H2:The Arbiter

This article is about the level in Halo 2. For other articles named "Arbiter", see Arbiter (disambiguation).

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The Arbiter
Game:	Halo 2 (Anniversary)
File name (?):	4a_gasgiant
Player:	Arbiter
Date:	October 20, 2552
Location:	Gas Mine inside Threshold's atmosphere
Objective(s):	Locate and pursue the Heretic Leader.
Par Time:	00:15:00 (Master Chief Collection)
Par Score:	7,000 (Master Chief Collection)
	Halopedia has a walkthrough guide for this level; see H2:The Arbiter/Walkthrough.

“

Infiltrate a Forerunner facility, quell the heresy within.

”

The Arbiter is the sixth campaign level of Halo 2, where the Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee is introduced as a playable character for the first time. You must assassinate the Heretic Leader on a Forerunner gas mine in Threshold's atmosphere.

The mission involves neutralizing Heretic forces. Along the way, the player will have to open a hangar door for reinforcements, fight, for the first time in Halo 2, Sentinels, and fly a Heretic Banshee to escort a friendly Phantom that is looking for where the Heretic Leader escaped to.

This is also the first time in Halo 2 you are able to use the Covenant Carbine, the Sentinel Beam, and the Fuel Rod Gun. It is also the first time members of the Covenant aid you. Your allies are Special Operations Officer Elites and Special Operations Grunts, meaning that you start off with rather powerful friendly units.

Transcript

{Cutscene} {Anniversary Cutscene}

Jailed Jackals reaching out of the cell.

A blurry camera shot focused on the floor, before clearing and focusing on the back of Tartarus. The shot then changes to show Tartarus walking down a hallway in High Charity, two Jiralhanae behind him, carrying Thel 'Vadamee on their shoulders. They are walking through a prison.

---

Anniversary version

Scene opens on a pair of imprisoned Kig-Yar sticking their heads out of their jail cell, snarling. Camera shifts to the right to show Tartarus walking down the corridor, flanked by two Jiralhanae carrying 'Vadamee on their shoulders.

---

• Jiralhanae 1: "How much further must we heft this baggage? Any cell will do."

• Jiralhanae 2: "Why not toss him in with this lot?"

The Jiralhanae pass a cell containing three hungry Kig-Yar, which hiss and growl as they reach out through the bars at the Jiralhanae passing by.

• Jiralhanae 2: "They could use the meat."

• Jiralhanae 1: "Them? What about us? My belly aches - and his flesh is seared, just the way I like it."

• Tartarus: "Quiet! You two whimper like Grunts fresh off the teat. He's not meant for the jails. The Hierarchs have something special in mind."

The Jiralhanae and their cargo move out onto a platform overlooking the Mausoleum of the Arbiter. They ride a gravity lift down to the walkway leading up to it and pass dozens of Sangheili Honor Guardsmen standing at attention, energy staves ready. They enter the Mausoleum, where the High Prophets of Truth and Mercy await. The three Jiralhanae bow, forcing 'Vadamee to do the same.

• Tartarus: "Noble Prophets of Truth and Mercy. I have brought the incompetent."

Close-up on the Prophet of Truth's lower jaw.

• Prophet of Truth: "You may leave, Tartarus."

Tartarus looks up, surprised.

• Tartarus: "But...I thought—"

• Prophet of Truth: "And take your Brutes with you."

Tartarus hesitates, and then bows again.

• Tartarus: "Release the prisoner."

The Jiralhanae drop 'Vadamee to his knees and rise, leaving the room. The Sangheili touches the Mark of Shame on his chest.

• Prophet of Truth: "The Council decided to have you hung by your entrails and your corpse paraded through the city. But ultimately, the terms of your execution are up to me."

• Thel 'Vadamee: "I am already dead."

• Prophet of Truth: "Indeed. Do you know where we are?"

• Thel 'Vadamee: "The Mausoleum of the Arbiter."

• Prophet of Truth: "Quite so. Here rests the vanguard of the Great Journey. Every Arbiter, from first to last. Each one created and consumed in times of extraordinary crisis."

• Prophet of Mercy: "The Taming of the Hunters, the Grunt Rebellion - were it not for the Arbiters, the Covenant would have broken long ago!"

• Thel 'Vadamee: "Even on my knees, I do not belong in their presence."

• Prophet of Truth: "Halo's destruction was your error, and you rightly bear the blame. But the Council was... overzealous. We know you are no heretic. This is the true face of heresy, one who would subvert our faith and incite rebellion against the High Council."

Truth presses a button on his chair and a miniature hologram of a Sangheili in abnormal equipment appears.

• Sesa 'Refumee (Hologram): "Our Prophets are false! Open your eyes, my brothers! They would use the faith of our forefathers to bring ruin to us all! The Great Journey is a-"

Truth cuts off the hologram.

• Prophet of Truth: "This heretic, and those who follow him, must be silenced."

• Prophet of Mercy: "Their slander offends all who walk the Path!"

• Thel 'Vadamee: "What use am I? I can no longer command ships, lead troops into battle-"

• Prophet of Truth: "Not as you are, no. But become the Arbiter...and you shall be set loose against this heresy with our blessing."

A large pod floats into the center of the room, opening to reveal a suit of ancient armor surrounded by white light. 'Vadamee stares at this for a moment, before turning back to Truth.

• Thel 'Vadamee: "What of the Council?"

• Prophet of Mercy: "The tasks you must undertake as the Arbiter are perilous, suicidal. You will die, as each Arbiter has before you. The Council will have their corpse."

Thel 'Vadmaee being offered the title of Arbiter and the body armor.

Thel 'Vadamee rises and walks toward the armor. He pauses before it, and looks to the pods containing the bodies of the Arbiters who fell before him. He reaches up and takes the helmet of the Arbiter, and places it upon his head. He turns to the Hierarchs.

• Thel 'Vadamee: "What would you have your Arbiter do?"

The scene changes to show the outside of High Charity, the fleet surrounding it. Three Phantoms fly past the camera and swoop past the ruins of Installation 04, a large piece of it still intact and with landscape and clouds still visible. As it flies, the voice of Special Operations Commander Rtas 'Vadumee can be heard.

• Rtas 'Vadumee: "When we joined the Covenant, we took an oath!"

• Special Operations Sangheili: "According to our station! All without exception!"

The scene cuts to the inside of the center Phantom, where Special Operations Sangheili, along with the new Arbiter, line the walls, with a line of Special Operations Unggoy in the center. The white-armored Sangheili Special Operations Commander Rtas 'Vadumee, walks among them.

• Rtas 'Vadumee: "On the blood of our fathers, on the blood of our sons...we swore to uphold the Covenant!"

• Special Operations Sangheili: "Even to our dying breath!"

• Rtas 'Vadumee: "Those who would break this oath are Heretics, worthy of neither pity, nor mercy! Even now they use our lords' creations to broadcast their lies!"

A Sangheili holds up a Particle Beam Rifle to his chest, and an Unggoy fumbles with the methane tank of the Unggoy in front of him. Some air is released, and the second Unggoy mutters angrily at the first (turning around in the Anniversary version).

• Special Operations Sangheili: "We shall grind them into dust!"

Note: the Hidden Subtitle appears here. It is "Scrape them as excrement from our boots!"

'Vadumee turns his head to face the camera, revealing he is missing the mandibles on the left side of his head.

• Rtas 'Vadumee: "And continue our march to glorious salvation!"

The Phantoms enter Threshold's atmosphere and