Thel 'Vadam: Difference between revisions

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|mass={{Convert|319|lb|kg}}<ref name="ENC"/><ref name="VIS"/>

|eyes=Orange

|affiliation=*[[Covenant ~~Empire~~]] (~~formerly~~)

|affiliation=*[[Covenant]] (former)

*[[Sangheili~~|Sanghelios government]]~~

*UNSC-friendly Sangheili

|rank=[[Arbiter]]

|notable=[[Supreme Commander]], [[Fleet of Particular Justice]] (~~formerly~~)

|notable=[[Supreme Commander]], [[Fleet of Particular Justice]] (former)

}}

{{Quote|Were it so easy.|Common expression used by Thel 'Vadam<ref>'''Halo 3'''</ref>}}

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The Hierarchs, however, had a different fate in mind for Thel. Upon being brought before the Prophets of Truth and [[Prophet of Mercy|Mercy]], Thel was offered the choice of becoming the new [[Arbiter]]. Understanding that the office of Arbiter was itself a death sentence and seeking to regain his honor, Thel accepted.<ref name="thearbiter"/>

===~~Gas Mine~~===

===Threshold gas mine===

[[File:1223223455 Arby helmet.jpg|thumb|250px|'Vadamee wearing the Arbiter helmet for the first time.]]

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Despite his former hatred for humans, Thel has displayed great respect for some, even former battlefield foes. Presumably due to the role Johnson played in his killing of Tartarus, Thel respected him greatly and grieved his death, expressing sorrow to the Master Chief, but promising that his sacrifice wouldn't be in vain. Despite initially hating the Master Chief greatly for destroying Installation 04 and being the "Demon" of the Covenant who killed so many soldiers, the Arbiter came to greatly respect and trust the Chief. The Chief helped convince him of the truth of the Great Journey and they fought together against the Covenant and Truth. Together they defeated Truth and deactivated the Halo Array. When the Master Chief went to rescue Cortana and activate [[Installation 04B]], Thel remained behind to help him and shared a nod of respect with him when it was over. Even though the Master Chief was believed to be dead, Thel showed disbelief in this presumption, knowing how hard it is to kill him and how great of a warrior he is.

~~==Combat==~~

~~{{Quote|Cursed parasite! Rise up and I shall kill you -- again and again!|Thel 'Vadam to the Flood}}~~

~~[[File:1223857594 Arby3.jpg|thumb|250px|'Vadam taunting his enemies to attack.]]~~

Thel 'Vadam is approximately seven feet and ten inches, and possesses large four-fingered hands. Because of this, Thel struggles to hold guns such as Magnums or Plasma Pistols. In ''Halo 2'', numerous small graphical and gameplay differences exist between the Arbiter and the Master Chief. When playing as the Arbiter, the Chief's flashlight is replaced by an Active Camouflage feature, exclusive to ''Halo 2''; due to the antiquated armor of the Arbiter, the camouflage does not last forever -- it lasts for ten seconds on [[Easy]] and [[Normal]] difficulties, and five seconds on [[Heroic]] and [[Legendary]] difficulties. The Arbiter bleeds purple blood instead of red, and his [[heads-up display]] is sleeker. The Arbiter's HUD is also a purple color, rather than the Spartan blue; in ''Halo 3'' it is teal and is presented in a more curved fashion than Player One's. Player Three and Four's HUDs are also more curved as they too are Elites. In ''Halo 2'', the sound his shield makes when it is depleted is different from that of the Master Chief's. In ''Halo 3'', he still has Active Camouflage, but it is only illustrated in the first cutscene of the game and to elude enemies -- it cannot be used when playing as the Arbiter. He has a flashlight on his left shoulder in ''Halo 3'', which can be used by players in [[Co-op]].

The Arbiter is very experienced at combat, as shown by his relatively extensive knowledge of every weapon and vehicle -- the Arbiter [[Halo 2: Special Collector's Edition Manual|expressed]] a desire to understand human weapons even before his alliance with the UNSC. His most commonly used weapons are the Plasma Rifle, Energy Sword, and the Carbine; however, if the Arbiter character is being used in Co-Op [[Campaign]], he can wield any weapon the player chooses -- the Plasma Rifle, Energy Sword, and Carbine would only be level-start weapons.

