Sangheili
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- "On the blood of our fathers... on the blood of our sons, we swore to uphold the Covenant!"
- —Rtas 'Vadumee citing the Writ of Union.
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The Sangheili[1] (Latin Macto cognatus[2], meaning "I honor my Father's blood") are a reptilian species of very fierce, proud, strong, intelligent warriors and skilled combat tacticians in the unified conglomerate of races known as the Covenant. They now lead the Covenant breakaway faction known as the Covenant Separatists.
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[edit] Overview
Colloquially known by Humans as Elites[3], presumably due to their adeptness and their skills in combat, the Sangheili formed the military backbone of the Covenant for nearly the whole of its entire existence. The rank of an Elite is indicated by the different colors of his armor; see Rank Structure below.
The Elites are, however, no longer part of the Covenant. After having been convinced by the current Arbiter that the Prophets' Great Journey is a lie, the Elites allied themselves with the UNSC in order bring justice to the Prophets and avenge the Sangheili who fell during the Covenant Civil War, and to destroy the Flood without activating the Halo. They became known as the Covenant Separatists (they should not be confused with Heretics, who similarly left the Covenant). They fought alongside UNSC forces in a war of vengeance upon the Prophets and Brutes and their Loyalist allies. They were aided by a few of the member-races within the Covenant, such as many Grunts and most Hunters. After the war ended, the Elites and UNSC remained allies, and it is likely that the Elites supported the Human race as Humans began to repopulate the galaxy.
[edit] Description
Most Sangheili are approximately 8'6" tall and are greatly superior in strength to the average human. Sangheili warriors augment this natural resilience further through use of Elite Personal Energy Shields, integrated into their armor and they are commonly seen with Plasma Rifles, Carbines, Needlers and rarely Energy swords. The Elite combat armor also possess both strength enhancement and damage control systems much like its human counterpart, the MJOLNIR armor system.
Sangheili employ coffin-like Orbital Insertion Pods as well as Phantom and Spirit drop ships for military transit purposes and rapid-response operations. Historically, Sangheili have maintained a hatred towards humanity, believing them to be an affront to their religion and a challenge towards their Great Journey; there are signs that this stance is being slowly abandoned, however, as a tentative alliance between the two enemies forms the core allied faction at the end of Halo 2 and during Halo 3.
They have thick torsos but thinner legs, and large, split lips on the face, with four segments called mandibles, which are lined with sharp teeth, which has been rumored to be based off of the Alien vs. Predator faces. Their head is shaped like a pointed oval, their skin is leathery with the colors varying from black, brown, or gray and their eyes are most often black, dark blue, red, or green. In Halo:CE, all Elites have a Forerunner symbol on their back. It´s not known, if the symbol variates from rank to rank. In Halo 3 Elites have Forerunner symbols on their arms. Even an Elite Multiplayer character does in Halo 3.
[edit] Culture
Elites consider most other species of the Covenant to be inferior to them in martial skills and leadership qualities (though with the possible exception of the Prophets before the Great Schism). They were the most refined warriors the Covenant had, and though they are not as abundant as the other species, they are the considerably intelligent, the most dependable, and have the highest sense of honor in the battlefield. Because of this, the Prophets have chosen the Elites, and no others, to be on the High Council with them; to help them rule and maintain order in the Covenant. Prior to becoming part of the Covenant, the Elites were masters with weapons such as spears, but they are even more skilled with the Covenant Energy Sword.
During the events of Halo 2, the political shift caused by both the Prophet of Truth and the Brute Chieftain Tartarus, started a slippery slope that ended in the dissolution of the Covenant between the Elites and the Prophets. Originally, Brutes were viewed as savage and extremely goal-oriented, which the Elites viewed as a severe threat should the Brutes ever begin to desire political power. This fear became reality when the Honor Guards of the Prophets, originally an all-Elite class, was transformed into a duty of the Brutes. This was in part caused by the death of the Prophet of Regret, despite his protection from his Elite Honor Guards. Soon Brutes found themselves in new positions of power only dreamed of before, as Field Masters, Ship Masters, and veritable replacements for the Elites. This caused the Great Schism, the start of the Covenant Civil War.
