Editing Mantle

{{Era|Forerunner}}

{{Article Quote|Guardianship for all living things lies with those whose evolution is most complete. The Mantle of Responsibility shelters all.}}

[[File:Main-Forerunner.png|thumb|right|The [[Forerunner symbols#Eld|Eld]], an ancient symbol associated with the Mantle.<ref name="requiem">'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Requiem (level)|Requiem]]''</ref>]]

The '''Mantle of Responsibility''',<ref>'''[[Halo 4]]''', campaign level ''[[Epilogue (Halo 4 level)|Epilogue]]''</ref> commonly referred to as the '''Mantle''', is a belief originating with the [[Precursor]]s and later associated with the [[Forerunner]]s. Bridging the social strata between an interstellar [[Wikipedia:Marshall Plan|Marshall Plan]] and a religious, but allegedly benevolent stewardship, the Mantle was the Forerunners' entitlement and responsibility for the protection and cultivation of the species and planetary systems within their domain.<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 164''</ref> The Forerunners' culture and their [[Ecumene Council|central government]] was entirely dictated by the Mantle, as were the religious beliefs of individual Forerunners. The Mantle was based around the concept of [[Living Time]]; "the joy of life's interaction with the Cosmos". This was also the origin of all of the complex rules involved in the Mantle.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 267''</ref>

The Forerunners' beliefs regarding the Mantle were largely fictitious, manufactured during eons long forgotten to justify their self-appointed position of superiority over other species. In truth, the Precursors had chosen [[human]]ity to carry the Mantle.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 364''</ref> Refusing to accept the Precursors' judgment, the Forerunners [[Forerunner-Precursor war|rebelled against their creators]] and drove them to extinction over ten million years before the present.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 173-175''</ref> At the final hour of their civilization, however, the Forerunners chose to hand the Mantle down to humans, as the Precursors had always intended. This is the origin of humanity's status as [[Reclaimer]]s; designated not only as the Forerunners' inheritors, but also destined to assume the Mantle. After the firing of the [[Halo Array]], the small number of surviving Forerunners exiled themselves, believing they should no longer meddle in the affairs of other species.<ref>'''[[Halo: Rebirth]]'''</ref> Not all Forerunners agreed with this decision, however. The [[Ur-Didact]] defied the [[Librarian]]'s favoring of humanity and maintained his belief that only the Forerunners were worthy of the Mantle even 100,000 years later.<ref>'''Halo 4'''</ref>

Some Forerunners doubted the purpose and validity of their version of the Mantle. The [[Librarian]], in particular, had such doubts, and even went so far as to hold it responsible for the downfall of the Forerunners at the hands of the Flood. The then-[[Rampancy|rampant]] [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] [[Mendicant Bias]] believed that the Forerunners used the Mantle to obstruct any change, even that which might eventually be beneficial.<ref name="terminals"/>

==Practices==

{{Quote|The Mantle. [[IsoDidact|You]] still hold to that [belief] after all that has happened? After this thing has consumed a million worlds?<br>Can't you see? Belief in the Mantle sealed our doom! Weakened our [protectorates], bred dependence and sloth. Our [so-called Guardianship] has stripped those we would keep safe of any capacity for self-defense!<br>Were we such noble [Guardians] when [[Maginot Line|we drew our line]] and abandoned billions to [[Flood|the parasite]]?|The [[Librarian]]<ref name="terminals"/>}}

Despite its ultimate ideal to preserve all life, the Forerunners also used the Mantle as a justification for certain questionable practices. As the Forerunners viewed themselves to be above all other species, their [[Warrior-Servant]]s would not hesitate to wipe out those who stood against them, believing that to defy the Forerunners was to show contempt for the Mantle itself.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 50''</ref> Their perceived superiority also caused the Forerunners to sequester themselves from other species; allegedly, this was done to protect and preserve all species, including themselves.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 113''</ref> In addition, the Forerunners considered it heretical for any other species, namely [[prehistoric human civilization|early humanity]], to claim to be true inheritors of the Mantle.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 112''</ref> Rather than allowing every species to rise on their own merits, the Forerunners, following their Mantle, gave them no chance to do so, serving as protectors against any threats that might have forced technological or cultural progression. An unforeseen side-effect was that only the Forerunners were able to hold their own against the Flood, while their charges were unable to defend themselves; the Forerunners had unintentionally left the galaxy vulnerable to Flood infection.<ref name="terminals">'''Halo 3''', ''Terminals''</ref>

The Rule of the Mantle was the fundamental set of instructions involved with the Mantle and the origin of the Forerunners' most sacred rules regarding life.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 31, 312''</ref> The Forerunners' scripture surrounding the Mantle was divided into chapters known as Numbers. Notable Forerunners, such as the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]], would apparently contribute to the Mantle and have their own Numbers which contained short aphorisms or phrases known as Permutations.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''preface'' ("The peaceful one is at war without and within." —The Mantle, Fifth Permutation of the Didact's Number)</ref> The [[Twelve Laws of Making and Moving]] were a central religious text associated with the Mantle often recited in prayers.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 28''</ref> A [[Master of the Mantle]] was an individual, likely a religious official, whose duties included securing a Forerunner's mental patterns and physical remains into a [[Durance]] after an immolation ceremony.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 47-48''</ref>

The Mantle is represented by a glyph comprising a series of angular, branching lines framed by a circle. This glyph is ubiquitous in Forerunner art, architecture and technology due to the Mantle's wholesome influence on every aspect of Forerunner life. Many Forerunners, mainly [[Builder]]s, referred to this symbol as the Tree-mark, due to its resemblance to a heavily stylized tree; among [[Lifeworker]]s, it was also known as the Eld. While the Forerunners had associated the symbol with the Mantle throughout their history, its origin had been long forgotten. The symbol was also observed among the [[Path Kethona Forerunner|primitive Forerunner relatives]] in [[Path Kethona]], who were isolated from the mainline population living in the Milky Way galaxy over ten million years earlier.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 142-143''</ref>

File:H2-Uprising_Eld.png|An iteration of the ubiquitous Eld symbol found on [[Installation 05]] in ''Halo 2''.

File:Ark_symbol.jpg|The Mantle symbol on the Ark's surface.

File:Halo_4_Mantle_inGame.jpg|The Mantle glyph seen on [[Requiem]].

*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' {{1st}}

**''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''

*''[[Halo 2]]''

*''[[Halo 3]]''  

*''[[Halo: Cryptum]]

*''[[Halo: Rebirth]]''

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[[Category:The Forerunner]]