Tartarus

"A bloody fate awaits you and the rest of your incompetent race. And I, Tartarus, Chieftain of the Brutes, will send you to it!"

- Tartarus at the end of Quarantine Zone speaking to the Arbiter

Tartarus was one of the last appointed Chieftain of the Jiralhanae in service with the Covenant and later Covenant Loyalist military.

Background
Tartarus is easily recognized by his silver hair and fur, deep voice, and distinctive "mohawk". His devotion and faithfulness to the Covenant and the Prophets is unwavering, and he strongly represents the general attitude of his entire race: rough, arrogant, and disdainful of the Sangheili. He was a powerful, aggressive, and intelligent leader who inspired both fear and respect in his Jiralhanae forces.

Biography
Tartarus started life as the nephew of a venerable and religious pack leader known as Maccabeus. Wearing the scarlet armor of a Brute Captain, the young Tartarus was part of his uncle's crew of one of the few Brute-controlled ships in the Covenant, the Rapid Conversion. The Elites did not approve of a Brute controlling a ship and had disabled many of it's key features such as weaponry, gravity lifts, and other useful mechanics, but Maccabeus' faith in the Great Journey helped him turn a blind eye to this unfair treatment. Soon a Grunt Deacon named Dadab and his companion, a Huragok named Lighter Than Some, found themselves on board the Rapid Conversion after escaping the destruction of their ship, the Minor Transgression, a Kig-Yar pirate ship. Maccabeus summoned Tartarus at the pair's explosive arrival and would later become a protector of the Engineer when the resentful Drones on board set out to kill it for taking their job, repair and maintenance of the vessel. He journeyed to Harvest during the first contact between the Brutes and the Humans, in a staged offer of peace that soon erupted into battle. Tartarus found himself aboard a Spirit Drop ship that was soon destroyed, although he did not evacuate until he had tried everything to save Ritul, a young pack mate of his, from the destruction. After being attacked by the Humans in a trap designed by Loki, the Rapid Conversion was left severely damaged with Maccabeus on board. After Tatarus returned to the crippled ship he confronted Maccabeus about the legitimacy of their search for holy artifacts. Tartarus then challenged his uncle in the ritualistic manner of Brutes to a fight to the death. With the victor emerging as the Chieftain. He made concession to his wounded opponent by imposing a handicap on himself. He successfully killed Maccabeus and received his uncle's weapon, the Fist of Rukt. Tartarus began his ascent to the upper echelons of power. Even back before the First Battle of Earth, Prophet of Truth had trusted Tartarus enough to dismiss the Elite Honor Guards that usually never left the Prophets unprotected in order to speak to him alone. Tartarus had scoured the wreckage of the Covenant attack coordination station Unyielding Hierophant after its destruction at the hands of the Master Chief, Grace (who died there), Fred, Will, and Linda. Tartarus reported the Covenant Fleet preparing to attack Earth was largely destroyed, and an artifact of the Forerunners that was able to bend time and disrupted Slip space almost entirely lost but for three small chips, the rest of which were lost in Slip space after Corporal Locklear destroyed it with C-7 Foaming Explosive, which he presented to Truth. He was instructed to reward the surviving pilots well, then "Execute them all. Quickly. Quietly." He was also requested to bring the Supreme Commander, who was unable to stop the destruction of Alpha Halo, before the Council to let "his fate match the magnitude of his failure." Tartarus branded the Commander with the Mark of Shame and took him to the Mausoleum of the Arbiters for his execution. When the Sangheili was pardoned and promoted to Arbiter, Tartarus was obviously displeased, but kept silent out of respect for the Prophets. Tartarus provided aerial support for the Arbiter during his mission to assassinate Sesa 'Refumee on Threshold. The Arbiter encountered the Oracle during his duel with 'Refumee, the Heretic leader and Tartarus swiftly captured it and returned to High Charity.

The Sacred Icon
Using information gained from the Oracle, Truth and Mercy sent the Arbiter and Tartarus on a mission to obtain the Sacred Icon on Delta Halo. However, as soon as the Icon was obtained, Tartarus betrayed the Sangheili, apparently acting on orders from the Prophets. Simultaneously, Tartarus captured Sgt. Johnson and Miranda Keyes, therefore gaining leverage against the humans. He also captured Sergeants Stacker and Banks, and took them to be used as Reclaimers in order to activate Installation 05. He chose Miranda Keyes and left the three Sergeants in the hands of his Captains with the words; "Mine will do. Kill the others."