All Elites are skilled in hand to hand combat. Even the most humble of Elite citizens on their home world is superior to any Human fighter, with the exception of SPARTAN IIs. Promotion in the Covenant military is by merit; a Covenant soldier must succeed to advance among the ranks. Success is often measured in scalps. An Ultra, for example, has slaughtered thousands of individuals to reach that status.[4] It is likely that a Sangheili government, if one exists, would be a Meritocracy, this would mean the position of an Elite would go up based on its skills and abilities (primarily on fighting and commanding troops). Overall Elite society is based around war, like the original Spartans in Greece. That is how the Elites have become such a successful warring race.
[edit] Family
Elites apparently value their family history and lineage, with each family having their own unique "Battle Poem" detailing the deeds and actions of its members during wartimes. These "war poems" of the Sangheili may have influenced the Mgalekgolo into reciting war poetry as well, due to the hunters' deep respect for Elites. It is theorized that only Sangheili males are sent into service as warriors and soldiers, with no female Sangheili known to have been seen in military service, though whether there is a significant physical or cultural difference is not known.
Aristocrats, those who are allowed to wield the Energy Sword, are forbidden from "marrying" by Sangheili traditions, though they are allowed to mate with any other female, whether paired or not, to pass his "swordsman genes" into the next generation of kin.[5] In Halo 3, sometimes, with the IWHBYD Skull on, an Elite may say to John-117 "I will name my next child after you!".
The Elites have very close knitted relationships, referring to their own comrades as brothers, and remaining intensely loyal to them. This loyalty was shown by the grieving after the death of one of their numbers, when they would pray and mourn for their comrades.
[edit] Naming
Names were very important to the Elites,as was shown to the fact that the Arbiter's name has never been revealed; this could be due to the fact he has the Mark of Shame. Elites have great value in their names, and a lot of their names have an apostrophe before the second name, such as Rtas 'Vadum, although this was normally by choice.
In the Elite culture, names are considered a privilege and an honor for only those prooved worthy. The Elites generally consider Humans to be nameless, and resent that the Humans have assigned the label "Elite" to them. The word "Elite" is often transposed as an English translation of their own name in-game footage and other media.
Elite names are constructed from a series of parts, each of them with a specific, or special meaning. The first name is a given name that is attained at birth, which persists until adulthood. As they come of age, they earned the right to carry a badge name. This name is made up of three parts: an adjectival descriptor, such as "fast" or "deadly," a crèche or family name, and the "-ee" suffix, an honorific indicating that the Elite is a military participant. Since the Great Schism all Elites in the rebellious faction have removed their name of the '-ee' suffix. Most Elites will have names with this kind of construction.[6] It appears that additional titles may be given to those of very high rank, such as Xytan 'Jar Wattinree. Since "Jar" is not a part of the standard Elite name, it may be assumed that it denotes Xytan's status as Imperial Admiral, although this has yet to be confirmed. There is no other reference, however, of other names with this sort of addition, other than the character in The Ghosts of Onyx, Voro 'Mantakree who was given the additional title Nar to denote his status as a Fleet Master.
[edit] History
The Sangheili homeworld, or known as Sanghelios, had at one point been visited by the Forerunners, or had been in contact with the Forerunners. They revered the objects these "Gods" had left, and considered tampering with them a heresy beyond any other. It was not long until they encountered the Prophets, a race who also felt the Forerunners had found salvation, but had utilized their technology for their own needs. The Prophets had already suffered terrible losses from a Civil War based on the same argument they had with the Elites, and if it were not for the incredible power of the Forerunner Dreadnought, they would have perished. The Elites suffered extreme casualties from the Prophets' hit and run techniques that utilized their "Key Ship" and it was not long before even the most devout had to admit their survival depended on the reconstitution of their Forerunner technology. This, of course, led both sides to an agreement that ended with the decommissioning of the Forerunner Dreadnought and a shaky alliance that eventually, had expanded into the Covenant.
