Sangheili

The Sangheili are a race of warriors and commanders in the unified conglomerate races of the Covenant. The Humans have termed these warriors as Elites, presumably because of their adeptness in combat. On the field, they are roughly equivalent to the UNSC's SPARTAN supersoldiers.

All Elites are roughly 8'6" tall and incredibly strong; even the muscles on their forearms are compared to iron. This strength allows them to rely on brute force when necessary, but they are quite capable of brilliant battlefield tactics as well, compared to standard marines. Their natural resilience is augmented by personal energy shields in their armor, which recharge when depleted. This technology is similar to that in the shields that Jackals use, and is the basis for the shields used by Spartans. They are also known for their proficiency in using nearly any weapon or driving any vehicle. They often train with other Elites when not in actual combat.

There are several distinct Elite ranks, each with their own distinctions. These ranks are color-coded for rapid identification on the battlefield. Promotions are based on victories over the humans and the amounts of humans slain by an Elite. Higher ranked Elites have better combat and tactival skills, the rights to a stronger energy shield with better armor, and the ability to wield special weapons, such as the Energy Sword, a ceremonial weapon that is an external indicator of status, as well as an extremely powerful close-combat weapon. The lowest Elite rank is Minor Domo, and the highest is the Councillor, who serves on the High Council just below the Prophet Hierarchs. There are also ceremonial positions that have neither as much political power nor as much power on the battlefield, but could be considered higher up; Elite Honor Guards, who are appointed at birth, guard the Prophets inside their inner Sanctuary, but have little to no power over the Covenant. The Arbiter, who is only appointed in times of great need, is considered the blade of the Prophets, and is revered among his fellow Elites. Although he technically also has very little power, Elites commonly follow his example and do as he says.

The skills and abilities of the Elites have led to their place at the heart of the Covenant military. This earns them respect in the eyes of the Prophets, as well is with the lesser races of the Covenant. In combat or otherwise, Elites are far superior to the other races in the Covenant, who treat them with near sublime deference. However, just before and during the Battle of Installation 05, their place in the Covenant and favoritism by the Prophets has been challenged by the audacious Brutes, and their competition in both the military and bureaucratic arms of the Covenant is boiling into genocide in the Civil War of the Covenant.

Culture

Elites consider the other Covenant client races, with the exception of the Prophets, to be below them in all ways. The Elites and Brutes are the only known races permitted to operate starships within the Covenant, though the crews are always a mix of races.

In the Elite culture, names are considered a privilege. Only things of importance are named. The Elites generally consider humans to be nameless, and resent the fact that humans have assigned the label "Elite" to them, as humans have no standing to be naming things. While in Halo 2, names such as 'Elite' are used, it is likely just for the convenience of the average gamer who would not know the proper names.

Because names are important to the Elite society, each element of the name has a meaning. Elite names are constructed from a series of parts. An example is Ado 'Mortumee. "Ado" is his given name, which is all he had until he was considered an adult. As an adult he earned the right to carry the badge name "'Mortumee". This name is made up of three parts: Mor (an adjectival descriptor, such as "fast", or "deadly"), tum (a créche name (his family name)), and ee (an honorific indicating he is a participant in the military). Most Elites will have names with this kind of construction.

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Two Minor Elites guard the Silent Cartographer on Installation 04.

The Covenant military promotion is by merit. A Covenant soldier must succeed to advance. Success is often measured in scalps. An Ultra, for example, may have personally slaughtered thousands of individuals to reach that status.

Long ago, the Elites were at war with the Prophets. The Prophets, perhaps tiring of the war, shared with them the myth of the Great Journey. The Elites then became the bodyguards of the Prophets, who would search the galaxy for the Halos, thus starting the Covenant.

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The Arbiter enters the Sanctum of the Hierarchs.

In many ways the Elites are much like humans. They communicate, become protective of their troops and become angry and vengeful if other Elites are killed.

