Unggoy
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
| Unggoy | |
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Kafv
 Ritrit
 Zimzib
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| Biological overview | |
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Latin name: |
Monachus frigus |
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Classification: |
Xenoarthropod |
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Subspecies: |
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| Physical information | |
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Avg. height: |
138.4 centimetres (4 ft 6.5 in)–167 centimetres (5 ft 6 in)[1] |
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Avg. weight: |
112.6 kilograms (248 lb)–118 kilograms (260 lb)[1] |
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Distinctions: |
Short, stocky, round-headed, endoskeletal and exoskeletal, vertebroid and arthropoidal, wrinkly skin, high-pitched voices, stubby limbs. |
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Avg. lifespan: |
121+ years[2] |
| Sociocultural information | |
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Homeworld: |
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Notable individuals: |
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Also known as: |
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- "When in doubt, flee."
- — Unggoy philosophy[4]
Unggoy[5] (Latin, Monachus frigus, meaning "cold monk"), also known as Grunts by many individuals, are a sapient species of squat bipedal xeno-arthropodal vertebroid lifeforms[1][6] from the planet Balaho. In 2142, the Unggoy became the fourth species to be assimilated into the Covenant. During their tenure in the hegemony, Unggoy were always the lowest-ranking species in general terms, and were frequently mistreated by members of almost every other race, especially the Kig-Yar, Jiralhanae, and Sangheili.
Unggoy were primarily used by the Covenant as laborers or—in combat situations—cannon fodder. They are commonly referred to as "Grunts", mainly because they are considered weak compared to other former Covenant species and because they performed the majority of the labor required by the empire.[7][8]
History[edit]
The Ark and reseeding[edit]
Unggoy are believed to have evolved from smaller amphibious primates.[1] Prior to the activation of the Halo Array, the Unggoy had managed to achieve a Tier 4 society on their homeworld, Balaho. However, the planet and the Unggoy civilization was devastated by the collapse of its biosphere due to massive global over-industrialization.[3]
The Unggoy were one of many species indexed by the Librarian for preservation on Installation 00 from the firing of the Halo Array. They were subsequently returned to their homeworld Balaho, where they began re-building their culture.[9]
Induction into the Covenant[edit]
In 2142, the Unggoy and their defenseless homeworld were discovered by the Covenant. Most species of the Covenant became incorporated due to faith or mutual beneficence, however the Unggoy were forced into lowly positions within the Covenant through force and aggressive conversion.[1][10] The Unggoy were quickly conquered with little resistance and were the fourth species to be inducted into the empire. The species was quick to become one of the most devoted followers of the Covenant religion and the Great Journey.[11] It even became a popular notion among the Unggoy, thanks to the theologian, Ang'napnap the Enlightened, that the Forerunners' pre-ascension forms were akin to their very own.[12] By the time of their discovery by the Covenant, the Unggoy homeworld was still recovering from its ecological collapse over a hundred millennia earlier, and the Unggoy's Tier 6 civilization had yet to return to its former state.[3]
Being the lowest-ranked species of the Covenant, they are bitter rivals with the Kig-Yar, who are also low-ranked. The higher-ranking races of the Covenant have often ignored this rivalry. The growing Unggoy population on High Charity forced Kig-Yar to relocate their homes to accommodate the Unggoy. The move put stress on Kig-Yar females, which led to an increase in infant mortality, while Unggoy that were forced to share habitats with the Kig-Yar occasionally trampled their nests, inadvertently. The breaking point came when a junior staffer in the Ministry of Concert discovered evidence of the Kig-Yar planning to poison recreational narcotics the Unggoy enjoyed, which would have left them sterile. However, the Minister of Concert and the High Council refused to investigate the matter, as they were willing to accept several thousand sterile Unggoy rather than risk upsetting the Kig-Yar. The rising tensions with the Kig-Yar and the general disinterest from the other Covenant races led to the Unggoy Rebellion in 2462. While the rebellion was ultimately put down thanks to Arbiter Heki 'Gibadee partially glassing Balaho, the Unggoy proved that they were not the cowards they had been long deemed, and could indeed be vicious fighters when provoked. After the uprising's conclusion, as was their tradition, the Sangheili forgave the surviving Unggoy and allowed them to enter the Covenant military as armed infantry units, rather than the unarmed cannon fodder as which they had previously served.