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]'' (2007).]] | |||
{{Short description|Fictional alliance of alien races from the Halo video game series}} | |||
The '''Covenant''' is a fictional theocratic military alliance of alien races who serve as one of the main antagonists in the '']'' science fiction series. The Covenant are composed of a variety of diverse species, united under the religious worship of the enigmatic ] and their belief that Forerunner ringworlds known as ] will provide a path to salvation. After the Covenant leadership—the ]—declare humanity an affront to their gods, the Covenant prosecute a lengthy genocidal campaign against the technologically inferior race. | |||
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}} | |||
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Covenant (''Halo'')}} | |||
]'' (2007)]] | |||
The Covenant were first introduced in the 2001 video game '']'' as enemies hunting the player character, a human supersoldier known as ]. Not realizing the Halos were meant as weapons of destruction rather than salvation, the Covenant attempt to activate the rings on three separate occasions throughout the series, inadvertently releasing a virulent parasite known as the ] in the process. | |||
The '''Covenant''', or officially called the '''Covenant Empire''', are a fictional theocratic hegemony of alien races who serve as the main antagonists in the first 5 games made by ] of the ] video game series. They are composed of a diverse array of species united under the religious worship of the extinct ] and their belief that the Forerunner ring worlds known as ] will provide a path to salvation, known as the ''"]''". After the high Covenant leadership—the three ]—discover that the existence of the ] directly contradicts their ancient religion, they declare a ] against humanity to preserve their own political power, knowing if they revealed this information to the rest of the Covenant it would mean the hegemony would fall into chaos. The High Prophets claimed the extermination of humanity is the "will of the gods and we are their instrument." Over the next 27 years of war, the Covenant would repeatedly overpower the technologically inferior human race and its ], devastating hundreds of human ] throughout the ], killing billions in their campaign.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Covenant|url=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/factions/covenant|website=Halo Waypoint|language=en-us|access-date=2020-05-05}}</ref> The Covenant are ultimately defeated during the final battle of the war set on the ], a Forerunner world, in '']''. With the Covenant destroyed,<ref name="CovenantH3" /><ref name="CovenantDead">{{cite interview |subject= Kevin Grace| interviewer= Gus Sorola (The Know)| title= Halo Wars 2 GAMEPLAY - E3 2016 Interview| url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opWf5Sug2-Y&feature=youtu.be&t=8m8s&ab_channel=InsideGaming| format= video| publisher= Rooster Teeth Productions| date= June 18, 2016| access-date= September 9, 2020| quote= The Covenant are dead.}}</ref><ref name="CovenantWaypoint" /> its former members create new factions with differing ideologies. | |||
To develop a distinctive look for the various races of the Covenant, Bungie artists drew inspiration from reptilian, ursine, and avian characteristics. A Covenant design scheme of purples and reflective surfaces was made to separate the aliens from human architecture.<!-- reception --> | |||
The Covenant were first introduced in the 2001 video game '']'' as enemies of the playable character, a human ] super-soldier known as the ]. The game takes place late in the war, and not realizing that the Halos were actually weapons designed by the Forerunners for galaxy-scale destruction against the virulent parasitic ], the Covenant attempt to activate the rings on two occasions throughout the series, inadvertently and catastrophically releasing the Flood in the process. | |||
To develop a distinctive look for the various species of the Covenant, ] artists drew inspiration from reptilian, ursine, and avian characteristics. A Covenant design scheme employing various shades of purple and reflective surfaces was used to visually distinguish alien from human architecture. The Covenant were generally well received by game critics, who appreciated the challenge they provided to players and often compared them to the series' other primary antagonist, the Flood. Several critics lamented the change of the main Covenant enemies from Elites to Brutes in ''Halo 3'' and conversely praised their return in '']''. | |||
{{TOC limit|3}} | |||
==Game development== | ==Game development== | ||
Like most of the other characters and species in the ''Halo'' universe, the Covenant were slowly developed during the initial concept phase and refined as ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' progressed. During the first game's development, the designers decided upon three "schools" of architecture, one for each of the primary races represented — the humans, the Covenant, and the ]. For the Covenant, the team decided on "sleek and shiny", with reflective surfaces, organic shapes, and heavy use of blues and purples.<ref name=aoh86>], 86.</ref> | |||
Throughout much of the development of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', very little concrete story details had been developed for the story campaign, and what trials the player character—later known as the ]—would face. Writer ] and other Bungie staff came up with the idea of a coalition of alien races, subsequently deciding that the faction would be motivated by religion.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo">{{cite web|author=Haske, Steven|date=May 30, 2017|url=https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history|title=The Complete, Untold History of Halo|work=]|publisher=Vice Media|url-status=live|access-date=March 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315011247/https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history|archive-date=March 15, 2018}}</ref> During the course of development of ''Halo'', the designers decided upon three "schools" of architecture, for each of the races represented — the humans, Covenant, and ]. For the Covenant, the team decided on "sleek and shiny", with reflective surfaces, organic shapes, and use of purples. According to art director Marcus Lehto, the principle designs for the faction came from environmental artist Paul Russell,<ref name="trautmann_2004"/>{{rp|86}} while concept artist Shi Kai Wang was instrumental in developing the look of the various races within the Covenant.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo"/> | |||
Like the character designs, Covenant technology, architecture, and appearance continually changed throughout development, occasionally for practical reasons as well as for aesthetics.<ref>], 98.</ref> According to Eric Arroyo, the Covenant cruiser ''Truth and Reconciliation'', which plays a major role in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', was to be boarded by the player by a long ramp. However, due to technical considerations of having a fully textured ship so close to the player, the designers came up with a "gravity lift", which allowed the ship to be farther away (thus not requiring as much processing power for detail) as well as adding a "visually interesting" component of Covenant technology.<ref>], 100.</ref> | |||
Like the character designs, Covenant technology, architecture, and design continually changed throughout development, occasionally for practical reasons as well as aesthetics.<ref name="trautmann_2004"/>{{rp|98}} According to Eric Arroyo, the Covenant cruiser ''Truth and Reconciliation'', which plays a major role in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', was to be boarded by the player by a long ramp. However due to technical considerations of having a fully textured ship so close to the player, the designers came up with a "gravity lift", which allowed the ship to be farther away (thus not requiring as much processing power for detail) as well as adding a "visually interesting" component of Covenant technology.<ref name="trautmann_2004"/>{{rp|100}} | |||
The art team also spent a large amount of time on Covenant weaponry, in order to make them suitably alien yet still recognizable to players.<ref> |
The art team also spent a large amount of time on Covenant weaponry, in order to make them suitably alien yet still recognizable to players.<ref name="trautmann_2004"/>{{rp|125}} At the same time, the designers wanted all aspects of Covenant technology, especially the vehicles, to act plausibly.<ref name="trautmann_2004"/>{{rp|143}} | ||
<!-- before 46:00 <ref name="podcast-russell">{{cite video |people=Armstrong, Chad; Brian Jarrard, Luke Smith|date=August 21, 2008|title=Bungie Podcast: With Paul Russell and Jerome Simpson |url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/d/c/4dcc4b82-fee5-4570-b28f-b573a1ad1631/Bungie_Podcast_082108.mp3|format=MP3 |medium=Podcast |publisher=] |location= Kirkland, Washington|access-date=August 27, 2008 }}</ref> talking about whatever --> | |||
===Species=== | ===Species=== | ||
To design the various species of the Covenant, Bungie's artists looked at live animals and films for inspiration; as a result, the species within the Covenant bear ], ], ], and ] characteristics.<ref name="trautmann_2004"/>{{rp|51}} Concept artist She Kai Wang focused on making each enemy seem appropriate to its role in gameplay.<ref name="robinson_2011"/>{{rp|47}} | |||
] | |||
To design the various species of the Covenant, Bungie's artists looked at live animals and films for inspiration;<ref name=aoh51>], 51.</ref> as a result, the species within the Covenant bear ], ], ], and ] characteristics.<ref name=aoh51 /> | |||
