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Flood: Difference between revisions
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==History== | ==History== | ||
===Origins=== | ===Origins=== | ||
{{Quote|We are the last of those who gave you breath and form, millions of years ago. We are the last of those your kind defied and ruthlessly destroyed. We are the last Precursors. And now we are ''legion''.|A [[Gravemind]] to the [[Ur-Didact]] c.100,000 BCE.}} | {{Quote|We are the last of those who gave you breath and form, millions of years ago. We are the last of those your kind defied and ruthlessly destroyed. We are the last Precursors. And now we are ''legion''.|A [[Gravemind]] to the [[Ur-Didact]] c. 100,000 BCE.}} | ||
Millions of years before the Human-Covenant War, a civilization known as the [[Precursor]]s seeded the galaxy with life. Under their guardianship, numerous intelligent species developed and flourished, including the Forerunners and humanity. Periodically, the Precursors acted to eliminate "problematic" species, specifically those who violated the [[Mantle]]. The Forerunners were one such species, and after the Precursors judged them to be unworthy successors of the Mantle, the Forerunners [[Forerunner-Precursor war|retaliated]] in self-defense. | Millions of years before the Human-Covenant War, a civilization known as the [[Precursor]]s seeded the galaxy with life. Under their guardianship, numerous intelligent species developed and flourished, including the Forerunners and humanity. Periodically, the Precursors acted to eliminate "problematic" species, specifically those who violated the [[Mantle]]. The Forerunners were one such species, and after the Precursors judged them to be unworthy successors of the Mantle, the Forerunners [[Forerunner-Precursor war|retaliated]] in self-defense. | ||
The ensuing conflict ended with the Forerunners successfully wiping out all but a few Precursors.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 335-336''</ref> The few Precursors that escaped from the Forerunners either went into suspended animation or transmuted themselves into dust that would regenerate into their past forms at a later time. However, over time the dust became defective, creating sickness, disease and biological mutations in other organisms that came into contact with it. With this new form - the earliest stage of the Flood - the Precursors vowed that none of their creations would rise against them again.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''String 13''</ref> | The ensuing conflict ended with the Forerunners successfully wiping out all but a few Precursors.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 335-336''</ref> The few Precursors that escaped from (or were spared by) the Forerunners either went into suspended animation or transmuted themselves into dust that would regenerate into their past forms at a later time. However, over time the dust became defective, creating sickness, disease and biological mutations in other organisms that came into contact with it. With this new form - the earliest stage of the Flood - the Precursors vowed that none of their creations would rise against them again.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''String 13''</ref> | ||
Sometime before 110,000 BCE, an ancient Gravemind was created from 12 or more unspecified creatures,<ref> '''Halo: Primordium''', '''page 326'''</ref> which would become known as the [[Primordial]], who was then placed in a Precursor [[stasis capsule]] and placed in a small, ravaged planetoid at the galaxy's edge. Eventually, this ancient Gravemind would reveal the nature of the Flood to those willing to know the truth. | Sometime before 110,000 BCE, an ancient Gravemind was created from 12 or more unspecified creatures,<ref> '''Halo: Primordium''', '''page 326'''</ref> which would become known as the [[Primordial]], who was then placed in a Precursor [[stasis capsule]] and placed in a small, ravaged planetoid at the galaxy's edge. Eventually, this ancient Gravemind would reveal the nature of the Flood to those willing to know the truth. | ||
===First | ===First outbreak=== | ||
{{Expand-section}} | {{Expand-section}} | ||
The first known "arrival" of the Flood occurred some time prior to [[110,000 BCE]], aboard automated starships of Precursor origin that came from the Greater Magellanic Cloud.<ref name="sil35"/> These vessels contained millions of glass cylinders filled with a fine desiccated powder - the form in which some of the Precursors had preserved themselves. This powder was intended to re-create their physical forms once their exile was completed, but the wait took so long that the substance began to deteriorate, along with the ships themselves failing.<ref>'''[[Halo: Silentium]]''', ''page 174''</ref> The crashed remains of these ships were first discovered by [[Prehistoric human civilization|ancient humans]] on on both inhabited and deserted worlds near the border of [[intergalactic space]]. Inside humanity found the capsules filled with powder, which their tests told them consisted of inert, short-chain organic molecules of unknown purpose.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 268''</ref> | The first known "arrival" of the Flood occurred some time prior to [[110,000 BCE]], aboard automated starships of Precursor origin that came from the Greater Magellanic Cloud.<ref name="sil35"/> These vessels contained millions of glass cylinders filled with a fine desiccated powder - the form in which some of the Precursors had preserved themselves. This powder was intended to re-create their physical forms once their exile was completed, but the wait took so long that the substance began to deteriorate, along with the ships themselves failing.<ref>'''[[Halo: Silentium]]''', ''page 174''</ref> The crashed remains of these ships were first discovered by [[Prehistoric human civilization|ancient humans]] on on both inhabited and deserted worlds near the border of [[intergalactic space]]. Inside humanity found the capsules filled with powder, which their tests told them consisted of inert, short-chain organic molecules of unknown purpose.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 268''</ref> | ||
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Realizing that the Flood stood a significant chance of wiping out all sentient life, the Forerunners began a "[[Conservation Measure]]", researching the Flood while constructing an artifact to generate a [[slipspace portal]] leading to [[Installation 00|the Ark]] on [[Earth]] and possibly other uninfected home worlds of Tier 7 races they considered "worthy", such as the various species that would make up the Covenant. | Realizing that the Flood stood a significant chance of wiping out all sentient life, the Forerunners began a "[[Conservation Measure]]", researching the Flood while constructing an artifact to generate a [[slipspace portal]] leading to [[Installation 00|the Ark]] on [[Earth]] and possibly other uninfected home worlds of Tier 7 races they considered "worthy", such as the various species that would make up the Covenant. | ||
