Librarian: Difference between revisions
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===Forerunner-Flood war=== | ===Forerunner-Flood war=== | ||
[[File:LibrarianEarthCEA.jpg|thumb| | [[File:LibrarianEarthCEA.jpg|thumb|250px|The Librarian standing in front of Mount Kilimanjaro moments before her death, as envisioned by 04-343 Guilty Spark.]] | ||
Before and during the [[Forerunner-Flood war]], the Librarian traveled across the [[Milky Way galaxy]] at considerable risk to implement the [[Conservation Measure]] - the [[Lifeworker]]s' plan to protect all sentient beings from being absorbed into [[ | Before and during the [[Forerunner-Flood war]], the Librarian traveled across the [[Milky Way galaxy]] at considerable risk to implement the [[Conservation Measure]] - the [[Lifeworker]]s' plan to protect all sentient beings from being absorbed into the [[Flood]] by sending them to the shelter of [[the Ark]]. She disregarded repeated pleas from the Didact to return to the safety of the [[Maginot Line]], considering her work as being much more important than her own life. | ||
Near the end of the war, the Didact used a machine known as the [[Composer]] to convert the human population of a Halo installation into [[Promethean Knight]]s to expand his army. The Librarian, considering this a grave violation of the Mantle, confronted the Didact and incapacitated him in order to stop him from eradicating the rest of humanity. She then imprisoned the Didact in a [[Cryptum]] on the Promethean shield world [[Requiem]], deactivating the world's systems and taking control of the Promethean forces stationed there. She also left a personality essence of herself on Requiem in order to guide and assist Reclaimers that may come across the installation in the future.<ref name="h4terminals">'''Halo 4''', ''[[Terminal/Halo 4|Terminals]]''</ref> | |||
The Librarian spent the last days of her life building, then deactivating and burying the portal on Earth leading to the Ark. The Librarian's destruction of the remaining [[Keyship]]s left her stranded on Earth.<ref>"I've remotely destroyed our Keyships. A security measure. Without them I cannot reach the Ark." (Halo 3, Terminal Four)</ref> The Librarian spent her last days near [[Mount Kilimanjaro]], overlooking [[the Portal]] to [[Installation 00|the Ark]].<ref>"You should see the mountain that watches over it. A beautiful thing - a snowcapped sentinel. That's where I will spend what time is left to me." (Halo 3, Terminal Six)</ref> | The Librarian spent the last days of her life building, then deactivating and burying the portal on Earth leading to the Ark. The Librarian's destruction of the remaining [[Keyship]]s left her stranded on Earth.<ref>"I've remotely destroyed our Keyships. A security measure. Without them I cannot reach the Ark." (Halo 3, Terminal Four)</ref> The Librarian spent her last days near [[Mount Kilimanjaro]], overlooking [[the Portal]] to [[Installation 00|the Ark]].<ref>"You should see the mountain that watches over it. A beautiful thing - a snowcapped sentinel. That's where I will spend what time is left to me." (Halo 3, Terminal Six)</ref> | ||
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===Requiem=== | ===Requiem=== | ||
A personality imprint of the Librarian | A personality imprint of the Librarian was encountered, and aided [[John-117]] on [[Requiem]]. Through her imprint, she was able to influence the [[Aggressor Sentinel]]s on Requiem, having them guide John to a place where she could contact him. She explained to John about the origins of the Human-Forerunner War and the Didact's decision to devolve humanity as a punishment. Only afterwards were the Forerunners made aware that the war with humanity was a result of mankind expanding - not out of conquest, but out of fear and necessity, as they were fleeing a Flood outbreak. The Librarian informed John of the the Didact's plan to use a device called the [[Composer]] to forever imprison all of mankind into digital form. For him to be able to stand against the Didact, she must alter the Master Chief's genetic code, making him immune to the effects of the Composer, to which he agreed. She revealed to the Spartan that she had been guiding mankind throughout the millennia since their [[Reintroduction|reseeding]], providing a blueprint for their evolution, their technological advancement, their Spartan program, and even the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|MJOLNIR armor]]; all in an attempt to prepare them for what is to come. The Chief questioned her "Preparing us for what?" Before she could respond, they were interrupted by the Didact, and the Master Chief was forced to retreat, leaving the Librarian's cryptic warning unanswered.<ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''Reclaimer''</ref> | ||
==Personality and traits== | ==Personality and traits== | ||
