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{{Ratings}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Era|H1|H2|H3|H3R|HW|FOR|TF|FS|GOO|CH|HGN|UP|HE|LE}}
{{References}}
{{cleanup}}
{{Disambig header|the species|the armor|HUNTER-class Mjolnir}}
{{Covenant Species Infobox
{{Species infobox
|name         = Mgalekgolo (''Ophis congregatio'')
|name=Mgalekgolo<br />(''Ophis congregatio'')
|image       = [[Image:Cov Hunter.jpg|300px]]
|pagename=Mgalekgolo
|homeworld   = [[Te]]
|othernames=
|height       = {{Convert|12|ft|cm}}<ref>[[Halo Encyclopedia]], page 141</ref>
Hunter
|weight       = {{Convert|10500|lb|kg}}
<br>Can o' Worms
|skincolor    = *Red-orange
<br>Ogre
*Orange blood
<br>Worm-guts
|distinctions = A single entity created by a unified colony of small worm-like creatures called [[Lekgolo]].
|image=[[File:HINF-Hunter.png|325px]]
|equipment    = *Heavy Metal Shield
|homeworld=[[Te]]
*Mgalekgolo armor
|height=12'1" (368.7 cm)-12'3" (373.4 cm)<ref name="ENC">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]''', ''page 141''</ref>{{Ref/Reuse|wp lekgolo}}
*[[Assault Cannon]].
|weight={{Convert|10000|lb|kg}}-{{Convert|11000|lb|kg}}{{Ref/Reuse|ENC}}{{Ref/Reuse|wp lekgolo}}
|Ranks        = *Minor
|distinctions=A single entity created by a unified colony of small worm-like creatures called [[Lekgolo]]
                *Major (seen in Halo:CE so far)
|lifespan=
                *Leader (gold armored ones)
|notable-group=*[[Covenant]]
|notable     = *[[Ogada Nosa Fasu]]  
*[[Swords of Sanghelios]]
*[[Joyous Exultation Covenant]]
*[[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]]
*[[Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group]]
*[[Banished]]
|notable-person=
*"[[Colony]]"
*[[Igido Nosa Hurru]]
*[[Igido Nosa Hurru]]
*[[Magsanggalang]]
*[[Magtanggol]]
*[[Makipagtunggali]]
*[[Nakagagalit]]
*[[Ogada Nosa Fasu]]
*[[Paruto Xida Konna]]
*[[Paruto Xida Konna]]
*[[Waruna Xida Yotno]]
*[[Waruna Xida Yotno]]
|othernames  =
* "[[Myriad]]"
*Hunter
*Can of Worms
*Big Scary Monster
*The Thing with Spikes
*Ogre
*Orange Worm Crap
*The Spiked Worm
}}
}}
{{Quote|They're all scary and angry and they like to smash things...|[[Bungie]]}}
{{Quote|They're all scary and angry and they like to smash things.|[[Bungie]]<ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/news/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=BWU_081409 '''Bungie.net''', ''Bungie Weekly Update 08/14/09'']</ref>}}


The '''Mgalekgolo'''<ref>''[[Bestiarum]]''</ref> (''Ophis congregatio'', meaning "serpent union"<ref>[http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=865756 HBO Forums]</ref>) are a unique gestalt of smaller creatures known as [[Lekgolo]], which are tiny, orange, worm-like creatures that group together to geometrically increase their intelligence, strength, and maneuverability. During and after the [[Great Schism]] there was a division within the species, some aligning with the [[Covenant Separatists]] and others remaining with the [[Covenant Loyalists]].
The '''Mgalekgolo'''<ref name="Bestiarum">'''[[Bestiarum]]'''</ref> (''Ophis congregatio'', meaning "serpent union"),<ref>[http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=865756 '''HBO Forums''': ''Bestiaium Latin names translated'']</ref> is a gestalt of [[Lekgolo]], which are small worm-like creatures that group together to exponentially increase their intelligence, strength, and maneuverability. Of the myriad Lekgolo collectives, the best known is the Mgalekgolo or '''Hunter''', a bipedal form that is used for heavy assault. Ironically, the Mgalekgolo is among the least common Lekgolo configurations, but due to their formidable combat capabilities they are most commonly fielded by the [[Covenant]].{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}} While the term "Mgalekgolo" is formally limited to this particular type of Lekgolo gestalt with the other forms having different names,{{Ref/Reuse|wp lekgolo}}{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}} it is sometimes applied to other Lekgolo colonies as well, such as that used to operate the {{Pattern|Deutoros|Scarab}}, or the [[Goliath]]s employed by the [[Banished]].<ref>'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 163''</ref>


==Background==
==History==
When the Mgalekgolo home world of [[Te]] was discovered by the [[Covenant]], intent on mining its riches, they faced, instead, heavy resistance from what the humans know as "Hunters". Their physiology gave them a tremendous and unexpected advantage in combat, not only hampering, but even halting, the Covenant's advance and killing an [[Arbiter (Rank)|Arbiter]]. The Covenant were further infuriated by the Lekgolo's destruction of [[Forerunner]] artifacts during the Mgalekgolo's routine feedings.<ref>''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''</ref> In ground combat campaigns they were mostly victorious, despite the valiant effort of the [[Sangheili]]. The Covenant was forced to rely on [[Glassing|orbital bombardment]], a strategy against which the Mgalekgolo had little-to-no defense. Thus, to save themselves from extinction, their only choice was to agree to join the Covenant. This later came to be known as the [[Taming of the Hunters]]. Terms for their induction into the Covenant were eventually met, despite communication difficulties (which hampered the process). In their agreement to join with the Covenant, the Lekgolo worms, which fed on specific minerals, were consigned to investigate the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] that resided in ''[[High Charity]]'' and help uncover its inner workings. Their price for this trade was access to [[Slipspace|space-travel technologies]] and exploration of the [[Covenant]] space lanes.
<!--This section describes the history of the Mgalekgolo configuration; the history of the entire Lekgolo species is described in the Lekgolo article.-->
{{Quote|The Hunters have come to our aid, Arbiter. They will fight by our side.|A [[Special Operations Sangheili]] during the [[Battle of Installation 05]].{{Ref/Reuse|TGJ}}}}
After the formation of the [[Covenant]], early experiments with the [[Luminary|Luminaries]] reverse-engineered from the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] in ''[[High Charity]]'' led the Covenant to the Lekgolo homeworld Te, which was located near [[Urs]], the home system of the [[Sangheili]]. While the [[San'Shyuum]] and [[Sangheili]] hoped to find a treasure trove of Forerunner artifacts, they instead found hives of Lekgolo inside orbital rings surrounding the planet. The rings were in fact the destroyed remains of an ancient Forerunner installation in orbit. The relics had been the Lekgolo's food for millennia, and the orbital rings were actually composed of digested-and-destroyed Forerunner relics that some of the Lekgolo had been consuming.<ref name="ch">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 269-271''</ref>


