Editing Covenant separatists

{{Era|HCW}}
{{disambig header|the collection of Sangheili-led groups during the Great Schism|the collection of new factions after the Covenant's destruction|Covenant remnants}}
{{Articlename}}
[[File:H3-Sangheili.jpg|300px|thumb|right|The Covenant separatists, all Sangheili (along with followers from other species) cast out from the Covenant during the Great Schism.]]
{{Quote|Two rival military factions, the '''Elites''' and Brutes, struggled to establish internal political supremacy: weakening the alien empire from within.|[[ONI|ONI Archivist]]}}<ref name="ONI lore">[https://youtu.be/Tlj6ZclMa4s?t=40 ONI Archive – Allied Forces | Halo 3]</ref>

'''Covenant separatists''',<ref>Halo Encyclopedia, page 128</ref> colloquially referred to by their predominant species' epithet: '''the Elites''',<ref name="ONI lore" /><ref>[[Halo 3]], campaign level [[The Covenant (level)]] "The Elites will punch right down the middle."</ref> were the various forces composed of all [[Sangheili]] and their followers, who rebelled against the new [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] leadership during the [[Great Schism]]. When the Great Schism broke out on November 3, [[2552]], the entirety of the Sangheili species were forced out of the Covenant.<ref name="Elites">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/jiralhanae  Canon Fodder] - "The resulting conflict would be called the Great Schism, and it would divide the Covenant into two, ultimately forcing the Sangheili out."</ref> The [[Prophet of Truth|High Prophet of Truth]] had ordered the reformed Covenant military, now led by the [[Jiralhanae]], to massacre the Sangheili. This caused a massive civil war to erupt across Covenant-controlled space.

Though only the Sangheili were forced out, many of their former allies sided with them instead of siding with the [[Hierarch|High Prophet]] and his Jiralhanae-led Covenant. Many [[Unggoy]], [[Mgalekgolo]] and even [[Zo Resken|one]] [[San'Shyuum]], joined the separatist effort.<ref>[[Halo: Broken Circle]]</ref>

Many Sangheili-led groups sought to destroy the Covenant led by the High Prophet of Truth and the Jiralhanae, although only the [[Fleet of Retribution]] would extend their allegiance to the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]].<ref name="Elites"/><ref>[https://youtu.be/8K3hG76Ctmo?t=164 '''YouTube''': ''Halo 101: Long Road Home'']</ref>

==History==

===Origins and The Great Schism===
[[File:H2A - Great Schism.jpg|thumb|250px|Sangheili-controlled and Jiralhanae-controlled ships engage each other over ''High Charity''.]]

The various groups of Covenant separatists formed as a result of the [[Great Schism]]. The [[Prophet of Regret|High Prophet of Regret]] led a badly planned mission to [[Earth]], against the wishes of the [[Prophet of Truth|High Prophet of Truth]], and inadvertently began the [[Battle of Earth]], as he did not know that the planet was the [[human]] homeworld. He escaped to [[Installation 05]], where he was assassinated by [[John-117]]. Using Regret's death as a justification, the [[High Prophet of Truth]] set in action his plan to [[Changing of the Guard|replace]] the Sangheili with Jiralhanae as their [[Covenant Honor Guard|protectors]]. However, this move resulted in great turmoil within the Covenant, with the Sangheili threatening to resign from the [[High Council]]. Truth then gave command of the [[Covenant fleet]]s to the Jiralhanae, a post previously held by the Sangheili. Once there were enough of them in place, Truth secretly ordered them to commit a vicious genocide of the Sangheili (disguised as a retaliation to a Sangheili revolt against the other Covenant factions) so they may replace them in society. Soon, all-out war had broken out.

In response to the betrayal, the Sangheili started a rebellion composed of groups colloquially known as the ''Covenant separatists'', supported by both many [[Unggoy]] and [[Mgalekgolo]]. During the early hours of the conflict, the movement lacked centralized leadership, but several leaders would soon emerge. The [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]] rescued several of the few surviving [[Sangheili High Councilor]]s from Jiralhanae captivity and met up with [[Shipmaster]] [[Rtas 'Vadum]]ee on [[Installation 05]], forming the [[Fleet of Retribution]]. Concurrently, [[Imperial Admiral]] [[Xytan 'Jar Wattinree]] took command of a large fleet of surviving Sangheili ships, including most of the [[Combined Fleet of Righteous Purpose]].  