{{Quote|I see very clearly how much the Librarian has shaped humanity since the end of the first human-Forerunner war. Whenever you look inward and see an ideal female… whether it be goddess, anima, mother, sister, or lover… For a brief, barely sensible instant, you will see the face and feel the spirit of the Librarian.|343 Guilty Spark<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''' </ref>}} | {{Quote|I see very clearly how much the Librarian has shaped humanity since the end of the first human-Forerunner war. Whenever you look inward and see an ideal female… whether it be goddess, anima, mother, sister, or lover… For a brief, barely sensible instant, you will see the face and feel the spirit of the Librarian.|343 Guilty Spark<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''' </ref>}} | ||
The Librarian cared greatly for all life.<ref name="c338">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 338''</ref>She held particularly deep respect for [[human]]ity, whom she viewed as "special" among all of the sentient life she had seen, and felt that it was well worth the sacrifice of her own life to save them. This was | The Librarian cared greatly for all life.<ref name="c338">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 338''</ref>She held particularly deep respect for [[human]]ity, whom she viewed as "special" among all of the sentient life she had seen, and felt that it was well worth the sacrifice of her own life to save them. This was due to the belief among Forerunners that humans were also molded in a similar manner to the Forerunners by the [[Precursor]]s, as well as her belief that humanity had proved themselves more worthy of the Mantle than the Forerunners. Despite her caring for life in general, she was willing to sacrifice individual lives, manipulate others or resort to extreme solutions if it served a greater purpose, such as the firing of the Halo Array. | ||
The Didact noted the Librarian to have a sense of humor unusual in Forerunners, which is why he suspected she had arranged such a complex plan to bring him out of his Cryptum and have two humans and a Manipular assist him in his quest.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 139''</ref> | The Didact noted the Librarian to have a sense of humor unusual in Forerunners, which is why he suspected she had arranged such a complex plan to bring him out of his Cryptum and have two humans and a Manipular assist him in his quest.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 139''</ref> | ||
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==Title== | ==Title== | ||
It is important to note that "Librarian" would not have been her actual name or title. The Forerunner records of her transmissions utilize translation software so advanced that it incorporates idioms from the reader's own experience.<ref>[[Halo Encyclopedia]], page 165</ref> Thus words such as "[[Eden]]", "fairy tale" and "Librarian" became the default usage in Forerunner terminals and transmissions when read by humans.<ref>Halo Encyclopedia, page 165</ref> This was likely because there is no direct translation for the original Forerunner words, thus the software utilizes human equivalents. These words appear in brackets in the [[Terminals]]. The same title is used in ''Halo: Cryptum'', written from Forerunner perspective, though a note at the beginning of the novel mentions that all terms used are translated to understandable terms and phrases. | It is important to note that "Librarian" would not have been her actual name or title. The Forerunner records of her transmissions utilize translation software so advanced that it incorporates idioms from the reader's own experience.<ref>[[Halo Encyclopedia]], page 165</ref> Thus words such as "[[Eden]]", "fairy tale" and "Librarian" became the default usage in Forerunner terminals and transmissions when read by humans.<ref>Halo Encyclopedia, page 165</ref> This was likely because there is no direct translation for the original Forerunner words, thus the software utilizes human equivalents. These words appear in brackets in the [[Terminals]]. The same title is used in ''Halo: Cryptum'', written from Forerunner perspective, though a note at the beginning of the novel mentions that all terms used are translated to understandable terms and phrases. | ||
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*The [[Proto-Gravemind]] was originally called "The Librarian".<ref>[http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=Feast_of_Bones '''Bungie.net''': ''Feast of Bones'']</ref> | *The [[Proto-Gravemind]] was originally called "The Librarian".<ref>[http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=Feast_of_Bones '''Bungie.net''': ''Feast of Bones'']</ref> | ||
==Gallery== | |||
<gallery> | |||
File:Librarian.png|Symbol representing the Librarian | |||
File:H4_-_LibrarianGun.jpg|The Librarian, wielding a [[Lightrifle]], preparing to incapacitate her husband to prevent him from destroying humanity. | |||
</gallery> | |||
==Note== | ==Note== | ||
<references group="note"/> | <references group="note"/> | ||
Revision as of 04:36, November 9, 2012
- "Each one of these souls is finite and precious.
- And I'm close.
- Close to saving them all."
- And I'm close.
