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The Composers were originally designed as a means by which to extract the mental pattern (commonly known as an essence) of a biological being of sufficient neural complexity and converting it into data by broadcasting high-energy fields of entangled sympathies. The process, which was not fully understood by even its Forerunner creators, utilized [[neural physics]], a science mastered by the [[Precursor]]s — one of select few Forerunner technologies to do so. According to the original design, the Composer would allow old Forerunners to transfer their essences into younger bodies or directly into the [[Domain]]'s vast realms of information.{{Ref/Reuse|wp composer}}{{Ref/Note|''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]'' and Halo Waypoint's Universe entry describe the Composer's original function as granting the Forerunners immortality by transferring old essences into youthful bodies, implying that Forerunner medical science had not overcome senescence. According to ''[[Halo: Cryptum]]'' (page 47) along with a number of other references throughout ''The Forerunner Saga'', the Forerunners were functionally immortal given regular access to [[Forerunner personal armor|personal armor]], could remain youthful indefinitely and died only by accident or in battle. However, it is known that Forerunners could age under certain circumstances, even if such aging was unlikely to result in death: after 1,200 years of self-neglectful isolation, the [[Confirmer]]'s skin became mottled with bulging veins, his fur fell out, and his teeth fused together. The issue of Forerunner mortality by old age is not addressed when the Composer's origins are described in ''[[Halo: Silentium]]''. In ''Halo 4'' the Librarian states that the Composer would have made the Forerunners immortal, although this may be interpreted as ''true'' immortality and invulnerability to the Flood, as opposed to the [[Wikipedia:Biological immortality|biological immortality]] the Forerunners already enjoyed thanks to their use of body-assist armor.}} The technology was worked on in obscurity for centuries. In the latter days of the [[human-Forerunner wars]], after the Forerunners' first contacts with the [[Flood]], [[Master Builder]] [[Faber]] took note of the Composers and planned to use the devices to cure the parasite's victims.{{Ref/Reuse|wp composer}} The plan was to save those afflicted by the Flood by scanning their patterns and removing any traces of the Flood from the digital essence, which would then be imprinted on a new, artificially constructed biological body devoid of Flood infection. However, the process was highly flawed. In addition to being extremely painful to the individuals undergoing the process, all attempts to restore the essences to biological form failed as the artificial bodies would quickly decay and inevitably die.{{Ref/Reuse|string3}} For this reason the Forerunners quickly abandoned the Composers after the first experiments.{{Ref/Novel|Id=pri271|Pri|Page=271-272}}{{Ref/Note|Id=whole|In ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 9]]'', the monitor [[859 Static Carillon]] indicates that the human essences composed in New Phoenix are being "added to the whole" in accordance with the original design for the Composer, introducing fear, rage, and confusion. This implies that composed patterns are uploaded to a central intelligence, though whether this applies solely to the Promethean Knights or to all who undergo composition is unclear. Nonetheless, the notion of composed essences being incorporated into a gestalt mind is not mentioned in prior media.}}
The Composers were originally designed as a means by which to extract the mental pattern (commonly known as an essence) of a biological being of sufficient neural complexity and converting it into data by broadcasting high-energy fields of entangled sympathies. The process, which was not fully understood by even its Forerunner creators, utilized [[neural physics]], a science mastered by the [[Precursor]]s — one of select few Forerunner technologies to do so. According to the original design, the Composer would allow old Forerunners to transfer their essences into younger bodies or directly into the [[Domain]]'s vast realms of information.{{Ref/Reuse|wp composer}}{{Ref/Note|''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]'' and Halo Waypoint's Universe entry describe the Composer's original function as granting the Forerunners immortality by transferring old essences into youthful bodies, implying that Forerunner medical science had not overcome senescence. According to ''[[Halo: Cryptum]]'' (page 47) along with a number of other references throughout ''The Forerunner Saga'', the Forerunners were functionally immortal given regular access to [[Forerunner personal armor|personal armor]], could remain youthful indefinitely and died only by accident or in battle. However, it is known that Forerunners could age under certain circumstances, even if such aging was unlikely to result in death: after 1,200 years of self-neglectful isolation, the [[Confirmer]]'s skin became mottled with bulging veins, his fur fell out, and his teeth fused together. The issue of Forerunner mortality by old age is not addressed when the Composer's origins are described in ''[[Halo: Silentium]]''. In ''Halo 4'' the Librarian states that the Composer would have made the Forerunners immortal, although this may be interpreted as ''true'' immortality and invulnerability to the Flood, as opposed to the [[Wikipedia:Biological immortality|biological immortality]] the Forerunners already enjoyed thanks to their use of body-assist armor.}} The technology was worked on in obscurity for centuries. In the latter days of the [[human-Forerunner wars]], after the Forerunners' first contacts with the [[Flood]], [[Master Builder]] [[Faber]] took note of the Composers and planned to use the devices to cure the parasite's victims.{{Ref/Reuse|wp composer}} The plan was to save those afflicted by the Flood by scanning their patterns and removing any traces of the Flood from the digital essence, which would then be imprinted on a new, artificially constructed biological body devoid of Flood infection. However, the process was highly flawed. In addition to being extremely painful to the individuals undergoing the process, all attempts to restore the essences to biological form failed as the artificial bodies would quickly decay and inevitably die.{{Ref/Reuse|string3}} For this reason the Forerunners quickly abandoned the Composers after the first experiments.{{Ref/Novel|Id=pri271|Pri|Page=271-272}}{{Ref/Note|Id=whole|In ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 9]]'', the monitor [[859 Static Carillon]] indicates that the human essences composed in New Phoenix are being "added to the whole" in accordance with the original design for the Composer, introducing fear, rage, and confusion. This implies that composed patterns are uploaded to a central intelligence, though whether this applies solely to the Promethean Knights or to all who undergo composition is unclear. Nonetheless, the notion of composed essences being incorporated into a gestalt mind is not mentioned in prior media.}}


