PLOT HOLE? The Didact

[Crowleyface]

How do Cortana and the Chief know that the Forerunner they meet is in fact the Didact?

 

Maybe I missed it but Cortana seems to just pluck the name out of the air, and then everyone (even the Librarian, with whom they've had no contact) refers to him as such for the rest of the game. It seems as though there's no canonical way for them to know that this guy is the Didact until the meet the Librarian and she lays it out for them

 

Their in-game logic seems to be "I read about a Forerunner called the Didact once, I just met a Forerunner, therefore that Forerunner is the Didact" - no dice, this doesn't work

[assassins kenny]

i noticed this but didnt care

[Crowleyface]

Well, I did care.

 

I guess it's not a massive problem over all but it is sloppy, and especially annoying as it's a whacking great hole in the middle of some otherwise solid science fiction.

 

I can't help but think that this wouldn't have gotten through under Bungie's watch

[Sierra1117]

I would say because Cortana was in so man Forerunner terminals that she saw then name, and when they met him, she just assumed it was him.

[Crowleyface]

That's an assumption on your part though; still weak, still unanswered, still messy storytelling

[assassins kenny]

343 needs to answer this

[ElijahP]

Good point, although it's clear that even the covenant know who the Didact is, as you can hear them cry out his name and kneel in presence. It absolutely should have been mentioned or explained in some way, but I think it's not such a weak assumption to think that his name has appeared in history enough for him to be recognized. Especially since I think he's the only forerunner left. The Librarian was a digital entity, wasn't she? Or have I mistaken some part of the plot?

[smitty49]

How do Cortana and the Chief know that the Forerunner they meet is in fact the Didact?

 

Maybe I missed it but Cortana seems to just pluck the name out of the air, and then everyone (even the Librarian, with whom they've had no contact) refers to him as such for the rest of the game. It seems as though there's no canonical way for them to know that this guy is the Didact until the meet the Librarian and she lays it out for them

 

Their in-game logic seems to be "I read about a Forerunner called the Didact once, I just met a Forerunner, therefore that Forerunner is the Didact" - no dice, this doesn't work

 

yeah, this was really confusing to me... i didnt get it either...

[Crowleyface]

Good point, although it's clear that even the covenant know who the Didact is, as you can hear them cry out his name and kneel in presence. It absolutely should have been mentioned or explained in some way, but I think it's not such a weak assumption to think that his name has appeared in history enough for him to be recognized. Especially since I think he's the only forerunner left. The Librarian was a digital entity, wasn't she? Or have I mistaken some part of the plot?

 

To assume that would also be to assume that the an alien could accurately recognise the first human they ever met as George Washington having read about him in an ancient book

 

The Librarian is digital as far as I can tell, an AI created from the original, similar to Cortana being created from Halsey

[Sierra1117]

The storm knows who he is because their leader read some sc enscriptions mentioning the Didact and Requiem, which led him there.

[Crowleyface]

The storm knows who he is because their leader read some sc enscriptions mentioning the Didact and Requiem, which led him there.

 

From the books I assume? Interesting but irrelevant, it still doesn't explain how Cortana and the Chief know who he is. As best as I can tell, nothing in the canon does

[Sierra1117]

From the books I assume? Interesting but irrelevant, it still doesn't explain how Cortana and the Chief know who he is. As best as I can tell, nothing in the canon does

Actually it is because someone else mentioned it and I'm simply elaborating on that.

[Crowleyface]

Actually it is because someone else mentioned it and I'm simply elaborating on that.

 

Ah, my bad, relevant to the thread but not nessecarily my question

[WonderWombat]

When do they call him Didact? I don't even remember them calling him that until the last couple of levels.

[Crowleyface]

When do they call him Didact? I don't even remember them calling him that until the last couple of levels.

 

Obvious spoiler warning -

 

I think the first time is just after the cutscene where they watch the Infinity go down and the orb/ship follow, and they start off into the jungle

[WonderWombat]

Obvious spoiler warning -

 

I think the first time is just after the cutscene where they watch the Infinity go down and the orb/ship follow, and they start off into the jungle

No, they just say "he".

