Sangheili

"On the blood of our fathers... on the blood of our sons, we swore to uphold the Covenant!"

- Rtas 'Vadum citing a small part of the Writ of Union

The Sangheili (Latin Macto cognatus, meaning "I honor my father's blood") are a reptilian (or theropodian) species of fierce, proud, strong, intelligent warriors and skilled combat tacticians. Sangheili are named after their home planet, Sanghelios. Known by most Humans as Elites, presumably due to their adeptness and their skills in combat, the Sangheili formed the military backbone of the Covenant for almost the entirety of its existence. They had a rivalry with the Brutes, which became hatred during the Great Schism and the conclusion of the Human-Covenant War.

Originally a founding member of the unified conglomerate of races known as the Covenant, they later led the Covenant breakaway faction known as the Covenant Separatists due to the fact that the Prophets ordered the genocide of their entire race. This was established after the assassination of the Prophet of Regret by the hands of the "Demon." It was the Sangheili who were ultimately held responsible for the Prophet of Regret's death, and were seen as "unfit" to continue to guard the Prophets. The Prophets sought to achieve this through the use of the other Covenant races, primarily the Brutes. The aftermath of the Great Schism formed the bedrock of the Covenant's ultimate collapse.

History
The Sangheili home world, better known as Sanghelios, had at one point been visited by or had been in contact with the Forerunners. They revered the objects these "Gods" had left, and considered tampering with them a heresy beyond any other. In 938 B.C.E. they encountered the Prophets, a race who also felt the Forerunners had found salvation, but had utilized Forerunner technology for their own needs. This sparked a war between the two factions on how to treat the relics. Even though the Elites had a large numerical advantage and much stronger ships and soldiers in general, they suffered extreme casualties from the Prophet's hit and run techniques that utilized their "Key Ship" and by 876 B.C.E. even the most devout had to admit their survival depended on the reconstitution of their Forerunner technology. This, of course, led both sides to an agreement that ended with the decommissioning of the Forerunner Dreadnought and a shaky alliance that eventually expanded into the Covenant.

The Prophets helped assuage the Elites by telling them more of the Great Journey: That by seeking out the Holy Rings scattered throughout the galaxy and utilizing them, a Great Journey would begin. This Great Journey would transform believers into godlike beings, while providing salvation for their doomed existence of fighting with the Flood. The Elites then became the bodyguards of the Prophets, who would search the galaxy for the Halos. The Writ of Union was drawn up in 852 B.C.E. in order to codify the Covenant. Its first canto clearly outlines the nature of the Covenant from the perspective of the Prophets.

Being one of the few races in the Covenant to achieve space-faring status without outside intervention, Sangheili interaction with the Prophets was initially strained due to war. However, the two sides later formed a prosperous relationship, eventually laying the foundation for the modern Covenant hegemony.

During their membership in the Covenant, Sangheili were simply put, technological and societal equals of the Prophets. However, for a significant period, they found themselves as the dominant military muscle for the entire Covenant structure - hardly surprising given the warlike feudal nature of their homeworld, Sanghelios. What was surprising was the cyclical stability this feudal society was able to offer. Technological and medical advancement prospered, and the intelligent, aggressive Sangheili were peerless until they encountered the Prophets. With exchange of goods and ideas, the Sangheili adapted to and eventually embraced the Covenant religion, grafting its tenets to their own belief system.

When the Prophets declared war on humanity, the Elites followed. After a period of time, however, even though the Prophet's insisted that the Humans were perversions that must be eliminated, many seasoned Sangheili veterans began to question the refusal of the Prophets to accept Humans into the Covenant. One Elite mentioned "even the smallest ones [humans] hurl themselves against our defenses with honor. If only the Unggoy were as committed." This shows that humans have earned grudging respect of the Elites. They claimed variously that Humans are "tenacious", that their technology is "limited, but...useful", that their battle techniques are "impressive", and that they are "excellent strategists". They seem to believe that Humans, although weak, are honorable and brave. Certainly, most Elites believe that Humans should be admitted to the Covenant. Some even believe that the Humans are equal to them - a considerable step for an Elite, or any member of the Covenant to make. The Elites admired how willing and brave the Humans were when fighting to survive against outright extinction even those few soldiers who were willing to stay behind and cover their comrades from a Covenant attack they respected to a certain degree. It could be said that the only reason why the Elites insult Humans after admiration of them is so that their superiors do not accuse them of heresy. A few Elites even had some degree of disrespect for the Prophets before the Great Schism. They admire the Humans so much, that it could be said that they willingly but occasionally give them "Death By the Sword" or "A Clean Death" as a sign of great respect and honor.