The Prophets helped assuage the Elites by telling them more of the Great Journey: That by seeking out the Holy Rings scattered throughout the galaxy and utilizing them, thus a Great Journey would begin. This Great Journey would transform believers into godlike beings, while providing salvation for their doomed existence of fighting with the Flood. The Elites then became the bodyguards of the Prophets, who would search the galaxy for the Halos.[7] The Writ of Union was drawn up in order to codify the Covenant. Its first canto clearly outlines the nature of the Covenant from the perspective of the Prophets:
In many ways the Elites are much like Humans. They communicate, become protective of their troops and become angry and vengeful if other Elites are killed. They fear very little, taking great pride in an ancient, honor-laden code. Even when mortally wounded, such as being stuck with a Plasma Grenade, they may roar with pain and fury, but they still charge towards the enemy in a doomed last minute attack.
Despite the Prophet's insistence that the Humans were perversions that must be expunged, the Elites have begun to question the refusal of the Prophets to accept Humans into the Covenant. They claim variously that Humans are "tenacious", that their technology is "limited, but...useful", that their battle techniques are "impressive", and that they are "excellent strategists".[8] They seem to believe that Humans, although weak, are honorable and brave. Certainly, most Elites believe that Humans should be admitted to the Covenant. Some even believe that the Humans are equal to them - a considerable step for an Elite, or any member of the Covenant to make. It could be said that the only reason why the Elites insult Humans after admiration of them is so that they are not accused of heresy by their superiors. Some Elites even have semi-disrespect for the Prophets before the Great Schism.
It is not unusual for the Elites to have an admiration for their adversaries. Their history is rife with victorious combatants welcoming the defeated enemies' remaining forces into their own arm. During the Grunt Rebellion the most tenacious of the Grunts who survived the conflict were admitted for the first time into previously all-Sangheili forces, much to the Prophet's discontent. [9]
During the Battle of Installation 05, the Arbiter and Rtas 'Vadum discovered the truth of the Halo rings from the Monitor 343 Guilty Spark and persuaded most, if not all of their race to secede from the Covenant and fight once again for the Elites. This included a movement to destroy the treacherous Brutes and Prophets, the destruction of the Flood at all costs, and eventually the alliance with the Humans, persuaded by the Arbiter's counsel.
Finally, after the Second Battle of Earth, the Elites and Humans managed to stop and kill Truth, effectively ending the Covenant. However, the Elites and Humans were coerced to deal with the more massive threat-the Flood. Finally, the Arbiter and the Master Chief, after activating Installation 00, effectively ended the Flood threat-for the meanwhile. On Earth, the Sangheili all agreed to return to their home planet, Sanghelios, on the Shadow of Intent.
[edit] Homeworld
- Main Article: Sanghelios
Sanghelios is the homeworld of the Sangheili race. Temperatures on Sanghelios vary between -5C and 96C, with a population of 8.135 billion living in such conditions. Gravity on Sanghelios is approximately 1.375G. Atmospheric composition derives of Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Argon. Sanghelios is the fourth planet in a Triple Star System of stars Urs, Fied, and Joori. The planet has two Moons called Qikost and Suban. Many Forerunner artifacts exist on the planet, which are the topic of worship, as well as the cause of historical wars between the Sangheili and the San 'Shyuum before the formation of the Covenant.[10]
[edit] Anatomy and Physiology
Elites have an interesting physical appearance and anatomy. Their jaw is quadruple-hinged, with an upper jaw and four mandible-like lips which are lined with sharp teeth. It is because of this unique mouth that Humans have given them the nicknames "split-mouth", "split-chin", "split-lip" or "squid head". It is suggested that the Sangheili are a possibly carnivorous or simply more carnivorous than omnivorous, race. It is unknown, given this structure, how Elites chew and swallow food or even speak, though it may be possible that they possess shaping vols or a tongue. This may only apply to speaking English, since in Halo 2 most of their language is translated from UNSC translation software. Their hands only have four fingers; two middle fingers, and two opposing thumbs on the outside for grasping. Their legs are digitigrade, possibly allowing them to run very quickly and jump large distances, at least when compared to ordinary Humans and other species of the Covenant. Sangheili's legs are hinged backwards [11]. They have very short lower legs and elongated feet. This can be seen if you look closely at their pictures and is similar to that of cows, horses and rabbits. Elites are also extremely strong; an Elite can be as strong as a Spartan II wearing powered armor.
