Editing Gravemind

{{Status|Canon}}

{{Flood infobox

|image= [[File:HTMCC-H2A Gravemind.png|350px]]

[[File:H2A Gravemind Loadscreen.png|300px|thumb|left|The Gravemind's massive full figure.]]

Around a million years after the downfall of the Precursors,<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 173''</ref> a being later known as the [[Primordial]]—a mutated Precursor—was confined to a Precursor [[stasis capsule]] and placed beneath the surface of a small planetoid at the edge of the [[Milky Way]] by an unknown group of beings, suspected to be ancient Forerunners. Meanwhile, most of the last surviving Precursors converted their bodies into an organic powder, and planned to regenerate back into their original forms at a later time. However, the millions of years that followed rendered the powder defective, and the resurrection process instead yielded malformed, parasitic lifeforms that could assimilate organic matter - the nascent stage of the Flood.

During the course of their onslaught against the humans and San'Shyuum, the Flood would frequently capture, infect, and merge host organisms into unified masses with an encompassing intelligence; Graveminds. Soon after, the Flood collective made the decision to recede from the galaxy, halting the parasite's spread across human-controlled space. The Flood were driven out and retreated from the Milky Way, not to be seen again for another thousand years. While these early Flood were destroyed, and their Graveminds with them, the Flood would return in newer, more capable forms.

The Forerunner military continued to delay the use of the Halos for a time, instead continuing to deploy more conventional strategies against the Flood in the following years.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 374-375''</ref> However, these measures failed to halt the Flood's spread across the Forerunners' ecumene. Entire worlds were engulfed by the Flood and converted to [[key mind]]s, enabling the Flood to control the Precursors' [[neural physics]] constructs and dominate the Forerunners in naval engagements by using [[star road]]s as weapons.{{Ref/Reuse|silentium}}

Through neglect shown by the Monitor of [[Installation 05]], [[2401 Penitent Tangent]], a Flood outbreak occurred a few thousand years after the firing of the Array, and the Gravemind was able to find enough biomass to rebuild itself deep under the [[Library]] of the installation. During the [[Battle of Installation 05]], it assimilated the dead [[Prophet of Regret]] into itself and also captured the [[Monitor]]; possibly as a result of this, the Gravemind was capable of utilizing Delta Halo's [[teleportation grid]]. The Flood intelligence later "rescued" and captured both [[John-117|Master Chief]] and the [[Thel 'Vadam|Arbiter]], when the former fell into a lake while trying to escape from a Covenant ship, and the latter was thrown into a chasm by a traitorous [[Tartarus]]. The Gravemind tried to convince the Arbiter of the true nature of the Halo Array, and proposed a truce to prevent the Covenant from activating the rings and killing them all. It then used the installation's [[teleportation grid]] to teleport them respectively to ''High Charity'' and Delta Halo's control room in order to find the [[Index]].

The Gravemind's warning proved sound: in [[2559#June|June 2559]], [[Banished]] forces on the Ark led by [[Jiralhanae]] brothers [[Pavium]] and [[Voridus]] were sent to scout the shell of [[High Charity]] and salvage the wrecks around it for weapons to use in the Banished's [[Second Ark Conflict|conflict]] with the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}. However, defying orders to leave the former Covenant holy city untouched, Vordius deactivated the Ark's Sentinel defense network and burned a hole in the [[containment shield]] with a [[Barukaza Workshop Scarab]]. The Flood, having survived within the wreckage, were released upon the Ark once more.<ref name="What Could Go Wrong?">'''[[Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare]]''', campaign level ''[[What Could Go Wrong?]]''</ref> The Flood quickly formed a [[Proto-Gravemind]], causing the Flood to develop greater coordination and sophistication as time went on, in particular recognizing the threat posed by the controls to reactivate the Ark's Sentinel defense network.<ref name="The Archive">'''[[Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare]]''', campaign level ''[[The Archive]]''</ref> This Proto-Gravemind retained a measure of the deceased Gravemind's intellect, but the Gravemind's new vessel had to feed and spread in order for the Gravemind to fully manifest once again.<ref name="IH2">'''[[Halo Wars 2]]''', ''[[Phoenix Logs]]'' - ''Proto-Gravemind''</ref>

After reactivating the Ark's Sentinel defense network,{{Ref/Reuse|The Archive}} the Proto-Gravemind was discovered by the Banished. By this point, it was close to becoming a full-fledged Gravemind which the Banished knew from the stories would be virtually unstoppable. Aided by the reactivated Sentinels, the Banished attacked the Proto-Gravemind in an effort to destroy the creature before a new Gravemind could be formed. With the help of a [[Retriever Sentinel]] summoned when the Banished cleaned out a nearby Sentinel lock, the Proto-Gravemind was slain, preventing the rise of a new Gravemind. The Banished and the Ark's Sentinels were then finally able to contain the Flood outbreak.<ref name="Manifestation">'''[[Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare]]''', campaign level ''[[Manifestation]]''</ref>

