Editing Jul 'Mdama's Covenant

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|name=

|anthem=  

|image=[[File:H4_SO_Jul'Mdama_with_Elites.jpg|350px]]

|body-title= Type

|body=Religious cult/terrorist organization

|bodyfigure=[[Jul 'Mdama]] (''de facto'' leader)

|branch=  

|main=  

|language= Sangheili language serves as ''lingua franca''; [[Covenant languages|various languages]] spoken by different races.<ref>'''''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'''''</ref>

|script= [[Forerunner symbols|Forerunner glyphs]]

|religion= Worship of the [[Forerunner]]s and their technology

|notable=  

|formed-title= Formation

|formed= Founded after the end of the Human-Covenant War

|dissolved-title=

|dissolved=

{{quote|multi=yes|q1=I thought we had a truce with the Covenant.|John-117|q2=A lot can happen in four years...|Cortana|The Master Chief, during his first encounter with the Covenant remnant.<ref>'''[[Halo 4]]''' ''level [[Dawn (level)|Dawn]]''</ref>}}

This '''remnant faction'''<!--The "remnant" moniker is not canon and should not be mistaken as such.--><ref group="note">In ''Halo 4'' and its ancillary material, this group is referred to simply as "the Covenant". The "remnant" title was created by this wiki as a descriptor to distinguish the group from the original Covenant. According to an inaccurate article by the ''Official Xbox Magazine'' and [http://www.examiner.com/article/halo-4-s-storm-covenant-faction-officially-revealed perpetuated by ''Examiner''], the Covenant forces encountered in ''Halo 4'' are known as "the Storm". However, this arose due to a misunderstanding of the Covenant's streamlined "Storm" ranking system and the new [[Type-55 Directed Energy Rifle/Advanced|storm rifle]]. These articles also claim that the "Storm" follow the religion of the San 'Shyuum; while they do continue to worship the Forerunners, most have forsaken the Covenant's original religion after the fall of the [[Prophet of Truth]].</ref> is a continuation of the former [[Covenant]] who continue to worship the [[Forerunner]]s and oppose [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] in the wake of the [[Human-Covenant War]], the [[Great Schism]], and the disappearance of the [[San 'Shyuum]]. The ''de facto'' leader of this faction is [[Supreme Commander]] [[Jul 'Mdama]].<ref name="terminal">[http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/Universe/detail/halo-4-terminal-jul-mdama/0f378de5-e0e3-4f31-a1e1-2a363af4094d '''Halo Waypoint:''' ''Halo 4 Terminal: Jul 'Mdama'']</ref> Although the faction is generally recognized as a reformed continuation of the original Covenant, and indeed commonly identified solely as the '''Covenant''',<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-US/halo4guide '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo 4 Field Guide (Enemies)'']</ref><ref>'''Halo: Escalation''', ''Issue #1''</ref> its members are identified as terrorists by the UNSC<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[S1/Catherine|S1E3 ''Catherine'']]</ref> and the organization itself is classified as being closer to a religious cult as opposed to the full-fledged empire of the original Covenant.<ref>'''[[Halo 4 Limited Edition]]''', ''Mission Briefing''</ref>

== Background ==

=== Formation ===

[[File:H4-Terminal-JulMdama.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Jul 'Mdama]], the leader of the post-war Covenant.]]

After the Human-Covenant War and the initial phase of the Great Schism, the Covenant's former member races returned to their home systems. Many [[Sangheili]] and [[Jiralhanae]] continued to fight each other, steadily dwindling both sides' military resources, though some Jiralhanae remained loyal to their Sangheili masters.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page ???''</ref> A great number of Sangheili began to forsake the Prophets' false religion. The Sangheili soon fell into [[Sangheili civil war|civil war]], sparked by [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]'s desire to make peace with [[human]]ity. In [[2553|March 2553]], a loose coalition of [[keep]]s opposed to the peace treaty launched an assault on the state of [[Vadam]], though the timely intervention of the {{UNSCship|Infinity}} turned the battle in the Arbiter's favor.<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page ???''</ref>

Jul 'Mdama, a former [[Shipmaster]] and an affiliate of the [[Servants of the Abiding Truth]], became disillusioned with the Arbiter and humanity after being kidnapped by [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]]; his resolve was strengthened when his wife, [[Raia 'Mdama|Raia]], was killed in the civil conflict. After escaping ONI custody on the [[shield world]] [[Trevelyan]] via a Forerunner portal, Jul gained a small following of Sangheili on the colony world [[Hesduros]]. Feigning religious devotion to the Forerunners, he resolved to recover Forerunner technology from the shield world [[Requiem]], much as the humans had done on Trevelyan. Though he believed it unlikely that any Forerunners still lived, 'Mdama also planned to find the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]], the leader of the [[Warrior-Servant|Forerunner military]], with whom he shared disdain for humanity.