Elites have four hearts. [12] They have purple blood, most likely a Cobalt based hemoglobin rather than the Iron based protein of Humans, although it is still unknown what chemical makes their blood this color. It is assumed that they breathe oxygen, as they can breathe the same atmosphere as Humans. They also appear to have a double set of pectoral muscles, which would add to or possibly cause their incredible strength. They have grayish-brown skin which in Halo 2 looks like their skin is spotted, and the majority of Elites have either dark blue, black eyes, or brown eyes, although there are a few exceptions. It has been theorized that the reason Elites seem to have dark blue eyes is because they wear eye coverings (which gives them their in-game HUD). This hypothesis comes largely from the Arbiter's appearance- when standing before the High Council in his armor, his eyes were dark, but after his armor was removed, his eyes became a much lighter brown. This is also supported by the fact that in Halo: Combat Evolved an Elite's eye color is always the same color as their armor. Elites have snake-like eyes, with horizontal split eyelids and placement on the sides of the head (this can only be seen in Halo 3, Elites in Halo 2 have all black eyes with no pupils and in Halo: Combat Evolved they don't blink). Some other changes to Elites in Halo 3 include: bigger helmet, new rear and hoof protection, no secondary colors (in campaign), they slouch more, and seem more muscular.
In the Halo Wars announcement. trailer, the Elites are different on several points. They seem far more muscular, although this could be because they're wearing much thicker armor because of the cold weather. They also have claws; they do not have claws in any of the other games. Another possibility is that there are several subspecies of Elites similar to how Humans have several ethnic races. Also, there is a slight possibility that the Elites in Halo Wars have the ability to dual wield Energy Swords as it is seen in the E3 2008 Halo Wars Trailer. They also have a more animalistic growl, which could simply be expanding on the sounds they make in Halo: Combat Evolved.
[edit] Intelligence
Elites are extremely intelligent and often demonstrate this in combat. Elites are normally on the move when fighting, constantly running and ducking, strafing and dodging when firing at the enemy. When presented with an obstacle, such as a Warthog driving at them, they will leap out of the way, and if a vehicle stops, they will attempt to board it or disable it. They are also smart enough to utilize cover, ducking behind crates or other obstacles when their shields are drained until they recharge. It should be noted that not all Elites make use of cover, because of their superior strength: Zealots and Councilor Elites charge their enemies with reckless aggression, regardless of any damage they sustain; only very seldom do they admit temporary defeat. They are quite capable of luring their enemies into traps by falling back into cover; as the enemy approaches, the Elite will spring from its position and land a massive melee hit on the unsuspecting opponent, and is especially even more dangerous if the hiding Elite is carrying a energy sword due to the weapon's high melee power. Elites are incredible tacticians, renowned for their ferocity and decisive thinking. This is shown to be very true in space during ship to ship combat, even when being horribly out numbered, they can win the fight with only few losses. This shows them to have a greater degree of intelligence than Brutes. An example of this is the Battle above Installation 00, when the Brute Fleet outnumbered the Elites 3 to 1, yet the elites prevailed with at least the Assault Carrier Shadow of Intent surviving.
- "Although Elites are naturally very intelligent, their culture's long dependence on a military-industrial schema has led to an emphasis on might over science. In some regards, the advent of the Covenant made this position easier-allowing the Elites to concentrate even more singularly on military endeavors, while Prophets took care of science and technology."
- —343 Guilty Spark in the Bestiarum.
