Editing Proto-Gravemind

{{Era|Forerunner|HCW|Post}}

{{Cleanup}}

{{Flood Species Infobox

The '''Proto-Gravemind''', also known as the '''Brain Form'''<ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia (2011)''', ''page 167''</ref> or the '''Proto-Compound Intelligence''',<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''', ''[[Library (feature)|Library]]''</ref> is an advanced [[Flood]] form created from the biomass of the most intelligent living organisms available, with the ultimate goal of creating a fully-functional [[Gravemind]].

Proto-Graveminds are created when the Flood has amassed sufficient bodies and minds to become sentient. In order to create a viable "mind", large numbers of Flood forms and corpses are merged into a globular mass, which uses the combined knowledge derived from each host. They are usually formed in order to handle advanced tasks, such as piloting a [[starship]], in which case Flood forms will merge as many hosts as possible with that knowledge, such as former pilots and officers. Rather than completely destroying a victim's consciousness, as a normal Flood form generally does, it interrogates its victims slowly, allowing their nervous systems to feed it information. The form tortures the host's mind with a loud buzzing sound, thus erasing all thought. Only after the host is stripped of all knowledge is the host killed by the Proto-Gravemind, although it is sometimes possible for a host to die before the Flood form has a chance to assimilate all of its memories.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Flood]]'''</ref>

[[File:Flood Brain Form.jpg|thumb|150px|right|A small proto-Gravemind.]]

Presumably due to their knowledge and high level of intelligence, [[San'Shyuum]] are sometimes used to form the core "mind" of a Proto-Gravemind, such as the [[Minister of Etiology]] aboard ''[[Infinite Succor]]''.<ref name="InfiniteSuccor">'''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]''', ''[[The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor]]''</ref>

Proto-Graveminds often pilot complex vehicles that require trained pilots, such as space-borne vessels. While [[Flood combat form|combat forms]] can easily, albeit clumsily, pilot smaller vehicles like [[Warthog]]s, [[Scorpion Tank|Scorpions]], [[Type-26 Wraith|Wraiths]], and [[Type-32 Ghost|Ghosts]], Proto-Graveminds are needed for larger vehicles such as a starship. Since the Proto-Gravemind is stationary, it is likely that it directs nearby combat forms to pilot the ships, similar to the way a fully-formed Gravemind will direct Flood forms to execute battle strategies or other complex tasks.

 

Proto-Graveminds are capable of jamming or distorting radio signals within a significant radius around them. The means by which they do this is unknown; however, it may be related to the unexplained telepathy the Flood use to communicate with one another. In one instance, a Proto-Gravemind was shown to be capable of both jamming a real transponder signal and replicating it from its own position to draw in nearby human forces.<ref name="Flood" />

The Proto-Gravemind must grow incredibly in size to reach its next stage of evolution, known as a [[Gravemind]], a near-omniscient Flood form made of thousands of host bodies infused with the knowledge of each host that was used to make the Gravemind.<ref>'''[[The Art of Halo]]'''</ref> Graveminds are created once a Proto-Gravemind reaches a certain "critical mass" and develops a centralized intelligence. This happens only on extremely rare occasions, usually because the Flood is seldom loose on a large enough scale to allow Proto-Graveminds to grow large enough to become a Gravemind. Only two Graveminds are known to have ever been created; however, they seem to have the same memories, since the Gravemind present during the [[Human-Covenant War]] possessed detailed knowledge concerning the [[Forerunner-Flood war]] and even described the actions of the previous Gravemind during that time period as if they were its own.

[[File:HCE_ProtoGravemind_Concept.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Early concept art of a proto-Gravemind.]]

The first recorded Proto-Gravemind was discovered on the surface planet of the Forerunner [[shield world]] [[Etran Harborage]] during a massive Flood outbreak in [[2531]]. Judging by its huge size and its connection to several [[Flood Colony|Flood colonies]], it is likely that this Proto-Gravemind was on the verge of becoming a Gravemind. This Proto-Gravemind was destroyed by UNSC forces led by [[Sergeant]] [[John Forge]] and Spartan [[Red Team]]. It had been duplicating Professor [[Ellen Anders]]' transponder signal to lure in the UNSC forces and infect them. After the Proto-Gravemind was destroyed, the ''Spirit of Fire's'' forces were able to detect Anders' real signal<ref name="Flood">'''[[Halo Wars]]''', campaign level ''[[The Flood (level)|The Flood]]''</ref> and follow it into the shield world itself.<ref>'''[[Halo Wars]]''', campaign level ''[[Shield World (level)|Shield World]]''</ref><ref>'''[[Halo Wars]]''', campaign level ''[[Cleansing]]''</ref> Its remains were destroyed when the Etran Harborage was destroyed by the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} shortly thereafter.<ref>'''[[Halo Wars]]''', campaign level ''[[Escape]]''</ref>

[[File:CEABrainFormDecay.png|350px|thumb|left|Various human faces from left to right: being absorbed, recently absorbed, absorbed, slightly decayed, moderately decayed, severely decayed.]]

