The Flood

[Seeker of Truth]

The more I read, the more utterly convinced I am that the Flood will be the main antagonistic faction in Halo 5: Guardians.

Now, with High Charity destroyed and the Gravemind killed, the Flood from Installation 05 are definitely defeated for good. However, there are several hints that suggest, very strongly to me, that the Flood is going to come back, and in a very significant manner.

To begin with, Halo Escalation Issue #6's summary told of a "new galactic war". This is interesting, as the war with the Storm Covenant is ongoing and certainly not galactic; the Brutes are disorganized and not a very significant threat, and the Prometheans are out of the picture, at least temporarily, with Requiem destroyed. Now, this doesn't leave very many possibilities. I don't think 343 Industries would make the Insurrectionists the primary antagonists of any game, and in any case they are too weak to pose a threat to the galaxy as a whole. Like 'Gajat's splinter/mercenary group, they are more terrorists than anything else. What else is there to trigger a "new galactic war" excepting the Flood? 

The issue itself basically confirmed this. The Spirit of Fire was shown on a collision course with an unidentified planet (in a similar fashion to the Halo 3 legendary ending), and inside one of the cryo-storage bays, a single Flood Infection Form was seen.

Then there's the Master Chief Collection trailer, which focuses on a speech by the Arbiter, who says "all our lives are at stake". At this point in the lore, the Flood are the only known force that exists that would try to kill everything in the galaxy (most of the other threats are targeting humans specifically). 

Chris from Halo Follower momentarily speculated that the Arbiter might be a supporting antagonist if Lock was indeed hunting for John, however, I think that would be an extremely unwise decision on 343's part, and probably would spark at least as much outrage as Cortana's apparent death, leading to sales drops (just look at how many Arbiter fans there are!). In the very next video concerning the trailer Chris more or less retracted that speculation. I think (and hope) 343i is smart enough to realize that from both a lore and marketing perspective, vilifying the would be a very bad idea. If Locke is hunting for John, then he is most likely doing it without the Arbiters knowledge (notice from the dialogue that the Arbiter clearly wants the Master Chief alive and in the fight). 

It would be amazing to see the Halo saga conclude with a "Flood vs. Everyone" game and/or trilogy, but we'll see. 

[Unease Peanut]

The Flood could return since there might be a couple of speciments left on other installations for research. Also when a Gravemind is destroyed the Flood don't instantly die or something, they go back a stage (I think ferral) Which leaves them wandering around searching for more biomass to create a new Gravemind.

The Flood can always return.

[Seeker of Truth]

The Flood could return since there might be a couple of speciments left on other installations for research. Also when a Gravemind is destroyed the Flood don't instantly die or something, they go back a stage (I think ferral) Which leaves them wandering around searching for more biomass to create a new Gravemind.

The Flood can always return.

The Spirit of Fire has at least one infection form on it...In the words of Rtas 'Vadam, "One single Flood spore can destroy a species". 

[Caboose The Ace]

Well we know the Didact is alive so he may be the main antagonist.... just make him a good one this time that actually does stuff.

 

I can also see the Flood coming back 100 percent.

 

Why would 343 show us a Flood spore on the Spirit of Fire and do nothing with it ?

Edited June 15, 2014 by Caboose the Ace

[Coldfreeze]

How is the Didact still alive?

[TheBritishSpartan]

How is the Didact still alive?

 

Didn't you play halo 4? You just put a stupid promethean grenade that is crap into him, He then falls into his own thing, Meaning his own thingy is his own thingy cause he's the Didact meaning as hes a thingy he has won and lived beause hes a thingy.

 

 

Hope I hepled

[Coldfreeze]

Didn't you play halo 4? You just put a stupid promethean grenade that is crap into him, He then falls into his own thing, Meaning his own thingy is his own thingy cause he's the Didact meaning as hes a thingy he has won and lived beause hes a thingy.

 

 

Hope I hepled

 

Is this everyones reasoning: The pulse grenade sucks? The pulse grenade forcefully expands, if the didact is alive, he has a biiiig hole in his chest.

[Caboose The Ace]

Coldfreeze The Didacts armour is very advanced if Chief can survive a fall from orbit.... the Didact can survive a grenade.

[Creepertrent]

Yea i believe that the flood is coming back and I think they should add the rejected flood forms like the juggernaut.

[Coldfreeze]

Coldfreeze The Didacts armour is very advanced if Chief can survive a fall from orbit.... the Didact can survive a grenade.

 

Even the chief cannot survive a grenade planten inside of him. 

[Seeker of Truth]

Even the chief cannot survive a grenade planten inside of him. 