In ''Halo 3'', the Arbiter is a very useful ally against the Flood when he has his Energy Sword out, but when fighting Covenant forces on his own on Heroic and Legendary, the NPC Arbiter tends to be knocked out frequently, for long periods of time, especially on Legendary. This is mostly due to his tendency to lead suicidal charges with his Energy Sword, despite the enemy's great distance from him, another example of the Sangheili code of honor getting in the way. However, he is useful on Normal and Easy. Also note that when given a [[Missile Pod]] (using the support weapon glitch, or putting it by his unconscious body) the missiles will lock onto enemy NPCs.

~~==Reception==~~

~~[[File:Arbyterr.JPG|thumb|250px|'Vadam in the ''Halo 3'' instruction manual.]]~~

Reception to Thel 'Vadam's inclusion within the [[Halo series]] has been mixed both critically and by fans. The image that [[Bungie]] produced for the marketing of ''[[Halo 2]]'' prior to its release was one featuring [[John-117]] defending fighting the [[Covenant]] on [[Earth]]. Once the game was released, this was shown to be the case until the level, [[The Arbiter (level)|The Arbiter]], when the player abruptly took the role of the [[Arbiter]] of the Covenant. While many review publications praised the added dimension towards the Covenant and increased the complexity of the plot<ref name="Eurogamer.net">[http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/better-than-halo-the-making-of-halo-2-article '''Eurogamer.net:''' ''Better Than Halo: The Making of Halo 2'']</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070706132208/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo2/spotlight14.htm '''Xbox.com''':''"The Big One"'']</ref>, this decision still had its fair share of critics. Many fans of the series and critics were displeased with the abrupt switch in character or thought its execution was poor.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20041211022905/http://www.teamfremont.com/reviews/Halo2.shtml '''Teamfremont.com''': ''Halo 2'']</ref> Some believed it ultimately distracted the player from Earth's fate.<ref>[http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox/action/halo2/review.html?page=2 '''GamespotUK.com''': Halo 2 Review]</ref>

Responding to some of the negative backlash, Bungie decided not to include levels designed solely from Thel 'Vadam's perspective into ''[[Halo 3]]'', though he was retained as a playable character for [[Cooperative play|co-op]] [[campaign]].<ref> ''[[Halo 3]]'' Campaign </ref> However, this decision also received a mixed reception from fans and critics. Some believed that the exclusion of Thel 'Vadam as a main playable character greatly diminished the [[Sangheili]]'s role in the plot, and as a result, erased what might have been an incredibly interesting addition to ''Halo 3''.<ref>[http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/821/821911p1.html '''Ign.com:''' ''Halo 3 Review'']</ref><ref>[http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Xbox-360-Halo-3-Campaign-Review-6543.html '''Cinemablend.com''': ''Xbox 360: Halo 3 Campaign Review'']</ref> While others believed Thel 'Vadam was much more likable as a secondary character.<ref>[http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/reviews/1609/Halo_3.html '''G4tv.com:''' ''Halo 3 Review - Xbox 360'']</ref>

Bungie developers have commented on some of the negative backlash towards the use of Thel 'Vadam in the Halo series. [[Jaime Griesemer]] stated "I'd much rather experiment and do something surprising, and not have everybody appreciate it, than just turn the crank and do another alien war movie with a space marine,". Community lead [[Brian Jarrard]] attributed some of the fan backlash to a discord between the game's marketing and the actual gameplay. "I think, even more so than playing as the Arbiter, the thing that people were disappointed with and angry about is that they were promised this experience, through the marketing, of being really backs against the wall, Earth's under siege, we're going to do all we can to save our home planet... In reality, the game only had two missions that actually did that." Referring to Halo 2's cliffhanger ending, Griesemer said, "I think if we'd been able to finish that last couple of missions and get you properly back on Earth, a lot of the reaction would have been placated."<ref name="Eurogamer.net"/>

