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{{disambig header|the Forerunner term|articles of the same name|Reclaimer (disambiguation)}} | {{disambig header|the Forerunner term|articles of the same name|Reclaimer (disambiguation)}} | ||
[[File:Reclaimer - H4.png|right|thumb|The [[Forerunner symbols|Forerunner glyph]] for "Reclaimer".]] | [[File:Reclaimer - H4.png|right|thumb|The [[Forerunner symbols|Forerunner glyph]] for "Reclaimer".]] | ||
{{quote|The [[05-032 Mendicant Bias|Oracle]] calls them "Reclaimers". But what do they reclaim? These machines? These cities? These worlds? Or, as I fear, are they to reclaim the [[Mantle]] we so terribly squandered?|[[Minister of Discovery]]<ref name="Covie | {{quote|The [[05-032 Mendicant Bias|Oracle]] calls them "Reclaimers". But what do they reclaim? These machines? These cities? These worlds? Or, as I fear, are they to reclaim the [[Mantle]] we so terribly squandered?|[[Minister of Discovery]]<ref name="Covie Mantle">'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''' volume II, ''page 299''</ref>}} | ||
"'''Reclaimer'''" is a [[Forerunner]] term used to refer to a species (or a member of said species) chosen to be the inheritors of the [[Mantle]], the stewardship over all life originally held by the [[Precursor]]s. Following the activation of the [[Halo Array]] and the ensuing [[Reintroduction]], this refers to [[human]]s, whom the Forerunners (more pointedly those allied with the [[Librarian]]) regarded as their rightful successors. In particular the term is applied to humans who carry the requisite [[Lifeworker]]-created ''[[Geas|gei]]'' that allow them to activate Forerunner technology;<ref name="definition"/> indeed, a great deal of the Forerunners' abandoned technology may be activated only when used by a Reclaimer. For most of their history, however, the Forerunners considered themselves the rightful inheritors of the Mantle from the Precursors, who had originally intended to pass the Mantle down to humanity.<ref name="definition" group="note">[[Bungie]] originally intended that the Forerunners were prehistoric humans. In this regard the title of "Reclaimer" would indicate modern humans salvaging the relics of their ancestors, thus giving the term a literal meaning. This is corroborated by dialog in ''Halo 3'': 343 Guilty Spark insists that John-117 is the "child of [his] makers" and that he ''is'' Forerunner, while the Gravemind refers to the Master Chief as "child of my enemy". ''Halo: Contact Harvest'' further evidences this with Mendicant Bias' claim that the Reclaimers are its makers.{{Clear}}With ''[[The Forerunner Saga]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s retooling of the "prehistoric spacefaring humans" concept (casting them as contemporaries of the Forerunners), the definition of the title was revised. It thus no longer refers to humanity's recovery of Forerunner technology, which was never theirs and could not, by definition, be ''reclaimed''. Instead it denotes humanity's reclamation of the Mantle from the Forerunners, who had wrongly asserted their claim to it for eons.</ref> | "'''Reclaimer'''" is a [[Forerunner]] term used to refer to a species (or a member of said species) chosen to be the inheritors of the [[Mantle]], the stewardship over all life originally held by the [[Precursor]]s. Following the activation of the [[Halo Array]] and the ensuing [[Reintroduction]], this refers to [[human]]s, whom the Forerunners (more pointedly those allied with the [[Librarian]]) regarded as their rightful successors. In particular the term is applied to humans who carry the requisite [[Lifeworker]]-created ''[[Geas|gei]]'' that allow them to activate Forerunner technology;<ref name="definition"/> indeed, a great deal of the Forerunners' abandoned technology may be activated only when used by a Reclaimer. For most of their history, however, the Forerunners considered themselves the rightful inheritors of the Mantle from the Precursors, who had originally intended to pass the Mantle down to humanity.<ref name="definition" group="note">[[Bungie]] originally intended that the Forerunners were prehistoric humans. In this regard the title of "Reclaimer" would indicate modern humans salvaging the relics of their ancestors, thus giving the term a literal meaning. This is corroborated by dialog in ''Halo 3'': 343 Guilty Spark insists that John-117 is the "child of [his] makers" and that he ''is'' Forerunner, while the Gravemind refers to the Master Chief as "child of my enemy". ''Halo: Contact Harvest'' further evidences this with Mendicant Bias' claim that the Reclaimers are its makers.{{Clear}}With ''[[The Forerunner Saga]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s retooling of the "prehistoric spacefaring humans" concept (casting them as contemporaries of the Forerunners), the definition of the title was revised. It thus no longer refers to humanity's recovery of Forerunner technology, which was never theirs and could not, by definition, be ''reclaimed''. Instead it denotes humanity's reclamation of the Mantle from the Forerunners, who had wrongly asserted their claim to it for eons.</ref> | ||
