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Ur-Didact: Difference between revisions
Citation needed for voice actor: He does sound a lot like Szarabajka, but the Wikipedia page or any other site that I know of has no citation for his role in Halo 4.
(Citation needed for voice actor: He does sound a lot like Szarabajka, but the Wikipedia page or any other site that I know of has no citation for his role in Halo 4.) |
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Later on, during the [[Forerunner-Flood war|war]], the Didact was constantly trying to convince the Librarian to give up on her mission to save other sentient life from the Halo Array's inevitable activation, and return to him to safety inside the [[Maginot Line]]. His pleas, however, were unsuccessful and the Librarian ended up destroying her own fleet, stranding herself on [[Earth]] to live out the rest of her days in a place she referred to as "[[Eden]]".<ref>'''Halo 3''' - ''Terminal 6''</ref> | Later on, during the [[Forerunner-Flood war|war]], the Didact was constantly trying to convince the Librarian to give up on her mission to save other sentient life from the Halo Array's inevitable activation, and return to him to safety inside the [[Maginot Line]]. His pleas, however, were unsuccessful and the Librarian ended up destroying her own fleet, stranding herself on [[Earth]] to live out the rest of her days in a place she referred to as "[[Eden]]".<ref>'''Halo 3''' - ''Terminal 6''</ref> | ||
After the Didact learned the Librarian's location, he prepared a rescue party to retrieve her. However, before they could depart, Mendicant Bias' fleet breached the Maginot Line and destroyed the rescue party. Stricken by grief, the Didact then activated the Halo Array, wiping out all sentient life in the galaxy | After the Didact learned the Librarian's location, he prepared a rescue party to retrieve her. However, before they could depart, Mendicant Bias' fleet breached the Maginot Line and destroyed the rescue party. Stricken by grief, the Didact then activated the Halo Array, wiping out all sentient life in the galaxy and stating that he would begin "[their] Great Journey" without his wife.<ref name="t7"/> Under unknown circumstances, he went into exile in a Cryptum on the shield world known as [[Requiem]], guarded by legions of mechanical Promethean forces.<ref name="gttv"/> | ||
===Return=== | ===Return=== | ||
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As the leader of the Prometheans, the Didact is immensely experienced and powerful. Generally, he is stoic and calm, but quick to anger if provoked. The Didact adhered strictly to Warrior-Servant precepts and traditions, and fiercely opposed anything that clashed with his ideals. This was the reason for his opposition to the Halo Array, as he viewed it as an affront to everything the Mantle stood for. He was also a follower of the Warrior-Servants' interpretation of the Mantle, believing that defying the Forerunners was tantamount to defying the Mantle itself. In his view, however, the Mantle accepted everyone, even contemporary humanity who conquered other species, although this did not change his condemnation of such actions or the strong resentment he felt toward humanity.<ref name="speech">'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 234-235''</ref> | As the leader of the Prometheans, the Didact is immensely experienced and powerful. Generally, he is stoic and calm, but quick to anger if provoked. The Didact adhered strictly to Warrior-Servant precepts and traditions, and fiercely opposed anything that clashed with his ideals. This was the reason for his opposition to the Halo Array, as he viewed it as an affront to everything the Mantle stood for. He was also a follower of the Warrior-Servants' interpretation of the Mantle, believing that defying the Forerunners was tantamount to defying the Mantle itself. In his view, however, the Mantle accepted everyone, even contemporary humanity who conquered other species, although this did not change his condemnation of such actions or the strong resentment he felt toward humanity.<ref name="speech">'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 234-235''</ref> | ||
The Didact was considered in his time to be the supreme enemy of humans, viewing mankind as a grave threat and considering them to be extremely contentious, bigoted and self-centered.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 112''</ref> | The Didact rarely showed any fear, although he openly admitted to being afraid to confront the Primordial, due to what it represented and the potential implications it may have had on his deepest-held beliefs.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 353''</ref> The subsequent revelations shook him to the point that he was unable to contain his fury and executed the creature out of anger.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 366''</ref> | ||
When first meeting with Bornstellar, the Didact viewed the Manipular as foolish and naive, cursing him for waking him from his hibernation, but over the course of their travels he would begin to share some of the wisdom gained as a result of his experience, effectively becoming a mentor figure to the young Forerunner. This continued even after the two had been separated, with the Didact's imprinted consciousness offering his view on various matters and making occasional wry comments to Bornstellar, until fully subsuming his consciousness in order to continue the original Didact's work. | |||
===Views on humanity=== | |||
The Didact was considered in his time to be the supreme enemy of humans, viewing mankind as a grave threat and considering them to be extremely contentious, bigoted and self-centered.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 112''</ref> However, this animosity was not driven by hatred or malice; rather, it was a largely rational reaction to humanity's actions.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 328''</ref> | |||
