Editing Atriox

{{Status|Canon}}

{{Character infobox

|variant=Ban

|homeworld=[[Doisac]]{{Ref/Reuse|HOSFG158}}

|birth=[[2510#May|May 28, 2510]]{{Ref/Twitter|Id=TwitterAtrioxbirthday|ZaraVarin|867444953231654912|Zara|Y=2020|M=10|D=31|Quote=Here's to our birthday boy, Atriox!!}}

|gender=Male{{Ref/Reuse|HW2}}

|height={{Convert|260.3|cm|ftin|sp=us}}<ref name="HOSFG158">'''[[Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual]]''', ''page 158''</ref>

|mass={{Convert|635|kg|lb|sp=us}}{{Ref/Reuse|HOSFG158}}

|hair=Black, Graying<ref name="HW2">'''[[Halo Wars 2]]'''</ref>

|eyes=Reddish orange{{Ref/Reuse|HW2}}

|affiliation=*[[Covenant]]{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}} {{c|formerly}}

**[[Bloodstars]] {{c|formerly}}

*[[Banished]]{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}}

|rank=*[[Jiralhanae Stalker|Stalker]] {{c|formerly}}{{Ref/Reuse|R}}

|notable=

{{Quote|I am not ''[[Tartarus]]'' or some fanatic. I am ''not'' [[Prophet of Truth|Truth]]. I am ''not'' [[Prophet of Regret|Regret]]. I am their remedy.|Atriox to a group of [[Silent Shadow|would-be assassins]].{{Ref/Reuse|HP}}}}

'''Atriox''' is the powerful [[Jiralhanae]] warmaster who leads the [[Banished]], a violent [[Covenant remnants|ex-Covenant]] faction of mercenaries and criminals.{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}} He originally fought on behalf of the [[Covenant]], but was banished after thwarting his own execution.<ref name="ANE">'''[[Halo Wars 2]]''', campaign level ''[[A New Enemy]]''</ref> A deadly warrior and brilliant military leader, Atriox inspired many others to join him in exile.{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}} He has led his followers for over a decade, during which time he amassed an large amount of ordnance and materiel, especially following the collapse of the Covenant Empire in [[2552]].{{Ref/Reuse|RoA4}} By [[2558]], he had become a symbol for even [[Jiralhanae]] not serving with the Banished to rally around.<ref name="RoA6">'''Halo Wars 2''', ''[[Phoenix Logs]] — Rise of Atriox VI''</ref>

 

Atriox's full ambitions are unclear, but they are grandiose.<ref name="RoA4">'''Halo Wars 2''', ''[[Phoenix Logs]] — Rise of Atriox IV''</ref> His largest play for power came at the end of [[2558]], when he led a large force to [[Installation 00]] with the intention to use its [[Foundry (location)|forges]] to build [[Halo Array|Halo rings]].<ref name="Lootcrate description">[https://vault.lootcrate.com/products/loot-crate-halo-banished-crate?variant=26087539464 '''Loot Crate Vault''']</ref> After months of occupying the Ark, the Banished were confronted by the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} and [[Second Ark Conflict|a battle]] for control of the immense [[Forerunner]] construction ensued.{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}} In a matter of days, Atriox lost his [[Decimus|right-hand man]], his fleet's [[Enduring Conviction|flagship]], and a [[Installation 09|newly constructed Halo ring]] was sent through a portal to the [[Soell system]], placing it beyond his reach.<ref name="LS">'''[[Halo Wars 2]]''', campaign level ''[[Last Stand (Halo Wars 2 level)|Last Stand]]''</ref> With the aid of his forces outside of the Ark, Atriox later returned to his Banished forces in the Milky Way galaxy using a [[Slipspace portal]] located on [[Reach]] to search for the [[Xalanyn|Endless]], leaving behind his troops to hold the Ark in his absence.{{Ref/Novel|Id=SoR|SoR}} Believed to have died during the [[Battle for Zeta Halo]], Atriox later resurfaced and discovered the Endless [[cylix]]es in [[2560]].{{Ref/Game|Id=stinger|HINF|post-credits cinematic}}

 

===Covenant service===

{{Quote|My brothers fall in the war against your kind. And for what?|Atriox venting to a Marine about how pointless he considers the war against humanity to be.{{Ref/Comic|Id=ForWhat|[[Halo: Rise of Atriox Issue 2|Rise of Atriox Issue 2]]|Quote=My brothers fall in the war against your kind. And for what?}}<ref name=AngryAtriox/>}}

[[File:HRoa 1 Atriox.png|x250px|thumb|left|Atriox leads Jiralhanae of his clan into senseless battle.]]