 

 

The Gravemind is, as its name suggests, the "mind" of the Flood parasite. When a creature is assimilated into the Flood, its knowledge is transferred directly to the Gravemind. In addition, it appears each Gravemind also retains the memories and knowledge of previous Graveminds.<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]'''</ref> This has made the Gravemind virtually omniscient and ensures that should the Gravemind be destroyed, its consciousness will never truly die as long as some Flood forms are left. In an [[Terminal (Halo 3)|archived]] conversation with the Forerunner [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] known as [[Mendicant Bias]], it compared itself to the AI, describing Mendicant Bias as "a single intelligence inhabiting multiple [[wikipedia:Class (computer science)|instances]]" and calling the Gravemind "a compound [intelligence] consisting of a thousand billion coordinated minds inhabiting as many bodies as circumstances require". While it is not known how the Gravemind is able to communicate with subordinate Flood forms across the galaxy, its self-comparison to a computer network implies that similar techniques may be used, with each Flood form possibly acting as a [[Wikipedia:Node (networking)|networking node]] and redistributing the Gravemind's commands to other forms. This is almost certainly related to the Precursor connection to the concept of [[neural physics]], which could enable them to form a trans-sentient network without any need for any conventional communication methods.  

The relationship between individual Graveminds, and specifically whether the mobile forms under the control of one Gravemind would be influenced by another, is not entirely clear. The Forerunners theorized that since the Graveminds are entirely identical in terms of personality and goals, it would be impossible to discern any meaningful distinction between them.{{Ref/Reuse|bestiarum}} In addition, separate collectives under the control of individual Graveminds will seek to connect and coalesce into a unified whole.<ref name="wp flood">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/flood '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Flood'']</ref> It would appear as though multiple Graveminds existing simultaneously simply causes them to function as highly powerful processing nodes for the overall Flood intelligence, essentially acting as key mind forms on an exceptionally large and complex scale. In essence, no matter how many individual Graveminds form, there is still only ''one'' Gravemind intelligence.

[[File:HTMCC-H2A NoSalvationOnThisRing.png|thumb|250px|The Gravemind under Installation 05.]]

A Gravemind originates as a [[proto-Gravemind]]—a Flood form created by merging the bodies and biomass of numerous sentient life forms, as well as redundant Flood forms. After a proto-Gravemind has been created, control over individual Flood forms transfers to its emerging compound intelligence, replacing the localized individual-level control present during the [[Feral Stage]]. Nearby [[Flood combat form|combat forms]] will continue to supply the proto-Gravemind with fresh bodies, allowing it to accumulate mass, increase in size, and gain more memories and intelligence from consumed hosts. Eventually, the proto-Gravemind reaches a certain "critical mass" and becomes self-aware - a Gravemind. By this point, local biodiversity has typically been eliminated with the host species' total absorption into the Flood.{{Ref/Reuse|wp flood}}

When a Flood outbreak progresses far enough, typically the later phases of the [[Interstellar Stage]], the Flood will no longer have need for the widespread creation of [[Flood combat form|dedicated combat forms]], instead simply overwhelming a given location with [[Flood spore|spores]] and using infected individuals to accumulate biomass for a Gravemind and [[Flood hive|its lair]];<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 231-232''</ref> by this point, the Gravemind may create more efficient [[Flood pure form|pure forms]] for combat and other purposes via the spontaneous generation of Flood Super Cells.{{Ref/Reuse|wp flood}} Entire planetary ecosystems are assimilated into advanced [[key mind]] nodes; these enormous collectives possess tremendous processing power, being able to outsmart even the most powerful [[Forerunner]] [[artificial intelligence]]s or control the [[neural physics]]-based architecture of the [[Precursor]]s.<ref name="silentium">'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 186-187''</ref>

A Gravemind is comprised of a combination of pure [[Flood Super Cell]]s and the neural networks of the sentient beings absorbed within.{{Ref/Reuse|bestiarum}} Although its consciousness is distributed throughout all Flood forms in range, a Gravemind is typically, if not always, centralized within a large "body" of Flood tissue derived from the initial proto-Gravemind. In most cases, this body is a shapeless, amorphous mass, typically with numerous tentacles that can reach many miles in length depending on the size of the Gravemind. The Gravemind can rearrange this body as it wishes; during the Flood invasion of ''[[High Charity]]'' during the Human-Covenant War, the Gravemind leading the assault transplanted itself into the station and almost completely engulfed it, converting itself and the station into a Flood hive. As the development of a Gravemind progresses, it will sometimes shed dead biomass to alter its anatomy to a desired shape.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 209''</ref>

[[File:HTMCC-H2A ThisRingWillMakeUsBrothers.png|thumb|250px|Installation 05's Gravemind with [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee and [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan]] [[John-117]].]]

