Sangheili Honor Guardsman

Summary
Coming from highly honored backrounds, these Elites are picked at birth to be the personal bodyguards of the Prophet Hierarchs. They wear red helmets and under-armor with large semi-circular orange 'plates' sticking into the air. These 'plates' also have yellow and red alternating patterns as bordered by black. This yellow/red alternating pattern is also seen on the thrones of High Prophets. It is unknown if they are the highest rank or in another rank class entirely.

It seems that wherever a High Prophet is present, the Honor Guard are also. There could be as many as 300 Honor Guard Elites for each Prophet, as the Step of Silence seems designed to hold 300 Honor Guard but only one Prophet.

They are commanded by the more skilled Honor Guard Ultras.

Elite Honor Guard
Up until The Sacred Icon (Level) in Halo 2 these were the personal bodyguards of the Prophet Hierarchs. Until the Brutes took over before the Civil War of the Covenant. They fought usually with Plasma Swords and occasionally double Plasma Rifles in pairs (they also wield ceremonial spears that match their armor, only in cutscenes). More wiry and agile than the Brute honor guards, their speed and quick reflexes with the Energy Sword paired with their skill with double Plasma Rifles rapid fire made them formidable foes. The Elite Honor Guards are only seen in cutscenes and the levels Delta Halo, Regret, and Gravemind as enemies. It seems that once the Covenant Civil War began honor guards began taking back their armor as some elite honor guards can be seen fighting brutes in the level Gravemind.

Brute Honor Guards
Honor Guard Brutes have recently taken the place of the Elites as the protectors of the High Prophets. This was the beginning of the Civil War of the Covenant. The swap takes place during the opening cutscene for The Sacred Icon (Level) and Brutes can be seen taking the ceremonial staves and helmets from former Elite Honor Guards.

They are found on levels: Gravemind, High Charity, and The Great Journey, and make their first appearances during the starting cutscene of the level Sacred Icon.

Related Links

 * Brute
 * Elite
 * Honor Guard Ultra