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Covenant: Difference between revisions
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sounds a bit odd mentioning it's destruction early on in the article, would fit better near the end of the article talking about it's dissolution
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Covenant PhD (talk | contribs) m (sounds a bit odd mentioning it's destruction early on in the article, would fit better near the end of the article talking about it's dissolution) |
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The Covenant began a genocidal campaign against humanity, seeking out their worlds one by one and wiping them clean of all life. If the colony was especially important, they would scorch the planet's entire surface and mark it with a glyph of their religion, in a process known as [[glassing]]. The [[United Nations Space Command]] was able to do little to halt the Covenant's advance, with a single Covenant ship often being a match for an entire UNSC [[battle group]].<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions''', "[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]", ''page 470''</ref> However, the UNSC did manage to prevent the Covenant from locating the human homeworld, Earth, and other important [[Inner Colonies]] for over twenty years through the execution of the [[Cole Protocol]].<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 33''</ref> | The Covenant began a genocidal campaign against humanity, seeking out their worlds one by one and wiping them clean of all life. If the colony was especially important, they would scorch the planet's entire surface and mark it with a glyph of their religion, in a process known as [[glassing]]. The [[United Nations Space Command]] was able to do little to halt the Covenant's advance, with a single Covenant ship often being a match for an entire UNSC [[battle group]].<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions''', "[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]", ''page 470''</ref> However, the UNSC did manage to prevent the Covenant from locating the human homeworld, Earth, and other important [[Inner Colonies]] for over twenty years through the execution of the [[Cole Protocol]].<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 33''</ref> | ||
After decades of struggle, some Sangheili within the Covenant began to question why humanity was not offered a chance to join the Covenant as other defeated races had.<ref name="convo">'''Halo 2''', ''[[Conversations from the Universe]]''</ref> Despite their losses, humanity proved a determined and brave enemy. They were especially troubled by their soldiers called [[Spartan]]s, who were more than a match for them in battles and often killed thousands of Covenant by themselves.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 349''</ref> While these idle heresies did not halt the Covenant's military progress, doubt began to surface as to the wisdom of the Prophets' ultimate goals; a doubt that was carefully observed by the spies of the Hierarchs.<ref name="convo"/> Notably, a major break-off faction known as the [[Banished]] was created by [[Jiralhanae Chieftain]] [[Atriox]] as a result of his disgruntlement with the Prophets' rule. In open rebellion against the Covenant, the Banished forced the Covenant to fight a two-front war | After decades of struggle, some Sangheili within the Covenant began to question why humanity was not offered a chance to join the Covenant as other defeated races had.<ref name="convo">'''Halo 2''', ''[[Conversations from the Universe]]''</ref> Despite their losses, humanity proved a determined and brave enemy. They were especially troubled by their soldiers called [[Spartan]]s, who were more than a match for them in battles and often killed thousands of Covenant by themselves.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 349''</ref> While these idle heresies did not halt the Covenant's military progress, doubt began to surface as to the wisdom of the Prophets' ultimate goals; a doubt that was carefully observed by the spies of the Hierarchs.<ref name="convo"/> Notably, a major break-off faction known as the [[Banished]] was created by [[Jiralhanae Chieftain]] [[Atriox]] as a result of his disgruntlement with the Prophets' rule. In open rebellion against the Covenant, the Banished forced the Covenant to fight a two-front war.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4axn4oo_KE '''YouTube''': ''Halo Wars 2 E3 Trailer BTS'']</ref> | ||
The Covenant delivered a serious blow to the UNSC as they suffered crippling military losses at the [[Fall of Reach]] and the [[Battle of Tribute]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 320'' (2001 edition)</ref><ref>'''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''', ''Dutch's biography''</ref> After the UNSC stronghold [[Reach]] fell to the Covenant, they made a discovery of tremendous significance: a single UNSC vessel, the [[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|''Pillar of Autumn'']], had made a supposedly blind jump away from the battle, inadvertently leading the [[Fleet of Particular Justice|pursuing Covenant fleet]] to the location of [[Installation 04|one]] of the seven Halo rings.<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''', campaign level ''[[The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|The Pillar of Autumn]]''</ref> The Covenant's celebration following the discovery of this prized relic was short-lived, however, as after landing on the ring Covenant soldiers accidentally released the dormant [[Flood]]. A small group of UNSC forces—among them the fearsome, enigmatic soldier known to Covenant forces as "[[John-117|the Demon]]"—managed to destroy the ring by detonating the ''Pillar of Autumn'''s [[fusion drive|fusion engines]].<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved''', campaign level ''[[The Maw]]''</ref> [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee, the [[Supreme Commander]] of the fleet present at Halo, was branded a heretic for his failure to save the ring,<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[The Heretic]]''</ref> although he was subsequently appointed an [[Arbiter]].<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[The Arbiter]]''</ref> | The Covenant delivered a serious blow to the UNSC as they suffered crippling military losses at the [[Fall of Reach]] and the [[Battle of Tribute]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 320'' (2001 edition)</ref><ref>'''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''', ''Dutch's biography''</ref> After the UNSC stronghold [[Reach]] fell to the Covenant, they made a discovery of tremendous significance: a single UNSC vessel, the [[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|''Pillar of Autumn'']], had made a supposedly blind jump away from the battle, inadvertently leading the [[Fleet of Particular Justice|pursuing Covenant fleet]] to the location of [[Installation 04|one]] of the seven Halo rings.