Thel 'Vadam: Difference between revisions

In [[2535]], Thel was sent to [[Charybdis IX]] with command over the vessel ''Retribution's Thunder'' to participate in the [[Battle of Charybdis IX]], while being overseen by the [[Prophet of Regret|High Prophet of Regret]]. He and several other Sangheili boarded the {{UNSCShip|Do You Feel Lucky?}} and attempted to access the vessel's navigation database, but it had already been purged. He left and witnessed the destruction of the ship before being called to the ''[[Infinite Sacrifice]]'', where he met the Prophet of Regret in person. Regret informed him of humans reportedly wielding modified Covenant weapons, a transgression he believed to be the doing of the [[Kig-Yar]]. He was then sent to the [[23 Librae]] system to track down the source of the illegal weapons traders. For the mission, his ship was accompanied by the Kig-Yar vessel ''[[A Psalm Every Day]]'', commanded by Shipmistress Chur-R 'Mut and the Jiralhanae Chieftain Pellius.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 138-148''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 153''</ref>

Upon arriving at 23 Librae, Thel and his crew discovered the [[Rubble]], a collection of asteroid habitats built by Kig-Yar and Insurrectionist humans working together. Almost immediately afterward, the ''Thunder'' was attacked by ''A Psalm Every Day''; Pellius had decided to betray Thel so that he could claim sole credit for the discovery. Thel and his crew were taken by surprise, allowing the traitorous vessel's second salvo to disable the ''Thunder's'' weapons, communications and engines. ''A Psalm Every Day'' escaped while Kig-yar boarding craft and Spirits strafed the hull. Thel, increasingly frustrated, gave permission for his crew to abandon ship; this was a test to weed out the weaker Sangheili among his crew. Enemy Spirits destroyed the retreating craft in short order. Thel then ordered the destruction of the ''Retribution's Thunder'', which killed the boarding Kig-yar.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 155-163''</ref> Thel, however, survived and was captured, imprisoned on the Rubble along with most of the bridge crew. They ultimately managed to escape and hijack a [[Kig-yar shuttle]],<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 169-172''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 187-190''</ref> taking them to [[Unnamed Kig-yar transport|another Kig-yar vessel]]. On the surface of [[Metisette]], Thel captured the leader of the warband, [[Reth]].<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 194-203''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 214-217''</ref>

Escaping Reth's clandestine [[Unggoy]] army, Thel returned to the Kig-yar's vessel. Throughout the interrogation, the Sangheili were surprised by Reth's insistence that he was allying with the humans with the blessing of the [[Prophet of Truth|High Prophet of Truth]]. According to Reth, the sale of the contraband weapons was a bluff in order to locate human worlds through tracking devices implanted in the weapons.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 227-231''</ref> Reth eventually escaped when a loyal Grunt switched off his prison's energy barrier, fleeing via escape pod.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 235-237''</ref> Thel then turned his eyes to the Rubble, as a large skirmish between UNSC [[UNSC Midsummer Night|forces]] and Kig-yar forces was taking place on the ''[[Infinite Spoils]]''.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 251-252''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 268''</ref> The Sangheili and his crew boarded the ''Infinite Spoils'' and came face to face with [[Jai-006]], engaging him in a brief fight. The Spartan then fled the ship with the other UNSC forces. Thel, surprised at the strength of the human warrior, stayed behind and commandeered the ''Infinite Spoils''.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 273-276''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 281-282''</ref>

Thel managed to destroy most of the Rubble's [[mass driver]]s,<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 299-301''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 310''</ref> but was left helpless when [[The Redoubt]] was destroyed and [[Habitat Exodus]] left the system. There was little else to do but wait for the [[Hierarchs|High Prophets]] of [[Prophet of Truth|Truth]] and [[Prophet of Regret|Regret]] to arrive and recover him with his comrade, [[Zhar (Sangheili)|Zhar]].<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 329-330''</ref> Upon reporting the failure of the mission, Zhar attempted to kill the Prophets feeling helpless at the loss of his honor caused by the Prophet's scheming. Thel activated his energy sword and killed his friend without mercy.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 340-342''</ref> This act prompted Truth to spare his life, and he gave Thel command over a ship in the [[Fleet of Particular Justice]].<ref name="tcp349"/>

