sheer numbers. Once within range of a potential host, they leap for the victim's chest area, rasping away at armor, clothing and flesh with their numerous tentacle-like limbs. These appendages penetrate deep into the body, tap into the victim's spinal cord, and unleash an attack on the host's nervous system via direct contact with the spine. Once this is accomplished, the form rewrites the neural pathways of the victim's brain with its tendrils, forcing a resonant frequency match between its neural signals and the host's. At this point, the Pod infector has complete control over the body's motor functions.

As the Pod infector hacks into the host's nervous system, it releases encapsulated Flood Super Cells into the body. These cells interface with the host's cells, "digest" them and convert their components into new Flood cells. At this point, the Pod infector burrows into the host body, moving aside the internal organs and taking up residence within the chest cavity (or any approximate equivalent). Having achieved total control over the host, the Pod infector reshapes the body into a form more suitable for attacking enemies - a combat form. Even if the Pod Infector is quickly removed from the host body, the injection of Flood cells into the host's system is enough to cause rapid transformation into spore-packed blisters.[6]

The speed and intensity of this process occurs at the same rate as an energetic chemical reaction, often taking mere seconds to accomplish. The consequences for the host organism are extreme, as their brains are purged of all traces of their original personality and their bodies are reconstituted into Flood biomatter. The organism effectively becomes a pawn of the Flood's collective intelligence, to be used in any way it deems necessary.

In exceedingly rare cases, such as if the Pod infector has been damaged or is incredibly old, it will go through this process without killing the host, leaving them at least partially aware of what is going on, but unable to move or act. This was the fate of UNSC Private Wallace A. Jenkins during the raid on the "Covenant weapons cache" on Installation 04.[7] This aged version of the Pod infector must have been kept in captivity for far too long, thereby reducing its potential of complete transformation of its host into a Flood combat form. Jenkins survived infection, and even remained conscious, with short periods of time where he could exert control over his mutated body.

A Pod infector may abandon its host if the corpse has been heavily damaged, and look for a new one. If the Pod infector inside a combat form has been destroyed, but the combat form itself is intact enough to continue serving its purpose, loose Pod infector may burrow inside the body and take the place of the one that mutated it, effectively "re-animating" the combat form.

Pod infectors develop from a form vaguely resembling a larva or tadpole but bearing the basic superficial characteristics of a Pod infector. A number of Flood forms in this stage of their life cycle were kept in stasis by the Forerunners in Flood research facilities, such as the one in the Threshold gas mine.[8]

While an effective vector of infection against armored and shielded organisms as well as those equipped with atmospheric filters, a Pod infector is not necessary for the Flood to infect a host; merely ingesting Flood spores or inserting them via a wound is sufficient to initiate Flood conversion. Such infection may occur several seconds or perhaps minutes later, yet the transformation will occur almost instantaneously once it has begun.[9][10]

Effects on host forms

A carrier form spawning Pod infectors aboard the UNSC Spirit of Fire in 2537.

While any large life form with some level of awareness and/or sentience can be infected by a Pod infector, not all of them are suitable to serve the function of Combat Forms, the Flood's signature and preferred mobile form utilized during the Feral Stage. While these hosts are transformed in a similar fashion to the traditional combat forms, these forms are not often employed in front line combat for several reasons.

The first of these would be the fact that such life forms, despite their sophisticated nervous systems and adequate levels of sentience, simply lack the necessary biomass, calcium reserves, and physical strength to make first-choice combat units. More specifically, when a host life form is transformed, the activities of the Pod infector require not only the aforementioned levels of biomass, calcium content, and strength (Though humans become combat forms more often than the much larger and stronger unggoy for whatever reason.) but that the host has the physical endurance and stamina to withstand the process. Species such as humans, Forerunners, Sangheili, and the Jiralhanae are almost always turned into combat forms because their biology and physical properties enable them to withstand the Pod infectors' abilities, which are violent and resource-intensive.

In contrast, other life forms, such as the Kig-Yar, and perhaps the Yanme'e, lack these important qualities, or in the case of the Unggoy have other limitations due to their physique despite their perfectly adequate levels of sentience and neural complexity. Because of these factors, these hosts are primarily used for other but equally important purposes. These involve multiple mission profiles that are essential to the development of Flood outgrowth: establishment of mobile incubators, biomass and calcium reserves, hive structures, and the components of a coordinating and controlling intelligence.