Atriox was born into the Covenant on May 28, [[2510]].{{Ref/Reuse|TwitterAtrioxbirthday}} When he was old enough, he became part of [[Covenant military|its military]] and was taught by his ''[[daskalo]]'' [[Escharum]].{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}} During the Covenant Empire's [[Human-Covenant War|war]] against [[human]]ity, Atriox served as a [[Jiralhanae Stalker]]. For part of the war he served alongside his war-brothers, [[Castor]] and [[Orsun]], as Stalkers of the [[Bloodstars]]. In this role he was commanded by a [[First Blade]] of the [[Silent Shadow]] and charged with hunting down [[Spartan|demons]]. At one point, these four captured a squad of [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper|imp]]s during a raid and interrogated them for three days. From these captured ODSTs they learned of the rumor that the [[SPARTAN-II program]] had abducted children as its subjects.<ref name="R">'''[[Halo: Retribution]]''', ''page 265''</ref> Through experience in combat, Atriox honed his tenacity and shrewd strategic planning.<ref name="Atriox log">'''Halo Wars 2''', ''[[Phoenix Logs]] —  Atriox''</ref>

 

Late in the war, the [[Covenant]] began to use Atriox's [[pack]] for frontline troops, throwing them against the [[United Nations Space Command]] as cannon fodder. Groups of forty Jiralhanae would be sent to storm enemy positions, clearing the way for follow-up attacks, but typically all of the attackers would die in the process.{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}} Sometimes repeated waves would be ordered against entrenched humans even when it was clear the battle had already been won, making it seem as if the leaders simply wanted blood, regardless of which side it was spilled from.{{Ref/Reuse|RoA1c}} Atriox was the first to return as the sole survivor of one such suicide mission — a feat which he repeated multiple times after that. During one engagement, Atriox and thirty-nine others of his pack brothers assaulted the last bit of [[UNSC]] resistance on a planet, led by [[First Sergeant]] [[Jessica Kress]]. By this point he had already distinguished himself enough to warrant a leadership role during the assault. He led warriors through a breach in the western section of the humans' base. Atriox charged headlong into the enemy's position, slaughtering [[UNSC Marine Corps|marines]] mercilessly.{{Ref/Reuse|RoA1c}} Before long, instead of only Atriox remaining among the Brutes as usual, there were only two human survivors: Sergeant Kress and another marine. These two attempted a daring escape through a packed crowd of many Jiralhanae in an [[M12 Warthog]] but Atriox fired upon the vehicle with a {{Pattern|Pez'tk|fuel rod gun}}, killing its gunner and throwing Kress from the chassis as it flipped over. He casually approached the last living human on the planet and waited, allowing her to stand and assume a fighting posture with a [[combat knife]]. The marine bravely lunged forward at Atriox but he caught her in the gut with the haft of his [[Gravity hammer (fiction)|gravity hammer]]. As she collapsed, he raised it overhead and brought the head down on her exposed form, smashing her into bloody pieces.<ref name="RoA1c">''[[Halo: Rise of Atriox]]'', ''Issue 1''</ref>

 

===Banishment===

{{Quote|no=two|q1=Atriox. you have murdered one of your own. Stolen the life of your brother. Stolen him from the holiness of the Great Journey. We observed the battle to study the strength of our enemy. Instead, we found a heretic. Your ''blasphemy'' corrupts the Covenant.|[[Itho 'Hesiikee|The Executioner]]|q2=He was a slave. A puppet sent to kill me. I relieved him of the burden of that shame.|Atriox|Atriox faces his executioner with defiance.}}

[[File:AlgolisAtriox.png|thumb|300px|Atriox in a bloody battle frenzy on Algolis.]]

As Atriox continued to lose pack-mates over the course of many battles, his resentment toward the Covenant, and the [[Hierarch|Prophets]] in particular,<ref name="TB log">'''Halo Wars 2''', ''[[Phoenix Logs]] — The Blinded''</ref> grew.{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}} Tales of his improbable survival made him legendary in the eyes of many. However, Atriox did not believe in the [[Great Journey]] and viewed the genocide of the humans as wanton.{{Ref/Reuse|ForWhat}}<ref name=AngryAtriox/> In [[2549]], during the [[Algolis Invasion|occupation]] of the [[human colony]] of [[Algolis]], Atriox returned once more to base as the only living veteran of a recent battle.{{Ref/Reuse|RoA2c}} [[Itho 'Hesiikee|The Sangheili]] in authority over the group of Jiralhanae to which he belonged was troubled by the cult of personality surrounding Atriox. Speaking to the [[High Prophet of Truth]] via remote communication, he noted that Atriox was never supposed to have survived this long. His unprecedented success and celebrated reputation could pose a threat should the Jiralhanae begin to question their role in the [[Great Journey]], especially given rumors that his faith was already wavering. Truth believed Atriox could still be a valuable tool of warfare, and stated that he would only sanction his elimination if it was confirmed that he had lapsed in his loyalty. Atriox was seated alone, still covered in the blood of humans, when the Sangheili approached him. His commander offered praise of his prowess, but Atriox rebuffed it by saying it was simply the duty he had been assigned. Further congratulations drew his ire and he told the Sangheili that he doubted his brothers were defending the Great Journey as opposed to dying pointlessly. He also rebuked the underestimation of the humans' abilities that ostensibly caused so many of his pack to continually be killed and said that perhaps absolute loyalty was not the path to righteousness as the Covenant taught. It was reported to Truth that Atriox was even more dangerous than they had feared. The decision was made to have him murdered, but it was agreed that it must be done so delicately in order to avoid martyrdom.{{Ref/Reuse|RoA2c}}