Death
While trying to get Miranda Keyes to cooperate in the Control Room, Tartarus was confronted by the Arbiter. Doing as the Hierarchs and his faith commanded, he forced Keyes to unify the Index with Delta Halo's control panel, thereby activating the ring thus began to fight the Sangheili, who fought along side the Arbiter and Sgt. Johnson. Tartarus used The Fist of Rukt to devastating effect, killing several of the attacking Elites. Johnson, armed with a Beam Rifle, managed to lower Tartarus's shields. Tartarus continued to fight the Elites, but he succumbed to the ferocity of the Arbiter and Elites' attack. (Although you might not kill Tartarus yourself, occasionally another Elite will kill him.)

Combat
Before he became Chieftain, Tartarus wielded the Spiker with deadly force, with its projectiles and fierce blades. He used an empty Spiker in his battle against his uncle Maccabeus. Eventually, he defeated Maccabeus and gained his new primary weapon, the Fist of Rukt. Tartarus is able to wield the Fist of Rukt with great strength, effortlessly decimating foes in a single blow. In the battle between the Arbiter in Halo 2, his shield is so strong, only direct hits from a Beam Rifle can eliminate it. Despite that, it quickly recharges, making Tartarus invincible once more. Even without his shield, Tartarus is still able to take enormous amounts of damage before succumbing to his injuries ( as is typical of all Brutes).

Fist of Rukt
The Fist of Rukt is the personal weapon of the Brute Chieftain, Tartarus. It not only serves as an excellent melee weapon, but can alter gravity to move objects and living beings around. It is passed down from generations to generations in his family, and is believed to be the most powerful Gravity Hammer in existence.

Quotes

 * "You've drawn quite a crowd." - Tartarus's first line of Halo 2. Said to the later Arbiter before he is given the Mark of Shame.
 * "Are you sure?" - To the Arbiter after the Arbiter says that he will not beg for mercy.
 * "Quiet! You two whimper like Grunts fresh off the teat! He's not meant for the jails. The Hierarchs have something special in mind." - To the Brutes carrying later Arbiter after his punishment.
 * "Noble Prophets of Truth and Mercy, I have brought the incompetent." - Said as he brings the Arbiter to the Prophets to be executed.
 * "But... I thought-" - When the Prophets ordered him to leave.
 * "Release the prisoner." - To the Brutes holding the later Arbiter.
 * "So it is. Come, we are leaving this system." - To the Arbiter.
 * "Once the shield is down, we will head straight to the Library. I do not wish to keep the Hierarchs waiting." - To the Arbiter, when flying to Installation 05.
 * "Why? Looking for a little payback?" - To the Arbiter, after talking about the Master Chief being on Installation 05.
 * "Lower the shield, Arbiter! I'll pick you up when you're finished."
 * "You're getting close to one of the shield generators. Many of my Brutes have fallen attempting to take it down. Let's see if you fare better." - Trough Arbiter's COM Link.
 * "You've reached the power source, Arbiter. It is useless to attack the Enforcer at the front, especially when it's shields are up. Stay in the shadows, wait until it loses interest, then strike the beast when it's back is turned. "
 * "You've reached the power source. Overload the locks holding it in place."
 * "Release the power source. Now, find a way to remove it from it's cradle."
 * "Our path to the Library's clear. I'll pick you up on the ledge ahead." - Near the Flood infested wall.
 * "Blasted machines! Make your own way through the wall, Arbiter!" - When attacking an Enforcer.
 * "I see that coward didn't join you. I'll do what I can to keep the Flood off your back." - To the Arbiter after Rtas 'Vadum leaves to fight the Flood.
 * "We cannot let the humans capture the Icon. The Hierarchs do not look kindly on failure." - When Gondola starts moving.
 * "Humans, I'll thin their ranks."
 * "Humans! I'll get them." - Leaving in his Phantom the defending Gondola position.
 * "''Hurry, Arbiter! Get the Icon!" - When Gondola reaches the Library.
 * "Excellent work, Arbiter. The Hierarchs will be pleased." - When he betrays the Elites.
 * "A bloody fate awaits you and the rest of your incompetent race, and I, Tartarus, Chieftain of the Brutes will send to it!" - To the Arbiter as he betrays the Elites.
 * "When they learn? Ha ha. Fool! They ordered me to do it!" - Talking about the Prophets cooperating in the betrayal of the Elites. Said before attempting to kill the Arbiter, who is subsequently rescued by the Gravemind).
 * "The Demon has infiltrated the Council chamber?! Protect the Hierarchs! Seal the exits!" - Over the loudspeakers in the level Gravemind.
 * "Reinforce all approaches to the holding pens. Slay the Demon on sight!" - Over the loudspeakers.
 * "Rise, my brothers! Cast down the Elites!" - Over the loudspeakers.
 * "Once the towers are clear, we'll drive them from the lower district."
 * "The Elites are falling back to the Mausoleum. Fools! Their Arbiter can do nothing for them now."
 * "Split them up. One in each Phantom." - To the Brutes with Miranda Keyes and Johnson.
 * "My faith is strong. I will not fail." - To the Prophet of Truth.
 * "Mine will do. Kill the others." - Said to Brutes once he decides to use Miranda Keyes as the Reclaimer.
 * "Come, human, it is easy. Take the Icon in your hands. -angry bark- And do as you are told!" - To Miranda Keyes, trying to make her activate Halo.
 * "One more word, Oracle, and I'll rip your eye from its socket! Which is nothing compared to what I'll do to you." - Threatening 343 Guilty Spark and Miranda Keyes. This is said while trying to get Miranda and Guilty Spark to cooperate in activating Halo.
 * "Take care, Arbiter. What you say is heresy!" - To the Arbiter as he tries to talk Tartarus out of activating Halo.
 * "No, Arbiter! The Great Journey has begun, and the Brutes, not the Elites, shall be the Prophets' escort!" - Said before activating Halo. The last line said before the final battle.