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Generally speaking, the term "Reclaimer" refers to humans (as a species or as individuals) retaking stewardship of the Mantle. However, technically the term denotes humans who are capable of activating Forerunner technology.<ref name="Hammer"/> This is due to the presence of ''[[Geas|gei]]'' implanted by the Librarian,<ref name="definition"/> which give at least some humans an instinctive familiarity (often a feeling of déjà vu) when encountering Forerunner technology. For example, [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan]] [[John-117]] simply "knew" how to activate a [[Holography|holographic]] control panel on [[Halo Array|Halo]] [[Installation 04]], despite it being the first piece of Forerunner technology he had ever encountered.<ref>'''Halo: The Flood''', ''page 84''</ref> This innate knowledge extends to Covenant technology as well, as Covenant technology is crudely reverse-engineered from Forerunner designs.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 142''</ref> In the same vein, Forerunner technology responds to human presence much as it would have done in the presence of its creators, though it will not do so for other species. Though it is unclear how commonly the ''gei'' may be found among humans, it is known that at least some are incapable of properly interfacing with Forerunner technology.<ref name="Hammer">''Spartan Ops'' - [[Key/The Hammer|Episode 9, Chapter 5]]: ''“Elites were here, trying to find Reclaimers: humans who can operate Forerunner technology."''</ref> | Generally speaking, the term "Reclaimer" refers to humans (as a species or as individuals) retaking stewardship of the Mantle. However, technically the term denotes humans who are capable of activating Forerunner technology.<ref name="Hammer"/> This is due to the presence of ''[[Geas|gei]]'' implanted by the Librarian,<ref name="definition"/> which give at least some humans an instinctive familiarity (often a feeling of déjà vu) when encountering Forerunner technology. For example, [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan]] [[John-117]] simply "knew" how to activate a [[Holography|holographic]] control panel on [[Halo Array|Halo]] [[Installation 04]], despite it being the first piece of Forerunner technology he had ever encountered.<ref>'''Halo: The Flood''', ''page 84''</ref> This innate knowledge extends to Covenant technology as well, as Covenant technology is crudely reverse-engineered from Forerunner designs.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 142''</ref> In the same vein, Forerunner technology responds to human presence much as it would have done in the presence of its creators, though it will not do so for other species. Though it is unclear how commonly the ''gei'' may be found among humans, it is known that at least some are incapable of properly interfacing with Forerunner technology.<ref name="Hammer">''Spartan Ops'' - [[Key/The Hammer|Episode 9, Chapter 5]]: ''“Elites were here, trying to find Reclaimers: humans who can operate Forerunner technology."''</ref> | ||
Along with implanting the ''gei'' necessary to utilize Forerunner relics, the Librarian planted "seeds" that led to some of humanity's most important technological achievements. Specifically, this genesong led to the creation of the [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-II supersoldiers]] and their [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]], as well as the AI [[Cortana]].<ref name="H4 | Along with implanting the ''gei'' necessary to utilize Forerunner relics, the Librarian planted "seeds" that led to some of humanity's most important technological achievements. Specifically, this genesong led to the creation of the [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-II supersoldiers]] and their [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]], as well as the AI [[Cortana]].<ref name="H4 Reclaimer">'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Reclaimer (level)|Reclaimer]]''</ref> These developments enabled humanity - primarily through the efforts of John-117 and Cortana - to defeat the [[Ur-Didact]] during his renewed campaign to [[Composer|compose]] humanity into [[Promethean Knight]]s.<ref name="Midnight">'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Midnight]]''</ref> Despite this tragedy, the Librarian originally hoped that the Didact would emerge from [[Cryptum|stasis]] after millennia of meditation to guide humanity; he was to give them the [[Janus Key]], thereby providing the location of all Forerunner technology in the galaxy and securing the Reclaimers' ascendancy.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[Key]]''</ref> | ||