Elites do not feel fear as easily as many other Covenant creatures and the only creatures they are known not to command are Prophets and Brutes, though they still interact with both.

In the Conversations from the Universe book included in the Halo 2 Limited Collector's Edition game, it appears the Elites have begun to speculate why the Prophets have declared the destruction of the human race. Saying after countless battles the humans have proven themselves to be worthy. They also wonder what horrible thing the humans did to defy their gods.

From Conversations from the Universe: "The Humans are weak, but they are tenacious. Even the smallest ones hurl themselves against our defenses with honor. If only the Unggoy were as committed."

The Arbiter and Rtas 'Vadumee discuss their loyalty to each other.

""I wonder about the Humans, Commander. Their technology is limited, but some of it is useful and their battle techniques are impressive. They are excellent strategists. But what I ask is this: Why have we not offered them the absolution of the Covenant? From the beginning of this war, the Prophets have made no attempt to absorb them or even offer the option of honorable submission. Why?""

The rest is about the possibility of the Prophets fearing them, the atrocity at Halo, and how the humans have won their few battles.

This is only Elite conjecturalization, it should be noted.

However, it is also possible that this could be due to the same misinterpretation of Forerunner writings that created their religion; the Halos were seen as a 'doorway to heaven', but in activation they would kill the Forerunners, or 'Reclaimers'. Humans have also been called Reclaimers, so the war may simply be because the Forerunner said they must die. It should be noted that the higher-ranking Elites have glyphs on the backs of their armor. Upon closer examination, these glyphs were found to be the same symbols that appeared in the Halo Control Room console. This is an example of how the Covenant worship, or at least revere, the Forerunners' "Great Journey".

Rank Structure

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An Arbiter.

Arbiter: The rank of Arbiter is bestowed upon a talented, high-ranked Elite warrior only in a time of need, such as the Grunt Rebellion, or the Taming of the Hunters, and most recently, in the events of Halo 2, the threat of heresy. However, every Arbiter in the history of the Covenant has died, because this rank is given only to those who have committed acts against the Covenant, but could still be useful to the Prophet Hierarchs.

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An Elite Councilor.

Councilors: Councilors are the political leaders of the Elites, and share power with the Minor Prophets on the Covenant's High Council. Their ceremonial armor is quite distinct, a silver color with a tall and ornate crested helmet. The Councilors are extremely skilled fighters who favor Energy Swords, but can use any weapon they are given. They also possess extra-strong energy shields, similar to those possessed by the also highly-ranked white "Ultra" Elites.

Imperial Admiral: Revealed in Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, the Imperial Admiral's role is to command the whole fleet of the Covenant. Only one such Elite, Xytan 'Jar Wattinree, is known, and it is likely that there is only ever one at a single time.

The Supreme Commander.

Supreme Commander: The Supreme Commander is the overall commander of a particular fleet; in the Halo Graphic Novel, he is depicted as clad in bright violet armor, with a long cloak that wraps around his shoulders. This particular Supreme Commander was a friend and superior to Spec-Ops Leader Rtas 'Vadumee, and would later become the Arbiter.

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A Zealot Commander.

Zealot/Field Master/Ship Master/Fleet Master/- Gold: The Generals and Admirals of the Covenant military; commanders of battalions, ships, and fleets. Field Masters lead armies; Ship Masters command ships; Fleet Masters command armadas. 'Zealot' seems to be a general term, applying to all gold-armored Elites. Zealots appear to have been physically augmented somehow, as they are able to survive a whole clip from an M6C Magnum, although this may be due to higher-quality armor.

Elite Honor Guard.

Honor Guard: The Honor Guards are the personal guard of the Council, in particular the Prophet Hierarchs. They wear ornate, ceremonial red armor. Although they wield a large pike for ceremonial purposes, they generally utilize Energy Swords or Plasma Rifles in actual combat. It is believed, although not confirmed, that they are slightly below Zealots in the Covenant hierarchy.

