Talk:Sangheili Zealot

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki

Underarms[edit]

Why is it that on some Zealot armour, the underarms and back of the legs have orange lights and some have blue? User:Joshua 029

I dunno. anyways i thought that Arbiter was the highest rank in Elites? User: SPARTAN-410

No, the Imperial Admiral is. The Arbiter was a Supreme Commander. User:Joshua 029

  • Actually, that's still not correct. The Councilor is the highest rank an elite can attain. --Shch 'Nodotee 18:34, 24 January 2007 (UTC)
The Zealot model had blue lights in Halo 1, and orange ones in Halo 2. Supreme Commander is a title for a Zealot. Zealot is the highest military rank an Elite can obtain, Councillors are elected, Arbiters are chosen by the prophets. -ED 15:44, 7 February 2007 (UTC)

Edits to the article[edit]

I added that there was a plasma rifle-carrying Elite in Assault on the Control Room and also changed it to almost always having an elite vanguard, as the one in Silent Cartographer is more or less alone.

Arbiter's armor[edit]

Why does the arbiter wear zealot gold armor in Halo 2 when in the comics he wears purple armor?

That's likely just the artist interpretation of what he should look like. -ED 15:45, 7 February 2007 (UTC)


It could be that, although still technically ranked as a Zealot, the Arbiter would've worn purple armor because of his position/office as Supreme Commander. He was undoubtedly stripped of that office shortly before his trial took place and thus would've gone back to wearing the standard gold armor of a Zealot. --User:Idolo 01:40, 29 March 2007

Well, short? If I am not mistaken Halo 2 takes place a few months after Halo: CE. The Arbiter could have been demoted at any point in that time. After all his fleet was diminished to little more then a task force in the end.--Lieutenant Alan 19:33, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

The realistic explanation to this is that the graphic novel was completed after Halo 2, and so it would not appear in Halo 2 because of either coding complications, or the idea to portray an elite wearing that style of armour had not as of yet occurred to any of the artists. An explanation of why he did not wear the robe for his trial can be that the purple armour/robe were simply a comfortable, non-standard uniform that Thel wore while commanding his fleet. It could be compared to how in the United States navy there are dress uniforms and service/duty uniforms. In addition to this, he would have been the highest ranking elite in the fleet, and therefore allowed himself enough slack to wear a non-standard uniform. For his trial he reverted to wearing his ceremonial battle armour, recognisable by every member of the Covenant as a sign of his position. --Rimnek 015 17:38, June 18, 2010 (UTC)

The Name Zealot[edit]

Does anyone remember if the name "Zealot" was ever mentioned in any of the Halo novels, or was it said by Bungie? James-001 23:58, 17 February 2007 (UTC)

It was used many places, including in the game itself. An elite in the level Uprising calls the golden armored elite "Zealot". I've also heard Cortana call the gold elites Zealots. --Councilor 'Nodotee [BattleNet] 03:10, 18 February 2007 (UTC)

Does anyone think Zealots could be a holy person on the battle field. Like warrior monks. They use the ceremonial sword and give blessings. Maybe they are sub commanders under full field commanders. Just an idea. —This unsigned comment was made by 90.201.70.150 (talk • contribs). Please sign your posts with ~~~~

Zealots aren't really "holy"; plus, field commanders? Sounds more like Field Master, who are Zealots. Çya, Møuse 19:49, 5 January 2008 (UTC)


As far as I know, the name Zealot is only mentioned in the game once, in the Halo 2 Level Uprising. If there are more occurrances can someone please let me know? I just wanted to mention that Zealot should not be the honorific title used to describe this class of elite. Ship Master/Fleet Master/Field Master should be the official name, while Zealot is more like a description of an attitude. Halo the Cole Protocol and Page 126 of the Halo Encyclopedia describe that not just the Gold coloured elites are referred to as Zealots. The Cole Protocol describes a group of Spec Ops Elites that are referred to as zealots, and the Halo Encyclopedia refers to Honour Guards, Spec Ops Elites and Stealth Elites as zealots. To quote the Halo Encyclopedia a Zealot is:

"Less of a rank than a philosophy, Zealots are by far the most ruthless fundamentalists within the Covenant military. Though most Elite males are trained to kill as soon as they can properly hold a weapon, future zealots seem to be born with the desire to kill."

You can tell me I'm wrong, but I feel that according to the sources from both the Halo Encyclopedia and the Cole Protocol, that the term zealot should no longer refer to Gold Elites specifically, but to all fundamentalist elites within the military, specifically those willing to forgo traditional honoured battlefield roles such as Honour Guardsmen, Spec Ops Elites and Stealth Elites. Rimnek 015 18:05, June 18, 2010 (UTC)

Personal energy shield?[edit]

I've been thinking there are four diffrent ranks of Zealot Field Master, Ship Master, Fleet Master and Supreme Commander. Now they are all zealot's but at the same time are diffrent ranks of zealot so could this mean that a zealot field master's personal energy shield would be weaker than a zealot supreme commander's personal energy. or could we say that there shields are equal. Visit my user page

Dose any one want to comment on my theory.