 

Another battle on Algolis was soon underway, and Atriox once again found himself being flown into the heart of it surrounded by other Jiralhanae, all of whom were outwardly inspired by his presence save for one, who locked eyes with him during the flight.{{Ref/Reuse|RoA2c}} Atriox savaged the marines garrisoned at the compound they were assaulting and his movements during the conflict were carefully watched by the Sangheili hoping for his death through the use of [[San'Shyuum]] [[Eye]]s that flew over the carnage. Having secured victory, Atriox found [[Michael Taylor|a wounded marine]] and instead of finishing him off right there, told the young man to run. As he did so, Atriox lazily followed after him. The marine stumbled and fell and as Atriox came closer he loudly proclaimed his frustration and hatred for the Covenant's lies to the frightened human. With no malice toward the man,<ref name=AngryAtriox/> Atriox killed him. Atriox then turned around to find himself facing the Brute with whom he had stared down during the [[Phantom]] ride into battle. This warrior challenged the blasphemy he had overheard and Atriox desperately implored him to use reason and to see the Covenant's beliefs and strategies for what they were.{{Ref/Reuse|RoA2c}} Despairing of the possibility that his zeal could be argued away, he raised his hammer and dared the accuser to fight him. He took a hard blow to the side, but in the end Atriox stood triumphant over the Jiralhanae's corpse.

 

 

 

 

At some point soon after the incident aboard the battlecruiser, Decimus suggested that the Banished [[Skirmish on Otraak|travel]] to the planet [[Otraak]]. It was largely-unknown that the Covenant had a presence there, but Decimus was acquainted with a [[Kig-Yar]] scientist operating out of an installation on its surface by the name of [[Sig Raan]].{{Ref/Reuse|RoA3c}} If Raan could be persuaded to their cause, then they would gain a significant source of ingenuity  and technological capability. Decimus led four other Jiralhanae on an expedition to this installation and met no resistance but for some unarmed [[Unggoy]] which were called off by Raan soon after ambushing them. The [[T'vaoan]] invited the Brutes inside to show off what she had invented: a device that mimicked the sonic and pheromonal signals of a [[Yanme'e Queen]], allowing its user to control many of [[Yanme'e]] drones. Rather than pledging herself to the Banished, however, Raan turned on Decimus and ordered her drones to attack. Just as it looked as if the swarming Yanme'e would be too much for the Jiralhanae, Atriox revealed himself atop a high platform within the chamber they all found themselves.{{Ref/Reuse|RoA3c}} He let the Kig-Yar know that he had known all along of her treachery and only sent Decimus ahead of himself so that she would show him what she had created. Leaping from his perch, he battered Yanme'e with his [[gravity mace]], [[Chainbreaker]], and landed on his feet. His ferocity against the drones inspired his compatriots to fight back alongside him with renewed vigor. Sig Raan was aghast at the ineffectiveness of her drones against Atriox, even surmising that there may even be a problem with her invention.{{Ref/Reuse|RoA3c}} Born aloft by a Yanme'e, she evaded Atriox before he could deal with her personally, but her escape was cut short by a blast of superheated [[plasma]] fired from Decimus' [[Type-25 plasma pistol]]. The shot killed the Yanme'e carrying her and she plunged to her death from high above the floor. Some time later following Rann's death, Atriox and the others had still not left the installation. Decimus was enthralled with the possibilities that the scientist's invention could offer them, but upon hearing of his plans to make Yanme's thralls serve as engineers and fighters, Atriox snatched the device away and crumpled it in his hand. Decimus was horrified, but Atriox adamantly explained that while the Covenant had treated its warriors as tools, he aspired to a much higher standard for himself. The Covenant's disregard for its troops, after all, had been the reason they had left it. Atriox enthusiastically stated that he wished for those following him to do so because they know him and know he will do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals, not because they are tricked into doing so by a peculiar technological and biological cheat. The destroyed device was left behind when they took their leave.{{Ref/Reuse|RoA3c}}{{clear}}

