Silent Auditorium (location)
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- "It's a courtroom. A prison. A place of execution. All these things. Together. Why?"
- — The Weapon speaking of the Silent Auditorium's purpose during the Battle for Zeta Halo.[1]
The Silent Auditorium, or simply the Auditorium,[2][3] is an enormous spire on Installation 07. When the Created's Archon, Cortana, took control of the ring, it became her base of operation.[1][4] Following the explosion at the Auditorium that led to Cortana's death and the decimation of the facility, during Battle for Zeta Halo, the Auditorium became a key location of the ring that Escharum, the Banished, and the Harbinger sought control over.[3] It led to the Harbinger's search for 117649 Despondent Pyre to initiate the ring's Reformation and rebuild the Auditorium.[5]
History[edit]
The Silent Auditorium served many purposes over the millennia.[2] It notably was the facility on Installation 07 where the Forerunners judged the Xalanyn as an unabideable threat,[2] who were unable to defend themselves, standing silently as the Forerunners decided to imprison them.[1] 117649 Despondent Pyre was instructed by the Grand Edict to experiment on the Xalanyn to learn the extent of what their kind could endure.[7] The three members of the Criterion who were responsible for sentencing the Xalanyn (the Grand Edict, the Chief Judicial, and Inspector Meritious) were later composed, with the durances housing their essences interred within the three statues at the centre of the Auditorium.[6]
After this, all record of the Auditorium's purpose was wiped,[5] leaving its function shrouded in mystery.[2]
Modern history[edit]
- "The Ring is already under our control. Soon, the Auditorium as well..."
- — Escharum speaking of the Silent Auditorium.[3]
When Cortana took control of Zeta Halo in 2558, she took up residence in the Silent Auditorium.[1] She rerouted control of the ring's primary functions from the Conservatory to the Auditorium.[4] On December 12, 2559, the UNSC Infinity arrived at Zeta Halo and deployed the Weapon, a duplicate of Cortana created by Dr. Catherine Halsey for the express purpose of neutralizing the original Cortana. The Weapon infiltrated the ring and trapped Cortana inside the facility. Cortana expected John-117 to arrive to return her to the Infinity for deletion. However, Atriox appeared instead. Having learned of the Silent Auditorium's true purpose, he demanded that Cortana surrender control of the ring to him. Instead, Cortana sacrificed herself to destroy the Auditorium, severely damaging the ring in the process.[1][2]
Six months later, having initiated the Reformation, the Harbinger was able to access the partially-rebuilt Silent Auditorium and attempted to open a connection between the Auditorium and an unknown location on the ring by way of a carrier wave. The signal itself was noted as being sentient and was searching the ring. The Weapon was able to intercept this signal being transmitted from the three statues that decorated the central chamber; a presence on the ring assisted her when the Harbinger accessed the third and final transmitter.[1] Although the Master Chief successfully killed the Harbinger, the Harbinger vowed in her dying breath that the Endless would still return,[2] having successfully located the Endless for Atriox to find their cylixes.[1]
After the Harbinger's death, the Silent Auditorium began to collapse, but not before a translocation portal opened up, sending the Master Chief three days into the future and across the ring. Although the central chamber of the Auditorium was destroyed, the external structure remained largely intact.[1]
On June 7, the Master Chief, Joyeuse and Lucas Browning were brought to the Silent Auditorium by the Huragok Rises High[8] where they accessed the Grand Edict's durance.[9] By this time,the central chamber had been cleared of larger debris by the installation's Sentinels who the Master Chief could see at work amongst the collapsed beams of the celling.[8] Jega 'Rdomnai followed them and collected the Harbinger's body, mortally wounding Browning.[10] The Master Chief managed to fight through the Banished forces continuing to occupy the structure to the exterior port where a Phantom carrying Fernando Esparza and four Swords of Sanghelios Sangheili arrived to help him.[11]
Production notes[edit]
The Silent Auditorium was first mentioned by Escharum in the Halo Infinite Campaign Gameplay Premiere.
Gallery[edit]
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Concept art[edit]
Concept art of the Silent Auditorium before Installation 07 was damaged.
Concept art of a Pelican flying toward the rebuilt Silent Auditorium.
Screenshots[edit]
One of the many rooms within the Auditorium depicting these statues.
The Silent Auditorium viewed from the Repository.
Another hallways within the Silent Auditorium.
Hologram of Offensive Bias within the Auditorium.
A vast chamber within the Silent Auditorium.
The Harbinger utilising the statues to search Installation 07.
The Silent Auditorium fully repaired.
The Reformation being directed to the Silent Auditorium.
The Silent Auditorium destroyed.
The Silent Auditorium repaired in the distance.
Cylixes stored within the Auditorium.
Jiralhanae Cylixes stored in the Silent Auditorium.
Jiralhanae Cylixes storage chamber.
Horatius, a Banished Chieftain, in the Silent Auditorium.
List of appearances[edit]
- Halo Infinite (First appearance)
- Halo: Epitaph
- Halo: Whispers from the Pyre (Mentioned only)
- Halo: Edge of Dawn
Sources[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h Halo Infinite, campaign mission Endless: Silent Auditorium
- ^ a b c d e f Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 353
- ^ a b c Halo Infinite, campaign mission Graveyards: Pelican Down
- ^ a b Halo: Epitaph, chapter 24
- ^ a b Halo Infinite, campaign mission Reformation: The Command Spire: "The Reformation is being focused on a specific area called... the Silent Auditorium. Interestingly... all the records of its purpose are missing." - The Weapon
- ^ a b Halo: Edge of Dawn, chapter 33
- ^ Halo Infinite, Banished Audio log: Archaeological Findings #04 - A Curious Directive
- ^ a b Halo: Edge of Dawn, chapter 31
- ^ Halo: Edge of Dawn, chapter 32
- ^ Halo: Edge of Dawn, chapter 34
- ^ Halo: Edge of Dawn, chapter 37
