The Forerunner

Summary

The "Forerunner(s)" is the translated Covenant name for the race that built the Halos. It is theorized that this same race is responsible for the artifact that was found on Reach, and on Sigma Octanus IV.

File:CFsymbols.jpg

Forerunner symbols or possibly their language

The artifacts appear to have originated on different worlds, but have somehow made it onto these other planets. These artifacts are our only means of finding information about the Forerunner.

In the second game, Halo 2, 343 Guilty Spark explains that after exhausting every other strategic option in their struggle against The Flood, the Forerunners activated the Halos, destroying themselves along with all other sentient life of suffiecient biomass to sustain the Flood within three radii of the galactic center. Some speculate that the Forerunners might be alive in another galaxy.

It is argued that the Forerunner may be connected with the Jjaro from Bungie's previous games. The similarities are apparent.

Forerunners and humans?

Both the games and novels contain content that has led to speculation that the Forerunner species is somehow linked to homo sapiens of the 26th century. This section will synopsize the material in question.

Monitor 343 Guilty Spark says to the Master Chief in Halo, "The installation was specifically built to study and contain the Flood. Their survival as a race was dependent upon it. I am grateful to see that some of them survived to reproduce." Later, when 343 talks about activating the installation, he says, "Last time, you asked me, if it was my choice, would I do it? Having considerable time to ponder your query, my answer has not changed." The Halo installations seen in the games and novels also appear to have the same gravity and atmosphere as Earth; it would make sense that the Forerunner would attempt to make the Halos similar to their homeworld.

Late in the first Halo game, during a cutscene in the level, "The Maw", 343 is shown pulling data out of the Pillar of Autumn's data core while saying, "Amazing! A record of all our lost time. Oh I shall enjoy every moment of its categorization...." Clearly another link between humans and Forerunners. Another link is that only humans can activate the rings, and only humans are Reclaimers. At the end of Halo 2, as the remaining rings are left periously in standby after their firings are averted, Commander Miranda Keyes asks 343 Guilty Spark where one (i.e. the High Prophet of Truth) would go to remotely fire all the Halo rings. His response, full of surprise at the query, is "The Ark". The Arbiter then approaches from behind and asks "And where, Oracle, is that?". Before 343 answers his question, the cutscene transitions to show Truth's ship arriving outside Earth's orbit.

The novels also appear to offer hints about the link between humans and Forerunners. Several Spartans recognize Forerunner symbols but they can't quite place them, which suggests that they are most likely deep in the subconcious. In Halo: The Flood, the Master Chief just 'knows' how to activate the lightbridge, for some strange reason; the same appears true when he activates the Silent Cartographer. In Halo: First Strike, the Spartans just "know" how to operate the Wraith tanks. If the Covenant did indeed salvage technology from the Forerunners, then that might explain it.

Halo 3 may also offer more clues or explanations. In the game's E3 announcement trailer, the vast Forerunner object the Master Chief observes resembles an earlier sketch that says "Ark" and Dervish, the early name for the Arbiter.

Combat Skin Theory

On the Library (Level) 343 Guilty Spark wonders why the Master Chief had brought "such ineffective weapons" to combat the Flood, and recommends that the Chief upgrades from the MJOLNIR armour, which, according to some Forerunner ranking system, the criteria of which is not gone into, is only Class 2, to a Class 12 Combat Skin, which 343 says is necessary to combat the Flood.

Here 343 is referring to Combat Skin as a type of armour where the MJOLNIR armour is Class 2. However, later 343 talks about the Flood changing the atmosphere, he says "Your Environment Suit should serve you well..." implying that the MJOLNIR armour in Forerunner terms is an Environment Suit.

The differing nomenclature suggests that the two items 343 refers to are different, i.e. your armour is what he refers to as the 'Environment Suit', and your 'Combat Skin' is the Chief's flesh and body.

Which brings up an intesting idea about the Forerunner. There is no evidence that speaks of any physical Forerunner form, save a Forerunner Hand print that may just be a computer pattern. Therefore the forerunner could have no body and lead a life much like a parasite. So it's possible that the Forerunner is an entity inside the Master Chief's body.

Chief certainly seems to know how to use Forerunner technology even though he's not supposed to have come across it before, and when 343 Guilty Spark first sees Master Chief he seemed to recognise him. Perhaps 343 didn't recognise the Chief's physical form but something IN the Chief.

This theory brings up other possibilities that maybe the Flood are a type of Forerunner either a branch on the evolutionary tree or some kind of genetic enhancement of the orginial Forerunner. This could go the other way of course, maybe the Forerunner is the spawn of the Flood, a weapons program gone wrong.

It could also explain why all the doors on Halo are different sizes, because depending on which being the Forerunners were inhabiting, different sized portals may have been necessary. The idea that 343 Guilty Spark isn't actually talking to the Chief could account for the perception that Guilty Spark thinks the Chief has set off Halo before - he doesn't think the Chief has at all, as he is actually addressing the Forerunner in John-117's head, who have/has set Halo off before, and having done so were forced to inhabit the forms of the very creatures they sought to contain. this is backed by the fact that 343 Guilty Spark says when they are ready to set off halo "last time you asked me, if it was my choise would i do it?".