Great Schism: Difference between revisions

*[[2552#November|November 3, 2552]]–[[2552#December|December 11, 2552]]{{Ref/Note|The massacre of the Sangheili on Earth on October 20, 2552 (witnessed in ''Halo 3: ODST'') is regarded as an isolated incident leading up to the Schism, whereas the conflict at large is considered to have begun with the Sangheili's banishment from the Honor Guard and the subsequent outbreak of all-out hostilities within High Charity and its fleets on November 2.}}

The '''Great Schism''',<ref name="GoO">'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''', ''page 240''</ref> also known as the '''Covenant Schism''',<ref name="GoO245">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 245''</ref>  was a major civil war between the forces loyal to the [[Covenant]] (led by the [[San'Shyuum]] and the [[Jiralhanae]]) against the [[Covenant separatists]] (composed of the [[Sangheili]] and their followers), which split apart on [[2552#November|November 3, 2552]]. Battles during the Schism took place all throughout Covenant space, most prominently on [[High Charity]], the heart of the alien empire. The [[Flood]] additionally played a tertiary role, when they took over the holy city in an effort to assimilate the other warring factions. The deciding battles were fought between the Sangheili [[Fleet of Retribution]] allied with the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] against the [[High Prophet of Truth|High Prophet of Truth]] and his remnants of the Covenant on the [[Installation 00|Ark]]. The Schism marked both the end of the Covenant and the partition of its client species for a thousand years.{{Ref/Reuse|GoO245}} For the UNSC, it served as a major turning point that led to the [[Battle of Installation 00|end of the war]] after their [[Fall of Reach|disastrous defeat on Reach]].

On October 20, the [[Prophet of Regret|High Prophet of Regret]] made a move the High Prophet of Truth did not expect: having discovered a significant [[Forerunner]] [[Portal at Voi|artifact]] on Earth on his own, but unaware of the fact it was humanity's homeworld, he took [[Fleet of Sacred Consecration|a fleet]] of fifteen ships to Earth.{{Ref/Reuse|oct20}} Immediately after Truth learned of this, he sent the remnants of the fleet he had amassed to Earth; he gave his Jiralhanae troops orders to forcibly overtake the Sangheili in command of the remaining forces on and above Earth. To Regret's surprise, Earth was the human homeworld, resulting in a [[Battle of Mombasa|massive battle]] forcing him to flee. When Regret retreated from Earth, his Sangheili-led ships in orbit and ground forces continued to engage the [[United Nations Space Command]] without a leader. Moments after, the Jiralhanae forces within the fleet and on the ground discretely killed all remaining Sangheili on Earth,<ref name="odst">'''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''', campaign level ''[[Coastal Highway]]''</ref> as Truth had ordered. They took over the Sangheili's duties to occupy the human city of [[New Mombasa]] until more Jiralhanae reinforcements sent by Truth arrived. As [[High Charity]] and the rest of the [[Covenant fleet]] were on their way to the newly discovered [[Halo Array|Halo]] [[Installation 05]], Delta Halo, the murder of these Sangheili ground forces remained secret from the rest of the Covenant.  

Regret arrived at Delta Halo weeks before High Charity and the rest of the Covenant, and indirectly served yet another purpose for Truth plan: to scapegoat the Sangheili.{{Ref/Reuse|oct20}} With the arrival of the {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}} commanded by Commander [[Miranda Keyes]] on Delta Halo, the UNSC managed to [[Battle of Installation 05|assassinate the Prophet of Regret]] after they got the intel they needed, with [[Spartan-II|Spartan]] [[John-117]] set to carry out this task.{{clear}}

[[File:H2A Beamish cameo.jpg|thumb|250px|Kig-Yar and Unggoy protest on High Charity.]]

Word of the massacred Sangheili Councilors immediately spread and was perceived as an insurrection against the Covenant to the Sangheili. The Jiralhanae and other loyalists were led to believe it was a Sangheili revolt, rejecting the Jiralhanae's newly elevated status,{{Ref/Book|Halo Envoy}} and were ordered to exterminate the entire Sangheili species and kill all of them on sight.{{Ref/Book|Id=TEVG|Halo: The Essential Visual Guide|Page=25|Quote=...when the High Prophet of Truth appointed the Brutes for his own security, proclaiming the Elites to be heretics deserving extermination.}} After the slaughter of the Councilors, war and violence broke out on High Charity, with the two sides polarizing quickly. Video messages of the various massacres were sent to all Sangheili forces,<ref>[[Halo: Evolutions]] [[The Return]] (Motion Comic) - "We were scouting for humans when the message came in. I could not comprehend what I was seeing. Our betrayal by the Prophets. The Slaughter of our leaders."</ref> resulting in the entire species learning that they had been forced out of the Covenant.<ref name="Elites">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/jiralhanae  Canon Fodder] - "The resulting conflict would be called the Great Schism, and it would divide the Covenant into two, ultimately forcing the Sangheili out."</ref>  

[[File:H2A-Brutes vs Elites.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Former Sangheili Honor Guards fight with the Jiralhanae on High Charity.]]

