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From Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo Infinite, the Halo franchise has long been known for its diverse roster and complex mechanics of its enemies. For nearly 23 years, players have enjoyed battling the maneuverable and often comedic Covenant aliens, the robotic Forerunner sentinels, and the chaotic Flood forms. While most of these factions have continued to reappear relatively consistently, one faction has seemingly been abandoned in Halo Infinite: the Prometheans. With the recent publishing of a Halo Waypoint chronicle focusing on the Prometheans, 343 Industries should strive to bring this Warrior-Servant faction back in Halo 7.
Halo’s Promethean Knights Explained
Fans of 343’s previous mainline Halo games, Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians, will most likely be familiar with the robot-like Prometheans, but their story goes far beyond being simple Forerunner constructs. Millennia ago, in the days of the Forerunners’ dominance over the galaxy, Prometheans were simple Forerunner soldiers, a part of the Warrior-Servant caste in Forerunner society, often being deployed to combat ancient humans, Precursors, and San’Shyuum. However, their bodily forms proved to be ineffective against fighting the rapidly spreading Flood infection, forcing the Didact to develop a new form of Promethean soldier.
Utilizing the Composer, the Didact broke down and revived his Promethean troops as robotic Promethean Knights as one of the many failed countermeasures against the Flood. Being metallic constructs, the Knights were immune to Flood infection and used disintegrating weapons such as the Incineration Cannon to obliterate Flood tissue. Still, the Flood proved too numerous to be destroyed by the Knights alone, causing the Didact to compose ancient humans to join the Promethean ranks. After being awakened by Master Chief, the Didact used the composer once more to compose modern humans from New Phoenix to bolster his Promethean ranks. This was the last time new Promethean Knights were created.
After the Didact’s defeat by the Master Chief, the Promethean Knights became subservient to the post-Covenant warlord Jul ‘Mdama, the Didact’s Hand, and later to Cortana as the leader of The Created.
Prometheans’ Potential Return in Halo 7
The Halo Waypoint chronicle, Halo: The Machine Breaks, details the story of Promethean Knight TDS-009 as its human memories slowly begin to resurface while fighting for ‘Mdama. It’s revealed that this Knight is the composed essence of Dr. Sandra Tillson, one of the many modern humans composed after the Didact recovered the Composer from Installation 03 in Halo 4. Tillson is shown to be able to ignore her “programming” and defend fellow human troops as she is tormented with her consciousness being housed in a war machine. By the end of The Machine Breaks, Tillson is disconnected from the Promethean network and imprisoned on the Forerunner Shield World Genesis as one of monitor 031 Exuberant Witness’ many encaged specimens in Halo 5.
Based on Tillson’s story, it’s possible that more composed human minds are resurfacing among the Promethean ranks. With Cortana eliminated and The Created in shambles post-Halo Infinite, these human Prometheans could potentially rebel against their Created leaders and seek to find a way to return to their human form. If the Promethean humans do regain self-control, some of the remaining Knights could ally themselves with UNSC and Swords of Sanghelios forces and help combat Created, Banished, and Endless forces in Halo 7. The Weapon, being essentially a sister to Cortana, could even help some Prometheans free themselves from their Warrior-Servant programs.
Prometheans Potential Gameplay in Halo 7
If Prometheans do return in Halo 7, whether as allies or foes, they can help continue to diversify Halo‘s gameplay. Instead of the more human-like Forerunner weapons seen in Halo 4 and 5, 343 could have the Prometheans use new, more unique Forerunner weapons such as the Cindershot and Heatwave seen in Halo Infinite. While some Prometheans could act as allies similar to the Elites in Halo 3, others can still operate as enemies striving to destroy humanity, such as the Warden Eternal, Guardians, or possibly new forms of Prometheans as they become more desperate with their dwindling numbers. At the very least, the Prometheans should return in one more mainline Halo game to give their story a proper send off.