{{quote|The fighting started when a splinter sect of Covenant ignored the Ceasefire of 2552 and attacked UNSC forces. By the time the fighting was done... Well, it didn't end well for the UNSC and Covenant, either one.|[[Roland (AI)|Roland]]<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''' - ''Operation A: Umbra''</ref>}}

Sometime before the First Battle of Requiem Shipmaster Merg Vol led a fleet to the UNSC controlled word of [[Draetheus V]] in order to gain control of the powerful Forerunner device [[X50]]. Despite the Covenant efforts, the battle ended with a pyrrhic UNSC victory and the loss of many of their forces, including Merg Vol himself.

=== Requiem and the Didact ===

'Mdama's fleet arrived at Requiem in [[2554]], though they could not gain access.<ref name="terminal"/>  The fleet subsequently took up position around the shield world.  For the next three years, the Covenant attempted to awaken the Didact by broadcasting his name from orbit in thirty minute intervals. <ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Requiem (level)|Requiem]]''</ref> Their calls received no response. Also during this time period, 'Mdama frequently dispatched raiding parties to steal supplies from other planets.  By [[2557#July|July 2557]], the group had gathered a formidable [[fleet]], consisting of at least sixteen {{Class|CRS|light cruiser}}s and a single {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}} as their [[flagship]]. It was at this time that one of the returning raiding parties noticed a human ship, {{UNSCship|Forward Unto Dawn}}, drifting toward the planet. 'Mdama ordered the fleet to stop it from entering.<ref name="terminal"/> Multiple boarding parties attempted to take the crippled ship, but were fought off by [[SPARTAN-II Program|Spartan]] [[John-117]], who'd been awoken from cryo-sleep. A CRS light cruiser then attempted to destroy the ''Dawn'', but John-117 manually launched a Hyperion nuclear missile and destroyed the cruiser before it could open fire. <ref>''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Dawn (level)|Dawn]]''</ref>  At that moment, the installation detected the presence of a [[Reclaimer]], causing an entrance portal to open; both the ''Dawn'' and Covenant ships were pulled into the planet by the gravity well emitted by the portal. Despite losing many ships, the surviving Covenant remnant forces immediately began establishing positions all over the shield world, engaging [[SPARTAN-II Program|Spartan]] [[John-117]], who had arrived in the wreckage of the ''Dawn''; they were also engaged by local [[Aggressor Sentinel]]s.<ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Requiem (level)|Requiem]]''</ref> A trio of light cruisers eventually reached Requiem's core, where the Didact was imprisoned. By this point the forces of the revived Covenant had come under attack by the [[Promethean]]s, who tried to prevent them from reaching the Didact. Despite the mutual hostility of the Covenant and the Prometheans, John-117 soon reached the Didact's [[Cryptum]] and accidentally released him. Upon the Didact's release, the Covenant forces in the area bowed down in worship.