The status of Reclaimer was conferred upon humanity as an emergency directive on the authority of the remains of the [[New Council]] (namely the Librarian and the [[IsoDidact]]) during the events surrounding the firing of the [[Halo Array]]. This overrode the [[Builder]]-controlled Old Council's previous ruling from ten thousand years earlier which involved humanity's biological and technological [[Erde-Tyrene civilization|regression]] as punishment for their part in the [[human-Forerunner wars]]. However, following the enactment of this punitive measure, the Librarian had been secretly modifying humanity's ''gei'' for thousands of years to prepare them to take on the role of Reclaimers — against the direct orders of the Council.<ref name="definition">[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2969311_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post2969311 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Catalog Interaction'' (post 2969311)]</ref> | The status of Reclaimer was conferred upon humanity as an emergency directive on the authority of the remains of the [[New Council]] (namely the Librarian and the [[IsoDidact]]) during the events surrounding the firing of the [[Halo Array]]. This overrode the [[Builder]]-controlled Old Council's previous ruling from ten thousand years earlier which involved humanity's biological and technological [[Erde-Tyrene civilization|regression]] as punishment for their part in the [[human-Forerunner wars]]. However, following the enactment of this punitive measure, the Librarian had been secretly modifying humanity's ''gei'' for thousands of years to prepare them to take on the role of Reclaimers — against the direct orders of the Council.<ref name="definition">[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2969311_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post2969311 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Catalog Interaction'' (post 2969311)]</ref> | ||
Strangely, [[343 Guilty Spark]], the monitor of Halo Installation 04, once insisted to John-117, ''"You ''are'' Forerunner."''<ref name="H3 | Strangely, [[343 Guilty Spark]], the monitor of Halo Installation 04, once insisted to John-117, ''"You ''are'' Forerunner."''<ref name="H3 Halo"/> This is presumably metaphorical, as [[Mendicant Bias]] likewise claimed the Reclaimers as its makers,<ref name="Oracle">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 274-278''</ref> despite humanity being genetically and culturally distinct from the Forerunners. Alternately, this may be due to the onset of rampancy; Guilty Spark had previously treated the Master Chief as if the latter were the [[IsoDidact]], responding to a question the IsoDidact had asked 100,000 years prior.<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved''', campaign level ''[[343 Guilty Spark (level)|343 Guilty Spark]]''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 314''</ref> | ||
===Failures to recognize Reclaimer status=== | ===Failures to recognize Reclaimer status=== | ||
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*[[Corporal]] [[Taylor Miles]] and [[Lance Corporal]] [[Kojo Agu]] - The Forerunner construct called [[the Knowing]] identified them as Reclaimers and obeyed their order to [[self-destruct]] itself.<ref>'''[[Halo: Helljumper]]''', ''[[Halo: Helljumper Issue 5|Issue #5]]''</ref> | *[[Corporal]] [[Taylor Miles]] and [[Lance Corporal]] [[Kojo Agu]] - The Forerunner construct called [[the Knowing]] identified them as Reclaimers and obeyed their order to [[self-destruct]] itself.<ref>'''[[Halo: Helljumper]]''', ''[[Halo: Helljumper Issue 5|Issue #5]]''</ref> | ||
*[[Marvin Mobuto]] - Recruited by 343 Guilty Spark to fire Alpha Halo during the Flood outbreak. Killed in the installation's [[Library]] while attempting to retrieve the [[Activation Index]].<ref>''Halo: The Flood''</ref> | *[[Marvin Mobuto]] - Recruited by 343 Guilty Spark to fire Alpha Halo during the Flood outbreak. Killed in the installation's [[Library]] while attempting to retrieve the [[Activation Index]].<ref>''Halo: The Flood''</ref> | ||
*[[Master Chief Petty Officer]] [[John-117]] - Arguably the most significant Reclaimer, John-117 is the realization of a ''geas'' seeded by the Librarian which apparently manifested in the [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-IIs]]' creator, [[Catherine Halsey|Dr. Catherine Halsey]].<ref name="H4 | *[[Master Chief Petty Officer]] [[John-117]] - Arguably the most significant Reclaimer, John-117 is the realization of a ''geas'' seeded by the Librarian which apparently manifested in the [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-IIs]]' creator, [[Catherine Halsey|Dr. Catherine Halsey]].<ref name="H4 Reclaimer"/> He is responsible for the destruction of Halo [[Installation 04]]<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved''', campaign level ''[[The Maw]]''</ref> and its replacement, as well as the latter's activation and the ensuing defeat of an active [[Gravemind]]; the near-destruction of [[Installation 00]];<ref name="H3 Halo">'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[Halo (Halo 3 level)|Halo]]''</ref> and the apparent death of the [[Ur-Didact]].<ref name="Midnight"/> | ||
*[[Commander (UNSC)|Commander]] [[Miranda Keyes]] - In [[2552#November|November 2552]], the [[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae|Jiralhanae Chieftain]] [[Tartarus]] forced Commander Keyes to fire [[Installation 05|Delta Halo]] and thereby the rest of the Array, though he was soon killed and the firing process was aborted. | *[[Commander (UNSC)|Commander]] [[Miranda Keyes]] - In [[2552#November|November 2552]], the [[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae|Jiralhanae Chieftain]] [[Tartarus]] forced Commander Keyes to fire [[Installation 05|Delta Halo]] and thereby the rest of the Array, though he was soon killed and the firing process was aborted. | ||
