The Covenant (level)

Looking for The Covenant?

The Covenant is the title of the seventh campaign mission of Halo 3.

It takes place in The Ark. In this level, you must deactivate the shield protecting the Prophet of Truth. Before reaching Truth, you must face off against a massive vehicular Covenant force, including two Scarabs. Finally, united by the common purpose of stopping the rings, Master Chief and the Arbiter unite with the Flood, only to be betrayed when the threat has been dealt with.

Upon completing it on the Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulties, the player will earn the "Last Stand" achievement and 40 Gamerpoints. It is the longest level in the game and the last level in which you fight the Covenant. This level is very important for being the final defeat of the Covenant.

The IWHBYD Skull is found on this level, as well as the Thunderstorm skull. See Halo 3: IWHBYD (I Would Have Been Your Daddy) Skull for more details on how to acquire it.

Trident
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{Cutscene}

''Five pelicans fly in, Followed by two Separatist Phantoms. Cut to a large energy barrier surrounded by Covenant Loyalists''


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "We hit these three generators, and the barrier will fall?"


 * 343 Guilty Spark (COM): "A small section, yes."

A Grunt spots the flight formation as it approaches the mainland, and cowers.


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Good enough. Johnson, drop the Chief at the first generator, then head to the third. The Elites will punch right down the middle."


 * Johnson (COM): "Roger that."

''The Pelicans and Phantoms break formation. Two Pelicans, one carrying the Chief, head towards Tower 1. AA fire erupts around them.''


 * Hocus (COM): "Charlie Foxtrot! Tower One approach has active Triple-A!"

''Gunfire hits one of the engines of the following Pelican, forcing it into the Chief's Pelican, tossing a Warthog out onto the ground. The Pelican swerves out of control.''


 * Damaged Pelican Pilot (COM): "MAYDAY! I can't control her!"


 * Hocus (COM): "Pelican down, Pelican down!"


 * ODST Sergeant "Brace yourselves, we're going in a little hot!"

Chief grabs a Spartan Laser jumps off the Pelican with the ODSTs

{Gameplay}


 * ODST Sergeant: "Pile out! Go go go!


 * ODST Sergeant (Reynolds): "Up the beach! Kill that Wraith!

or


 * ODST Sergeant (Stacker): "Alright, up the beach! Take out that Wraith!


 * Hocus (COM): "Commander, this is Kilo 23. Lost my Wingman and our only Hog. Over."


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Roger that, Hocus. Get out of there!"

The Master Chief and his Squad secure the beach, and destroy the Anti-Air Wraith


 * ODST Trooper (COM): "Beach head secure, Commander. Hostile Anti-Air has been neutralized."


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Understood. I'm on my way. Shipmaster, begin diversionary bombardment."


 * Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "I will beat the Prophet's shield like a drum. By the time the barrier falls, he will beg for mercy."

A Pelican drops off a Mongoose and Warthog for the Chief and the Squad.


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Spark believes Truth can activate the rings at anytime. If he does, Earth, every being in the Galaxy, Halo will kill them all."

(They mount up and head off for the first tower.)


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Get to the first tower. Shut it down."

As you drive up the hill towards the 1st generator.


 * Johnson (COM): "Ma'am, we're on the ground. Third Tower in sight."

Keyes (Radio): "Good. The Arbiter and the Elites have touched down in No. 2."

-(Co-op change) Miranda Keyes (COM): "Good. The Elites have touched down in No. 2."


 * ODST Trooper: "Objective in sight. Watch for heavy armor."

The Squad clears the Armor and other resistance on the perimeter of the tower


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Chief. You've got to off line that tower."

Keyes' Pelican drops off weapons.


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Get inside that tower. Take it down!"

(Master Chief gets inside, secures the bottom floor. The ODST and/or Marines hold while the Chief secures the top floor and deactivates the tower. The Chief secures the top floor, after an encounter with a Chieftain with a hammer)


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Chief, find the control panel, and shut it down!"