I'd like to add something I recently discovered that possibly relates to this. In halo:CE I was able to kill one zealot, specifically the one wielding a plasma rifle midway through assault on the control room, with only two sniper headshots on legendary. On the other hand, the zealot in the brig on the level Truth and Reconciliation required 3 headshots on legendary... also interesting to note one zealot had a sword, one had a plasma rifle. I don't know why this occurs. Quakeomaniac 21:49, September 4, 2009 (UTC)

That is because there are two Actor Variants for a Zealot: Elite Commander Plasma Rifle and Elite Commander Energy Sword. The Zealot with the Energy Sword as his primary weapon has a shield strength of 300 while the Zealot with the Plasma Rifle has a shield strength of 200. You can see this if you download Halo Map Tools and the b40 map. Sliding Ghost 22:00, January 30, 2010 (UTC)

A badge of honor?[edit]

Maybe the Zealot rank is more similar to being knighted than promoted. An Elite that completes an extraordinary task to help defend the Covenant and its mission will be awarded this title, and will have Zealot armor provided to them. It would be optional for a Zealot to wear this special armor, but most likely would to show their distinction. However, some Elites may opt to wear their rank armor, since it may be necessary for stealth or stronger energy shields. For example, Rtas 'Vaudemee was likely "knighted" to the rank of Zealot after the events of the Infinite Succor, but chooses to wear his Ultra armor since it's less noticeable in combat and has stronger energy shields. The "rank" of Zealot would carry no military value, but it does carry high respect to its owner. Any rank could possibly become a Zealot, even a Minor Domo, but it would be more likely for an Elite with a higher rank to obtain this title, as they would have more likely to be in a position to obtain the armor. This would explain the Supreme Commander seen in the graphic novel wears purple armor- he has been promoted to Supreme Commander, but has not been "knighted" as a Zealot. 199.172.208.64 12:21, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

No Zealots in Halo 3?[edit]

Mystery Zealot I saw this picture on the main page. No Zealots in Halo 3? There is also a picture of a Zealot in halo3.com. My theory is that these are pics from multiplayer.

Your theory would be correct. No Zealots are seen in Halo Campaign (at least I've not seen any, and I've played through it many times). That is a multiplayer pic on the level Last Resort with custom Elite armor. -- Dukester101 TALK 11:51, 15 November 2007 (UTC)

If I'm not mistaken, that's the windmill in to the side through the window. --Lordofmonsterisland"Roar to me" "See my footprints" 16:31, 15 November 2007 (UTC)

Actually, it's taken inside the base. On the left side of the pic is the "windows" that you can knock down. On the right side of the pic is the interior of the base with a glimpse of the turbine that powers the Wind Wheel. -- Dukester101 TALK 16:35, 15 November 2007 (UTC)

Maybe the Zealot lovers (ie me) could petition Bungie to make a downloadable patch to make one of the elites dropped in The Covenant a Zealot. PS it makes sense there are no Zealots as Rtas Vadum leads the forces that render assistance to Earth.

Zealot perm created by TheLostJedi. All I know is that there is a picture of an orange elite in this article and its being labled as a gold armored Zealot. That picture should be removed from the page. Kap2310 02:03, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

That's actually a picture I uploaded for use on the Sangheili page, so I could show Elites using human weapons. It is orange, not gold, and it is nothing like a Zealot. It should be removed. --Jaeryd 00:36, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

I always thought a Zealot armour permutation from Halo 3 would be better using the orange colours. They look closer to gold than the yellow used above to me. But maybe that's just me. -TheLostJedi 00:17, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Halo 3 Assumed Sangheili Zealots Pix Removed?[edit]

How a Sangheili Zealot would looked like in Halo 3. Another render of how a Sangheili Zealot would looked like in Halo 3.

I noticed that just recently these two images which I uploaded to Halopedia and posted in the Gallery section of the article, that these two renders were removed. What happened? A few months, weeks or days ago these were just fine, nobody seemed to mind that they were in the article. I know that may not exactly be canon, since they were never seen in-game in Halo 3, but they are most definitely from Halo, or just from Halo multiplayer content. Could someone please explain to me why these were removed? And furthermore, explain why or why not they should or should not be removed from the article? --Xamikaze330 14:52, 21 October 2011 (EDT)Xamikaze330

As you said, they're not canon. If you want to add multiplayer content, add them to the Sangheili or Multiplayer pages. Vegerot goes RAWR! Vegerot (talk) 21:27, 22 October 2011 (EDT)!

