Great Purification

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"Activation is murder. A genocide larger than [this galaxy] has ever known. We are sworn to protect life, not destroy it! That is the Mantle we were given to carry."

— The IsoDidact, protesting the firing of the rings

The Great Purification was the culminating act of the Forerunner-Flood war, when the seven rings of the Halo Array were fired. The rings' combined pulses scoured the entire Milky Way galaxy, disabling the Flood and wiping out all vertebrate life that was not safely outside its range at the Ark. The effects of the firing had lasting effects on the galaxy for the next 100 millennia, marking the end of the Forerunner ecumene and eventually leading to the rise of the Covenant.

Background

"The Flood cover more of our galaxy with each passing day. They feast on the essence of life itself. The only way to stop their advance is to remove that life upon which they feast."

— The Master Builder discussing the necessity of the Halo Array with the Librarian

The Great Purification was not the first time a Halo had been fired. A ring of the original array had been fired by the Master Builder at Charum Hakkor to test its effect on the native wildlife. Later a pulse was fired on Janjur Qom to punish the San'Shyuum there who rebelled against the Forerunners. At the Battle of the Capital Mendicant Bias took control of five of the nearby rings (which had been assembled for decommissioning) and fired them all. The last use before the combined wave from the Array was at the Battle of the greater Ark, when Omega Halo was fired, damaging a Precursor star road.

Effects

"This installation has a successful utilization record of 1.2 trillion simulated and one actual. It is ready to fire on demand."

— 2401 Penitent Tangent

Legacy

"Halo! Its divine wind will rush through the stars, propelling all who are worthy along the path to salvation."

— The Prophet of Mercy