{{Quote|I see you for what you are and what you could be. We can do great things together. Not as master and slaves, but as the warriors you truly are -- free to continue your crusade without the shackles of outdated faith.|Atriox to Resa 'Azavayl and the rest of his Silent Shadow squad.{{Ref/Reuse|HP}}}}

With the demise of the Covenant Empire in [[2552]], Atriox acquired numerous weapons and soldiers once belonging to its [[Covenant military|vast military]].{{Ref/Reuse|bts trailer}} Atriox's experience fighting against the Covenant gave the Banished a strong advantage over other factions in the post-Covenant War galactic environment.{{Ref/Reuse|bts trailer}} The collapse of the former hegemony also afforded him and his Banished an enormous opportunity to fill new power vacuums and to consolidate weaponry, vehicles, and ships left behind or weakly held. Atriox's faction no longer had to run from the Covenant and attack it with guerrilla tactics. In addition, with the former Covenant's [[Human-Covenant War|genocidal campaign]] now foiled and halted, Atriox's Chieftains were able to spread the Banished's influence into [[human]] criminal enterprises as well.{{Ref/Book|Id=H:OSFM2|OSFM|Page=156|Quote=Atriox is reported to have led a fleet of Banished to an unknown destination, but the chieftains he has organized and controlled continue to spread their influence and power throughout Brute colonies and even into human criminal enterprises.}} Atriox and his Banished were open to recruiting from all species, including humans and even the Sangheili who had oppressed his Jiralhanae brothers.<ref name=H:OSFM1/>  

[[File:SSconfronts.png|300px|thumb|left|'Azavayl resists Atriox's offer to join the Banished due to hatred of Jiralhanae.]]

At some point following the [[Great Schism]], a [[Sangheili]] squad of the [[Special Operations]] division, the [[Silent Shadow]], began to mercilessly hunt down and slaughter groups of [[Jiralhanae]] and any others found associating with them.{{Ref/Reuse|HP}} Atriox was leading from one of his vessels, along with a contingent of his forces at that point, a captured {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}}, ''[[Elegy's Lament]]''.{{Ref/Reuse|HP}} The Silent Shadow, led by [[Resa 'Azavayl]], managed to infiltrate the vessel and catch several Jiralhanae off-guard thanks to the use of [[active camouflage]].{{Ref/Reuse|HP}} An alarm was soon sounded, tipping Atriox off to the assassins' presence on his ship. When the Sangheili finally approached Atriox on the bridge, he was ready. He invited the would-be assassins to show themselves and proceeded to question their motives. Resa had been unaware that his target was Atriox, whom he called "the betrayer". Atriox conceded that he would gladly fight the Silent Shadow if necessary, but he made it clear that it would be in the interests of all involved to join forces. He had mentioned to them that he was not involved in the [[Great Schism|betrayal and massacre]] of the Sangheili,<ref name="ReferenceA">'''Halo: Tales from Slipspace''', '''Hunting Party'''</ref> and the squad began to view him as "other".{{Ref/Reuse|ReferenceA}} Atriox mocked Resa's short-sightedness and stubborn adherence to old hatreds. Resa was not swayed from his task upon hearing Atriox's words, but the others responded quite differently, driving their [[energy sword]]s into their leader's back and allowing themselves to be welcomed into the Banished.<ref name="HP">'''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]''', '''[[Hunting Party]]'''</ref> Following this, Atriox was able to recruit more Sangheili mercenaries into the Banished.

 

By the end of [[2553]], ONI operatives were aware that [[Lekgolo]] had begun to be incorporated into the Banished in addition to multitudes of ex-Covenant who simply didn't wish to stop fighting. Atriox's Banished looked through the [[black market]]s on the [[human]] colony of [[Venezia]] to trade with them, seeking Forerunner technology to power their [[Banished shield generator|shield generators]] and purchase [[nuclear weapon]]s.<ref name="shieldgen">''[[Halo Wars 2]]'', ''[[Phoenix Logs]]'' - [[Phoenix Logs/Banished Buildings/Shield Generator|Shield Generator]] "The Banished reject the idea of taboo and have been busy combing the black markets of Venezia and other outlaw rimworlds looking for further secrets of the ancients that can be exploited in the modern era."</ref>{{Ref/Book|Id=nukes|[[Halo: Retribution]]}} On at least one occasion following the acquisition of the large boost to his forces that 'Volir brought, the Banished pillaged an entire human city for loot.{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}} By December 2553 Atriox and his Banished had already carved out a fearsome reputation among ONI and the [[Keepers of the One Freedom]] alike. [[Nereus X]] in the [[Nereus system]] was used in December as a temporary hideout for a Banished flotilla and the planet [[Shamsa]] had been made a supply hub for the faction.<ref name="HR">'''[[Halo: Retribution]]'''</ref> By [[2557#January|January 2557]], some human [[salvager]]s knew of Atriox, but only to the extent that he led a group competing for plunder and salvage.<ref>'''[[Halo: Smoke and Shadow]]'''</ref> By March, however, his trail had run cold as far as the ONI agents keeping track of him were concerned.{{Ref/Reuse|RoA6}} The last time they had heard of him he had captured a number of [[Huragok]]. Following the firing of [['D'|one of the two agents]] in question, frequent surveillance of his acts ceased as far as they were concerned. Unknown to them, their conversations about Atriox had been spied on without their knowledge for years by Section Zero, meaning they were not the only ones with knowledge of the Jiralhanae warmaster.{{Ref/Reuse|RoA6}}{{clear}}

