Prophet of Regret

"I shall light this holy ring, release its cleansing flame, and burn a path into the divine beyond!"

- Prophet of Regret

The High Prophet of Regret is the youngest of the three High Prophets that lead the Covenant High Council.

Biography
The High Prophet of Regret (previously the Vice Minister of Tranquility) had been on the Covenant High Council for quite some time. He served during the destruction of Halo Installation 04 and was one of those who publicly condemned the Sangheili Commander who was responsible for the loss of the ring. While he appeared for the trial, it was by way of hologram, as Regret was searching for a method to initiate the Great Journey.

Earth
"The message just repeats, "Regret, Regret, Regret.""

- Cortana

The Prophet of Regret led the first attack on Earth. His fleet was small for an assault, totalling only two Assault Carriers and thirteen s. It is thought that he was directed to Earth by a Forerunner artifact, perhaps the one on Coral to search for the Ark, but he apparently had no knowledge of a human presence on Earth and that it was his enemy's homeworld. Nevertheless, he sent Ranger Elites and Boarding Craft to destroy the orbital super MAC guns and then directed his two carriers to punch through the UNSC Defenses. Only the one he was on made it through, thanks to the quick actions of the Master Chief.

He landed troops in New Mombasa, the only place the Covenant landed on Earth. The attack on the city was a disaster, the confused Covenant were not prepared to fight such a massive human stronghold. Regret's carrier suddenly initiated a Slipspace jump right in the middle of New Mombasa. It is suspected that he had found the location of Installation 05 on Earth, because his lone carrier jumped straight to Delta Halo. The move was so surprising that only the was able to follow the Carrier as it jumped and destroyed the city.

Delta Halo
"I shall light this sacred ring, release its cleansing flame, and burn a path into the divine beyond!"

- Prophet of Regret

His Carrier landed forces on Installation 05, and the Covenant set up a presence around a Temple in the middle of a lake, where Regret began issuing sermons, perhaps in preparation to try to activate the Halo. He also transmitted an apology to Truth, apologizing for his reckless attack on Earth. Truth responded angrily, saying that it was only Mercy who had stopped Truth from publicly condemning Regret. Nevertheless, High Charity and its fleet, the Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity, rushed to Installation 05 and released a fleet of Phantom dropships full of forces to save Regret from the humans who had overwhelmed Regret's own army.

His sermons were interrupted when the Chief burst in, and managed to attack and kill Regret by leaping onto the side of his chair and bludgeoning him with his fist and gauntlet. The rescue Phantoms were called back by Truth and instead a Covenant Assault Carrier quickly destroyed the temple with an Gravity Lift.

Regret's body apparently survived the destruction of the temple, and it floated into the lake where it was picked up by the Gravemind. Gravemind then reanimated Regret, turning him into a Prophet Form of the Flood. He made a final appearance in the grasp of Gravemind, where he argued with 2401 Penitent Tangent about the existence of the Great Journey. However, its probable that he stayed alive after that, serving only as a slave to gravemind becoming a pawn of it, until the Chief destroyed the crashed and Flood-infested High Charity and also the seemingly dead prophet.

Personality
According to a letter written from Truth to Mercy and to his attack on Earth without knowing of the humans' presence, Regret can be deemed as a very ambitious but rash person. Truth tends to scold him whenever Regret does something reckless like when he attacked Earth, Truth sends him a transmission expressing of how he's upset with his actions. It seems that Mercy often gets him out of trouble judging on how Truth also explained in the transmission that Mercy convinced him not to condemn Regret. As the Vice Minister of Tranquility, his work often brought him into with Sangheili. As such, he had taken on some of their personality traits himself, such as a preoccupation with personal arms and honor. He carried a plasma pistol on his person on at least one occasion, almost shooting Mercy, then known as the Philologist, when he falsely suspected the elder Prophet of tampering with an Oracle.

Combat
Regret floats around in a Gravity Throne equipped with a weapon reminiscent of the Hunters'(called a Gravity Cannon in Halo 2's files) that fires golden blasts of energy, and is impervious to direct attack. The only way to defeat him is to board his throne and melee attack him. However, Rockets will lock onto the throne as if it were vehicle. Though this will not kill the prophet, enough rockets can hurt him, reducing the number of hits he can take once you board his throne. Also a Lunge with the Energy Sword will weaken him, though not as much as a Rocket.

After a few melee hits, he will throw you off and teleport away, and his throne must be re-boarded to resume the assault. This pattern will repeat until either he or the Master Chief dies.

Regret is not alone, however. Throughout the battle with him, Grunts and Honor Guard Elites will attempt to aid him against the Chief.

Due to a glitch, Regret can be knocked out of his throne and shoot you with a plasma pistol that has a faster rate of fire for a few seconds. Regret will then teleport back to his chair as if nothing had happened. A video can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjnlHcCNO28&mode=related&search=

Trivia

 * From approximately 2 minutes and 45 seconds into the cutscene at the beggining of the Gravemind level, you can hear regret saying exactly the same words as the Gravemind, perhaps as he is assimilated by it.
 * If you look closely at the Flood-Regret, he has a Human skull embedded in his body
 * When playing the level Regret, in the large underwater room where you kill a pair of hunters you can lunge at the giant hologram of the Prophet.
 * At one point, the Prophet of Mercy is attacked by an infection form and Truth orders his Brutes to leave him, for to him the Great Journey waited for no one. This contradicts what the Prophet of Regret ruled: "Every member of the Covenant shall walk the path. None will be left behind when our Great Journey begins! That is the Prophets' age-old promise. And it shall be fulfilled!"
 * If you have an Energy Sword when fighting Regret, jump on his throne, beat him twice, get off, then hit him with the sword. He should die.  It is unknown how this happens as all other attacks do not hurt him at all.

Combat Quotes
"This is the humans' greatest warrior?"

"Warriors, attack! The Demon must die!"

"Your very existence offends me, Demon!"

"Guards! Remove this vermin from my sight!"

"You dare to interrupt my sermon!?"

"Incompetents! I'll kill him myself!"

"The Great Journey will not be postponed!"

"Surely, you can do better than that!"

"Perhaps you have underestimated me, no?"

"Why anyone would fear this Demon is beyond me!"

"Human filth! You imbrue this holy place!"

"Your world deserves to burn, Demon!"