During the events of Halo 2, the political shift caused by both the Prophet of Truth and the Brute Chieftain Tartarus, started a slippery slope that ended in the dissolution of the Covenant between the Sangheili and the Prophets. Originally, Brutes were viewed as savage and extremely goal-oriented, which the Elites viewed as a severe threat should the Brutes ever begin to desire political power. This fear became reality when the Honor Guards of the Prophets, originally an all-Elite class, was transformed into a duty of the Brutes. This was in part caused by the death of the Prophet of Regret, despite his protection from his Elite Honor Guards. Soon Brutes found themselves in new positions of power, such as Field Masters, Ship Masters, and veritable replacements for the Elites. At the same time, during the Battle of Installation 05, Arbiter Thel 'Vadam and Rtas 'Vadum discovered the truth of the Halo rings from the Monitor 343 Guilty Spark.

These events led the entire race of Elites to secede from the Covenant, forming the Covenant Separatists. They were aided by a few of the member-races within the Covenant, such as many Unggoy and most Lekgolo. The secession included a movement to destroy the treacherous Brutes and Prophets, and the destruction of the Flood at all costs, eventually resulting in the alliance with the Humans, persuaded by the Arbiter's counsel.

It is known that this civil war stretched from Earth all the way back to Sanghelios as the Sangheili attempted to wrest their share of the hegemony away from their new-found enemies. Jiralhanae stepped in to fill the military void in ever increasing numbers, sensing the vacuum and opportunity left by the departure of the Sangheili.

Finally, after the Battle of Earth, the Elites and Humans managed to stop and kill Truth, effectively ending the Covenant. However, the Elites and Humans were coerced to deal with the more massive threat; the Flood. Finally, the Arbiter and the Master Chief, after activating the newly constructed Installation 04 (II), effectively ended the Flood threat. On Earth, the Sangheili all agreed to return to their home planet, Sanghelios, to see if it is safe.

Description
Sangheili are at least 8' 6" tall including helmet and armor, have two fingers and two thumbs on each hand which are much larger than human fingers and thumbs, at least double the size, which make the Elites look ungainly when wielding small human weapons such as the pistol. They look like lizards or Theropods, except for their jaws. When wearing armor, they take on a shark-like look because of the "fins" on the sides of their helmets. Their jaws are four separate mandibles, a more insect like trait, attached to their face. The Sangheili are attributed for strength and intelligence, and are praised for their bravery and respect. Sangheili warriors augment these natural abilities further through use of Personal Energy Shields integrated into their armor. Depending upon rank and mission objective, they are commonly seen in battle with Plasma Rifles, Carbines, Needlers and sometimes, if they are higher ranked, Energy swords. Sangheili employ coffin-like Orbital Insertion Pods as well as Phantom and Spirit Drop ships for military transit purposes and rapid-response operations. Historically, Sangheili have followed the Covenant mentality of maintaining a hatred towards Humanity, believing them to be an affront to their religion and a challenge towards the Great Journey. However there are signs that this stance is being slowly abandoned as seen in the tentative alliance between the two enemies, forming the core allied faction at the end of Halo 2 and during Halo 3.

In Halo: Combat Evolved, upper ranks have a Forerunner symbol adorning their back. It is not known if the symbol varies from rank to rank. In Halo 3, Elites have Forerunner symbols on their arms and on the sides of their torso, even the Multi-player models.

Anatomy and Physiology
Elites are muscular and at least a foot taller than a Spartan II. Their jaws are quadruple-hinged, with an upper jaw and four mandible-like lips that are lined with sharp teeth. Although some in Halo: Combat Evolved have fused jaws, this is either a glitch or a coded error. Their hands are tetradactyl, having four digits; two middle fingers, and two opposing thumbs on the outside for grasping. Their legs are digitigrade, with short upper and lower legs, and elongated tarsals, using the distal and intermediate phalanges to support their weight when walking. This arrangement possibly allows them to run very quickly and jump large distances, compared to ordinary humans and other Covenant races. Their superior agility may also be attributed to their homeworld's higher gravity; the additional strength required to move normally in a high-gravity environment would likely cause them to be more powerful in lower gravity situations. They also appear to have a double set of pectoral muscles, which contribute to their incredible strength.

Elites' eyes are located on the sides of their elongated head. They possess poor binocular vision according to the Heretic Leader, but greater peripheral vision (monocular vision) than humans.