 

 

===Fight for the Ark===

Following the [[subjugation of Earth]] by the [[Created]] in October 2558, the [[Portal at Voi|portal]] linking [[Installation 00]] to [[Earth]] shut down without any warning for those stationed on the installation.{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}} A month later, on November 25,<ref>'''Halo Wars 2''', ''Phoenix Logs'' – "The Graveyard"</ref> Atriox and Decimus arrived with a Banished force of [[Jiralhanae]], [[humans]], [[Sangheili]], [[Mgalekgolo]], [[Unggoy]], and [[Huragok]] aboard the ''[[Enduring Conviction]]'' and its fleet.{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}} Atriox charged [[War Chief]] Decimus with leading the [[Attack on Installation 00|massacre]] of the UNSC researchers on its surface.{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}} In little time, the researchers had all been killed and the Ark belonged to the Banished.{{Ref/Reuse|gamespot}} Atriox had led them there in order to construct a [[Halo Array|Halo ring]],{{Ref/Reuse|Lootcrate description}} but the ability to do so apparently eluded him. Over the next four months the Banished established mining and resource extracting operations on the Ark and mastered its [[Teleportation grid|portal network]] for quick [[Slipspace translocation|translocation]] across it.{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}}

On [[2559#March|March 28, 2559]], the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}, a retrofitted {{Class|Phoenix|colony ship}} that had been missing for 28 years, arrived at the Ark after being pulled through a portal by an unknown entity. The Banished's presence went unknown to the ship, which dispatched a reconnaissance team and a trio of [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartans]] to investigate a distress signal coming from the [[Henry Lamb Research Outpost]].{{Ref/Reuse|TS}} Anticipating the arrival of the Spartans at the outpost, Atriox and a number of other Jiralhanae hid inside it and waited. After the three humans retrieved the [[artificial intelligence]] and source of the distress beacon, [[Isabel]], Atriox sprung the trap. He managed to surprise them by lunging from the shadows to grab [[Alice-130]] and lift her into the air. The others immediately reacted by engaging Atriox with short bursts of gunfire, but the massive Jiralhanae responded in turn by battering them with his [[Powered exoskeleton|powered gauntlet]] and [[gravity mace]].{{Ref/Reuse|TS}} All three were easily kept at bay by Atriox, who outmatched them in strength and durability. [[Douglas-042]] and [[Jerome-092]] both managed to get in close and stab and slash him with [[combat knife|combat knives]], respectively, but Atriox did not even react to the wounds. After tossing Alice and Jerome away he used brute force to clamp down on Douglas' [[Mjolnir]] [[Mark IV|armor]] with his powered gauntlet, rendering him incapacitated. From there, he slammed him with [[Chainbreaker]], the gravity mace, sending him flying and knocking his helmet off.{{Ref/Reuse|TS}} As Alice and Jerome cautiously recovered Douglas, now unable to even stand and teetering on the edge of consciousness, Atriox mocked the Spartans and the [[Covenant religion#Demons|legends]] that had sprung up around them among the Covenant. Alice and Jerome dragged Douglas away while Atriox just laughed. After they had gone, he ordered the Jiralhanae in the outpost with him to hunt them down and to find out where they had come from.<ref name="TS">'''[[Halo Wars 2]]''', campaign level ''[[The Signal]]''</ref>  

[[File:HW2-Conviction-02.jpg|thumb|300px|Let 'Volir and Atriox survey the ''Conviction's'' wreckage.]]