(lines in-game during the final battle)
 * "A lucky hit. You shall not land another."
 * "Are you fighting or dancing?" - When you keep missing him
 * "What's the matter Arbiter? Afraid of my little hammer?" - When you stop attacking him for a while
 * "Hammer-time!"
 * "I shall pound you into the ground!"
 * "It is I who shall emerge victorious!"
 * "All I will leave of you are shattered bones!"
 * "Hurrgh." - death cry.
 * "Your body will be a home for flesh maggots!" - After Tartarus kills you.
 * "Want revenge? Here I am! Come and take it!" - when you stop attacking him for a while.

Trivia

 * Tartarus was voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.
 * Tartarus only sees in-game combat in the level Great Journey as an enemy and always apart from that, leaves before combat begins.
 * Tartarus only appears in-game in Halo 2.
 * On the level Great Journey, Tartarus' gold shoulder guard will be different depending on what the difficulty setting being played on. For example, on Easy, his shoulder guard is just a shield while on Legendary difficulty, it has twin swords and an Elite's skull.
 * Tartarus was the Underworld in Greek mythology comparable to our Hell, and was where Zeus imprisoned the Titans.
 * Tartarus uses the early versions of the Gravity Hammer and Invincibility.
 * In Greek mythology Tartarus is a location in the deepest part of the underworld where the worst criminals were sent.
 * In Roman mythology, Tartarus is a location sinners were sent, very similar to Greek mythology. It was incredibly well guarded, having triple walls, a river of flame surrounding it, and a Hydra ensuring no sinner would escape.
 * Tartarus previously encountered Avery Johnson on Harvest and later on the Tiara.
 * When in combat with the Arbiter, Tartarus will strike a fellow Brute with his hammer if the Brute gets in his way.
 * It is possible that Tartarus was originally a Brute Captain, as in Contact Harvest he wears red armor and holds the position of security officer. Incidentally, a red armored variation of the Brute Captain was cut from Halo 3.
 * "Certainly if God did not hold back from punishing the angels that sinned but throwing them into Tartarus, delivering them into pits of dense darkness to be reserved for judgment." Some translations replace "Hell" with "Tartarus".
 * Occasionally, when playing in Halo 3's campaign cooperative, the brutes you fight will shout at Arbiter: "Tartarus's murderer!"
 * In Halo 3 Grunt soldiers might yell: "If he can kill Tartarus he can kill me!"
 * In Halo: Contact Harvest, Tartarus received Maccabeus's helmet, but in Halo 2, he doesn't have a helmet. Plus, his armor was supposedly gold. However, he seems to have kept his left shoulder pauldron, which is visible in game.
 * He is the only Brute to have had his name said in-game, and the first Brute in the franchise to be given a name. He is also the first Brute ever seen in-game.
 * During the fight with him on Halo 2, if you use a flaw in level design to get a Banshee into the control room, you can ram him off the edge, and he screams as if dead, but will respawn almost instantly, usually on the middle tier.
 * If you are to try to kill him with an Energy Sword, it will not drain any energy from his shields.
 * Tartarus cannot be pushed off the edge. When he is, he yells as if he died, but will levitate back up.
 * Apparently, needler rounds hurt him even when he is invincible.
 * You can bring your own beam rifle and take his shields down yourself.

Production Notes
Tartarus is voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson in Halo 2.

The Tartarus Model in Halo 2 was designed by Marcus R. Lehto.

Tartarus appears or is mentioned in the following Halo products:
 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo 2
 * The Heretic
 * Cairo Station
 * The Arbiter
 * The Oracle
 * Sacred Icon
 * Quarantine Zone
 * Gravemind
 * Uprising
 * The Great Journey
 * Halo: Contact Harvest

Bungie Studios produced 8-inch Tartarus Action Figures in series 3 of their Halo 2 line.