- — The Librarian
The Librarian[1] was a Forerunner Lifeshaper, the highest rank a Lifeworker can achieve, and one of only three Forerunners to ever receive the title.[2] She was married to the Didact, the Promethean supreme commander of the Forerunner military.[3] During the Flood-Forerunner War, she led the Library Project, which sought to index all species in the galaxy and transport them to the Ark before the Flood could reach them or the rings were fired. Frequently clashing with her husband over the morality of the Array, the Librarian died at the end of the war when the rings were activated, willingly stranding herself on Earth within range of the Halo effect.
Biography
Research on Erde-Tyrene
- "She comes to us when we're born. She watches over us as we grow, knows good and bad. She joys at our triumphs and sorrows at our passing. We all feel her presence."
- — Chakas on the Librarian
She first met the Didact on Charum Hakkor before the human-Forerunner wars.[4] Following the end of the war with humanity, she was permitted by the Ecumene Council to set up a research station on Earth (then known as "Erde-Tyrene"). Over the span of ten thousand years, she helped the human species, which had been devolved to a primitive state following the war, to slowly work toward re-creating a primitive society.[2] The early humans worshiped the Librarian as a goddess-like figure, believing her to watch over all of the humans and come to each one at birth and assign them a purpose.[5] In reality, she used an automatic imprinting system to transmit her geas into certain humans instead of physically visiting them.[6] She believed that the mammalian-level intelligence exhibited by certain scyphozoa and cephalopoda on contemporary Erde-Tyrene were evidence of experimentation by the Precursors.[7]
At one point after the Didact went into exile in a Cryptum, the Librarian devised a complex plan to bring her husband back. She imposed a geas on certain humans, causing multiple generations to attempt to pass the defenses surrounding the Cryptum. Finally, she used an ancilla to manipulate Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting, a Manipular, to go to Earth in search for treasure and open the Cryptum. While the original body of the Didact was apparently executed by Master Builder Faber some time afterward, he had performed a mutation to Bornstellar and thus imprinted Bornstellar with his consciousness.
At some point, the Librarian traveled to the San 'Shyuum world Janjur Qom to gather specimens of their species for storage. The Librarian's visit caused unrest among the San 'Shyuum, who began an uprising against the Forerunners soon after. The Librarian then traveled to Installation 00, where she later met with Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting, now in possession of the Didact's memories and personality.
Forerunner-Flood war
Before and during the Forerunner-Flood war, the Librarian traveled across the Milky Way galaxy at considerable risk to implement the Conservation Measure - the Lifeworkers' plan to protect all sentient beings from being absorbed into the Flood by sending them to the shelter of the Ark. She disregarded repeated pleas from the Didact to return to the safety of the Maginot Line, considering her work as being much more important than her own life.
Near the end of the war, the Didact used a machine known as the Composer to convert the human population of a Halo installation into Promethean Knights to expand his army. The Librarian, considering this a grave violation of the Mantle, confronted the Didact and incapacitated him in order to stop him from eradicating the rest of humanity. She then imprisoned the Didact in a Cryptum on the Promethean shield world Requiem, deactivating the world's systems and taking control of the Promethean forces stationed there. She also left a personality essence of herself on Requiem in order to guide and assist Reclaimers that may come across the installation in the future.[8]
The Librarian spent the last days of her life building, then deactivating and burying the portal on Earth leading to the Ark. The Librarian's destruction of the remaining Keyships left her stranded on Earth.[9] The Librarian spent her last days near Mount Kilimanjaro, overlooking the Portal to the Ark.[10]
Possible survival
343 Guilty Spark's logs from Installation 04, as well as communications logs from Installation 00, declare that the Librarian died as the Halo effect swept over Earth. However, sometime after the Human-Covenant War a duplicate of Guilty Spark had come to believe that the Librarian was still alive. This duplicate uploaded its personality construct array into an Office of Naval Intelligence vessel and set a course for the Librarian's apparent location.[11][note 1]
Requiem
A personality imprint of the Librarian was encountered, and aided John-117 on Requiem. Through her imprint, she was able to influence the Aggressor Sentinels on Requiem, having them guide John to a place where she could contact him. She explained to John about the origins of the Human-Forerunner War and the Didact's decision to devolve humanity as a punishment. Only afterwards were the Forerunners made aware that the war with humanity was a result of mankind expanding - not out of conquest, but out of fear and necessity, as they were fleeing a Flood outbreak. The Librarian informed John of the the Didact's plan to use a device called the Composer to forever imprison all of mankind into digital form. For him to be able to stand against the Didact, she must alter the Master Chief's genetic code, making him immune to the effects of the Composer, to which he agreed. She revealed to the Spartan that she had been guiding mankind throughout the millennia since their reseeding, providing a blueprint for their evolution, their technological advancement, their Spartan program, and even the MJOLNIR armor; all in an attempt to prepare them for what is to come. The Chief questioned her "Preparing us for what?" Before she could respond, they were interrupted by the Didact, and the Master Chief was forced to retreat, leaving the Librarian's cryptic warning unanswered.[12]
Personality and traits
- "I see very clearly how much the Librarian has shaped humanity since the end of the first human-Forerunner war. Whenever you look inward and see an ideal female… whether it be goddess, anima, mother, sister, or lover… For a brief, barely sensible instant, you will see the face and feel the spirit of the Librarian."
