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{{Article Quote|I am a monument to all your sins.<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''' level ''[[Gravemind (level)|Gravemind]]''</ref>}}
{{Article Quote|I am a monument to all your sins.<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''' level ''[[Gravemind (level)|Gravemind]]''</ref>}}
A '''Gravemind'''<ref>''[[High Charity (level)|High Charity]]'', ''Cortana: "Flood controlled dropships are touching down all over the city! That creature beneath the Library, that 'Gravemind', used us. We were just a diversion."''</ref> ('''''Inferi sententia''''', meaning ''"Thinking Dead"''), formally known as a '''compound intelligence''',<ref>'''Halo 3''', ''[[Terminal/Halo 3#Terminal Five|Terminal 5]]''</ref><ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''', [[Library (feature)|Library]]: ''Proto-Compound Intelligence''</ref> is a Flood form that serves as the controlling consciousness of the entire [[The Flood|Flood]] species. A Gravemind manifests as a near-omniscient intelligence existing throughout all Flood forms, with a huge body composed of Flood biomass serving as its central "brain."
A '''Gravemind'''<ref>''[[High Charity (level)|High Charity]]'', ''Cortana: "Flood controlled dropships are touching down all over the city! That creature beneath the Library, that 'Gravemind', used us. We were just a diversion."''</ref> ('''''Inferi sententia''''', meaning ''"Thinking Dead"''), formally known as a '''compound intelligence''',<ref>'''Halo 3''', ''[[Terminal/Halo 3#Terminal Five|Terminal 5]]''</ref><ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''', [[Library (feature)|Library]]: ''Proto-Compound Intelligence''</ref> is a Flood form that serves as a hub for the shared consciousness of the entire [[The Flood|Flood]] species.


==Life cycle==
 
==Overview==
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, and the remainder of its mind is destroyed. In addition, it appears each Gravemind also retains the memories and knowledge of previous Graveminds.<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]'''</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 [[05-032 Mendicant Bias|Mendicant Bias]], he compared himself to the AI, describing it as "a single intelligence inhabiting multiple [[wikipedia:Class (computer science)|instances]]" and calling himself "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, his 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.
 
===Life cycle===
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, nearby [[Flood combat form|combat forms]] will continue to supply it 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. This critical mass tends to be in the thousands, if using human-sized bodies as a measuring unit.
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, nearby [[Flood combat form|combat forms]] will continue to supply it 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. This critical mass tends to be in the thousands, if using human-sized bodies as a measuring unit.


When the Flood assimilate the entire ecosystem of a planet, a Gravemind will evolve into a [[Key Mind]]. These enormous nodes of the Flood collective consciousness possess tremendous processing power, being able to outsmart even the most powerful [[Forerunner]] artificial intelligences.<ref name="silentium">'''Halo: Silentium''', ''String 18''</ref> Eventually, when the Flood infection has become too large for even the Key Minds to control — or when all life in the galaxy has been consumed — the Flood infection will reach the [[Intergalactic Stage]]. At this point, the Flood will use all resources that it has at its disposal to leave the galaxy, with the intent to create a new Gravemind elsewhere.
When the Flood assimilate the entire ecosystem of a planet, a Gravemind will evolve into a [[Key Mind]]. These enormous nodes of the Flood collective consciousness possess tremendous processing power, being able to outsmart even the most powerful [[Forerunner]] artificial intelligences.<ref name="silentium">'''Halo: Silentium''', ''String 18''</ref> Theoretically, when the Flood infection has become too large for even the Key Minds to control — or when all life in the galaxy has been consumed — the Flood infection will reach the [[Intergalactic Stage]]. At this point, the Flood will use all resources that it has at its disposal to leave the galaxy, with the intent to create a new Gravemind elsewhere.
 
===Appearance==
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.
 
[[File:GravemindCloseup.png|thumb|250px|Installation 05's Gravemind with [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee and [[SPARTAN-II Program|Spartan]] [[John-117]].]]
 
===Communication===
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. 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.
 