Thel 'Vadam is included in MSNBC's list of the "Top 5 Best Aliens in Video Games."<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26016023?pg=2#games_top5_080805_Aliens|MSNBC "Top 5 best aliens in video games"]</ref>

~~==Production notes==~~

The original title for the character was "the Dervish", a title from the Sufi sect of Islam, but was changed to avoid overt parallels with the Muslim world.<ref>[http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17985 '''Gamasutra''': ''Q&A: Englobe's Edwards Talks Gaming's "Geocultural Risks"'']</ref>

{{Quote|During the geocultural review of ''Halo 2'' ’s content, the original name for the Arbiter character -- Dervish -- was identified as a potential problem. Out of context, the name ‘Dervish’ wasn’t too sensitive as it’s a title from the Sufi sect of Islam. However, within the game’s context this Islamic-related name of ‘Dervish’ set up a potentially problematic allegory related to ''Halo 2'' ’s plot -- the U.S.-like forces (Master Chief/Sarge) versus Islam (the religious Covenant, which already had a “Prophet of Truth” which is one synonym for Mohammed). Mind you, this was not too long after 9/11 so the sensitivity to such issues remained high. In the end, the character name was changed to ‘Arbiter’ -- which in my opinion worked much better for the character’s role in the narrative.|Tom Edwards, geographer and geocultural consultant.}}

Prior to the release of ''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]'', there was much speculation on the exact identity of the Arbiter before he was forced to accept the rank. Some believed him to be [[Orna 'Fulsamee]], the shipmaster of a [[Covenant destroyer]] in the Fleet of Particular Justice, pointing out his apparent considerable authority over the fleet and the fact that a Prophet traveled aboard his ship. Others insisted that the Special Operations Commando that the Master Chief wounded in hand-to-hand combat aboard the ''Ascendant Justice'' was the Arbiter, given that the ''Ascendant Justice'' was described as a Flagship. The fact that the Supreme Commander was shown in the ''Halo Graphic Novel'' to use the Flagship ''Seeker of Truth'', and not the ''Ascendant Justice'', did not do anything to quell the speculation until the release of Tobias Buckell's novel four years after the revelation of the character, which even then made only a single reference at the very end of the story to the fact that the Elite the plot had been following for the entire book had been promoted to Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice.

It wasn't until later videos on ''Halo Waypoint'' that the Arbiter was explicitly identified as Thel 'Vadam. ''Glasslands'' marks the first time he's referred to as the Arbiter in a book.{{Citation needed}}

==Trivia==

*Thel 'Vadam is voiced by [[Keith David]].

*The original title for the character was "the Dervish", a title from the Sufi sect of Islam, but was changed to avoid overt parallels with the Muslim world. Ultimately, it was decided that "Arbiter" was more thematically suitable for his character arc.<ref>[http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17985 '''Gamasutra''': ''Q&A: Englobe's Edwards Talks Gaming's "Geocultural Risks"'']</ref>

*When the Arbiter activates his Active Camouflage in ''Halo 2'', his eyes will remain visible. This is visible only on Co-Op.

*He is one of the few Sangheili to refer to John-117 as "Spartan". Even during and after the [[Great Schism]], many still refer to him as the Demon (though some, notably, adopt 343 Guilty Spark's designation for him - [[Reclaimer]]). Rtas 'Vadum also holds this distinction. Thel has also called him the Master Chief.

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File:H2-ArbiterThelVadamRifle.png|Thel 'Vadam aiming a Particle Beam Rifle in ''Halo 2''.

File:Arbiter.JPG|'Vadam, commonly known as the Arbiter, stands with [[Usze ‘Taham]] and John-117.

File:1223857594 Arby3.jpg|'Vadam taunting his enemies to attack.

File:Supremecommander.jpg|Thel 'Vadamee in his Supreme Commander cloak.

File:CouncilsScorn01.jpg|Thel 'Vadam before receiving the Mark of Shame and becoming the Arbiter.