The ships within the [[High Charity defense fleet]] began shooting each other down while gunfire erupted aboard the interior High Charity. At the front lines of the conflict, the species of the Covenant took distinct sides. Those who followed the High Prophets included all San'Shyuum and Jiralhanae (with a [[Zo Resken|few]] [[Piety|exceptions]]),<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 55''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Broken Circle'''</ref> many [[Kig-Yar]] and [[Yanme'e]], some Unggoy, and a few Mgalekgolo. The forces allied with all the Sangheili consisted of many Mgalekgolo, Unggoy and [[Huragok]].<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions''', "[[Wages of Sin]]", ''page 509''</ref>

The [[Prophet of Exquisite Devotion]] who had been torturing Sangheili, discovered that the [[Zo Resken|Prophet of Clarity]] was attempting to aid them. Devotion then attempted to have Clarity executed for [[heresy|treason]]. However, a group of Sangheili led by G'torik 'Klemmee arrived and rescued the Prophet of Clarity—killing Exquisite Devotion in the process.<ref>'''Halo: Broken Circle''', ''page 242''</ref>  After the Sangheili-led and Jiralhanae-led forces fought each other in High Charity for several hours, [[Flood]] infected [[Pelican]]s eventually crashed into the holy city spreading the parasite. Around this time, the High Prophet of Truth left the [[High Prophet of Mercy]] to die at the hands of the Flood, solidifying his place as the autocrat of the Covenant.<ref name="gravemind">'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[Gravemind (level)|Gravemind]]''</ref> The chaos was further intensified when Truth abandoned High Charity in the [[Forerunner dreadnought]] on a journey to [[Earth]], disconnecting it from the grid, leaving the entire city in the dark without power amongst the Flood. Clarity, 'Klemmee, and the rest of their small group would later escape High Charity aboard a stolen supply ship, ''[[Journey's Sustenance]]''.<ref>'''Halo: Broken Circle''', ''page 250''</ref> High Charity fell to the Flood, leaving the Covenant without a capital and the dying San'Shyuum without a homeworld. Sangheili ships attempted to quarantine the region of space around High Charity, preventing any possibly infected ships from leaving, while also shooting down enemy Jiralhanae ships.

With Truth dead, High Charity destroyed, and the Ark heavily damaged after Installation 08's firing, some of the remaining [[Jiralhanae]] forces tried to rebuild their tattered strength to continue their war of conquest.<ref>'''Halo 3''', multiplayer level ''[[Assembly]]''</ref> The [[San'Shyuum]] eventually abandoned them to hide from the vengeful wrath of the [[Sangheili]],  as the Jiralhanae collapsed into various civil wars. The Jiralhanae resorted to raiding Sangheili settlements, plundering resources for survival. Some Sangheili commanders kept up the offensive against them for at least another six years, even as they continued to lose irreplaceable warships and the war continued with no end in sight.{{Ref/Reuse|The Return}}

*[[High Charity]] and its [[High Charity defense fleet|defense fleet]] arrive at Installation 05. Witnessing the assassination of the Prophet of Regret, the Prophet of Truth [[Changing of the Guard|replaces]] the [[Covenant Honor Guard]] [[Sangheili]] with [[Jiralhanae]]. Insulted, the [[Sangheili Councilor]]s threaten to resign from the High Council.{{Ref/Reuse|icon}}

*The Prophet of Truth transfers command of the [[Covenant military]] to the Jiralhanae, while Tartarus declares war on the Sangheili, and the [[Fall of High Charity|Fall of High Charity]] begins. Fighting between Sangheili and Jiralhanae forces breaks out all over High Charity. As word spreads, fighting takes place throughout the fleet, as Sangheili and Jiralhanae controlled ships attack one another.{{Ref/Reuse|gravemind}}

*The [[Flood]] invade High Charity during the battle, entering the city's dome via precision [[Slipstream space|slipspace]] jump aboard {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}} and its embarked [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelicans]]. The [[Prophet of Mercy|High Prophet of Mercy]] is attacked by a [[Pod infector]] and abandoned by the Prophet of Truth, who now reigns as the Covenant's sole leader.{{Ref/Reuse|gravemind}}

*The Flood takes control of High Charity and many of its warships. [[Jiralhanae]] and [[Sangheili]] fleets remaining around the city-station continue to destroy each other.{{Ref/Reuse|journey}}

*The Prophet of Truth departs High Charity for Earth aboard the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]], to join the [[Battle of Earth]]. The [[Jiralhanae]] forces there are already engaged in fighting with the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]]. Unbeknown to the [[Prophet of Truth]], John-117 is on the ship, with the intention of "finishing the fight".{{Ref/Reuse|journey}}

*High Charity is [[Raid on High Charity|destroyed]] by John-117 after he overloads the city's main reactors causing them to detonate.{{Ref/Reuse|cortana}}

File:H2A_-_Great_Schism.jpg|Sangheili and Jiralhanae ships war above High Charity.

File:H2A Great Schism.png|Civil war rages among the Covenant around High Charity.