Editing Atriox

{{Era|HCW|Post}}

{{Character infobox|variant=Ban

|homeworld=[[Doisac]]<ref name="HOSFG158"/>

|birth=[[2510#May|May 28, 2510]]<ref>[https://twitter.com/sa_roux/status/867444953231654912/photo/4 '''Twitter''': ''"Here's to our birthday boy, Atriox!!"'']</ref>

|gender=Male<ref name="HW2"/>

|mass={{Convert|635|kg|lb|sp=us}}<ref name="HOSFG158"/>

|eyes=Reddish orange<ref name="HW2"/>

|affiliation=*[[Covenant]]<ref name="ANE"/> {{C|formerly}}

*[[Banished]]<ref name="ANE"/>

|rank=*[[Jiralhanae Stalker|Stalker]] {{C|formerly}}<ref name="R"/>

*[[Warmaster]]<ref name="Atriox log"/>

{{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 name="HP"/>}}

'''Atriox''' is the powerful [[Jiralhanae]] warmaster who leads the [[Banished]], a violent faction of [[Covenant remnants|ex-Covenant]] mercenaries and rogues.<ref name="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 name="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 name="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 name="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]] 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> He later returned to his  Banished forces in the Milky Way galaxy to attend to a greater purpose, leaving behind his troops to hold the Ark in his absence.<ref name="SoR">''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]''</ref>

Atriox serves as the namesake for several positions in his Banished such as [[Atriox's Chosen]] and the [[Hand of Atriox]], an organization of warriors.{{Ref/Site|Id=CF108|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/despite-distance|SiteName=Halo Waypoint|PageName=Canon Fodder - Despite Distance}}

{{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|[[Halo: Rise of Atriox Issue 2|Rise of Atriox Issue 2]]}}}}

Atriox was born into the Covenant on May 28, [[2510]]. When he was old enough, he became part of [[Covenant military|its military]].<ref name="ANE"/> During the empire's [[Human-Covenant War|war]] against [[human]]ity, Atriox honed his tenacity and shrewd strategic planning.<ref name="Atriox log">'''Halo Wars 2''', ''[[Phoenix Logs]] —  Atriox''</ref> For part of the war he served alongside his war-brothers, [[Castor]] and [[Orsun]], as [[Jiralhanae Stalker|Stalkers]] of the [[Bloodstars]]. In this role he was commanded by a [[First Blade]][[File:RoAcrop.png|250px|thumb|left|Atriox leads Jiralhanae of his clan into senseless battle.]] 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>  

Late in the war, the [[Covenant]] began to use Atriox's [[pack]] for frontline troops, throwing them against the [[United Nations Space Command]]. 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 name="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 name="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 name="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 [[Type-33 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 [[Type-2 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>

{{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.|[[Executioner|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|right|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 [[Prophet]]s in particular,<ref name="TB log">'''Halo Wars 2''', ''[[Phoenix Logs]] —  The Blinded''</ref> grew.<ref name="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. 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 name="RoA2c"/> [[Executioner|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]], specially 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 name="RoA2c"/>

[[File:HW2-Order66.png|thumb|left|350px|Atriox kneels before [[Executioner|his executioner]].]]

