Nice.
Let's discuss:
1-Agreed, let's focus on the known Universe;
2-Indeed they wouldn't expect a rebellion....for a reason we still don't know. But, if i was a Precursor that created a Forerunner, couldn't i possibly destroy it as like as i gave an existance to it?
3-Mmh. The theory of the life pre-Precursors is not clear enough to me. I mean, it's all supposed. The Primordial said the Humans would be tested by Flood, but he hasn't confirmed that Precursors are Floods. Although being itself a Gravemind composed by Precursors.
4-And this suggests me another question: why should they give the Mantle to others? I mean, they're capable of keeping it, why should they leave it to another inferior race? (i agree with that rebelled/tested thing)
5-I would say it's quite a gap, isn't it? It's the Focus point of everything. I HOPE Greg knows what he's doing.
6-The Mantle isn't referred only to those two races (as i remember, maybe i'm wrong). So they created all the animals and plants?
7-They could have also ran out from the entire Universe, i don't care. What i ask, as stated before, is "was the retreat the only way to survive? Couldn't they possibly destroy the Forerunners, or at least have a truce with them?" There's still that gap...
8- To answer this question, i have read again the last chapter of Primordium (obviously the italian version, so it's me trying to translate). The few hints that the Primordial gives are these: when the Didact asks him if he was the last of the Precursors, he said: "The last of this kind". This kind.
Another one: "We, the Flood, the same thing". Is he saying that Precursors and Flood are the same? Or is he talking as a Gravemind of Precursors? Wich is different: the first means obviously that ALL the Precursors were Flood, the second means that only the Precursors that are composing his body are Flood (wich is true).
It's too vague. There is no assertion, no objective description. Just hints.
I won't agree that Precursors are Flood, until it is clearly said.
Ah, we must admit that Greg Bears is giving us something to discuss for a long period, isn't him?