#forerunners

Shadow of Sundered Star

I feel like She-Ra might take a surprising amount of inspiration from HALO of all things?

Like I first started noticing this in the episode Corridors, specifically how this opening scene with Catra gave me real Halo Reach vibes; the quite scene showing a planet being bombarded from orbit by an invading alien fleet all set to soft, somber music. And ever since, I’ve really only started noticing more and more odd little parallels.

Namely, when it comes to the First Ones and the Galactic Horde.

To start, I feel like so much about the First Ones give MAJOR Forerunner vibes?

Obviously we have the broad, general similarities of a lost, precursor super-civilization whose left-behind, hyper-advanced technology drives so much of the plot.

But then we have a lot of more specific details, like how so much of the First Ones’ design aesthetic likens to the Forerunners. Their general use of silver-gray metal in angular yet not quite sharp forms. The way their structures always seem to be built into the ground rather than built on top of it. Poking out of the ground as if to give the impression that they are part of the planet itself, just like we see in so many Forerunner architecture. Indeed, given just how widespread and how deep they seem to have built into and modified the planet, it might be fair to say that Etheria itself could be considered a First Ones Megastructure at this point.

And we all know how much the Forerunners LOVED their Megastructures.

Speaking of one set of Megastructures in particular, I feel like just about everything regarding the First Ones’ ‘Heart of Etheria’ Superweapon project has a LOT in common with the Halo rings, as well as many of their related and associated systems and other megastructures.

The First Ones intended Etheria to serve as a cosmic-scale weapon of mass destruction, just like the Halo array, and the story arc surrounding the Heart likewise consists of our heroes trying very hard to STOP it from being used. On account of basically EVERYONE dying if it goes off, just like what happens if a Halo ever fires.

Etheria’s built-in portal capabilities that can move the entire planet call to mind Instillation 00/The Ark’s slipspace portal that could connect to anywhere in the galaxy and was used to deploy Halo rings.

The way Etheria was hidden away in the pocket dimension of Despondos feels quite reminiscent to the Forerunner Shield Worlds, some of which were similarly placed in slipspace to serve as shelters from an activation of the Halo array. Not to mention the way the First Ones basically turned Etheria itself into a megastructure feels akin to how the Forerunners seem to do much the same to some existing planets in order to create these Shield Worlds.

Light Hope’s role in managing Etheria and her eventual reveal and betrayal of Adora feels VERY much like 343 Guilty Spark in Halo 1, given her manipulating of Adora to get her to activate the Heart of Etheria. She-Ra’s First Ones sword essentially serving as the activation key for the Heart of Etheria feels a bit like the Activation Index used to fire a Halo Ring, and the requirement of Adora specifically feels a lot like how only ‘Reclaimers’ are able to actually activate the rings.

Heck, Adora actually being part of the First Ones herself feels like it could be read as something of a roundabout nod to all the Pre-Halo 4 theories that the Forerunners were actually humans themselves.

And of course, Light Hope also has a bit in common with Cortana as well. Particularly her relationship with Mara having echoes of Cortana’s relationship with Master Chief.

Moving on to the other major bit of this comparison, I feel like the Galactic Horde likewise has quite a bit in common with the Covenant?

Both are seemingly unstoppable galactic-conquering forces in the general sense, but I feel like there are much more interesting comparisons to be had in looking at the strong religious overtones of both factions.

Namely the deeply culturally ingrained and often even fanatical reverence the Covenant show in their worship of the Forerunners feels rather like the similarly fanatical cult of worship that Horde Prime built up around himself. I mean, just look at how the highest, most powerful figures in the Covenant are not Generals or Emperors, but Prophets.

In particular, I feel like there are quite a few similar vibes between Horde Prime’s ranting, and everything the Prophet of Truth is spewing in Halo 3. See also; how both ultimately try to wipe out everyone, including themselves, with the aforementioned resident cosmic superweapon in a fit of crazed religious megalomania.

Even the design language feels alike, with Horde ships and Horde Prime’s central base station having rather similar profiles to Covenant capital ships and their ‘holy city’ of High Charity.

Now, does all this really mean anything at the end of the day in terms of the themes and overall identity of She-Ra as a story?

Eh, maybe a hypothetical ‘what does the backstory of Halo look like if transplanted into a hopepunk magical girl fantasy story rather than a gritty sci-fi military shooter?’ take.

That being said I cannot forgive Halo the stupidity of the Forerunners committing the last of their resources to building doomsday weapons to initiate a galaxy wide genocide of all sentient life including their own in a desperate final bid to stop the Flood by starving them to death... AND THEN KEEPING THE FLOOD ALIVE FOR STUDY INSTEAD OF DESTROYING THEM THUS RENDERING THEIR ENTIRE SACRIFICE AND THE BUILDING OF THE TITULAR HALOS COMPLETELY POINTLESS!

Oh, that's real cute.