The Didact didn't even bleed... he was temporarily immobilized and then fell into a Slipspace rupture and was transported away. 

[BaconShelf]

Before I begin a lengthy explanation; let me clearly state: HALOFOLLOWER IS A HORRIBKE SOURCE OF INFO! He has admitted multiple times to NOT READING THE BOOKS and uses wildly inaccurate information and clickbait to spread misinformed ideas to his fans about Halo's story. Do not use it as an accurate source. (Shameless self advertising, but I would highly recommend The Halo Archive for lore expertise)

Anyone who takes the lore seriously is less likely to give you credit if you use HF as a source.

 

Now that's out of the way...

 

The Flood will undoubtedly return. This has been observed through multiple sources;

 

A) Halo 3- despite a mediocre campaign at best, the Gravemind does reveal some references. While I can't remember exact quotes (And don't have access to my Xbox), he makes some direct comments that halo 3's events do not destroy the Gravemind, but merely delay him.

 

Terminals- Mendicant practically screams at you in H3 that the flood will return and only Bias' knowledge can help stop it

 

C) The Forerunner Saga makes very interesting points;

 

Ci) there are at least 12 Proto-Graveminds formed on Installation 07

 

Cii) The Flood's attack on The forerunners was to test if they were worthy of the Mantle. It is stated that Humans will be tested when they become too strong and sure of themselves- exactly what we see in H4 and related material

 

D) Spirit of Fire

 

E) There are still possibly thousands of Flood Research facilities in the galaxy. The Janus key- if used- could potentially reveal all to the wrong side.

 

F) there was a radical Covenant group that believes the Flood should be allowed to be set loose to relive the fall of the Forerunners

 

G) The Ark wasn't destroyed. This can be backed up with reports from the UNSC Rubicon in 2559, before being hijacked by 343GS. It is entirely possible that Flood remnant survived.

 

Even the chief cannot survive a grenade planten inside of him.

 

The Master Chief was wearing MJOLNIR armour. In CE/ The Flood, 343GS remarks on how his suit is only a class 2 combat skin and that he should be using a class 12 minimum. As the supreme leader of all Forerunner militarise, it isn't out if reality that the Didact's armour was more than 6x stronger than Chief's.

 

How is the Didact still alive?

 

 

He is seen talking to some sort of council post-halo 4. 343 does not do things as coincidence, and they have confirmed he has a part yet to play in the reclaimer saga.

 

He is alive.

[Vaulting♥Frog]

I still say the Flood can go to hell and stay there... away from any future games. They are a one dimensional enemy that got stale after the very first Halo game.

[Caboose The Ace]

^

 

You may be out of look there VF during Halo escalation is shows a Flood spore on the Spirit of fire.

 

So that pretty much confirms one way or another the Flood are coming back.

[rrhuntington]

Parasitic hate.

 

The flood are a lovely enemy. How they crawl, and slap, and then fall, get back up, then fall again, and use your weapons and really, really, annoy you on Legendary. Then they have the tentacles... the gorgeous tentacles... that don't squash you. 

 

Flood is OP, but I love'em

[BaconShelf]

 

I still say the Flood can go to hell and stay there... away from any future games. They are a one dimensional enemy that got stale after the very first Halo game.

 

 

With 343's lore, they are anything but.

[Vaulting♥Frog]

With 343's lore, they are anything but.

Bacon I am not going to get into this again. I have explained too many times my hatred for the Flood and how crappy an enemy they are. Leave my opinion alone.

[Seeker of Truth]

Before I begin a lengthy explanation; let me clearly state: HALOFOLLOWER IS A HORRIBKE SOURCE OF INFO! He has admitted multiple times to NOT READING THE BOOKS and uses wildly inaccurate information and clickbait to spread misinformed ideas to his fans about Halo's story. Do not use it as an accurate source. (Shameless self advertising, but I would highly recommend The Halo Archive for lore expertise)

Anyone who takes the lore seriously is less likely to give you credit if you use HF as a source.

I never said Halo Follower was a good source of information, in fact I pointed out how lore-unfriendly, and unwise from a marketing perspective, it would be for 343 to reintroduce the Arbiter only to make him an antagonist. He also doesn't know who Bornstellar is and he thinks all Forerunners are out to destroy humanity. 

[HIWBC]

I would love to see the flood make a return, I one hundred percent support this. I think The Flood were an absolutely amazing enemy, the best in fact in my opinion .