When a single colony of Mgalekgolo becomes too big, the colony will divide in half to create two independent Mgalekgolo colonies. These colonies will share an extremely close and mysterious bond, referred to only as being "bond brothers", or "mates".<ref>''[[Halo: The Flood]]''</ref> The armor and [[Assault Cannon|Assault Cannons]] used by the Mgalekgolo were given to them by the Sangheili after the former joined the Covenant. Mgalekgolo that have split into "bond brothers" are recognized by spiked appendages that rise from their shoulders, which means that they are bonded to another Mgalekgolo.<ref>''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''</ref> Bonded Mgalekgolo colonies are dropped into battle together by the Covenant, as the Spartans learned: where you find a Mgalekgolo, there is always another close by. If one of the bonded colonies is killed, the other will go into a frenzied state, much like the berserk state of a [[Jiralhanae]], or the suicidal charge of an [[Unggoy]]. If left alone for a long period of time, however, they will adopt a "split personality" of shooting followed by melee attacks.
[[File:H2A Terminals - First Hunters.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Jeht facing off against naked Mgalekgolo in their natural unarmored form.]]
Enraged by the Lekgolo's "desecration" of Forerunner relics, the Covenant began a military campaign against the Lekgolo. After facing considerable difficulty eradicating the creatures,{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}}{{Ref/Reuse|ch}} [[Arbiter]] [[Jeht 'Lcmutee]] was sent to study the Lekgolo for a full year on [[Rantu]], one of Te's moons. It was there that the Arbiter witnessed the Lekgolo combine into Mgalekgolo to battle him, forming around a series of rocks to support their bipedal forms.{{Ref/Game|H2A|Detail=''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminal 8]]''}} Recognizing the potential of the gestalts, 'Lcmutee returned to ''[[High Charity]]'' and suggested that the Lekgolo be inducted into the Covenant. However, the Lekgolo initially resisted, leading to a conflict between them and the Covenant. While the Mgalekgolo won most of the time on the ground, they faced extinction and were forced into the Covenant by the superior starship technology of the Sangheili.<ref name="HCESGuide">''[[Halo: Combat Evolved: Sybex Official Strategies & Secrets]]''</ref> This event later came to be known amongst the Covenant as the "[[Taming of the Lekgolo]]". The Covenant may have used [[Sharquoi]] armor designs for the Mgalekgolo armor.<ref name="Envoy186">'''[[Halo: Envoy]]''', ''page 186''</ref>


During the [[Battle of Onyx]], some Mgalekgolos apparently had command of lower-ranking [[Sangheili]], signifying they may have a higher military rank in the Covenant military than previously indicated.
The Mgalekgolo gestalts, armed with thick armor plates and [[assault cannon]]s, would come to serve the Covenant as shock troops. Numerous Mgalekgolo participated in the [[Human-Covenant War]]. During the [[Great Schism]], most Mgalekgolo pairs sided with the Sangheili, though others remained with the [[Prophet of Truth]] and the main body of the Covenant.<ref name="TGJ">'''[[Halo 2]]''', campaign level ''[[The Great Journey]]''</ref> There is no known reason for the split in loyalty.{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}}


==Description==
During the [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|further conflicts]] in the wake of the [[Human-Covenant War]] many Mgalekgolo would fight on behalf of [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction|new Covenant order]] against humanity and [[Swords of Sanghelios]]. These Mgalekgolo participated in the battles of [[Requiem]], [[Nuusra]], [[Sunaion]], and [[Genesis]].{{Ref/Game|Id=H4|H4}}{{Ref/Game|H5G|H5}} Others would remain loyal to [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]] and his Swords of Sanghelios.<ref>[https://www.halowaypointstore.com/p/halo_swords_of_sanghelios_premium_tee.html ''Halo Waypoint Store'' - ''Swords of Sanghelios Tee'']</ref> Several would join [[Vata 'Gajat]]'s [[Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group|mercenary group]] and partake in the [[Battle of Ealen IV]].<ref>'''Halo: Escalation''', ''Issue 2''</ref> Mgalekgolo that were a part of the [[Banished]] were unusually aggressive and may have been forced into service.<ref name="log hunters">''Halo Wars 2'', ''Phoenix Logs - Hunters''</ref> These Mgalekgolo would be deployed by the Banished against the crew of the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} during the [[Second Ark Conflict]].{{Ref/Game|HW2}} During [[Operation: SPEARBREAKER]], a Banished Mgalekgolo known as [[Colony]] led an effort to destroy the ''Spirit of Fire'' with a Forerunner {{Class|Despair|fighter}}.{{Ref/Game|HW2|Detail=[[Halo Wars 2: Operation: SPEARBREAKER|Operation: SPEARBREAKER]]}}
[[Image:Hunter1.jpg|thumb|240px|A Mgalekgolo as seen in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.]]
Hunters take the hulking bipedal form in the Covenant military.<ref>''Bestiarum''</ref> In this form, they are the strongest and most resilient species in the Covenant <ref>''[[Halo 3 Game Guide]]'',  http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/halo3.aspx, On Covenant character page.</ref>. They usually stand between twelve to thirteen feet tall, but when in their combat state they crouch into between eight to eight-and-one-half feet, protecting their visible, unarmored stomach and neck. Though uncommon, the Mgalekgolo can even come in larger sizes and even bigger than the standard Covenant Wraith.Their political motavation is unknown<ref>'''[[Halo Legends]]: ''[[The Duel]]'''''</ref> Their armor has a blue luster that makes the orange-red skin of the [[Lekgolo]] worms inside very noticeable, but the colony itself is hard to spot. They always fight in pairs due to the fact that when the colony gets too big, it splits into another Mgalekgolo form, creating an enormous bond between the two bond brothers. Their political motivation, according to the ''[[Bestiarum]]'', is completely unknown.


Hunters fight using assault cannons integrated directly into their [[armor]], and they carry an enormous, and nearly impervious metal shield made of an unknown alloy derived from the same material that forms Covenant warship hulls. This shield protects them from almost every form of plasma-based or ballistic weaponry available to Covenant and [[human]] infantry alike, and is a powerful [[melee]] tool capable of crushing anything in its path and allowing the Mgalekgolo to sweep away most enemies in close combat. The Hunter can also gain a surprising burst of speed when it moves in for a melee kill.
During the [[Battle for Zeta Halo]] in [[2560#May|May 2560]], the Master Chief faced a number of Mgalekgolo in service of the Banished. His new AI companion, [[the Weapon]], was confused when he identified the creatures as Hunters, having no idea what a Banished or a Hunter even was and then deciding that she didn't want to know the answer to what they hunted. One of the targets of opportunity that the Master Chief went after on the Halo ring was a Mgalekgolo pair known as [[Myriad]] who, much like [[Colony]], trended towards a more individualized identity rather than being a part of a subservient hivemind. Another Mgalekgolo pair were sent after the Master Chief by [[War Chief]] [[Escharum]] in the arena on the second level of the [[House of Reckoning (location)|House of Reckoning]] while the Master Chief was [[Battle of the House of Reckoning|fighting]] his way through the Banished stronghold in order to rescue [[Fernando Esparza]].{{Ref/Game|Id=Hi|Hi}}


The [[Assault Cannon]] the Hunter wields operates in two modes; one firing a single explosive capsule of incendiary fluid<ref>''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''</ref>, the other spraying the fluid out like a beam.<ref>''[[Halo 2]]''</ref><ref>''[[Halo 3]]''</ref> The beam is more devastating than the single explosive shot, because this attack lasts longer and so wide spread damage can be done to more than just one enemy, or a single enemy can be badly injured or even killed.  
==Description==
===Culture===
{{Main|Lekgolo#Culture}}
Mgalekgolo almost never associate or communicate with other species other than the [[Sangheili]]. They are dismissive, scornful, and arrogant to the "lesser" species, and are contemptuous to their foes.{{Ref/Reuse|HCESGuide}}