Through their mutual hatred toward humanity, the Covenant and Promethean forces (now controlled by the Didact) quickly formed an alliance, despite the Didact seeing the Covenant as little more than "beasts" and "primitives." The Covenant aided the Didact's forces in their attack on the ''Infinity'', though the ship's point defenses disabled two cruisers and forced the Didact to retreat.<ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Infinity (Halo 4 level)|Infinity]]''</ref> Later, they defended a network of [[particle cannon]]s which protected the shield world's gravity well generator, preventing ''Infinity'' from escaping; they were again unsuccessful.<ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level [[Reclaimer (level)|Reclaimer]]</ref> The Covenant later dispatched a flight of [[Type-44 Troop Carrier|Phantom]] and [[Deployment Platform Type-56 Ground Support/Ultra Heavy|Lich dropships]] to accompany the Didact's [[Mantle's Approach|flagship]] to [[Ivanoff Station]], an [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] facility.<ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Shutdown]]''</ref> The Covenant spearheaded the [[Raid on Ivanoff Station|attack on the station]] in order to acquire the [[Composer]], a Forerunner superweapon. The attack caught the defenders off-guard and despite John-117's efforts the Didact acquired the Composer.<ref name="composer">'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Composer (level)|Composer]]''</ref> The Didact then [[Battle of Earth (2557)|attacked Earth]] and tried to digitize its population, though he was defeated by SPARTAN-117. However, the millions-strong population of [[New Phoenix]], [[Unified Republic of North America|URNA]], was composed<ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Midnight]]''</ref> and the the victims' essences were transported to Requiem and converted into new Promethean Knights; there they would fall under the command of Jul 'Mdama and would fight alongside the Covenant in the battles that followed.<ref name="memento">'''[[Spartan Ops]]''', ''[[S1/Memento Mori|S1E5 ''Memento Mori'']]</ref>

=== Later actions on Requiem ===

{{Main|Second Battle of Requiem}}

The reformed Covenant still maintained a presence on Requiem in [[2558|February 2558]].<ref>''[[Spartan Ops]]''</ref> By that time, they had begun searching for the [[Librarian]]'s archived personality in hopes of finding more Forerunner artifacts.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', [[S1/Didact's Hand|S1E4 ''Didact's Hand'']]</ref> This search brought again them into conflict with [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine]], [[UNSC Army|Army]], [[UNSC Air Force|Air Force]], and [[Spartan (branch)|Spartan]] personnel from ''Infinity'', which had returned six months after withdrawing from the shield world.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', [[S1/Departure|S1E1 Departure]]</ref>  The Covenant and their Promethean allies engaged in numerous skirmishes with the UNSC expedition force.  Territories and facility around Requiem traded hands multiple times.  The battle eventually culminated in Jul 'Mdama sending Requiem into the sun in a bid to destroy the ''Infinity''. The Covenant and the UNSC fled the planet before its destruction.  While the Covenant suffered considerable losses, including Parg Vol and Gek 'Lhar, they escaped with two important assets: One half of the [[Janus Key]], and Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]], who offered to assist Jul 'Mdama in exchange for his help in getting revenge on her enemies within the UNSC.

===Battle of Ealen IV===

{{Main|Battle of Ealen IV}}

{{Expand-section}}

*[[Jul 'Mdama]] - The "'''Didact's Hand'''",<ref>'''[[Spartan Ops]]''', ''Season 1, Episode 3: "Catherine"''</ref> leader of the modern Covenant.

*[[Gek 'Lhar]] - Lieutenant to Jul 'Mdama.

*[[Merg Vol]] - Commander of Covenant forces during the [[Battle of Draetheus V]].

*[[Parg Vol]] - Commander of Covenant ground forces early in the [[Second Battle of Requiem]].<ref>'''Spartans Ops''' [[S1/Catherine|S1E3 ''Catherine'']]</ref>

*[[Vata 'Gajat]] - Commander of Covenant forces during the [[Battle of Ealen IV]].

*[[Tek]] - Second-in-command to Shipmaster 'Gajat during the Battle of Ealen IV.

As in the Covenant hegemony's prime, the Sangheili serve as the remnant's military leadership caste. The [[Unggoy]] still serve as cannon fodder.<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/post/2012/05/09/The-Halo-Bulletin-5912.aspx ''The Halo Bulletin - 5.9.12'']</ref> Likewise, the [[Kig-Yar]], (at least the Jackals), are still deployed as snipers and light infantry. The [[Mgalekgolo]] are still deployed as super-heavy infantry.<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/post/2012/08/22/The-Halo-Bulletin-82212.aspx '''The Halo Bulletin:''' ''8.22.12'']</ref> During the Battle of Draetheus V the Covenant employed [[Yanme'e]] and [[Jiralhanae]] infantry. During the Battle of Ealen IV, at least [[Tek|one]] [[Skirmisher]] was present.