Elites have at least two hearts, which circulate indigo-colored blood; the coloration is most likely caused by a bimetallic hemoglobin, possibly cobalt-iron, whereas humans possess monometallic iron-based hemoglobin. Though there are many theories on the subject, the chemical formula(e) of Sangheili hemoglobin is still unknown. It is assumed that they breathe oxygen, as they can breathe the same atmosphere as Humans, and their homeworld has a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere, similar to Earth's.

Sangheili have grayish-brown skin, which in Halo 2 looks spotted or scaly, and the majority of Elites have either dark blue, black, or brown eyes, although there are a few exceptions. It has been theorized that the reason Elites seem to have dark blue eyes is because they wear eye coverings (which provide their in-game HUD). This hypothesis comes largely from the Arbiter's appearance - when standing before the High Council in his armor, his eyes were dark, but after his armor was removed, his eyes became a much lighter brown -- and is also supported by the fact that in Halo: Combat Evolved, an Elite's eye color is always the same color as their armor. Elites have laterally-positioned eyes with slit-shaped pupils, large irises, and horizontal eyelids, though these traits can only be seen in Halo 3 -- Elites in Halo 2 have all black eyes with no pupils, except the Arbiter, and in Halo: Combat Evolved they don't blink.

In the Halo Wars announcement trailer, the Elites are different on several points. They seem far more muscular, although this could be because they're wearing much thicker armor to withstand the cold weather. They also have claws, a previously unseen trait. These differences could be explained by the existence of several subspecies of Elites -- similar to how Humans have several ethnic races. They also have a more animalistic growl in Halo Wars, though they could simply be expanding on the sounds they make in Halo: Combat Evolved. The Elites shown in Halo Wars (and especially Halo Genesis) also seem to have a completely different mouth structure to those in the Halo Trilogy; upon close examination, the Arbiter has mouth similar that of a human, and his mandibles are protruding rather than being parallel to upper jaw. A better picture of this can be found in Halo Genesis.

Intelligence
"Although Elites are naturally very intelligent, their culture's long dependence on a military-industrial schema has led to an emphasis on might over science. In some regards, the advent of the Covenant made this position easier-allowing the Elites to concentrate even more singularly on military endeavors, while Prophets took care of science and technology."

- 343 Guilty Spark in the Bestiarum .

Elites are extremely intelligent and always demonstrate this in combat. Elites are normally on the move when fighting, constantly running and ducking, strafing and dodging when firing at the enemy. When presented with an obstacle, such as a Warthog driving at them, they will leap out of the way, and if a vehicle stops, they will attempt to board it or disable it. They are also smart enough to utilize cover, ducking behind crates or other obstacles when their shields are drained until they recharge. It should be noted that not all Elites make use of cover, because of their superior strength; these are the Elites who hold the ranks of either Zealot or Councilor. Elites seem to employ complex strategy only if it either improves success in battle, or it allows them to inflict more casualties on their enemies. In ship-to-ship combat, despite having the advantage of long range weapons such as plasma torpedoes, Elite's prefer to maneuver in close in an attempt to board their opponents vessel. These Elites charge their enemies with reckless aggression, regardless of any damage they sustain; only very seldom do they admit temporary defeat. They are quite capable of luring their enemies into traps by falling back into cover; as the enemy approaches, the Elite will spring from its position and land a massive melee hit on the unsuspecting opponent, and is especially even more dangerous if the hiding Elite is carrying an energy sword due to the weapon's high melee power. Elites are excellent tacticians, renowned for their ferocity and decisive thinking. This is shown to be very true in space during ship-to-ship combat, even when being horribly out numbered; they can win the fight with only few losses. This shows them to have a greater degree of intelligence than Brutes. An example of this is the Battle above Installation 00, when Truth's fleet outnumbered the Elites 3 to 1, yet the Elites prevailed with at least the Assault Carrier Shadow of Intent surviving. R'tas Vadum comments on this by saying "Then it is an even fight."

Culture
The Sangheili consider most other species to be inferior to them, both culturally and in fighting skill. Although Sangheili are naturally very intelligent, their culture's long dependence on a military-industrial scheme has led to an emphasis on might over science. In some regards, the advent of the Covenant made this position easier-allowing the Sangheili to concentrate even more mono-manically on military endeavors, while Prophets took care of science and technology. Despite this, their adeptness at using and creating technology is evident. It is probable that they designed the Covenant Cruiser themselves. They demonstrated their superiority at space combat in the battle with the Brutes over The Ark.