When utilized for the creation of the hive and the central intelligence, the weaker hosts gather together and merge into single mass or a collection of masses spread around whatever environment the Flood have established themselves in. In this way, the weaker host forms serve as 'building blocks' for the creation of a Flood Hive, which if all goes according to its logical conclusion, will spawn a fully-developed collective and the next stage of the Flood's development: the Coordinated Stage and its crowning achievement, a Gravemind. Surrounding life forms such as significantly smaller animals as well as the full range of plants, microbes, lichens, and fungi, are seized by the growing Flood collective and digested as raw material to create more generic Flood biomass.

The next vital use for lesser hosts is to serve as the second signature form of the Feral Stage, the mobile Pod infector incubator known as a Carrier Form. While these are usually formed from weakened, damaged, and/or aged Combat Forms, weaker host forms are just as frequently employed for this purpose. The first step in the creation of a Carrier Form by this method involves a single appropriate host to function as a nucleus, which is then followed by one or more other weaker forms attaching themselves to the leading unit. The congregated hosts then fuse, with the external host forms being rapidly digested by the central form, with the result being that the other hosts have been reduced to extra, generic biomass, contributing to the structure of the now significantly distorted, bloated incubator.[11]

While this complex methodology is largely standard procedure for the Flood, there are occasionally exceptions to these rules due to the Flood's adaptive nature. In at least one notable campaign[12] early in the Human-Covenant War, this mode of operation was contradicted by the Flood. The outbreak present on this installation employed Kig-Yar and Unggoy quite frequently as front line combat units despite their inadequate status, and was also distinct from other outbreaks with the fact that it was predominantly formed out of life forms lacking sentience such as plants, fungi, etc., or those possessing lower levels of sentience, such as the wide range of animals living there.

Immunities and defenses

Energy shielding destroys Pod infectors on contact, causing them to explode in a small burst of gas and flesh. Conventional body armor is generally ineffective against Pod infectors; they can easily squeeze through gaps in armor plating, and their grasping tentacles can burrow through rubber, fabric or polymer (including MJLONIR MK V undersuits) in order to reach the flesh underneath.

Staff Sergeant Avery Johnson was thought by Dr. Catherine Halsey to be incompatible with Flood Pod infectors due to the fictitious "Boren's Syndrome"[13] — in reality a cover for the augmentations he received as part of the ORION Project.[14] However, it is apparent that Johnson's augmentations did not make him truly immune to the Flood conversion process itself, instead granting him the ability to fight off and escape the parasite more effectively than the baseline humans alongside him.[15][16][17]

The Mgalekgolo's lack of a central nervous system and nature as an invertebrate colony consisting of multiple worms likely make them immune to Flood infection.[18] The invertebrate nature of the Yanme'e, along with their hard, chitinous exoskeleton, would seem to make them immune as well. However, while their unique physiologies make standard infection difficult, it is likely that the Flood are still capable of consuming and converting Lekgolo and Yanme'e into Flood biomass.

Trivia

Main-Legendary.png See our gameplay information related to JackVibe/Sandbox on its gameplay page.
  • In Halo: Combat Evolved, if a Pod infector latches itself onto a Marine or one of the Covenant, instead of mutating the host, it will become irrevocably attached until the host is dead. If at least one Pod infector manages to leap onto an unshielded player in this game, it will deal a noticeable amount of damage (this will increase depending on difficulty and number of Pod infectors attached), fall off, and attempt to strike the player again. This effect on the player also appears in Halo 3.
  • An energy sword will not lose energy by killing Pod infectors in Halo 2 and Halo 3, but this method is highly ineffective as Pod infectors are extremely hard to hit with an Energy Sword.
  • Pod infectors do not add points to the player's meta-score when the campaign scoring is activated in Halo 3 and Halo: The Master Chief Collection. This is most likely because Pod infectors come in swarms, and could be used to rack up points with almost no effort.
  • Unlike in Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, the Pod infectors in Halo 3 float in water. Thus, they cannot infect corpses that are in water ponds because of this animation.
  • In Halo Wars, when Sergeant Forge shoots the Flood Pod infectors that are attacking Professor Anders, they do not pop like all other Pod infectors. Instead, they simply fall lifelessly to the ground.
  • In Halo 3, code exists for a deleted "banger" variant of Pod infector, which would explode like a plasma grenade when destroyed.[19]
  • In Halo: Combat Evolved, Pod infectors are not affected by fall damage, most likely due to the script or slow speed during freefall.

Gallery

  • Concept art of a Pod Infector from Halo: Combat Evolved.

    Concept art of a Pod Infector from Halo: Combat Evolved.

  • Flood Pod infector in Halo: Combat Evolved.

    Flood Pod infector in Halo: Combat Evolved.

  • In-game view of a Flood Pod infector in Halo: Combat Evolved.