The Forerunners employed countless measures to contain the Flood outbreak, all of which failed. Finally, the Forerunners were forced to a Pyrrhic solution: using an array of | The Forerunners employed countless measures to contain the Flood outbreak, all of which failed. Finally, the Forerunners were forced to a Pyrrhic solution: using an array of seven (initially twelve) [[Halo Array|ring-shaped megastructures]] built in ages past as superweapons, the Forerunners would purge the galaxy of all sentient life. Because the Flood were parasitic, and their survival was directly linked to the presence of potential hosts, the Forerunners reasoned that eliminating all potential Flood hosts would render the parasite unable to grow and spread, and eventually cause it to starve to death. The decision led to political battles and even a civil war, but after exhausting every countermeasure, the Forerunners activated the Halos around [[100,000 BCE]]. | ||
Many sentient species throughout the galaxy (including Humanity) survived the firing of the Halo Array because they were safely relocated on the Ark, which was out of range of the Halo Array, or because they were protected by [[Shield World]]s, which were capable of blocking the Array's pulse. Only seven rings were used; if the original array of 12 rings had been fired, the effect of the Array would have been much wider and affected a greater area of space, not solely confined to the Milky Way Galaxy.<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, ''[[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|Terminal 8]]''</ref> | Many sentient species throughout the galaxy (including Humanity) survived the firing of the Halo Array because they were safely relocated on the Ark, which was out of range of the Halo Array, or because they were protected by [[Shield World]]s, which were capable of blocking the Array's pulse. Only seven rings were used; if the original array of 12 rings had been fired, the effect of the Array would have been much wider and affected a greater area of space, not solely confined to the Milky Way Galaxy.<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, ''[[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|Terminal 8]]''</ref> | ||
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As a result of the firing of the seven Halo installations, The Flood was successfully contained and eventually died out. The only surviving specimens were contained in state-of-the-art, high-security Forerunner research facilities, such as the Halo Installations, certain Shield Worlds, and the [[Threshold gas mine]]. | As a result of the firing of the seven Halo installations, The Flood was successfully contained and eventually died out. The only surviving specimens were contained in state-of-the-art, high-security Forerunner research facilities, such as the Halo Installations, certain Shield Worlds, and the [[Threshold gas mine]]. | ||
===Battle of Shield 0459=== | ===Battle of Shield World 0459=== | ||
{{main|Battle of Shield 0459}} | {{main|Battle of Shield 0459}} | ||
Thousands of years after the end of the Forerunner-Flood war, the human ship {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} jumped from [[Arcadia]] to follow the signal of [[Ellen Anders|Professor Anders]], who had been captured by the Covenant. They were led to an unknown planet, which happened to be [[Shield 0459|a Forerunner shield world]]. Containment measures on this planet had failed catastrophically, and the entire surface of the megastructure was choked with Flood biomass. Ground forces were deployed to investigate the presence of unknown hostiles sighted by the ship's radar. After fighting their way through Covenant forces, [[John Forge|Sergeant Forge]] and several Marine squads were attacked by the Flood. | Thousands of years after the end of the Forerunner-Flood war, the human ship {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} jumped from [[Arcadia]] to follow the signal of [[Ellen Anders|Professor Anders]], who had been captured by the Covenant. They were led to an unknown planet, which happened to be [[Shield 0459|a Forerunner shield world]]. Containment measures on this planet had failed catastrophically, and the entire surface of the megastructure was choked with Flood biomass. Ground forces were deployed to investigate the presence of unknown hostiles sighted by the ship's radar. After fighting their way through Covenant forces, [[John Forge|Sergeant Forge]] and several Marine squads were attacked by the Flood. | ||
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The Flood soon spread to every district, and Flood spores began to infiltrate and overload the ventilation systems within High Charity; the whole city was becoming terra-formed into a gigantic Flood hive. The Gravemind regularly rebutted the words of comfort the Prophet of Truth regularly delivered to the city’s population over the comm system, to sadistically instill more panic and unease. Spartan-117, having successfully stayed in front of the wave of Flood running rampant in the streets, stowed away on the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] that was leading the Prophet of [[Truth's fleet]] to Earth. Cortana, who had to stay behind to detonate ''In Amber Clad's'' engines should the situation arise and Installation 05 be fired, was left in the clutches of the Gravemind, who could potentially learn all possible human knowledge from her, including the entire knowledge directly received from Forerunner systems aboard Installation 04. | The Flood soon spread to every district, and Flood spores began to infiltrate and overload the ventilation systems within High Charity; the whole city was becoming terra-formed into a gigantic Flood hive. The Gravemind regularly rebutted the words of comfort the Prophet of Truth regularly delivered to the city’s population over the comm system, to sadistically instill more panic and unease. Spartan-117, having successfully stayed in front of the wave of Flood running rampant in the streets, stowed away on the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] that was leading the Prophet of [[Truth's fleet]] to Earth. Cortana, who had to stay behind to detonate ''In Amber Clad's'' engines should the situation arise and Installation 05 be fired, was left in the clutches of the Gravemind, who could potentially learn all possible human knowledge from her, including the entire knowledge directly received from Forerunner systems aboard Installation 04. | ||
===Earth, | ===Earth, the Ark, and the Flood's defeat=== | ||
[[File:Infection.jpg|230px|thumb|right|A UNSC Marine being infected by the Flood.]] | [[File:Infection.jpg|230px|thumb|right|A UNSC Marine being infected by the Flood.]] | ||
{{main|Battle of Voi|Battle of Installation 00}} | {{main|Battle of Voi|Battle of Installation 00}} | ||