BCE = Before Common Era
CE = Common Era
Halo 4 | Terminal 1: War
circa 107,472 BCE
Context: This video is from the first terminal found in Halo 4.
Summary: Invaders ravage Forerunner territory and must be dealt with.
Learn more: Forerunners
Halo 4 | Terminal 2: Lord of Admirals
circa 107,472 BCE
Context: This video is from the second terminal found in Halo 4.
Summary: Humanity’s war plans are revealed.
Additional info: “When the human’s pitched battle against the Flood bled over into Forerunner territory, a fierce giant was awakened.” – Halo Encyclopedia
Halo 4 | Terminal 4: Charum Hakkor
circa 107,469 BCE
Context: This video is from the fourth terminal found in Halo 4 and chronologically takes place before the events of the third terminal.
Summary: The Forerunner war with humanity comes to an end.
Additional info: “The full weight of the Forerunner military, led by the Didactic, beat back the humans to their centre of governance, the Precursor world of Charum Hakkor.” – Halo Encyclopedia
Halo 4 | Terminal 3: Flood
circa 107,469 BCE
Context: This video is from the third terminal found in Halo 4 and chronologically takes place after the events of the fourth terminal.
Summary: Humanity defeated, the Forerunners now face a new foe.
Additional info: “After three long years, humanity would suffer a cruel and humiliating defeat, and be shamefully devolved and exiled to Erde-Tyrene.” – Halo Encyclopedia
Soma The Painter
circa 97,700 BCE
Context: A short story from Halo: Evolutions – Essential Tales from the Halo Universe (Volume I).
Summary: A Forerunner, called Soma, witnesses the first sighting of the Flood since the Human-Forerunner wars.
Where to read: The Volume I edition of Halo: Evolutions that this story was included in is now out of print and unfortunately it was excluded from the 2019 rerelease, which is the only one now available digitally and in print. Therefore, this story is now only available in print via preowned copies of Halo: Evolutions (Volume I). Thankfully, the YouTuber Haruspis has narrated the story for us all to hear.
Halo: Cryptum
circa 97,446 BCE
Context: Book One of The Forerunner Saga, set one hundred thousand years before the events of Halo.
Summary: This story is told from the perspective of a Forerunner Manipular called Bornstellar-Makes-Eternal-Lasting and tells of his adventure with two humans, Chakas and Riser, and their encounter with the Didact, a Forerunner Promethean.
Learn more: Halopedia
Halo: Primordium
circa 97,446 BCE
Context: Book Two of The Forerunner Saga. The main storyline of Halo: Primordium takes place in 97, 446 BCE following the events of Halo: Cryptum. It is told in the form of flashbacks as an ONI science team interrogate a damaged Forerunner monitor which then begins to describe the events of the main storyline. This secondary storyline is used as a narrative framing device for the novel and continues to pop up intermittently throughout. These events take place from 18 August 2554 to 21 August 2554. Below is the summary for the main storyline.
Summary: Having escaped Mendicant Bias’ assault on the Forerunner Capital, Chakas’ crash lands on Zeta Halo, separated from his companion Riser. Joined by two local humans, Chakas journeys across the ring world on a quest to find his friend, encountering dark and terrifying secrets along the way.
Learn more: Halopedia
Defender of the Storm
circa 97,446 BCE
Context: A short story from Halo: Fractures – Extraordinary Tales from the Halo Canon. Set towards the end of the Forerunner-Flood war, this stand alone story is probably best read here: between Primordium and Silentium.
Summary: Adequate-Observer, an ordinary Forerunner Warrior-Servant stationed on a remote gas mining platform, must defend against the Flood.
Learn more: Halopedia
Halo: Silentium
circa 97,466 BCE
Context: Book Three of The Forerunner Saga.
Summary: In the last years of the Forerunner empire, the Flood has arrived in force. Facing imminent collapse of their civilization, the Librarian and the Ur-Didact reveal what they know about the relationship between the long-vanished Precursors and the Flood. Facing the consequences of a mythic tragedy, they must commit the greatest atrocity of all time – to prevent an insane evil from dominating the entire universe.
Learn more: Halopedia
Halo 4 | Terminal 5: Knights
circa 97,446 BCE
Context: This video is from the fifth terminal found in Halo 4.
Summary: Forerunner Prometheans make the ultimate sacrifice to save the galaxy.
Learn more: Didact
Halo 4 | Terminal 6: Justice
circa 97,446 BCE
Context: This video is from the sixth terminal found in Halo 4.
Summary: As the Flood advance, a terrible plan is enacted.
Learn more: Composer
Halo 4 | Terminal 7: Cryptum
circa 97,446 BCE
Context: This video is from the seventh terminal found in Halo 4.
Summary: A wife’s love for her husband dooms the galaxy.
Learn more: Librarian
Halo (Anniversary) | Terminal 2: Halo
circa 97,466 BCE
Context: This video is from the second terminal found in Halo: Combat Evolved (Anniversary).
Summary: In the aftermath of a terrible sacrifice, careful plans are laid for the Halo Array.
Learn more: 343 Guilty Spark
Halo: Rebirth
circa 97,445 BCE
Context: This story acts as an epilogue to Halo: Silentium.