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An Ultra.

Ultra Elite - White/Silver: These are the Covenant's Colonels and Commanders, just below the golden-armored Zealots in rank. Several white Elite corpses were seen in Halo, presumably killed in combat with the Flood, but they do not appear in battle until Halo 2. They command operations, unlike the Zealots who command fleets or armies. Although they do not possess the same level of natural resilience as the Zealots, they use overshields in combat to continue fighting long after their enemies are forced to retreat. They carry energy swords as backup weapons.

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A Spec Ops Commander.

Special Operations Commander - White: Special Operations Commanders command a troupe of regular Spec Ops troops. They immediately above Ultras in rank, the only cosmetic difference being more white on the Commander. They are only seen in Halo 2, in Rtas 'Vadumee. It is unknown how strong their shields are or how skilled they are in combat, because 'Vadumee is invincible and an ally.

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A Spec Ops Elite.

Special Operations Elite - Purple/Black: Special Operations Elites are extremely skilled fighters, sent in by the Covenant to accomplish the most dangerous and difficult of missions. They have superior accuracy, fire in longer bursts, and have slightly stronger shielding than regular Elites. Most notably, Black Elites operate in squads and are extremely skilled and accurate grenade throwers. They are equipped with an active camouflage system, but rarely use it except to get into position without notice.

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A Stealth Elite

Stealth - Black: The Stealth Elites are the Covenant's assassins, and they use Active Camo technology, as the Special Operations Elites do. In Halo:Combat Evolved, they do not have energy shields, but are nearly invisible to the naked eye. In Halo 2, they have energy shields, but are still not as strong as normal. They're often used on ambushes, which, with the help of their active camouflage technology, allows them to take down many enemies, if they're unseen.

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A Major Domo.

Major Domo - Red: This veteran Elite warrior is the physical equal of the UNSC's SPARTAN-II. Overall they are more agile, more accurate, and more aggressive than Minors, and seldom make tactical errors in combat. A single Red Elite can hold its own against an entire squad of UNSC Marines. In Halo 2, they can often be seen dual-wielding, piloting Covenant vehicles, or carrying heavy weapons. They are roughly equal in gameplay to the Master Chief, but with inferior aim and tactics.

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A Ranger.

Ranger - Vacuum Blue/Thruster Pack: Rangers are a voluntary group of Elites that work in the least forgiving environment of all: vacuum. Their helmets completely encase their heads, protecting them from the vacuum of space. They wear a variant of Elite armor optimized for zero-gee, no-atmosphere combat. Their armor is cobalt in color, brighter than that of the Elite Minor. They can pose a substantial threat, due to their unique movement options.

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A Minor Domo.

Minor Domo - Cobalt/Blue: The most common and least experienced Elite, Minor Elites are still skilled warriors superior to any human Marine, but they are somewhat weaker than Red Elites or SPARTAN-IIs. Their energy shields are not quite as powerful, and they often make tactical errors such as standing in one place while firing, or rushing forward into enemy fire. They also fire in shorter bursts, and have somewhat less accuracy. Along with Red Elites, they often lead squads of Grunts into battle.

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Anatomy and Physiology

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A standing Elite without armor.

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The Arbiter kneeling without armor.

Elites have an interesting physical appearance. Their jaw is quadruple-hinged; they have an upper jaw, and then four mandible-like lips which are lined with sharp teeth, hence the human nickname "Split-lip". It is unknown, given this structure, how Elites chew, swallow food, or even speak.

They have multiple hearts this could be for one reason. The reason may be because they are taller than humans making them need more power to move all the blood around the body, remember this is pure speculation. They also appear to have a double set of pectoral muscles. Their hands have four fingers; two middle fingers and two thumb-like fingers on the outside for grasping. Their legs are digitigrade so they can jump great distances compared to humans, and their unusually shaped hoof-like feet give them tremendous balance. They have grayish-brown skin and purpleish blood. It is not known what chemical makes their blood this color, though it is assumed they breathe oxygen or nitrogen because they can breathe the same atmosphere as humans, and cannot survive in space. The majority of Elites have dark blue/black eyes, but there are some exceptions, such as the Arbiter (golden/orange) and Rtas 'Vadumee (green).