The Spartans managed to escape their pursuers, and before long a [[Strike One|small force]] moved against the salvage operation being overseen by Decimus, who made a personal appearance to defend his work.{{Ref/Reuse|ANE}} The humans were too much for him, however, and he retreated through a portal. Upon learning of this, Atriox ordered his right hand to report to him immediately and commanded that all Banished outposts be put on alert for UNSC assaults.<ref name="PLECBR">'''Halo Wars 2''', ''Phoenix Logs — Enduring Conviction Battle Reports''</ref> Data recovered during the skirmish led Captain [[James Cutter]] and the other humans to discover Atriox had taken possession of a [[Cartographer]] to locate key systems and weapons across the Ark. After they made an aggressive push and wrested control of it from the Banished, Atriox reassigned Decimus to protect likely targets that were crucial to upholding their portal network.{{Ref/Reuse|PLECBR}} Though his troops had been spread far and wide thanks to the portals, mass redeployments were undertaken quickly to defend key sites once the Cartographer was lost. Decimus ultimately died defending the areas he had been ordered to, and at this, Atriox finally called for ''[[Enduring Conviction]]'' to begin attacking the ''Spirit of Fire''. The humans responded by using a [[Forerunner]] [[particle cannon]] on the Ark to immobilize the carrier and drain its shields. Atriox retaliated by sending everything he had in the area at the site of this cannon, and he personally transmitted a message wherein he taunted and threatened Douglas-042. These efforts were to no avail, however, as Jerome-092 and [[Isabel]] managed to infiltrate the ''Enduring Conviction'' and use its [[ventral beam]] to provoke an attack on it from the installation's [[Aggressor Sentinel]]s. Atriox could only watch as his [[flagship]] was cut into two pieces, which fell to the Ark. Atriox was enraged at the loss, and doubly so due to the fact that Professor [[Ellen Anders]] had successfully managed to launch [[Installation 09|a Halo ring]]. As it rose from the [[Foundry (location)|Foundry]], he told [[Let 'Volir]] to get everyone he could on the ring immediately and to take it from the humans, noting that If he could do so, it may prove him to still be worth his price.  

Troops began to be ferried to the ring via access points designed for sentinels. The Banished quickly gained a foothold near the UNSC's [[Alpha Base (Installation 09)|Alpha Base]] and Atriox for the first time made contact with Captain Cutter directly. He admitted that he was impressed with the humans' tenacity and even conceded respect for the captain. Not realizing the ''Spirit of Fire'' lacked [[slipspace]] capabilities, he promised he would not hunt it down if Cutter simply left the Ark. Cutter responded with defiance, so Atriox made it known that he had destined he and his crew for destruction. He sent everything at his disposal to stop Anders from engineering a communications beacon at the Halo's [[control room]] and again reached out to Cutter in an attempt at intimidation. Through the control room, the professor ejected a section of the ring's surface into space along with all of the Banished fighters that had been on it. The Halo was lost to Atriox right before it completed its transition into the portal that would carry it toward the [[Soell system]]. It had only taken five days for the {{Class|Phoenix|colony ship}} and her complement to destroy nearly everything Atriox had built on the Ark and to end his goal of controlling a Halo. Devastated by the disappearance of his prize, Atriox slammed his fist downwards on a [[holotable]], shattering and denting a corner of it. He then walked out to a cliff edge to observe the numerous forces still left to him.{{Ref/Reuse|LS}} The fight between the Banished and the ''Spirit of Fire'' continued for months, at one point leading to a battle amidst the wreckage of the ''Enduring Conviction''.

{{Quote|Vengeance is petty. Vengeance has no reward.|Atriox attempting to recruit Resa 'Azavayl, pointing out the futility in feuds between species.{{Ref/Comic|Id=htfs vengeance|[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]] [[Hunting Party]]|Quote=So, you've simply traded one leash for another. Vengeance is petty. Vengeance has no reward.}}}}