*[[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery Johnson]] - Similarly to Keyes, Johnson was nearly forced by the [[Prophet of Truth]] to activate the entire Halo Array from the lesser Ark's control room, though he was rescued before this could occur.<ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[The Covenant]]''</ref> He was killed shortly thereafter while attempting to activate the incomplete [[Installation 04B]], though John-117 successfully completed this mission.<ref name="H3 | *[[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery Johnson]] - Similarly to Keyes, Johnson was nearly forced by the [[Prophet of Truth]] to activate the entire Halo Array from the lesser Ark's control room, though he was rescued before this could occur.<ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[The Covenant]]''</ref> He was killed shortly thereafter while attempting to activate the incomplete [[Installation 04B]], though John-117 successfully completed this mission.<ref name="H3 Halo"/> | ||
*[[Fireteam Crimson]] - During the Second Battle of Requiem, the four members of Fireteam Crimson interacted with several Forerunner artifacts. | *[[Fireteam Crimson]] - During the Second Battle of Requiem, the four members of Fireteam Crimson interacted with several Forerunner artifacts. | ||
*[[Henry Glassman|Dr. Henry Glassman]] - After being [[Slipspace translocation|translocated]] to Requiem and held hostage by the Covenant, he accidentally activated a protective shield at the [[Librarian's Rest]]. After being rescued, he deactivated one of the three [[Requiem slipspace artifacts|artifacts]] which held {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} anchored to the planet.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[Memento Mori]]''</ref> | *[[Henry Glassman|Dr. Henry Glassman]] - After being [[Slipspace translocation|translocated]] to Requiem and held hostage by the Covenant, he accidentally activated a protective shield at the [[Librarian's Rest]]. After being rescued, he deactivated one of the three [[Requiem slipspace artifacts|artifacts]] which held {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} anchored to the planet.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[Memento Mori]]''</ref> | ||
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==As understood by the Covenant== | ==As understood by the Covenant== | ||
The Reclaimer glyph was one of the holiest icons in the [[Covenant religion]], as well as the source of one of its greatest flaws. For millennia, the Covenant's leadership misinterpreted the "Reclaimer" glyph (which they read upside down) as "Reclamation". The [[San 'Shyuum|Prophets]] misconstrued this as the Covenant's divine mandate to procure "holy" Forerunner technology from areas of space known as [[reliquary|reliquaries]]; the [[Ages of Reclamation]] were designated as periods of significant Forerunner discoveries. While incorrectly understood by the Covenant as their quest for Forerunner relics, the Reclamation is an actual concept pertaining to the Reclaimers' process of reattaining the Mantle.<ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Epilogue (Halo 4 level)|Epilogue]]'' (''"The Reclamation... has already begun. And we are hopeless to stop it."'')</ref> Like the Forerunners, the Covenant (if only the Prophets) considered themselves the inheritors of the Mantle.<ref name="Covie | The Reclaimer glyph was one of the holiest icons in the [[Covenant religion]], as well as the source of one of its greatest flaws. For millennia, the Covenant's leadership misinterpreted the "Reclaimer" glyph (which they read upside down) as "Reclamation". The [[San 'Shyuum|Prophets]] misconstrued this as the Covenant's divine mandate to procure "holy" Forerunner technology from areas of space known as [[reliquary|reliquaries]]; the [[Ages of Reclamation]] were designated as periods of significant Forerunner discoveries. While incorrectly understood by the Covenant as their quest for Forerunner relics, the Reclamation is an actual concept pertaining to the Reclaimers' process of reattaining the Mantle.<ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Epilogue (Halo 4 level)|Epilogue]]'' (''"The Reclamation... has already begun. And we are hopeless to stop it."'')</ref> Like the Forerunners, the Covenant (if only the Prophets) considered themselves the inheritors of the Mantle.<ref name="Covie Mantle"/> However, because the Covenant's member species are not recognized as Reclaimers (being referred to as "intruders" and "meddlers" by [[343 Guilty Spark]]), they require human captives to activate certain Forerunner technology, most notably the Halo rings, the [[Installation 00|Ark]], and [[shield world]]s. One notable exception is [[Jul 'Mdama]], who gained the allegiance of the Promethean Knights on the shield world [[Requiem]] following the Didact's apparent demise; he was able able to set Requiem on a collision course with [[Epoloch|its star]], though it seems he was given the Didact's override to accomplish this.<ref name="Exodus">'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[Exodus (Spartan Ops)|Exodus]]'' - This is evidenced by the appearance of the Ur-Didact's sigil when 'Mdama gives inputs the self-destruct order.</ref> | ||
====History==== | ====History==== | ||