=== Anatomy and Physiology ===
===Anatomy and physiology===
[[File:Hunter 3.jpg|thumb|200px|A Mgalekgolo fighting in a Forerunner structure on the ''[[Halo 3]]'' level, "[[The Covenant (Level)|The Covenant]]".]]
[[File:Mgalekgolo back.jpg|250px|thumb|[[Lekgolo]] worms on a Mgalekgolo's exposed back.]]
[[Image:Scarab_Lekgolo.jpg|200px|thumb|right|[[Lekgolo]] worms inside a [[Type-47 Ultra Heavy Assault Platform|Scarab]] shell.]]
{{main|Lekgolo}}
{{main|Lekgolo}}
Hunters are not a single organism, but rather are composed of multiple small, orange, eel-like beings called [[Lekgolo]], that form a single collective consciousness and act as one, a single "hive-mind", similar to the structure of operation in the flood. In other words they are a communal organism working together to perform specific tasks. Mgalekgolo are capable of manifesting in several different iterations according to what goal they are striving to achieve and the amount of [[Lekgolo]] worms that are present. The Mgalekgolo is the most common form seen in combat during the [[Human-Covenant War]], but is actually one of the more rare forms in the Lekgolo society. This Mgalekgolo is employed by the Covenant as heavy infantry. Their society is predominated by this combination of being able to create exponentially more intelligent creatures, and the actual "Hunter" organism is one of the rarer and smaller forms to be found, used primarily in interaction with the Covenant hierarchy. Because of their make-up of several hundred "eels" instead of being a single large organism, the Lekgolo are one of the only species in the Covenant that cannot be assimilated by the Flood, as their unique physiology does not allow the organism to access a central nervous system or control them to any capacity. As such, there has never been a Hunter [[Combat Form]], though the flesh of the Lekgolo can most likely be used by the Flood simply for its biomass.
A Mgalekgolo is not a single organism, but rather a collective of small, orange, eel-like creatures called [[Lekgolo]]. In order to form a Mgalekgolo, dozens of individual Lekgolo bond with one another both physically and neurologically to form a single "hive-minded" community.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 267''</ref> The Mgalekgolo is the most common form seen in combat during the [[Human-Covenant War]], but is actually one of the rarer and smaller forms in the Lekgolo society, used primarily in interaction with the Covenant hierarchy.{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}} Their primary combat tactic is an approximation of a hunter-killer formation, hence the name "Hunter".<ref name="wp lekgolo">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/lekgolo-mgalekgolo-hunter '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Lekgolo/Mgalekgolo'']</ref> Because of their combined neural nets' sensitivity to their surroundings, Mgalekgolo can think and work as an effective combat unit without even using verbal communication. They can also locate their enemies even without directly "seeing" them, such as when they are facing the opposite direction.
 
The collection of eels that make up a Hunter's body are unintelligent at the most basic level, but can form complex thoughts and emerge as a conscious individual when they combine into larger masses that communicate through chemical and electrical means. The neural net that Hunters develop enables them to be incredibly strong and very sensitive to all things within a 1,000 foot line pointing out from non-combat form, and a half sphere that extends 500 feet in combat form{{Verify_source}}. This could explain why Hunters sometimes can locate the Master Chief even when they cannot see him, or when they are facing the opposite direction. This also explains why Hunters can think and work as an effective combat unit without even using verbal communication. Hunters generally growl during battle but will sometimes talk and make remarks like the other Covenant species. Instead of using vocal chords, like other Covenant species, they vibrate their bodies to make a low rumble that is described as "more felt than heard" to produce speech.<ref name="p190+1">''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'', pages 190-191</ref>


It is theorized that Hunters reproduce asexually similar to earthworms; however there is no way to be certain. If true, calling Hunter pairs "mates" would only make sense in term for the pairing of two, not actually mating.
Mgalekgolo do not use vocal chords to speak, but instead vibrate their bodies to make a low rumble to produce speech. They are capable of mimicking the language of other species, forming words and sentences that are "felt" rather than heard. Their quiet nature among other races of the Covenant is probably a result of difficulty speaking with other Covenant races. The known names of some Mgalekgolo seem to imply that they use very simple vowels and only a few consonants.


===Communication===
Mgalekgolo usually stand between twelve to thirteen feet tall, but during combat they hunch themselves over to protect their vulnerable neck and midsection, reducing their height to roughly eight feet. They fight using [[assault cannon]]s integrated directly into their armor, and they carry an enormous two-ton pavise shield made of an alloy derived from the same [[Nanolaminate hull plating|material]] that forms Covenant warship hulls.{{Ref/Reuse|wp lekgolo}} Mgalekgolo body armor is eight centimeters thick, with the shield being even thicker.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 218''</ref> Their shields and armor protect them from almost every form of [[plasma weaponry|plasma-based]] or ballistic weaponry available to Covenant and human infantry alike, and the shield is a powerful [[melee]] tool capable of crushing anything in its path and allowing the Mgalekgolo to neutralize most enemies in close combat. However their heavy protection is inadequate against dedicated anti-tank weapons, with [[M19 surface-to-surface missile|102mm HEAT warheads]],<ref>'''Halo: The Flood''', ''page 183''</ref> [[M149 Magellan|105mm recoiless rifles]],<ref>'''Halo: The Flood''', ''page 363''</ref> and [[M512 smooth-bore high-velocity cannon|90mm high-velocity tank cannons]] taking them out with ease.<ref>'''Halo: The Flood''', ''page 242''</ref> The [[M149 Magellan]] 105mm recoiless rifle is even capable of over-penetrating both the pavise and the armor with a delayed fuse round.<ref>'''[[Halo Legends]]''': ''[[Prototype]]''</ref> There are a few weak spots in the armor however, such as the lower back where they are vulnerable to regular weaponry. However, due to their sheer size and speed, it is difficult for enemies to hit these spots. Their arm-mounted shield was the basis for an avenue of [[UNSC]] research which produced an [[UNSC shield|early prototype]] shield of human origin.{{Ref/Game|H2V|Easy difficulty shield ([[:File:H2V EasyDifficulty.png|File link]])}}
Little is known about the Hunters' language. The known names of some Hunters seem to imply that they use very simply vowels, and few consonants -- not nearly as many as are contained in the English alphabet. It is known that Hunters do not use vocal chords to speak; instead, they seem to vibrate the Lekgolo in their bodies to produce sound. Their quiet nature amongst other races of the Covenant results either from difficulty speaking with other Covenant races or difficulty tolerating other Covenant races.