On the other hand, he also respected humans as warriors and regarded them as honorable, unlike their San 'Shyuum allies who had surrendered earlier in the war.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 134''</ref> This was demonstrated when he met with his main opponent, [[Forthencho|Forthencho, the Lord of Admirals]], in person after the humans' defeat, speaking to him as a fellow warrior and reassuring him about the future despite humanity's grim predicament.<ref name="speech"/> He also understood humanity's motives for aggressive expansion after studying their records of their struggle with the Flood. Nonetheless, he felt it necessary to eradicate the contemporary human civilization entirely to ensure they would not rise to challenge Forerunner dominance again. | |||
The Didact | The Didact's antipathy toward humans was at least partially curtailed by the Librarian, who was, in contrast, regarded as humanity's greatest protector.<ref name="cryp77">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 77''</ref> It is likely, however, that his opinion of humanity has changed little as of the present, and indeed it can be assumed he would now hold some resentment towards humanity for indirectly causing the death of the Librarian. | ||
He appeared to regard Chakas and Riser, the two humans who accompanied Bornstellar, with relative indifference, viewing them as mere annoyances, although he tolerated them because they were part of his wife's plan. By the point the Bornstellar-Didact reunited with the two, he appears to have had more of sympathy for them; he trusted Chakas enough to connect with him to Installation 07's control interface and enlist his aid in saving the ring,<ref name="pri339">'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 339''</ref> and later treated Chakas and the other humans gently, expressing condolence for everything they had been forced to go through.<ref name="pri347">'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 347-348''</ref> | He appeared to regard Chakas and Riser, the two humans who accompanied Bornstellar, with relative indifference, viewing them as mere annoyances, although he tolerated them because they were part of his wife's plan. By the point the Bornstellar-Didact reunited with the two, he appears to have had more of sympathy for them; he trusted Chakas enough to connect with him to Installation 07's control interface and enlist his aid in saving the ring,<ref name="pri339">'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 339''</ref> and later treated Chakas and the other humans gently, expressing condolence for everything they had been forced to go through.<ref name="pri347">'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 347-348''</ref> | ||
==Physical description and appearance== | ==Physical description and appearance== | ||
[[File:Didact.jpg|thumb|The Didact, based on [[Cortana]]'s visual interpretation.<ref group="note">The Didact's depiction in ''Origins'' is not entirely accurate, regardless of which Didact the image is meant to represent. As the Bornstellar-Didact had six fingers instead of five, it can be assumed that the same is true to the Ur-Didact. Though his armor's color scheme matches its description in ''Halo: Primordium'', Cortana's interpretation of the Didact seems to have a slimmer, narrower frame than either of his incarnations.</ref>]] | [[File:Didact.jpg|thumb|The Didact, based on [[Cortana]]'s visual interpretation.<ref group="note">The Didact's depiction in ''Origins'' is not entirely accurate, regardless of which Didact the image is meant to represent. As the Bornstellar-Didact had six fingers instead of five, it can be assumed that the same is true to the Ur-Didact. Though his armor's color scheme matches its description in ''Halo: Primordium'', Cortana's interpretation of the Didact seems to have a slimmer, narrower frame than either of his incarnations.</ref>]] | ||
A full-rate Promethean, the Ur-Didact was a physically imposing presence. He stood approximately twice a Manipular's height and weighed four or five times as much,<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 65''</ref> and had massive, heavily muscled limbs. It was said that he could easily have crushed a human with his bare hands.<ref name="cryp77"/> The Bornstellar-Didact was mostly similar to the Ur-Didact in appearance and stature and had a "broad, grotesque face", although upon closer examination, his comparative physical youth was apparent in his appearance.<ref name="pri347"/> | A full-rate Promethean, the Ur-Didact was a physically imposing presence. He stood approximately twice a Manipular's height and weighed four or five times as much,<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 65''</ref> and had massive, heavily muscled limbs and hands with six digits. It was said that he could easily have crushed a human with his bare hands.<ref name="cryp77"/> His skin was grayish pink in color<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 76''</ref> and he had patches of bluish white fur on the top of his head and shoulders.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 179''</ref> He had strong, serious facial features and deep-set, gray eyes.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''pages 79, 150''</ref> The Bornstellar-Didact was mostly similar to the Ur-Didact in appearance and stature and had a "broad, grotesque face", although upon closer examination, his comparative physical youth was apparent in his appearance.<ref name="pri347"/> | ||