- — 343 Guilty Spark[13]
The Librarian cared greatly for all life.[14]She held particularly deep respect for humanity, whom she viewed as "special" among all of the sentient life she had seen, and felt that it was well worth the sacrifice of her own life to save them. This was due to the belief among Forerunners that humans were also molded in a similar manner to the Forerunners by the Precursors, as well as her belief that humanity had proved themselves more worthy of the Mantle than the Forerunners. Despite her caring for life in general, she was willing to sacrifice individual lives, manipulate others or resort to extreme solutions if it served a greater purpose, such as the firing of the Halo Array.
The Didact noted the Librarian to have a sense of humor unusual in Forerunners, which is why he suspected she had arranged such a complex plan to bring him out of his Cryptum and have two humans and a Manipular assist him in his quest.[15]
The Librarian was said to have simple, yet elegant features,[16] and her appearance was very youthful despite her age.[14] She was considered beautiful by both humans and Forerunners alike.[16] One effect of the geas she imprinted on humanity is that her image became what humans subconsciously view as the perfect female.[17]
Title
It is important to note that "Librarian" would not have been her actual name or title. The Forerunner records of her transmissions utilize translation software so advanced that it incorporates idioms from the reader's own experience.[18] Thus words such as "Eden", "fairy tale" and "Librarian" became the default usage in Forerunner terminals and transmissions when read by humans.[19] This was likely because there is no direct translation for the original Forerunner words, thus the software utilizes human equivalents. These words appear in brackets in the Terminals. The same title is used in Halo: Cryptum, written from Forerunner perspective, though a note at the beginning of the novel mentions that all terms used are translated to understandable terms and phrases.
Trivia
- The Librarian was first mentioned in Halo 3 in the terminals. In conversations, she is known as "L".
- The Librarian's symbol seen in the terminals is also an emblem usable on Halo 3's Multiplayer.
- The Librarian referred to the part of Earth she resided on as "Eden". This is a reference to the Garden of Eden in Abrahamic religions.
- The Proto-Gravemind was originally called "The Librarian".[20]
Gallery
Symbol representing the Librarian
The Librarian, wielding a Lightrifle, preparing to incapacitate her husband to prevent him from destroying humanity.
Note
- ^ In Terminal 7 from Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, 343 Guilty Spark imagines the Librarian being killed by the Halo Array's pulse. This log was made an indeterminate amount of time after an alien ship crashed on Installation 04 circa 40,000 BCE. Therefore, it is unclear exactly when Guilty Spark learned of the Librarian's possible survival, but he was obviously unaware at that time.
List of appearances
- Halo: The Flood (Mentioned only)
- Halo 3 (Transmissions only)
- Halo: Cryptum (First appearance)
- Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
- Halo: Primordium (Mentioned only)
- Halo: The Thursday War (Mentioned only)
- Halo: Silentium
- Halo 4
Sources
- ^ Halo 3, Terminals
- ^ a b Halo: Cryptum Chapter one
- ^ Halo: Cryptum
- ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 111
- ^ Halo: Cryptum Chapter two
- ^ Halo: Primordium, page 374
- ^ Halo: The Flood (2010), Adjunct
- ^ Halo 4, Terminals
- ^ "I've remotely destroyed our Keyships. A security measure. Without them I cannot reach the Ark." (Halo 3, Terminal Four)
- ^ "You should see the mountain that watches over it. A beautiful thing - a snowcapped sentinel. That's where I will spend what time is left to me." (Halo 3, Terminal Six)
- ^ Halo: Primordium, page ??
- ^ Halo 4, campaign level Reclaimer
- ^ Halo: Primordium
- ^ a b Halo: Cryptum, page 338
- ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 139
- ^ a b Halo: Primordium, page 347
- ^ Halo: Primordium, page 375
- ^ Halo Encyclopedia, page 165
- ^ Halo Encyclopedia, page 165
- ^ Bungie.net: Feast of Bones
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