Flood outbreak: Difference between revisions

The coordinated stage is the second stage of a [[Flood]] infestation, over the course of which a local ecosystem is typically fully absorbed. During this stage, Flood population rapidly increases. The [[Flood Super Cell]] generates a [[Flood hive|hive]] and propagates [[Flood spore|spores]] into the local atmosphere in massive numbers. Once sufficient biomass has been gathered, the Flood gains the ability to spontaneously generate Flood Super Cells, removing its dependency on hosts and giving rise to [[Flood pure form|pure forms]].{{Ref/Reuse|wp flood}} On the verge of initiating the Coordinated Stage, the [[proto-Gravemind]] continues to be built until it reaches the status of a complete Compound Mind — a [[Gravemind]]. It is at this point that the Flood becomes significantly more organized (communicating via thoughts and attacking strategically) and subsequently more lethal than in the preceding Feral Stage.{{Ref/Reuse|Bestarium}} Upon the formation of a full Gravemind, all locally available [[Sentience|sentient]] beings have typically been absorbed by the Flood.{{Ref/Reuse|wp flood}}

Although the initiation of the Interstellar Stage has less to do with the Flood's biological development and more with their access to viable space travel,{{Ref/Reuse|bestiarum}} in the latter phases of this stage the full extent of the Flood's power becomes truly evident, transcending beyond its purely biological aspects. In line with the parasite's strategy of utterly saturating all available channels of information,<ref>'''Halo 3''', ''[[Terminal (Halo 3)|Terminals]]''</ref> non-biological intelligences and data networks are targeted with advanced forms of the [[logic plague]], the Flood's information equivalent.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 214-215''</ref> With the assimilation of entire planets and the development of planet-engulfing [[Gravemind]] forms<ref name="sil186">'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 186-187''</ref>—the sheer intelligence and processing power of the Flood's collective consciousness enables them to manipulate [[neural physics]]. In the final years of the [[Forerunner-Flood war]], the Flood was able to control [[Precursor]] artifacts through this effect, which made them nearly unstoppable against the Forerunners.{{Ref/Reuse|sil186}}<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 188-189''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 236''</ref> However, all Precursor artifacts in the galaxy were supposedly destroyed when the [[Halo Array]] was fired at the conclusion of the war, denying the Flood access to Precursor technology in later times.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 326''</ref>