The Gravemind encountered by Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 and the Arbiter on Installation 05 had shaped one of its tentacles into a massive "mouth" composed of fleshy, leaf-like jaws; this organ allowed the Gravemind to vocalize without need for telepathy.


==Description==
===Personality===
The first known Gravemind, known as the [[Primordial]] or "the Captive" by Forerunners, bore little resemblance to its later incarnations. It took the form of a large, multi-limbed, humanoid Flood form. It is unclear as to whether this entity was the intelligence of the Gravemind inhabiting an infected [[Precursor]], if it was a Flood form composed of many hosts merged together, or if it was simply a "pure" Flood form created to serve as the Gravemind's body.
 
{{Quote|Now the gate has been unlatched, headstones pushed aside. Corpses shift and offer room, a fate you must abide!|The Gravemind after [[Prophet of Truth|Truth]]'s death.}}


The Gravemind encountered during the Human-Covenant War was a massive Flood form, with an amorphous body composed of numerous tentacles. One of the larger tentacles ended in a massive "mouth" composed of fleshy, leaf-like jaws; This organ allows the Gravemind to vocalize. During its time beneath [[Installation 05]]'s [[Library]], some of its tentacles grew to be miles long and stretched throughout the Installation.
[[File:Gravemind.svg|200px|thumb|right|The avatar of the Gravemind as seen in the [[Terminal]]s.]]


[[File:GravemindCloseup.png|thumb|250px|Installation 05's Gravemind with [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee and [[SPARTAN-II Program|Spartan]] [[John-117]].]]
Although multiple Graveminds have existed throughout time, they share an obscure, complex and highly intelligent personality. When he was first seen by the Master Chief and the Arbiter, he was calm and collected, if not seemingly sad or mournful, and he spoke with a sullen tone in his voice. He was also quite logical, 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]]. Later, though, the Gravemind showed a more emotional side, basking in his victory at ''High Charity'', and displaying a sinister air of anger when demanding answers from the newly captured [[Cortana]].
The Gravemind, like the proto-Gravemind from which it formed, is made up of countless infected corpses. Gravemind references this fact often, often calling his current whereabouts an empty grave or burial mound. Even its name, "Gravemind", references this: it is the mind of the grave. The consciousness of the Gravemind is formed from the accumulated intelligence and memories of every Flood host ever consumed.  


The Gravemind is the controlling intelligence behind the parasitic Flood species. When a creature is assimilated into the Flood, its knowledge is transferred directly to the Gravemind, and the remainder of its mind is destroyed. In addition, it appears each Gravemind also retains the memories and knowledge of previous Graveminds.<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]'''</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 [[05-032 Mendicant Bias|Mendicant Bias]], he compared himself to the AI, describing it as "a single intelligence inhabiting multiple [[wikipedia:Class (computer science)|instances]]" and calling himself "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, his 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.  
It is also known to be quite manipulative: in ''Halo 2'', Gravemind tricks the Chief into being a decoy to distract the [[Hierarchs|High Prophets]] as he attempts to take over ''High Charity'', and in ''Halo 3'', he helps the Master Chief and the Arbiter to kill the [[Prophet of Truth]], only to betray them when they have outlived their usefulness. It is also notable that the original Gravemind was able to convince the Forerunner AI [[05-032 Mendicant Bias|Mendicant Bias]] to join his cause and turn his fleet upon the Forerunners by telling him that the Flood are the next step of evolution and that the Forerunners are denying it.


It is widely believed that the Gravemind uses some form of telepathy to command its disparate Flood components. This theory is reinforced by the Gravemind's ability to communicate with John-117 during the events of ''[[Halo 3]]'' - he appears to speak directly to John's mind. However, this may have been an example of the Gravemind somehow contacting John's [[SPARTAN neural interface|neural interface]].
Throughout nearly all encounters with the Gravemind, it has shown a fondness for speaking in poetic style - specifically, iambic heptameter. When pressed about this detail by Cortana, it states that'' "I have the memories of many poets far beyond your limited human culture. And I have the quickness of intellect to compose all manner of poetic forms as I speak rather than labor over mere words for days."''<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''' - ''"Human Weakness"'', ''pages 373-374''</ref>


