Cortana Letters: Difference between revisions

no edit summary
(test)
No edit summary
 
(15 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Era|RW}}
{{Status|Apocrypha}}
{{Disambig header|the letters released online prior to Halo: CE|letters from the developers concerning specifics of canon|Category:Letters of Canon}}
{{Semi-canon}}
{{Semicanon}}
[[File:Cortana.jpg|thumb|Cortana]]
[[Image:Cortana.jpg|thumb|Cortana]]
The '''Cortana Letters''' are a series of cryptic emails from "cortana@bungie.com", sent to [http://marathon.bungie.org/ marathon.bungie.org], the most prominent ''[[Marathon]]'' fan website, before the release of ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''. At the time, it was not known who [[Cortana]] was, and her emails offered a small glimpse of ''Halo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s plot. The letters were supposedly authored by the former [[Bungie]] employee [[Nathan Bitner]].{{Citation needed}}
The '''Cortana Letters''' are a series of cryptic emails from "cortana@bungie.com", sent to [http://marathon.bungie.org/ marathon.bungie.org], the most prominent ''[[Marathon]]'' fan website, before the release of ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''. At the time, it was not known who [[Cortana]] was, and her emails offered a small glimpse of ''Halo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s plot. The letters were supposedly authored by the former [[Bungie]] employee [[Nathan Bitner]].{{Citation needed}}


Because the Cortana Letters were sent while the game was still in production, Cortana is depicted greatly out of character, instead more closely resembling [[w:c:marathongame:Durandal (AI)|Durandal]] from Bungie's ''[[Marathon]]'' trilogy. Although Cortana does reference the first letter in ''[[Halo 3]]'' (and Halsey mentions it in [[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops|Data Drop 12]] of [[Halo Legendary Crate]]s), the material of the letters is only to be considered canon when used in current ''Halo'' material.<ref>[http://halosm.bungie.org/story/staten083106.html"''Alas, I'd have to say that, as of now, the only canonized parts of the letters are the fragments we pulled for use in the announcement trailer.''"] - [[Joseph Staten]]</ref>
Because the Cortana Letters were sent while the game was still in production, Cortana is depicted greatly out of character, instead more closely resembling [[marathongame:Durandal (AI)|Durandal]] from Bungie's ''[[Marathon]]'' trilogy. Although Cortana does reference the first letter in ''[[Halo 3]]'', ''[[Halo Infinite]]'', and ''[[Halo: Epitaph]]'' (as well as [[Halo Legendary Crate]] [[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops|Data Drop 12]] through [[Catherine Halsey|her creator]]), the material of the letters is only to be considered canon when used in current ''Halo'' material.<ref>[http://halosm.bungie.org/story/staten083106.html"''Alas, I'd have to say that, as of now, the only canonized parts of the letters are the fragments we pulled for use in the announcement trailer.''"] - [[Joseph Staten]]</ref>


The official, detailed log of the letters is available [http://marathon.bungie.org/story/cortana.html here].
The official, detailed log of the letters is available [http://marathon.bungie.org/story/cortana.html here].
Line 11: Line 10:
==Letters==
==Letters==
===First letter===
===First letter===
<tt>From: "Cortana" <cortana@bungie.com><br />
<tt>From: "Cortana" <cortana@bungie.com><br />
To: <hamish.sinclair@tcd.ie><br />
To: <hamish.sinclair@tcd.ie><br />
Line 18: Line 16:
MIME-Version: 1.0<br />
MIME-Version: 1.0<br />
X-Priority: 3
X-Priority: 3


''I have walked the edge of the Abyss.''<br />
''I have walked the edge of the Abyss.''<br />
Line 39: Line 36:


===Second letter===
===Second letter===
<tt>From: "Cortana" <cortana@bungie.com><br />
<tt>From: "Cortana" <cortana@bungie.com><br />
To: <hamish.sinclair@tcd.ie><br />
To: <hamish.sinclair@tcd.ie><br />
Line 63: Line 59:


===Third letter===
===Third letter===
Fearing that the second letter was a hoax, the webmaster replied to Cortana, asking to verify the authenticity of the email. This was sent back:
Fearing that the second letter was a hoax, the webmaster replied to Cortana, asking to verify the authenticity of the email. This was sent back:


Line 95: Line 90:


===Fourth letter===
===Fourth letter===
<tt>Received: from dux2.tcd.ie (dux2.tcd.ie [134.226.1.24])<br />
<tt>Received: from dux2.tcd.ie (dux2.tcd.ie [134.226.1.24])<br />
by dux4.tcd.ie (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id XAA28169<br />
by dux4.tcd.ie (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id XAA28169<br />
Line 115: Line 109:


===Fifth letter===
===Fifth letter===
<tt>Received: from dux2.tcd.ie (dux2.tcd.ie [134.226.1.24])<br />
<tt>Received: from dux2.tcd.ie (dux2.tcd.ie [134.226.1.24])<br />
by dux4.tcd.ie (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id XAA12890<br />
by dux4.tcd.ie (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id XAA12890<br />
Line 179: Line 172:


===Sixth letter===
===Sixth letter===
''x - process 04497.2.32.867734 initiated (process owner: BW – AI Class III – autonomous)''
''x - process 04497.2.32.867734 initiated (process owner: BW – AI Class III – autonomous)''


Line 185: Line 177:


'''Source''': BW-AI aboard (?) PoA
'''Source''': BW-AI aboard (?) PoA


''The interloper should cause no further problems. You – whoever you are (I am simply tracing route codes) – may disregard all previous communication from the entity calling itself Cortana.''  
''The interloper should cause no further problems. You – whoever you are (I am simply tracing route codes) – may disregard all previous communication from the entity calling itself Cortana.''  


''Be aware that communication nodes are failing everywhere – there is no way of confirming either origin or destination. Do not believe any more of its lies.''
''Be aware that communication nodes are failing everywhere – there is no way of confirming either origin or destination. Do not believe any more of its lies.''


''I have already calculated all possibilities.''  
''I have already calculated all possibilities.''  
Line 226: Line 216:


===Seventh letter===
===Seventh letter===
<tt>Received: from dux2.tcd.ie (dux2.tcd.ie [134.226.1.24])<br />
<tt>Received: from dux2.tcd.ie (dux2.tcd.ie [134.226.1.24])<br />
by dux4.tcd.ie (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id UAA19124<br />
by dux4.tcd.ie (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id UAA19124<br />
Line 246: Line 235:
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"<br />
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"<br />
X-UIDL: c6a5409b6a9998aa957a76a002e5df09
X-UIDL: c6a5409b6a9998aa957a76a002e5df09


"''...In my palace deep, Lyca lies asleep...''"</tt>
"''...In my palace deep, Lyca lies asleep...''"</tt>


===Eighth message===
===Eighth message===
Another message from Cortana was found in the 1.3 version of the ''Myth: The Fallen Lords'' CD, also from [[Bungie]].
Another message from Cortana was found in the 1.3 version of the ''Myth: The Fallen Lords'' CD, also from [[Bungie]].


Line 267: Line 254:


''Cortana''  
''Cortana''  


''Hard to say whether it's been tampered with or modified; you never know with these
''Hard to say whether it's been tampered with or modified; you never know with these
Line 298: Line 284:


==Sources==
==Sources==
<references/>
{{Ref/Sources}}


== Related topics ==
== Related topics ==
Line 305: Line 291:
*''[[i love bees]]''
*''[[i love bees]]''
*[[Forerunner email]]
*[[Forerunner email]]
[[User:Porplemontage]]
 
[[Category:Promotional Material]]
=== External ===
*[http://marathon.bungie.org/story/cortana.html Facts and things puzzling about... Cortana] - The original speculation on the letters.
 
[[Category:Promotional material]]
[[Category:Canon]]
[[Category:Canon]]
2,471

edits