Maybe I will do just that. I want them to be added somewhere. --Xamikaze330 12:46, 25 October 2011 (EDT)Xamikaze330

Zealot Pics[edit]

I don't really know how to add pics I'm afraid that I'd mess the page up, but go on the Bungie website and search my XBL gamertag, Scarred Phase, and look at my screenshots, I have a few that look good to be a Zealot Elite that could be used on here.-- Joshua 029 22:43, 23 February 2008 (UTC)

Halo:CE Zealots[edit]

Rather unusually, while the article cites the zealots of halo:CE having the most powerful shields in that game, the ones with plasma rifle actually only have the shields of a specops elite... would this imply that the sword wielders are more senior zealots? Quakeomaniac 04:53, December 2, 2009 (UTC)

Yes, probably.

Note the difference between Zealots and Brute Heroes. Energy Sword Zealots have stronger shields than Plasma Rifle Zealots. War Chieftains have stronger shields than Gravity Hammer wielding Brute Chieftains. Sliding Ghost 22:12, January 30, 2010 (UTC)

Zealots in Halo: Reach[edit]

I have recently taken interest in Bungie's new upcoming game Halo: Reach, especially since the Elites are enemies. So this got me wondering, will there be Zealots in this game?

What about the Plasma Rifle Zealots from Halo: CE? Also, maybe there might be Needle Rifle Zealots? Any comments on this? Sliding Ghost 22:22, January 30, 2010 (UTC)

Yes to all questions. Moving on. I have noted that they are also not only Zealots in crimson armor, but also in gold, as opposed to white or just plain yellow. Or maybe it is gold-like yellow. Is this another BOB? I have also compared screenshots in my computer's library, and it is not a Sangheili Field Marshal; the armor configuration doesn't match. Anyone ever seen this before? --Xamikaze330 [Transmission|Commencing] 13:53, 25 May 2014 (EDT)Xamikaze330

De Facto Commander as an actual Title[edit]

I believe that the way that De Facto Commander is used in this article is in error. I do not believe that Eric Nylund was making a new title when he used the term. I believe he was simply refering to the way in which the elite (can't remember his name) was promoted. If you look at the definition for 'De Facto' found here: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/de+facto The first definition is good, but the second is particularly interesting. It refers to: 'actually existing, esp. when without lawful authority' When we look at the circumstances surrounding the situation. The elite (still can't remember his name) takes command of the entire fleet by sending a fleetwide set of orders, which are obeyed without question. The fact that this elite had to do this, as opposed to the fleet's actual commanding officer suggests that the commanding officer had already been killed. When he is referred to as the de facto Commander of the Second Fleet of Homogenious Clarity (note the lack of capital letters in de facto) it is referring to the fact that he did 'in fact' take command of the fleet and that he did it without 'lawful authority' since he was not appointed to the position but assumed it voluntarily. Regardless of whether or not it was without lawful authority, his authority is nonedtheless recognized by the Imperial Admiral. Therefore De Facto is not a title or a position, but describes how one comes to a position/is in a position.--Rimnek 015 18:18, June 18, 2010 (UTC)

It wasn't used as an actual title. Take off the capitalization if it makes you feel better. SmokeSound off! 19:36, June 18, 2010 (UTC)

I understand it wasn't intended to be an actual title. That is why I made this post. The only reason I have capitalized it in my post was to make it stand out. This is a quote from the actual article defining Fleet Master:

'Fleet Master and also, possibly another name for De Facto Commander'

The only reason for this post was to point out that De Facto is used as a title in the article, but it is not an acutal title.--Rimnek 015 20:08, June 18, 2010 (UTC)

Rename (Closed)[edit]

The page itself describes that the rank is associated with the Sangheili, so shouldn't we rename it as a Sangheili Zealot? There is another page titled Kig-yar Zealot, and the two could cause some confusion.

White Zealot?[edit]

On ONI:Sword Base, right after getting back to the base, I killed a few officers, then two bolts hit me. I thought I saw an ultra running away, but as I got closer, I thought it was an officer clad in white, but after killing it, I saw it had blue lights, not red like an officer, it's mandibles showing, and no marshal horns. It was a White Zealot?

I'm just pointing this out, the fight took place right before going in the elevator protected by an officer and hunters. Or is this already discovered? Or have an audio log on it?(I couldn't find one on him though).

Sorry if this is old.--BriNg iN DeR FLAmeS?! 18:22, September 25, 2010 (UTC)

Ah it is found already. But I killed it on normal difficulty. Also: Where do they fit in the rank structure? An honor but still lower ranked like some modern ranks? Or just a mistake?BriNg iN DeR FLAmeS?! 18:25, September 25, 2010 (UTC)

It's a BOB. BOBs can be either golden Rangers using a variety of weapons, or other ranks that always have white armor and always dual-wield Plasma Rifles. BOBs disappear after a set time limit expires, the timer starts when you either enter a certain area/cross an invisible barrier, or when the Elite sees you. There is a page about these BOBs, just search it on this wiki. --Delta1138 SnooPING AS usual I see 16:20, 20 April 2011 (EDT)

Reach appearences[edit]

Appear several times? True Zealots appear twice. The Generals appear several times, but that's for their article. Not fought as bosses? They are nothing but bosses, first and last level bosses though. Again, the Generals are shown like regular infantry, again, its for their own article. While the Generals are a grade of Zealot, they are seperate from mainstream Zealot. The section needs rewiting, as with my two examples, it is gameplay wise about the General rather than normal Zealots.