During the [[Battle of Installation 04]], John-117 found a Proto-Gravemind aboard the ''[[Truth and Reconciliation]]''. It is possible that the Proto-Gravemind would have allowed the Flood to use the ''Truth and Reconciliation'' to spread beyond Alpha Halo. This Proto-Gravemind assimilated [[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[Jacob Keyes]] and attempted to learn from him the coordinates of [[Earth]]. Keyes fought with every ounce of willpower he had to prevent the Flood from gaining this information, burying the knowledge deep down within him and forcing the Proto-Gravemind to systematically discard every other memory he possessed. [[John-117]] arrived at the Proto-Gravemind just before the Flood form was about to finally extract the memory it wanted, and punched through the Captain's skull in order to retrieve his [[neural implants]], thereby robbing the Proto-Gravemind of the knowledge of Earth's location for good. The Proto-Gravemind was destroyed shortly thereafter by the [[Covenant]] Special Ops as it was no longer present when human forces captured the ship.<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''', campaign level ''[[Keyes]]''</ref><ref>'''[[Halo: The Flood]]'''</ref>

Another Proto-Gravemind was observed on the Covenant ship ''[[Infinite Succor]]'' at around the same time. This one appeared to be made up of [[Unggoy]], Sangheili, human combat forms, and even animals from the ship's hunting preserve. The form was constructed in the ship's engine room, near the core, probably because the command center of the ship was not accessible to the Flood. This form was destroyed by [[Rtas 'Vadumee]] before it could pilot the ''Infinite Succor'' out of the system.<ref name="InfiniteSuccor"/>

Yet another Proto-Gravemind was present on the [[prison ship]] ''[[Mona Lisa]]'' shortly after the destruction of Installation 04. Flood on board the ship were attempting to access the ship's FTL drive by collecting and absorbing the knowledge of UNSC pilots into this Proto-Gravemind. It was destroyed when [[Ngoc Benti]] killed it with fragmentation grenades.<ref>'''[[The Mona Lisa]]'''</ref>

After [[Voridus]] of the [[Banished]] released the Flood from ''[[High Charity]]'s'' crash site on [[Installation 00]], a Proto-Gravemind quickly formed nearby. One of the tentacles ended up blocking [[Pavium]]'s retreat<ref>'''[[Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare]]''', campaign level ''[[Fighting Retreat]]''</ref> and its existence caused 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>'''[[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> By the time Banished forces discovered the Proto-Gravemind, it was very close to becoming a new Gravemind. Pavium and Voridus led an assault on the creature, aided by the Ark's reactivated Sentinel defense network and [[Mega Turret]]s the Banished constructed nearby. After severely damaging the Proto-Gravemind, impairing its impending transformation into a Gravemind with each attack, the Banished were able to clear out a nearby Sentinel lock and summon a [[Retriever Sentinel]]. With the help of the added firepower of the Retriever, the Banished were able to kill the Proto-Gravemind. With the Proto-Gravemind dead, the Banished and the Ark's Sentinels were finally able to contain the Flood outbreak.<ref>'''[[Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare]]''' campaign level ''[[Manifestation]]''</ref>

*In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', [[plasma grenade]]s do not stick onto the Proto-Gravemind's surface. This is because the Proto-Gravemind is part of the level's BSP geometry.

*The Proto-Gravemind in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' cannot be damaged in any way.

*In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', if one looks carefully, the Proto-Gravemind does move slightly in its place, but not enough to show up on the [[motion tracker]].

**The real reason it doesn't show up on the motion tracker is that the Proto-Gravemind is not a biped but a scenery object.

*When the Proto-Gravemind in ''Halo Wars'' is destroyed, it will spurt liquid everywhere. It is possible that Flood biomass functions like a water balloon, having a solid exterior and being filled with liquid. This is why sniper rifle rounds have little effect on combat forms: the rounds simply pass straight through the liquefied insides, dealing minimal harm to the combat form.

File:Ceaproto.png|A proto-Gravemind in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''.

File:ProtoKeyes.png|John-117 with the Proto-Gravemind.

File:Keyes Protogravemind.jpg|A Proto-Gravemind in [[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|''Halo Combat Evolved: Anniversary''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> terminals]].

File:HW2-Protogravemind.png|A large Proto-Gravemind in ''[[Halo Wars 2]]''.

**''[[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|Terminals]]''

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