The strongest and toughest foes of the game, Elites (called Sangheili in the fictitious Covenant language) stand nearly 8'6{{'}}{{'}} (2.6 m) and feature recharging personal shields. The Elites initially had simple mouths, who developed into pairs of split mandibles substituting for the lower jaws. Bungie concept artist Shi Kai Wang noted that project lead ] had, at one point, been insistent on giving the Elites a tail.<ref name="trautmann_2004"/>{{rp|37}}</ref> While Wang thought it made the aliens look too animalistic, the idea was eventually dropped due to practical considerations, including where the tail would go when the Elites were driving vehicles.<ref name="trautmann_2004"/>{{rp|38}} According to Paul Russel, when Bungie was bought by Microsoft and ''Halo'' was turned into an Xbox launch title, Microsoft took issue with the design of the Elites, as they felt that the Elites had a resemblance to cats that might alienate ]ese consumers.<ref name="podcast-russell">{{cite video |people=Jarrard, Brian; Smith, Luke, &c |date=2008-08-21|title=Bungie Podcast: With Paul Russell and Jerome Simpson |url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/d/c/4dcc4b82-fee5-4570-b28f-b573a1ad1631/Bungie_Podcast_082108.mp3|format=MP3 |medium=Podcast |publisher=] |location= Kirkland, Washington|accessdate=2008-08-27 |time= |quote= }}</ref> | |||
====Elites==== | |||
One of the toughest foes (and eventually allies) of the game series, Elites are a highly intelligent, deeply spiritual species, equally competent as warriors and as communicators, and a core constituent of the Covenant alliance. Known as ''Sangheili'' in the fictitious Covenant language, they originate from the planet Sanghelios. They are generally {{height|ft=7|in=5}} to {{height|ft=8|in=6}} tall, long-limbed, and muscular, generally with deep blue or purple skin and large, dorsoventrally lengthened heads. The Elites initially had simple mouths, which later developed into pairs of split mandibles substituting for the lower jaws. Bungie concept artist Shi Kai Wang noted that project lead ] had, at one point, been insistent on giving the Elites a tail.<ref>{{cite book |last= Trautmann|first=Eric|title=The Art of Halo|year= 2004|publisher= Del Ray Publishing|location=New York |isbn=0-345-47586-0 |page=37}}</ref> While Wang thought it made the aliens look too animalistic, the idea was eventually dropped due to practical considerations, including where the tail would go when the Elites were driving vehicles.<ref name=aoh38/> "At one point, we considered just having the Elites tuck their tails forward, between their legs," Wang noted, "But abandoned that... for obvious reasons."<ref name=aoh38>{{cite book |last= Trautmann|first=Eric|title=The Art of Halo|year= 2004|publisher= Del Ray Publishing|location=New York |isbn=0-345-47586-0 |page=38}}</ref> According to Paul Russel, when Bungie was bought by ] and ''Halo'' was turned into an ] launch title, Microsoft took issue with the design of the Elites, as they felt that the Elites had a resemblance to cats that might alienate Japanese consumers.<ref name="podcast-russell">{{cite video|people=Jarrard, Brian; Smith, Luke, &c |date=August 21, 2008 |title=Bungie Podcast: With Paul Russell and Jerome Simpson |url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/d/c/4dcc4b82-fee5-4570-b28f-b573a1ad1631/Bungie_Podcast_082108.mp3 |format=MP3 |medium=Podcast |publisher=] |location=Kirkland, Washington |access-date=August 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203173816/http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/d/c/4dcc4b82-fee5-4570-b28f-b573a1ad1631/Bungie_Podcast_082108.mp3 |archive-date=February 3, 2009 }}</ref> | |||
Among the other races developed were Grunts or Unggoy, who are viewed in game's fiction as cannon fodder. Depicted as squat and cowardly fighters, Grunts panic and run if players kill their leaders.<ref name="ign-halo-review1">{{cite web|author=Boulding, Aaron|date=2001-11-09|url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/165/165922p1.html|title=Halo: Combat Evolved Review|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-02-19}}</ref> Jackals or Kig-Yar carry energy shields or ranged weaponry. Armor color denotes the rank of each caste. In some cases, such as with the Jackals, the overall design was honed once the enemy's role was clearly defined.<ref>Trautmann, 28.</ref> | |||
A primary and important race in the Covenant hierarchy, Elites often fill positions of leadership or authority, such as unit commanders, bodyguards, and generals. They are enormously strong, fast, and agile as well as gifted battlefield tacticians, easily matching or surpassing the Master Chief in these respects. Like the Master Chief, they employ recharging personal shields and can make use of invisibility cloaks. They are capable users of a huge variety of weapons, including human weapons, and are the species most frequently encountered operating vehicles, particularly Ghosts, Wraiths, and Banshees. Their occupations in the Covenant military are often explicitly ranked; they are commonly specialists such as pilots, long-range snipers, grenadiers, or assassins, and their rank or unit may be distinguished by the color or appearance of their body armor, headgear, or weaponry. | |||
In addition to basic troops, there are Hunters or Lekgolo, who according to Bungie's mythology are actually collectives of alien worms encased in tough armor.<ref name="halo2races">Bungie (2004), 4–5.</ref> Initial concepts were less humanoid-looking and softer than the final shape, with angular shields and razor-sharp spines.<ref>Trautmann, 33.</ref> These alien worms also control the Covenant Scarab-tanks as one being. Floating, serene aliens known as Engineers or Huragok were pulled from ''Combat Evolved'', but made later appearances in the ''Halo'' novels. They also appeared in the RTS "Halo Wars" (2009) as an aerial unit whose sole purpose was to heal units and repair vehicles and buildings. Slow-moving, unarmored, and unarmed, they serve no actual combat role. | |||
Elites are extremely intelligent, communicating frequently in their own language as well as in human languages. They appear to show great cunning and instinct and are expressive of many emotions including surprise, laughter, grief, frustration, and rage. Owing to their superior intellect, they initially act as the leading military and political arm for exercising the will of the Prophets and the ultimate mission of the Covenant, but later in the series are systematically replaced in this capacity by the Brutes. Elites are deeply religious and initially totally devoted to the Covenant creed, but it is subsequently revealed that Elite society is itself composed of quarrelsome factions; in '']'', a high-ranking Elite general known as ] becomes a playable protagonist and leads a separatist movement against the rest of the Covenant. The Arbiter's heretics soon join forces with the humans to prevent the firing of the Halo array. | |||
With the release of ''Halo 2'', new races were designed and old ones refined as Covenant society was detailed further; the Jackals, for instance, lost their helmets and were detailed to make them scarier;<ref>Trautmann, 30.</ref> the Hunters were made larger and more imposing. The Prophets or San 'Shyuum serve as the supreme rulers of the Covenant, and were primarily designed by Shi Kai Wang and Eric Arroyo. Originally, the Prophets were built in a more unified way, with the gravity thrones they used for flotation and movement fused with the Prophet's organic structures.<ref name=aof55>Trautmann, 55.</ref> The characters were also designed to be feeble, yet sinister.<ref name=aof55/> The three Prophet Hierarchs were each individually designed.<ref>Trautmann, 56.</ref> Two new fighting forces were added to the Covenant. The first, dubbed Brutes or Jiralhanae, were made physically taller and stronger than the Elites, with their society organized around tribal chieftains. Inspired by the animators watching biker films, the Brutes incorporated simian and ursine elements while retaining an alien look.<ref>Trautmann, 37.</ref> Wang's final concept for the creature, replete with bandoliers and human skulls, was simplified for the game.<ref>Trautmann, 38.</ref> Brutes were meant to typify the abusive alien menace of the Covenant and in the words of design lead Jaime Griesemer, to serve as "barbarians in Rome".<ref name="et tu brute"/> Another addition to the fighting force were Drones or Yanme'e, insectoid Covenant; the animators found the creatures challenging, as they had to be animated to walk, run, crawl, or fly on multiple surfaces. Old concept art from ''Combat Evolved'' was repurposed in influencing the Drone's final shape, which took cues from cockroaches, grasshoppers, and wasps.<ref name="aof55"/> | |||
====Grunts==== | |||
Grunts, known to the Covenant as ''Unggoy'', are a species of small, gnomish creatures that are viewed in the game's fiction as ] because of their extremely fast reproductive period. Depicted as squat and cowardly fighters, Grunts are low-ranking front-line soldiers usually encountered in high numbers and often in units presided over by an Elite or Brute commander. They are usually lightly armed with relatively low-power weapons, but may throw grenades as well. Grunts tend to break formation, panicking and fleeing in terror, if the player or an ] kills their commanding officer. However, they are also notable for attempting suicide runs against enemies on higher difficulties, charging at their foe with a plasma grenade in each hand. | |||