Thel 'Vadam: Difference between revisions

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@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 |mass={{Convert|319|lb|kg}}<ref name="ENC"/><ref name="VIS"/>
 |eyes=Orange
-|affiliation=*[[Covenant Empire]] <small>(formerly)</small>
+|affiliation=*[[Covenant]] <small>(former)</small>
-*[[Sangheili|Sanghelios government]]
+*UNSC-friendly Sangheili
 |rank=[[Arbiter]]
-|notable=[[Supreme Commander]], [[Fleet of Particular Justice]] <small>(formerly)</small>
+|notable=[[Supreme Commander]], [[Fleet of Particular Justice]] <small>(former)</small>
 }}
 {{Quote|Were it so easy.|Common expression used by Thel 'Vadam<ref>'''Halo 3'''</ref>}}
@@ Line 56: / Line 56: @@
 The Hierarchs, however, had a different fate in mind for Thel. Upon being brought before the Prophets of Truth and [[Prophet of Mercy|Mercy]], Thel was offered the choice of becoming the new [[Arbiter]]. Understanding that the office of Arbiter was itself a death sentence and seeking to regain his honor, Thel accepted.<ref name="thearbiter"/>
-===Gas Mine===
+===Threshold gas mine===
 [[File:1223223455 Arby helmet.jpg|thumb|250px|'Vadamee wearing the Arbiter helmet for the first time.]]
 {{Main|Raid on the Threshold gas mine}}
@@ Line 171: / Line 171: @@
 Despite his former hatred for humans, Thel has displayed great respect for some, even former battlefield foes. Presumably due to the role Johnson played in his killing of Tartarus, Thel respected him greatly and grieved his death, expressing sorrow to the Master Chief, but promising that his sacrifice wouldn't be in vain. Despite initially hating the Master Chief greatly for destroying Installation 04 and being the "Demon" of the Covenant who killed so many soldiers, the Arbiter came to greatly respect and trust the Chief. The Chief helped convince him of the truth of the Great Journey and they fought together against the Covenant and Truth. Together they defeated Truth and deactivated the Halo Array. When the Master Chief went to rescue Cortana and activate [[Installation 04B]], Thel remained behind to help him and shared a nod of respect with him when it was over. Even though the Master Chief was believed to be dead, Thel showed disbelief in this presumption, knowing how hard it is to kill him and how great of a warrior he is.
-==Combat==
-{{Quote|Cursed parasite! Rise up and I shall kill you -- again and again!|Thel 'Vadam to the Flood}}
-[[File:1223857594 Arby3.jpg|thumb|250px|'Vadam taunting his enemies to attack.]]
-Thel 'Vadam is approximately seven feet and ten inches, and possesses large four-fingered hands. Because of this, Thel struggles to hold guns such as Magnums or Plasma Pistols. In ''Halo 2'', numerous small graphical and gameplay differences exist between the Arbiter and the Master Chief. When playing as the Arbiter, the Chief's flashlight is replaced by an Active Camouflage feature, exclusive to ''Halo 2''; due to the antiquated armor of the Arbiter, the camouflage does not last forever -- it lasts for ten seconds on [[Easy]] and [[Normal]] difficulties, and five seconds on [[Heroic]] and [[Legendary]] difficulties. The Arbiter bleeds purple blood instead of red, and his [[heads-up display]] is sleeker. The Arbiter's HUD is also a purple color, rather than the Spartan blue; in ''Halo 3'' it is teal and is presented in a more curved fashion than Player One's. Player Three and Four's HUDs are also more curved as they too are Elites. In ''Halo 2'', the sound his shield makes when it is depleted is different from that of the Master Chief's. In ''Halo 3'', he still has Active Camouflage, but it is only illustrated in the first cutscene of the game and to elude enemies -- it cannot be used when playing as the Arbiter. He has a flashlight on his left shoulder in ''Halo 3'', which can be used by players in [[Co-op]].
-The Arbiter is very experienced at combat, as shown by his relatively extensive knowledge of every weapon and vehicle -- the Arbiter [[Halo 2: Special Collector's Edition Manual|expressed]] a desire to understand human weapons even before his alliance with the UNSC. His most commonly used weapons are the Plasma Rifle, Energy Sword, and the Carbine; however, if the Arbiter character is being used in Co-Op [[Campaign]], he can wield any weapon the player chooses -- the Plasma Rifle, Energy Sword, and Carbine would only be level-start weapons.
