Tartarus

Tartarus was the mightiest of the Jiralhanae Chieftains.

Introduction
The highest of the Jiralhanae, easily recognized by his white hair and distinctive mohawk. He represents his entire race: rough, arrogant, disdainful of the Sangheili, and totally dedicated to the Prophets.

The Arbiter
Even back before the Earth invasion, Truth had trusted him enough to dismiss the Honor Guards in the chamber. He had scoured the wreckage of the Covenant attack coordination station Unyielding Hierophant after its destruction at the hands of the Master Chief. Tartarus reported the Covenant Fleet preparing to attack Earth was largely destroyed, and an artifact almost entirely lost but for three small chips, 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 Arbiter 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 assasinate Sesa 'Refumee on Threshold. The Arbiter encountered the Oracle during his duel with 'Refumee, and Tartarus swiftly captured it.

The Sacred Icon
Using information gained from the Oracle, Tartarus sent the Arbiter on a mission to obtain the Sacred Icon on Delta Halo. However, as soon as the Icon was obtained, Tartarus betrayed the Sangheili, seemingly ending his misery. Simultaneously, Tartarus captured Sgt. Johnson and Miranda Keyes, therefore gaining leverage against the humans.

Tartarus's Last Stand
While trying to get Keyes to cooperate in the Control Room, Tartarus was confronted by the Arbiter. Blind to the truth, he activated Delta Halo and began to fight the Sangheili who had joined his enemy's cause. Johnson used a Beam Rifle to take down his shield as the Arbiter, along with other Elites, continued to take down Tartarus' guards and eventually Tartarus himself.

Combat
Tartarus is invincible as long as his shield is up. It can be taken out temporarily with three Beam Rifle shots in close succession. Fortunately, Sgt. Johnson has one. Keep Tartarus in Johnson's line of sight so he can fire. When it goes out, hit him with all you've got before his shield recharges.

While powerful, the Brute Shot, Needler and Covenant Carbine are all too slow-firing to be of much use. The Plasma Sword needs three hits to kill him, but usually does the trick, if you jump out of harms way as soon as you hit him, although if your playing in easy and you manage to stab him in the back, it should kill him in one hit. The Shotgun is also effective, although only at close range. Dual-wielded Brute Plasma Rifles are usually the way to go. When fighting him, be careful of his Gravity Hammer, it will kill you in one quick blow. Just keep your distance from him and let Sgt. Johnson take his shield away. Then, attack!

There are two other ways to fight him if you're either bored and want to "cheat" or just try something new. The first is to purposely blow off the wings of the Banshee you fly while "protecting" the Scarab Johnson is in. Once he blows the door open, you can maneuver (with some considerable difficulty) the Banshee through the wreckage and with enough patience can get it through and into the final rooms. The cutscene will force you out of it, but as soon as you regain control, just run backwards into the hallway where your allies spawn, and it will be sitting there ready to fly. From that point, you can just fly around in the room shooting at him with both the normal plasma canon and the Banshee bombs. Johnson will still fire at him when he's visible so there's no worries there. Be careful though, you will still die automatically if you fly below the lowest platform the same as if you just fell down there normally.

The second and perhaps more amusing way takes even more patience but the second half is a bit easier than the previous method, though it requires you to be playing with a friend in co-op. At the start of the level on the ground, at whenever point you choose, take Halfjaw's tank so he'll get out. Then begin a very long and very slow process of "herding" him through the level by smacking him with melee attacks constantly. He can't die so there's no worries there, but if you miss him once, he will try to run all the way back to the start where he's normally scripted to stop.

SO, if you get him through the whole level, get to the part where Johnson takes the Scarab and he'll no longer try to run. At this point is where you need the second player for this whole thing to work. This is very hard, but possible. At this point have one player fly a banshee into the edge of the platform and try to stay level, while the other will whack Halfjaw off onto the Banshee. Here's the tough part, you have to fly all the way to the end of the level very slowly, since he can fall of rather easily, and try to fly high since he will shoot at enemies and possibly fall off trying to reach other banshees.

If you manage to get him all the way to the other door after Johnson blows it open, you can just smack him through the ruins. Once there he should join the fight with the other elites after the cutscene, though if he doesn't run back to the main hallway and check if he's there. So, once he joins the fight you can usually just watch, since he can't die he'll eventually beat Tartarus assuming Johnson ever gets enough hits to bring his shield down, though he can be "defeated" if Tartarus knocks him off the platform. He won't die, but he can't come back up, and you can't go get him without dying.

Gravity Hammer


The Gravity Hammer 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.

Quotes

 * "You've drawn quite a crowd" Tartarus's first line of Halo 2. Said to the Arbiter before he is given the mark of shame
 * "Noble prophets of Truth and Mercy, I have brought the incompetent" Said as he brings the Arbiter before the prophets to be executed.
 * "Why? Looking for a little payback?" To the Arbiter, after talking about the Master Chief killing the Prophet of Regret.
 * "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 the Spec Ops leader leaves to fight the flood.
 * "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.
 * "One more word Oracle, and I'll rip your eye out of 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.
 * "Are you fighting or dancing?" In game dialogue to the Arbiter.
 * "What's the matter Arbiter? Afraid of my little hammer?!" In game dialogue.

Trivia

 * In Greek mythology, Tartarus is the name of the deepest part of the underworld, where the Titans were imprisoned
 * On the level Great Journey,Tartarus has an Elite skull affixed to his gold shoulderguard. This does not appear in any of the previous levels, and was most likely taken as a trophy after the Covenant Civil War began.
 * Tartarus doesn't seem to hit you when you're in a banshee.

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 (Cutscene)
 * Cairo Station (Cutscene)
 * The Arbiter
 * The Oracle
 * Sacred Icon
 * Quarantine Zone
 * Gravemind
 * The Great Journey

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