===Joyous Exultation===
An initial Sangheili-led [[Joyous Exultation Covenant|separatist group]] was formed by the Sangheili [[Imperial Admiral]] [[Xytan 'Jar Wattinree]] on the Sangheili fortress world [[Joyous Exultation]] shortly after the Prophets' betrayal on November 3, 2552. Wattinree's faction remained hostile to humanity as well, dispatching a task force to [[Onyx]] to prevent Forerunner technology from falling into human hands. However, this fledgling alliance came to an abrupt end with the detonation of a [[NOVA bomb]] above Joyous Exultation and the deaths of the majority of the Sangheili leaders gathered there, including Wattinree.<ref name="goo"/> This left Thel 'Vadam and Rtas 'Vadum as the remaining figureheads of the rebellion. Though not easily persuaded, the Arbiter was able to convince the rest of the Sangheili to join with Humanity. While the two factions experienced some initial friction, they learned to work with one another for mutual survival.

===Sangheili-Human alliance===
{{Quote|There was honor in our [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] once, and there shall be again!|[[Thel 'Vadam]]}}

Within the Covenant separatists, only the [[Fleet of Retribution]] allied with humanity during the final battles of the war.

[[File:Fleet of Retribution - Ark.jpg|left|thumb|250px|The Fleet of Retribution, the bulk of the separatist war effort.]]
The shaky-to-steady alliance between the ''Fleet of Retribution'' and their former foes, the [[Human]]s, was forged entirely out of necessity and revenge against the Covenant.<ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]'' "I will have my revenge on a Prophet, not a plague!"</ref> The [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] forces were on the defensive, and both factions had two common enemies that wished for their extinction: the Covenant and the [[Flood]]. The alliance of circumstance began in the [[Control Room (Installation 05)|control room]] of [[Installation 05|Delta Halo]], when [[UNSC]] [[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery Johnson|A. J. Johnson]] and 'Vadam were forced to unite in order to prevent [[Tartarus]], [[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae]], from activating Installation 05. After that, 'Vadam persuaded the rest of the Sangheili on the Installation to join humanity. While the two factions experienced some friction, they learned to work with one another for their mutual survival. During the final days of the [[Human-Covenant War]], the Sangheili under 'Vadam and 'Vadum's command fought alongside humans in battle. Thus, the UNSC and Sangheili forces saved each other from destruction.<ref name="floodgate">'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[Floodgate]]''</ref><ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level, ''[[The Ark (level)|The Ark]]''</ref><ref name="cove">'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]''</ref> 

[[File:Floodgate - Cutscene.jpg|thumb|250px|Humans and Sangheili on board the ''Shadow of Intent'''s [[bridge]].]]
The devastated [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] [[Home Fleet]] in Earth's space gladly accepted the help of the superior ''Fleet of Retribution'' warships. The Sangheili understanding of [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] combat equipment and tactics proved invaluable in the [[Battle of Installation 00]]. The battle's recurring heroes, [[Thel 'Vadam]] and John-117, fought alongside one another many times in the desperate and long conflict.

===Post-war===
{{Main|Swords of Sanghelios}}
After various separatist groups were victorious in destroying the Covenant that had betrayed them, many Sangheili split off to form and join [[Covenant remnants|several remnant factions]]. The Sangheili who were in the [[Fleet of Retribution]] would later form a faction known as the [[Swords of Sanghelios]], which would become the official government of Sanghelios and the new organization representing their species.

