Template:Covenant Rank Infobox
The rank Supreme Commander is one of the highest Covenant Sangheili ranks. They command large fleets and armadas. Supreme Commander is likely lower in rank, compared to an Imperial Admiral.
For most of the Covenant's history, this rank was held by the Elite race until the Great Schism, when the Jiralhanae assumed most of the higher ranks.
Description
The Supreme Commander commands large Covenant fleets, such as the Fleet of Particular Justice, which was formerly led by Thel 'Vadam, before his failure caused his change of rank to Arbiter. Lesser fleets may be commanded by Fleet Masters, which are a lower rank than the Supreme Commander.
The particular Supreme Commander in the aforementioned text was a friend of, and yet superior to, Special Operations Commander Rtas 'Vadumee, and would later become the Arbiter.
During the Civil War of the Covenant, it is possible that Jiralhanae took these positions from the Sangheili, but none have ever been seen, as the majority of the other posts were taken over. However, some Elite Supreme Commanders may have escaped to fight the Brutes.[1]
Appearance
In the Halo Graphic Novel, Supreme Commander Thel 'Vadamee wore vivid purple armor with a oddly-shaped helmet (probably for ceremonial purposes) and a slightly darker-colored cloak that draped over the armor's shoulders. If observed closely, this peculiar helmet bears a resemblance to the helmet of the Sangheili Combat Harness depicted in Halo 3. Strangely, however, 'Vadamee did not wear this armor in the opening cutscene of Halo 2, but instead wore the golden armor of a standard Zealot. It has been suggested that 'Vadamee resigned from the position of Supreme Commander due to his failure to safeguard Installation 04, but this is apparently contradicted by his fierce claim that, "I will continue my campaign against the humans." (Indeed, whether it is even possible for a member of the Covenant military to resign from their position at will is unknown, particularly when that individual holds as lofty a rank as Supreme Commander). 'Vadamee may have chosen to wear this armor as a gesture of humility or shame toward the Hierarchs and the High Council in the face of his failure.
Trivia
- Thel 'Vadamee is the only known Supreme Commander to date.
- Supreme Commander may be a type of Zealot, as the term "Zealot" appears to be a blanket rank covering various positions. This theory is supported by the fact that 'Vadamee wore Zealot armor while standing trial in the Council Chamber,[2] though it does not explain why Supreme Commanders wear purple armor and cloaks while actually commanding their fleets.