The Master Chief deactivates Tower 1.

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(shows also the next cutscene)

{Cutscene}


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Good work Chief! That's one. The Arbiter ("Elites" in Co-op) should be just about to..."

Tower 2 shuts down.


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "...that's two! It's all up to Johnson's team now."

Tower 3 does nothing.


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Get back outside Chief. Wait for transport.

{Gameplay}


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Johnson. Come in. Over."


 * Johnson (COM): "Brute reinforcements, ma'am (static). We're pinned down!"


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "I'm on my way!"


 * Johnson (Radio): "Negative! Fire's too heavy! Everyone fall back! Now! (Static and cut-off)"


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Sergeant Major?!!"

The Chief hurries back downstairs.


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Johnson?! Can you hear me?! Chief. You need to link up with the Arbiter ("Elites" in Co-op) and proceed directly to the Third Tower. Make your way back to the beach."

After clearing a group of Jackals and Grunts attacking the Marines holding the lower floor, the Chief and his squad get back to their vehicles (if there are none, a Troop Transport Warthog will come to pick them up) and link up with Hornets on the beach.

If You Want it Done Right

 * Hocus (COM): "I got a few birds that need an escort. Take a Hornet, and get 'em safely to the Third Tower."

The Chief gets on a Hornet and the other Hornets assist to clear the airspace of Tower 2, and if Chief trys to land the Hornet on the second tower..
 * Arbiter (COM): "Second Tower is clear Spartan, no need to land. Let us hasten to the Third Tower."

''They proceed to Tower 3. They reach Tower 3 Airspace, with heavy resistance both in the air and on the ground.''


 * Pelican Pilot (COM): "Objective in sight, Commander. No sign of Johnson or his team."


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Understood. Chief. Clear an LZ then get inside the tower."

''After the airborne forces take out the Anti-Air Wraiths, the Separatist Phantoms arrive and drop off the Arbiter and his Elites for the Assault. The Chief lands the Hornet and joins them. They secure the lower floor.''


 * Arbiter: "Darken this tower and the barrier will fall. Go Spartan! We have no time to waste."

''The Arbiter and Elites hold the lover level while the Master Chief heads up. The Chief secures the top floor, after encountering a Chieftain Support Gunner with Stealth Brutes.''


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Hit the switch Chief! And the barrier will fall!"

(The Chief deactivates the Third Tower.

{Cutscene}

''The barrier falls. The Shadow of Intent advances.)''


 * Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Now, Prophet. Your end has come."

(A Slipspace Rupture suddenly appears. High Charity emerges and approaches the Ark)


 * Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "High Charity... By the Gods, brace for impact!"

''Debris strikes right through the Shadow of Intent's hull. More is seen. One of them crashes through the window right above the Chief. The Chief prepares for the Flood he knows came with it.''

{Gameplay}

The Chief quickly manages to eliminate the few hostiles that arrived in the rock.
 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Shipmaster, what's your status?"


 * Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Significant damage. Weapon systems disabled."


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Move to a safe distance! Stay away from the Flood."


 * Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Why would the Parasite come here?!"


 * 343 Guilty Spark (COM): "The Ark is out of range! Of all the active installations! Priority: We must contain this outbreak before..."


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "No! First, we stop Truth! Then we deal with the Flood."

''The Chief links up with the Elites and the Arbiter under attack. After eliminating the Flood in the tower, they get outside to meet Marines engaged in combat with the Flood, and assist. A Separatist Phantom arrives to pickup the Arbiter.''


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "I must see the crash site, assess the damage done to the Ark."


 * Arbiter: "To the top of that hill, Oracle, no further. We cannot risk your capture by the Flood."

''The Arbiter takes 343 Guilty Spark with him. The Pelicans dropped a M12G1 LAAV Warthog, a Mongoose with a Rocket Launcher equipped Marine, and a Scorpion for the Assault on the Citadel. The Chief, Marines, and surviving Elites mount up.''