Hunters' speech can be heard in all of the ''Halo'' games, and has changed very little during the course of the series. Hunters tend to make very deep, low rumbling noises when detecting enemies or when wounded. When dying, they seem to emit a low-pitched scream. They also seem to chuckle after a kill. Aside from that, Hunters barely talk. They are, however, capable of mimicking the language of other species via subsonic vibrations, forming words and sentences that are "felt" rather than "heard".<ref name="p190+1"/><ref>[[http://www.bungie.net/projects/odst/guide.aspx ''Halo 3: ODST'' Field Guide]</ref>
The assault cannon the Mgalekgolo wields operates in two modes; one firing a single explosive capsule of incendiary fluid,{{Ref/Reuse|H4}}<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'''</ref>{{Ref/Reuse|ODST}} the other spraying the fluid out like a beam.{{Ref/Game|Id=H5G|H5G}}<ref name="H2">'''[[Halo 2]]'''</ref><ref name="H3">'''[[Halo 3]]'''</ref>


==Culture==
===Bond brothers===
Mgalekgolo almost never associate or even communicate with the other races in the [[Covenant Empire]]. [[Sangheili]] are the sole exception; Hunters appreciate and acknowledge the Elites' warrior thoughts and adeptness in combat. To the other races of the Covenant, however, the Hunters are dismissive, scornful, and arrogant, and they are utterly contemptuous of their foes. Hunters have no qualms about committing friendly fire against the "lesser" races, like [[Unggoy]] and [[Kig-yar]]; during the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]], a Hunter was seen running over and killing a Jackal. In ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'', Hunters will attack foes regardless of any allies that happen to be in their line of fire, as demonstrated in the game's final Campaign mission.
When a single Mgalekgolo becomes too big, the colony will divide in half to create two independent Lekgolo colonies. These colonies will share an extremely close and mysterious bond, referred to only as being "bond brothers", or "mates".<ref name="Halo: The Flood">'''Halo: The Flood''', ''"Chapter ??"'', ''page ??''</ref> Mgalekgolo that have split into "bond brothers" are recognized by spiked appendages that rise from their shoulders, which means that they are bonded to another Mgalekgolo.{{Ref/Reuse|ch}} Bonded Mgalekgolo colonies are dropped into battle together by the Covenant, as the [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartans]] learned: where you find a Mgalekgolo, there is always another close by. If one of the bonded colonies is killed, the other will go into a frenzied state, much like the berserk state of a [[Jiralhanae]], or the suicidal charge of a desperate Unggoy. If left alone for a long period of time, however, they will adopt a "tactical split personality" of shooting followed by melee attacks. On one occasion a Mgalekgolo whose bond brother was killed went berserk killing its allies aboard the crashed ''[[Radiant Perception]]'' and eventually became suicidal.<ref name="SAS">'''[[Halo: Smoke and Shadow]]''', ''page ???''</ref>
 
Many members of the Covenant are mystified and confused by the Mgalekgolo; the Hunters' way of life is almost as alien to the Covenant as that of the [[Flood]]. A Sangheili [[Fleet Master]] once noted that Hunters were known to tear opponents apart with their "bare hands" whilst in a blood frenzy, and then suddenly pause to recite war poetry.<ref>''[[Ghosts of Onyx]]''</ref> It has also been said that Hunters meditate in their spare time, or before battle.
 
During the [[Covenant Civil War]], most Hunter pairs sided with the Sangheili and the [[Covenant Separatists]], though others remained with the [[Prophet of Truth]] and the [[Covenant Loyalists]]. There is no known reason for the split in loyalty. It is likely that the Separatist Hunters split from the Covenant due to their respect for the Elites. It is likely that the Loyalist Hunters remained in the Covenant out of fear for their homeworld; the Hunters were integrated into the Covenant during the [[Taming of the Mgalekgolo]], when the Covenant threatened to [[Glassing|glass]] their homeworld.
 
Interestingly, no Hunters are ever seen supporting the [[Master Chief]] during the events of ''Halo 3''. This could be because he is human, because they hate him, or because all of the Separatist Hunters died in battle before the events of the game. It is also possible that in the making of ''[[Halo 3]]'', [[Bungie]] did not want to confuse players by having them with both the Separatists and the [[Loyalists]], so they were only shown as Loyalists.


===Naming===
===Naming===
Hunters have three names: a personal name, a bond name, and a line name. The personal name is given at their "birth". The line name represents the genetic heritage, being the name of the most successful Mgalekgolo of his ancestors. If one reaches a certain level of status, his offspring will have his personal name as their line name. The bond name, or their middle name, is taken between bonded pairs, colonies that must split into two due to excessive size. Examples of some Hunter names include [[Igido Nosa Hurru]] and [[Ogada Nosa Fasu]]. From the few Hunter names that have appeared in the novels, it seems that the given name has three syllables, but the bond name and line name only have two syllables. This may be another [[7]] reference, as 3 + 2 + 2 = 7.
Mgalekgolo have three names: a personal name, a bond name, and a line name. When written with the Roman or Latin alphabet, the three names can be transposed together as one single name or separated by spaces.
*The personal name is given at their "birth".{{Ref/Reuse|HCESGuide}}
*The bond name, or their middle name, is taken between bonded pairs. Examples of some Mgalekgolo names include [[Igido Nosa Hurru]] and [[Ogada Nosa Fasu]].<ref>'''[[Halo: The Flood]]''', ''page 163''</ref>
*The line name represents the genetic heritage, being the name of the most successful Mgalekgolo of its ancestors. If one reaches a certain level of status, its offspring will have its personal name as their line name.{{Ref/Reuse|HCESGuide}}


However, it is not known why the line name is not three syllables, considering that the ancestor in question's given name would be three syllables. It is most likely not always three syllables or the name is edited (a syllable is possibly taken away) before the offspring is given the line name.
==Ranking system==
[[File:ODST TayariPlaza06.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Edward Buck]] fighting a [[Mgalekgolo Flak|golden Hunter]] on [[Tayari Plaza]].]]
Unlike most Covenant forces, Mgalekgolo seem to possess presumably no visible rank. As they are deployed more like equipment or weapons platforms rather than conventional troops, rank may simply not apply for them.{{citation needed}}


=== Religion ===
However, they can be deployed independently of other Covenant troops, which may indicate that a level of independence and responsibility may be granted, thus meaning that they may have a high enough rank to be trusted by themselves. During the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]], Mgalekgolo are seen guarding the crystal in [[Côte d'Azur]], which is retrieved by [[Blue Team]]. One of these Mgalekgolo killed a Kig-Yar by stepping on it,<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 222''</ref> demonstrating the Lekgolo colonies' characteristic disregard for the lives of other species, whom they generally view as annoyances rather than allies.{{Ref/Reuse|wp lekgolo}} During the [[Onyx Conflict]], some Mgalekgolo apparently had command of lower-ranking Sangheili, even killing one of them for failing to follow orders, signifying they may have a higher military rank in the Covenant military than previously indicated.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 358''</ref>
All that can be said for certain about Mgalekgolo religious beliefs is that they vary. While the Lekgolo joined the Covenant for its access to space trade routes and starships, rather than any real dedication to the Great Journey, at least some hold a concept of an "afterlife".<ref>''[[Bestiarum]]''</ref><ref>''[[Halo: The Flood]]''</ref> Other Lekgolo meditate in their spare time, or recite war poetry before or after battle, showing a more refined nature than would be believed of the hulking, savage warriors.<ref>''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''</ref> The fact that some allied themselves with the [[Sangheili]] during the [[Great Schism]], while others remained with the [[Covenant Loyalists]], is further evidence that individual beliefs play a major part in Mgalekgolo religion.<ref>''[[Halo 3]]''</ref> Anything further than this is speculation, Lekgolo culture is extremely reclusive, and even their fellow Covenant know little about them other than that they continue to follow their own cultural traditions, rather than the homogenized religion of the wider Covenant.<ref>[http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=697 The Covenant Primer: Best of The Bestiary]</ref>


== Ranking System ==
During the [[Battle of Mombasa]], Mgalekgolo appeared in two different forms in two different colors: the normal blue-armored Mgalekgolo that are armed with an [[assault cannon]] that fires a continuous stream of radioactive incendiary gel, and a [[Mgalekgolo Flak|gold-armored Mgalekgolo]] armed with an assault cannon that fires a single bolt of radioactive incendiary gel.<ref name="ODST">'''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'''</ref>
[[Image:Gold Hunter.png|right|thumb|180px|A pair of Gold Mgalekgolo in ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''.]]
Unlike other Covenant forces, Hunters seem to possess no visible rank. They are deployed as support troops rather than as baseline soldiers, which may therefore indicate that a rank is unnecessary as they are used as equipment rather than soldiers. They seem to be of a low rank, but only take commands from Prophets or Elites.


