| “ | I know of you, Reclaimer, but hear this... You are not the future. (...) The Forerunner's lies are at an end. I am the Harbinger of the truth. The Endless will be found. They will ascend. The Reformation begins... | „ |
| ~ The Harbinger speaking to Master Chief. |
The Harbinger is the main antagonist of the Reclaimer Saga of the Halo franchise.
She is is a mysterious entity lurking within Installation 07 and the representative of the Endless, a mysterious species deemed by the Forerunners to be even more dangerous than The Flood and imprisoned within Installation 07. She was freed and allies herself and her Skimmers with Escharum and his Banished forces sometime around when they arrive at the Halo in order to enlist their help in unsealing them.
She is voiced by Debra Wilson.
Biography[]
Past Life[]
Very little is known about the Harbinger's early life, other than that she, along with the other Endless, survived the firing of the Halo Array - a feat which surprised and alarmed the remaining Forerunners. In 97,368 BCE, she and the rest of her species were imprisoned on Installation 07 by order of the Grand Edict.
Halo Infinite[]
The Harbinger encountered the Banished during their campaign to seize the Halo from the Created and the UNSC forces stationed there. After Cortana blew up a section of the Halo to keep the Banished from using it, the Harbinger offered her services to Escharum in exchange for the Banished's assistance in freeing her masters.
At some point, the Harbinger would interrogate Lucas after his capture by the Banished, seemingly infecting him with the logic plague which breaks Lucas' mind so easily, while also revealing that the Forerunners were responsible for destroying the Xalanyn homeworld during the Forerunner-Human War.
The Harbinger observed Master Chief's progress as he made his way through the Halo, but did not encounter him directly until after he had killed Escharum. Master Chief went on to find her attempting to unseal the Endless and tried to stop her, at which point the Harbinger summoned Escharum's remaining Banished forces into the room and rallied them to avenge Escharum and Atriox by killing Master Chief. Despite this, Master Chief was able to defeat her, though not before she set in motion the release of the Endless. As a result of her motives, the Endless were freed by Atriox who revealed to have survived the blast.
Personality[]
The Harbinger is a very eloquent and straightforward individual. While little is known about her, she appears to have been alive when the Endless were sealed by the Forerunners, something she believes they did unjustly so. Because of this, the Harbinger's main objective is to free her people, though her goals beyond that are unknown. She displays little issue in working with other species, allying with The Banished and assisting them in repairing Zeta Halo in exchange for their help in freeing the Endless.
Appearance[]
The Harbinger is a tall, slender female Xalanyn who has two legs with backward pointing feet, and two arms, with four fingers on each hand. Her skin is light blue, her eyes are large, round and reddish-purple, and her mouth is surrounded by a pair of flipper-like tentacles. The Harbinger wears a regal-looking crimson headdress and a matching set of armor with a trio of thrusters on her back which she uses to hover in the air due to her unusable feet. Golden light shines out of a cavity in her armored chestplate.
Trivia[]
- It is alluded to that the Harbinger may have been involved with Cortana's turn, as she was shown to also be seeking out the Endless on Installation 07.
- During Halo Infinite's production, the Harbinger was originally going to be called the Inquisitor.
Quotes[]
| “ | HARBINGER: This is what you brought me? There's barely anything left. CHAK 'LOK: He's yours to do with as you see fit. HARBINGER: Indeed, he is. Were you treated unjustly in this Tower, human? We are not so different in this. I too know intimately of justice. To be sentenced for crimes not your own. LUCAS BROWNING: Please, I just want to- HARBINGER: Quiet. I shall talk and you shall listen. |
„ |
| ~ The Harbinger with Chak 'Lok while speaking with Lucas Browning. |
| “ | LUCAS BROWNING: Zero...two...four...one...zero. Zero...two. two...one...four... HARBINGER: Do you see why it must be done? These primitives, these...Banished. We both have watched our worlds crumble under the instruments of Forerunner arrogance. Your kind were once their rivals. A long time ago. You were spared. Forgiven. A luxury not afforded to us.To those they could not control. Humanity was the culmination of their final plan but plans change. We are returning. |
„ |
| ~ The Harbinger revealing the truth to Lucas Browning. |
| “ | HARBINGER: Show yourself. I know you have been following me. We are not enemies. MASTER CHIEF: Despondent Pyre? HARBINGER: She had something I required. |
„ |
| ~ The Harbinger when met by Master Chief. |
| “ | Who are you? (...) How are you doing this? | „ |
| ~ The Harbinger sensing the Weapon gaining access. |
| “ | HARBINGER: You are losing control. ESCHARUM: Nothing is lost. HARBINGER: Deploy your army! Descend upon him. ESCHARUM: No. Odds will not break him. HARBINGER: The Spartan is not alone. There's something here...helping him. Connected to this installation. ESCHARUM: What is it? HARBINGER: It's remarkably vulnerable but highly intelligent. ESCHARUM: Is it a weakness? Something to exploit? HARBINGER: We will see. The Reformation is controlled from this Spire. It must be protected. ESCHARUM: Done. Atriox believed you to be valuable. Prove him correct. HARBINGER: When the Endless are found. And when you have your Ring. Then you will never question my worth and I will never question your judgement. |
„ |
| ~ The Harbinger's conversation with Escharum. |