All warriors are skilled in hand-to-hand combat and are equal to a Spartan II in a powered exoskeleton. Promotion in the Covenant military is by merit; a Covenant soldier must succeed to advance among the ranks. Success is often measured in scalps. A Zealot, for example, has slaughtered thousands of individuals to reach that status.

Raised from childhood to be warriors, other societal roles are treated as secondary endeavors or even hobbies. Even the most humble Sangheili citizen is skilled in most weapons and hand-to-hand combat. One interesting example of this martial focus is that only aristocrats are allowed to wield swords and that sword-wielders are then no longer eligible for marriage; however, they may breed with any female they choose, married or otherwise, to ensure successful transmission of "swordsman" genes.

In many ways the Elites are much like Humans. They communicate, are loyal to their superiors and comrades, become protective of their troops and become angry and vengeful if other Elites are killed. They fear very little, taking great pride in an ancient, honor-laden code. Even when mortally wounded, such as being stuck with a Plasma Grenade, they may roar with pain and fury, but they still charge towards the enemy in a doomed last minute attack. Sangheili honor also dictates that they always be the first ones into a battle, and to never allow themselves to be captured alive. The more honorable captured Sangheili typically commit suicide while in prison to retain some measure of honor; oftentimes when they are freed those who have not are executed anyway, as was the case with one of Thel Vadam's ancestors.

Respect and Honor
Elites display respect and admiration for honorable fighters, whether they are allies of the Elites or not. It is not unusual for the Elites to have such an admiration for their adversaries. Elites respect and revere veterans and often follow their lead. Their history is rife with victorious combatants welcoming the defeated enemies' remaining forces into their own arm, provided of course that they fought with honor. During the Grunt Rebellion, the most tenacious of the Grunts who survived the conflict were admitted for the first time into previously all Sangheili forces, much to the Prophet's discontent.

Superstitions
Despite their martial nature, the Sangheili have reservations to the spilling of one's own blood. This is an extension of the belief that the blood of a warrior is his essence (honor); thus, to spill one's blood is to lose one's honor. As a result, doctors in Sangheili culture are seen by some as scum because they "make (their) living slicing and causing another Sangheili to bleed without honor." This meant that the only 'honorable' way for an Elite to be injured or bled out is from combat with the enemy. This belief also makes visiting a doctor very shameful for some Sangheili.

It is a belief among the Sangheili that a weapon is only drawn if it is to be used, because a drawn weapon "demands blood".

Government
Sangheili government appears to be a feudal meritocracy and democratic in case of some elders different clans ruling different areas. The ruler, a kaidon, of these areas is elected by a group of council elders that reside in that area. If a council elder believes that his vote was "ill advised" or "had second thoughts", it was considered a tradition for council elders to initiate some form of attack such as assassins against the Kaidon in order "to test the true merit of a ruler's martial abilities". The belief was that "a Kaidon who could not defend himself was not a true leader." Should the attack fail then the responsible elder was executed immediately, and his family killed. However punishment for this form of heresy was usually flexible. As such, if the elder did something honorable such as attack the Kaidon himself, or attempt to make a final stand against the Kaidon then he would probably have managed to save his family from certain death though they would still be banished.

Family
Family history and lineage are greatly valued, with each family having their own unique "Battle Poem" detailing the deeds and actions of its members during war times. These "epics" may have influenced the recitation of war poetry among the Mgalekgolo, due to their deep respect for Sangheili. It is theorized that mostly Sangheili males are sent into service as warriors and soldiers, as few female Sangheili have been seen to have served in the military. Whether sexual dimorphism exists in Sangheili or if there is a significant difference in gender roles is not known. Halo 3 players can choose to have female Sangheili characters, though the models for the genders are exactly the same, the option only changing the voice used in sound effects. However, given that this is multiplayer mode it must be seen as non-canon.

The warriors form very close knitted relationships, referring to their comrades as "brothers" and remaining intensely loyal to them. This loyalty is shown in the custom of grieving after the death of a fallen comrade, a ritual which includes prayer for the dead warrior.

Children
In some clans, Sangheili children are raised in "common rooms" to ensure that all start on an equal footing and progress in rank by merit of their abilities. Members of some Sangheili clans rarely know their true fathers, and are usually raised by a maternal uncle instead. This may be a method of preventing status from being inherited in order to force children to make their own way in the world so they actively work for and earn advancement. Though, as some children's fathers were Swordsmen who were granted the right to reproduce with any number of female Sangheili they desire, the use of a maternal uncle as a father-like figure may have also been to allow children to be raised equally. Sangheili believe that copulation without regard for the bloodline is uncultured. A popular pastime for Sangheili children is to hunt small rat-like creatures that also live on their home world.