However, they can be deployed independently of other Covenant troops, which may indicate that a level of independence and responsibility may be granted, thus meaning that they may have a high enough rank to be trusted by themselves. In ''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]'', Mgalekgolo are seen guarding the crystal in [[Cote d'Azur]], which is retrieved by [[Blue Team]]. As they are guarding such a highly valued target, they may be of a higher rank than other Hunter pairs. Also they killed a [[Jackal]] by stepping on it, which may show that they are higher in rank than the Jackals.  
Several Mgalekgolo under the command of [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]] were given the leading rank of [[Swarmlord]], and their prowess led them to be employed as simulated enemies in UNSC [[War Games]].{{Ref/Mode|Id=H5G|H5G|Warzone}}


Major hunters appear in Halo: Combat Evolved, they wear darker blue armor and can take direct hit from rocket launcher on normal and still survive.
By 2559, the Banished also utilized two specialist Mgalekgolo ranks, the defensive [[Mgalekgolo Ironclad]] and the aggressive [[Mgalekgolo Scarred]]{{Ref/Mode|Id=HW2|HW2|Blitz}}, in addition to the standard Mgalekgolo. The Banished Lekgolo forces on the [[Ark]] were also found to be directed by powerful [[Mgalekgolo Captain]]s, under the command of the pair known as "Colony". These Captains are linked directly to "Colony" and Banished Lekgolo colonies operate at full efficiency while Captains are on the field.<ref name="LML">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/leggo-my-lekgolo '''Halo Waypoint''' ''Canon Fodder - Leggo my Lekgolo'']</ref> During the [[Battle for Zeta Halo]], the Banished also deployed the red armored, more aggressive rank of [[Ardent Mgalekgolo]].{{Ref/Mode|Id=HI|HI|Campaign}}
{{Clear}}


In ''Halo 3: ODST'', the Hunters appeared in two different forms in two different colors; the blue-armored Hunter, armed with an assault cannon that fires a continuous stream of radioactive incendiary gel and a gold-armored Hunter, armed with an assault cannon that fires a single bolt of radioactive incendiary gel which is similar to the weapon model featured in [[Halo: Combat Evolved]]. Gold armored Hunters were said by bungie to be leader Hunters.
==Trivia==
{{clear}}
===Production notes===
{{Other languages
|fr={{Tooltip|''Les Hunters''|(Anglicism)}} in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.<br>
{{Tooltip|''Les Chasseurs''|The Hunters}} in all media since ''Halo 2''.
|es={{Tooltip|''Los cazadores''|The Hunters}} in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''.<br>
{{Tooltip|''Los Hunters''|Anglicism}} in all media since ''Halo 2''.
}}
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes|gameplay=yes}}
*''Halo: The Flood'', mentions that Mgalekgolo have skin and a jutting spine. This is incorrect, as they were later revealed to be a compound of small worm-like creatures. However, this does not preclude the possibility that the worms may form a skin-like membrane on the outside of their colony for protection against more casual damage, and in ''Halo 3 ''a metal column can be seen after the back armor plating has been detached, perhaps forming an artificial "spine" for vertical support. Strangely, the reference to Mgalekgolo having spines was kept in the 2010 re-release of the novel.<ref>'''Halo: The Flood''' (2010), page 181</ref>
*At first, Mgalekgolo were meant to comprise the whole of [[Sesa 'Refumee's heretic faction|Heretic]] forces on the [[Threshold gas mine]].<ref>'''[[Halo 3 Essentials]]''': ''Disk ??''</ref>
*The Mgalekgolo was inspired by the [[marathongame:Pfhor|Pfhor]] [[marathongame:Hunter|Hunter]] from the ''[[Marathon]]'' series, as well as by the [[marathongame:Drinniol|Drinniol]], or Hulk, from the original ''Marathon''. However, the Pfhor Hunter is actually a class of power armored soldier with a shoulder-mounted cannon rather than an arm-mounted cannon. The Drinniol also inspired the creation of the [[Sharquoi|Drinol]], Covenant species that was designed for ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' but was cut during development.
*No Mgalekgolo are ever seen supporting the [[John-117|Master Chief]] during the events of ''[[Halo 3]]''. This is because in the making of ''Halo 3'', [[Bungie]] did not want to confuse players by having them with both allies and enemies.
*Despite appearing on the cover of ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]'' none actually appear in game.
*In the [[Halo Legends]] episode ''[[The Duel]]'', the Mgalekgolo are shown to be at least 50 feet tall. This was explained by [[Frank O'Connor]] saying that a Hunter's appearance changes due to the gravity and environment.