Like all Flood, the Gravemind itself is genderless; however, most characters have interpreted its personality as being masculine, and some have referred to it as a "he". Given that the Gravemind is a being composed of millions of absorbed consciousnesses, such a distinction really has no meaning.
Like all Flood, the Gravemind itself is genderless; however, most characters have interpreted its personality as being masculine, and some have referred to it as a "he". Given that the Gravemind is a being composed of millions of absorbed consciousnesses, such a distinction really has no meaning.
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After the Chief rescued Cortana, the Gravemind became enraged, realizing that she planned to use the incomplete Halo to destroy him. He attempted to kill them both but failed as the Chief successfully destroyed ''High Charity'', presumably killing the Gravemind. But after traveling to Installation 04B, the Chief discovered that the Gravemind was attempting to rebuild himself on the new Halo. Despite his best efforts the Gravemind failed to stop the Chief. In the end, the Gravemind is thought to have been destroyed once and for all, as Halo's activation destroyed itself, the Ark,<ref>'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 14''</ref> and the Flood.
After the Chief rescued Cortana, the Gravemind became enraged, realizing that she planned to use the incomplete Halo to destroy him. He attempted to kill them both but failed as the Chief successfully destroyed ''High Charity'', presumably killing the Gravemind. But after traveling to Installation 04B, the Chief discovered that the Gravemind was attempting to rebuild himself on the new Halo. Despite his best efforts the Gravemind failed to stop the Chief. In the end, the Gravemind is thought to have been destroyed once and for all, as Halo's activation destroyed itself, the Ark,<ref>'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 14''</ref> and the Flood.
==Personality==
{{Quote|Now the gate has been unlatched, headstones pushed aside. Corpses shift and offer room, a fate you must abide!|The Gravemind after [[Prophet of Truth|Truth]]'s death.}}
[[File:Gravemind.svg|200px|thumb|right|The avatar of the Gravemind as seen in the [[Terminal]]s.]]
The Gravemind has an obscure and complex personality. When he was first seen by the Master Chief and the Arbiter, he was calm and collected, if not seemingly sad or mournful, and he spoke with a sullen tone in his voice. He was also quite logical, 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]]. Later, though, the Gravemind showed a more emotional side, basking in his victory at ''High Charity'', and displaying a sinister air of anger when demanding answers from the newly captured [[Cortana]].
In ''Halo 3'', his personality undergoes a similar progression. [[Floodgate|Early on]], he is shown to have a calm and collected personality, [[the Covenant (level)|but once the activation of the Ark is prevented]], the Gravemind bursts into a victorious, maniacal laugh, briefly boasting in iambic heptameter. In the following level, [[Cortana (level)|Cortana]], a broader spectrum of his personality is asserted. He begins with his calm and collected voice, as well as a slightly confident tone. As the Chief finds his way deeper into ''High Charity'', however, the Gravemind becomes more irritated by his progress, and begins to shout at him. Once Cortana is rescued, the Gravemind begins to emit a series of mangled, animal-like roars, and speaks in an infuriated tone. In [[halo (Halo 3 level)|the final level]] of ''Halo 3'', Flood Dispersal Pods crash onto [[Installation 04B]], and the Gravemind begins to speak again, this time in an angry yet confident tone.
The mostly collected and impassive tone that is frequently heard from it can be justified by his implied near omniscience; his knowledge of the present and ability to accurately predict the future means that he has little reason to worry about anything. He only becomes truly irritated or angry when an unforeseen event happens, or when there is something he doesn't know. Triggers for his anger include Cortana's secrets and the Chief's ability to rescue her. When defeated, he shows sadness, not anger; it may be that he has become used to omniscience, and is only truly angered when he is wrong. This is supported by the fact that in the level Cortana, his tone quickly changed to confidence and almost amusement when he realized parts of the Master Chief's objective (with phrases such as "''Of course, you came for ''her''! We exist ''together'' now. Two corpses in one grave''").
He is also known to be quite manipulative: in ''Halo 2'', Gravemind tricks the Chief into being a decoy to distract the [[Hierarchs|High Prophets]] as he attempts to take over ''High Charity'', and in ''Halo 3'', he helps the Master Chief and the Arbiter to kill the [[Prophet of Truth]], only to betray them when they have outlived their usefulness. It is also notable that the original Gravemind was able to convince the Forerunner AI [[05-032 Mendicant Bias|Mendicant Bias]] to join his cause and turn his fleet upon the Forerunners by telling him that the Flood are the next step of evolution and that the Forerunners are denying it.
The Gravemind is not violent when it doesn't benefit him; this is what makes a Gravemind a key point in Flood evolution. Unlike the savage and bloodthirsty Combat and Pure Forms that precede and obey him, the Gravemind is able to put aside differences when it is necessary for its continued survival.
By the end of the game, the Gravemind gives a short monologue in a disheartened tone, cryptically admitting that he knows he can do nothing to stop his fate, which he believes was unjustly forced upon him. He says that the activation of Installation 04B will only add time ''"to a sentence [he] never deserve [d]"''. This seems to suggest that the Gravemind does not understand why the living races hate the Flood; indeed, he seems to think that it is only natural to absorb all life in the universe.
Throughout nearly all encounters with the Gravemind, he has shown a fondness for speaking in poetic style - specifically, iambic heptameter. When pressed about this detail by Cortana, he states that'' "I have the memories of many poets far beyond your limited human culture. And I have the quickness of intellect to compose all manner of poetic forms as I speak rather than labor over mere words for days."''<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''' - ''"Human Weakness"'', ''pages 373-374''</ref>