For the final installment in the ''Halo'' trilogy, ''Halo 3'', designers had to refine the Covenant for the move to more powerful ] hardware. In ''Halo 2'', the Brutes functioned as "damage sponges", with the only available combat option for players to pump the Brutes with bullets until they fell. With the Elites leaving the Covenant in the game's story, the Brutes became the player's main enemy, necessitating radical changes in the character's behavior and design. For the new look of the Brutes, concept artists took inspiration from rhinoceros and gorillas. Instead of being largely uncovered with only a bandolier as clothing (reminiscent of the '']'' character ]), the designers added armor with ancient buckles, gauntlets, and leather straps to differentiate enemy ranks and bring the Brutes more into the Covenant aesthetic fold.<ref name="et tu brute"/> The more seasoned the Brute, the more ornate clothing and helmets; the armor was designed to convey a culture and tradition to the species, and emphasize their mass and power. Designs for ''Halo 3'' took cues from ancient Greek Spartans.<ref>de Govia, 22–25.</ref> Character animators recorded intended actions for the new Brutes in a padded room at Bungie. A new addition to the Brute artificial intelligence was a pack mentality; leader Brutes direct large-scale actions simultaneously, such as throwing grenades towards a player.<ref name="et tu brute">{{cite video |people=|month2=December |year2=2006 |title=ViDoc: Et Tu, Brute?|url=http://www.bungie.net/News/Media.aspx?mid=13858&age_verify=1 |format= |medium= |publisher=] |location= |accessdate=2009-02-15 }}</ref> | |||
Though mostly encountered in subordinate positions within the Covenant hierarchy, Unggoy are intelligent, having been industrialized before their induction into the Covenant. The novels '']'' and '']'' describe the Unggoy as dog-like ]-breathers. They are stocky, possessing both an ]-like ] and a spinal-based nervous system making then fairly resilient. Their powerful forearms evolved for climbing vertical terrain. Unggoy have methane suits that allow them to remove the breathing apparatuses they usually wear to sustain them in non-methane atmospheres. In '']'', it is possible for the player to kill Unggoy in a way that ignites the methane tank, causing them to fly and bounce around the area out of control, and causing damage if they hit the player.<ref name="ign-halo-review1">{{cite web|author=Boulding, Aaron|date=November 9, 2001|url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/165/165922p1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020401234155/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/165/165922p1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 1, 2002|title=Halo: Combat Evolved Review|publisher=]|access-date=February 19, 2009}}</ref> | |||
====Jackals==== | |||
Jackals, or ''Kig-Yar'', are a species originating from the moon of Eayn, orbiting ]. They have a short stature and a reptilian or bird-like appearance similar to that of raptors, they have extremely well developed senses including their smell, eyesight and hearing they frequently carry energy shields or long-range weaponry. Jackals are generally encountered as front-line soldiers in roles similar to Grunts but may also be employed as snipers and mercenaries. Shield or armor colors denote the rank of each caste. | |||
The overall design of Jackals was honed only after their role was clearly defined.<ref>Trautmann, 28.</ref> Unlike the other species comprising the Covenant, Jackals work as mercenaries; their culture is based on piracy and they do not adhere to Covenant religious beliefs. In the novel '']'', it was revealed that Jackals were the first species in the Covenant to encounter humanity. The resulting events initiated the start of the Human–Covenant War. | |||
There are also a subspecies of Jackal known as Skirmishers. Skirmishers appear very similar to the main species of Jackal, but are gray-skinned and have more feathers, similar to some birds or dinosaurs. Skirmishers are faster and more agile than Jackals and generally lack the heavy energy shield worn by Jackals. Skirmishers are only seen in Halo Reach and may be extinct because of it. | |||
====Hunters==== | |||
Hunters, or ''Mgalekgolo'', are, according to Bungie's mythology, collectives of worm-like aliens, singularly known as ''Lekgolo'' they can form into many shapes including the scarabs and most commonly the hunters themselfs.<ref name="halo2races">Bungie (2004), 4–5.</ref> They originate from the planet Te. Hunters are always armed with a heavy fuel-rod cannon and a massive shield made from the same material used on covenant cruisers. They do not respect any of the covenant species other than maybe the Sangheili. Though their movements are slow and cumbersome, Hunters make up in sheer size and strength what they lack in agility: a single melee attack from a Hunter is usually powerful enough to kill the Player at close range. They almost always operate in pairs called bond brothers they are deeply connected and will often rage when their brother is killed charging the player trying to melee them to death. Initial design concepts for Hunters were less humanoid-looking and softer than the final shape, with angular shields and razor-sharp spines.<ref>Trautmann, 33.</ref> | |||
Weighing 4-5 tonnes and towering over the player with their 12 foot height they are the heaviest shock troopers in the covenant. | |||
====Prophets==== | |||
The Prophets, or ''San'Shyuum'', serve as the theocratic rulers of the Covenant, as such they are treated by other Covenant species with extreme deference and piety. Originally from the planet Janjur Qom, three notable individuals of this species–the Prophet of Truth, Prophet of Regret, and Prophet of Mercy–are the Covenant's revered hierarchs. Primarily designed by Shi Kai Wang and Eric Arroyo, the Prophets were originally built in a more unified way, with the hovering thrones they use for flotation and movement fused with their organic structures.<ref name=aof55>Trautmann, 55.</ref> The characters were also designed to be feeble, yet sinister.<ref name=aof55/> Each of the three Prophet hierarchs were designed individually.<ref>Trautmann, 56.</ref> | |||
====Brutes==== | |||
Brutes, or ''Jiralhanae'', originating from the planet Doisac, are a species of physically large, ape-like warriors who made their first appearance in ''Halo 2''. They are stronger, hairier and heavier than the Elites, who are their primary rivals for rank and office within the Covenant hierarchy, however they are not as intelligent or agile. Like Elites, Brutes are often encountered in positions of command; they frequently lead squads of Grunts and Jackals in battle. Brute society is tribal and governed by chieftains. They appear to be very intelligent and are skilled users of all kinds of weapons and vehicles, including their own unique class of weapons, which rely primarily on conventional explosives and close-range melee damage rather than plasma energy. | |||
Inspired by Bungie animators watching biker films, Brutes incorporate simian and ursine elements while retaining an alien look.<ref>Trautmann, 37.</ref> Wang's final concept for the creature, replete with bandoliers and human skulls, was simplified for the game.<ref>Trautmann, 38.</ref> Brutes were meant to typify the abusive alien menace of the Covenant and, in the words of design lead Jaime Griesemer, to serve as "barbarians in Rome".<ref name="et tu brute">{{cite video |date=December 2006 |title=ViDoc: Et Tu, Brute? |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/Media.aspx?mid=13858&age_verify=1 |publisher=] |access-date=February 15, 2009 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> | |||
For the final installment in the ''Halo'' trilogy, ''Halo 3'', designers had to refine the Covenant for the move to the more powerful ] hardware. Bungie was dissatisfied with the Brutes in ''Halo 2''; they were added late in development, resulting in the Brutes functioning merely as "damage sponges" and "not interesting to fight". Their design was also limited, being little more than hairy apes with ]s (reminiscent of the ''Star Wars'' character ]). With the Elites leaving the Covenant in the game's story, the Brutes became the player's main enemy, necessitating radical changes in the character's behavior and design. For the new look of the Brutes, concept artists took inspiration from rhinoceroses and gorillas. The designers added armor with buckles, gauntlets, and leather straps to bring them more in line with the Covenant aesthetic. The more seasoned the Brute, the more ornate its clothing and helmet; the armor was designed to convey a culture and tradition to the species, and emphasize their mass and power. Designs for ''Halo 3'' took cues from ] ]ns. Character animators recorded intended actions for the new Brutes in a padded room at Bungie. A new addition to the Brute artificial intelligence was a pack mentality; leader Brutes direct large-scale actions simultaneously, such as throwing grenades towards a player. | |||
====Drones==== | |||
Another addition to the Covenant military debuting in ''Halo 2'' were the Drones, or ''Yanme'e'', a flying, insectoid species from the planet Palamok. The animators found the creatures challenging, as they had to be animated to walk, run, crawl, or fly on multiple surfaces. Old concept art from ''Combat Evolved'' was repurposed in influencing the Drone's final shape, which took cues from cockroaches, grasshoppers, and wasps.<ref name="aof55"/> Drones serve primarily in reconnaissance and skirmisher units, and are most commonly armed with simple, low-power weapons. | |||
====Engineers==== | |||
Floating, serene aliens known as Engineers, or ''Huragok'', were pulled from ''Combat Evolved'' but made later appearances in the ''Halo'' novels. They also appeared in '']'', '']'', and '']''. Though Engineers possess no actual combat abilities, they can sometimes aid players or enemies. They are actually artificial lifeforms created by the long vanished and technologically superior race known as the Forerunners. The sole purpose of Engineers is to maintain, repair, and upgrade technology. Although they were originally created to maintain ancient Forerunner technology, they were eventually enslaved by the Covenant to build and maintain their technology. Engineers "reproduce" by assembling progeny out of stock materials and sharing their collective knowledge with the offspring.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Huragok|url=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/huragok-engineers|access-date=2020-10-04|website=Halo Waypoint|language=en-us}}</ref> | |||
