Thel 'Vadam: Difference between revisions

'''Thel 'Vadam''' (formerly ''''Vadamee''')<ref>'''[[Halo Waypoint]]''', ''The long road home''</ref> is the [[Sangheili]] [[kaidon]] of the [[House of Vadam]]. He was the last [[Arbiter]] to serve the [[Covenant]], and continued to be widely known by his title in the closing months of the [[Human-Covenant War]] and in the post-war period. Presently, he leads the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] and is considered by many to be the formal leader of the Sangheili on the whole.<ref name="wp thel">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/arbiter-thel-vadam '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Arbiter Thel 'Vadam'']</ref>

 

During the [[Great Schism]], Thel became a leading member of the Sangheili who seceded from the Covenant, and aided the UNSC in their effort to stop the Prophet of Truth and his forces from activating the [[Halo Array]]. He fought many battles alongside the [[Spartan|"demon"]] [[John-117]] on [[Installation 05]], [[Earth]], and [[Installation 00]] in the final days of the war.  

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 and the destruction of 123 UNSC ships.<ref>'''[[Halo 2 Anniversary]]''', ''[[Terminal/Halo 2 Anniversary|Terminal 3]]''</ref> 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>

These reforms did not meet with universal approval. By January 2553, there was great dissent among disparate Sangheili factions, especially from the more devout believers in the Forerunners' divinity. Some, such as [[Avu Med 'Telcam]] and his [[Servants of the Abiding Truth]], saw the Arbiter as a traitorous leader that has betrayed their faith and sought to finish their war with humanity. Additionally, many devout believers regarded Thel a "false Arbiter", stating that his very existence was heretical as he did not sacrifice himself in battle as was traditional of Arbiters in the Covenant. Others opposed 'Vadam not on religious grounds but due to his alliance with humanity, considering the notion of peace with the humans hopeless.<ref name="wp thel"/> Thel argued with logic, they had not only failed to defeat humanity in the end, but the sundering of the Covenant had left their people without the technical expertise to replace lost warships, or maintain their own infrastructure.

 

In the midst of these events, the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] secretly assisted 'Telcam in creating an insurrection against 'Vadam, in order to keep the Sangheili divided and prevent them from threatening the UNSC.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''pages 20-26''</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 his keep.

As noted by Jameson Locke, Thel was an incredibly brilliant commander, known for utilizing advanced tactics that made his fleet unstoppable. He was also noted for his tendency to lead campaigns from the front lines. His unorthodox tactics in comparison to the Covenant at large quickly caught the eye of ONI during the war.<ref name="a2at1"/> Thel also managed to inspire great loyalty in his subordinates. [[Jora 'Konaree]] thought of him like a cousin, and [[Sesa 'Refumee]] considered him to be the only individual that he would trust with [[343 Guilty Spark]]'s revelations, though Thel's appointment as Arbiter prevented any detailed conversations. Even so, however, he was able to comprehend the same message when it was told to him by the [[Gravemind]], [[John-117]], and [[343 Guilty Spark]].