== Combat ==
===Gameplay===
=== ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' ===
*When combating Mgalekgolo, a player can 'leapfrog' the charging melee attack, either jumping above or to the side of the Mgalekgolo. This exposes the rear armor to a quick shotgun blast or grenade stick, often resulting in death on lower difficulties. Although this tactic does not work as well on ''Halo 3: ODST'', simply circling around behind the Mglekgolo at the right time works the same way.
*In ''[[Halo 3]]'', it is possible to splatter a Mgalekgolo with an [[M274 Mongoose]].
[[Image:Hunter4.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[SPARTAN-II Program|SPARTAN-IIs]] about to exploit the Mgalekholo's main weak spot: their unprotected backs in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''.]]
*In ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', Mgalekgolo are not harmed by [[Unidentified fuel rod gun|fuel rod gun]]s. This may be because you're not supposed to have fuel rod guns in campaign, or it may be a precaution meant to prevent Mgalekgolo from injuring each other when fighting.
* Hunters fire heavy, exploding plasma projectiles that travel in an arc, similar to the shots from the [[Fuel rod gun]].
*Mgalekgolo have ranks in the actor variant [[tag]]s. One variant is called 'Hunter' and another called 'Hunter major'.
* They can be killed in one shot from the [[M6D|M6D pistol]] or [[Sniper rifle]] if hit in their orange weak spot.
*In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', a single shot from a [[M6D Magnum|pistol]] or [[SRS99C-S2 AM sniper rifle|sniper rifle]] to any unarmored section will kill a Mgalekgolo; this is because Bungie programmed the Mgalekgolo's exposed flesh as a "head."
* Their armor does not completely deflect projectiles, but merely reduces the damage they do to the Hunter.
*In ''[[Halo 2]]'', a Mgalekgolo's mass is enough to kill other characters if they push them against a surface. This can sometimes be seen in [[The Great Journey]], where friendly Mgalekgolo may accidentally crush Sangheili against walls.
* Hunters are smaller than in future games, standing at about 10 feet tall (8 feet when hunched over for combat).
*In ''[[Halo 2]]'', it is impossible to kill or even damage Mgalekgolo with melee attacks.
* Hunters also have fewer melee combat moves than in future games, and the moves they do have are somewhat slower.
*In ''[[Halo Wars]]'', a Mgalekgolo's shield can deflect projectiles that would almost always kill them in previous games, like [[Zurdo-pattern Wraith|Wraith]] Mortars and shots from the [[M808B Scorpion]]'s main cannon.
*In ''[[Halo: Reach]]'', Mgalekgolo have received a huge graphical overhaul. They are much more textured, are larger, have Forerunner symbols and emblems on their armor and appear to have some kind of eyes on their helmets.
*Mgalekgolo are also much tougher in ''Reach''. They are capable of surviving multiple explosive hits and even repeated plasma grenade sticks. Their back armor is much more durable, making their weak point harder to expose. They will also raise their shield vertically when being attacked from the front, covering both their neck and mid-section to protect themselves from incoming fire and are less likely to turn around and expose their back to the player.
*In ''Halo: Reach'', a near-miss from a Mgalekgolo's melee will cause the player's screen to violently shake.
*Although the Mgalekgolo present in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' use the ''Halo: Reach'' skin, they are almost half the size of their ''Halo: Reach'' counterparts due to the much smaller skeleton frame used in the original game. Their abdomens also appear to be armored, though this armor doesn't protect from damage and it's purely cosmetic.
*In ''[[Halo 4]]'', Mgalekgolo perform melee attacks much faster than their predecessors, making it harder to dodge them. Like in ''Halo Reach'', a near-miss from a melee will cause the player's screen to violently shake.
*In ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'', Mgalekgolo received a new skin that also incorporates abdominal armor, though this armor is also purely cosmetic and offers no protection whatsoever.
*In ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', Mgalekgolo are far more lethal than their predecessors. Their melee strikes are now nearly impossible to dodge. They also utilize both firing modes of their assault cannons. They also appear to be far more durable than their predecessors. In addition, when one is killed, the remaining Mgalekgolo will go into a "rage", start emitting green electrical sparks, move faster and more aggressively, and will fire its assault cannon's close range attack twice in each volley.
*In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'', players can avoid Hunters at certain points during [[Assault on the Control Room]] and [[Mombasa Streets]], where some Hunters are "asleep" despite ostensibly being in their combat stance. The Hunters will not notice if the player is nearby unless the player attacks them or makes noises near them, similar to the way sleeping Grunts can be awakened by noises. In the ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' level [[Assault on the Control Room]] on the lower level of the control room, the player can score a double-kill with one shot from a sniper rifle if they manage to catch a pair of "asleep" Hunters off-guard.
*In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', splatter kills against Hunters are extremely easy due to the game mechanics allowing a small prod to instantly kill them. They often choose to avoid vehicles rather than engaging them head-on.
*In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', when engaging [[Pod infector]]s at close range, Hunters will often try to shoot rather than melee them, killing themselves in the process. This could be due to their size making it difficult for them to aim properly.
*In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', Hunters are far more vulnerable than they are in later games. On any difficulty (even Legendary), they can be killed with a single shot to any unarmored part of their bodies. They are so vulnerable that even a single pistol shot can kill them.
*In later games, the best strategy for dealing with Hunters when there is no access to a weapon such as a [[M41 SPNKR|rocket launcher]] is to stick them with a {{Pattern|Anskum|plasma grenade}}. The explosion will blow the back of their armor above the weak spot off, giving the player a wider area to target with their weapons. However, they still remain difficult to kill due to the need to dodge their attacks while aiming for the weak spot.
*In the ''Halo: Reach'' level ''[[New Alexandria]]'', the player runs into a situation where they fight four Hunters at once instead of just two. There is a rocket launcher available in the room this occurs in which is sufficient with proper targeting.
*In ''Halo 3: ODST'', Hunters are fairly easy to deal with compared to the later games in the ''Halo'' series, likely reflecting the fact that the player is no longer controlling a Spartan and is instead controlling weaker ODSTs. On lower difficulties at least, a good strategy is to blow off the back of a Hunter's armor with a {{Pattern|Anskum|plasma grenade}} and then rake their exposed back with fire. In that game, it doesn't take much fire to kill one once their back is fully exposed, especially compared to ''Halo: Reach'' when in a similar situation, Hunters are extremely hard to kill.
*A good weapon to use against Hunters when a rocket launcher or [[fuel rod gun]] is not available is a shotgun, particularly after a Hunter's armor has been blown off in the back. Ideal for close-range combat, shotgun blasts inflict more damage than weapons such as an assault rifle. In order to get a Hunter to expose their weakness, a player typically needs to get close enough to make the Hunter charge, generally ending with them in close proximity even when the Hunter is vulnerable. At this kind of proximity, a shotgun is ideal for its stopping power and close-combat effectiveness. In the ''Halo: Reach'' levels ''[[ONI: Sword Base]]'' and ''[[The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Reach level)|The Pillar of Autumn]]'', shotguns can be found in close proximity to where the player encounters and fights Hunters.


A Mgalekgolo's armor is extremely resilient, is resistant to most small arms fire, and significantly reduces the damage they take from enemy projectiles (on Normal difficulty, a Hunter can still be killed with a few dozen pistol or plasma shots to the armor). However, in later games the armor is completely immune to small arms fire, and projectiles simply bounce off of it without causing harm to the Hunter.
===Miscellaneous===
*Like most other races of the Covenant, Mgalekgolo's [[blood]] differs from that of humans. Mgalekgolo blood is bright, fluorescent orange and appears to have a very thick, slimy texture. It has also been noted that their blood smells strongly of burnt plastic, hinting that the make-up of their bodily fluids is drastically different from that of a [[human]].


However, they have an exploitable weak spot (in which it will take a single pistol shot to kill them): the exposed orange flesh located in their midsections and necks. While they keep the exposed areas on the fronts of their bodies well-covered with their shields, rarely giving the player an opening unless the Hunter tries to melee them, the creature's backs have a large exposed area that is extremely vulnerable. If a rocket is fired at them, it does not matter where you are aiming, it will always kill with one shot (unless you are in [[Legendary]] and sometimes [[Heroic]] mode, in which case it may take two rockets). Another tactic available is to shoot the green sections of their [[Assault Cannon]] (only successful with the [[pistol]]).
==Gallery==
 
===Development images===
In addition, while not on alert to an enemy's presence they assume a stance where their neck and midsection is especially vulnerable. While firearms are incapable of penetrating a Hunter's armor, it cannot stand up to heavy weapons such as rockets and artillery.
<gallery>
 
File:HCE Hunter Concept 1.png|Early concept art of a Hunter for ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''.
Interestingly in ''[[Halo PC]]'', if you don't move from your position while a Hunter is firing at you, it is very unlikely that it will hit you with its Assault Cannon.  
File:HCE Hunter Concept 2.png|Concept art of a Hunter for ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
 