Harboring a hatred of the Covenant and its [[Covenant remnants|remnants]],<ref name="finals countdown">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/community-update-the-finals-countdown '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Finals Countdown'']</ref> Atriox followed a philosophy of utter, amoral pragmatism, focusing solely on gathering power for himself and the Banished as a whole and ignoring whatever he cannot leverage as a useful asset. He was apathetic to the brutality and suffering that prevail in the Banished's ranks as long as he gains results,<ref>'''Halo Wars 2''', ''Phoenix Logs — Scarab''</ref> and has no attachment to faith, actively lauding it as outdated and needless. Likewise, Atriox had no animosity towards [[humans]],<ref name=AngryAtriox>[https://www.previewsworld.com/Article/195788-Angry-Atriox-Brings-Hell-To-Halo Angry Atriox Brings Hell To Halo] ''"He would tell the soldiers that they, too, are nothing but expendable. They are nothing more than cannon fodder to be thrown at their enemies. He would tell them that he doesn’t blame them for what they are. He bears them no malice. But he would also tell them that he offers no mercy. They have a role to play, just as he does, and that means that he must kill them all."''</ref>{{Ref/Reuse|ForWhat}} nor did he care for the [[Sangheili-Jiralhanae war|Sangheili-Jiralhanae feud]].{{Ref/Reuse|htfs vengeance}} Atriox viewed both humans and [[Sangheili]] as warriors with potential usefulness to him;<ref name="H:OSFM1">[[Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual]], page 161 - "In theory, all who can aid Atriox's ambition and will bend the knee are welcome, from human to hunter, but their violence and conditions of service limit recruitment opportunities."</ref><ref>'''Halo: Tales from Slipspace''', '''Hunting Party''' - "I see you for what you are and what you could be. We can do great things together. Not as master and slaves, but as the warriors you truly are."</ref> though other leaders would struggle to hold control over bitter rivals on the battlefield, Atriox's charisma and the fervor it inspired in his followers made it possible. His open minded philosophy was also demonstrated by his interactions with the [[UNSC]] crew of the ''[[Spirit of Fire]]''. During the fight at the [[Henry Lamb Research Outpost]], Atriox intentionally let [[Red Team]] escape with his forces in pursuit, both as a show of power and to discover where the Spartans came from. Later, on [[Installation 09]], he offered [[Captain Cutter]] and the UNSC crew of the ''Spirit of Fire'' another chance to walk away peacefully, and was impressed by Cutter's refusal to do so. During the conversation, Atriox compared the ferocity of the ''Spirit of Fire'' crew to himself and [[Atriox's Chosen|his brothers]] and admitted to having respect for his UNSC enemy and the fact that they were survivors like him.<ref>'''[[Halo Wars 2]]''', campaign level ''[[The Halo]]''</ref> Atriox saw Banished humans as valuable assets and was upset to hear that the [[Long Shields]] had killed some off.{{Ref/Novel|Halo: Divine Wind|Chapter=6|Page=102|Quote=Atriox and his retinue had been rather unhappy with that decision, considering humans as valuable assets to the Banished as a whole,}} Adhering to his mindset that "vengeance has no reward" even in the face of [[Sangheili-Jiralhanae war#Massacres Against the Jiralhanae|genocide]], Atriox continued to employ Banished humans throughout the [[Orion Arm]] even after [[Doisac]]'s [[Razing of Oth Sonin|destruction]], including forces on [[New Mombasa]],{{Ref/Reuse|Id=Legendary}} in the [[Order of Harmony]],{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22p449|Enc22|Page=449}} and [[Unidentified Banished human inspector|forces]] on [[Zeta Halo]] as well.{{Ref/Novel|Id=TRP20|TRP|Chapter=20}}

 

Atriox wears unique black and white combat armor, which is partially of [[United Nations Space Command]] origin.<ref name="trailer">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjN1eWhzPeA '''YouTube''': ''Halo Wars 2 Official E3 Trailer'']</ref> It is made from various pieces, including an [[ODST armor|ODST chestplate]]. He also dons an augmented [[power armor|power gauntlet]] which artificially enhances his strength to a significant degree. In battle, he wields a customized energy mace called [[Chainbreaker]], which he created from parts of a [[Gravity hammer (fiction)|gravity hammer]].<ref>[[:File:HW2 Atriox Concept Sheet.jpg]] Atriox concept sheet for ''Halo Wars 2''</ref>

==Production notes==

Atriox serves as the primary antagonist of ''[[Halo Wars 2]]'', with [[Dan Ayoub]] of [[343 Industries]] desiring to tell a deep story with the character in the game's cinematics.{{Ref/Reuse|bts trailer}} First being introduced in the [[Halo Wars 2: Announce Teaser|announcement teaser]] for ''Halo Wars 2'' as an unidentified [[Jiralhanae]] leader,<ref name="teaser">'''[[Halo Wars 2: Announce Teaser]]'''</ref> Atriox's name and nature were expanded upon at the [[2016]] [[Electronic Entertainment Expo]], where it was also revealed that Atriox would serve as one of the game's six playable leader characters at launch.

[[File:HINF PatheticConcept.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Concept art of Atriox fighting John-117 for ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.]]