The physical effects of the Composer on its targets are also violent: the device projects a beam of orange light which completely reduces the targeted individuals to ash in a rather gruesome manner, flaying their skin, muscle, and bones in an agonizing sequence. This is seemingly a byproduct of the machine's original design as a means to combat the Flood, allowing the complete destruction of infected biomass in a manner similar to certain Forerunner weapons designed to completely atomize their targets. The beam possesses the capability to process hundreds of thousands of targets in mere moments across enormous distances,{{Ref/Novel|Id=omega|Sil|Page=263}} such as composing targets on a planet's surface from an orbiting ship,{{Ref/Level|Id=midnight|H4|[[Midnight]]}} or those on the surface of an entire [[Halo Array|Halo]] [[Omega Halo|installation]] in an instant.{{Ref/Reuse|omega}} [[Forthencho|Forthencho, Lord of Admirals]], the supreme commander of all human forces and one of the humans to have their minds harvested, described the effects of the Composer as "strange, ever-changing" and "multiformed", as it was operated in that instance via intermediary [[Lifeworker]] machinery.{{Ref/Novel|Id=p235|Pri|Page=235}}
The physical effects of the Composer on its targets are also violent: the device projected a beam of orange light which completely reduces the targeted individuals to ash in a rather gruesome manner, flaying their skin, muscle, and bones in an agonizing sequence. This is seemingly a byproduct of the machine's original design as a means to combat the Flood, allowing the complete destruction of infected biomass in a manner similar to certain Forerunner weapons designed to completely atomize their targets. The beam possesses the capability to process hundreds of thousands of targets in mere moments across enormous distances,{{Ref/Novel|Id=omega|Sil|Page=263}} such as composing targets on a planet's surface from an orbiting ship,{{Ref/Level|Id=midnight|H4|[[Midnight]]}} or those on the surface of an entire [[Halo Array|Halo]] [[Omega Halo|installation]] in an instant.{{Ref/Reuse|omega}} [[Forthencho|Forthencho, Lord of Admirals]], the supreme commander of all human forces and one of the humans to have their minds harvested, described the effects of the Composer as "strange, ever-changing" and "multiformed", as it was operated in that instance via intermediary [[Lifeworker]] machinery.{{Ref/Novel|Id=p235|Pri|Page=235}}


As witnessed on [[Installation 07]], Flood victims subjected to Composer processing were able to retain their individuality,{{Ref/Novel|Pri|Page=325-326}} but the Flood would continue to rot and deform their physical bodies, the infection having survived the destruction of the original biological body and then resumed in the new one. The Forerunners attempted to slow down this process by wrapping the afflicted individuals' bodies in a form of supportive harness flowing with energy,{{Ref/Novel|Pri|Page=322-323}} but the victims would still continue to deform beyond recognition and eventually expire or succumb to the Flood. Similarly, when the [[Gravemind]] used [[Logic plague#Biological beings|corrupted]], Composer-processed essences imprinted on living human bodies as messengers to the [[Librarian]] in her final moments on [[Earth]], the humans' bodies would rapidly decay and soon die.{{Ref/Novel|Sil|Page=320-323}}
As witnessed on [[Installation 07]], Flood victims subjected to Composer processing were able to retain their individuality,{{Ref/Novel|Pri|Page=325-326}} but the Flood would continue to rot and deform their physical bodies, the infection having survived the destruction of the original biological body and then resumed in the new one. The Forerunners attempted to slow down this process by wrapping the afflicted individuals' bodies in a form of supportive harness flowing with energy,{{Ref/Novel|Pri|Page=322-323}} but the victims would still continue to deform beyond recognition and eventually expire or succumb to the Flood. Similarly, when the [[Gravemind]] used [[Logic plague#Biological beings|corrupted]], Composer-processed essences imprinted on living human bodies as messengers to the [[Librarian]] in her final moments on [[Earth]], the humans' bodies would rapidly decay and soon die.{{Ref/Novel|Sil|Page=320-323}}
As revealed by the [[Haruspis]], the Composer's power burned away the effects of the [[logic plague]] in anyone that it was used upon, freeing them of the Gravemind's corruption.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Epi20|Epi|20}}
The Composers Mooring Chamber is fitted with a translocation lock and reality anchor that impedes any unauthorized transportation of the device.{{Ref/Book|Id=Mythos Composer|HM|Page=165}} An Activation Channel is fitted to all Composers for it's versatile firing systems which direct the Composers energies along the lateral channel or in a uniform concentric pattern.{{Ref/Reuse|Mythos Composer}} The Targeting Mechanism of the Composer is designed to only target thinking life with sufficient neurological activity.{{Ref/Reuse|Mythos Composer}}