[Connor Kenway]

Galactic war? easily we've seen in Halo 4 a 3 way war (UNSC,Storm Covenant and Prometheans) with this going onto a bigger scale now that Requiem is gone, the Arbiters elites the UNSC,Storm Covenant,Prometheans and potentially the flood from the Spirit of Fire I think we'll be having some pretty big battles now that rival the Forerunner-Flood War

[RisingPho3nix]

I have to admit, I am shocked and depressed by how many people want the Flood to come back.

The Halo games I have enjoyed the most, with the exception of Combat Evolved, have all been the games WITHOUT the Flood.

I might actually cry if the Flood come back for Halo 5.

[BaconShelf]

 

I have to admit, I am shocked and depressed by how many people want the Flood to come back.

 

The Halo games I have enjoyed the most, with the exception of Combat Evolved, have all been the games WITHOUT the Flood.

 

I might actually cry if the Flood come back for Halo 5.

 

 

You clearly don't know anything about the lore. Come back when you understand what people are talking about.

[RisingPho3nix]

You clearly don't know anything about the lore. Come back when you understand what people are talking about.

Oh I know the lore. Doesn't make me hate the Flood any less.

[Final Run]

They need to take the best of the flood traits from the halo games, and then scrapping the rest and replacing them with new features. This includes the way they look, the sounds they make, abilities, flood types (Infection, Combat, Carrier) and balance.

 

Halo CE:

 

PRO's

 

-I liked how the Flood sometimes would jump down on you from the ceiling or a higher elevation. This exactly made carrier forms a really big threat. This didn't happen enough though.

 

-Having to option to shoot off either arm as they ran at you with a pistol (usually) was a nice option. Flood form with shotgun running at you? Blow his arm off, steal the gun and blast him instead. Wasn't easy to "pull" off either.

 

- Their ability "play dead" in the original was always something that made you think twice about walking over their body and is something I hope is brought back for the flood in new Halo games. It also really added to the creepy factor in the Original (Which is good). Unfortunately the shotgun/grenades in CE was way to OP and almost always killed Combat forms outright, even on legendary. If you want see how CE flood should have been play Anniversary Edition on the "Keyes" level on legendary or heroic with low brightness, and with the mythic, fog, and eye-patch skull turned on. You'll still be able to beat it but you're really got to pay attention to your flashlight, ammo and your surroundings. Blasting your shotgun with lazy aim at flood forms 15 feet away or grenade spamming won't get you far. It forces you to get creative in order to win just like it should be in Halo 5.

 

CON's

 

-Sure fighting the Flood on legendary in CE when I was 8 years old was difficult but I know now that the only thing required to beat them is cheap shotgun camping tactics with grenades. Anyone remember the library mission? Well that's basically the tactic you used for the entire damn thing... Not fun at all.

 

-I like how the flood were resistant to melee, making them contrast with the covenant, but it was way too much. Now they weren't immune to melee attacks but it takes a VERY long time to kill them this way. How many melee strikes exactly? The world may never know...

 

Halo 2:

 

PRO's

 

-Chilling screams and yelling from the flood was a nice exchange for the moaning sounds the flood had in Halo CE, which I always found more humorous than scary.

 

-The flood would actually retreat and use some tactics rather than just running at you like in first. Even the infection forms didn't always just rush as soon they detected you.

 

-Flood driving around in vehicles in quarantine zone was pretty cool, though it was the only level were it could be witnessed.

 

CON's

 

-Human Combat Form with Shotguns were broken (Human combat forms in general were tbh).

 

-The infection forms ability to revive a flood combat form was annoying. It would have been a interesting addition if it didn't take a million melee's to destroy a body on the ground, leaving you with only the sword, shotgun and sentinel beams to destroy them quickly enough.

 

-No flood juggernauts

 

-The flood combat forms had a headshot area that was a little easy to hit, especially when they ran straight at you.

 

Halo 3:

 

PRO's

 

-The addition of pure forms finally allowed you to fight other opponents other than the original 3 forms introduced in the original.

 

-The ability of an infection form to turn any corpse in a flood form was a nice plus. Pretty unnerving and gruesome to watch too.

 

CON's

 

-Only 1-2 melee's to kill a combat form? How pathetic... I guess Bungie wanted to fix the floods incredible resistance to this attack in the the first two games but instead they went to the complete opposite side of the spectrum which is just as bad.

 

-The flood seemed awfully sluggish and slow and seemed to have devolved in regards to intelligence since halo 2

 

 

So for H5 (or 6) assuming they really do add the Flood, they should make them less predictable by making the flood hide and set up ambushes for the player more. It's difficult to do with radar and all, but I'm sure 343 could pull it off. This would, at the same time I believe, add to the scare factor which so many players want for the flood. If nothing else, they should NOT make the flood like they were in H3 in regards to the difficulty. Maybe they could add more flood forms due to possible evolution.