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "The Shipmaster's Carrier is out of commission, Chief. I need you to take down Truth. The Flood's just going to put pressure on him and accelerate his plans. Punch through the cliffs! Get inside that Citadel!"

Journey's End
The Assault Team gets through the snowy cliffs, where they first encounter few small Covenant encampments.


 * Marine (COM): "Citadel in sight."


 * Marine #2 (COM): "Brutes are mobilizing everything they got."

''The Assault Team clears the cliff, facing Ghosts and Prowlers. Once then, a Wraith is the only thing standing in their path, and once taken out they meet with Hornet Gunships near the route down into the clearing.''


 * Marine Sergeant (Stacker) (COM): "Hornets inbound!"

Depending on choice, the Master Chief takes a Hornet and makes his way to the Citadel, when two Scarabs drop down from above.


 * Pelican Pilot (COM) "I count two Scarabs! Repeat: TWO Scarabs!"

''With the choice Chief chooses, the Assault Team backs him up: Scorpion Tank fires from a far range, the Warthog and Mongoose move about under the Scarabs to assist Chief in taking their "legs" down, and the Hornet engages the Scarab from the air. But some Ghosts help to defend the Scarabs.''

The Chief takes out one of the Scarabs.


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "First Scarab's down! All units. Concentrate your fire on No. 2."

The Chief takes out the second Scarab.


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Both Scarabs down! Well done! (If any resistance is left) Marines! Pick off the stragglers."

A Separatist Phantom arrives at the Platform leading to the entrance of the Ark's Control Room, dropping off the Arbiter and 343 Guilty Spark.


 * Arbiter (COM): (If you're not there when he is) "Spartan, come to me. This ramp hides a path!"

.The Chief lands and meets the Arbiter and 343 Guilty Spark at the top of the Platform.


 * Arbiter: "The Flood scales the citadel's far wall. Activate this bridge Oracle. (To the Chief) The Prophet will die by my hands. Not theirs."

343 says this first if you are on co-op
 * 343 Guilty Spark: "Calamity! If only we had more time!"

''The Chief and the Arbiter enter alone. The entrance is a large hallway with screens mounted along the walls.''


 * Cortana (Cortana Moment): "It asked, and I answered. For a moment of safety, I loosed damnation on the stars."


 * Truth: "My faithful. Stand firm."

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{Cutscene}

''The screens light up. The Prophet of Truth is seen making another speech. The Chief and Arbiter rush to find a way up.''


 * Truth: "Though our enemies crowd around us, we tread the blessed path. In a moment I will light the rings, and all who believe, shall be saved."

Master Chief and Arbiter find an elevator, with a screen in front of it, showing Johnson behind Truth, held aloft by a Brute.


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Chief? How close are you?"

''They look up. The height is phenomenal.''


 * Master Chief: "Not close enough."

In the Control Center with Truth.


 * Johnson: "That the best you got?"

A Brute Chieftain gives menacing chuckle, then picks him up around the neck, and begins to strangle him.


 * Johnson: "Oh, come on! Impress me!"


 * Truth: "Stop, you imbecile! He wants you to kill him. I would prefer that you did not."


 * Johnson: "What's the matter, big shot? Can't start your own party?"


 * Truth: "I admit, I need your help. But that secret dies with all the rest."

''Behind, a Pelican roars through a huge window and crashes onto the ledge next to them, pushing a Brute off. Truth is thrown offscreen.''

A Brute Captain gets up, but Keyes blasts it with her Shotgun.


 * Miranda Keyes: "Johnson, (Pumps the Shotgun) sound off!"


 * Johnson: "(Coughing) Get out of here!"


 * Miranda Keyes: "Not without you!"

(Brutes surround Miranda and Johnson. Miranda fires away at the Brutes with a shotgun.)


 * Truth: "You delay the inevitable. One of you will light the rings."

Miranda draws a Pistol and aims her weapons both ways.


 * Truth: "You cannot hope to kill them all."


 * Miranda Keyes: "You're right."

She aims the pistol at Johnson.