Naming
Elites have great value in their names, and are considered a privilege and an honor for only those proved worthy. The Elites generally consider Humans to be nameless, and resent that the Humans have assigned the label "Elite" to them (although they have been given many other names, for instance: squid head, split lip, split face, etc.). The word "Elite" is often transposed as an English translation of their own name in-game footage and other media.

The surname of each individual comes from their lineage. Rtas' Vadum, for example, would be from the Vadum lineage. The lineage's own states on Sanghelios, and each Sangheili from that area adopts the name of the lineage.

Elite names are constructed from a series of parts, each of them with a specific or special meaning. The first name is a given name that is attained at birth, which persists until adulthood. As they come of age, they earned the right to carry a badge name. This name is made up of three parts: an adjectival descriptor, such as "fast" or "deadly," a crèche or family name, and the "-ee" suffix, an honorific indicating that the Elite is a military participant. Since the Great Schism all Elites in the rebellious faction have removed their name of the '-ee' suffix. Most Elites will have names with this kind of construction. It appears that additional titles may be given to those of very high rank, such as Xytan 'Jar Wattinree. Since "Jar" is not a part of the standard Elite name, it may be assumed that it denotes Xytan's status as Imperial Admiral, although this has yet to be confirmed. There is no other reference, however, of other names with this sort of addition, other than the character in The Ghosts of Onyx, Voro 'Mantakree who was given the additional title Nar to denote his status as a Fleet Master.

There are a few exceptions of some Elites who haven't had the "-ee" suffix like Kusovai, Zhar and Veer. There are multiple possible explanations for this: the most popular theories are that these names are merely the first names, or nicknames of these individuals, or that no suffix is applied because the Sangheili language does not allow run-on vowel sounds.

Homeworld
Sanghelios is the home world of the Sangheili race. Temperatures on Sanghelios vary between -5°C and 96°C, with a population of 8.135 billion living in such conditions. Gravity on Sanghelios is approximately 1.375g. Atmospheric composition derives of Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Argon. Sanghelios is the fourth planet in a Triple Star System of stars Urs, Fied, and Joori. The planet has two Moons called Qikost and Suban. Many Forerunner artifacts exist on the planet, which are (or at least were) the topic of worship, as well as the cause of historical wars between the Sangheili and the San 'Shyuum before the formation of the Covenant. Sanghelios is divided into provinces, which in turn into states. Each state is owned by a Lineage, and everyone born in that state adopts the lineage's name as a surname, whether they have the suffix 'ee' on the end or not. Each state is controlled by a Kaidon, and is advised by Elders.

Rank Structure
Elites are promoted based upon their skills, abilities, and the number of casualties they inflict upon their enemy. This is usually measured by scalps. A high-ranking elite (e.g. a Zealot) may have personally slaughtered thousands of enemies throughout his military career.

Other Ranks
In times of an extraordinary crisis, the High Council bestows the rank of the Arbiter on a single Elite. The most notable Arbiters are the ones of the Grunt Rebellion, The Taming of the Hunters, Ripa 'Moramee, and most notable of all, Thel 'Vadam, the Arbiter who stopped the Covenant Heretics on the Gas Mine and then aiding the UNSC and Covenant Separatists in the Great Schism. The armor of the Arbiter is an ancient version of the current Elite armor which has active camoflauge that only last for a variably short period of time.
 * Arbiter

Kaidons are leaders of particular States on Sanghelios, and the heads of their Lineages. They are advised by a council of Elders, and are selected by this council. They may also serve in the Covenant military, though Kaidon does not appear to be a military rank in itself.
 * Kaidon

Apparently advisers to the High Council and to the High Prophets, specializing in intelligence gathering and religious advise to high ranking Prophets and the Sangheilian Councilors. They seem to be few in number, as only one has ever been mentioned. Their name can be considered linked to the Monitor's of Installations, known to the Covenant as Oracles, perhaps metaphorically suggesting their level of intellect on par with that of an Oracle. Little beyond this limited information and speculation is known of the rank.
 * Oracle Master

The aristocrats are important members of Sangheili society, allowed to wield Energy Swords. They are unable to marry, but allowed to mate with any female, married or unmarried, to "pass on the genes of sword fighting and the nobility."
 * Aristocrat