On an unrelated note, any idea as to why they aren't in firefight? Grupa 'Zamamee 18:40, October 2, 2010 (UTC)


Reach[edit]

I've reached the rank of Captain in Reach, however, the game won't let me use Zealot armor. Instead, it thinks I'm switching to Minor, and still shows the Zealot in dark.--User:Shade Link

Zealots of different origins?[edit]

The rank of a Zealot has always been generalised to gold-armoured Elites since the reveal in Halo 2 (Uprising). Zealots, as we know from previous Halo titles, are the frontline commanders of the Covenant forces and would lead large forces composed of other Covenant species. However, this is changed in Reach where we now see three iterations of Zealots; the maroon-armoured normal (let's call it Standard since there are no official title yet) and Field Marshall and the gold-armoured General. In Reach, we often see that the maroon-armoured Zealots always operate in smaller groups, whereas the gold-armoured remains the same like its previous incarnations. Why maroon, one might ask? Why would Bungie detach the word from its original description?

The way I interpret this detachment is that the maroon-armoured Zealots are those from the SPECWAR/SPECOPS division of the Covenant Army whereas the gold-armoured are ones in charge of leading the general invasion (be it Naval, Army, etc). It makes sense if one refers to Halsey's remarks when Jorge provided his report of the Viery encounter; the maroon-armoured is tasked with the retrieval of artefacts and known for special warfare (they assaulted Noble in Viery Relay, assassinated Kat and killed Emile, and disabled military communications to allow the invasion to proceed) while the gold-armoured would simply lead the general invasion force.- 5əb'7aŋk(7alk) 05:07, 25 November 2010 (EST)

Someone brought it up before, but it seems likely that the Generals aren't Zealots at all. In the game, the player encounters Generals all the time, and no one makes a big deal out of it. However, in Tip of the Spear (at a point where the player has killed at least one General) Dot notes that there's a Zealot in the area and it is made clear that it's a high-value target. Yet when a General is encountered, no one even mentions it. Overall, the Zealots seem to be a class of warriors that either command a significant amount of forces or serve in special forces units, while the Generals are more ordinary commanders and thus not as significant.
Judging by this, it could be inferred that most of the golden Elites encountered in the previous games are actually Generals instead of Zealots (except for the ones that have been specifically confirmed to be Zealots, such as the one at H2's Uprising or Thel in H2's opening). Like you said, the special forces Zealots would wear maroon armor while Zealot commanders like Thel wear gold armor. --Jugus (Talk | Contribs) 05:31, 25 November 2010 (EST)
“ ... it could be inferred that most of the golden Elites encountered in the previous games are actually Generals instead of Zealots ”
Now, this is the one that confuses me. What Corpora just said makes the most sense for now, that all of the gold-armoured Elites we've encountered in the past are Zealots, and that trying to impose new canon on old canon seems futile (to make sense of canon, in a way). Care to clarify? :) - 5əb'7aŋk(7alk) 17:26, 25 November 2010 (EST)
Yes, it's indeed true that my statement is merely an assumption based on what we see in Reach and cannot be treated as valid unless we get some form of official clarification. My reasoning is that if we are to assume new canon overrides old, then the way Zealots are treated in Reach seems to be inconsistent with their frequent appearances in the earlier games. When a Zealot is encountered, it's always significant to the plot or at least noteworthy in some way, something that never happens in the other games. In addition, the Generals in Reach seem to occupy a role identical to the gold-armored Elites (presumably Zealots) in the previous games.
Of course, like I said, the claim that most gold-armored Elites in the previous games are Generals cannot be treated as a fact by any means; it's merely a possible explanation for the apparent absence of Generals in games other than Reach. --Jugus (Talk | Contribs) 17:38, 25 November 2010 (EST)
Hmm... interesting. Thanks for the clarification. - 5əb'7aŋk(7alk) 17:40, 25 November 2010 (EST)
There is also one thing in Reach that we may want to address: the way Elite armor is unlocked is by rank, and General comes after Zealot, indicating that it is higher than Zealot. Is it possible that we can just ask someone at the Bungie or 343i forums for clarification, or write a letter? -- SFH 18:06, 25 November 2010 (EST)
The way I've looked at this conundrum without receiving clarification from Bungie is simple: The General rank is the standard infantry commander of ground forces while the default Zealot rank is the equivalent of very special infantry. A Zealot will take command when it appears but is not part of the regular command structure of the Covenant (from Reach onward that is). You'll also notice that a General is never seen in the same location as a Zealot nor commanding one, only the Field Marshall is seen in that role (and is referred to as the Zealot Commander by Bungie). In much the same way, the Field Marshall is both the commander of Zealot infantry and supersedes the General rank in commanding ground forces when present. The reason the Zealot is so special is because of their status in the Covenant and their usage as the equivalent of a SPARTAN when fielded (after all, Spartans are lower than even a UNSC Captain in rank). None of this is canon and merely my take on the issue, feel free to ignore it. As 5əb'7aŋk mentioned from me, just remember that it is impossible to retroactively apply new canon to old canon. Corpora 02:27, 15 December 2010 (EST)