In ''[[Halo Wars 2]]'' Atriox is voiced by actor [[John DiMaggio]],<ref>'''[[Halo Wars 2 credits]]'''</ref> who previously voiced the generic [[Jiralhanae Chieftain|Brute chieftains]] in ''[[Halo 3]]'' and ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' while his motion capture is done by [[Damion Poitier]].<ref>[https://twitter.com/DamionPoitier/status/832646669812457472 Twitter - Damion Poitier]</ref>

 

A life-size Atriox animatronic puppet was created for the comedic ''[[Halo Wars 2#War of Wits|War of Wits]]'' live-action trailers ''[[War of Wits: The Sale|The Sale]]'' and ''[[War of Wits: The Armrest|The Armrest]]''. As part of the campaign, Atriox was given a fake bio on the website of the real-life car dealership Camacho Auto Sales. According to his profile, ''Though new to sales, Atriox has over a decade of management experience as leader of The Banished. Like his favorite weapon, an energy mace known as "Chainbreaker," Atriox is fond to claim his deals are "off the chain."''<ref name="camacho">[http://www.camachoauto.com/bios.php?te_class=employee_bio&te_mode=view&te_key=14 '''Camacho Auto Sales''' - ''General Atriox Bio'']</ref> The bio, as well as the live-action shorts, identify the character as "General Atriox", although this has been confirmed not to be his canonical title.<ref>[https://twitter.com/GrimBrotherOne/status/838068709377748992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw '''Twitter''' - ''GrimBrotherOne'']</ref>

 

After Atriox and the Banished's debut in ''Halo Wars 2'' was well received by fans in  in [[2017]], [[343 Industries]] later decided to make them the main antagonists for ''[[Halo Infinite]]'' midway through development.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.inverse.com/gaming/halo-infinite-villain-escharum-atriox-banished|Site=Inverse|Page=The Banished: Everything you Need to Know About Halo Infinite's Villains|Quote=Why did they add the Banished? Crocker says it's because 'Because they’re super cool and everyone likes them,' Fair enough.}}{{Ref/YouTube|VidName=343 On What You Need To Know About Halo Infinite's Campaign|Code=lVP9u2aJxBs|Time=3:42|Channel=Game Informer|Quote=How to take the Brute aesthetic that we did develop and extend to the Banished in Halo Wars 2 for an RTS game. How to bring both that faction and their art style and their visual distinctiveness to an FPS game.}} In ''[[Halo Infinite]]'' Atriox is voiced by actor [[Wikipedia:Ike Amadi|Ike Amadi]],<ref>'''[[Halo Infinite credits]]'''</ref> who had previously also replaced [[Wikipedia:Mike Colter|Mike Colter]] in the role of ''[[Jameson Locke]]'' in ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', while his motion capture is done by [[Bruce Thomas]].{{Ref/Site|Id=DanChosich|URL=http://danchosich.com/haloinfinite|Site=DanChosich.com|Page=Halo Infinite|M=12|Y=2021}}

 

Atriox was originally going to appear in ''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]'', but 343 Industries requested for [[Troy Denning]] to fill Atriox's role in the novel by [[Orsun]] in the second or third review.<ref>[https://www.gamecrate.com/interview-halo-silent-storm-first-novel-about-master-chief-15-years/20744 '''GameCrate''': ''Interview - "Halo: Silent Storm" is the first novel about Master Chief in 15 years'']</ref>

 

Following the pseudo-Latin theme of most Jiralhanae names, ''Atriox'' likely comes from the Latin ''atrox'' ("furious", "savage"), the root of the English ''atrocious'' and ''atrocity''. Notably, ''Atriox'' features neither the ''-us'' nor the ''-um'' suffixes present in the names of most mature Jiralhanae.

File:HW2 Atriox Concept Sheet.jpg|A concept sheet of Atriox for ''[[Halo Wars 2]]''.

File:HW2_Atriox_Concept 1.jpg|Concept art for Atriox.

File:HW2 Atriox SizeComparison Concept.jpg|Size comparison between Atriox and a human.

File:HW2_CovenantAtriox_BlurRender.jpg|A render of Atriox with no beard, before he left the Covenant.

File:Atriox texture.png|Model of Atriox for ''Halo Wars 2''.

 

File:HINF Concept AtrioxHologram.jpg|Concept art of hologram of Atriox aboard the ''[[Ghost of Gbraakon]]''.

 

File:Atriox Halo Wars 2-.jpg|Atriox with ''Chainbreaker'' in the ''[[Know Your Enemy]]'' trailer.

File:Atrioxthrone.png|Atriox in ''[[Hunting Party]]''.

File:HW2-Atriox-02.jpg|Atriox defying the Covenant.

File:HW2-Chainbreakerslam.png|Atriox uses Chainbreaker to lift Red Team off the ground.

File:HW2-Duress.png|Atriox uses his power gauntlet to crush Douglas-042.

File:HW2-Atriox-05.jpg|Atriox standing before Installation 09.

File:HW2-AtrioxHC.png|Atriox and a holographic display of High Charity's wreckage.

File:HW2-Tres.png|Atriox orders Voridus and Pavium to contain the Flood.

File:HW2-Atriox&Protogravemind.png|Atriox stands before the dead Proto-Gravemind before moving on.

{{Ref/Sources|3}}

[[Category:Jiralhanae characters]]