In the Halo Wars announcement trailer, the Elites are different on several points. First: They were at least 10 feet tall, and were much more muscular, although the latter could be because much thicker armor for cold weather purposes. They also have a more animalistic growl. It's unknown if they're a different race of Elites, but it could also be because the animators wanted to interest the players. Another example of this type of elite would be Xytan 'Jar Wattinree who stood over 11 and a half feet tall. It may be a different species of Elites that exists but is much fewer.

Intelligence

A Covenant Elite Zealot from Halo 2.

Elites are extremely intelligent and demonstrate it in combat. Elites are normally on the move when fighting, constantly running and ducking. When presented with a severely dangerous obstacle like a Warthog driving at them, they will leap out of the way. They are also smart enough to hide, in Halo 2 if you have stripped their shield layer they will hide and or duck behind a box or crate. Because of this action, Elites lure inexperienced players into a trap. Players will see the Elite fall back and hide, and then the player will rush the position. This is a fatal mistake on anything but Easy and Normal difficulty. As the player approaches, the Elite will normally then spring from it's position and land a massive melee hit on the unsuspecting enemy. Elites are also good tactitians. Elites wielding energy swords will sometimes lure enemies into chasing them and then jump at the enemy to land a killing blow. Elites are never to be underestimated.

The Elites of Halo 2 are excellent pilots and boarders, in terms of:

-They can run enemies over with relative ease.

-Can use the weapons mounted to the vehicle properly.

-Can successfully kill targets from the side seat of a Warthog or Spectre or Scorpion.

-They can operate tanks properly and can launch a devastating attack with a Wraith or Scorpion.

-Can and do board all vehicles. This is very surprising if the player is inexperienced and not used to the game in general.

-Their ability to react to other allied vehicles. A good example is the level in Halo 2, Uprising. Where the Elites have access to many Covenant Ghosts and a Spectre.

-Are quick to react, on any level where Elites operate vehicles and are an enemy. They will spot you if on foot and or driving a vehicle. A example of this very good reaction time is when you charge a Elite piloted Ghost. They will normally boost at you in an attempt to kill you and not have you board them.

Known Elites

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Rtas 'Vadumee strides forward.

• Arbiter - ex-Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice
• Imperial Admiral Xytan 'Jar Wattinree
• Zealot Commander Voro Nar 'Mantakree
• Heretic leader Sesa 'Refumee
• Councillor Soha 'Rolamee
• Zealot Commander Orna 'Fulsamee - Shipmaster of the Truth and Reconciliation
• Zealot Commander Noga 'Putumee
• SpecOps Commander Rtas 'Vadumee
• Kusovai- Special Ops sub-commander
• SpecOps Major Zuka 'Zamamee
• SpecOps Major Huki 'Umamee
• Major Isna 'Nosolee
• Major 'Kasamee
• Minor Ado 'Mortumee
• Minor Bako 'Ikaporamee
• 'Ontomee
• 'Qualomee
• Tano 'Inanraree
• Y'gar 'Pewtrunoee

Weapon Compatibility

Because of their toughness and versatility on the combat field, Elites can use any weapon on the battlefield, be it Human or Covenant, even though most elites would rather die than use a human weapon.