Zealots and their apperance in Halo: Reach[edit]

I Believe that the Marooned colored zealots that appear in Halo: Reach are in fact A special 'spec-ops' zealot. The reasons behind this belief is that During the first cut scene where they are encountered in the reach campaign they are seen decloaking as the drop down from above Jorge. Secondly, the fact that they are only seen preform missions of Intelligence gathering with the recovering of the Visigrad dig site information, and the retrieval of the 'package'(Cortana) from Noble six at the end of the mission "pillar of Autumn". Also the presence of the gold General class in the game that fits with the previously defined role of zealot as seen in past games.--Otterboy 09:08, 25 June 2011 (EDT)

Known Zealots[edit]

Is it okay if I add Fleetmaster Luro 'Taralumee of the Third Fleet of Glorious Consequence, commanding the CAS-class Assault Carrier Resplendent Fervor from Halo Legends: The Package? This guy is most definitely a Zealot, as he is both a Fleetmaster, Shipmaster, and a Supreme Commander, and is wearing gold armor typical of most Zealots. If it is okay, I will add it as soon as I can, that is unless someone beats me to it. Xamikaze330 10:19, 4 October 2011 (EDT)Xamikaze330

Halo: Combat Evolved Zealot Image[edit]

Can we get a transparent cutout render of the original Sangheili Zealot from Halo: Combat Evolved? I have been trying to look for a suitable image to work on in Photoshop, but I really can't found one that I think is good enough. I'll keep looking and trying, but it would be great if someone could get to work on this too. Xamikaze330 16:07, 4 October 2011 (EDT)Xamikaze330

Field Master, Ship Master, and Fleet Master[edit]

I believe the three "ranks" listed above are not truly ranks, but rather titles that an elite can obtain. Let me hand out some examples of what I mean before I digress. Well, at least Ship Master is already listed as a title, yet it holds a position on the "Sangheili Ranks" box.

Ardo 'Moretumee, a Sangheili General, is also the Ship Master of the Corvette Ardent Prayer. The Unidentified Sangheili Shipmaster (Righteous Vigilance) also supports this, as he clearly is no Zealot, yet his is the Fleet Master of the Fleet of Righteous Vigilance. Now I understand that Halopedia has listed General as apart of the Zealot Division, mainly to justify the position of Ardo as a Ship Master, I would like to propose a more logical option.

Our beloved Rtas 'Vadum was also known to be a Fleet Master, yet his rank is that of Special Operations Commander. Now, leading the Special Operations Division of a Fleet would usually entitle that individual to their own ship, yet he is called by his title of Ship Master, yet not Fleet Master, which is curious, but the point still holds he was not called Special Operations Commander, or simply Commander for short. While his title is Fleet Master, it is obvious that his rank is indeed Special Operations Commander, which clearly indicates the distinction between Rank and Title, just like Ship Master.

Field Master should also be listed as a title, not a Rank. Take Noga 'Putumee for example. He is known to be a Zealot, like Rtas he is constantly referred to by his title of Field Master. This signifies to me that Field Master is a title in which Zealots can earn. The fact that Zealots are above Generals makes it easy to infer that the Zealots with the title of Field Master would be in command of ground operations, while Generals acted as sub-commanders. Speaking of Sub-commanders, Re'gish Wamik is another example as to why Field Master should be listed as a title. By his armor it is obvious that he is a Zealot, yet he holds the title of Field Master.

Now, what I propose we do about all this is quite simple. In the Sangheili Ranks box, add General to the Regular Ranks. Remove Field Master, Ship Master, and Fleet Master from the Zealot ranks, and simply list Zealot and Field Marshall. The Field, Ship, and Fleet Master sub groups can be listed on the Zealot page, and expanded upon there. And while that box is getting cleaned up, add Light of Sanghelios/Honor Guard Ultra back into there. Not sure why it was taken out of the Rank Box in the first place. I mean we physically see them in Halo 2 and they are mentioned in Contact Harvest.--Xzan Tamasee 17:48, 18 October 2011 (EDT)