Another [[Battle of Algolis|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 name="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. He finally killed the man, and 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 name="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. Returning once more to the base alone, he was met by a group of [[Sangheili]] led by their commander, his would-be [[Executioner]]. The murder of his brother on the outskirts of the battlefield was used as a pretext for this sentence. Atriox begrudgingly surrendered his [[gravity hammer]] and dropped to his knees, seemingly accepting his fate.<ref name="ANE"/> He did not fail, however, to boldly and unapologetically defend his reasons for killing the one who would have done the same to him.<ref name="RoA2c"/> When a [[energy sword|bloodblade]] was thrust toward his face, however, he caught the blade with his right hand and asked that those present watch what happened next. Rising to his feet, he ran the one who presumed to be his [[executioner]] through with his own sword.<ref name="RoA5">'''Halo Wars 2''', ''[[Phoenix Logs]] — Rise of Atriox V''</ref> The other Sangheili drew their swords and prepared to attack him together, but at that moment other Jiralhanae who had been watching, including a particularly fearsome Brute known as [[Decimus]], leapt into action.<ref name="ANE"/> Inspired by Atriox's defiance, they slaughtered the Sangheili. Decimus knelt before Atriox as others howled in affirmation of their decision to follow him, and from this moment, the group that would come to be called [[Banished]] was born.<ref name="IGN">[http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/10/19/halo-wars-2-campaign-and-blitz-hands-on-preview '''IGN''' - ''Halo Wars 2 Campaign and Blitz Hands-On Preview'']</ref><ref name="bts trailer">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4axn4oo_KE '''YouTube''': ''Halo Wars 2 E3 Trailer BTS'']</ref><ref name="gamespot">[http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-wars-2-new-story-details-and-images-revealed/1100-6440811/ '''GameSpot''': ''Halo Wars 2 New Story Details and Images Revealed'']</ref> Atriox gloated over the dead by saying "How the righteous fall".<ref name="RoA2c">''[[Halo: Rise of Atriox]]'', ''Issue 2''</ref>

[[File:PL Atriox.png|thumb|right|300px|Atriox inside the Carter Guard Armory, as seen through the footage of an ODST's helmet camera.]]

Now enemies of the Covenant, the Banished were forced to become self-reliant. Atriox's subordinates were mostly Jiralhanae, but there were also [[Unggoy]] that had already been assigned to certain Jiralhanae and those who were kidnapped from the Covenant and pressed into servitude.<ref name="RoA1">'''Halo Wars 2''', ''[[Phoenix Logs]] — Rise of Atriox I''</ref> They took to raiding Covenant resources to not only survive, but to continuously build themselves as well. Eventually, the UNSC became a target of these raids as well. In early [[2550#January|January 2550]], the Banished raided the [[Carter Guard Armory]]. Atriox personally killed a group of [[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]] defending it with his bare hands.<ref name="RoA1"/> [[Helmet recorder|Helmet cam]] footage from [[Sergeant]] [[B. Wright]], an ODST killed in the raid, provided the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] with its first look at Atriox, who was identified to agents by a captured Unggoy that had been forced to serve him. The attack on the armory was unique because the Covenant typically did not bother to steal UNSC equipment, whereas the Banished emptied the place of gear. That same year, they moved against a Covenant training camp.<ref name="RoA2"/> When the UNSC deployed [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]] to this camp in June, they found it depleted of all vehicles and weaponry with no signs of life but for a few dead Sangheili. This evidence, when reviewed months later, offered the first indication to ONI that Atriox was not only raiding, but recruiting as well.<ref name="RoA2">'''Halo Wars 2''', ''[[Phoenix Logs]] — Rise of Atriox 2''</ref>[[File:Atrioxengineer.png|thumb|left|200px|Atriox metes out justice to one of his own.]] By November 2550, Covenant-held locations had been found in similar states seven different times, the most recent of which was a forward outpost meant to be attacked as part of [[Operation: SLOW DIVE]].<ref name="RoA2"/> The ONI agents monitoring Atriox's activities surmised that they might be able to use his guerrilla tactics to their advantage when it came to coordinating their own offensives against the Covenant and even dared to wonder if some sort of agreement could be reached with him.<ref name="RoA2"/>