===Essence preservation===
===Essence preservation===
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In the case of the [[Ur-Didact]]'s [[Promethean Knight]]s, the extracted neural map was used as the basis for [[artificial intelligence]] constructs in a manner similar to [[Cognitive Impression Modeling|the creation]] of human [[smart AI]]s. These intelligences contain many of their original memories and sometimes even portions of their personality, but otherwise behave within the limits of the duties assigned to them.{{Ref/SpOps|Id=memento|[[Memento Mori]]}} These essences were stored in imprint matrices known as [[Durance]]s, similar to the devices traditionally used to contain the last mental impressions of a deceased Forerunner.{{Ref/Book|H4EVG|Page=134}}
In the case of the [[Ur-Didact]]'s [[Promethean Knight]]s, the extracted neural map was used as the basis for [[artificial intelligence]] constructs in a manner similar to [[Cognitive Impression Modeling|the creation]] of human [[smart AI]]s. These intelligences contain many of their original memories and sometimes even portions of their personality, but otherwise behave within the limits of the duties assigned to them.{{Ref/SpOps|Id=memento|[[Memento Mori]]}} These essences were stored in imprint matrices known as [[Durance]]s, similar to the devices traditionally used to contain the last mental impressions of a deceased Forerunner.{{Ref/Book|H4EVG|Page=134}}
If the Composer is disconnected from the Domain or an authorized information depository, it could store thousands of composed essences within the Sublimation Relay on the Composer itself.{{Ref/Reuse|Mythos Composer}}


===Immunization===
===Immunization===
The Composer does not work on all organic beings; certain individuals can, through genetic manipulation, become immune to its effects. After undergoing an experimental [[Forerunner mutation|mutation]] in a failed attempt to gain immunity to the Flood, the Ur-Didact's physiology became incompatible with the Composer,{{Ref/Game|Id=h4terminals|H4|Detail=[[Terminal (Halo 4)|Terminals]]}} but even with his incompatible physiology, the Ur-Didact was composed by the firing of several Composers at the same time.{{Ref/Reuse|HE10}}<ref name="wp didact">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/didact ''Halo Waypoint - Universe'': ''Didact'']</ref>{{Ref/Note|In ''Halo 4''{{'}}s Terminal Five, the Didact claims the Composer would not work on his new form, and in the level [[Midnight]] is seen levitating himself within the Composer's active beam. It is possible that the Didact was merely resistant to the effects of the Composer, rather than completely immune, as the energy released by the overlapping pulses of five Composers would be orders of magnitude greater than the energy released by a single pulse. In the Library Edition of ''Halo: Escalation'', however, it's stated by Brian Reed that the Ur-Didact wasn't composed but the explosion did do something to him.}} Although the Didact's mutations provided him with some resistance to the Composer's effects, they could not withstand the raw destructive force of neural physics from five Composers exploding all at once, resulting in the destruction of the Didact's physical form and his death. The Didact's digitized consciousness was subsequently uploaded to the outer boundaries of the [[Domain]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=Epi5|Epi|5}} Similarly, the ''[[geas]]'' the Librarian placed on humanity allowed [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan]] [[John-117]] to develop a resistance to the Composer; this ability had to be activated and thus it does not automatically protect all humans from the device.{{Ref/Level|Id=reclaimer|H4|[[Reclaimer (level)|Reclaimer]]}}
The Composer does not work on all organic beings; certain individuals can, through genetic manipulation, become immune to its effects. After undergoing an experimental [[Forerunner mutation|mutation]] in a failed attempt to gain immunity to the Flood, the Ur-Didact's physiology became incompatible with the Composer,{{Ref/Game|Id=h4terminals|H4|Detail=[[Terminal (Halo 4)|Terminals]]}} but even with his incompatible physiology, the Ur-Didact was composed by the firing of several Composers at the same time.{{Ref/Reuse|HE10}}<ref name="wp didact">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/didact ''Halo Waypoint - Universe'': ''Didact'']</ref>{{Ref/Note|In ''Halo 4''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Terminal Five, the Didact claims the Composer would not work on his new form, and in the level [[Midnight]] is seen levitating himself within the Composer's active beam. It is possible that the Didact was merely resistant to the effects of the Composer, rather than completely immune, as the energy released by the overlapping pulses of five Composers would be orders of magnitude greater than the energy released by a single pulse. In the Library Edition of ''Halo: Escalation'', however, it's stated by Brian Reed that the Ur-Didact wasn't composed but the explosion did do something to him.}} Similarly, the ''[[geas]]'' the Librarian placed on humanity allowed [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan]] [[John-117]] to develop a resistance to the Composer; this ability had to be activated and thus it does not automatically protect all humans from the device.{{Ref/Level|Id=reclaimer|H4|[[Reclaimer (level)|Reclaimer]]}}
{{Clear}}
{{Clear}}


