Gravemind

Summary
The Gravemind is the controlling entity of The Flood in Halo 2. Knowledge about the Gravemind is very limited; however, due to its short appearances in Halo 2, a small amount of data about it and the nature of the Flood parasite can be inferred.

The Gravemind appears to be the controlling intelligence behind the parasitical Flood hive. In this way, his role is similar to a puppetmaster. The Gravemind is located far beneath the Library of Installation 05, and has tentacles that reach for kilometers. Gravemind also seems to harbour an intelligence approaching omniscience, since he appears to be capable of absorbing the knowledge of all Flood hosts. Whether there is more than one Gravemind is open to speculation, it is possible that on each Halo ringworld, assuming each one has a Flood infestation, a controlling Gravemind could be formed.

Also, the Gravemind we see in the game appears to be capable of utilizing Halo's teleportation grid to transport anything and indeed himself (or at least a part of himself) anywhere on the ring and beyond to a limited distance. Being a Flood organism, how he uses the grid at all is a mystery, as only AIs Cortana and 343 Guilty Spark could access it in the previous game, on Installation 04. Still, there is much more about this enigmatic character that we do not know. In Halo 1 onboard the Truth and Reconciliation, the organism enveloping Captain Keyes could be an offshoot of the Gravemind on the first ring.

Gravemind more than once speaks in rhyme. In the post-credits end cinematic of Halo 2, Gravemind recites this verse to Cortana:


 * Silence fills the empty grave now that I am gone,
 * But my mind is not at rest, for questions linger on.
 * I will ask and you will answer.

His interest in her, besides her much improved body rendering, is unknown. This could be the start of a partnership between Cortana and the end of her alliance with the Master Chief.

Strangely enough, in Gravemind, the level named after him, there is no contact at all with him, apart from the cutscene he is introduced in, or his Flood minions. Also of oddity, is that his name is not spoken until High Charity.

Speculation

 * It is possible that, since the Flood have apparently been active on Installation 05 for some time, they somehow developed a Gravemind creature to oversee them through an extended period of time.
 * It is also possible that the Gravemind is in fact some kind of advanced space creature that found its way onto Installation 05 and was assimilated by the Flood.
 * The Gravemind could be a highly advanced Brain form that was kept alive for study by the Forerunner.
 * It could be that Gravemind is a forerunner that was assimilated by the flood.

However things turn out, the Gravemind appears to be a very dangerous creature as Halo 2 ends. He has assimilated the Prophet of Regret giving him full knowledge of Covenant History, locations of Covenant worlds, and Covenant fleet positions. He also is aware of the location of Earth. The Flood appear to be in control of High Charity as well as several Covenant ships at the end of Halo 2. Also, with the new abundance of bodies on Installation 05, coupled with the Floods apparent ability to adapt rapidly to enemies, and their capture of 2401 Penitent Tangent, they could easily gain complete control of Installation 05. Gravemind is in a good position to infest the entire galaxy if immediate action is not taken.

Related Links

 * Gravemind's Message
 * The Flood
 * Brain Form