At some point prior to the end of the Human-Covenant War, Atriox was aboard a {{Class|CCS|battlecruiser}} in preparation for leaving a location that had been looted. When Atriox gave the order to engage its engines, however, a series of hull breaches on multiple decks throughout the ship suddenly caused rapid decompression. One of these breaches, torn through the hull by unexpected detonations, was on the bridge where Atriox was. Thinking quickly, Atriox grabbed a Jirahanae in a [[vacuum suit]] and hurled him at the hole. The armor sufficiently stopped any further loss of air. Indignant at what had occurred, Atriox ordered Decimus to delegate the task of investigating what went wrong to a new chief engineer his right hand had recruited. Decimus pointed out that the Brute plugging the bridge's hull breach at that very moment was in fact that chief engineer. Filled with suspicion, Atriox questioned the individual regarding the fact that he was the only one wearing a vac suit when the explosions went off. He claimed he had only just returned from making repairs on the out hull, but Atriox refused to give deference to his excuse. He reasoned that he was either lying, and therefore a saboteur, or he was incompetent. Either way, the engineer deserved to die. Atriox strangled him where he lay against the interior hull, leaving his corpse to continue sealing them from the vacuum outside. As he left the bridge, he charged Decimus with finding a new chief engineer for the vessel—one who could be trusted.<ref name="RoA3c">''[[Halo: Rise of Atriox]]'', ''Issue 3''</ref>

[[File:Atrioxdrones.png|thumb|300px|right|Atriox in battle with Sig Raan's Yanme'e.]]

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 name="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 name="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 name="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 name="RoA3c"/>

{{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 name="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 name="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 name="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. At last, the faction could stop having to run from the Covenant after attacking it with guerrilla tactics.  

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 name="HP"/> Atriox was leading from the only vessel that remained to his forces at that point, a captured {{Class|SDV|heavy corvette}}, ''[[Elegy's Lament]]''.<ref name="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 name="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 name="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, even more Sangheili joined the Banished's cause.  

[[File:HW2-Letbows.png|thumb|right|300px|Let 'Volir swears fealty to Atriox.]]

The most powerful asset he gained was the {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}} ''[[Enduring Conviction]]'', along with her experienced [[Sangheili]] crew and warriors. By [[2553#May|May 6, 2553]], ONI learned of a recent engagement during which the carrier had broken from its fleet decidedly. Atriox had sent forces to raid an air base on a planet belonging to the [[Covenant separatists]] but when the carrier's shipmaster, [[Let 'Volir]], found him within its armory, Atriox dropped [[Chainbreaker]] and voluntarily gave himself up for capture.<ref name="RoA4c">''[[Halo: Rise of Atriox]]'', ''Issue 4''</ref> A [[Type-52 Phantom]] took he and a number of his forces to the ''Conviction''. The shipmaster was hailed and asked to confirm that he had captured Atriox, but the Brute instructed him to give no answer. 'Volir was surprised by his boldness and only grew more confused when he was told that Atriox had tried to spare as many of his crew on the ground as he could, because they would need them. Only once 'Volir had been given a small measure of the warmaster's intentions was he then told to give the confirmation to the asker. In his proposal, Atriox appealed to Let's wavering faith in [[Arkad Nar 'Kulul]]'s Sangheili-led fleet and his devotion to his ship and crew, offering to provision and fuel both, respectively. Twelve hours later, ''Enduring Conviction'' broke formation and severed contact with the rest of the fleet. The ''Conviction'' was hailed, warned, and then fired upon when her crew ignored orders. The ''Conviction'' performed evasive maneuvers, returned fire and escaped by performing a pinpoint slipslape jump with a maximally ionized hull.<ref name="RoA4c"/> The resulting shockwave devastated many small craft caught in the wake of the ''Conviction'''s first jump point. The ONI operatives later examining the matter concluded that the manner in which the ''Conviction'' escaped her fellow Covenant separatist ships matched a previous encounter the UNSC had with the ship during the war and that this was indicative that Atriox had not taken it over by force.<ref name="RoA3"/> Instead, it seemed to them that his capture was either a ruse from the start on behalf of both parties or, as had happened, that Atriox simply allowed himself to be taken so that he could make a proposal to 'Volir. Soon after escaping, they made their way to [[Ansket IV]], where a Covenant [[hydro-processing center]] had come under control of the UNSC.<ref name="RoA4c"/> The humans on the world were attacked so the facility could be use to fuel the Banished's new ship and at some point soon afterward, 'Volir and his crew reluctantly swore fealty to the Banished on neutral territory--an orbital installation.<ref name="ANE"/> In exchange for their unquestioning loyalty, the [[Banished]] would supply the crew and fuel the ''Enduring Conviction'' indefinitely. The ONI operatives analyzing the ship's shift of allegiance surmised that Atriox would lay low for a while after securing such a prize, as he would have painted a metaphorical target on himself in doing so.<ref name="RoA3">'''Halo Wars 2''', ''[[Phoenix Logs]] — Rise of Atriox III''</ref>

