Ur-Didact: Difference between revisions

The Didact and his allied Covenant forces attacked the UNSC research facility ''[[Ivanoff Station]]'', where the Composer was being held. He successfully took control of the Composer and digitized everyone on ''Ivanoff'' aside from the Master Chief, who had been genetically immunized against the device's effects by the Librarian. The Didact then set course for Earth, intending to prevent humans from again threatening Forerunner dominance. However, the Master Chief boarded his ship with a [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon|HAVOK nuclear warhead]], intending to destroy the ship from the inside. The Promethean general confronted the Spartan on a [[light bridge]] next to the Composer and easily overpowered the human, but Cortana was able to hack into the system and use [[hard light]] strands to bind the Ur-Didact into the light bridge and immobilize him. The Chief then planted a pulse grenade in the Didact's combat skin, blowing him off the bridge and sending him falling into a slipspace rupture beneath the Composer. With little time left, the Chief detonated the fusion bomb and destroyed the ship, though Cortana, using the last of her power, was able to save him from the blast.<ref name="midnight">'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Midnight]]''</ref><ref name="H4EVG"/><ref group="note">In the epilogue of ''Halo 4'', the Didact is heard giving a speech on the Forerunners' place in the galaxy and the Mantle; going by his tone, he appears to be addressing a group (perhaps a court) of his fellow Forerunners. This speech is heard overlaying scenes set after his attack, although it is unclear whether it is actually occurring in real-time. A 343 Industries employee (posting in the guise of [[Catalog#Trivia|Catalog]]) {{Plain|[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2969315_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post2969315 stated]}} that the speech in question is actually part of legal proceedings that took place prior to the last contact with the Domain, and thus before the Halos were fired. Despite this, some of the Didact's statements appear to correspond to his actions in the modern era. He speaks of his "sin of ensuring Forerunner ascendancy" which corresponds to his attack on humanity. While he carries out similar actions 100,000 years prior in ''Halo: Silentium'', the events of the novel would not leave an opportunity for a scene of him standing before a tribunal of any kind (with the Forerunner government all but disbanded following the destruction of the greater Ark). He also mentions that "the Reclamation has already begun", which would correlate with humanity's position as of 2557 while seeming out of place in 100,000 BCE. Catalog {{Plain|[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2972786_The-Didact-s-Speech--Catalog-Confirms-100.aspx#post2972786 replied]}} to the resultant discussion with the comment ''"Statement was not in error. However, Catalog does note difficulty in interpreting Shadow-of-Sundered-Star's commentary. Currently under review due to multiple sources of authority."''</ref>

As an immensely powerful Forerunner with incredibly advanced technologies at his disposal, the Didact has a number of extraordinary abilities. He has the capability to generate and control powerful [[constraint field]]s at will,<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''pages 303-305''</ref> in effect granting him the power of [[Wikipedia:telekinesis|telekinesis]] to restrain or physically harm his opponents. This was demonstrated when he used this ability on John-117, immobilizing him and causing him to float helplessly in the air, before throwing him against a wall.<ref name="forerunner">'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Forerunner (level)|Forerunner]]''</ref> Later, during the final confrontation aboard ''Mantle's Approach'', he used this ability to physically torture the Spartan, who was only saved by Cortana's intervention. He can also use the fields to levitate himself to some extent.<ref name="midnight"/> The Didact was also capable of generating a shockwave by stomping on the ground. While at the [[Composer's Forge]], the Didact used this ability to cause [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-II]] [[Blue Team]] to stumble to the ground.<ref name="esc9"/> Later during his battle against the Spartans, he generated a powerful horizontal energy blast to disable [[Kelly-087]].<ref name="HE10"/>

A full-rate Promethean, the Didact is a physically imposing figure; standing 350 centimeters tall,<ref name="H4EVG"/> he easily towers over a fully-armored SPARTAN-II. In comparison to other Forerunners, he stood nearly twice a [[Manipular]]'s height and weighed four or five times as much.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 65''</ref> As was common with Forerunners of his rate, the Didact has six-fingered hands with two opposable thumbs and heavily muscled limbs. Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting believed that he could easily have crushed a human with his bare hands;<ref name="cryp77"/> wearing his armor, he was capable of severely damaging [[John-117]]'s [[MJOLNIR]] helmet, as well as crushing a [[Z-180 Scattershot]].<ref name="HE10"/>