Special Operations Officer

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

- Special Operations Officer Sangheili's mantra

Special Operations Officer is a title held by select Sangheili serving within the Covenant and the empire's remnants. Within the Covenant military, Special Operations Officers served in the Special Operations group. In the post-war era after the Covenant fell, many of the group's veteran ex-members have sought to establish similar special operations units within organizations, including mercenary work in the Banished among others.

Roles and responsibilies
Special Operations Officers are the Sangheili members of the Special Operations division of the Special Warfare Group. Sangheili of this rank are picked from the most elite warriors of the regular Covenant military, with personnel selected to serve in Special Operations requiring exceptional skills in close-quarters combat and marksmanship. When Sangheili troops are brought into the Special Operations division, any Unggoy under their command will also be unwillingly recruited into the organisation too. The bridge of a starship (such as ) was sometimes seen to be crewed mainly by Special Operations Sangheili under the command of a shipmaster.

History
Special Operations Officers were widely utilized by the Covenant during its genocidal campaign against the human race. When the Hierarchs betrayed the Sangheili, casting them out of the Covenant, many Special Operations Officer Sangheili along with the rest of their species fought against the now Jiralhanae-led Covenant forces on High Charity. After the war, some Special Operations Officers became mercenaries and joined the Banished. Some were privately employed by individual Banished commanders to eliminate rivals and quell uprisings.

Covenant

 * Officers
 * Huki 'Umamee – Killed during the Battle of Installation 04.
 * Zuka 'Zamamee – Part of the Fleet of Particular Justice; killed by John-117 during the Battle of Installation 04.
 * Sub-commanders
 * Bero 'Kusovai – Sub-commander and blademaster within the Seeker of Truth part of the Fleet of Particular Justice, and subordinate to Rtas 'Vadumee; infected by the Flood and later killed by Rtas 'Vadumee during the Skirmish on Infinite Succor.
 * Commanders
 * Rtas 'Vadumee – Commander of all Special Operations units within the Fleet of Particular Justice; later assumed the titles of Shipmaster of the Shadow of Intent and Fleetmaster of the Fleet of Retribution during the Great Schism, and eventually joined the Swords of Sanghelios.

Banished

 * Okro 'Vagaduun – Experienced blademaster in service of the Bloodbrave Guardians of Suban within the Banished; killed by John-117 during the Battle for Zeta Halo.

Swords of Sangheilios

 * N'tho 'Sraom – Part of the Fleet of Retribution; later commanded the Mayhem.
 * Usze 'Taham – One of deadliest Special Operations commandos and part of the Fleet of Retribution.

Production notes
In Halo: Combat Evolved, Special Operations Sangheili are clad in a glossy black Combat harness; in Halo 2 a deep purple combat harness; in Halo 3 a steel Assault harness. In Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, and Halo Infinite they wear an Infiltration harness in dark maroon, black, and purple respectively. In Halo 2, Halo: Reach, and Halo Infinite their harness is embedded with active camouflage.

Special Operations Sangheili 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 armor that has little or no shielding, and they are permanently cloaked until they are killed, whereas Special Operations Sangheili have stronger shielding and can appear both cloaked and uncloaked.

In Halo Infinite, Spec Ops Sangheili are armed exclusively with energy swords and plasma grenades.

Trivia
Banished Spec Ops Elites are referred to as Zealots in Halo Infinite's game files.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Combat Evolved
 * Halo: The Flood
 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo 2
 * Halo Graphic Novel
 * The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor
 * Halo 3
 * Halo 3: ODST
 * Halo Legends
 * Prototype
 * Halo: Evolutions
 * Headhunters
 * Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
 * Halo 2: Anniversary
 * Terminals
 * Halo 5: Guardians
 * Warzone


 * Halo: Tales from Slipspace
 * Hunting Party
 * Halo: Silent Storm
 * Halo: Oblivion
 * Halo: Shadows of Reach
 * Sacrifice
 * Halo Infinite