===Society=== | ===Society=== | ||
Technologically, the Covenant are described in '']'' and '']'' to be imitative rather than innovative—most of the Covenant's sophisticated weaponry and propulsion systems are based on Forerunner artifacts, rather than the Covenant's own research.<ref>], 101.</ref> Covenant weapons are generally based on Forerunner technology and utilize ]. These weapons are built around a ] that generates plasma and discharges it at a target.<ref>Bungie (2004), 13.</ref> Frank O'Connor, Bungie's former public relations head, hinted that there may be something more to the Covenant's weaponry, saying "the actual technology is not plasma as we know it, but something far more dangerous, arcane, and destructive."<ref>{{cite web|author=O'Conner, Frank|date= |
Technologically, the Covenant are described in '']'' and '']'' to be imitative rather than innovative—most of the Covenant's sophisticated weaponry and propulsion systems are based on Forerunner artifacts, rather than the Covenant's own research.<ref>], 101.</ref> Covenant weapons are generally based on Forerunner technology and utilize ]. These weapons are built around a ] that generates plasma and discharges it at a target.<ref>Bungie (2004), 13.</ref> Frank O'Connor, Bungie's former public relations head, hinted that there may be something more to the Covenant's weaponry, saying "the actual technology is not plasma as we know it, but something far more dangerous, arcane, and destructive."<ref>{{cite web|author=O'Conner, Frank|date=2006-09-18|url=http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=743326|title=Frankie discusses the possibilities of the Covenant's weapons|publisher=]|accessdate=2007-02-22}}</ref> A few of the Covenant's weapons are not plasma-based, including the Needler, which fires razor-sharp pink needles capable of homing at organic foes. A weapons expert noted parallels between the Needler and ancient Greek Amazons painting their daggers pink as a psychological weapon in an issue of gaming magazine '']''.<ref name="egm-needler">{{cite journal|author=Samoon, Evan|year=2008|month=July|title=Gun Show: A real military expert takes aim at videogame weaponry to reveal the good, the bad, and the just plain silly|journal=]|volume=1|issue=230|pages=49}}</ref> | ||
Bungie designed the majority of Covenant technology to mirror the aesthetic of the Elites; the exteriors are sleek and graceful, with a more angular and complex core underneath hinting at the fictional Forerunner origins of the technology.<ref>de Govia, 60.</ref> In contrast to the sleek Elite-based designs of the Covenant at large, the Brutes were given their own visual design distinct from the other Covenant. Weaponry was designed to reflect the Brute's "souls" distilled to its purest form—conveyed by dangerous shapes, harsh colors, and objects that looked "dangerous to be around".<ref>de Govia, 47.</ref> A UNSC weapon designed for ''Combat Evolved'' in 1999 that was discarded |
Bungie designed the majority of Covenant technology to mirror the aesthetic of the Elites; the exteriors are sleek and graceful, with a more angular and complex core underneath hinting at the fictional Forerunner origins of the technology.<ref>de Govia, 60.</ref> In contrast to the sleek Elite-based designs of the Covenant at large, the Brutes were given their own visual design distinct from the other Covenant. Weaponry was designed to reflect the Brute's "souls" distilled to its purest form—conveyed by dangerous shapes, harsh colors, and objects that looked "dangerous to be around".<ref>de Govia, 47.</ref> A UNSC weapon designed for ''Combat Evolved'' in 1999 that was eventually discarded was repurposed as the Brute's "Mauler" weapon.<ref>de Govia, 61.</ref> | ||
Covenant society is a ] system composed of many races, some of which were forcibly incorporated. Each race is required to provide a specific number of troops to remain within the Covenant.<ref name="Beastiarum">{{cite video |title=Halo 3 Essentials | medium=DVD|publisher=Microsoft|date= |
Covenant society is a ] system composed of many races, some of which were forcibly incorporated. Each race is required to provide a specific number of battle-ready troops in order to remain within the Covenant.<ref name="Beastiarum">{{cite video | year=2007 |title=Halo 3 Essentials | medium=DVD|publisher=Microsoft|date=2007-09-25}}</ref> In the games, the races are identified by their common ] designation.<ref name="halo2races"/> | ||
==Appearances== | ==Appearances== | ||
Humanity and the Covenant first meet at the remote human colony Harvest, as described in the 2001 novel '']'' and the 2007 book the '']''. Three Covenant ] learn from a relic left by their gods, the ], that humans are the descendants of the Forerunners. Realizing such a revelation would splinter the Covenant, the newly-crowned Hierarchs decide to obliterate the humans instead, declaring that a new Age of the Covenant has begun.<ref>'']'', 145-158.</ref> | |||
The majority of events in the story arc of the ''Halo'' series occur during the "Ninth Age of Reclamation." The Covenant's organization of time and dates is not elaborated on in detail in the game or during any of the novelizations; Bungie cinematic director ], in an interview on ''Halo'' fansite ], said that the Covenant's date system is split into seven ], split into the following Ages: Abandonment, Conflict, Discovery, Reconciliation, Conversion, Doubt, and Reclamation.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Staten, Joseph |author2=Claude Errera |date=October 22, 2004|url=http://halosm.bungie.org/story/staten102204.html|title=Interview with Joe Staten, 10/22/2004|publisher=]|access-date=February 20, 2007}}</ref> | |||
The Covenant's superior technology allow them to annihilate the human Outer Colonies within four years; the Covenant begin to destroy the Inner Colonies in short order as well.<ref>{{cite book |last= Nylund|first= Eric|title=]|year= 2001|publisher= Ballantine Books|location=New York |isbn=0-345-45132-5 |pages=127}}</ref> However their efforts are stymied by the ], which stops UNSC ships from directly or indirectly traveling to inhabited human worlds (forcing them to make several random trips before actually returning to a human colony) and upon imminent risk of capture, the ship's ] is erased with the rest of the navigational database, and the ship self-destructs.<ref name=timeline>{{cite web|url=http://halosm.bungie.org/story/halostory.timeline.html|title=Halo Story Timeline|publisher=]|accessdate=2007-08-21}}</ref> In 2552, the Covenant assault the human colony ] in an effort to recover an ancient artifact with ] glyphs on it,<ref>{{cite book |last= Nylund|first= Eric|title=]|year= 2001|publisher= Ballantine Books|location=New York |isbn=0-345-45132-5 |pages=94}}</ref> but are repelled by a UNSC battlegroup. Victorious, the '']'' departs the system; unbeknownst to its crew or the UNSC, a Covenant transmitter attaches to the ''Iroquois'' and reveals the location of ], Earth's best defended colony, to the Covenant.<ref>{{cite book |last= Nylund|first= Eric|title=]|year= 2001|publisher= Ballantine Books|location=New York |isbn=0-345-45132-5 |pages=127}}</ref> A massive Covenant fleet arrives at Reach and lays waste to much of the planet.<ref>{{cite book |last= Nylund|first= Eric|title=]|year= 2003|publisher= Ballantine Books|location=New York |isbn=0-345-46781-7 |pages=108}}</ref> | |||
The 2001 and 2007 novels '']'' and '']'' describe humanity's first contact with the Covenant in the year 2525. In ''The Fall of Reach'', a lone Covenant ship bombards the Harvest colony with plasma, turning the planet's crust into molten glass. The lone ship, broadcasts the Covenant edict, "Your destruction is the will of the gods, and we are their instrument", and destroys several ] (UNSC) ships sent to attack it.<ref>], 94.</ref><!-- xbox timeline --> ''Contact Harvest'' describes a lengthy ground engagement between human militia and Covenant before the total assault on Harvest. The Covenant claim that humans are an offense to their gods, but in reality, three Covenant Prophets have learned from a relic left by their gods, the ], that humans, who may possibly be genetically related to the Forerunners, have been chosen by the Forerunners as their Reclaimers. Realizing such a revelation would splinter the Covenant, the newly crowned Hierarchs decide to obliterate the humans instead and declare that a new Age of the Covenant has begun.<ref>], 145-158.</ref> | |||
The Covenant's first appearance in the video games is in 2001's '']'', which picks up towards the end of ''The Fall of Reach''. A sizable detachment of Covenant follow the human vessel ''Pillar of Autumn'' from Reach to ], a relic of the Forerunner that the Covenant view as sacred. Wary of accidentally damaging the ring,<ref name=theflood>'']'', pg. 6.</ref> the Covenant are forced to fight the humans on foot. At some point, the Covenant accidentally release the ], a virulent parasite, from stasis; the Flood infect many human and Covenant, and even take control of Covenant vessels in attempts to escape the ring. The Covenant know of the Flood from their religious texts,<ref>"]", pg. 35.</ref> and recognize the threat of the parasite. They send in a strike team to retake the damaged cruiser ''Truth and Reconciliation'' and divert their attention to stopping the Flood. Meanwhile, the ] detonates the ''Pillar of Autumn''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s engines, destroying the ring and most of the Covenant armada, the Fleet of Particular Justice, led by the soon-to-be Arbiter. Most of what transpired in the game was written in the book '']'', in which certain details not in the game was also added, such as the ODSTs and what happened with the damaged Covenant Cruiser. | |||
