Hi all, So this place has seen enough of these ridiculous theories being thrown around like animal droppings. Here's my take on the whole thing and beware of a wall of text. [quote] [/quote] I'd like to begin by saying that the rear section of the Dawn, containing John & Cortana, DID manage to make it through the Portal. Listen to the lines! [i]"I'm not sure. When Halo fired, it shook itself to pieces. Did a number on the Ark. The Portal couldn't sustain itself. We made it through just as it collapsed."[/i] If they didn't make it through the Portal, then they would be dead...Simply put... * [b]Why Halo 3's Legendary Planet is NOT Reach:[/b] Let us begin by talking about the suns... Reach has a single crimson star which is seen on the left side of the planet during the trailer. The Legendary Planet's is clearly artificial in nature and what's more...It's blue! Which brings me to my next point... [i]Glassing[/i], or [i]Cleansing[/i], is a method used by the Covenant on defeated planets. It tears away at the surface and burns the atmosphere. The surface then becomes a mineral called [b]lechatelierite[/b] which is very similar to glass. The planet we see at the end of Halo 3 is clearly metallic, not glass and to further this we don't even see any trace of the Epsilon Eridani around. Where as, in the Reach trailer, it is clearly visible. [url=http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/halo/images/1/1d/Planet.jpg]Image of Legendary Planet[/url] [url=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/halo/images/9/9f/Reach_glassed.png]Reach being Glassed[/url] Reach, in the trailer, does a full turn. So we see the whole of the planet really, on half is Glassed whilst the other is still fine. The Legendary Planet shows no traces of such landscape and there is no visible Marathon Symbol in the trailer either. That's Reach done... [b]Why Halo 3's Legendary Planet is NOT Onyx:[/b] During the events of Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, it is made clear that the planet shell itself is destroyed by Kurt who detonates the FENRIS warheads. The shell broke apart and the planet revealed itself to be trillions of Sentinels, they left behind a Micro Dyson Sphere housing: -Doctor Halsey -Mendez -Blue Team -Team Katana -Team Saber When Onyx was obliterated, there was a Slipspace Field around which isn't seen during the Legendary Ending sequence. Also, I believe I am correct in saying that the whole place exists in Slipspace anyway. When the rear section of the Dawn is seen it is clear that the surroundings are not in Slipspace. Onyx's location is in the Zeta Doradus System which houses many uninhabitable words very close to Onyx. [url=http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/halo/images/8/80/Onyx.jpg]Here[/url] is a clear picture of a very large planet behind Onyx which isn't present at all during the LE sequence. So it can't really be Onyx... [b]Why Halo 3's Legendary Planet is NOT related to Marathon:[/b] Many people seem to think that the events of Marathon tie in with the Halo timeline somehow. That John and Cortana are now in a different universe. Not true... The planet in question is thought to be Tau Ceti IV, [url=http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/halo/images/2/29/Bungie_Marathon_poster225p.jpg]here's[/url] the picture of Tau Ceti IV and there is NO resemblence what-so-ever! Halo's universe and Marathon's universe contradict each other in many ways: - The UESC Marathon left Sol in 2472 and arrived at Tau Ceti in 2773, but by 2552, in the Halo Universe, the UNSC already had a presence in the Tau Ceti system and a large number of other worlds, while in Marathon, it was the first planet to be colonized by Humans. - Marathon's protagonist was in cryo for over 300 years and was born on Mars. John was born on Eridanus II and was born in the year 2511. -The Pfhor in Marathon are said to be the first aliens ever encountered by Humanity. In the Halo universe it is the Covenant races. In addition, Bungie have always said the two universes would never collide. So we're not gonna be seeing Marathon in Halo...Any time soon... [b]My take:[/b] [i]"Atonement. And so here at the end of my life, I do once again betray a former master. The path ahead is fraught with peril. But I will do all I can to keep it stable - keep you safe. I'm not so foolish to think this will absolve me of my sins. One life hardly balances billions. But I would have my masters know that I have changed. And you shall be my example."[/i] - Mendicant Bias This message is seen in the final Terminal in Halo 3 on Legendary. It details Mendicant Bias hoping for redemption for his past sins and wants to keep John safe. As we know, Bias is the one who is responcible for a number of events in Halo. He joined the Gravemind and betrayed the Forerunners, he commanded the Flood offensive and killed billions of Forerunners etc etc. Now he realises the folly of his ways and wants to prove to his Masters that he's changed. The Didact, a Forerunner, states that he wishes to: [i]"Follow in Their footsteps."[/i] "Their" obviously means the Precursors, the only race ever to reach Technology Tier 0 on the scale. The Precursors were Trans-sentient beings who mysteriously disappeared and passed down the Mantle to the Forerunners. Now with the Didact vanishing after the initial activation, similar to John's fate, perhaps he found the [i]Precursor Rainbow World[/i]. And when Bias held the Portal open long enough for the rear section of the Dawn to make it through, perhaps he sent them to the Didact's final destination as to prove his atonement. [quote] [/quote] This is all just theory and explanation, that's all we have to go on. Perhaps this is just the cliff-hanger to keep us wondering of events to come that can never be. However, many people aren't backing up theories with solid evidence so I set out to prove my theory. Thanks for reading.