Special Operations Officer

"Out of darkness, these blades will light our way."

- Special Operations Sangheili's mantra

The Special Operations Sangheili is a Covenant Sangheili rank. It is the lowest rank in the Covenant Special Operations branch, superseded by a Special Operations Officer Sangheili.

Description
Special Operations Sangheili are members of the Covenant Special Operations branch of the Covenant Special Warfare Group. Sangheili of this rank are extremely skilled warriors and are sent in to accomplish some of the most dangerous and difficult missions.

Operational history
Special Operations Sangheili participated in the Battle of Reach. At least twice, they attempted to infiltrate ONI Sword Base in order to steal Catherine Halsey's work, but were repulsed by Noble Team. Spec Ops Elites were seen at the Battle of Aszod, attempting to stop the Pillar of Autumn from escaping, but again failing due to Noble Team's intervention.

Special Operations Sangheili, alongside Special Operations Unggoy were seen late in the Battle of Installation 04. They were used in an (unsuccessful) attempt to capture the UNSC-controlled Alpha Base, and were later used to retake the Truth and Reconciliation from the Flood. They were also used to guard the crashed. In the final hours of the battle, the Spec Ops Sangheili occupying the Autumn battled against both Flood and Sentinels.

At the same time, a team of Spec Ops Sangheili, led by Commander Rtas 'Vadumee, boarded the Covenant ship Infinite Succor, believing it to have been attacked by humans. Instead, the Spec Ops team found the ship had been infested by the Flood. The infested ship is later destroyed, but only Rtas 'Vadumee survives the mission.

John-117 fought a single Spec Ops Sangheili on the bridge of the Ascendant Justice. The Spec Ops Elite nearly killed him, but the Master Chief managed to shove it into an escape pod, which was then ejected off the ship. The fate of this Elite is unknown.

In Halo 2, the Prophets sent a team of Spec Ops Sangheili to kill Sesa 'Refumee and his Heretics, resulting in the Battle of the Gas Mine. At the Battle of Installation 05, they aided Thel 'Vadam in his mission to retrieve the Index and then later assisted Thel 'Vadam in destroying the Jiralhanae Encampment on Installation 05. They then helped the Arbiter kill Tartarus in Installation 05's Control Room, though many fell to the Brute Chieftain's Gravity Hammer.

Towards the end of the Battle of Earth, they were seen assisting John-117 and the Arbiter in destroying the source of the Flood infestation in Voi.

Physical appearance
In Halo: Combat Evolved, Special Operations Sangheili are clad in jet-black, but wear purple/steel armor in Halo 2 and Halo 3. In Halo: Reach, they are depicted wearing dark red armor. They are similar to Stealth Sangheili, as they both possess Active Camouflage technology. However, the two are different and should not be confused: Stealth Sangheili have gray/brown armor that has little or no shielding, and they are permanently cloaked until they are killed, whereas Special Operations Sangheili have purple/black armor that is shielded, but their Active Camouflage only remains active if the user doesn't fire or get hit by enemy fire.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Combat Evolved
 * Halo 2
 * Halo 3
 * Halo 3: ODST
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo Legends
 * Prototype
 * Halo: The Flood
 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * Headhunters