 

Perhaps Flood who's brains have been mutated to preform mind powers to play tricks players and marines in order to lead them into traps, or maybe some mutated to attain the ability to camouflage with their surroundings. These are just some silly and random ideas of course, but I really think 343 has a lot of room to work with regarding this somewhat forgotten enemy of Halo Story.

[Connor Kenway]

They need to take the best of the flood traits from the halo games, and then scrapping the rest and replacing them with new features. This includes the way they look, the sounds they make, abilities, flood types (Infection, Combat, Carrier) and balance.

 

Halo CE:

 

PRO's

 

-I liked how the Flood sometimes would jump down on you from the ceiling or a higher elevation. This exactly made carrier forms a really big threat. This didn't happen enough though.

 

-Having to option to shoot off either arm as they ran at you with a pistol (usually) was a nice option. Flood form with shotgun running at you? Blow his arm off, steal the gun and blast him instead. Wasn't easy to "pull" off either.

 

- Their ability "play dead" in the original was always something that made you think twice about walking over their body and is something I hope is brought back for the flood in new Halo games. It also really added to the creepy factor in the Original (Which is good). Unfortunately the shotgun/grenades in CE was way to OP and almost always killed Combat forms outright, even on legendary. If you want see how CE flood should have been play Anniversary Edition on the "Keyes" level on legendary or heroic with low brightness, and with the mythic, fog, and eye-patch skull turned on. You'll still be able to beat it but you're really got to pay attention to your flashlight, ammo and your surroundings. Blasting your shotgun with lazy aim at flood forms 15 feet away or grenade spamming won't get you far. It forces you to get creative in order to win just like it should be in Halo 5.

 

CON's

 

-Sure fighting the Flood on legendary in CE when I was 8 years old was difficult but I know now that the only thing required to beat them is cheap shotgun camping tactics with grenades. Anyone remember the library mission? Well that's basically the tactic you used for the entire damn thing... Not fun at all.

 

-I like how the flood were resistant to melee, making them contrast with the covenant, but it was way too much. Now they weren't immune to melee attacks but it takes a VERY long time to kill them this way. How many melee strikes exactly? The world may never know...

 

Halo 2:

 

PRO's

 

-Chilling screams and yelling from the flood was a nice exchange for the moaning sounds the flood had in Halo CE, which I always found more humorous than scary.

 

-The flood would actually retreat and use some tactics rather than just running at you like in first. Even the infection forms didn't always just rush as soon they detected you.

 

-Flood driving around in vehicles in quarantine zone was pretty cool, though it was the only level were it could be witnessed.

 

CON's

 

-Human Combat Form with Shotguns were broken (Human combat forms in general were tbh).

 

-The infection forms ability to revive a flood combat form was annoying. It would have been a interesting addition if it didn't take a million melee's to destroy a body on the ground, leaving you with only the sword, shotgun and sentinel beams to destroy them quickly enough.

 

-No flood juggernauts

 

-The flood combat forms had a headshot area that was a little easy to hit, especially when they ran straight at you.

 

Halo 3:

 

PRO's

 

-The addition of pure forms finally allowed you to fight other opponents other than the original 3 forms introduced in the original.

 

-The ability of an infection form to turn any corpse in a flood form was a nice plus. Pretty unnerving and gruesome to watch too.

 

CON's

 

-Only 1-2 melee's to kill a combat form? How pathetic... I guess Bungie wanted to fix the floods incredible resistance to this attack in the the first two games but instead they went to the complete opposite side of the spectrum which is just as bad.

 

-The flood seemed awfully sluggish and slow and seemed to have devolved in regards to intelligence since halo 2

 

 

So for H5 (or 6) assuming they really do add the Flood, they should make them less predictable by making the flood hide and set up ambushes for the player more. It's difficult to do with radar and all, but I'm sure 343 could pull it off. This would, at the same time I believe, add to the scare factor which so many players want for the flood. If nothing else, they should NOT make the flood like they were in H3 in regards to the difficulty. Maybe they could add more flood forms due to possible evolution.

 

Perhaps Flood who's brains have been mutated to preform mind powers to play tricks players and marines in order to lead them into traps, or maybe some mutated to attain the ability to camouflage with their surroundings. These are just some silly and random ideas of course, but I really think 343 has a lot of room to work with regarding this somewhat forgotten enemy of Halo Story.

the reason they were more intelligent in H2 was because like H3 they had a gravemind so they could actually 'communicate'  unlike Halo CE where they had a Proto-Gravemind