-In ''Halo 3'', the Arbiter is a very useful ally against the Flood when he has his Energy Sword out, but when fighting Covenant forces on his own on Heroic and Legendary, the NPC Arbiter tends to be knocked out frequently, for long periods of time, especially on Legendary. This is mostly due to his tendency to lead suicidal charges with his Energy Sword, despite the enemy's great distance from him, another example of the Sangheili code of honor getting in the way. However, he is useful on Normal and Easy. Also note that when given a [[Missile Pod]] (using the support weapon glitch, or putting it by his unconscious body) the missiles will lock onto enemy NPCs.
-==Reception==
-[[File:Arbyterr.JPG|thumb|250px|'Vadam in the ''Halo 3'' instruction manual.]]
-Reception to Thel 'Vadam's inclusion within the [[Halo series]] has been mixed both critically and by fans. The image that [[Bungie]] produced for the marketing of ''[[Halo 2]]'' prior to its release was one featuring [[John-117]] defending fighting the [[Covenant]] on [[Earth]]. Once the game was released, this was shown to be the case until the level, [[The Arbiter (level)|The Arbiter]], when the player abruptly took the role of the [[Arbiter]] of the Covenant. While many review publications praised the added dimension towards the Covenant and increased the complexity of the plot<ref name="Eurogamer.net">[http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/better-than-halo-the-making-of-halo-2-article '''Eurogamer.net:''' ''Better Than Halo: The Making of Halo 2'']</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070706132208/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo2/spotlight14.htm  '''Xbox.com''':''"The Big One"'']</ref>, this decision still had its fair share of critics. Many fans of the series and critics were displeased with the abrupt switch in character or thought its execution was poor.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20041211022905/http://www.teamfremont.com/reviews/Halo2.shtml '''Teamfremont.com''': ''Halo 2'']</ref> Some believed it ultimately distracted the player from Earth's fate.<ref>[http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox/action/halo2/review.html?page=2 '''GamespotUK.com''': Halo 2 Review]</ref>
-Responding to some of the negative backlash, Bungie decided not to include levels designed solely from Thel 'Vadam's perspective into ''[[Halo 3]]'', though he was retained as a playable character for [[Cooperative play|co-op]] [[campaign]].<ref> ''[[Halo 3]]'' Campaign </ref> However, this decision also received a mixed reception from fans and critics. Some believed that the exclusion of Thel 'Vadam as a main playable character greatly diminished the [[Sangheili]]'s role in the plot, and as a result, erased what might have been an incredibly interesting addition to ''Halo 3''.<ref>[http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/821/821911p1.html '''Ign.com:''' ''Halo 3 Review'']</ref><ref>[http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Xbox-360-Halo-3-Campaign-Review-6543.html '''Cinemablend.com''': ''Xbox 360: Halo 3 Campaign Review'']</ref> While others believed Thel 'Vadam was much more likable as a secondary character.<ref>[http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/reviews/1609/Halo_3.html '''G4tv.com:''' ''Halo 3 Review - Xbox 360'']</ref>
-Bungie developers have commented on some of the negative backlash towards the use of Thel 'Vadam in the Halo series. [[Jaime Griesemer]] stated "I'd much rather experiment and do something surprising, and not have everybody appreciate it, than just turn the crank and do another alien war movie with a space marine,". Community lead [[Brian Jarrard]] attributed some of the fan backlash to a discord between the game's marketing and the actual gameplay. "I think, even more so than playing as the Arbiter, the thing that people were disappointed with and angry about is that they were promised this experience, through the marketing, of being really backs against the wall, Earth's under siege, we're going to do all we can to save our home planet... In reality, the game only had two missions that actually did that." Referring to Halo 2's cliffhanger ending, Griesemer said, "I think if we'd been able to finish that last couple of missions and get you properly back on Earth, a lot of the reaction would have been placated."<ref name="Eurogamer.net"/>