With information from Halo: Reach and especially the Essential Visual Guide, I think we should rework the entire article. While the Zealots do occasionally serve in leading positions, their main role is to serve as special force squads who hunt down artifacts or intelligence. What further sets them apart from the normal military is the fact they are under the authority of an entirely separate ministry than the rest of Covenant military forces (Ministry of Fervent Intercession, as opposed to the Ministry of Resolution).
Like you said, it's also apparent that the "-masters" are not ranks nor exclusive to the Zealot-class, but instead titles given to individuals of any rank serving in a particular position. They can sometimes be Zealots, but not nearly all of them are.--Jugus (Talk | Contribs) 08:54, 20 October 2011 (EDT)

Precisely. The whole system right now regarding Zealots is flawed and ambiguous. I am in favor of reworking the articles, however I'm sure it is against some sort of rule to simply change everything based on my interpretation. There needs to be some sort of consensus.--Xzan Tamasee 17:22, 20 October 2011 (EDT)

Having just reread Ghosts of Onyx, don't forget that Xytan appears to promote Voro to Fleet Master, making it kinda more like a rank. Vegerot goes RAWR! Vegerot (talk) 21:37, 22 October 2011 (EDT)!

Gold armor = Zealot?[edit]

Having reworked most of the article, I'm faced with a difficult conundrum. Should we assume all the Sangheili with gold armor seen in pre-Reach fiction are Zealots, based on the color of their armor alone? The Essential Visual Guide confirms that Zealots in Halo: Combat Evolved wore gold armor, and a gold-armored Elite was stated to be a Zealot in Halo 2, but what about the rest, such as Noga 'Putumee, Luro 'Taralumee and Re'gish Wamik?

Clearly, all Shipmasters can't be assumed to be Zealots anymore, but this concerns all gold-armored Elites. We could simply assume it for the sake of simplicity, but it would still be unverified.--Jugus (Talk | Contribs) 04:52, 21 October 2011 (EDT)

It wasn't until Halo: Reach that gold-armored Elites appeared that may have not necessarily been Zealots. I think it's safe to assume that the examples you've given above are, since they were introduced before Halo: Reach. Tuckerscreator(stalk) 15:20, 21 October 2011 (EDT)

I have an interesting idea. The Gold Zealots we see are typically leaders. They are in the heart of the battle, commanding troops and leading the war. That is the typical description of Zealots we have been used to since CE. Reach flips this upside down. The Maroon Zealots we see in Reach are described as somewhat of an infiltration team to get behind enemy lines and eliminate a target of value or take something of religious value. This brings me to believe one of these is either not a Zealot, or is a different class of Zealot. Kinda like the relationship between Officer and Major. We have the Gold Zealots and the Maroon Zealots. Just something that came to mind while pondering this conundrum.--Xzan Tamasee 15:27, 21 October 2011 (EDT)

It's also interesting to note that they are using the Reach Zealot Armor in Anniversary but with a Gold Color. user:ArchedThunder

If you have a picture of a Zealot in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary that would great! Vegerot goes RAWR! Vegerot (talk) 21:35, 22 October 2011 (EDT)

The reason I'm questioning this is because there is sufficient evidence to assume that Voro Nar 'Mantakree, who used gold armor as a fleet master, was not a Zealot at any point; he was a major by the time he assumed the role of shipmaster, but wore gold armor when he faced Kurt-051 on Onyx. Since we now know Zealots are a separate group, it's not likely Voro would have become one somewhere between the battle at Installation 05 and his death on Onyx, not only because of the short timeframe but also his distinctively non-zealous views on the Covenant religion. It's also fairly apparent he wasn't a general, so it seems he wore gold armor purely as an indication of his position.

This may imply that gold armor isn't tied to a particular rank or group (Zealot or General) but represents the wearer's status as a shipmaster, field master or fleet master. As we've seen, not all shipmasters wear gold armor, so it may be a choice. It should be noted, though, that both of the shipmasters who don't wear gold armor (Rtas 'Vadum and the one from The Return) appear to be Special Operations commanders, so it's possible the silver armor of a commander is regarded as an equal indicator of authority as a gold armor. --Jugus (Talk | Contribs) 09:24, 23 October 2011 (EDT)