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. On at least one occasion following the acquisition of the large boost to his forces that 'Volir brought, the Banished sacked an entire [[human]] city.<ref name="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 name="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 name="RoA6"/>

[[File:ROAMenacingAtriox.png|300px|thumb|right|Atriox reveals himself to Jovus menacingly.]]

Atriox heard of a Jiralhanae Chieftain named [[Jovus]] who had become a warlord after the Covenant's fall. He sought to recruit him. Jovus ultimately fell when he tried to attack Atriox.

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 name="ANE"/> A month later, on November 25,<ref>'''Halo Wars 2''', ''Phoenix Logs'' – "The Graveyard"</ref> Atriox and the Banished [[Attack on Installation 00|arrived in force]] aboard the ''[[Enduring Conviction]]''.<ref name="ANE"/> Atriox charged [[War Chief]] Decimus with leading the massacre of the UNSC researchers on its surface.<ref name="ANE"/> In little time, the humans had all been killed and the Ark belonged to the Banished.<ref name="gamespot"/> Atriox had led them there in order to construct a [[Halo Array|Halo ring]],<ref name="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 name="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 name="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 name="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 name="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|right|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 name="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 name="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 name="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''.

After two months of conflict with the ''Spirit of Fire'', Atriox was apparently no closer to defeating the humans on the Ark. In order to try and turn the tide he sent [[Pavium]] and [[Voridus]] to ''[[High Charity]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s wreckage to salvage anything they could get, but warned them not to go inside. This proved to be a fateful decision, as Voridus chose to ignore Atriox's warning and entered the remains of High Charity. This resulted in the Banished coming into contact with the [[Flood]], which had built itself up from [[Flood spore|spores]] that had survived the detonation of High Charity's backup reactor and the firing of [[Installation 08]] in [[2552]] at the end of the [[Human-Covenant War]].<ref name="WN">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/introducing-halo-wars-2-awakening-the-nightmare '''Halo Waypoint''' ''- Introducing Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare'']</ref> Because of the ensuing conflict with the Flood, Atriox had to abandon his plans to fortify positions around the Ark to battle the humans and focusing on containing the Flood, due to it posing a greater threat.

Atriox himself apparently stayed clear of any confrontation with the Flood but kept in regular contact with Pavium and Voridus, all the while making it very clear that he was most displeased with the situation. Following the death of the Proto-Gravemind, Atriox arrived on the scene with a retinue of Jiralhanae bodyguards. Although the Flood had been dealt a devastating blow, with the elimination of its collective consciousness the threat was still very much active, and by this point, over forty percent of the Banished troops under Pavium and Voridus' command had perished in the confrontation. As he strolled across the gore-splattered field Atriox verbally reprimanded Voridus, reminding the younger Brute that he ordered them not to go inside High Charity. At that moment, a Flood infection form leapt at Atriox, who caught it in mid-air and crushed it beneath his gauntlet. Hurling the body at the Jiralhanae lieutenant, he yelled "For good reason!" Turning to Pavium, he ordered the Warlord to take his troops and secure the breach in the High Charity defenses to prevent any more Flood from escaping, thus further jeopardizing his plans. Standing menacingly over Voridus, Atriox told the lieutenant to fix his mistake and then declared that he would personally deal with Voridus once they were done. As the two Jiralhanae brothers left to carry out their orders, Atriox surveyed the scene one last time. He stayed just long enough to notice swarms of Sentinels zooming across the Ark's skies, in order to neutralize the Flood before departing the scene.