The Covenant remnant faction uses a streamlined version of the hegemony's long-standing rank hierarchy. Veterans of the war with humanity are organized into cadres of higher-ranked personnel. The highest-ranking Sangheili, most notably Zealots, also hold sway in the restructured Covenant's civil arena.<ref>[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/intel/detail/8e70ae9a-11a0-4d04-b063-0631fb82bcca/elite-zealot- '''Halo Waypoint''' - ''Halo 4 Intel: Enemies - Covenant'']</ref><ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/Universe/Detail/character-enemy-renders/421563ab-3b18-4e29-8487-3dd79b627a70#imageNumber=17 '''Halo Waypoint:''' ''New Halo 4 Renders'']</ref>

|[[Sangheili Storm|Storm]]<br>[[Sangheili Minor|Minor]]<br>[[Sangheili Major|Major]]

|[[Unggoy Storm|Storm]]<br>[[Unggoy Minor|Minor]]

|[[Kig-Yar Storm|Storm]]<br>[[Kig-Yar Minor|Minor]]

|[[Mgalekgolo|Hunter]]

|[[Yanme'e Minor|Minor]]

|[[Sangheili Ranger|Ranger]]<br>[[Stealth Sangheili|Stealth]]

|[[Sangheili Commander|Commander]]

|[[Unggoy Imperial|Imperial]]<br>[[Unggoy Heavy|Heavy]]

|

|[[Sangheili Zealot|Zealot]]<br>[[Sangheili Warrior|Warrior]]

== Military assets ==

Although a less formidable force than before the Great Schism, the reorganized Covenant have amassed a considerable pool of military assets. Most matériel, such as the [[Type-25 plasma pistol]] and [[Type-51 carbine]], has been carried over from the pre-Schism Covenant, though more recently developed weapons like the [[Type-55 storm rifle]] are also common, replacing the older [[Type-51 plasma repeater]] used during the [[Battle of Draetheus V]]. In other cases, the remnant faction uses older models, such as a variant of the [[Type-33 fuel rod gun]] seen during the attack of Reach, and the [[Type-27 beam rifle]] - a predecessor to the original Covenant's [[Type-50 particle beam rifle]] - due to the scarcity of modern weapons. Some older weapons and vehicles have new manufacturers but are generally unchanged in design. Infantry are equipped with armor that appears to be a mix of new variants and styles used by the original Covenant; for example, Unggoy Storm troops are equipped with rebreathers modeled on traditional Unggoy diving apparatuses, whereas Sangheili Commanders wear armor that is very reminiscent of the armor worn by [[Sangheili Officer]]s during the war.  

As under the hegemony's reign, the [[Type-32 Ghost|Ghost]] and [[Type-26 Wraith|Wraith]] are the mainstays of the Covenant's vehicular ground forces, with the [[Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Wraith]] continuing to see limited service. The [[Type-26 Banshee]] remains the organization's primary ground support aircraft; post-war modifications to the variant used during the [[Fall of Reach]] allows the T26 to serve in a limited exoatmospheric scouting capacity akin to the purpose-built [[Type-27 Banshee]],<ref>''Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide'', page 119</ref> though the [[Type-31 Seraph|Seraph]] remains the Covenant's primary space fighter with the Type-27 Banshee used only to supplement the Type-26. The [[Type-25 Spirit|Spirit]] and the [[Type-52 Phantom]] see less extensive service than during the first war, as the older [[Type-44 Phantom]] has become the Covenant's primary dropship. The [[Type-56 Lich]] provides ultra-heavy transport capability when needed. The remnant faction also frequently uses the [[Type-51 Individual Breaching Carapace]] and the [[Type-54 Mass Deployment Carapace]] to deploy troops from orbit.  The modern Covenant use both the [[Type-29 Shade]] and the newer [[Type-55 Shade]] for static defense, along with an unclassified type of [[Covenant artillery (Requiem)|stationary artillery]]. The [[Type-38 Tyrant]] and the [[Mega turret]] also remain in service, albeit limited. [[Type-58 Harvester]]s are deployed to excavate Forerunner artifacts.

The faction's armada is composed of vessels formerly used by the hegemony. The Covenant possess at least three {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}s, including 'Mdama's flagship, ''[[Song of Retribution]]''; numerous {{Class|CRS|light cruiser}}s;<ref name="terminal"/> at least two {{Class|RCS|armored cruiser}}s;<ref name="EVG">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 41''</ref> and several {{Class|CCS|battlecruiser}}s.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''' - ''Operation A: Umbra''</ref> The ''CRS'' fills much the same role as the ''CCS'' played during the war, though it is much smaller and less powerful than the latter.