 

I think the quote is something like "We know where "he" is heading."

 

Also are the terminals canonical pieces of information like in Halo 3? If so then he would have learned from the first terminal.

[Crowleyface]

No, they just say "he".

 

I think the quote is something like "We know where "he" is heading."

 

Also are the terminals canonical pieces of information like in Halo 3? If so then he would have learned from the first terminal.

 

I said just after that cutscene, here's the relevant video -

[Dennis Walker]

yeah this definitely irked me a bit, I was playing coop with a friend and I've read the books so I understood, but he was like "who the **** is the didact!?"

[Crowleyface]

yeah this definitely irked me a bit, I was playing coop with a friend and I've read the books so I understood, but he was like "who the **** is the didact!?"

 

See I haven't read any of the books since Ghosts of Onyx so I may well be missing something but it seems as though they've imbued them with our (the audiences) knowledge, and it's bugging the crap outta me!

[WonderWombat]

Well I have seem to uncover this.

 

The Didact comes out of his shell thinger and makes the Prometheans bow. The Covenant also do this and all say "Didact". Then after the cutscene (With subtitles on). Cortana says "That...Didact. He maniupulated..." So it seems to be clear that Cortana learned his name because of the chant of his name. She also shows confusion when saying his name. Then she tells Chief and now the name is known.

[Ramo 'Talusee]

Well lets watch the scene

 

Covies knelt and called him Didact before the cheif and cortana addressed him as Didact.....HMMMM... Possibly...and this is just a theory so don't bash me too hard. Chief and Cortana used this advanced and controversial thing called HEARING to decipher the mystery that was who's that forunner!?!?!...

 

EDIT

Well I have seem to uncover this.

 

The Didact comes out of his shell thinger and makes the Prometheans bow. The Covenant also do this and all say "Didact". Then after the cutscene (With subtitles on). Cortana says "That...Didact. He maniupulated..." So it seems to be clear that Cortana learned his name because of the chant of his name. She also shows confusion when saying his name. Then she tells Chief and now the name is known.

(Pointed this out before me)

[WonderWombat]

Well I have seem to uncover this.

 

The Didact comes out of his shell thinger and makes the Prometheans bow. The Covenant also do this and all say "Didact". Then after the cutscene (With subtitles on). Cortana says "That...Didact. He maniupulated..." So it seems to be clear that Cortana learned his name because of the chant of his name. She also shows confusion when saying his name. Then she tells Chief and now the name is known.

Well lets watch the scene ()

 

Covies knelt and called him Didact before the cheif and cortana addressed him as Didact.....HMMMM... Possibly...and this is just a theory so don't bash me too hard. Chief and Cortana used this advanced and controversial thing called HEARING to decipher the mystery that was who's that forunner!?!?!...

Oh man, we should become detectives.

[Crowleyface]

Well I have seem to uncover this.

 

The Didact comes out of his shell thinger and makes the Prometheans bow. The Covenant also do this and all say "Didact". Then after the cutscene (With subtitles on). Cortana says "That...Didact. He maniupulated..." So it seems to be clear that Cortana learned his name because of the chant of his name. She also shows confusion when saying his name. Then she tells Chief and now the name is known.

 

...aaaaand I relax. Cheers, good find!

 

link here -

- the line is at about 5:47

 

Doesn't show up on the subtitles though and I didn't catch that they were saying it, thought it was just a random "blarg"

[Ramo 'Talusee]

Oh man, we should become detectives.

 

Ramo 'Talusee and The Wonder Wombat...Their the only dectectives of justice! In a world of deceit.

[WonderWombat]

...aaaaand I relax. Cheers, good find!

 

link here -

- the line is at about 5:47

 

Doesn't show up on the subtitles though and I didn't catch that they were saying it, thought it was just a random "blarg"

We should praise you good sir. So far the only person I have seen who has understood some reasoning, and didn't remain determined to hate the game.