-Thel 'Vadam is included in MSNBC's list of the "Top 5 Best Aliens in Video Games."<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26016023?pg=2#games_top5_080805_Aliens|MSNBC "Top 5 best aliens in video games"]</ref>
-==Production notes==
-The original title for the character was "the Dervish", a title from the Sufi sect of Islam, but was changed to avoid overt parallels with the Muslim world.<ref>[http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17985 '''Gamasutra''': ''Q&A: Englobe's Edwards Talks Gaming's "Geocultural Risks"'']</ref>
-{{Quote|During the geocultural review of ''Halo 2'' ’s content, the original name for the Arbiter character -- Dervish -- was identified as a potential problem. Out of context, the name ‘Dervish’ wasn’t too sensitive as it’s a title from the Sufi sect of Islam. However, within the game’s context this Islamic-related name of ‘Dervish’ set up a potentially problematic allegory related to ''Halo 2'' ’s plot -- the U.S.-like forces (Master Chief/Sarge) versus Islam (the religious Covenant, which already had a “Prophet of Truth” which is one synonym for Mohammed).<br>Mind you, this was not too long after 9/11 so the sensitivity to such issues remained high. In the end, the character name was changed to ‘Arbiter’ -- which in my opinion worked much better for the character’s role in the narrative.|Tom Edwards, geographer and geocultural consultant.}}
-Prior to the release of ''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]'', there was much speculation on the exact identity of the Arbiter before he was forced to accept the rank. Some believed him to be [[Orna 'Fulsamee]], the shipmaster of a [[Covenant destroyer]] in the Fleet of Particular Justice, pointing out his apparent considerable authority over the fleet and the fact that a Prophet traveled aboard his ship. Others insisted that the Special Operations Commando that the Master Chief wounded in hand-to-hand combat aboard the ''Ascendant Justice'' was the Arbiter, given that the ''Ascendant Justice'' was described as a Flagship. The fact that the Supreme Commander was shown in the ''Halo Graphic Novel'' to use the Flagship ''Seeker of Truth'', and not the ''Ascendant Justice'', did not do anything to quell the speculation until the release of Tobias Buckell's novel four years after the revelation of the character, which even then made only a single reference at the very end of the story to the fact that the Elite the plot had been following for the entire book had been promoted to Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice.
-It wasn't until later videos on ''Halo Waypoint'' that the Arbiter was explicitly identified as Thel 'Vadam. ''Glasslands'' marks the first time he's referred to as the Arbiter in a book.{{Citation needed}}
 ==Trivia==
 {{Linkbox|gallery=yes|quote=yes}}
 *Thel 'Vadam is voiced by [[Keith David]].
+*The original title for the character was "the Dervish", a title from the Sufi sect of Islam, but was changed to avoid overt parallels with the Muslim world. Ultimately, it was decided that "Arbiter" was more thematically suitable for his character arc.<ref>[http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17985 '''Gamasutra''': ''Q&A: Englobe's Edwards Talks Gaming's "Geocultural Risks"'']</ref>
 *When the Arbiter activates his Active Camouflage in ''Halo 2'', his eyes will remain visible. This is visible only on Co-Op.
 *He is one of the few Sangheili to refer to John-117 as "Spartan". Even during and after the [[Great Schism]], many still refer to him as the Demon (though some, notably, adopt 343 Guilty Spark's designation for him - [[Reclaimer]]). Rtas 'Vadum also holds this distinction. Thel has also called him the Master Chief.
@@ Line 222: / Line 195: @@
 File:H2-ArbiterThelVadamRifle.png|Thel 'Vadam aiming a Particle Beam Rifle in ''Halo 2''.
 File:Arbiter.JPG|'Vadam, commonly known as the Arbiter, stands with [[Usze ‘Taham]] and John-117.
+File:1223857594 Arby3.jpg|'Vadam taunting his enemies to attack.
 File:Supremecommander.jpg|Thel 'Vadamee in his Supreme Commander cloak.
 File:CouncilsScorn01.jpg|Thel 'Vadam before receiving the Mark of Shame and becoming the Arbiter.