Unlike those of the original Covenant, much of the hardware utilized by the remnant bears green-glowing lights, as opposed to white, blue, or purple lighting.

The reformed Covenant fields a special operations unit known as the [[Silent Blade]], whose members are known to serve as assassins.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', [[S1/Memento Mori|S1E5 - ''Memento Mori'']]</ref> It is unknown whether this group existed during the hegemony's reign.

Unlike the original Covenant, the Covenant remnant is not averse to using captured UNSC weapons. During the Second Battle of Requiem, they had several caches of stolen UNSC matériel, though it is unclear whether they used any of this equipment in combat. Most notably, they attempted to destroy ''Infinity'' using stolen [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon]]s. During the Second Battle of Requiem, the Covenant remnant also began to use Promethean weaponry.

{{quote|These Covenant seem more fanatical than the ones we've fought before.|[[John-117]]}}<ref>'''[[Halo 4]]''' ''level [[Dawn (level)|Dawn]]''</ref>

The new Covenant no longer believes in the [[Great Journey]], as the Prophets have been revealed as liars. However, they continue the practice of worshiping the Forerunners and their technology.  Some members, including Jul 'Mdama himself, privately understand that the Forerunners are not gods, and are only interested in acquiring Forerunner technology for themselves. Nevertheless, the majority of the remnant faction consists of extremists and true believers. During his [[Dawn (level)|first encounter]] with the Covenant remnant, John-117 observed that they were more fanatical than any Covenant he'd fought before.

The Covenant remnant holds particular reverence for the [[Ur-Didact]], who shares their hatred for humanity.  This led the Covenant remnant to quickly align themselves with the Didact upon his release from the Cryptum. Even after the Didact's apparent demise following his failed attack on Earth, the Covenant continued to display allegiance to the Didact, as evidenced by their continued cooperation with the Didact's Prometheans on Requiem. 'Mdama himself took on the title "The Didact's Hand."

In contrast to their worship of the Didact, members of the reformed Covenant appeared to have an antagonistic opinion on the Librarian at the time of the Didact's rampage against humanity, with one Sangheili derisively referring to John-117 as the "Librarian's pet", demonstrating that at least some of them were aware of the Librarian's favoring of humans and the Master Chief in particular.<ref name="composer"/> Six months later, however, when attempting to awaken the Librarian's shrine, the Covenant treated her with a similar reverence as they did the Didact, seemingly oblivious to her actual intentions.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[S1/Didact's Hand]]'' ([[Jul 'Mdama]]: ''"I know what the Librarian will say, Glassman. She will tell us where all things sacred are hidden in this galaxy. Ships, weapons, bounties beyond our imagining. And she will tell us how to make those miracles... our own."'')</ref>

*In ''[[Halo 4]]'', the four member species of the revived Covenant are the same as those featured in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'': Elites, Grunts, Jackals, and Hunters.

*In the first issue of ''[[Halo: Escalation]]'', a Sangheili warrior of an extremist post-Covenant faction refers to himself and his allies as "Guardians of the Righteous". Whether this is the proper name of the group in question or merely religious rhetoric has not been specified.

File:H4 EliteMinor.png|A Sangheili in the Covenant remnant.

File:Halo4 Grunt.png|An Unggoy in the Covenant remnant.

File:H4 profile - KigYar.png|A Kig-Yar in the Covenant remnant.

File:H4 profile - Mgalekgolo.png|A Mgalekgolo in the Covenant remnant.

File:Operation A.png|Merg Vol's fleet attacking Draetheus V.

File:Covenant fleet surrounding FUD.jpg|'Mdama's fleet surrounding the remains of {{UNSCShip|Forward Unto Dawn}}.

File:Gek with 'Mdama.png|Jul 'Mdama with his lieutenant, [[Gek 'Lhar]].

File:H4 SO S01E10 Jul 'Mdama with Storm.jpg|Jul 'Mdama with a [[Sangheili Storm]].

**''[[Terminal/Halo 4|Terminals]]''

*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''

 

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{{Major Factions}}

[[Category:The Covenant]]