<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''', campaign level ''[[The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|The Pillar of Autumn]]''</ref> The Covenant's celebration following the discovery of this prized relic was short-lived, however, as after landing on the ring Covenant soldiers accidentally released the dormant [[Flood]]. A small group of UNSC forces—among them the fearsome, enigmatic soldier known to Covenant forces as "[[John-117|the Demon]]"—managed to destroy the ring by detonating the ''Pillar of Autumn'''s [[fusion drive|fusion engines]].<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved''', campaign level ''[[The Maw]]''</ref> [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee, the [[Supreme Commander]] of the fleet present at Halo, was branded a heretic for his failure to save the ring,<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[The Heretic]]''</ref> although he was subsequently appointed an [[Arbiter]].<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[The Arbiter]]''</ref> | ||
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With the Prophet of Truth killed, and most of the loyalists' known fleet destroyed by the Sangheili fleet above the Ark, the Covenant as an entity was all but destroyed. Following Truth's death at the hands of the Arbiter, the remaining San'Shyuum, their population reduced to near extinction,<ref name="bestSan">'''[[Bestiarum]]''' ''San'Shyuum section''</ref> went into hiding and have not been sighted by the Sangheili since.<ref name="return">'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe|Halo: Evolutions]]''' '''[[The Return]]''' ''page 506''</ref> The rest of the former member races scattered. While Thel 'Vadam succeeded in forming a new government known as the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] based on [[Sanghelios|their homeworld]], the Sangheili, having renounced the Great Journey, began to [[Blooding Years|fight amongst their own ranks]] over the particulars of their faith, some forming their own splinter factions.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 20''</ref> Most of the Jiralhanae continued to oppose the Sangheili until at least [[2559]],<ref name="return"/> although some Jiralhanae chose to serve under their former masters.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 136''</ref> Many Kig-Yar returned to their ancient ways as raiders and traders,<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 247''</ref> and most Huragok were thought to have fled, though no one knew where.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 256''</ref> Many members of the former Covenant also [[asylum seeker|sought asylum]] on Earth, most notably in the city of [[Rio de Janeiro]].<ref name="departure">'''Spartan Ops''', S1E1 ''Departure''</ref> | With the Prophet of Truth killed, and most of the loyalists' known fleet destroyed by the Sangheili fleet above the Ark, the Covenant as an entity was all but destroyed. Following Truth's death at the hands of the Arbiter, the remaining San'Shyuum, their population reduced to near extinction,<ref name="bestSan">'''[[Bestiarum]]''' ''San'Shyuum section''</ref> went into hiding and have not been sighted by the Sangheili since.<ref name="return">'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe|Halo: Evolutions]]''' '''[[The Return]]''' ''page 506''</ref> The rest of the former member races scattered. While Thel 'Vadam succeeded in forming a new government known as the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] based on [[Sanghelios|their homeworld]], the Sangheili, having renounced the Great Journey, began to [[Blooding Years|fight amongst their own ranks]] over the particulars of their faith, some forming their own splinter factions.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 20''</ref> Most of the Jiralhanae continued to oppose the Sangheili until at least [[2559]],<ref name="return"/> although some Jiralhanae chose to serve under their former masters.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 136''</ref> Many Kig-Yar returned to their ancient ways as raiders and traders,<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 247''</ref> and most Huragok were thought to have fled, though no one knew where.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 256''</ref> Many members of the former Covenant also [[asylum seeker|sought asylum]] on Earth, most notably in the city of [[Rio de Janeiro]].<ref name="departure">'''Spartan Ops''', S1E1 ''Departure''</ref> | ||
In the wake of the dissolution of the Covenant, many individual commanders sought to seize control of the hegemony's former military assets for themselves, many of them forming disparate fiefdoms claiming to be ''the'' Covenant.<ref name="HE5">'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 5|Issue #5]]''</ref> Others retreated from active involvement in interstellar affairs, maintaining the ships and weaponry for defense of their own lands. With large portions of the Covenant's infrastructure in shambles, intact ships in particular were considered a valuable commodity among the Sangheili.<ref>[https://blogs.halowaypoint.com/en-us/blogs/headlines/posts/the-halo-bulletin-4-16-14 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Halo Bulletin: 4.16.14'']</ref> While many former members of the hegemony discarded the Covenant's religion in favor of more pragmatic pursuits, others continued to adhere to the core tenets of their former religion, namely the worship of the Forerunners as gods.<ref name="Thursday War">'''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]'''</ref> | In the wake of the dissolution of the Covenant, many individual commanders sought to seize control of the hegemony's former military assets for themselves, many of them forming disparate fiefdoms claiming to be ''the'' Covenant.<ref name="HE5">'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 5|Issue #5]]''</ref> Others retreated from active involvement in interstellar affairs, maintaining the ships and weaponry for defense of their own lands. With large portions of the Covenant's infrastructure in shambles, intact ships in particular were considered a valuable commodity among the Sangheili.<ref>[https://blogs.halowaypoint.com/en-us/blogs/headlines/posts/the-halo-bulletin-4-16-14 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Halo Bulletin: 4.16.14'']</ref> While many former members of the hegemony discarded the Covenant's religion in favor of more pragmatic pursuits, others continued to adhere to the core tenets of their former religion, namely the worship of the Forerunners as gods.<ref name="Thursday War">'''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]'''</ref> The [[Banished]] amassed a considerable degree of power in the aftermath of the Covenant's destruction.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4axn4oo_KE '''YouTube''': ''Halo Wars 2 E3 Trailer BTS'']</ref> | ||
==Government and politics== | ==Government and politics== | ||