How many halos have been destroyed?

As a passionate Halo enthusiast, I‘ve dug deep into the lore and history around the creation and destruction of the infamous Halo arrays that span the galaxies of the Halo universe. From the desperate battles with the Flood that shattered the original 12 ring network, to the the towering installations continuing to stand sentinel over the universe, the story of the rings is one of constant struggle between creation and destruction.

Let‘s explore their epic history and speculate over what may yet come to pass.

The Original 12 Rings – 30,000km Diameter Apocalypse

The original 12 Halo rings, also known as the Greater Ark Array, were over 30,000 km in diameter – nearly the size of Earth‘s moon. Their pulse generators powered an area of effect encompassing the entire Milky Way galaxy, capable of wiping out all sentient life simultaneously.

This immense network was the Forerunners civilization‘s last resort against the extragalactic parasite known as the Flood. As the Flood infestation escalated into an uncontained outbreak, the odds looked increasingly bleak. But the Forerunners had planned for this outcome.

Yet array activation required the Foreunner leadership to manually trigger each ring from the Ark control room. Realizing this, the central Flood intelligence devoted tremendous resources into locating the Ark and capturing the Halo rings.

Thus began the Battle of the Capital – possibly one of the largest engagements ever seen in the galaxy. Flood hive fleets engaged Forerunner naval groups fiercely defending the Ark portal. Forerunner constructs fell by the millions attempting to halt the endless tide of Flood forms.

In the end, the sheer asymetrical warfare of the Flood overwhelmed Forerunner defenses. The capital and control room fell swiftly. In their last act, Forerunner technicians desperately activated the Halos remotely. Unforunately this was only partial – 11 of the 12 rings had already been claimed and destroyed by the Flood during the battle.

Just one installation remained intact – the mysterious and remote Installation 07.

Installation 07 Endures from the First Array

Installed on standby mode beyond the fringe of the galaxy, Installation 07 was the last of the first 12 rings to be completed. Forgotten by both Forerunners and Flood during their all-consuming war, Installation 07 avoided the destruction meted out on its sisters.

Its remote location and isolation meant it escaped notice when the array was activated. While the pulse successfully defeated the Flood by depriving them of any sentient hosts, Installation 07 remained untouched, its pulse ready to cleanse the galaxy if the parasite somehow returned.

For over 100,000 years of silence Installation 07 drifted through the void, awaiting commands from an extinct civilization. Eventually fate would see it fulfill its original purpose one last time against the same extragalactic threat that had consumed its creators…

But that my friends, is a story for another time!

A New, Compact Array – Only 10,000 km Wide

In the aftermath of the Battle for the Capital and the firing of the original array, few Forerunners survived aboard ships luckily outside the Milky Way when the Halos activated. Led by the Master Builder, these survivors retreated to the Lesser Ark located well beyond the range of both the array and pursuing Flood vessels.

This secondary Ark had enough industrial capacity left to construct a brand new set of 6 compact Halo rings, each "just" 10,000 km in diameter compared to the previous 30,000 km size. But what these new installations lost in raw power they gained in precision, flexibility and lessons learned defending the original array.

Combined with Installation 07, these 6 backup rings brought the total number of Halo installations either planned or constructed up to 18 over the history of the Forerunners.

Installations 01 through 07 – Current Disposition

Let‘s take a quick look at the status of each identified Halo installation, both original and backup.

I‘ve marked Installation 07 bold to indicate it‘s special status as the lone survivor and last intact ring of the original 12 array network. Let‘s hope it manages to evade any more damage and destruction!

The Mysterious Endless – Immune to the Halos

The recent revelations in Halo Infinite‘s campaign point to an exciting new enemy faction – the Endless. Imprisoned by the Forerunners for their dangerous immunity to the Halo effect, the Endless may represent the next great threat to the entire known universe.

If the Endless were able to escape confinement or overwhelm Installation 07‘s defenses, they would have total freedom to ravage the galaxy. Neither the Flood nor these new enemies can apparently be stopped by the Halo pulse, removing the Forerunners‘ final failsafe.

It‘s possible the Endless have additional forces hidden somewhere in the galaxy. Perhaps even their own installation network designed solely to eradicate the Halos through unconventional, asymmetric warfare much like the Flood themselves utilized so effectively 100,000 years ago.

Only time will tell if the re-emergence of Endless will lead to more destruction across the remaining Halo rings. But as a survival-focused species totally immune to the array, they have both the motivation and ability to render the Halos inert and useless when they decide the time is right.

The fact that this danger apparently justified such an extreme measure as advanced cryogenic imprisonment of an entire civilization tells me everything I need to know – the Endless may indeed have the capacity to destroy or control what‘s left of the once mighty Halo array.

The Threat to the Rings Has Never Been Greater

While the array once numbered 18 rings, either planned or constructed by the Forerunners, the current state is much more somber. With just 7 installations remaining intact and 1 severely damaged, the network is hanging by a thread.

The threat posed by both the Endless and a potential Flood resurgence places the very existence of the surviving rings at great risk. While the Halos themselves harness unimaginable destructive power, they remain dependent on automated Forerunner defense forces which have proven inadequate when faced with the creative brilliance of the Flood or the asymmetry of an immune aggressor like the Endless.

If Master Chief and his rebuilt array of human SPARTAN defenders cannot reinforce and upgrade the Sentinels guarding these installations, total collapse is inevitable the next time a major threat emerges from the shadows. Will you join us in standing guard over these instruments of destruction – our protector and judge against threats too horrible to comprehend? The choice is yours…but choose swiftly!