At some point between 2535 and 2552, Thel's exceptional leadership and combat prowess earned him the rank of [[Supreme Commander]] of the Fleet of Particular Justice. Sometime after this promotion he led the Covenant forces in the [[Battle of Camber]]. 'Vadamee and his fleet caught the UNSC forces completely unaware. He began his ground and orbital assault before most of the planet was aware of the attack. While 17 of his ships bombarded key defensive positions, 'Vadamee personally led an attack on the UNSC system headquarters. He first engaged the [[3rd Battalion Reserves]], who were caught completely unprepared. 'Vadamee ordered his men to wait for the humans to prepare to defend themselves before wiping out the entire unit.<ref name="h2at2">'''[[Halo 2 Anniversary]]''', ''[[Terminal/Halo 2 Anniversary|Terminal 2]]''</ref> Throughout his time as Supreme Commander he was also responsible for the glassing of [[Bounty]], [[Alluvion]], [[Mesa]], [[Greydowns]], [[Kroedis II]], and [[Estuary]]. He and his forces were responsible for over 1 billion human casualties—23,000 of them military personnel—and the destruction of 123 UNSC ships.<ref name="terminal 3"/> ONI [[ONI#Section Three|Section 3]] attempted to kill him at different times, but failed each time resulting in the deaths of several operatives.<ref name="a2at1">'''[[Halo 2 Anniversary]]''', ''[[Terminal/Halo 2 Anniversary|Terminal 1]]''</ref>

'Vadamee's first assignment as the Arbiter was to stop the [[Heretic]] uprising based on a [[Threshold gas mine|Forerunner gas mine]] in the atmosphere of [[Threshold]]. He was assisted by [[Rtas 'Vadumee]], [[Special Operations Elite]]s, and [[Special Operations Grunt]]s. The operation was complicated by the unexpected escape of the Flood from the facility. During the chaos that followed, the Heretic leader [[Sesa 'Refumee]] sealed himself in a protected zone of the station. The Arbiter drove the Heretics out by cutting the cables from which the facility hung, causing the gas mine to fall. After crashing his Banshee, the Arbiter fought his way through the Flood and surviving Heretics toward the station's hangar. Before Sesa 'Refumee could escape in a [[Seraph]], the Arbiter assassinated him, but not before the Heretic Leader revealed the source of his heresy. The Arbiter was surprised to discover that the Heretics had been aided by a Holy Oracle, the [[Monitor]] [[343 Guilty Spark]].

With the uprising suppressed, the Brute [[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae|Chieftain]] [[Tartarus]] extracted the Arbiter and used the [[Fist of Rukt]] to capture the Oracle. His actions, which involved throwing the Oracle into the [[Phantom]] recklessly, angered the Arbiter's religious sensibilities. With Tartarus, he left the gas mine via Phantom, as ''[[High Charity]]'' and the fleet departed the Threshold system.

The High Prophets, surprised by the fact that 'Vadamee had escaped from the gas mine, decided to send him to the "[[Quarantine Zone]]" on [[Installation 05]] to retrieve the [[Activation Index|"Sacred Icon"]]. This holy relic was needed to activate Delta Halo and begin the Great Journey. Before the mission, the Arbiter witnessed the [[Changing of the Guard|replacement]] of the [[Elite Honor Guards]] with [[Brute Honor Guard]]s as a result of Regret's assassination at the hands of the human [[Demon]]. Though distressed by change, and voicing his concerns to the Prophet of Truth, 'Vadamee made no further comment. Fighting his way through the [[Sentinel Wall]] (with a few surviving Grunts and Jackals) to deactivate the [[Library]]'s [[quarantine shield]], he made his way on foot, aided by Rtas 'Vadumee and his Special Operations forces.