File:HCE Hunter Concept 3.png|Concept art of a Hunter for ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
Other weapons, especially the [[shotgun]] and [[SRS99C-S2 AM Sniper Rifle|sniper rifle]] for very short and very long distances respectively, were equally deadly. The rocket launcher was always effective, but never particularly necessary. Grenades were only moderately effective, as the Hunter could withstand a half-dozen grenade blasts.
File:HCE Hunter Concept_4.jpg|Concept art of a Hunter for ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
 
File:HCE EarlyHunters Screenshot.jpg|A pair of Mgalekgolo in an early build of ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
[[Plasma]] weapons, with the exception of the plasma rifle on lower difficulties, were often ineffective, as was the [[needler]]. The [[MA5B Assault Rifle]] takes too long to make a kill so other weapons were far more useful.
File:Hunter.jpg|A conceptual render of a Mgalekgolo in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
 
File:Concept-H2-Hunter.jpg|Finalized concept art of a Mgalekgolo for ''[[Halo 2]]''.
On Legendary, some players regarded Hunters as one of the most challenging enemies in the game (killing them is a difficulty, even when armed with the most appropriate of weapons). Inexperienced or careless players can fall victim to the Hunters' attacks, which, while easy to anticipate, are rather quick and powerful.
File:HW Hunter_Sketch.jpg|Early sketch of a Mgalekgolo for ''[[Halo Wars]]''.
 
File:HW_Hunter_Concept.jpg|Concept art of a Mgalekgolo for ''Halo Wars''.
A unique way to kill a Hunter, (which does not work in ''Halo 2'') is to melee it over and over again and can be done to the front of the Hunter. But it is highly recommended to hit from behind, as it is easier for them to attack what's in front of them.
File:TheDuel Hunter Concept.png|Concept art of a Hunter in ''[[Halo Legends]]'' episode, ''[[The Duel]]''.
 
File:H4 GGHunter Concept 1.jpg|Concept art of the Mgalekgolo for ''[[Halo 4]]''.
Another way to kill a hunter is to jump on the hunter while he is doing a melee, and shoot the hunter's vulnerable back with a pistol, which would badly damage, if not kill, the hunter. However, often the range you jump would be so far that accurately shooting at the hunter is difficult.
File:H4_Hunter_Concept_1.jpg|''Halo 4'' concept art.
 
File:H4_Hunter_Concept_2.jpg|''Halo 4'' concept art.
Hunters are, like all other enemies in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', extremely vulnerable to vehicle collisions. A [[Warthog]] can kill a Hunter instantly with even the slightest nudge or tap. This was due to the physics engine of the game, which could not determine the difference between a fast moving and a slow moving vehicle; hence all vehicle contact with an enemy on foot resulted in instant death. A Hunter could attempt a large leap away from the vehicle, however, which can sometimes result in the Hunter getting away temporarily. However, a Hunter's assault cannon shot can flip a warthog easily.
File:H4_Hunter_Concept_3.jpg|''Halo 4'' concept art.
 
File:H4-Render-Hunter.jpg|Render of the hi-poly model of a Mgalekgolo in ''Halo 4''.
Lining up Hunters so that they shoot themselves is dangerous, difficult, and is not advised because in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' they don't do any damage to each other.
File:H2A - Mgalekgolo 1.jpg|3D render of the Mgalekgolo's body armor in ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''.
 
File:H2A - Mgalekgolo 2.jpg|Final render of the Mgalekgolo in ''Halo 2: Anniversary''.
=== ''[[Halo 2]]'' ===
File:H5G Hunter Concept 3.jpg|Concept art of a corrupted Mgalekgolo for ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''.
File:HW2C-Hunters.jpg|Concept art of a Banished Mgalekgolo for ''[[Halo Wars 2]]''.
[[Image:Dgodt Visr Foltz.PNG|thumb|200px|right|A Mgalekgolo on the ''[[Halo 2]]'' level, "[[The Great Journey (Level)|The Great Journey]]".]]
File:HINF Concept EarlyHunters.jpg|Early concept art exploration of Mgalekgolo for ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.
'''Changes from ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' to ''Halo 2'''''
File:HINF Concept EarlyHunters2.jpg|More early concept exploration.
* Their Assault Cannon has been changed from firing single large exploding plasma bolts to firing a continuous energy beam.
File:HINF Concept EarlyHunter.jpg|More early concept exploration.
* They have more health. Additionally, only a [[Sniper rifle]] or [[Beam rifle]] can kill them in one shot (2 shots are required on [[Legendary]] difficulty).
File:HINF Concept HunterThings.jpg|Early concept exploration of something relating to the Mgalekgolo, possibly of the Lekgolo worms themselves.
* Their armor now completely deflects projectiles instead of merely reducing the damage taken from them.
</gallery>
* They have a new melee combat move that allows them to spin around 180 degrees and strike enemies behind them, thus making it more difficult to get behind them and attack their weak spot.
* They are faster and also delay much less between melee attacks, making it much more difficult to fight them at close range.
* Hunters are over 20% larger than in ''Halo: CE'', now standing 12 feet tall (10 feet when hunched during combat).
* They appear noticeably less frequently than in ''Halo: CE''.
* Being hit by a grenade does little damage to a Hunter, but will disorient it and cause it to spin around 180 degrees and stand still for a couple seconds, leaving its weak spot exposed.
 
The Hunters underwent a number of changes for ''[[Halo 2]]''. For example, they will react more aggressively to the loss of their bond brother. They appear in fewer numbers, and they are for the most part tougher and more dangerous than in ''Halo: CE''. They are also invulnerable to melee attacks, whereas in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', melees would actually cause damage to the hunter.  
 
The most notable change is their new weapon: although similar to the old [[Fuel Rod Gun]]-like Assault Cannon, the new assault cannon fires a continuous beam of green incendiary gel rather than an arcing projectile. The weapon cannot fire as often, and it has a much lower velocity, making it easy to avoid.
 
In addition, the Hunters are over 20% larger<ref>''[[The Art of Halo]]'', Creating a Virtual World</ref> and 10% slower, making it much easier to target. Their increased strengths go towards your advantage when playing as the Arbiter; the Hunters are then powerful and durable allies.  
 
Finally, the Hunters have much more health. Most small arms do rather moderate damage against them, in contrast to the [[M6D]]'s ability to kill them in a single shot. For example, on [[Normal]] difficulty, it takes 11 shots from the [[M6C Magnum Sidearm]], 6 full bursts from the [[BR55 Battle Rifle|battle rifle]], or 10 shots from the [[Covenant carbine]] to kill a Hunter.
 
On [[Heroic]] and lower difficulties, sniper weapons will kill a Hunter in a single shot, as do machine gun turrets and [[plasma cannon]]s. However, on Legendary, not a single weapon can kill them in one hit. An [[SRS99C-S2 AM Sniper Rifle]] or [[beam rifle]] will take two shots to kill a Hunter on [[Legendary]].