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
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*In ''Halo 3'', the Gravemind's face is never shown, unlike in ''Halo 2'', when he is shown in his introductory cinematic.
*In ''Halo 3'', the Gravemind's face is never shown, unlike in ''Halo 2'', when he is shown in his introductory cinematic.
*In several [[Forerunner]] data logs, the controlling intelligence of the Flood is referred to as a "[[wikipedia:Social insect|Compound Mind]]".
*In several [[Forerunner]] data logs, the controlling intelligence of the Flood is referred to as a "[[wikipedia:Social insect|Compound Mind]]".
*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}} Parallels can also be drawn with [[w:c:StarCraft:Overmind|Overmind]] from the ''[[w:c:StarCraft:StarCraft|StarCraft]]'' franchise, the graboids from the ''[[wikipedia:Tremors (film)|Tremors]]'' movie series, the [[w:c:deadspace:Brethren Moons|Brethren Moons]] from the survival-horror game ''[[w:c:deadspace:Main page|Dead Space]]'', and even Sauron from ''[[Wikipedia:Lord of the Rings|Lord of the Rings]]''.
*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}} Parallels can also be drawn with [[w:c:StarCraft:Overmind|the Overmind]] from the ''[[w:c:StarCraft:StarCraft|StarCraft]]'' franchise and the [[w:c:deadspace:Brethren Moons|Brethren Moons]] from the survival-horror game ''[[w:c:deadspace:Main page|Dead Space]]''.
*Originally, the Gravemind was meant to have skulls as teeth; this was cut from ''Halo 2'' and ''Halo 3'' because it would have made it difficult for the parasite to speak.<ref>'''[[The Art of Halo]]''', page 56-57</ref>
*Originally, the Gravemind was meant to have skulls as teeth; this was cut from ''Halo 2'' and ''Halo 3'' because it would have made it difficult for the parasite to speak.<ref>'''[[The Art of Halo]]''', page 56-57</ref>
*The Gravemind frequently speaks in [[Wikipedia:trochaic|trochaic]] [[Wikipedia:heptameter|heptameter]]. In ''Human Weakness'', it was revealed that this is merely preference and he converses normally with Cortana after she criticizes him for it. He also mentions that he possesses the memories of poets of many alien cultures.
*The Gravemind frequently speaks in [[Wikipedia:trochaic|trochaic]] [[Wikipedia:heptameter|heptameter]]. In ''Human Weakness'', it was revealed that this is merely preference and he converses normally with Cortana after she criticizes him for it. He also mentions that he possesses the memories of poets of many alien cultures.
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