In [[2559#October|October 2559]], the [[Keepers of the One Freedom]] activated a [[Slipspace portal]] on [[Reach]] while Atriox used the remnants of the [[Menachite Forerunner crystal]] to link the portals, allowing himx to return to the Milky Way on a [[Banished Lich]]. While Castor and his Keepers forces, including an undercover [[Veta Lopis]] and her [[Ferret]]s, traveled through the same portal aiming to activate the Halos and begin the Great Journey, Atriox intended to attend to a greater purpose rather than return to the Ark with reinforcements. He left behind thousands of Banished troops to hold the Forerunner installation in his absence. [[Fred-104]] and Lopis had sent ONI a message stating that Atriox's return was expected.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Chapter 21|HSoR|Chapter=21}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=Epilogue|HSoR|Chapter=Epilogue}}

{{Quote|Vengeance is petty. Vengeance has no reward.|Atriox responding to Resa 'Azavayl's animosity towards his species.<ref name="htfs vengeance">'''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]''', '''[[Hunting Party]]''' - "So, you've simply traded one leash for another. Vengeance is petty. Vengeance has no reward."</ref>}}

Vicious, cunning and brilliant, Atriox is a deadly warrior and the skilled warmaster leading the [[Banished]].<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/games/halo-wars-2 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo Wars 2'']</ref> Atriox rose to power through fierce tenacity and shrewd strategic planning. He is highly ambitious, seemingly holding power for its own sake as his supreme value and motivation.<ref name="HP"/> Atriox is a versatile soldier, collecting and repurposing former [[Covenant military]] weapons, vehicles, and other equipment to allow the Banished to gain strength against other factions.<ref name="gamespot"/> In addition, he eschews the Covenant's reverence for Forerunner artifacts and has no compunction over taking control of them for his own ends. He holds an extremely pragmatic view of warfare and understands the importance of supporting infrastructures and how to build armies and structures cheaply and efficiently. Atriox's brilliant strategies are unconventional when necessary and imitative when efficient—for he will adopt whatever techniques and technologies he has to in order to guarantee victory. His use of [[Huragok]] and compact assembly vats in forward bases would have been considered unorthodox - even heretical - under the Covenant's traditional war creed, but those days are past. After encountering the Spartans of Red Team, it amused him when he confirmed that they were indeed only humans beneath their armor. He subsequently mocked them by calling them "little [[demon]]s". He demonstrated a high degree of intuition, realizing that there was [[Flood|something threatening]] inside the remains of High Charity due to the old Covenant stories of the Flood and the heavy Sentinel surveillance, he ordered [[Pavium]] and [[Voridus]] only to plunder outside the Containment Shield around the ruins and not to go inside. <ref>'''Halo Wars 2''', ''Campaign level: [[Manifestation]]''</ref>

 

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 initially seemed to follow 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>[https://www.previewsworld.com/Article/195788-Angry-Atriox-Brings-Hell-To-Halo Angry Atriox Brings Hell To Halo]</ref> nor did he care for the [[Sangheili-Jiralhanae war|Sangheili-Jiralhanae feud]].<ref name="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. Of note, Atriox is also fluent in basic [[Sangheili (language)|Sangheili]].<ref name="HP"/> 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> Upon his [[Operation: WOLFE|return]] to the [[Milky Way]] from the Ark, Atriox suddenly had animosity toward humans for reasons unknown, the allied humans under the [[ Keepers of the One Freedom]] were advised to be kept out of his sight and the mere act of them boarding his Lich along with the rest of the Keepers species angered him.{{Ref/Novel|Halo: Shadows of Reach|Chapter=21}}

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 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 [[Type-2 gravity hammer]].<ref>[[:File:HW2 - Atriox concept sheet.jpg|Atriox concept sheet for ''Halo Wars 2'']]</ref>

==Behind the scenes==

*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 name="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.

*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.

*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>

*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>

*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>

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

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

*''[[Halo Infinite]]'' {{Mo}}

[[Category:Jiralhanae]]