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| {{Status|Canon}} | | {{Era|Forerunner|HCW|Post}} |
| {{Species infobox | | {{References}} |
| |variant=Flood
| | {{Flood infobox |
| |name=Flood spore | | |name=Flood Spore |
| |image=[[File:H2A Epilogue FloodSpore.png|300px]] | | |image=[[File:H2A Render FloodSpore.png|250px]] |
| |latin= | | |height=About the size of a human fingernail |
| |classification=[[Infection form]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} | | |distinctions= |
| |species=[[Flood]] | | |species=[[Flood pure form]] |
| |subspecies= | | |attacks=Suffocates prey, sometimes clogs air filters and infects |
| |diet=
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| |distinctions=Small, chitinous floating organisms comprised of [[Flood Super Cell]]s{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22p404|Enc22|Page=404-405}}
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| }} | | }} |
| {{quote|One single Flood spore can destroy a species.|[[Rtas 'Vadum]]{{Ref/Level|H3|Floodgate}}}} | | {{quote|One single Flood spore can destroy a species.|[[Rtas 'Vadum]]<ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[Floodgate]]''</ref>}} |
| '''Spores''' are the most basic kind of [[infection form]] in the life cycle of the [[Flood]].{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=406-407}} | |
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| ==Overview==
| | '''Spores''' are the most basic of [[Flood]] forms that act as carriers of the parasite's infection. They are also crucial in the formation of [[Flood hive]]s and are an effective method of suffocating future hosts and clearing the area of uninfected hostiles. |
| [[File:OSFM FloodSpore.png|thumb|left|Another look at a spore.{{Ref/Book|OSFM|Page=173}}]]
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| Spores serve as the most basic form of Flood encountered in a given [[Flood outbreak|outbreak]]. They are comprised of [[Flood Super Cell]]s (FSCs) which have encysted themselves to form a chitinous outer layer. This layer protects the cells inside, and allows the spore to float in the air and with the breeze and remain dormant in a given environment for centuries at a time.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22p404}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} The exterior is additionally covered with bulbous growths and ragged spines, which can be crushed if grabbed.{{Ref/Novel|SoI}} However, the shape of spores can be variable, allowing them to shape their form to accommodate their environment.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} | |
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| Upon contact with a suitable host, the spore becomes active and begins to consume the victim it has become attached to - regardless of it is sapient or not. Unlike their larger [[pod infector]] cousins, spores do not immediately convert their host into a [[Flood combat form|combat form]], but instead use them to gestate the production of more FSC and spores - turning the host's biomass into a series of egg-like incubators. This process ultimately culminates with the host gestating larger infection forms inside itself, which then burst free and begin to spread the infection far and wide. This process is extremely painful, as the spores intentionally keep their victims alive while their bodies are reshapen into breeding grounds for future stages of Flood infection. Unfortunately, there is no cure once infected by a spore nor a vaccine which can prevent their infection - or any way to reverse the mutations they inflict. To date, the only known countermeasures for them are containment and incineration.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22p404}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} In some cases, the spore itself may serve as the initial basis for an infection form to grow from.{{Ref/Book|Enc11|Page=20}}
| | ==Description== |
| | Spores are generally airborne, often clogging air filtration systems, allowing for more efficient access to host organisms. When infesting a location, the Flood often uses [[spore mountain]]s or [[Flood dispersal pod|spore capsules]] to quickly disperse spores into a planet's atmosphere and thus expedite the conversion of the local biota.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 232''</ref> The biomass that [[Flood launcher]]s launch at enemies will sometimes manifest into clouds of Flood spores.<ref>'''Halo Wars'''</ref> |
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| The creation of Flood spores is a priority for the Flood, especially during the [[Feral Stage]] of a given outbreak.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22p404}} Upon the establishment of an outbreak, the Flood begin to emit spores into the atmosphere to begin expediting the conversion of the local biosphere as local fauna and flora are converted and broken down. Animals and mangled corpses settled upon by spores are generally turned into static growths such as [[Flood blister|blisters]].{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} Overall, the presence of spores precedes the production of larger and more mobile infection forms, which in turn go on to produce the main drivers of Flood outbreak.