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Upon exiting the Abyss Blue Team witnessed the Didact positioning the Composer over the Halo. Intending to remove Blue Team as a threat the Didact attacked the Spartans.{{Ref/Reuse|HE9}} While the Didact nearly defeated Blue Team, 859 Static Carillon ambushed him and teleported him away into the Halo's [[control room]], followed shortly by John who enabled the monitor to detach the segment of the Halo housing the control room, causing it to fall toward the Composer's Forge. The fragment impacted the Forge, destroying the five remaining Composers held there, but not before the Didact was subjected to their combined effects.{{Ref/Reuse|wp didact}} While the Spartans returned to Earth Static Carillon took the now-incomplete Gamma Halo (and, evidently, the sole Composer still housed there) for repairs and safekeeping in an undisclosed location.{{Ref/Comic|Id=HE10|HE|Issue=10}}
Upon exiting the Abyss Blue Team witnessed the Didact positioning the Composer over the Halo. Intending to remove Blue Team as a threat the Didact attacked the Spartans.{{Ref/Reuse|HE9}} While the Didact nearly defeated Blue Team, 859 Static Carillon ambushed him and teleported him away into the Halo's [[control room]], followed shortly by John who enabled the monitor to detach the segment of the Halo housing the control room, causing it to fall toward the Composer's Forge. The fragment impacted the Forge, destroying the five remaining Composers held there, but not before the Didact was subjected to their combined effects.{{Ref/Reuse|wp didact}} While the Spartans returned to Earth Static Carillon took the now-incomplete Gamma Halo (and, evidently, the sole Composer still housed there) for repairs and safekeeping in an undisclosed location.{{Ref/Comic|Id=HE10|HE|Issue=10}}
Despite his mutations providing the Didact with a resistance to the Composer's power, they were not able to protect him from the raw destructive force of neural physics from five Composers exploding all at once and he was digitized and sent to the outer boundaries of the [[Domain]].{{Ref/Reuse|Epi5}} The Didact later learned that the Composer's power had burned away the [[Gravemind]]'s [[logic plague|corruption]] aside from echoes of it that he was still holding onto, restoring the Didact's sanity.{{Ref/Reuse|Epi20}}
{{Clear}}
{{Clear}}


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File:Composer_through_window.jpg|The Composer as seen through a hallway window on Ivanoff Station.
File:Composer_through_window.jpg|The Composer as seen through a hallway window on Ivanoff Station.
File:H4-MantlesApproach-Composer.jpg|The Composer inside ''Mantle's Approach''.
File:H4-MantlesApproach-Composer.jpg|The Composer inside ''Mantle's Approach''.
File:HTMCC-H4 DidactComposer 1.png|The [[Ur-Didact]] preparing to unleash the Composer on Earth.
File:H4-Midnight-Composer-Panorama.jpg|Panoramic view of the Composer firing on Earth.
File:H4-ComposerDevice-PreFiring.jpg|The Composer priming to fire on Earth.
File:H4-ComposerDevice-PreFiring.jpg|The Composer priming to fire on Earth.
File:H4-Midnight-Composer-Panorama.jpg|Panoramic view of the Composer firing on Earth.
File:HTMCC-H4 DidactComposer 2.png|The Ur-Didact directing the Composer from within.
File:H4 Composer effects.jpg|Scientists being digitized by the Composer.
File:H4 Composer effects.jpg|Scientists being digitized by the Composer.
File:H4 Tillson being digitized.jpg|Dr. Tillson undergoing the fatal effects of the Composer.
File:H4 Tillson being digitized.jpg|Dr. Tillson undergoing the fatal effects of the Composer.
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*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Point of Light]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Point of Light]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Epitaph]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: The Machine Breaks]]'' {{Mo}}


==Notes==
==Notes==

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