Trivia

• The dialog spoken by the Elites of Halo 1 was made by reversing and slowing sound clips of Sergeant Johnson. "Wort wort wort" is the reversed phrase, "Go, go, go!".
• Elites have a jaw structure much like the Predators from the Predator movie.
• The Elites seem to have been inspired mainly by the Predators, the Protoss of StarCraft, and possibly also the Alien from the movie of the same name.
• The date in which Elites were first encountered by the UNSC is a subject of constant retconning. It was at first stated that John and Linda battled Elite Rangers in the Battle of Reach in 2552, but in Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, it was established that the SPARTAN-III Beta Company had fought Elites as early as 2537. Furthermore, the Halo Wars trailer showed Elites, apparently sans energy shields, battling UNSC Marines even earlier, on Harvest (although no specific date has been established, it is likely to be roughy 2525).

Combat

A Minor Elite mows down enemies with a Shade.

A Zealot prepares to lunge.

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An early Elite study.

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An Elite multiplayer character model

Despite their advantages, Elites also have vulnerabilities:

Counter-Elite Tactics
M6D Pistol	The pistol's low rate of fire are ineffective against them. However, about five or six headshots will deplete a shield and kill whatever was behind it.
MA5B Assault Rifle	Not the most effective weapon, but useful for shield breaking.
M6C Magnum Sidearm	Effective if used in conjunction with a 'shield breaker' weapon, like the Plasma Pistol, since it's powerful against unshielded Elites.
BR55 Battle Rifle or Carbine	Highly effective against Elites, especially if used in conjunction with the Plasma Pistol. Both are a high step up from the MA5B. The BR55's 3 round burst or the Carbine's semiautomatic mode makes these workhorse weapons good all around.
SMG	Good when coupled with the Plasma Pistol or the Plasma Rifle, breaks shields quickly, and is excellent when it does.
Shotgun	Very effective weapon at close range, except against higher Elites armed with Energy Swords.
Sniper Rifle or Particle Beam Rifle	One shot will deplete an Elite's shielding on lower difficulty settings, but one head shot will kill them instantly.
Fragmentation Grenade	Elites have good reflexes and dodge most grenades thrown at them, but this behavior can easily be put to your advantage, despite it won't kill them instantly; it will destroy their shield. They're useful in narrow areas, close quarters, or for making the enemy break cover. One blast will only kill Stealth Elites.
Plasma Cannon or Shade	Very useful, though few and far between. Basically a 3 second way to break an Elite's shield and put it away.
Rocket Launcher or Fuel Rod Cannon	Very good against Elites in cover and for taking out groups of 2 or more, but for the sake of practicality, carry something else to switch to for one-on-one combat.
Plasma Pistol	Resist the urge to fire a charged shot; an Elite will most likely dodge it. Instead, fire continuously to bring down more quickly. This weapon's upgraded lock-on in Halo 2 makes it practical for shield breaking. An excellent tactic for killing an Elite very quickly, especially on Legendary, is to charge it up, fire at the target Elite, then quickly(while its shields are down) switch to the Battle Rifle for a headshot.
Plasma Rifle or Brute Plasma Rifle	Very effective if your aim is true. If not, the overheat can leave you vulnerable to a charging and angry Elite. Dual-wielding is good too. For the Brute variant, dual-wielding is necessary to avoid overheating of both guns.
Needler	Highly effective. If you catch an Elite in the open, fire a whole clip then retreat and the needles will home in on it, piercing its shield and killing it. An example of a "fire-and-forget" weapon.
Plasma Grenade	Run up close, or take good aim, then throw it at an Elite. If it becomes scared, it runs toward the rest of its squad, blasting them as well. Beware against higher ranking Elites or on higher difficulty levels as certain Elites, when stuck with a plasma grenade will attempt to rush you, killing you in the explosion. In these circumstances simply backpedal and fire at the Elite to stagger it until the grenade detonates.
Brute Shot	The grenades bounce high unless you hit first try and the explosion radius is small compared to other grenades, but can take out an Elite in only one or two hits.
Energy Sword	This weapon is effective at close quarters, and is fatal in one hit for lower ranking Elites. Two lunges are required to slay an Ultra Elite, even on the Easy difficulty.

Related Links

• Elite Personal Energy Shield

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