Prophet of Mercy

"Halo! Its divine wind will rush through the stars, propelling all who are worthy along the path to salvation."

- Prophet of Mercy

The High Prophet of Mercy is one of three Hierarchs that lead the Covenant High Council. He is by far the oldest. His birth name is Hod Rumnt.

Biography
He served as the Philologist on the Forerunner Dreadnought where he lead the priests prior to his ascension to Hierarch. He became the third Hierarch after the Oracle of the Dreadnought attempted to launch the Dreadnought during which time it referred to the humans as his creators. His tenure has been marked by several tense debates with Elite High Councilors over the proper dispensation of Forerunner artifacts. Mercy is considered one of the last of the Old Guard -- a hard-liner who has publicly questioned the wisdom of the Prophets' demilitarization at the close of the Prophet-Elite War.

During a meeting with the Arbiter and the Prophet of Truth, he speaks a bit of history about the Covenant, mentioning the Grunt Rebellion and the Taming of the Hunters.

He stayed by Truth's side after the death of Regret, and appeared to be more of a supporter of Truth than an equal. As the Covenant Civil War began, Mercy still stayed at Truth's side, even as it seemed that Truth was unraveling the foundations of the Covenant.

He and the High Prophet of Truth were attacked by the Flood on High Charity as they prepared to depart for Earth to begin the Great Journey. A single Infection Form made it past the Honor Guard Brutes, and latched onto his neck. Over Tartarus's attempt to save him, Truth let Mercy die, saying "The Great Journey waits for no one, brother. Not even you." It is unknown why Mercy's shield generator did not protect him. It was probably because the shield doesn't offer much protection from physical attacks.

Before his death, he was found by the Master Chief and questioned where Truth was going. He answered, "Earth, to finish what we started. And this time, none of you will be left behind." The Chief then killed the Infection Form, and with it, Mercy. .

Personality
Mercy can be seen as passionate yet aspiring, as seen in the cutscene Sacred Icon where he shows his excitement (he seems to get a little bit carried away with) about Halo expressing hope that the Great Journey shall begin very soon. It's very possible that he has a sense of levity, seeing that he talked Truth out of condemning Regret as described on the level Regret, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know right from wrong.

Quotes

 * "Why was it not destroyed with the rest of their fleet?" - At the trial of the future Arbiter, when the Supreme Commander spoke of the UNSC Pillar of Autumn.
 * "There will be order in this council!" - When the members of the council began in an uproar.
 * "The Taming of the Hunters, the Grunt rebellion -- were it not for the Arbiters, the Covenant would have broken long ago!" - Emphasizing the importance of the Arbiters.
 * "Their slander offends all who walk the path!" - To the future Arbiter, commenting on what the heretics spoke of.
 * "The tasks you must undertake as the Arbiter are perilous, suicidal! You will die, as every Arbiter has before you! The council will have their corpse." - Explaining that the former Supreme Commander would doubtlessly die at some point, thus his execution fulfilled.

Trivia

 * Like the other Prophets, Mercy's "name" is ironic to his history. In Mercy's case, it is that he was given no mercy from Truth and the Brutes when attacked by the Flood.
 * It's likely that more Infection found him on High Charity, promptly infected him, and shortly after assimilated him to the Gravemind, in which case he would end up like the Prophet of Regret, to become a Prophet Form.

Related Links

 * Prophet of Truth
 * Prophet of Regret