The Lights of Sanghelios, or Helios, for short, wear silver armor and used Energy Staves as weapons. Their only known appearance to date was in Halo: Contact Harvest, where Truth specifically chose them to protect him during his tenure as Minister of Fortitude. It is unknown whether these represent all Honor Guards, or whether they are just one sub-group of a larger organization.
 * Light of Sanghelios

Ossoona is a special rank of Elites that are meant to be spies and are not suited for combat, instead meant for information gathering. It is a temporary rank only granted to those who have attained at least the rank of Major Domo. The reason being that a Minor Domo's lack of experience could cause them to be very easily compromised (i.e. detected) or that they may outright abandon the mission in pursuit of personal glory. It is not given to Elites of higher rank because they are considered too valuable and would rather engage in combat. During the mission, the Ossoona's armor is equipped with Active Camouflage and recording equipment. One example of a Ossoona was an Elite named Isna 'Nosolee from the book Halo: The Flood. In Halo: CE, Ossoonas don’t have any shields. It is possible that the Elite seen in Another Day at the Beach is an Ossoona as he has an Energy Sword, and Active Camouflage.
 * Ossoona

The Ascetic Elites are a special group of Elites made to ensure stability and purity. The Ascetic armor has been made to inflict a psychological fear by the use of special elements in the armor, such as the two "tusks" protruding from the Helmet and bright, glowing orange eyes. They do not appear in the games apart from an armor permutation in Halo 3.
 * Ascetics

Commando is a rank of Elite that was first observed during the first Halo confrontation. It is a branch of the Special Warfare Group based upon pre-contact ground forces. Commando elites possess hardened communication gear and up-link capable equipment that an ordinary elite wouldn't have access to. Their armor is streamlined for better maneuverability in close encounters. The armor is lightweight and advanced internal equipment increase the overall effectiveness of an individual Elite making them more deadly. Armor colors are the midnight black.
 * Commando

Prison guards are only seen in Halo Wars: Genesis and appear to serve as the security in a Sanghelli prison. One is seen to be knocked out easily by Ripa 'Moramee.
 * Prison guards

Spec. Ops leaders of certain squads are the second highest Spec. Ops rank, and wear pitch black armor.
 * Special Operations Officer

Weapons Masters are Sangheili engineers who maintain and improve Equipment used by the Covenant.
 * Weapons Master

Heretic Rank Structure
Heretic Leader - Heretic Red/Thruster Pack: Sesa 'Refumee, the leader of the Heretics. The armor he wears is modified from standard combat harnesses, featuring body pieces with modified shapes and designs in shades of red, lack of helmet, and is upgraded with an Elite Ranger's thruster pack. This gave him a unique advantage in combat, but it was not enough for him to defeat the Arbiter, who slew him in the Battle of the Gas Mine. Prior to his death, he had come into contact with 343 Guilty Spark, who told him the true purpose of the Halo Rings. The Hierarchs sent the Arbiter to quell this heresy, and with Sesa 'Refumee's death, he did. 'Refumee is the only Heretic to dual-wield Plasma Rifles.

Heretic Elite Major - Heretic Gold: Work as commanders of the Heretic Grunts and Heretic Elite Minors. They wear gold-colored Heretic armor, and are equipped with Covenant Carbines and Sentinel Beams. A select few, closest to the Heretic Leader, wield Energy Swords. While not so skilled in the Energy Swords use as Elite Honor Guards, Councilors, Zealots or even Ultras, they are quite dangerous due to their crafty flanking maneuvering and teamwork with other Heretics.

Heretic Elite Minor - Heretic Brown: Group commanders of the Heretic Grunts. They wear brown Heretic armor, and wield Covenant Carbines, and occasionally, Sentinel Beams. They are excellent shots, far superior to normal Elite Minors. They are also skilled Banshee pilots, but fly in pairs, supplementing their effectiveness.