 * Johnson: "Do it. Me...then you..."

Keyes hesitates.


 * Johnson: "Now!"

''Keyes straightens up and aims. Several spiker shots are heard. Keyes gasps in pain and drops her weapons.''


 * Johnson: "NO!"

''Brute Cpt. restrains Johnson. Miranda collapses and dies, with several spikes in her back. Truth walks onscreen, a Spiker in hand.''


 * Truth: "Your forefathers wisely set aside their compassion."

He looks down at Miranda and gingerly tosses the Spiker away.


 * Truth: "Steeled themselves for what needed to be done."

Truth walks up to Johnson.


 * Truth: "I see now why they left you behind."

Johnson is brought up to the control panel.


 * Truth: "You were weak, and Gods must be strong."

''He forces Johnson's hand down on the panel. Instantly the Control Terminal begins to change and heighten. The Six Holographic Halo Rings light up one by one. At the end of the corridor, the Chief and Arbiter emerge from the lift. Two Pure Flood Tank Forms drop from above.''


 * Gravemind (speaking through Pure Flood Tank Form) :"Do not shoot,..

The Master Chief and Arbiter draw weapons.


 * Gravemind (speaking through Pure Flood Tank Forms) :"..but listen! Let me lead you safely to our foe. Only you can halt.. what he has set in motion!"

Infection forms scurry past Chief and Arbiter.

Revelation
{Gameplay}

''Master Chief, Arbiter, and the Flood begin the assault on the Covenant. After crossing a bridge guarded by heavy weapons, they reach a room with holograms of Truth in the Forerunner systems.''


 * Truth: "How could I have known the Parasite would follow?! Undoubtedly this is the Heretics' doing! A final, bitter curse. Clear evidence of treachery long hidden!"

(At the second bridge, the Covenant forces make their final resistance. At the second room, Truth holograms make a final message.)


 * Truth: "So far are we along the path, that I must strain to hear the clumsy patter of their feet. Know this my brothers. They may foul the way with their charred and broken bones, but they will not stop the Journey."

''The resistance on the third bridge has already been decimated by the Flood. A light bridge is all that remains to reach Truth.''

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{Cutscene}

''The Chief and the Arbiter cross the light bridge, and come across Johnson, who is resting the dead Miranda Keyes on his lap by her head next to the Pelican. Johnson closes her eyes.''


 * Johnson: "Stop the rings. Save the rest."

The Chief continues to stare at Miranda while the Arbiter approaches the crawling form of Truth, Energy Sword in hand


 * Truth: (Weakly): "Can you see, Arbiter? The moment of salvation is at hand!"


 * Arbiter: (grabbing Truth by the throat): "It will not last!"


 * Truth: "Your kind never believed in the promise of the sacred rings."


 * Gravemind: (speaking through Truth):"Lies for the weak! Beacons for the deluded!"

(At this moment, the Arbiter draws his Energy Sword back, ready to kill his former leader)


 * Arbiter': "I will have my revenge - on a Prophet, not a plague!"


 * Truth: "My feet tread the path; I shall become a god!"

Tentacles begin to sprout on Truth as the Flood take him.


 * Gravemind: (speaking through Truth): "You will be food - nothing more!"


 * Truth (realizing what is happening to him and seeing the Chief stopping the activation): "NO!"

''Chief deactivates the Ark. The Seven Holographic Halo Rings dim. A Flood body begins to stir.''


 * Truth: (now being held aloft by the Arbiter, and watches as the Master Chief stops what's been set in motion) "I...Am...Truth! The voice... of the Covenant!"


 * Arbiter: (grasping Truth around the neck from behind, causing Truth's crown to fall off): "And so...you must be silenced!"

The Arbiter plunges his sword through Truth.


 * Truth: (Flood spores shoot out of Truth's mouth as he screams) "AAAAHHHHHhhhhh..."

