Kif said:
I've put spoilers in the subject, though I'm probably the last person with a 360 to have completed it.
Could someone explain it to me please? I just didn't really understand what happened which probably gave it less impact.
I feel compelled to explain the story (your not the first I've had to explain the ending to, and while I had no problem following it, it seems a lot of people did.)
Kif said:
I was fine right up to when the flood turned on me after killing the prophet, then the whole thing on the flood ship with the constant messages about the parents of humanity and wanting her (Cortana's) secret and what seemed like a build up to a big fight with a tentacle monster of some description was cool right up to the point where you save Cortana and she's absolutely fine.
Having been lured here by Cortana's "solution" to the flood, which was originally believed to be some sort of secret weapon or something, the humans followed the covenant through the Portal to the Ark. However, Cortana had also told Gravemind that there was a weapon on the Ark that could destroy him. (Gravemind: I shall ask, and you shall answer. Cortana: Ok, shoot.)
There was no weapon. The entire plan was to get the Ark, which Cortana had undoubtly figured out about while linked to Instilation 04's core, to make a new Halo, and then draw the Flood there. Chief figures out it's a forge, creating a replacement Halo, and figures out THIS is what Cortana was talking about, agreeing to help Guilty Spark "Light it".
Kif said:
Then when you leave the ship the flood monster says something like 'I know her secret now' but that all just goes by the wayside as next level you have a boss fight with the Oracle eye thing before activating the Halo and supposedly dying, at least that's what I think happened from the end cut scene.
The point of her messages is Gravemind gets here, finds no "secret weapon", and starts trying to corrupt Cortana so that she will reveal what it was that she drew him here for. He almost succeeds, till you show up and break his hold over her. She teams back up with you, busts out the index, and then hops back into your head.
However, the Gravemind had been watching, and now realized he'd been tricked. In a rage, he sent Flood dispersal Pods to the new Halo in an attempt to make it his new home. However, you blow up High Charity (something I wish they had shown blow up bigger then just some fires on the outside) and cripple the Gravemind. Launching a last ditch effort, he focuses all his dispersal pods near the control room, which you are headed towards.
When you get to the control room, you let Guilty Spark (the Monitor of Instillation 04 or the "Oracle" as the covenant call him) know you're gonna light the ring now. He freaks out, because the damage to the ring in a premature firing would cause the debris to fall back into the Forge, possibly destroying his only chance at getting his ring back. In rage, he fries Johnson, blasts the Arbiter, and smokes the Chief. However, Johnson lasers him back, then tosses the laser to you. (I like to imagine him sliding it Captain Price style toward you as you get up or something) Killing the Monitor, you light the ring and make a run for it.
Getting back to the ship, you take off for the portal, but the Ring going off causes the portal to short out. Half of Forward Unto Dawn goes to Earth, while the rest goes who knows where. The Arbiter was in the front half, and you were in the back. So now the Chief is floating in space somewhere between the Ark and Earth.
Kif said:
It's like there's a missing bit in the middle with explaining what the heck the flood monster was going on about with 'her secrets' and 'your father' etc etc
He is referring to the fact that Humans ARE Forerunner. The history of the Forerunner was lost, and the forerunner re-evolved into humanity. I had guessed this since the first game.
(Guilty Spark: Last time you asked me, if it were my choice, would I do it. Having had considerable time to ponder your query, my answer has not changed.)
This is confirmed by the Prophets in the part where Johnson, forced by Truth, lights the ring. (Truth: I see now why they left you behind. You were weak... and gods must be strong.)
This is blatantly told to the player in the end by Guilty Spark. (You are the Children of my maker, inheritor of all they left behind... you ARE Forerunner... but this ring, is MINE!)
I hope this clears things up a bit.
