unforum

[TheBiggestSean]

[Chupacabra]

[AngriBuddhist]

They have had other forces out mopping up different situations. Probably hunting down other "Artifacts". Earth is the last stop and they all want to be there for the big party. That's all right though, more for me to blast come Midnight Nov. 8th.

[TheBiggestSean]

{wild (likely incorrect) spec}

I think there's more than that.

The Covenant aren't governed by idiots. They know that Earth is more than just a physical stronghold, it's a political and morale focal point. Once we lose Earth... that's it. What else are we to do?

There are great risks in committing all or most of your forces to on strike, especially to have most of them eliminated. This does not concern me.

The fact that the High Prophet barely bats an over-sized froggy eyelash about the loss of his main strike group of Crusaders worries and confuses me. The Prophets are hiding something from the rest of the Covenant.... that much is clear. They're also worried about their power base, because they're focusing more on using the Brutes as lackeys, and the Elites... don't like that. At all. With such uncontested political power against such massive military might, the Prophets needed a physical hammer ot wield alongisde their mental sickel, and the Brutes give them that.

But why? The question ever remains WHY? What possible reason do the Prophets have to be afraid of their own army, their own society. They created it, they control it, almost completely by sheer will, because they've never had the actual muscle to back up any sort of prophecy they make. They prophesize only the events that come true, and anyone who happens to know about one that DOESN'T.... well. Tartarus (who appears to be the head-honcho Brute) probably has a nice tally of executions at this point.

So again, the question of what's so important to the Prophets that they suddenly need this muscle, this physical backing to their otherwise ethereal power, remains dominant among my speculations, and draws me closer to an old theory I had that I've recently resurrected.

The Prophets are leaving. Where are they going? Well, where did the Forerunner go? Did they all die? Surely they didn't sacrifice themselves.

They kept the Flood alive for study... by whom? Future generations of random sapient beings? Ridiculous. Underinformed creatures could only release the Flood upon the galaxy again and start the whole mess over.

So what the hell happened to them?

They left. Where did they go? I bet you that map tells you, and I bet you it has NOTHING to do with THIS universe. The Prophets are looking for something, something very particular, that they think will solidify their enlightenment. They're buying... that's right... a stairway.

To heaven.

Or the enlightened equivalent of existing on a higher plane of reality. What ELSE would the Forerunner have hidden so thoroughly? It would be important that whatever civilization evolves after the first Great Purge of the Flood would have a way to contacting the Forerunner directly to A.) free them from their ethereal existence or prison, or B.) understand all the great joys and wonders they left behind for exactly what they were.

The Prophets think they're going somewhere big, and it COULD be something as big literally getting a heart to heart with the beings you revere as Gods. A Great Journy? A pilgrimage?

We'll find out. One way or the other, humanity is stuck in the middle of it, with NO Earthly (no pun intended) idea of what this little alien stopwatch is REALLY doing.

I friggen love this game. SO MANY POSSIBILITES.

[Buzzkill247]

Bungie seems to have a theme going...
Halo ring - covenant thought it was a weapon - it wasn't - of sorts
Crystals - Thought it might be a weapon - it wasn't
Artifact - ????

Possible pattern here? Maybe the covenant in the religious idealology is blinded as mentioned in Cortanas 4th Letter from Marathon. There is a possibility that this is simply what the Prophets are telling the Covenant to mobilize them in their support - but not really the truth. There's where the mystery lies.... Not much is known about the prophets or their aims. Are they searching for a super-weapon for mass Xenocide? Or maybe a gateway to Nirvana/Utopia/Heaven? Is it possible that the Prophets are some longs lost decendant of the Forerunners (as has even been eluded to about the human race) and are simply trying to find a way to reach their ancestors - whereever they may have gone?

Ah yes.... oh the possibilities.....

[slitheryd]

Somewhat related, and this is probably a trout, but amazon's Halo2 page lists as "features": Covenant forces attack Earth, another Halo ring comes into play, and the Master Chief takes the battle to the Covenant.

That other Halo ring must be where Halsey went with the Spartan she "kidnapped" towards the end of First Strike. How is the MC going to get there? Either some Forerrunner artifact presumably will transport him, or the Covenant will be defeated at Earth and he'll go there normally via ship, or they'll smuggle him out. I'd guess #1.

[archon]

[Buzzkill247]

[Phaedra]

[kevjuice]

buzzkill, halo WAS a weapon. what the crystal was used for was never determined. all they knew about it before that one drunk dude blew it to hell was that it distorted slipspace. and i dont have a clue what this new artifact is. i hear rumors a while ago that it could have been the 343. because they said it was a tire sized artifact. but im sure those rumors were put to rest long ago.

[Platonix]

[Ceantari]

[theodred]

At the start of Fall of Reach theres a mention of the new translation programs that were being used by the spartans.

[jellyfish_green]

[SpghEddy]

Toasterspace?