''The Arbiter lets Truth's corpse fall to the floor. The Arbiter lets out a roar of triumph and deactivates his sword. The Chief looks at the Arbiter and nods; they then turn to see Johnson carrying Miranda's body into the Pelican. Suddenly, the ground begins to tremble, and tentacles rise up out of the ground around them.''


 * Gravemind: Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!

''The Pelican takes off, and the Chief tries to clamber on. The Arbiter does the same, and grabs onto Chief's hand, but both are knocked off by the tentacles, sending the Pelican spiraling out of control. On the ring, the tentacles swerve around them and multiple Flood forms appear.''


 * Gravemind: "Now the gate has been unlatched, headstones pushed aside, corpses shift and offer room, a fate you must abide!"

The Arbiter and the Master Chief stand back-to-back with their weapons ready.


 * Arbiter: "We trade one villain for another."

The tentacles retreat, and two Elite forms come up from the control panel

{Gameplay}


 * Johnson (COM): "I can barely keep hold of her, Chief! No way I can pick you up! Head back to the lift! Find a way down!"


 * Cortana (Cortana Moment): "I'm a thief, but I keep what I steal."

''Master Chief & Arbiter make it back. The lift is not working, so they jump down a shaft at the back of the room.''

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{Cutscene}

''After landing at the bottom of the shaft, the Chief sees flashing images of Cortana in the hallway. He starts to follow.''


 * Arbiter: "What do you see?"

''The Master Chief continues to follow the image of Cortana, until it stops at a panel. The Master Chief activates it.''

''A view screen slides open, the Chief and the Arbiter step out onto a balcony to watch as a massive structure rises up out of thick fog. It's a Halo Ring, incomplete.''


 * Arbiter: "A replacement. For the ring you destroyed."


 * Master Chief: (To a blue glow behind him) "When did you know?"

Spark hovers up from behind the Chief and the Arbiter and comes up to the Chief


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "Just now. But I had my hopes. What will you do?"


 * Master Chief: "Light it."


 * 343 Guilty Spark: "Then we are agreed! A tactical pulse will completely eradicate the local infestation! I will personally oversee the final preparations. Though it will take time to fabricate an activation index, I will see to the letter..."

Spark flies off into the distance, excited.


 * Arbiter: "How will you light it?"

They both turn to look at High Charity, indicating that the Chief will find Cortana and retrieve what is needed.

Walkthrough
This is it- the Covenants last stand. For those of you who have been killing the Covenant since Halo 1, prepare yourselves for the longest level in the Halo franchise, and for the defeat of the Covenant. Grab your guns.

Part 1: Trident
As the level starts off, you will notice that you are armed with a Spartan Laser. Now, this is the only one in the entire level (On singleplayer. In Co-Op, there is a second Laser at the Pelican crash site), and with only five shots in it, we will want to switch to our more versatile BR55HB SR Battle Rifle. Turning slightly to your left, nail the three Grunts with headshots, then throw a frag grenade at the retreating Covenant on your left. Aim for the glowing pod for maximum effect. Now, keep moving forward slowly, and pound the remaining Grunts and Brutes on your side of the beach head.

Now is the time to use your Spartan Laser. Cut around to the far left of your side of the beach head, zoom in on one of the Shade turrets, and destroy it with your first shot. You should have 80% battery left. Switch your aim, and fire upon the second turret. You should have 60% battery left.

Okay, now that you have some room to breathe, mosey over to the ODST with the Shotgun, and trade your Spartan Laser for his pump gun. Now, this guy will be able to kill whole Brutes at ultra long range. But enough about that- now on to your job. Using your Battle Rifle, snipe any Grunts and Brutes that you may see, and once you are ready to move, charge up the left side of the beach head, and scale the rocks to get right up close to the AA Wraith.

Here is where your pull out your requisitioned shotgun, and try to sneak up on the Fuel Rod Cannon wielding Brute Chieftain. If you can't, then start blasting and melee-ing and don't stop until the bastards dead at your feet. After that, destroy the Wraith, and wait for the Pelican to show up.