The Covenant's superior technology allow them to annihilate the outer human colonies within four years; the Covenant begin to destroy the inner colonies soon thereafter.<ref name="Nylund 2001 127">{{cite book|last= Nylund|first= Eric|title= ]|year= 2001|publisher= Ballantine Books|location= New York|isbn= 0-345-45132-5|pages= }}</ref><!-- halo timeline --> As a defensive measure, the UNSC creates the "Cole Protocol"; human ships are prohibited from directly traveling to human worlds to avoid detection by the Covenant, and destruction of a ship's navigation databases and ] if threatened with capture. In 2552, the Covenant track the UNSC ship ''Iroquois'' to the world of Reach, Earth's most well-defended colony, by a hidden transmitter. A massive Covenant fleet arrives at Reach and lays waste to much of the planet. | |||
'']'' describes the Battle of Reach from the Spartan team's perspective, and also of the immediate events following the destruction of the first Halo. Later, the Master Chief and his fellow ]s, recovered from the remains of Reach, destroyed the ''Unyielding Heirophant'' and a Covenant Armada estimated at over 500 ships strong <ref>'']'', pg. 207</ref> that was to attack Earth. | |||
The Covenant's first appearance in the video games is in '']'' (2001), which picks up towards the end of ''The Fall of Reach and ]''. A detachment of Covenant follow the human vessel ''Pillar of Autumn'' from Reach to ], a ring-shaped Forerunner relic that the Covenant believe sacred. Wary of accidentally damaging the ring,<ref>'']'', pg. 6.</ref> the Covenant are forced to fight the humans on foot, and accidentally release the ]. The Flood, a virulent parasite that infests sentient life, attack human and Covenant alike and threaten to capture a Covenant cruiser to escape their prison on Halo. Meanwhile, the human "Spartan" ] ] detonates the ''Pillar of Autumn{{'}}''s engines, destroying the ring and the Covenant armada. The novelization of the game, '']'' (2003), describes additional events not seen in the game. In the novel ''First Strike'', The Master Chief, survivors of the ''Autumn'' and surviving Spartans from Reach destroy a Covenant fleet they learn is preparing to strike Earth, and race home to warn of the impending attack. | |||
The Covenant return as both antagonists and allies in 2004's '']''. At the start of the game, the Covenant High Prophet ] arrives at Earth with a small escort fleet. Not knowing Earth was the human homeworld, the Covenant are obliterated. With his fleet gone, Regret jumps to ], inadvertently carrying the human ship ''In Amber Clad''. The Master Chief, also known as "The Demon" by the Covenant, assassinates Regret. | |||
In the video game '']'' (2004), a member of the Covenant High Prophet triumvirate, Regret, arrives at Earth with a fleet. Most of his fleet is destroyed; Regret's ship flees to another ring, ], and is followed by the human ship ''In Amber Clad'' and the Master Chief aboard her. The Chief kills Regret before the majority of the Covenant fleet arrives at Delta Halo, along with the Covenant's holy city of ''High Charity''. The death of Regret leads the remaining Prophets to promote the Brutes as their guards, replacing the Elites. The Elites, outraged, threaten to resign from the Covenant high council; in turn the Prophets give the Brutes ''carte blanche'' to kill the Elites, sparking a civil war. In the midst of these developments, the Flood are again released; the High Prophet Mercy is killed by the parasite, while the last remaining leader, the High Prophet of Truth, flees to Earth in a Forerunner ship, entrusting the activation of Halo to the Brute ]. The Elites ally with the humans of ''In Amber Clad'' to stop the firing of the ring, but inadvertently set all the remaining Halo rings to be remotely activated from a location known as the Ark, placed outside the range of the Halo Array to protect certain species from the firing of the Halo rings, built as a foundry for the rings including replacing any that get destroyed. | |||
At the same time, the Covenant is experiencing stress. The death of Regret leads to the remaining Prophets transferring the ] into the position of their Honor Guards, a job the ] had held since the founding of the Covenant. The Elites are outraged and threaten to to resign from the High Council; the Prophets give the Brutes ''carte blanche'' to murder the Elites, sparking a civil war. The Elites join their former enemies, humanity, in stopping the firing of Delta Halo; Truth, the last High Prophet left after Mercy is killed by a ] infection form, leaves ''High Charity'' for Earth. | |||
By the events of '']'' (2007), the Flood intelligence known as the ] infests and captures ''High Charity'', while the Elites assist humans on Earth in defending themselves. The High Prophet of Truth's forces excavate a portal to the Ark, located outside the Milky Way. The Elites chase Truth, and the ] (an Elite holy warrior) kills Truth ultimately destroying the Covenant. After the Flood controlled ''High Charity'' arrives at the Ark, the Arbiter and Master Chief decide to activate a partially built Halo ring (the replacement for the ring that the Master Chief destroyed in the first game) destroying the Flood and sparing the rest of the galaxy. The remaining humans and Elites escape back through the portal. The Human-Covenant war ends in December of 2552, and the Arbiter leads his Elites back to their homeworld. From this point onward, the Covenant ceased to exist.<ref name="CovenantH3">{{Cite video game |title=Halo 3 |developer=Bungie |date= September 25, 2007|quote='''Cortana''': But you did it. Truth and the Covenant, the Flood, ''It's finished''.}}</ref><ref name="CovenantDead" /><ref name="CovenantWaypoint">{{cite web |url= https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/factions/covenant | title=Covenant |website=Halo Waypoint |quote= "DISSOLUTION: 2552 CE" |date= July 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200104161324/https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/factions/covenant |archive-date=January 4, 2020}}</ref> | |||
In ''Halo 2'', the central component of the Covenant's beliefs is revealed to be the "Great Journey", a spiritual equivalent of the ] and the ultimate goal of the Covenant. The Covenant believe that their ], the ], used the ] to cleanse the universe of all that was unworthy, and led them to salvation. The Covenant wish to wipe out humanity and the Flood, and follow the Forerunners to their mysterious destination. The Covenant's execution of the Great Journey consists of the activation of at least one Halo installation, the "divine wind" of which will sweep all those who are worthy on the path to the beyond. | |||
The Covenant serve as the only antagonists of '']'' (2010), set before the events of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and during the height of Human-Covenant war. Noble Team, a composition of Spartan super soldiers, defend the human planet of Reach against the Covenant's military invasion in a losing battle. The Covenant onslaught ultimately results in many deaths and the destruction of Reach, although Noble Team successfully evacuate a number of civilians and a fragment of Cortana to the ''Pillar of Autumn'' at the cost of their lives. | |||
By the events of ''Halo 3'', the Elites have split completely from the Covenant, though some of the Grunts and Hunters have folded back into the Covenant, driven by fear of the Brutes. ''High Charity'' is taken over by the Flood, while Truth and what little remains of the Covenant empire excavate the artifact believed to be the ] on Earth. Truth activates the artifact, creating a ] portal to the ''real'' Ark; the Elites' ships arrive on Earth in time to stop the Flood from infesting the planet. The Elites decide that their fight with Truth lies through the slipspace portal, and together with human marines the Elites engage the Prophet's ships and stop Truth from firing the Halo network. At the conclusion of the game, humanity's war with the Covenant ends; the Arbiter leads his Elites to their homeworld after paying respects to the dead. | |||
A newly formed faction that splintered off from the Elites were featured in '']'' (2012), led by Jul 'Mdama.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Halo Bulletin: 3.07.12|url=http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/post/2012/03/08/The-Halo-Bulletin-30712.aspx|publisher=Official Halo Website|access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref> Following the destruction of the Covenant in ''Halo 3'', this smaller faction self-proclaimed to be a new “Covenant” and worships the Forerunners as gods,<ref name="HaloEscalationCovenantDescription">{{Cite comic | title = '''Halo: Escalation''' | volume = 1 | date = '''April 23, 2014''' | publisher = ] | location = United States | page = 155 | panel = "'''Zef 'Trahl:''' What does it mean to be 'Covenant' today? A hundred warlords claim they rule the Covenant, but each of them leads only a small faction." | id = 9781616559076}}"</ref> seeking to awaken the Didact (a dormant Forerunner commander) on the Forerunner shield world Requiem.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ian|first=Cheong|title=Halo 4 OXM Feature Sheds Light on Rogue Covenant Faction|url=http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/8350/article/halo-4-oxm-feature-sheds-light-on-rogue-covenant-faction/|publisher=Gameranx|access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref> After the Didact's awakening, they ally with him and his mechanical forces known as Prometheans.<ref>{{Cite video game |title=Halo 4 |developer=343 Industries |quote='''Cortana''': They're working with the Prometheans?!}}</ref> In ''Spartan Ops'', Jul 'Mdama's faction battles the forces of the UNSC ''Infinity'' for control of Requiem, ultimately destroying the planet after getting one half of the Janus Key and escaping with Doctor Catherine Halsey. The continuing battle with this faction and a few other factions is featured in the ''Halo: Escalation'' comic series. | |||