The Arbiter proceeded into the Library, encountering the remains of a battle between [[UNSC Marine Corps|UNSC Marines]], [[Sentinel]]s and [[Flood combat form]]s, and witnessed [[Miranda Keyes|Commander Miranda Keyes]] and [[Avery Johnson|Sergeant Johnson]] retrieving the Index. Using his armor's active camouflage, he approached Johnson and Keyes. Attacking while cloaked, 'Vadamee surprised Johnson, knocking him unconscious with a headbutt. Keyes attempted to shoot Thel, but was quickly disarmed and captured. Tartarus then arrived and captured Keyes by using his hammer's gravity manipulation abilities, claiming the Index for himself. Tartarus informed Thel about the Brutes' intended genocide of the increasingly incompetent Elites, an act sanctioned by the High Prophets themselves. The Chieftain then knocked the stunned Arbiter into a pit leading to the depths of Installation 05.

Observing first hand the results of the Prophets' betrayal, the Arbiter joined forces with a band of Special Operations Commandos. This small unit wasted little time in massacring the Brutes responsible for executing the Sangheili's Councilors. Eventually, Thel met Rtas 'Vadumee, joining forces to reach a [[Type-47 Ultra Heavy Assault Platform|Scarab]]. Near the Scarab, the Arbiter managed to rescue several separatist prisoners, as well as a group of UNSC Marines including Sergeant Avery Johnson.

Johnson negotiated a tenuous alliance with the Arbiter in order to prevent Tartarus from activating Installation 05. Given the extreme danger posed by the ring, they both agreed that Tartarus  had to be stopped at all costs. Johnson led the offensive, using a captured Scarab to eliminate ground units while Thel provided air support with a Banshee. Together, they punched a hole through loyalist lines and reached the Control Room of Installation 05.

'Vadamee fought several Honor Guard Brutes before facing Tartarus, who had forced Miranda Keyes to activate Installation 05. Attempting to open Tartarus' eyes, Thel asked [[343 Guilty Spark]] what Halo's true purpose was. The Monitor replied that the Halos were built "to destroy all sentient life within three radii of the galactic core," as a weapon of last resort against the Flood. The Forerunners had not transcended into gods, but rather died as a final sacrifice to ensure the defeat of the ancient parasite.  

After Tartarus' defeat on Delta Halo, 'Vadamee officially changed his surname to "'Vadam", symbolizing his resignation from the Covenant; the rest of the Elites followed suit.

Upon arriving on [[Earth]] with Johnson, 'Vadam and several of his allies discovered the Master Chief's point of impact after his escape from Truth's Dreadnought. When John regained consciousness, he attempted to kill 'Vadam with Johnson's [[M6G Personal Defense Weapon System|sidearm]]. Johnson quickly informed the Spartan that the surviving Elites had allied with humanity after the Chief's last encounter with them. The Chief took Johnson's word, and 'Vadam assisted the Master Chief through the jungles near [[Mount Kilimanjaro]], guiding him through the dense forest to the [[A2 Hydroelectric Facility|dam site]]. He then aided the Chief and the other UNSC forces during the defense of [[Crow's Nest]] from Truth's forces.

Thel rejoined John-117 at the docks, shortly after the Master Chief cleared the road to Voi of Covenant loyalists. The two then attacked a section of the Covenant mechanized presence defending the area around the [[Portal at Voi|Forerunner Portal]]. Opening a hole in the Covenant anti-air defenses, [[Terrence Hood|Lord Hood]]'s remaining ships assaulted the Prophet of Truth's [[Forerunner Dreadnought]]. The airstrike was insufficient to destroy the ancient Keyship, and the activated artifact formed an enormous [[slipspace portal]] through which Truth and the Covenant fleet retreated. Before Lord Hood could consolidate the scattered human resistance, a [[Unidentified Flood-captured battlecruiser|Flood-infested Covenant cruiser]] transitioned out of Slipspace and crashed into the city, infesting a significant area in and around Voi.

