Sangheili High Councilor

Councilor is the highest possible rank attainable (with the exception of the Arbiter) for a Sangheili (Elite).

Background
The Councilor is believed to be one of the highest ranks attainable by a Sangheili warrior, whether militarily or politically, although the rank of Arbiter is religiously more significant in Sangheilian society. They act as members of the Covenant High Council, along with the Lesser Prophets. Their power is derived directly from the High Council, under only the Hierarchs, making them some of the most important roles held in Covenant society.

Councilors have been described as "Aristocratic" by lesser races and the fact that they are permitted to wield Energy Swords prevents them from marrying, though they can still mate with any female they wish, married or unmarried, to pass on the "swordsman" genes. Only one Councilor has ever been named, Soha 'Rolamee, who was executed by a Lesser Prophet, indicating that even Elite Councilors are still beneath even lower Prophets.

Because the pursuit of honor in battle is the sole pursuit of Sangheili society, service in the Covenant military is compulsory, with all pursuits secondary. As such, it is safe to assume that councilors are, or have been, an important part of the Covenant military, with their political and governmental duties as secondary.

A large number of the Councilors were present at Installation 05, supposedly to witness the activation of the Halo ring. In truth, it was a ruse in order for the Jiralhanae to begin their slaughter, depriving the Sangheili of a large amount of their leadership caste. While there were survivors of the genocide, it is not known how many, or whether they returned to serve as the leaders of the remaining Sangheili.

Combat
Because warfare is the primary purpose of Sangheili participation in the Covenant, Councilors are extremely skilled warriors in almost all forms of armed and hand-to-hand combat. As Sangheili are ranked according to the numbers of kills attained, Councilors are likely to have slaughtered a significant amount, probably being retired Zealots, because the Councilors don't go to battle.

Councilors typically carry the iconic Energy Sword, which also serves as a symbol of their status as aristocrats, with only a very few Sangheili military ranks, such as Zealots and Ultra's, permitted this, and they are adept at close-combat with the sword. They are also, albeit infrequently, armed with plasma rifles, with their accuracy unmatched. Like an Ultra Elite they will let loose a war cry and switch to their energy sword if the player gets too close to them. The Arbiter is capable of replacing their original weapons with Covenant, UNSC or Brute weapons, though they hold the latter in disdain.

Councilors are also the only rank of Elite that do not waver upon being hit by a melee attack. They stand their ground and do not flinch as other Elite ranks do (if they let out their sword before being hit).

In addition to their skill in combat, Councilors are also equipped with an extremely durable Combat Harness, similar to that which is standard issue within the Sangheilian forces. The armor itself is superior to that worn by lesser ranks, and the built-in energy shielding system is capable of taking an enormous amount of damage: up to three shotgun blasts in close range, devastating melee attacks from behind, a hit from the Fist of Rukt, multiple plasma or frag grenades and even surviving a blast from an M19 SSM Rocket Launcher.

Physical Appearance
Councilors are easily recognizable by their large, distinct and oddly shaped ornate ceremonial headdresses, fixed to a traditional Elite helmet. Their armor, normally the standard Combat Harness used by most other regular service Elites (with the exception of the helmet), are a pearlescent white or metallic color, similar to that worn by Ultra Elite's, the only difference being that they have no steel markings on their armor as other Elite ranks have.

Appearances
The Councilors are exclusive to Halo 2 and are never seen in Halo: Combat Evolved or Halo 3 with the exception of once in the level "The Flood" where there is a dead one on a higher ledge within the crashed ship. Their infrequence in numbers leads to their appearance being only four times throughout the entire campaign.


 * The Heretic - Elite Councilors were seen in the Council Chamber of High Charity during the shaming of the former Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice before he was anointed Arbiter.
 * Civil War of the Covenant
 * Gravemind - When the Civil War breaks out on High Charity and the Brutes begin massacring the Elites, the Elites attempt to make a last stand in the Mausoleum of the Arbiter. As Master Chief, a glitch known as the Honor Guard Councilor is seen wielding an Energy Sword and is encountered in the central chamber of the Mausoleum, during the 3-way fight between Master Chief, the Brutes and the Elites.
 * Uprising - Many Elite Councilors were taken to the surface of Installation 05 (Delta Halo) shortly before the start of the Civil War of the Covenant to prepare for the activation of the ringworld by the Sacred Icon at the Control Room of Delta Halo. However, they were massacred by Tartarus's Brutes at the beginning of the civil war, although a few were taken alive at the Bastion of the Brutes.
 * The Great Journey - While the Arbiter was on his path to invade the Brute-controlled Control Room and prevent the activation of Installation 05, he passed through the Bastion of the Brute's and came across a small force-field prison guarded by Brutes and Jackals. The Arbiter unlocked the cages, bringing forth two Councilors and two Hunters. Later in the climatic battle that defeated Tartarus, numerous Councilors fought with their Energy Swords against the Brute Chieftain, alongside many Zealots and SpecOps Elites, however many fell to the Fist of Rukt.

Trivia

 * The headdresses of Councilors are reminiscent of the Queen Alien's head from the Alien series.
 * It is possible to make a Councilor an enemy and invisible. Just get the Assassin's skull and kill the Hunter prisoners on the last level in Halo 2, the Great Journey. The other Councilor and he will become your enemy and invisible.
 * Councilors do not appear in Halo 3, the reasons for this are still unconfirmed. In Halo 2 when Rtas 'Vadum asked the Arbiter what had happened to the Councilors the Arbiter had said that they had been murdered by the Brutes. However, there are still many Councilors that can been seen later on in the game. It is a definite possibility that they, along with the Honor Guards, survived the events of Halo 2, but were simply not shown, much like the Separatist Hunters and Grunts.
 * In Halo 2 you never fight a Councilor, with the sole exception of the Honor Guard Councilor glitch.
 * The level The Great Journey in Halo 2 is the only level in the Halo trilogy where Elite Councillors will fight on your side or otherwise.