Geas: Difference between revisions

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{{quote|[[Installation 04|This ring]] contains significant dangers, and even with [[human|your]] [[Reclaimer|assumed legacy]], I must verify the presence and pitch of your geas before allowing full access.|[[343 Guilty Spark]] in a transmission to the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''' - ''Terminal 1''</ref>}}
{{quote|[[Installation 04|This ring]] contains significant dangers, and even with [[human|your]] [[Reclaimer|assumed legacy]], I must verify the presence and pitch of your geas before allowing full access.|[[343 Guilty Spark]] in a transmission to the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''' - ''Terminal 1''</ref>}}


'''Geas''' (pronounced ''gé-ash''),<ref>'''[[Halo: Rebirth]]'''</ref> also called '''genesong''',<ref name="reclaimer"/> was a [[Forerunner]] term<ref group="note">In ''Halo: Cryptum'' and ''Halo: Primordium'', it is noted that most terms and phrases are translated to "localized" analogues in order to be intelligible to the reader. The word [[Wiktionary:Geas|"geas"]] comes from a Scottish Welsh corruption of the Old Irish word [[Wiktionary:Geis#Irish|"geis"]], which can mean "curse", "spell", or "command", which closely reflects the ''Halo'' universe definition of the term, but was most likely not the original term used by the Forerunners.</ref> that referred to a genetic command imposed on an organism or species. Under the influence of a geas, an organism could be given a set of subconscious orders that would either be specific to that organism, or passed on to their children, in some cases lasting several generations. Only highly skilled Forerunner [[Lifeworker]]s, such as the [[Librarian]], were capable of creating a geas. Forerunner students of the [[Mantle]] also hypothesized that the [[Precursor]]s may have imposed a geas on the Forerunners themselves.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 49''</ref>
'''Geas''' (pronounced ''gesh''), also called '''genesong''',<ref name="reclaimer"/> was a [[Forerunner]] term that referred to a genetic command imposed on an organism or species. Under the influence of a geas, an organism could be given a set of subconscious orders that would either be specific to that organism, or passed on to their children, in some cases lasting several generations. Only highly skilled Forerunner [[Lifeworker]]s, such as the [[Librarian]], were capable of creating a geas. Forerunner students of the [[Mantle]] also hypothesized that the [[Precursor]]s may have imposed a geas on the Forerunners themselves.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 49''</ref>


==Overview==
==Overview==
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===Reclaimers===
===Reclaimers===
The Librarian also imposed a broader geas on the entire human race, which has affected them a great deal throughout their history following the activation of the [[Halo Array]]. The geas includes, among other things, a familiarity with Forerunner technology and control interfaces,<ref>'''Halo: The Flood''', ''pages 84, 146, 170''</ref><ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 142''</ref> as well as subconscious instructions on how to gradually achieve more sophisticated technology, including [[smart AI]]s and [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|MJOLNIR armor]].<ref name="reclaimer">'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Reclaimer (level)|Reclaimer]]''</ref> In addition, as a result of the Librarian's influence on humans, the basic image of what humans view as an ideal female is based upon the Librarian.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 375''</ref> Some of the features of the geas are carefully hidden and will only be activated by the right triggers, such as a latent immunity to the effects of the [[Composer]]. On [[Requiem]], a personality imprint of the Librarian activated [[John-117]]'s Composer immunity in order to allow him to defeat the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]], who planned to enslave all of humanity with the Composer. It was indicated she did more than this, saying she was going to advance his evolution by activating his geas, telling him she had left humanity many gifts, of which the Composer immunity was only one. The Librarian also said that the Master Chief's evolution through this geas was the result of a "thousand lifetimes of planning," but never got to tell him exactly what she was planning for.<ref name="reclaimer"/>
The Librarian also imposed a broader geas on the entire human race, which has affected them a great deal throughout their history following the activation of the [[Halo Array]]. The geas includes, among other things, a familiarity with Forerunner technology and control interfaces,<ref>'''Halo: The Flood''', ''pages 84, 146, 170''</ref><ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 142''</ref> as well as subconscious instructions on how to gradually achieve more sophisticated technology, including [[smart AI]]s and [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|MJOLNIR armor]].<ref name="reclaimer">'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Reclaimer (level)|Reclaimer]]''</ref> In addition, as a result of the Librarian's influence on humans, the basic image of what humans view as an ideal female is based upon the Librarian.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 375''</ref> Some of the features of the geas are carefully hidden and will only be activated by the right triggers, such as a latent immunity to the effects of the [[Composer]]. On [[Requiem]], a personality imprint of the Librarian activated [[John-117]]'s Composer immunity in order to allow him to defeat the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]], who planned to enslave all of humanity with the Composer. It was indicated she did more than this, saying she was going to advance his evolution by activating his geas, telling him she had left humanity many gifts, of which the Composer immunity was only one. The Librarian also said that the Master Chief's evolution through this geas was the result of a "thousand lifetimes of planning," but never got to tell him exactly what she was planning for.<ref name="reclaimer"/>
==Trivia==
*In ''Halo: Cryptum'' and ''Halo: Primordium'', it is noted that most terms and phrases are translated to "localized" analogues in order to be intelligible to the reader. The word [[Wiktionary:Geas|"geas"]] comes from a Scottish Welsh corruption of the Old Irish word [[Wiktionary:Geis#Irish|"geis"]], which can mean "curse", "spell", or "command", which closely reflects the ''Halo'' universe definition of the term, but was most likely not the original term used by the Forerunners.
*In ''[[Halo: Rebirth]]'', the audio epilog to ''[[Halo: Silentium|Silentium]]'', Greg Bear pronounces the word as "''gé-ash''", whereas it is pronounced ''"gesh"'' in its native Gaelic. This mispronunciation was carried forward by [[343 Guilty Spark]] in [[Terminal/Halo:_Combat_Evolved_Anniversary#tabsection-0-0|Terminal One]] of [[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]].


==List of appearances==
==List of appearances==
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