Editing Metarch-class ancilla

{{Status|Canon}}
[[File:Originsmendicant.jpg|300px|thumb|Mendicant Bias, the most capable Metarch ever created by the Forerunners.]]
'''Metarch-class ancilla''',{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=341}}{{Ref/Site|Id=WaypointMendicant|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/mendicant-bias|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Mendicant Bias|D=27|M=09|Y=2020}} or more simply '''Metarchs''', were a class of hyper-advanced [[ancilla]]s created by the [[Forerunners]] to serve the [[Ecumene Council]], and served to administer significant portions of the [[Ecumene]]'s day-to-day operations.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/the-new-halo-encyclopedia-is-out-today|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=The New Halo Encyclopedia is Out Today|D=11|M=03|Y=2023}} Their exclusive nature meant that by law, only five such examples were ever in existence at any given time.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HC30|HCry|Chapter=30}}{{Ref/Site|Id=CryptumGlossary|URL=http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/intel/related/text/cryptum-glossary/62e29c59-a3f9-4b63-af76-def71fda5459|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Cryptum Glossary|D=14|M=03|Y=2014|LocalArchive=Halo: Cryptum/Glossary}}{{Ref/Book|Id=WFGlossary|HWF|Page=91}}

As part of their operation, a given Metarch-class ancilla governed an enormous network of lesser ancilla and [[monitor]]s known as a [[Metarchy]].{{Ref/Reuse|WFGlossary}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=HC32|HCry|Chapter=32}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=HC35|HCry|Chapter=35}} These networks and their commanding Metarchs were tasked with the most large and complicated [[Astroengineering|construction]] projects and were tightly constrained by law.{{Ref/Reuse|HC30}}

A ''sub-metarch'' was a class of ancilla below a metarch. These AIs were commonly assigned to [[Forerunner fleet|flotillas]] of several vessels such as [[Raptor]]s,{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=383}} their intelligence distributed among the ships under their control. While they would only respond to the flotilla's commander, this could be bypassed with the proper verbal override codes. These codes were incredibly complex, consisting of hundreds of random words and numbers.{{Ref/Novel|Sil|Chapter=String 5}}

During the [[Forerunner-Flood war]], the Forerunners activated a new ancilla known as [[Mendicant Bias]]. At the time of its creation, Mendicant Bias was considered to be the most advanced Metarch ever created, so much so that it existed in a class of its own - the {{Class|Contender|artificial intelligence}}.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HC36|HCry|Chapter=36}}{{Ref/Reuse|WaypointMendicant}} Ultimately, Mendicant Bias turned to a servant of the [[Flood]] during the war, resulting in all Metarch-level ancillas undergoing programming by the Forerunners to remove all traces of Mendicant Bias' corrupting influence from their systems.{{Ref/Novel|Sil|Chapter=String 17}} Flood [[Keymind]]s were considered more than a match for a Metarch's intellect.{{Ref/Novel|Sil|Chapter=String 18}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo 3]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo 3)|Terminals]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
**''[[Origins]]''
*''[[Halo: Cryptum]]''
*''[[Halo: Primordium]]''
*''[[Halo: Silentium]]''
*''[[Rebirth]]''
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
*''[[Halo Mythos]]''
*''[[Halo: Fractures]]''
**''[[Promises to Keep]]'' {{Mo}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}
{{Forerunner AI}}
[[Category:Forerunner A.I.| ]]