Weapon Compatibility
Although Elites are most commonly seen with Energy Swords, Covenant Carbines, Plasma Rifles and Needlers, because of their strength and versatility on the battlefield, Elites can utilize any weapon in the field of battle, Human or Covenant, though most Elites would rather die than use a Human or Jiralhanae-oriented weapon. Lieutenant Junior Grade Fred-104 theorizes that the Elites follow an edict of the Prophets that states that they should not use Human weapons, based on his own sightings of Elites happily dying rather than pick up a fully loaded MA5B Assault Rifle at their feet. The Brutes however do not behave in a similar manner, even attempting to steal FENRIS nuclear warheads during the Battle of Earth. The Arbiter, it appears, has no particular objection to sullying his already fraudulent honor with a Human weapon. Most other Elites will use a Human or a Brute weapon if it is given to them by the Arbiter, although usually with a derogatory remark (with the exception of the Spartan Laser), such as, "Bah! Even as trophies, these weapons are worthless!", or even "Worthless piece of crap!" However, in the hands of an Elite, any Human weapon can be deadly. Elites can hold a Rocket Launcher with one hand due to their superior strength, unlike normal Marines or even Spartan IIs. They will also use Human vehicles such as a Mongoose, or a Warthog. Their marksmanship is easily comparable to a skilled Marine, and thanks to their armor and increased musculature they can survive attacks that would kill a normal human soldier, even with their personal shields down. In Halo 2 it is known that on the level Metropolis if left alone, the elites will kill Sergeant Stacker in the Warthog Gauss and take control of the Gauss cannon and start firing at you. Also, on Cairo Station there is an Elite Ultra that wields a Needler and a Plasma Rifle. There are also two Elites that wield Plasma Pistols.

Combat
Despite their advantages, Elites also have some vulnerabilities:

Changes
Due to the constant upgrading of the Halo series from the Xbox to the Xbox 360 below shows a list of changes to the Sangheili species from each Halo game.

Halo E3 2000 Trailer to Halo: Combat Evolved

 * The more conventional jaw in the trailer was separated into two mandibles.
 * They have wider waists.
 * Their legs are less bulky.
 * Their eyes have been moved more to the sides of their heads.

Changes from Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo 2

 * Sangheili are hunched over more to facilitate multiplayer use.
 * First Sangheili allies encountered.
 * The Elites speak English instead of their native tongue.
 * Zealot Sangheili ranked enemies are now only encountered on higher difficulty levels, rather than all difficulties.
 * Stealth Sangheili now have gray colored armor, rather than light blue, and also have a Minor (gray) and Major (brown) ranking system. They can also be detected by the motion tracker when invisible. Additionally, they sport energy shields which was absent from Halo: CE.
 * Have been given a new melee that can kill in one hit on the Normal difficulty or above in the campaign.
 * Ranger ranks are introduced.
 * Gain an animation to appear startled upon seeing the Master Chief.
 * Mandibles and facial features are more defined.
 * Gain the ability to hijack vehicles.
 * Elites no longer have the occasional "spade" helmet and no longer wear a Forerunner symbol on their backs, in campaign. However, they can be present using the emblem feature for multiplayer.
 * Elites can be seen now dual-wielding weapons.
 * Elites now have secondary colors in both campaign and multi-player.
 * Regulars now wield Energy Swords as well, instead of just the Zealots.
 * Elites gain an animation for when they pull out an Energy Sword that makes them roar, though they don't make the sound in Multiplayer.

Changes from Halo 2 to Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST

 * Darker skin and eyebrow ridges, although no hair on ridges. Has a shiny, "scaly", texture on the neck.
 * They have a 'bulkier' appearance.
 * Varying eye color between some individuals, mostly orange.
 * Ranger, Ultra, Zealot, Honor Guard, Councilor, and Stealth ranks are never encountered during gameplay, although Ultras can be seen dead in Floodgate and Cortana.
 * Wider variety of armors to choose from in multiplayer.
 * Runs into melee regardless of what the enemies are armed with. This also results in a high chance on team killing among them.
 * The Elites, even more so with the Catch skull on, toss Plasma Grenades with reckless abandon, and many players have reported to be "team stuck" by the Elites.
 * As with other Covenant races, the Elites have received minor aesthetic changes, mostly in their armor. In Halo: CE and Halo 2, the pauldrons on the armor resembled a more pronounced version of the MJOLNIR pauldrons, where as in Halo 3 the pauldrons are much thicker and appear overlapped. The "Combat" helmet also has shorter side fins, and more spikes added to the back. The "fins" on the gauntlets have also been removed, as well as the orange crystals on the arms and legs, and their leg armour flares out at the bottom instead of being tight, revealing what appears to be the heel of it's foot. However, this leads to clipping, as Halo 3 largely uses old Halo 2 animations.
 * Minors and Majors have varied armor. This meaning that a Minor may be light blue, and another may be dark blue. Same goes for the Majors (with lighter and darker reds).
 * All Elite armor has Forerunner glyphs, as well as multiple Marks of Shame adorning the body and shoulders.
 * The roaring animation for pulling out the sword is changed so that it only appears when lunging at an opponent while crouched.
 * Minors and Majors are seen holstering an Energy sword as a secondary weapon, which is usually never allowed for the lower ranks.