    In-game view of a Flood Pod infector in Halo: Combat Evolved.

  • The Master Chief watches as Pod infectors prepare to consume a dead Elite and a dead Grunt.

    The Master Chief watches as Pod infectors prepare to consume a dead Elite and a dead Grunt.

  • A Pod infector in the Threshold gas mine in Halo 2.

    A Pod infector in the Threshold gas mine in Halo 2.

  • A Pod infector in Halo 2.

    A Pod infector in Halo 2.

  • Render of the Halo 2 Pod infector in Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

    Render of the Halo 2 Pod infector in Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

  • Pod infectors in Halo 3.

    Pod infectors in Halo 3.

  • A Pod infector in Halo Wars.

    A Pod infector in Halo Wars.

  • Pod infectors assaulting Professor Anders.

    Pod infectors assaulting Professor Anders.

  • A render of the pod infector asset created for Halo Wars' cutscenes.

    A render of the pod infector asset created for Halo Wars' cutscenes.

  • A pet Flood Pod infector which can be purchased as a feature for any Xbox 360 Avatar.

    A pet Flood Pod infector which can be purchased as a feature for any Xbox 360 Avatar.

  • An Xbox 360 Avatar customized with a Flood Pod infector suit.

    An Xbox 360 Avatar customized with a Flood Pod infector suit.

  • The Librarian investigating a Flood Pod infector in Halo 4's terminals.

    The Librarian investigating a Flood Pod infector in Halo 4's terminals.

  • A Flood Pod infector inside the UNSC Spirit of Fire's cryo-room in Halo: Escalation.

    A Flood Pod infector inside the UNSC Spirit of Fire's cryo-room in Halo: Escalation.

  • Flood Pod infectors in Halo: Spartan Assault.

    Flood Pod infectors in Halo: Spartan Assault.

  • A Pod infector attacks the Prophet of Mercy, eventually killing him.

    A Pod infector attacks the Prophet of Mercy, eventually killing him.

  • Jerome-092 destroying a Pod infector in a single punch in Something has Happened.

    Jerome-092 destroying a Pod infector in a single punch in Something has Happened.

  • Models of the Pod infector for Halo Wars 2.

    Models of the Pod infector for Halo Wars 2.

  • More detailed models.

    More detailed models.

  • Banished forces succumbing to a tidal wave of Pod infectors.

    Banished forces succumbing to a tidal wave of Pod infectors.

  • A Pod infector killed by a Banished Jiralhanae's Spiker in Halo Wars 2.

    A Pod infector killed by a Banished Jiralhanae's Spiker in Halo Wars 2.

  • Atriox crushes a Pod infector.

    Atriox crushes a Pod infector.

  • An infection form at Outpost Discovery.

    An infection form at Outpost Discovery.

  • A Pod infector trapped in a Cylix on Installation 07 in Halo Infinite.

    A Pod infector trapped in a Cylix on Installation 07 in Halo Infinite.

  • A Pod infector weapon charm in Halo Infinite.

    A Pod infector weapon charm in Halo Infinite.

List of appearances

Sources

  1. ^ a b Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Library: Infection Form
  2. ^ a b Halo Wars 2, Phoenix Logs: Pod Infectors
  3. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 406
  4. ^ a b c Halo Wars 2, Phoenix Logs: Infection Forms
  5. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 180
  6. ^ Halo Wars 2, Phoenix Logs - Infection Forms
  7. ^ Halo: The Flood, page 176
  8. ^ Bungie.net: One Final Effort (4/16/2010)
  9. ^ Halo Wars, campaign level Anders' Signal
  10. ^ Halo: Evolutions — "The Mona Lisa"
  11. ^ 'Halo: The Flood', page 291
  12. ^ Halo Wars
  13. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 244
  14. ^ Halo Graphic Novel, page 122
  15. ^ Halo Waypoint: Catalog Interaction - Page 14 ("No known biological [scaffolding] augmentation impedes efficacy of parasite conversion process.")
  16. ^ Halo Graphic Novel, Breaking Quarantine
  17. ^ See Avery Johnson#Notes
  18. ^ Halo: First Strike
  19. ^ YouTube: Halo 3 - Cut Enemy: Flood Infection "Banger"

v • d • e
 
Known Flood forms
Regular Spore • Pod • Seeder • Tadpole • Dispersal pod
Growths Stalk • Blister
Other Flood Super Cell (FSC)
Infected
Structures
Hives Hive • Den • Nest • Colony • Spore Mound • Cocooned base • Blightlands
Defensive Launcher • Root
Other Porta • Vent
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