In response to your first paragraph: Nope, sorry. Your forgetting a very important part in the book. The Imperial Admiral PROMOTES Voro to the rank of Fleet Master when they had their meeting. Also, while aboard the Incorruptible; I believe that Voro did something bad, and his bridge members/the Mgalekgolo could have --if they wanted to-- killed him for obviously murdering their shipmaster, but they all just decided to go along with it. So he was not officially a Zealot then, but, after his meeting with Xytan he is officially promoted to Fleet Master (talk about skipping a rank!). Vegerot goes RAWR! Vegerot (talk) 13:46, 23 October 2011 (EDT)!!!
Voro was promoted to Fleet Master, but no one said he became a Zealot. The whole issue here is that in light of the new information on Zealots, it seems that one doesn't need to be a Zealot in order to be a Ship/Field/Fleet Master. That was always simply a supposition based on the fact they all wear gold armor, but it has never been confirmed in official material.
Now, beyond accepting the fact the aforementioned titles aren't necessarily exclusive to the Zealot-class, it's still up to interpretation how exactly the ranking system works. It seems clear Shipmaster is simply a title given to anyone in charge of a ship, but I think the question here is whether Field Master and Fleet Master are actual ranks, or roles that may be assumed by any high-ranking individual, Zealot or not. --Jugus (Talk | Contribs) 14:12, 23 October 2011 (EDT)
Or, it is also possible, that ZEALOT is a title, which includes everything in it. So for example, Rtas would be both a Commander and a Zealot. So kinda like what we all said above, but with Zealots in general.
Alternatively, don't forget that we've seen gold-armored Elites being Zealots for ALL of Halo history (they've been referred to as Zealots throughout everything), and now we have one special instance of multiple Zealots together forming a special strike team. I think it may be that those Zealots in Reach are -masters, but since this was a mission of "high importance" that needed to be executed quickly, efficiently, and without failure, they composed a team fully of Zealots. The only question this raises is isn't that the job of Special Operations Sangheili (perhaps because they were looking for something uber important)? But besides for that I think that it all fits pretty well. As for their armor, look below. Vegerot goes RAWR! Vegerot (talk) 14:26, 23 October 2011 (EDT)!
I think the only time a golden-armored Elite has been referred to as a Zealot is a single instance in Halo 2, in the level Uprising; I wouldn't say that counts as "throughout everything". Feel free to point out if you can find more, though. Still, to me it seems more like an example of us fans jumping into conclusions based on limited information.
The most pressing reason to assume all gold-armored Elites (Voro included) are not Zealots is the fact The Essential Visual Guide and the Encyclopedia both state that Zealots are, as their name suggests, the most fanatical followers of the Covenant religion among the Sangheili. Voro, on the other hand, was extremely practical and certainly not someone you could describe as zealous. --Jugus (Talk | Contribs) 15:47, 23 October 2011 (EDT)
Actual, the generalisation of "Gold-armoured Elites = Zealots" is by design as expressed by Bungie in their Vidocs/Behind-the-Scenes specials. So, it is actually a correct generalisation to assume so, that is until Reach came out. The Encyclopaedias and EVG simply recorded that design to make it more apparent. — subtank 17:52, 23 October 2011 (EDT)
The Essential Visual Guide outright states that the gold-armored Elites seen in Combat Evolved and Halo 2 are Zealots, though, to be technical, it doesn't specify that they are all Zealots. Anyway, like Jugus said, gold-colored armor isn't necessarily a symbol of rank; more likely, it simply means the wearer has a high position and a lofty title - Field Master, Fleet Master, et cetera - regardless of his true rank. Perhaps golden armor indicates that the wearer is involved in high-profile, overt operations, like 'Putumee (Field Master), 'Mantakree (Fleet Master), and 'Taralumee (Supreme Commander), while white/silver armor represents that the wearer is involved in more subtle work, like Rtas 'Vadum. --Courage never dies. 09:44, 23 October 2011 (EDT)

Then what about the Maroon Zealots in Reach? No matter which standpoint you take on this, there is some explaining to do.--Xzan Tamasee 12:15, 23 October 2011 (EDT)

The easiest way to explain it would be that Zealots tasked with infiltration and artifact hunting are clad in maroon armor, while ones assigned to command duties wear the gold armor we've seen in the previous games. As per above, the gold coloration would serve to identify them as commanders who serve alongside regular forces as opposed to artifact recovery detachments who operate independently. --Jugus (Talk | Contribs) 12:21, 23 October 2011 (EDT)
What about the Zealot in Foward Unto Dawn, then? Why would a lone wolf zealot be attacking the academy, chasing after cadets? signxb.jpg 19:03, 4 November 2012 (EST)
Not to mention that if you're trying to be subtle, going in with shiny gold armor isn't the best way to do it. Vegerot goes RAWR! Vegerot (talk) 13:50, 23 October 2011 (EDT)!

So basically what I said in my first reply to this section... lol--Xzan Tamasee 14:33, 24 October 2011 (EDT)

What if the Zealot armor in Reach was going out of circulation in the Covenant, or as mentioned earlier was a special circumstance of the infiltration teams led by Field Marshals, the only way we can know is if it's specifically stated. Col. Snipes450 16:40, 24 October 2011 (EDT)

I don't know about this whole thing, but there's a Bishop Sangheili in Glasslands (OMG! READING IT NOW!), and he's described as wearing gold armor. Vegerot goes RAWR! Vegerot (talk) 17:33, 24 October 2011 (EDT)!

