: Last time this topic cropped up, I opined that I preferred the connection
: implied in Halo 3, where Earth was the Forerunner's long-lost homeworld,
: and we were what was left behind, but I thought that the trope of ancient
: humans in general (Ancient Humanity or Forerunners being human) was trite
: and boring. You popped in and thanked me for legitimately surprising you,
: and I wish I'd thought to ask what was so surprising about my post. It's
: been bugging me for months.

I can't recall exactly, but I think you provided the only cogent explanation of how to reconcile H3 and Contact Harvest with The Terminals and Iris. Still think it's a matter of people's wires being crossed and not being on the same page, but you constructed a decent enough interpretation to work it.

: I think my dislike of ancient humans (Besides the niggly questions about
: fossil records and the abundance of natural resources on Earth) stems from
: what I believe to be a major difference between fantasy and science
: fiction. In fantasy, a man's importance is determined by his birth. Luke
: Skywalker is important because his lineage makes him a powerful Force
: user, and the Force uses him to correct imbalances and redeem his father.
: In the Shanarra series, which got me reading fantasy in the first place,
: all of the main characters come from the same bloodline.

: Science fiction always seemed more egalitarian. People are important not
: because of who they were born to, but what they do. Who is Juan Rico? Who
: is Louis Wu? Who is Ziani Vaatzes? One became the poster soldier for the
: Bug War through luck and hard work, one explored the far reaches of Known
: Space including the iconic Ringworld, and the third is an engineer who
: designed a war and destroyed the mightiest city on the continent. Their
: achievements are their own. Fate had nothing to do with it.

: Now, humanity is no longer special because of what they do. We're special
: because we're the products of the Librarian's hastily retconned plan.
: We're special because our ancestors were the Forerunner's most tenacious
: foe, and the Flood doesn't count for some reason. It's the blessed duty of
: our race, decreed by eons-old gods, to assume the Mantle and rule the
: galaxy. Even the Forerunner have adopted a hammy manner of speech that
: wouldn't be out of place in an epic fantasy novel.

Complaints about writing or style aside, I don't see anything in the books or games as invalidating what you're talking about. Humans are caught in a web of destiny and "fate", so to speak, paying for the sins of their ancestors and for being the unwitting pawn in a game of galactic "fuck you"s. But nothing is set in stone. Humanity has its choices to make, and Chief and Locke and some nameless Marines' victories don't come from the Librarian, they come from individual action and sacrifice. Even in 343's Halo the power of the individual has always been central to the plot and themes (and one would say it has to given the constraints of a game.) As I'm pretty sure we've discussed previously, the Mantle means nothing unless you believe in it; it's a self-serving ideology to justify a might-makes-right view of the universe. I don't say a child has no choice or agency, just because their parent demands that they become a doctor and has tilted their life towards that point; they have the decision to make just the same, and that's a perfectly rich vein of drama to mine.

I know I've brought up Harry Potter before talking about this, but I keep using it because it works: prophecies are bullshit, unless the people actually believe in them. Voldemort's own downfall is sealed precisely because he buys into something, and the only reason Harry Potter is "special" is down to his enemy's choice. Magic blood aside, there's nothing special about Harry innately; if he were the best at everything there wouldn't be much of an engaging story. Whatever the Librarian planned, she's not around (so far as we know) to make it happen, and everyone's still an independent actor. Whether they act according to what "fate" has decreed is entirely their own character choice.