Graveminds have shown the capacity to communicate through non-verbal means; this ability, which can best be described as a form of telepathy, allows a Gravemind to coordinate the Flood forms it controls and to directly converse with uninfected individuals.{{Ref/Reuse|bestiarum}} While this ability is poorly understood, it is likely that given the Flood's [[Precursor]] origins, it is related to the Precursor concept of [[neural physics]].

[[File:Gravemind.svg|200px|thumb|The avatar of the Gravemind as seen in the [[Terminal (Halo 3)|Terminal]]s.]]

Although multiple Graveminds have existed throughout time, sometimes contemporaneously with one another, they all share precisely the same obscure, complex and highly intelligent personality. It also appears to retain the memories of anything and everything it has ever assimilated, even in the case of near-complete annihilation of the Flood. When the Halo array was fired for instance, all Flood biomass in the galaxy was eliminated in its entirety, yet the Gravemind retained its personality and memories when next encountered thousands of years later. This would seem to indicate that the Gravemind has the ability to somehow preserve itself in a non-physical form even if destroyed. When it was first seen by the [[John-117|Master Chief]] and the [[Thel 'Vadam|Arbiter]], the Gravemind was calm and collected, if not seemingly sad or mournful, and it spoke with a sullen tone in its voice. It was also quite logical and rational, psychologically analyzing the duo, and trying to convince the Arbiter of the [[Halo Array|Halo rings']] true purpose, to which the Arbiter reacted with stubborn pride. The Gravemind showed no irritation to this nor the bickering of [[2401 Penitent Tangent]] and the former [[Prophet of Regret]].{{Ref/Reuse|h2gm}} Later, though, the Gravemind showed a more emotional side, basking in its victory at ''High Charity'', and displaying a sinister air of anger when demanding answers from the newly captured [[Cortana]].

The Gravemind often touts to others that the Flood represents peace and salvation. At the same time, however, it is very much aware of the pain and suffering its victims are subjected to. It sees this as fair retribution for the Forerunners' crimes against its Precursor ancestors. According to the Gravemind, the Flood, down to its very nature and the suffering it inflicts, serves as an appropriate reflection and reminder of the pain that the Precursors ultimately brought on themselves by giving their creations free will; it considers itself a "monument" to the sins of other sentient beings. It regards the Flood as a continuation of the Precursors' desire to create life, but unlike before, the life they bring forth would no longer possess free will or individuality. Embittered by the Forerunners' rebellion, the Gravemind saw the Flood as a means to unite all life in eternal misery so that it could never hope to rise against the Precursors again.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 173-175''</ref>

The Gravemind appears to have the ability to sort and isolate memories from specific individuals that it has absorbed and has, in several instances, projected some of the personalities it contains to further its own goals. On Installation 05, it assimilated and reanimated the [[Prophet of Regret]], using him as a puppet in its attempt to convince [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]] of the truth about the Halos.{{Ref/Reuse|h2gm}} During the [[Forerunner-Flood war]], a hundred thousand years earlier, it absorbed the family of [[Faber]], the [[Master Builder]], and used their disillusionment toward the Master Builder to its advantage by taunting him with a message from his family.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 251''</ref>

This corruption can also be applied to organic beings; although the Gravemind most commonly operates by absorbing all sentient biological lifeforms, it instead chose to corrupt the [[Ur-Didact]] in order to use him as a tool to induce strife within Forerunner society. Much like AI corruption in certain occasions (namely, in the case of Cortana), this process involved a direct and agonizing invasion of the Didact's mind, as well as devious exploitation of his existing attitudes and beliefs, leaving his psyche severely disturbed.{{Ref/Reuse|ReferenceA}}

 

On [[The Rubble/Silver|the Rubble]], [[Kwan Ha]] took shelter in a cavern with cave paintings of the Gravemind consuming worlds. Kwan would tell [[Kessler]] about the monster, although [[Soren-066/Silver|Soren]] denied that such a monster existed.{{Ref/Reuse|Sanctuary}}

 

*The Gravemind resembles Audrey 2 from ''[[wikipedia:Little Shop of Horrors (film)|Little Shop of Horrors]]'', a tentacled, plant-like alien who is fed humans to grow and who is bent on world domination. Bungie staff and fans jokingly call it the "''Little Shop of Horrors'' Reject"{{Citation needed}}

*The Gravemind was initially going to have a much greater presence in ''Halo 2'' and would have been introduced in the level [[forerunnertank]], but due to time constraints, Bungie removed the level and instead made a long cinematic for his introduction.

*The Gravemind pictured in the ''Halo 3'' instruction manual looks strikingly similar to Ogdru Jahad's Behemoth manifestation from the 2004 ''Hellboy'' film.

File:H2A Gravemind Render.jpg|A render of the Gravemind model developed for [[Blur Studio]]'s ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' cutscenes.

File:HTMCC-H2A Gravemind&Thel.png|The Gravemind with Thel 'Vadam in ''Halo 2: Anniversary''.

[[Category:Flood forms]]

[[Category:Genderless characters]]