Bishop is the title Avu Med 'Telcam holds in the Servants of Abiding Truth. His title in the Covenant Military was Field Marshall. Implying he is most likely a General considering his Gold Armor. Or he is a Gold Zealot like the ones in CEA.--Xzan Tamasee 19:11, 24 October 2011 (EDT)

Page 52 of The Great Journey: The Art of Building Worlds confirms that Elites with golden armor are field commanders: "Elites have their own hierarchy, and their rank can be ascertained by the color of their armor. A useful tool on the battlefield, for sure, with gold marking out field commanders, red indicating a veteran, and blue marking out an Elite's status as standard infantry." All golden-armored Elites are high-ranking leaders, but they are not necessarily Zealots. For example, Noga 'Putumee wore golden armor because he was a Field Master, not because he was a Zealot. Similarly, the Zealot from Uprising wore golden armor not because he was a Zealot, but because he was a field commander of some sort; perhaps he was a Field Marshal in non-standard armor. --Courage never dies. 23:55, 24 October 2011 (EDT)
With that in mind, would I be right in thinking that the zealots from Reach were veterans while the ones in CEA are field commanders?--Soul reaper 00:06, 25 October 2011 (EDT)

More canon confusion[edit]

So with the release of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, we now have Elites that are wearing Zealot armor which is gold. Does anyone else think the powers that be just can't decide on a coloration? -- SFH 20:26, 19 November 2011 (EST)

I think that Zealots assigned to battlefield duty and command troops are gold, and those who serve in elite commando units are marroon, as stated above. That certainly makes sense to me. A.O.A., Administrator of Ace Combat Fanon 01:48, 5 April 2012 (EDT)

Anniversary image[edit]

Could somebody please upload an image of a Sangheili Zealot from Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary into the Gallery section of this page?

They are very difficult to get. Impossible without a capture card. However, I can tell you right now they look almost identical to the Halo: Reach zealots. pestilence Phil, pestilence! 23:39, 23 November 2011 (EST)
Damn, I was hoping that they would be have gold armour as in the original. I am also disappointed that the energy swords and plasma rifles lack the distinctive cyan glow of the original. I wish I could equip fuel rod guns, and energy swords; and that they included flame-throwers in the game, but at lease they released the soundtrack on iTunes.
In Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Zealots wear the same armor configuration seen in Halo: Reach, with the only noticeable difference being that the armor is now yellowish gold similar to previous incarnations, rather than the maroon color seen in Reach. The armor still has the blue lights seen in Reach, however. So similar to to Halo 2 in terms of colour, but with the blue lights from Reach?
Yes, however, the gold is less noticeable than in the previous games. pestilence Phil, pestilence! 08:50, 24 November 2011 (EST)

Change of Default picture[edit]

So in the encyclopedia says that the Sangheili Zealots we see in Halo 4 and Halo: Forward Unto Dawn look different because they are soldiers from Hesduros. Hesduros Zealots apparently look different. Councilor 'Rumilee (talk) 00:40, 28 June 2013 (EDT)

It doesn't matter where they're from. They are still Zealots and as per convention we use the most recent canonical image of them. There is no reason to change the image.--Spartacus Talk • Contribs 00:48, 28 June 2013 (EDT)

Never the less a note of it should still be made of it. Councilor 'Rumilee (talk) 01:01, 28 June 2013 (EDT)

About the color gold[edit]

So I've been doing some research on this subject as of late, and I've just found something interesting regarding the first note. It says Halo: The Great Journey: The Art of Building Worlds (2011) was the first source to reveal that the color gold was for field commanders, and not specifically for Zealots. Supposedly, before that, we were supposed to believe that gold meant the Elite was Zealot (and I certainly did, like most people here). However I've unearthed a long-forgotten book, Halo: Combat Evolved: Prima's Official Strategy Guide, which I believe was the first Halo reference book in existence. It was released in November 2001. In this guide, there is no mention of the rank 'Zealot' whatsoever. Instead, it says golden Elites are 'Commanders'. It's not just a descriptor, it's a rank/title as much as Minor, Major, etc. 'Commander Elite' is the name used throughout the book. Then Halo 2: The Official Strategy Guide says: "The Zealot is a hugely experienced warrior. His golden armor does not signify rank alone: it indicates that he has killed countless enemies in battle. The Arbiter himself was a Zealot before he received his 'calling'."

So there had been a number of sources about the color gold representing a position of Commander rather than the Zealot rank simply. I think the note talking about "the long-held misconception" has become obsolete now. It doesn't matter whether older wiki users held a misconception for a long time, as long as it did not have any impact on the Halo universe itself (as it did with the URF). Does it bother anyone if I erase that part of Halopedia's dark ages from the notes? Or does it still matter in some way to point out the "long-held misconception"? Imrane-117 (talk) 22:56, 24 January 2016 (EST)

I agree, go for it. We know that shipmasters, fieldmasters, supreme commanders, etc. wear gold armor, but that doesn't mean they are Zealots. --NightHammer(talk)(contribs) 23:13, 24 January 2016 (EST)
I definitely agree. It's time to finally fix this misconception. --Jugus (Talk | Contribs) 01:09, 25 January 2016 (EST)
Retrieved from "https://www.halopedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Sangheili_Zealot&oldid=1368514"