==Cultural impact== | |||
'']'' (2013) features a different organization that also claimed to be a new "Covenant",<ref name="HaloEscalationCovenantDescription"/> led by an Elite named Merg Vol. In 2554, this small faction breaches the peace treaty by attacking the colony world of Draetheus V with Spartan Sarah Palmer, later the commander of the Spartans on board ''Infinity'', and Spartan Edward Davis leading a defense of the colony. Merg Vol is killed by Palmer resulting in the destruction of his faction, though Spartan Davis is killed in the battle. | |||
===Merchandise=== | |||
Microsoft has commissioned several sets of action figures and merchandise featuring Covenant characters for each video game. The ''Halo 3'' action figure sets have been made by ], and include Brutes and Jackals.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Staff|year=2008|month=April|title=McFarlane 'Halo' Figures|journal=]|volume=1|issue=180|pages=34}}</ref> The Covenant's weaponry has also been adapted into large-scale replicas. | |||
===Reception=== | |||
Jul 'Mdama's faction later returns in '']'' (2015), although they are not the game's main antagonists. Spartan Locke assassinates Jul 'Mdama during the opening mission. Blue Team later fights some of Jul's forces onboard the space station ''Argent Moon''. The rest of the faction was later defeated during a battle on the Elite homeworld against its governing body, the Swords of Sanghelios, backed by the Spartans of Fireteam Osiris. Blue Team and Fireteam Osiris also faced the scattered remnants of Jul's faction on the Forerunner planet of Genesis who were accidentally transported there by Guardians.<ref>{{Cite video game |title=Halo 5: Guardians |developer=343 Industries |quote='''Spartan Locke''': The Covenant, it's finally ending.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite video game |title=Halo 5: Guardians |developer=343 Industries |quote='''Arbiter''': Hunt them to the last. Today we extinguish the Covenant's light forever!}}</ref> | |||
The ability to experience the storyline of ''Halo 2'' from the Covenant perspective was described as a "brilliant stroke of game design". Allowing the player to assume the role of an Elite was described as providing an unexpected plot twist, and allowing the player to experience a "newfound complexity to the story".<ref>{{cite web|author=Kasavin, Greg|date=2004-11-07|url=http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/halo2/review.html?page=2|title=''Halo 2'' for Xbox Review|publisher=Gamespot|accessdate=2007-10-25}}</ref> In addition, some reviewers thought that this provided the series with a significant plot element—] referred to it as the "intriguing side story of the Arbiter and his Elites"—and its elimination in '']'' was pointed to as responsible for reducing the role of the Arbiter within the series plot.<ref name="IGN">{{cite web| author=Goldstein, Hillary| url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/821/821911p1.html| title=''Halo 3'' Review|publisher=]| date=2007-09-23| accessdate=2007-10-25}}</ref> | |||
==References== | |||
The Covenant made a cameo in '']'' (2017) with a flashback of how Atriox betrayed them and formed the ], a Brute-led mercenary organization. | |||
{{reflist|30em|refs= | |||
<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo">{{cite web|author=Haske, Steven|date=May 30, 2017|url=https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history|title=The Complete, Untold History of Halo|work=]|publisher=Vice Media|url-status=live|access-date=March 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315011247/https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history|archive-date=March 15, 2018}}</ref> | |||
*<ref name="robinson_2011">{{cite book|editor=Robinson, Martin|year=2011|title=The Great Journey—Halo: The Art of Building Worlds|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=978-08576-8562-9}}</ref> | |||
The Covenant will appear in the upcoming live-action '']'' set during the Human-Covenant war. | |||
*<ref name="boroumand_2008">{{cite book|editor=Boroumand, Shaida|year=2008|title=The Art of Halo 3|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-07615-6072-2}}</ref> | |||
*<ref name="bungie_2001">{{cite book | year=2001 | author=] | title=Halo: Combat Evolved Instruction Manual | publisher=Microsoft Game Studios}}</ref> | |||
==Reception== | |||
*<ref name="bungie_2004">{{cite book | year=2004 | author=] | title=Halo 2 Instruction Manual | publisher=Microsoft Game Studios}}</ref> | |||
The reception of the Covenant as enemies in ''Combat Evolved'' was generally favorable. The ability to experience the story line of ''Halo 2'' from the Covenant perspective was described as a "brilliant stroke of game design"; having the player assume the role of an Elite was described as providing an unexpected plot twist, which allowed the player to experience a "newfound complexity to the story".<ref>{{cite web|author=Kasavin, Greg|date=November 7, 2004|url=http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/halo2/review.html?page=2|title=''Halo 2'' for Xbox Review|publisher=Gamespot|access-date=October 25, 2007}}</ref> Some reviewers thought that this provided the series with a significant plot element—with ] referring to it as the "intriguing side story of the Arbiter and his Elites"—and its elimination in '']'' was pointed to as responsible for reducing the role of the Arbiter within the series' plot.<ref name="IGN">{{cite web| author=Goldstein, Hillary| url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/821/821911p1.html| title=''Halo 3'' Review|publisher=]| date=September 23, 2007| access-date=October 25, 2007}}</ref> In 2010, ] ranked the Covenant 26th in the "Top 100 Videogame Villains".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/videogame-villains/26.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=May 18, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100520061954/http://www.ign.com/videogame-villains/26.html |archive-date=May 20, 2010 }}</ref> | |||
*<ref name="dietz_2003">{{cite book |last= Dietz|first= William|authorlink=William C. Dietz|title=]|year=2003 |publisher= Ballantine Books|location=New York |isbn=0-345-45921-0}}</ref> | |||
*<ref name="nylund_2001">{{cite book |last= Nylund|first= Eric|authorlink=Eric Nylund|title=]|year= 2001|publisher= Ballantine Books|location=New York |isbn=0-345-45132-5 |pages=}}</ref> | |||
==Notes== | |||
*<ref name="nylund_2003">{{cite book |last= Nylund|first= Eric|authorlink=Eric Nylund|title=]|year= 2003|publisher= Ballantine Books|location=New York |isbn=0-345-46781-7}}</ref> | |||
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}} | |||
*<ref name="nylund_2006">{{cite book |last= Nylund|first= Eric|authorlink=Eric Nylund|title=]|year= 2006|publisher=Tor Books|location=New York |isbn=0-7653-1568-8}}</ref> | |||
*<ref name="staten_2007">{{cite book |last= Staten|first=Joseph|authorlink=Joseph Staten|title=]|year= 2007|publisher= Tor Books|location=New York |isbn=0-7653-1569-6 |pages=}}</ref> | |||
==References== | |||
*<ref name="trautmann_2004">{{cite book |last= Trautmann|first=Eric|authorlink=|title=The Art of Halo|year= 2004|publisher= Del Ray Books|location=New York |isbn=0-345-47586-0}}</ref> | |||
{{refbegin|2}} | |||
*< |
*<ref name="hgn_2006">{{cite book |author=Multiple authors|title=]|year=2006 |publisher= Marvel Comics|location=New York |isbn=0-785-12372-5}}</ref> | ||
}} | |||
*<div id="h manual">{{cite book | year=2001 | author=Bungie | author-link=Bungie | title=Halo: Combat Evolved Instruction Manual | publisher=Microsoft Game Studios}}</div> | |||
*<div id="h2 manual">{{cite book | year=2004 | author=Bungie | author-link=Bungie | title=Halo 2 Instruction Manual | publisher=Microsoft Game Studios}}</div> | |||
*<div id="the flood">{{cite book |last= Dietz|first= William|author-link=William C. Dietz|title=]|year=2003 |publisher= Ballantine Books|location=New York |isbn=0-345-45921-0}}</div> | |||
*<div id="fall of reach">{{cite book |last= Nylund|first= Eric|author-link=Eric Nylund|title=]|year= 2001|publisher= Ballantine Books|location=New York |isbn=0-345-45132-5 }}</div> | |||
*<div id="first strike">{{cite book |last= Nylund|first= Eric|author-link=Eric Nylund|title=]|year= 2003|publisher= Ballantine Books|location=New York |isbn=0-345-46781-7}}</div> | |||
*<div id="ghosts of onyx">{{cite book |last= Nylund|first= Eric|author-link=Eric Nylund|title=]|year= 2006|publisher=Tor Books|location=New York |isbn=0-7653-1568-8}}</div> | |||
*<div id="contact harvest">{{cite book |last= Staten|first=Joseph|author-link=Joseph Staten|title=]|year= 2007|publisher= Tor Books|location=New York |isbn=0-7653-1569-6 }}</div> | |||
*<div id="art of halo">{{cite book |last= Trautmann|first=Eric|title=The Art of Halo|year= 2004|publisher= Del Ray Books|location=New York |isbn=0-345-47586-0}}</div> | |||
*<div id="hgn"></div>{{cite book |author=Multiple authors|title=]|year=2006 |publisher= Marvel Comics|location=New York |isbn=0-7851-2372-5}} | |||
{{refend}} | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
* {{Halopedia | Covenant}} | |||
{{Portal|Video games}} | |||
* at | |||
{{Halo series}} | {{Halo series}} | ||
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Revision as of 17:01, 8 October 2021
The Covenant is a fictional theocratic military alliance of alien races who serve as one of the main antagonists in the Halo science fiction series. The Covenant are composed of a variety of diverse species, united under the religious worship of the enigmatic Forerunners and their belief that Forerunner ringworlds known as Halos will provide a path to salvation. After the Covenant leadership—the High Prophets—declare humanity an affront to their gods, the Covenant prosecute a lengthy genocidal campaign against the technologically inferior race.