[edit] Weapon Compatibility
Because of their toughness and versatility on the battlefield, Elites can utilize any weapon in the field of battle, Human or Covenant, though most Elites would rather die than use a Human or Jiralhanae-oriented weapon. Lieutenant Junior Grade Fred-104 theorizes that the Elites follow an edict of the Prophets that states that they should not use human weapons, based on his own sightings of Elites happily dying rather than pick up a fully loaded MA5B Assault Rifle at their feet. The Brutes however do not behave in a similar manner, even attempting to steal FENRIS nuclear warheads during the Second Battle of Earth. The Arbiter, it appears, has no particular objection to sullying his already fraudulent honor with a Human weapon, although this is most likely due to his honor already being tarnished by his inability to safeguard Installation 04, and his so called "heresy" and "treason" amid the High Council of the Covenant. Most other Elites will use a Human or a Brute weapon if it is given to them by the Arbiter, although usually with a derogatory remark, such as, "Bah! Even as trophies, these weapons are worthless!", or even "Worthless piece of crap!" However, in the hands of an Elite, any Human weapon, even an M6C Pistol, can be deadly. Elites can hold a Rocket Launcher with one hand due to their prodigious strength, unlike normal Marines or even Spartans. Elites can wield weapons that a Spartan would usually wield, with two hands, with one hand. Such as the Spiker. They will also use Human vehicles such as a Mongoose. Their marksmanship is easily comparable to a skilled Marine, and thanks to their armor and increased musculature they can survive attacks that would kill a normal Marine, even with their personal shields down.
[edit] Combat
Despite their advantages, Elites also have some vulnerabilities:
| Counter-Elite Tactics | |
|---|---|
| M6D Pistol | The M6D Pistol has high damage per hit, high accuracy, and thus is very effective against Elites. The only thing you should worry about, however, is the Pistol's low rate of fire. It is best used in conjunction with an overcharged plasma pistol shot, as on legendary it can take 6-8 shots to take out a Major Elite's Shields and in that time you could easily die |
| MA5B Assault Rifle | Not the most effective weapon. Your best strategy at close range with this weapon is to just hold onto the trigger - it'll take a little while, but the sheer weight of bullets will quickly overwhelm the Elites' Energy Shield. From medium range it is better to pulse the trigger, as after the trigger is released, the bullet spread is reset. |
| M6C Magnum | Can be somewhat effective against Elites. It's best to dual wield with a Plasma weapon, such as the Plasma Rifle to take down their shields, then aim for the Elite's head with the M6C Magnum for a quick kill. |
| BR55 Battle Rifle or Covenant Carbine | Both are a high step up from the MA5B Assault Rifle. The BR55 Battle Rifle's 3 round burst or the Covenant Carbine's semiautomatic mode is pretty effective against Elites. However, if the Noob Combo is used, any Elite can be killed in a matter of seconds. 3-4 head shots will usually bring down an Elite's Energy Shield entirely after which, only 1 head shot will kill. |
| SMG | Good when coupled with the Plasma Pistol or the Plasma Rifle, breaks Shields quickly, and is excellent when it does. Otherwise it works about the same as the MA5B Assault Rifle does, except the medium range accuracy is slightly less than the MA5B Assault Rifle. |
| Shotgun | Instant kill weapon at close range, except against higher Elites such as Ultras and Councilors. |
| Sniper Rifle or Particle Beam Rifle | One shot will deplete an Elite's Shielding on lower difficulty settings, but one head shot will neutralize one instantly, except Zealots, Councilors, and SpecOps Elites. It would take about 4 body-shots to kill a Minor Elite on Legendary difficulty. |
| Fragmentation Grenade | Elites have good reflexes and dodge most grenades thrown at them, but a frag grenade, though it won't kill them instantly, is harder to see and will destroy their Shield. They're useful in narrow areas, close quarters, or for making the enemy break cover. One blast will only kill Stealth Elites. |
| Plasma Cannon or Shade | Very useful, though few and far between. Basically a 3 second way to break an Elite's Shield and put it away. However on higher difficulties as many turrets are found in fairly exposed areas, a group of covenant could fire on you killing you in a few seconds. Try and use this against fairly small groups or with backup. |
| Rocket Launcher or Fuel Rod Cannon | Very good against Elites in cover and for taking out groups of 2 or more, but for the sake of practicality, carry something else to switch to for one-on-one combat, except against sword-wielding Zealots, as you will need to put them down quickly before they can close the distance. Even if it doesn't kill the Zealot, it will still knock him aside and stun him for a few precious seconds you can then use to put more distance between it and yourself. However, in Legendary, the effectiveness is reduced because even the Majors can survive an entire rocket. |
| Plasma Pistol | Resist the urge to fire a charged shot; an Elite will most likely dodge it, unless you either get lucky or have skill enough to catch it off guard. Firing continuously may bring it down more quickly. This weapon's upgraded lock-on in Halo 2 makes it practical for |