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22p404}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} When an outbreak reaches the later phases of the [[Coordinated Stage]], the bodies of those killed in action against the Flood are turned into massive spore towers, or "[[spore mountain]]s",{{Ref/Novel|Id=Sil|HSil|Chapter=String 26}} at the heart of the established [[Blightlands]] - which themselves begin to pump more spores into the planet's atmosphere as the Flood solidifies its victory over a given world.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22p404}} Spores may be weaponised by the establishment of Flood structures such as [[Flood launcher|launchers]], which intentionally launch clouds of spores targted at enemy forces with the aim of forcing them to succumb to infection.{{Ref/Game|HW|[[Flood launcher]] in-game unit}} [[Flood dispersal pod]]s may also be used as a vector to launch spore packets onto a target world,{{Ref/Reuse|Sil}}{{Ref/Level|H3|Halo (Halo 3 level)|Halo}} especially from an infected starship in orbit - though such pods may also be generated in ground-based hives and fired with a discharge of built-up gases.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} Naturally-occurring meteors and comets may also be repurposed by the Flood as carriers for spore deposits - aided by the spores' natural longevity.{{Ref/Anthology|HFra|Defender of the Storm}}
| | While [[Pod infector]]s are the Flood's standard means of infection, it is possible for a compatible host organism to be infected by spores alone. The spores will enter the body and go about interfacing with the host's biology, consuming the victim's biomass and replacing it with Flood biomass, leading to biological transformation.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions''' — ''"The Mona Lisa"''</ref> The [[Prophet of Truth]] was later infected similarly at the [[Battle of the Citadel]].<ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]''</ref> |
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| Once a [[Flood outbreak]] is underway, spores are naturally produced as a byproduct of the infection of other hosts. Combat forms and [[Flood pure form|pure forms]] alike gestate spores within their bodies, which are released when the Flood form is attacked or killed.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22p408|Enc22|Page=408-409}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22p411|Enc22|Page=411}} The [[Gravemind]] itself produces billions of spores from its own body,{{Ref/Book|Enc11|Page=169}} though seems to be able to control their effect and grant selective immunity to potentially useful allies - such as in the case of [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee, who was captured by the Gravemind and exposed to spore contact without an environment suit though was seemingly unaffected by the changes.{{Ref/Level|H2|Gravemind (level)|Gravemind}}
| | ==Trivia== |
| | In ''[[Halo 4]]'''s [[Flood (gametype)|Flood mode]], the infected [[SPARTAN-IV program|Spartan-IVs]] appear to be infected via spores, as they lack the Pod infector's tendrils, and the method of infection is direct contact with a combat form. |
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| ==Gallery== | | ==Gallery== |
| <gallery> | | <gallery> |
| File:H2 - Flood Spores.png|A Flood spore inside [[High Charity]] in ''[[Halo 2]]''. | | File:H3 Flood Spore.jpg|A Flood spore. |
| File:H2 - Flood Spore.png|Flood spores aboard High Charity in ''Halo 2''. | | File:H2 Flood Spore.jpg|Another view of a Flood spore. |
| File:H3 Flood Spore.jpg|A Flood spore in ''[[Halo 3]]''.
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| File:H2A FloodSpore CutsceneRender.jpg|A render of the Flood spore model developed by [[Blur Studio]] for the cutscenes of ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''.
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| File:H2A Render FloodSpore.png|A cutout of the untextured render.
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| </gallery> | | </gallery> |
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| *''[[Halo 3]]'' | | *''[[Halo 3]]'' |
| *''[[Halo Wars]]'' | | *''[[Halo Wars]]'' |
| *''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''
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| **''[[The Mona Lisa]]''
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| *''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' | | *''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' |
| **''[[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|Terminals]]'' | | **''[[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|Terminals]]'' |
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| *''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'' | | *''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'' |
| *''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]'' {{Mo}} | | *''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]'' {{Mo}} |
| *''[[Halo: Fractures]]''
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| **''[[Defender of the Storm]]''
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| *''[[Halo Infinite: Memory Agent]]'' {{Mo}} | | *''[[Halo Infinite: Memory Agent]]'' {{Mo}} |
| *''[[Halo Infinite]]'' {{Mo}}
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| *''[[Halo: Epitaph]]'' {{Mo}}
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| *''[[Halo: The Television Series Season Two]]''
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| **''[[Halo (TV Series)|Halo]]''
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| ==Sources== | | ==Sources== |
