To begin, my latest theory, taken from my posts in the B.net group forum for CompoundIntelligence (double quotes are others' responses to my theory, it kinda developed form there):
In any case, let's have this thread be here to discuss any theories that develop from new events and info during Adjutant Reflex.The Forerunner were certainly not ashamed of imprisoning Flood on the Halos for "study". With that in mind, imagine if you're an omniscient, super-advanced galactic race, facing off against the Flood. It would act as one of the greatest experiments in your history if you were to use an entire planet to study the development of a civilization. Enter the modern human race.
Also, this system works two ways; if the Ark is activated and all Forerunner become extinct "as planned", this experimental human race would still exist on the protected Ark planet of Earth. Bada bing, you have your race all set up. Plus, if Flood infect these humans at a later date, they won't know how to operate the Forerunner tech--because the humans don't know how to operate the Forerunner tech.
Regular ho-hum marines can't work that stuff. Trace the tech from the Master Chief--the MJOLNIR Mark V suits had a new shielding system stolen from Covenant tech. The Covenant are imitators, not innovators, so it's quite likely that they found the shield tech somewhere from the Forerunners.Ah, but humans do know how to operate Forerunner tech, even if it is in our subconcious. How does the MC know how to activate the energy bridge, the Silent Cartographer, and elevators, to name a few examples?
I know it's a stretch, but also consider that the Elites are those with full body shields, and they are one of the oldest races in the Covenant. They even have the Forerunner glyph on the backs of their armor. The tech just simply "woke it up" inside the Master Chief I suppose.
I would tend towards the latter as well--seeing as how the Prophet of Truth has some long harbored feelings of resentment for the "Great Journey" and knows the true intent of the Halo array/Ark (perhaps). Sinister intent...I like.This does beg the question though - how do the Covenant fit in? Were they out of range or were they another one of the forerunner's "projects"? I would tend towards the latter.
Perhaps she was briefed on Forerunner symbology to some extent? MC did have a smart AI with him while doodling around in Halo, it could have taken notes I suppose. She did ask for "schematics, topography, whatever" upon finding 05. Besides, most of the time Keyes is seen interacting with stuff it's with Brutes. I assume most higher races in the Covenant would be trained to understand Forerunner symbols.But Miranda Keys was seen as a reclaimer and think about all of the times in the games where humans went somewhere on a Halo without MC.
Good point, but remember these guys were the favored child of sorts. They've grown up around these symbols and technology. The Prophet of Regret was able to pinpoint where Delta Halo was from something in Mombasa. The Elites turned off the light bridge in the second level of Halo: CE (I think). The Covenant locked the MC out of the main shaft by using the security system in Silent Cartographer (Cortana notes she "underestimated their knowledge of Halo's security system" or something like that).How do we know the Covenant even understood the Forerunner symbols? I don't believe that they are ever shown using Forerunner technology, other than the ship at the end of Halo 2, and the elevators in the levels with the Heretics.