The Covenant were first introduced in the 2001 video game Halo: Combat Evolved as enemies hunting the player character, a human supersoldier known as Master Chief. Not realizing the Halos were meant as weapons of destruction rather than salvation, the Covenant attempt to activate the rings on three separate occasions throughout the series, inadvertently releasing a virulent parasite known as the Flood in the process.
To develop a distinctive look for the various races of the Covenant, Bungie artists drew inspiration from reptilian, ursine, and avian characteristics. A Covenant design scheme of purples and reflective surfaces was made to separate the aliens from human architecture.
Game development
Throughout much of the development of Halo: Combat Evolved, very little concrete story details had been developed for the story campaign, and what trials the player character—later known as the Master Chief—would face. Writer Joseph Staten and other Bungie staff came up with the idea of a coalition of alien races, subsequently deciding that the faction would be motivated by religion. During the course of development of Halo, the designers decided upon three "schools" of architecture, for each of the races represented — the humans, Covenant, and Forerunners. For the Covenant, the team decided on "sleek and shiny", with reflective surfaces, organic shapes, and use of purples. According to art director Marcus Lehto, the principle designs for the faction came from environmental artist Paul Russell, while concept artist Shi Kai Wang was instrumental in developing the look of the various races within the Covenant.
Like the character designs, Covenant technology, architecture, and design continually changed throughout development, occasionally for practical reasons as well as aesthetics. According to Eric Arroyo, the Covenant cruiser Truth and Reconciliation, which plays a major role in Halo: Combat Evolved, was to be boarded by the player by a long ramp. However due to technical considerations of having a fully textured ship so close to the player, the designers came up with a "gravity lift", which allowed the ship to be farther away (thus not requiring as much processing power for detail) as well as adding a "visually interesting" component of Covenant technology.
The art team also spent a large amount of time on Covenant weaponry, in order to make them suitably alien yet still recognizable to players. At the same time, the designers wanted all aspects of Covenant technology, especially the vehicles, to act plausibly.
Species
To design the various species of the Covenant, Bungie's artists looked at live animals and films for inspiration; as a result, the species within the Covenant bear simian, reptilian, avian, and ursine characteristics. Concept artist She Kai Wang focused on making each enemy seem appropriate to its role in gameplay.
The strongest and toughest foes of the game, Elites (called Sangheili in the fictitious Covenant language) stand nearly 8'6'' (2.6 m) and feature recharging personal shields. The Elites initially had simple mouths, who developed into pairs of split mandibles substituting for the lower jaws. Bungie concept artist Shi Kai Wang noted that project lead Jason Jones had, at one point, been insistent on giving the Elites a tail.</ref> While Wang thought it made the aliens look too animalistic, the idea was eventually dropped due to practical considerations, including where the tail would go when the Elites were driving vehicles. According to Paul Russel, when Bungie was bought by Microsoft and Halo was turned into an Xbox launch title, Microsoft took issue with the design of the Elites, as they felt that the Elites had a resemblance to cats that might alienate Japanese consumers.
Among the other races developed were Grunts or Unggoy, who are viewed in game's fiction as cannon fodder. Depicted as squat and cowardly fighters, Grunts panic and run if players kill their leaders. Jackals or Kig-Yar carry energy shields or ranged weaponry. Armor color denotes the rank of each caste. In some cases, such as with the Jackals, the overall design was honed once the enemy's role was clearly defined.
In addition to basic troops, there are Hunters or Lekgolo, who according to Bungie's mythology are actually collectives of alien worms encased in tough armor. Initial concepts were less humanoid-looking and softer than the final shape, with angular shields and razor-sharp spines. These alien worms also control the Covenant Scarab-tanks as one being. Floating, serene aliens known as Engineers or Huragok were pulled from Combat Evolved, but made later appearances in the Halo novels. They also appeared in the RTS "Halo Wars" (2009) as an aerial unit whose sole purpose was to heal units and repair vehicles and buildings. Slow-moving, unarmored, and unarmed, they serve no actual combat role.
With the release of Halo 2, new races were designed and old ones refined as Covenant society was detailed further; the Jackals, for instance, lost their helmets and were detailed to make them scarier; the Hunters were made larger and more imposing. The Prophets or San 'Shyuum serve as the supreme rulers of the Covenant, and were primarily designed by Shi Kai Wang and Eric Arroyo. Originally, the Prophets were built in a more unified way, with the gravity thrones they used for flotation and movement fused with the Prophet's organic structures. The characters were also designed to be feeble, yet sinister. The three Prophet Hierarchs were each individually designed. Two new fighting forces were added to the Covenant. The first, dubbed Brutes or Jiralhanae, were made physically taller and stronger than the Elites, with their society organized around tribal chieftains. Inspired by the animators watching biker films, the Brutes incorporated simian and ursine elements while retaining an alien look. Wang's final concept for the creature, replete with bandoliers and human skulls, was simplified for the game. Brutes were meant to typify the abusive alien menace of the Covenant and in the words of design lead Jaime Griesemer, to serve as "barbarians in Rome". Another addition to the fighting force were Drones or Yanme'e, insectoid Covenant; the animators found the creatures challenging, as they had to be animated to walk, run, crawl, or fly on multiple surfaces. Old concept art from Combat Evolved was repurposed in influencing the Drone's final shape, which took cues from cockroaches, grasshoppers, and wasps.
For the final installment in the Halo trilogy, Halo 3, designers had to refine the Covenant for the move to more powerful Xbox 360 hardware. In Halo 2, the Brutes functioned as "damage sponges", with the only available combat option for players to pump the Brutes with bullets until they fell. With the Elites leaving the Covenant in the game's story, the Brutes became the player's main enemy, necessitating radical changes in the character's behavior and design. For the new look of the Brutes, concept artists took inspiration from rhinoceros and gorillas. Instead of being largely uncovered with only a bandolier as clothing (reminiscent of the Star Wars character Chewbacca), the designers added armor with ancient buckles, gauntlets, and leather straps to differentiate enemy ranks and bring the Brutes more into the Covenant aesthetic fold. The more seasoned the Brute, the more ornate clothing and helmets; the armor was designed to convey a culture and tradition to the species, and emphasize their mass and power. Designs for Halo 3 took cues from ancient Greek Spartans. Character animators recorded intended actions for the new Brutes in a padded room at Bungie. A new addition to the Brute artificial intelligence was a pack mentality; leader Brutes direct large-scale actions simultaneously, such as throwing grenades towards a player.
Society
Technologically, the Covenant are described in Halo: The Flood and First Strike to be imitative rather than innovative—most of the Covenant's sophisticated weaponry and propulsion systems are based on Forerunner artifacts, rather than the Covenant's own research. Covenant weapons are generally based on Forerunner technology and utilize plasma. These weapons are built around a battery that generates plasma and discharges it at a target. Frank O'Connor, Bungie's former public relations head, hinted that there may be something more to the Covenant's weaponry, saying "the actual technology is not plasma as we know it, but something far more dangerous, arcane, and destructive." A few of the Covenant's weapons are not plasma-based, including the Needler, which fires razor-sharp pink needles capable of homing at organic foes. A weapons expert noted parallels between the Needler and ancient Greek Amazons painting their daggers pink as a psychological weapon in an issue of gaming magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly.