Now, time for some arming up. Give one of your men the powerful Fuel Rod Cannon, and ditch the Shotgun entirely. You yourself have the choice of a Battle Rifle, Assault Rifle, or Mauler as a 2nd weapon, and keep your personal laser cannon. Under NO circumstances should you ditch the Spartan Laser, unless its bone dry on ammo. Now, the Pelican will drop off a Warthog and Mongoose. Although the Warthog has the added firepower of its Chaingun, the Mongoose presents a smaller target and has a lot more speed, so we're going to with the 'goose. Make sure that the Fuel Rod Marine gets on the Mongoose with you, then take off down the beach. You will be engaged by two Banshees, but the Marines Fuel Rod Cannon and the 'Hogs chaingun should make short work of them, and the two Ghosts that come down to greet you.

Anyway, as you move farther inland, a ledge bearing a Shade turret and a handful of Grunts and Jackals will try to stop your progress, but you should be able to be dispatched quickly. After that, just keep going up. As you reach level ground, the crap hits the fan. First off, let your Marines fry the two Ghosts that will try to kill you, then move across the waterfall, and burn the Ghost and Shade that are on the ground.

All right, here is where it gets hard. If you look up, you'll notice the big bastard Wraith that is stationed next to the structure. DO NOT charge directly at it, but stay in the water, which should slow you down just enough to allow you to make sharp turns without toppling over, while still giving you enough speed to outrun the Plasma Mortars/Cannon rounds that the Covies will try to kill you with. Simply run around the big rock in the center of the pond, and a few strafing runs should decimate the tank. Two Prowlers will come in as backup, but a few more patterns of strafing runs will knock them out of the fight. After that, it should be a simple matter of blasting the Shade on the ledge, and the large amount of Grunts/Jackals/ Brutes outside the structure. When the Pelican drops a few weapon pods for you, you will know that you finished this fight.

Trivia

 * The introductory cutscene bears striking resemblance to the introduction of the Silent Cartographer from Halo: Combat Evolved. Multiple Pelicans approach a Covenant-controlled Forerunner structure, initially traveling over water, and attempt to establish a beachhead on the coast, fighting off numerous enemies.
 * The IWHBYD Skull is found on this level. See Halo 3: IWHBYD (I Would Have Been Your Daddy) Skull for more details on how to aquire it.
 * During the beginning of the cutscene showing Johnson being held by a Brute, he is being held by a Brute Minor on the screen, but when it cuts to him, it is a Chieftain that throws him to the ground, no Minor in sight.
 * The Covenant is one of the two longest levels in Halo game history (Assault on the Control Room from Halo:CE being the other level, and if you are counting levels as distance travelled then Quarantine Zone represents Halo 2) and, on Legendary, can take more than two hours to fully complete - even on co-op. Bungie probably wanted to make the final stand of the Covenant full of the most action, giving the "tension feeling" to players.
 * At the point where you reunite with the Arbiter and 343 Guilty Spark after defeating the Scarabs, if there are any surviving Covenant nearby, Spark will use the same energy beam he uses against you in the control room to take them out.
 * It is possible in this level to have two Arbiters standing right next to each other, just after you kill the two Scarabs.Get up to the point where the green Phantom flies low to pick up the Arbiter and 343 Guilty Spark (This is just after you shut down the second tower). Use the Tank, the Gauss or any weapons you have to take down the Phantom. Make sure the Arbiter is in it when you do it. Then, grab the Gauss and drive up near the Arbiter, and he should get in. After this, continue through the level, making sure the Arbiter stays safe. After you finish off the two Scarabs, drive the Arbiter up to the spot where he is usually dropped off. The SAME Phantom you destroyed will drop down and drop off another Arbiter and 343. Keep an eye on the Arbiter you took through the level. He has an amazing ability to completely dissappear. Unfortunatly, he can't be taken through into the Citadel building.
 * It looks like throughout the level, there's just only 1 Phantom(or possibly another 1 or 2 more not seen) in action for the final stand of the Covenant.