Tartarus

"A bloody fate awaits you and the rest of your incompetent race. And I, Tartarus, Chieftain of the Brutes, will send you to it!"

- Tartarus at the end of Sacred Icon

Tartarus was the mightiest of the Jiralhanae Chieftains.

Introduction
Tartarus was the highest of the Jiralhanae chieftains, and is easily recognized by his white hair and distinctive mohawk. His devotion to the Covenant and the Prophets is unwavering, and he strongly represents the general attitude of his entire race: rough, arrogant, and disdainful of the Sangheili. He was a powerful, aggressive and intelligent leader who inspired both fear and respect in his Brute forces.

Overview
Tartarus started life as the nephew of a venerable and religious pack leader known as Maccabeus. Emblazoned in scarlet armor, the young Tartarus was part of his uncle's crew of one of the few Brute-controlled ships in the Covenant. The Elites did not approve of a Brute controlling a ship and had disabled many of it's key features such as weaponry, gravity lifts, and other useful mechanics, but Maccabeus' faith in the Great Journey helped him turn a blind eye to this unfair treatment.

Soon a Grunt Deacon named Dadab and his Huragok friend Lighter Than Some found themselves on board the Brute vessel Rapid Conversion after escaping the destruction of the ship Minor Transgression, a ship both Dadab and Lighter Than Some were aboard. Tartarus was the one who summoned Maccabeus at their explosive arrival and would later become a protector of the Engineer when the resentful Drones on board set out to kill it for taking their jobs. He journeyed to Harvest during the first contact between the Brutes and the humans, in a staged offer of peace that soon erupted into battle. Tartarus found himself aboard a Spirit Dropship that was soon destroyed but he did not evacuate until he had tried everything to save Ritul, a young pack mate of his, from the destruction. Soon after this, Tartarus challenged his uncle in the ritualistic manner of Brutes to a fight to the death, with the victor emerging as the Chieftain. He made concession to his wounded opponent by imposing a handicap on himself. He successfully killed Maccabeus, took his uncle's weapon (Fist of Rukt), and began his ascent to the upper echelons of power.

Even back before the Earth invasion, Truth had trusted Tartarus enough to dismiss the Elite Honor Guards that usually never left the Prophets unprotected in order to speak to him alone. Tartarus had scoured the wreckage of the Covenant attack coordination station Unyielding Hierophant after its destruction at the hands of the Master Chief, Grace (who died there), Fred, Will, and Linda. Tartarus reported the Covenant Fleet preparing to attack Earth was largely destroyed, and an artifact of the Forerunners that was able to bend time and disrupted Slipspace almost entirely lost but for three small chips, the rest of which were lost in Slipspace after the marine Locklear destroyed it with C-7 Foaming Explosive, 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 Arbiters 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 assassinate Sesa 'Refumee on Threshold. The Arbiter encountered the Oracle during his duel with 'Refumee, the Heretic leader, and Tartarus swiftly captured it and returned to High Charity.

The Sacred Icon
Using information gained from the Oracle, Truth and Mercy sent the Arbiter on a mission to obtain the Sacred Icon on Delta Halo. However, as soon as the Icon was obtained, he betrayed the Sangheili, apparently acting on orders from the Prophets. 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. Doing as the Hierarchs and his faith commanded, he forced Miranda Keyes to unify the Index with Delta Halo's control panel, thereby activating the ring. He began to fight the Sangheili, who fought along side the Arbiter and Sgt. Johnson. Johnson used a Beam Rifle to take down his shield and the Arbiter, along with other Elites, continued to assault Tartarus and eventually kill him.

Combat
Before he became Chieftain, Tartarus wielded the Spiker with lethal force, with its projectiles and fierce blades. He used an unloaded Spiker in his battle against his uncle Maccabeus and gained his new primary weapon, the Fist of Rukt. Tartarus is able to wield the Fist of Rukt with great strength, easily decimating foes in a single blow. In the battle between the Arbiter, his shield is so strong, only direct hits from a Beam Rifle can lower it. Despite that, it quickly recharges, making Tartarus invincible once more. Even without his shield, Tartarus is still able to take large amounts of damage before falling.

Fist of Rukt
The Fist of Rukt 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. It is passed down from generations to generations in his family, and is the most powerful Gravity Hammer in existence.

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 being on Installation 05.
 * "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 SpecOps leader leaves to fight the Flood.
 * "Excellent work, Arbiter. The Hierarchs will be pleased."When he betrays the elites
 * "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 dialog to the Arbiter.
 * "What's the matter Arbiter? Afraid of my little hammer?!" In-game dialogue.
 * "Hammer-time!" In-game dialogue.
 * "I shall pound you into the ground!"In-game dialogue.
 * "It is I who shall emerge victorious!"In-game dialogue.
 * "All I will leave of you are shattered bones!"In-game dialogue.

Trivia

 * On the level Great Journey, Tartarus has an Elite skull affixed to his gold shoulder guard. This does not appear in any of the previous levels, and was most likely taken as a trophy after the Covenant Civil War began.


 * In Greek mythology Tartarus is a location in the underworld similar to monotheistic interpretations of hell.


 * Tartarus previously encountered Avery Johnson at Harvest and the space station orbiting Harvest.


 * It is possible that Tartarus was originally a Brute Captain, as in Contact Harvest he wears red armor and holds the position of security officer. Incidentally, a red armored variation of the Brute Captain was cut from Halo 3.

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
 * Halo: Contact Harvest

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