The Arbiter and the Master Chief proceeded to cauterize the local area of the Flood, battling their way to the cruiser to overload the crashed ship's engines and destroy the source of the infestation. They were aided by a handful of surviving Marines and Sangheili Special Operations unit led by Ship Master Rtas 'Vadum. From his newly-arrived Sangheili comrades, 'Vadam learned of the fall of ''High Charity'' and how a single cruiser had escaped the station's blockade. The Arbiter assisted the Chief in clearing a path to the crashed cruiser. After the Spartan retrieved [[Cortana]] from the wreckage, Rtas 'Vadum's fleet glassed Voi and the surrounding area to prevent the Flood from spreading. Thel proved instrumental in moderating tensions between humanity and Sangheili, as the two races that had only recently been dedicated to each others' destruction. While Rtas 'Vadam callously advocated for the glassing of Earth to contain the Flood, Thel argued for a surgical strike on the landmass surrounding Voi.

With the destruction of the Covenant loyalist fleet, Rtas 'Vadum's carrier positioned itself near the Ark's [[Installation 00 Citadel|Citadel]] - where Truth planned to remotely activate the rings. Commander Keyes led a three-pronged assault on the shield generators protecting Truth's citadel. After Sergeant Major Johnson failed to deactivate the third generator due to heavy resistance, the Arbiter landed his forces at the third tower to deactivate the final generator and shut down the barrier.  

[[File:Thel Ealen IV.png|thumb|250px|Thel 'Vadam slays a [[Kig-Yar]] [[Kig-Yar Sniper|sniper]] during the battle on [[Ealen IV]].]]

In [[2558]], Thel 'Vadam decided to enter into negotiations with the Jiralhanae, with the UNSC ''Infinity'' being assigned to escort him. On March 5, 'Vadam met with Lord Hood and the [[Jiralhanae Chieftain]] [[Lydus]] on [[Ealen IV]]. During the negotiations, [[Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group|Covenant mercenaries]] led by [[Vata 'Gajat|Shipmaster 'Gajat]] attacked the delegates. [[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[Thomas Lasky]], [[Sarah Palmer|Commander Sarah Palmer]], and the [[SPARTAN-IV Program|Spartan-IVs]] defended the delegation and evacuated them from the chamber. Lydus accused 'Vadam of betraying him, but Thel reassured him that he had no part in the attack as he killed a Kig-Yar sniper attempting to assassinate Lydus. When their evacuation ship was destroyed, the security detail proceeded to escort the delegates to a nearby parts depot.<ref>'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 1|Issue #1]]''</ref>

Thel, like most Sangheili, held an obsession with honor and tradition for most of his adult life. However, he was more flexible than his peers when it came to the tactics that he used, and in particular showed a keen interest in human weapons even before the Great Schism. His worldview changed greatly during the Great Schism. While once zealous and unquestioningly obedient to the Prophets' will, after learning of the true nature of the Halo rings, he became more open-minded and accepting of the humans, his former enemies. His experiences as Arbiter also made him more pragmatic than most Sangheili, being willing to accept help from the UNSC in fending off an assault on [[Vadam keep|his keep]]. He has shown to be true to his title "Arbiter", and sometimes tries to negotiate with his enemies, such as Drones during the battle of Earth.

After the Battle of Installation 04, he was ashamed for his failure at Halo, and wished only to regain his honor before dying for the Prophets. He remained stubbornly attached to his faith even after the betrayal of Tartarus and his encounter with the Gravemind. However, when he heard the truth of the Sacred Rings from 343 Guilty Spark, he finally accepted the truth surrounding the Great Journey. Following his betrayal by the Prophets, Thel developed an intense hatred of San'Shyuum. Despite this, Thel was gracious enough to attempt to reason with the Brute Chieftain [[Tartarus]] in [[Control Room (Installation 05)|Installation 05's Control Room]].