{{
`${userDetail.user.displayName}${userDetail.user.cachedBungieGlobalDisplayNameCode ? `#${standardizeBungieGlobalCode(userDetail.user.cachedBungieGlobalDisplayNameCode)}` : ""}`}}
{{getUserClans()}}
6/20/2010 11:16:20 PM
18
The Forerunner, the Great Journey, and Heaven Theory V 1.1
The Forerunner, the Great Journey, and Heaven Theory
[b]*Disclaimer*[/b] [i]I will state right off the bat that I am almost one hundred percent sure that this is NOT the story/explanation Bungie/343 Studies will use when explaining the Forerunner. This is intended to be a creative way of thinking about the halo universe and although I state in the title that it is a theory it does contain some of my own (read: unsubstantiated) writing. Said writing is intended to be a helpful guide in explaining what I am talking about. [u]It is not intended to be a proof for any of my conjectures[/u]. This also discusses some religious elements, so those of you that are conservative in your religious teachings I ask only that you consider this possible within a video game. In addition, this is a substantial piece of writing. For those of you who don't like reading or who will not read the whole thing, leave now. As for the rest of you, come with an open mind and consider how this could be possible and I promise you will not be disappointed.[/i]
Version -
1.1 - Added "The Forerunner knew how to clone bodies from DNA samples" to the list of proofs under [b]The Duality of the Halo Array and its Secondary Purpose[/b]. Added a quote from the terminals which suggests the existence of souls to the two conditions I ask the readers to accept at the end of the philosophical piece.
This idea began with exploring the Covenants' explanation of the Great Journey which stated that the Forerunner were able to transcend the physical world and become divine beings by activating the Halo array. While no theory can be one hundred percent correct, I believe also that no theory can be one hundred percent wrong. But if the Halo arrays were meant to destroy life, how could the Covenant possibly be correct?
[quote][/quote]
[b]What We Are[/b]
In order for this theory to work we must first come to an understanding of what exactly we are. Well, that's easy right? We're humans. But I'm trying to dig a little deeper than that. What is the thing that makes us, us? It isn't our bodies. Perhaps, as some scientists and philosophers suggest it is our individual minds, our brain so to speak. The mind-body distinction has been around since the days of Socrates and many find it reasonable to stop there. I however consider there to be a triad as opposed to a duality. Many religions have come to the conclusion that what we are, our very essence and being, is our soul. While the idea of the soul fits into this theory, the mysticism and theology that surround that idea have made it unfavorable to the scientific community. The following is a theory I wrote for a philosophy class (I know what you're thinking, but it is relevant, trust me). It draws HEAVILY on the ideas of Descartes such as [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind-body_dichotomy]Mind-Body Dichotomy[/url] and those of David Hume on [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hume#The_self]the self[/url], particularly [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundle_theory]Bundle Theory[/url]. However, these are my ideas and they remain unsubstantiated.
[b]Although this piece of writing is lengthy, I do not ask that you accept all of it as true[/b]
It is here only to help you have a better understanding of what I am talking about. The only two things I ask you to accept are outlined after this piece.
[Edited on 08.06.2010 3:07 PM PDT]
-
Why this could be true 1. The sheer amount of protection afforded to these shield worlds as opposed to other Forerunner constructs. [url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=44840338&postRepeater1-p=1#44873443]Augustus posted a thread here[/url] that questions why the Halo arrays didn't have some form of protection. Perhaps the most important weapons that the Forerunner possessed were evidently devoid of any serious way to protect themselves. If we look at Ghosts of Onyx, we see a different picture on the shield world of Onyx. Onyx had facilities capable of producing 600 sentinels an hour advanced sentinels that were capable of destroying entire fleets of Covenant ships. Why would the Forerunner need that much protection on a world that they would only inhabit for, at most, a few weeks? (They would tell the public they are activating the rings the public would be transported to the shield world (via the Forerunner teleportation system) the rings would fire the public would get out of the shield worlds once the Flood infection forms had died and carry on with their lives/grand plan/whatever). Why would they need so much protection on a world they would only be using for a short amount of time? I think the answer is that they never intended to leave. The advanced sentinels that guard Onyx and presumably the other shield worlds are there for good; protecting the Forerunners artificial heavens from being attacked or accessed by those who weren't meant to access them. 2. How humans could get to the Forerunner Heaven. When Dr. Halsey comes upon the Forerunner slipspace field pods she finds an inscription on the side of them which reads "That which must be protected...behind the sharpened edge of the shield...beyond the reach of the swords...for the reclaimers". Why would the Forerunner give us these seemingly random slipspace pods? I think they literally mean that these are for the reclaimers. These are the keys that will allow us entrance to Heaven. When the Forerunner categorized species I assume they amassed a vast amount of DNA as well. They could very easily have cloned human bodies and stored them in a shield world for safe keeping (We still don't know how the Forerunners repopulated the various planets after the rings fired. Did they literally take every inhabitant, move them to the Ark, and then reseed them? Or would it have been easier to take a DNA sample of as many subjects as they could and then clone replicas which could be used to reseed the planets?).In addition there are various Forerunner artifacts on worlds humans have colonized. Could these artifacts act as a teleportation system to collect the energy of deceased humans and transport them to a shield world; a Heaven? Augustus in his theory [url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=35949941]Halo 4 in plain sight[/url] references Log 5 of the IRIS campaign which states [quote] The anomalous world is in a perilous location beyond the line. The secrets it holds must be preserved, plans within plans within plans. The inhabitants; these unique denizens, must be researched. They may hold answers to our own mysteries. What irony that we discovered this treasure, only at the end of things. But what fortune that we still had time to save them. The thing we built on that world will vouchsafe their lives, [u]but perhaps one day it will be used for its intended purpose.[/u] If the plan succeeds, and they are saved, it will be a good world. If the plan fails, and the adversary succeeds, it will remain an enigma forever with no one left to reclaim it.[/quote] He goes on to say [quote] The letter mentions the ark saving us, and another purpose. The portals "true" purpose is where the forerunner (at least some) went. A place probably precursor. Outside the galaxy, some kind of cloud of stellar debri. What could it be? Who knows[/quote] I believe that their true purpose was to transport us somewhere. Only it wasn't designed to transfer our physical bodies somewhere, but rather our energy to the Forerunner shield worlds. In essence, Heaven. [quote][/quote] I thank you all for taking the time to read through it. It is A LOT of text and it is admittedly far fetched. But I think it has validity in a surprising amount of places. In addition, since there will likely be a lot of confrontation regarding this theory, I am adding a "Complaints Addressed" section will I will attempt to answer any valid claim which would shatter this theory. Remember, while no theory can be one hundred percent right, no theory can be one hundred percent wrong either. Hopefully this will be more of the former than the latter. [Edited on 08.06.2010 3:09 PM PDT]