Summary: After the Halo rings have been fired, the galaxy cleansed of all sentient life and thus the Flood defeated, it falls to the surviving Forerunners station on the Ark, just outside of the galaxy, to begin the reintroduction phase and return the indexed specimens to their home worlds.
Where to read: This short story was made available for free from Halo Waypoint. The PDF can be downloaded from here.
Halo Infinite | Banished Audio Logs: Archaeological Findings
circa 97,421 BCE
Context: These audio logs were discovered in 2560 by the Banished as they were studying Zeta Halo. Therefore, the description that accompanies each log is from that period. However, the actual audio from the logs is from the Forerunner era.
Summary: During the reintroduction phase, Despondent Pyre, the monitor of Zeta Halo, records the discovery of the Xalanyn, a previously unknown species that is immune to the effects of Halo; something that the Forerunners see as a threat.
Learn more: Xalanyn
Halo Infinite | Legendary Ending (Audio Only)
97,368 BCE
Context: Whilst the visuals from the legendary ending of Halo Infinite presumably take place somewhere around the time of Halo Infinite’s main story (2560 CE), the audio is dated to the time of the Forerunners, in 97,368 BCE.
Summary: The Forerunners prepare to imprison the Xalanyn on Zeta Halo.
Learn more: Offensive Bias
Promises To Keep
circa 97,300 BCE
Context: Short story from Halo: Fractures – Extraordinary Tales from the Halo Canon.
Summary: Before the last surviving Forerunners can depart the Milky Way galaxy, they journey to the remains of the Forerunner Capital to attempt to repair and restore the Domain.
Learn more: Halopedia
Untitled Story
circa 97,000 BCE
Context: The last short story from Halo: Fractures – Extraordinary Tales from the Halo Canon is untitled.
Summary: Following the events of Promises to Keep, the surviving Forerunners have now left the Milky Way galaxy and found peace elsewhere in the universe.
Learn more: Halopedia
Halo Infinite | Forerunner Audio Logs: Monitor Reports
circa 70,000 BCE
Context: It is unclear when these reports were recorded, however, in the first audio log, Despondent Pyre says, “How many years have I been here now? Two thousand or twenty thousand? Longer?” Therefore, it feels right to place it in the timeline here, even though the date I have indicated is an estimate.
Summary: The monitor of Zeta Halo (Installation 07), Despondent Pyre, records her thoughts on the Forerunners, the Halo and the artifacts located on the Halo.
Learn more: Despondent Pyre
Halo (Anniversary) | Terminal 4: The Silent Cartographer
circa 40,000 BCE
Context: This video is from the fourth terminal found in Halo: Combat Evolved (Anniversary).
Summary: After thousands of years, the excitement of maintaining a galactic super weapon starts to wear thin.
Learn more: Penitent Tangent
Halo (Anniversary) | Terminal 5: Assault On The Control Room
circa 40,000 BCE
Context: This video is from the fifth terminal found in Halo: Combat Evolved (Anniversary).
Summary: The crash of unknown visitors pits curiosity against duty.
Learn more: Unidentified Alien Vessel
Halo (Anniversary) | Terminal 6: 343 Guilty Spark
circa 40,000 BCE
Context: This video is from the sixth terminal found in Halo: Combat Evolved (Anniversary).
Summary: With his hopes for outside contact now buried, 343 Guilty Spark is (somewhat) comforted by a reminder of how deadly his responsibilities on Halo truly are.
Learn more: Flood
Halo (Anniversary) | Terminal 7: The Library
circa 40,000 BCE
Context: This video is from the seventh terminal found in Halo: Combat Evolved (Anniversary).
Summary: Who monitors the Monitor?
Learn more: Monitor
Halo (Anniversary) | Terminal 8: Two Betrayals
circa 40,000 BCE
Context: This video is from the eighth terminal found in Halo: Combat Evolved (Anniversary).
Summary: Truth, lies, and protocol.
Learn more: Installation 00
// Halo: Broken Circle | Prologue & Part 1 (A Place Of Refuge)
circa 860 BCE
Context: The prologue begins in 860 BCE during the San’Shyuum-Sangheili War. Following that, the first half of the book takes place during the early years of the Covenant, in 851-850 BCE.
Summary: Centuries before the Human-Covenant War would rage across the galaxy, a similar conflict erupted between the Prophets (San’Shyuum) and the Elites (Sangheili) – two alien races at odds over the sacred artifacts left by the powerful Forerunners, who disappeared eons ago. Although, they would eventually form a stable alliance called the Covenant, there are those on both sides who question this fateful union, from an Elite splinter group rebelling against the Covenant during the time of its founding to a brave Prophet caught in the machinations of the new leadership.
Learn more: Halopedia
Halo Legends | The Duel
2142 CE
Context: A short film included as part of the Halo Legends animated film anthology. As Halo Legends is presented as one long movie, The Duel begins at 23:10 minutes and ends at 39:16 minutes.
Summary: This short film, set long before the Human-Covenant War, tells the story of an Arbiter who did not believe in the Great Journey and how the Covenant twisted his rank among the Sangheili from an honourable leader into a position of shame.
Learn more: Halopedia
HALO FICTION TIMELINE 