==Predecessor groups==

===Sesa 'Refumee's heretic faction===
{{Main|Sesa 'Refumee's heretic faction}}
This Sangheili-led faction broke away from the Covenant prior to the [[Great Schism]] after learning that the Great Journey was a lie. [[Monitor]] [[Guilty Spark]] had informed [[Sesa 'Refumee]] the true purpose of the [[Halo Array]], resulting in 'Refumee ordering his forces to cut communications with the Covenant and break away.<ref>[[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]</ref> The faction posed a threat to the Covenant's religious stability, and was destroyed by a [[Covenant Special Operations|Covenant Special Operations unit]] and [[Thel 'Vadam|the new Arbiter]]. After the Great Schism occurred, many of the later Sangheili remnant groups such the [[Combined Fleet of Righteous Purpose]] and the [[Fleet of Retribution]] would continue the legacy of Sesa 'Refumee's faction by destroying the Covenant with many abandoning its religion. One of the leaders in this effort was Thel 'Vadam, the Arbiter responsible for the destruction of the faction.<ref>[[Halo 2]]-[[The Great Journey]]-"There are things about Halo even the Hierarchs do not understand."</ref>

==Known groups==
Once the [[Great Schism]] had begun, the entirety of the Sangheili species (along with several loyal Unggoy, Mgalekgolo and other species) had been exiled from the Covenant. The Covenant separatists were not one unified faction, however, many shared the same goal in their fight against the Covenant leadership that had betrayed them. 

=== Summit at Joyous Exultation ===
{{Main|Joyous Exultation Covenant|Combined Fleet of Righteous Purpose}}
This assembly of Sangheili forces was a short-lived predecessor to the [[Fleet of Retribution|more prominent assembly]] led by Rtas 'Vadum. At the onset of the Great Schism, [[Imperial Admiral]] [[Xytan 'Jar Wattinree]] summoned all Sangheili to the base world [[Joyous Exultation]] for an emergency meeting. 'Wattinree revealed the Prophets' treachery to his comrades and issued a fleet-wide missive of an alliance among the Sangheili to destroy both the Prophets and their Jiralhanae allies. With the exception of [[Voro Nar 'Mantakree]]'s [[Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity]], the entirety of this force was destroyed by a UNSC [[NOVA bomb]] during the summit.<ref name="goo">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 239-245''</ref> Meanwhile, the survivors were wiped out at Onyx by the Forerunner world's automated defenses.

=== Fleet of Retribution ===
{{Main|Fleet of Retribution}}

The Fleet of Retribution led by Rtas 'Vadum and Thel 'Vadam joined forces with the UNSC. Together they destroyed the Covenant led by the High Prophet of Truth on the Ark and brought an end to the war.<ref>[[Halo 3]] - [[The Covenant (level)]]</ref>

=== Fleet of Righteous Vigilance ===
{{Main|Fleet of Righteous Vigilance}}

This fleet was led by a [[Unidentified Sangheili Shipmaster (Righteous Vigilance)|certain shipmaster]]. Once this fleet learned of the Prophets' treachery, they killed the [[Prophet of Conviction]] on board their flagship. They went on to hunt down Jiralhanae that had betrayed them.<ref>[[Halo: Evolutions]] [[The Return]]</ref> 

=== Other Sangheili-led forces ===
With the exception of [[Hesduros]], which had been cut off from Covenant communications,<ref>[[Halo: The Thursday War]]</ref> the rest of the Sangheili received a video message displaying the Covenant's betrayal of their species.<ref>[[Halo: Evolutions]] [[The Return]] (Motion Comic) - "We were scouting for humans when the message came in. I could not comprehend what I was seeing. Our betrayal by the Prophets. The Slaughter of our leaders."]]</ref> They witnessed Jiralhanae slaughtering their brethren, some considered it to be "the death of the Covenant".<ref>[[Halo: Evolutions]] [[The Return]] (Motion Comic) - "The death of the Covenant."</ref> Either during the massacres around [[High Charity]], or witnessing the massacre broadcasts, all Sangheili were ultimately forced out of the Covenant Empire.<ref name="Elites"/>

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="150" spacing="small">
Trident11.jpg|UNSC Pelicans fighting alongside the Fleet of Retribution Phantoms.
Shipmaster02.jpg|[[Rtas 'Vadum]], one of the leaders of the Fleet of Retribution.
</gallery>

== List of appearances ==
*''[[Halo 2]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[The Return]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}
[[Category:The Covenant]]
[[Category:Factions]]