Bungie designed the majority of Covenant technology to mirror the aesthetic of the Elites; the exteriors are sleek and graceful, with a more angular and complex core underneath hinting at the fictional Forerunner origins of the technology. In contrast to the sleek Elite-based designs of the Covenant at large, the Brutes were given their own visual design distinct from the other Covenant. Weaponry was designed to reflect the Brute's "souls" distilled to its purest form—conveyed by dangerous shapes, harsh colors, and objects that looked "dangerous to be around". A UNSC weapon designed for Combat Evolved in 1999 that was eventually discarded was repurposed as the Brute's "Mauler" weapon.
Covenant society is a caste system composed of many races, some of which were forcibly incorporated. Each race is required to provide a specific number of battle-ready troops in order to remain within the Covenant. In the games, the races are identified by their common UNSC designation.
Appearances
Humanity and the Covenant first meet at the remote human colony Harvest, as described in the 2001 novel Halo: The Fall of Reach and the 2007 book the Halo: Contact Harvest. Three Covenant Prophets learn from a relic left by their gods, the Forerunners, that humans are the descendants of the Forerunners. Realizing such a revelation would splinter the Covenant, the newly-crowned Hierarchs decide to obliterate the humans instead, declaring that a new Age of the Covenant has begun.
The Covenant's superior technology allow them to annihilate the human Outer Colonies within four years; the Covenant begin to destroy the Inner Colonies in short order as well. However their efforts are stymied by the Cole Protocol, which stops UNSC ships from directly or indirectly traveling to inhabited human worlds (forcing them to make several random trips before actually returning to a human colony) and upon imminent risk of capture, the ship's AI is erased with the rest of the navigational database, and the ship self-destructs. In 2552, the Covenant assault the human colony Sigma Octanus IV in an effort to recover an ancient artifact with Forerunner glyphs on it, but are repelled by a UNSC battlegroup. Victorious, the Iroquois departs the system; unbeknownst to its crew or the UNSC, a Covenant transmitter attaches to the Iroquois and reveals the location of Reach, Earth's best defended colony, to the Covenant. A massive Covenant fleet arrives at Reach and lays waste to much of the planet.
The Covenant's first appearance in the video games is in 2001's Halo: Combat Evolved, which picks up towards the end of The Fall of Reach. A sizable detachment of Covenant follow the human vessel Pillar of Autumn from Reach to Installation 04, a relic of the Forerunner that the Covenant view as sacred. Wary of accidentally damaging the ring, the Covenant are forced to fight the humans on foot. At some point, the Covenant accidentally release the Flood, a virulent parasite, from stasis; the Flood infect many human and Covenant, and even take control of Covenant vessels in attempts to escape the ring. The Covenant know of the Flood from their religious texts, and recognize the threat of the parasite. They send in a strike team to retake the damaged cruiser Truth and Reconciliation and divert their attention to stopping the Flood. Meanwhile, the Master Chief detonates the Pillar of Autumn's engines, destroying the ring and most of the Covenant armada, the Fleet of Particular Justice, led by the soon-to-be Arbiter. Most of what transpired in the game was written in the book Halo: The Flood, in which certain details not in the game was also added, such as the ODSTs and what happened with the damaged Covenant Cruiser.
Halo: First Strike describes the Battle of Reach from the Spartan team's perspective, and also of the immediate events following the destruction of the first Halo. Later, the Master Chief and his fellow SPARTAN-IIs, recovered from the remains of Reach, destroyed the Unyielding Heirophant and a Covenant Armada estimated at over 500 ships strong that was to attack Earth.
The Covenant return as both antagonists and allies in 2004's Halo 2. At the start of the game, the Covenant High Prophet Regret arrives at Earth with a small escort fleet. Not knowing Earth was the human homeworld, the Covenant are obliterated. With his fleet gone, Regret jumps to Delta Halo, inadvertently carrying the human ship In Amber Clad. The Master Chief, also known as "The Demon" by the Covenant, assassinates Regret.
At the same time, the Covenant is experiencing stress. The death of Regret leads to the remaining Prophets transferring the Brutes into the position of their Honor Guards, a job the Elites had held since the founding of the Covenant. The Elites are outraged and threaten to to resign from the High Council; the Prophets give the Brutes carte blanche to murder the Elites, sparking a civil war. The Elites join their former enemies, humanity, in stopping the firing of Delta Halo; Truth, the last High Prophet left after Mercy is killed by a Flood infection form, leaves High Charity for Earth.
In Halo 2, the central component of the Covenant's beliefs is revealed to be the "Great Journey", a spiritual equivalent of the rapture and the ultimate goal of the Covenant. The Covenant believe that their forebears, the Forerunners, used the Sacred Rings to cleanse the universe of all that was unworthy, and led them to salvation. The Covenant wish to wipe out humanity and the Flood, and follow the Forerunners to their mysterious destination. The Covenant's execution of the Great Journey consists of the activation of at least one Halo installation, the "divine wind" of which will sweep all those who are worthy on the path to the beyond.
By the events of Halo 3, the Elites have split completely from the Covenant, though some of the Grunts and Hunters have folded back into the Covenant, driven by fear of the Brutes. High Charity is taken over by the Flood, while Truth and what little remains of the Covenant empire excavate the artifact believed to be the Ark on Earth. Truth activates the artifact, creating a slipspace portal to the real Ark; the Elites' ships arrive on Earth in time to stop the Flood from infesting the planet. The Elites decide that their fight with Truth lies through the slipspace portal, and together with human marines the Elites engage the Prophet's ships and stop Truth from firing the Halo network. At the conclusion of the game, humanity's war with the Covenant ends; the Arbiter leads his Elites to their homeworld after paying respects to the dead.
Cultural impact
Merchandise
Microsoft has commissioned several sets of action figures and merchandise featuring Covenant characters for each video game. The Halo 3 action figure sets have been made by McFarlane Toys, and include Brutes and Jackals. The Covenant's weaponry has also been adapted into large-scale replicas.
Reception
The ability to experience the storyline of Halo 2 from the Covenant perspective was described as a "brilliant stroke of game design". Allowing the player to assume the role of an Elite was described as providing an unexpected plot twist, and allowing the player to experience a "newfound complexity to the story". In addition, some reviewers thought that this provided the series with a significant plot element—IGN referred to it as the "intriguing side story of the Arbiter and his Elites"—and its elimination in Halo 3 was pointed to as responsible for reducing the role of the Arbiter within the series plot.
References
- ^ Haske, Steven (May 30, 2017). "The Complete, Untold History of Halo". Vice. Vice Media. Archived from the original on March 15, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
- ^ Trautmann, Eric (2004). The Art of Halo. New York: Del Ray Books. ISBN 0-345-47586-0.
- Robinson, Martin, ed. (2011). The Great Journey—Halo: The Art of Building Worlds. Titan Books. ISBN 978-08576-8562-9.
- Jarrard, Brian; Smith, Luke, &c (2008-08-21). Bungie Podcast: With Paul Russell and Jerome Simpson (MP3) (Podcast). Kirkland, Washington: Bungie. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
- Boulding, Aaron (2001-11-09). "Halo: Combat Evolved Review". IGN. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- Trautmann, 28.
- ^ Bungie (2004), 4–5.
- Trautmann, 33.
- Trautmann, 30.
- ^ Trautmann, 55.
- Trautmann, 56.
- Trautmann, 37.
- Trautmann, 38.
- ^ ViDoc: Et Tu, Brute?. Bungie. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
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- Nylund (2003), 101.
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- O'Conner, Frank (2006-09-18). "Frankie discusses the possibilities of the Covenant's weapons". Halo.Bungie.Org. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
- Samoon, Evan (2008). "Gun Show: A real military expert takes aim at videogame weaponry to reveal the good, the bad, and the just plain silly". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1 (230): 49.
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- Halo 3 Essentials (DVD). Microsoft. 2007-09-25.
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- Nylund, Eric (2001). Halo: The Fall of Reach. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 127. ISBN 0-345-45132-5.
- "Halo Story Timeline". Halo.Bungie.Org. Retrieved 2007-08-21.
- Nylund, Eric (2001). Halo: The Fall of Reach. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 94. ISBN 0-345-45132-5.
- Nylund, Eric (2001). Halo: The Fall of Reach. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 127. ISBN 0-345-45132-5.
- Nylund, Eric (2003). Halo: First Strike. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 108. ISBN 0-345-46781-7.
- The Flood, pg. 6.
- "Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor", pg. 35.
- Halo:First Strike, pg. 207
- Staff (2008). "McFarlane 'Halo' Figures". Game Informer. 1 (180): 34.
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ignored (help) - Kasavin, Greg (2004-11-07). "Halo 2 for Xbox Review". Gamespot. Retrieved 2007-10-25.
- Goldstein, Hillary (2007-09-23). "Halo 3 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-25.
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