Halo Array
The Forerunners' ring-shaped superweapons, built to starve the Flood by wiping out all sentient life.
The Halo Array is the network of ring-shaped megastructures at the center of the Halo universe and the source of the series' name. Built by the ancient Forerunners, the rings are neural eradication weapons of last resort: when fired, they kill every sentient being in the galaxy, denying the parasitic Flood the biomass it needs to spread. The Array could be triggered from the Ark, a refuge for life placed beyond the reach of the rings. Its rediscovery in the 26th century drives the conflict between humanity and the Covenant across the main games.
Quick Facts
- Creator
- The Forerunners
- Primary function
- Neural eradication weapon against the Flood
- Designation system
- Ring-shaped megastructures
- Control point
- The Ark
Facts from the source article.
Background
Millions of years ago, the Precursors seeded the Milky Way with life, only to be nearly wiped out by the Forerunners, one of their own creations. Some Precursors turned themselves into dust meant to regenerate them later, but it decayed into the Flood, a hivemind parasite that twisted living things. After also defeating ancient humanity, the Forerunners focused on the Flood and designed the Array as their final answer. With every other option exhausted, they fired it, ending the outbreak at the cost of all sentient life in its range. The surviving Forerunners reseeded the galaxy with life and then left the Milky Way.
Did You Know?
- Bungie's early prototype, codenamed Blam!, was set on a hollowed-out world called Solipsis before it became a ring.
- Halo was announced on July 21, 1999, at the Macworld Conference & Expo.
More in Lore & History
Elsewhere in Halo
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