Changes from Halo 3 to Halo Wars

 * They are seen dual-wielding Energy Swords in the trailers, but only the Arbiter does so in game.
 * They seem to be more muscular in the chest, and have thinner waists than in any of the other Halo games. Additionally, they appear to have nail-like claws.
 * In-game the only visible difference in rank is the Arbiter and Honor Guards, as well as the Red Elites wielding Energy Staves, all others are purple.
 * Their teeth are in different positions, such as having teeth on the inside of their mandibles, as well as having teeth behind and to the center.

Trivia

 * The dialogue spoken by the Elites of Halo: Combat Evolved was made by reversing and slowing sound clips of Sergeant Johnson. "Wort! Wort! Wort!" is the reversed phrase, "Go! Go! Go!". With the IWHBYD Skull turned on in Halo 3, they will occasionally say their trademark, "Wort! Wort! Wort!"
 * Jason Jones at first wanted the Elites to have tails, but Shi Kai Wang talked him out of it by arguing that the Elites would look too animalistic, as opposed to being an intelligent race. An additional point was that when the Elites sit, the only place their tails could go was folded between their legs, creating a seriously awkward appearance.
 * Sangheilian culture is comparable to that of the ancient Spartans of Humanity's past. Rank is achieved by success, and much of their lives revolve around war.
 * In the original concept for Halo 3, Elites were going to have the ability to dual wield Energy Swords. This feature was dropped from the final game.
 * The Elites' overall composition and anatomy is probably inspired by the Predator and Aliens movies. They share the Aliens' head profile and a similar hand structure as well as the Predator's mandible framework and warrior society.
 * In Halo: The Fall of Reach, an Elite is said to have green blood when it is clearly purple.
 * They are, fittingly, the very first Covenant species the player encounters in the Halo games; when you make your way to the bridge of the Pillar of Autumn in Halo: Combat Evolved; the Trial of the Supreme Commander, in Halo 2; and in the opening cut scene of Halo 3. Both of the latter are filled by the Arbiter.
 * In the Halo 3: The Ultimate Guide magazine, the Elite Rangers were mistakenly called Jump Pack Jackals.
 * There is a running inconsistency in the franchise regarding when humans first encountered the Elites. According to The Fall of Reach the Master Chief first encountered an Elite above Reach during the battle. The Cole Protocol describes Gray Team's encounter with Elites several years before the Battle of Reach. Ghosts of Onyx reveals that the Spartan-IIIs first encountered the Sangheili in 2537. . Halo Wars prominently features Elites during the Second Battle of Harvest. In Halo: Contact Harvest, the Elites were mostly shown as honor guards, but during the fall of Gladsheim, the Elites were not included in the destruction. However, most of these depict one or a group of persons' first encounter with an Elite.
 * Shaking one's head in a snaking motion suggests that something "is okay."
 * In Halo: Contact Harvest, the San'Shyuum ordained the Sangheili to eradicate the Lekgolo race for "unauthorized contact" with Forerunner objects. At last, an Arbiter decided that they should "tame" the Lekgolo and forgive their sins.
 * In Halo: Combat Evolved, the Elites have two different types of helmet appearances. One is the classical shark-like helmet with the pointed cone at the peak of the helmet. The second is slightly different with a wide, crest-like curved upper piece on the helmet instead of the classical conical helmet.
 * Certain ranks of Elites, such as Ultra Elites, when wielding any weapon apart from an Energy Sword, will drop the weapon they are holding, let out a battle-cry and pull out their own Energy Sword and charge at the player if the player has lowered the Elite's shield.
 * While not appearing as enemies in Halo 3: ODST, Sangheili bodies can occasionally be found around New Mombasa, and the walls behind them will often be covered in spikes, suggesting they were killed by Brutes and not Humans.
 * In Halo 3: ODST, Sangheili bodies are seen dead, some of these are red Elites in Assault armor and others are Elites in Combat armor without shoulder armor.

Voice Talents

 * Keith David - Thel 'Vadam (Arbiter)
 * Robert Davi - Rtas 'Vadum (Special Operations Commander)
 * David Scully - Elites (in Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo 3)
 * Miguel Ferrer - Sesa 'Refumee (Heretic Leader)
 * Norm Woodel - Elites (in Halo 2)
 * Ronald Hippe - Elites (in Halo 3)

Internal

 * Elite Personal Energy Shield
 * Dead Shielded Elite