The Didact's [[Forerunner body armor|personal armor]], which bore the mottled gray and blue colors of a Warrior-Servant,<ref name="pri339"/> was despite his lofty status considered austere in contrast to more lavishly decorated Builder armor.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 81-82''</ref> | The Didact's [[Forerunner body armor|personal armor]], which bore the mottled gray and blue colors of a Warrior-Servant,<ref name="pri339"/> was despite his lofty status considered austere in contrast to more lavishly decorated Builder armor.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 81-82''</ref> | ||
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{{linkbox|quote=Yes}} | {{linkbox|quote=Yes}} | ||
[[File:Didact_unbound.png|right|150px|thumb|The Didact symbol in its "unbound" state.<ref group="note" name="unbound"/>]] | [[File:Didact_unbound.png|right|150px|thumb|The Didact symbol in its "unbound" state.<ref group="note" name="unbound"/>]] | ||
*The Didact is the main antagonist of ''Halo 4'', in which he is voiced by [[Wikipedia:Keith Szarabajka|Keith Szarabajka]], and he will be a "pivotal character" in subsequent media.<ref name="gttv"/> Before the official confirmation that the Didact was to be the antagonist, a number of sources made several suggestions that this may be the case. The final [[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|terminal]] of ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' contains a foreboding reference to the Didact's possible return, and there are hints throughout ''Halo: Primordium'' that humans are once again faced by the Didact; most prominently in the very end of the novel.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 378'' (''"You and I are brothers in many ways... not least in that we faced the Didact before, and face him now, and perhaps ever after."'')</ref> A symbol very similar to that of the Didact's appears in the ''[[Halo 4 Cinematic Trailer]]'', in which the icon is shown overtaking the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}'s monitors while a wave of orange light scans throughout the ship. The icon is later seen turning over in the end of the trailer, superimposed by the text ''"An ancient evil awakens,"'' while an unknown voice is heard saying ''"I have long dreamt of this day, Reclaimer."'' Near the end of ''Origins, Part 1'', the Didact's empty armor is seen being placed into storage by another Forerunner after the activation of the Array, with his body nowhere to be seen; however, as this is based on the semi-rampant Cortana's interpretation of the available data, it is possible that such an event never really occurred. | *The Didact is the main antagonist of ''Halo 4'', in which he is voiced by [[Wikipedia:Keith Szarabajka|Keith Szarabajka]],{{Citation needed}} and he will be a "pivotal character" in subsequent media.<ref name="gttv"/> Before the official confirmation that the Didact was to be the antagonist, a number of sources made several suggestions that this may be the case. The final [[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|terminal]] of ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' contains a foreboding reference to the Didact's possible return, and there are hints throughout ''Halo: Primordium'' that humans are once again faced by the Didact; most prominently in the very end of the novel.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 378'' (''"You and I are brothers in many ways... not least in that we faced the Didact before, and face him now, and perhaps ever after."'')</ref> A symbol very similar to that of the Didact's appears in the ''[[Halo 4 Cinematic Trailer]]'', in which the icon is shown overtaking the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}'s monitors while a wave of orange light scans throughout the ship. The icon is later seen turning over in the end of the trailer, superimposed by the text ''"An ancient evil awakens,"'' while an unknown voice is heard saying ''"I have long dreamt of this day, Reclaimer."'' Near the end of ''Origins, Part 1'', the Didact's empty armor is seen being placed into storage by another Forerunner after the activation of the Array, with his body nowhere to be seen; however, as this is based on the semi-rampant Cortana's interpretation of the available data, it is possible that such an event never really occurred. | ||
*A centuries-long series of conversations between Didact and the Librarian can be found inside Forerunner [[Terminal/Halo 3|terminal]]s in ''Halo 3''. When the terminals are accessed, the player is eventually moved to a conversation that was recorded before the Halo rings were fired but after he had transferred his consciousness into Bornstellar. The Didact's last words to the Librarian moments prior to the Array's activation are featured in the [[Iris]] campaign Server [[Episode 1]]. | *A centuries-long series of conversations between Didact and the Librarian can be found inside Forerunner [[Terminal/Halo 3|terminal]]s in ''Halo 3''. When the terminals are accessed, the player is eventually moved to a conversation that was recorded before the Halo rings were fired but after he had transferred his consciousness into Bornstellar. The Didact's last words to the Librarian moments prior to the Array's activation are featured in the [[Iris]] campaign Server [[Episode 1]]. | ||
*The title Didact is a back-formation of the word ''didactic'', which means to instruct others, especially with regard to morals. This is ironic because the Didact, who sought the dismantling of the Halo Array to protect the galaxy, ultimately activated the rings, defying his morals. | *The title Didact is a back-formation of the word ''didactic'', which means to instruct others, especially with regard to morals. This is ironic because the Didact, who sought the dismantling of the Halo Array to protect the galaxy, ultimately activated the rings, defying his morals. | ||