The [[rocket launcher]] is greatly effective, and so is the [[fuel rod cannon]]. While these weapons take two and three shots respectively to kill a Hunter on Legendary, they can damage one regardless of where it hits it. If lacking a sniper rifle and a heavy weapon, simply switch to the Covenant carbine or the battle rifle (BR's slightly stronger). To put one down, aim for the exposed flesh and empty your rounds. It should take around a magazine (maybe a magazine and a half on Legendary) to kill one.
===Screenshots and official artwork===
 
<gallery>
''Note: that in large areas without cover, you may invariably lose. Do not use the energy sword, as it is worse than useless (it brings you to close quarters with the Hunter, where it can easily beat you down).''
File:HaloCE-MgalekgoloHunter.png|Final in-game view of the Mgalekgolo in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', with [[assault cannon|gun]] raised.
 
File:HCE-MgalekgoloHunterAlt.png|Alternate preview of the Mgalekgolo in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', crouched behind its massive shield.
Grenades still do little damage against Hunters and it will usually take a large amount of them to take one down. However, grenades, hand held or fired from the [[Brute Shot]], will disorient a Hunter, giving the player an opportunity to shoot at its exposed flesh. Perhaps the most effective method to defeat a Hunter would be to stick a [[Plasma Grenade]] to it and shoot it in its exposed back with a beam rifle or sniper rifle, as a plasma grenade in this fashion will make the Hunter do a 180 degree turn or freeze on the spot. Another interesting change from [[Halo: Combat Evolved|''Halo: CE'']] is that plasma grenades now stick to the Hunters' shields, whereas in ''Halo: CE'' they simply bounced off if not stuck elsewhere. Plasma grenades can also be used to kill a Hunter by sticking it in the back or stomach, which due to the arc of the throw, is not very difficult. This also gives the player time to shoot them with another weapon.
File:Hunter1.jpg|A Mgalekgolo in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
 
File:HCE-IgidoOgado.png|Bond Brothers Igido Nosa Hurru and Ogado Nosa Fasu in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
If an enemy gets too close, the Hunter will attempt a clumsy but dangerous melee attack with its shield, severely injuring if not killing the enemy. Once its partner is killed, the Hunter becomes much more aggressive and will chase the player, attempting to avenge its partner's death by only melee attacks.
File:H2-AltMgalekgoloHunter.png|An in-game view of the Mgalekgolo in combat stance in ''Halo 2''.
 
File:H2-MgalekgoloHunter.png|An in-game view of the Mgalekgolo running in ''Halo 2''.
When battling the [[UNSC]] [[Marines]], one Hunter will engage the Marines in close combat, whilst the other will hang back and support with the [[Assault Cannon]]. If one of the Hunters dies, the other will occasionally leap forward and attempt to smash an enemy with its shield. If this attack connects, the foe on the receiving end of the blow will invariably die. Generally, Hunters have a harder time taking down marines than they had in Halo: CE, but that is because the health of marines has been increased drastically, they almost have 175% more health in normal difficulty than the Halo: CE marines.  
File:Huntercrouched.jpg|A Mgalekgolo preparing to launch a melee attack in ''Halo 2''.
 
File:H3-BlueHunter.png|An in-game view of the blue-armored Mgalekgolo in ''[[Halo 3]]''.
During the last level of Halo 2, many players are relieved to find out that 2 pairs of Hunters are with them. Due to their amazing strength and size, it is logical to hide behind them and activate your camouflage to escape from being harmed (for beginners). However, on Legendary, some players go first, and take out as many Brutes as possible, so they won't have to deal with them later.
File:Hunter FireCharge.jpg|A Mgalekgolo about to fire its assault cannon.
 
File:H3_Hunter_AssaultBeam.jpg|A Mgalekgolo firing its assault cannon.
=== ''[[Halo 3]]'' ===
File:Hunter BloodBond.jpg|A Mgalekgolo pair in combat in ''Halo 3''.
 
File:HW Hunter Render.jpg|A pair of Mgalekgolo from ''Halo Wars''.
File:HW Hunter Model.png|The Mgalekgolo's final model from ''Halo Wars''.
[[Image:20668064-Full.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Two Mgalekgolo on the level, [[The Storm (Level)|The Storm]].]]
File:HW Hunterscloseup.jpg|Closeup of Hunters in-game
[[Image:1216053015 Hunter.jpg|thumb|right|A Mgalekgolo preparing its [[Assault Cannon]].]]
File:HW bondedshield.jpg|Hunters with Bonded Shield Upgrade
'''Changes from ''Halo 2'' to ''Halo 3'''''
File:HW Huntergroup.jpg|Squads of Hunters on the move
*A Hunter's previously exposed stomach area is now protected by an armor plate. However, this can be shot off by weapons fire. Other areas of the Hunter's armor, such as the spikes and the plating around the weak spot in the back, can also be broken off by damage from gunfire.
File:H3ODST-GoldHunter.png|An in-game view of the gold-armored Mgalekgolo in ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''.
* Hunters are even faster and more agile than in ''Halo 2'', making it much more difficult to get behind them and shoot their weak spot.
File:HTMCC-H3ODST GoldHunters 1.png|A pair of gold Mgalekgolo in ''Halo 3: ODST''.
* Hunters are no longer disoriented by explosives, but are ''much'' more vulnerable to sticky grenades. They can be killed with 2 consecutive [[plasma grenade]] or [[spike grenade]] sticks on [[Normal]] difficulty (3 grenade sticks are required on [[Heroic]]). Sticky grenades are effective even if they adhere to the Hunter's armor or shield. However, non-sticky grenades such as [[frag grenades]] and [[Brute shot]] projectiles remain fairly ineffective, doing minimal damage.
File:Hunter blood.jpg|Mgalekgolo blood in ''Halo 3: ODST''. Note the blood's luminosity.
* Hunters are much rarer than in the previous two games, with a total of only 8 Hunters appearing throughout the entire game. Additionally, 2 Hunters are killed by the player while piloting a [[Scorpion tank]], so only 6 Hunters are ever fought directly.
File:HLHunters.png|A larger form of Mgalekgolo in the ''The Duel''.
 
File:HBL-Bestthingever.png|A Mgalekgolo carrying three [[Unggoy Minor]]s during the [[Battle of Line Installation 1-4]] in ''[[Halo: Blood Line]]''.
The Hunters in ''[[Halo 3]]'' are even more advanced then their ''[[Halo 2]]'' counterparts. They are even larger and much stronger, but appear less bulky.
File:HReach - Mgalekgolo.png|A Mgalekgolo in the [[Halo: Reach Beta|''Halo: Reach'' Beta]].  
 
File:HReach-MgalekgoloHunter.png|An in-game view of the Mgalekgolo in ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' final build.
The most notable feature of Hunters in [[Halo 3]] is that they work, react, and function very much as a pair. Their computer AI for the game allows the Hunters to seem very closely bonded to the other, finally creating the "bond brother" idea. In the game, they also do some things simultaneously, such as strike at an enemy behind together, which further displays their connections to each other. This "bond" is most noticeable in Halo 3, but somewhat appears less in the previous two games as well.  
File:HunterPairReach.jpg|A group of Mgalekgolo ready to attack in ''Halo: Reach''.
 
File:HunterFirefight.jpg|A Mgalekgolo about to launch a melee attack in ''Halo: Reach''.
Flexible armor plating covers their previously vulnerable “stomach” areas. All melee attacks are faster and much deadlier, and these Hunters now anticipate enemies behind it and can attack them. But their armor is more interactive, so if back plating is removed, there will be a bigger target to shoot at. When the spikes fall off, small stubs of Lekgolo are left where the spike used to be. Hunters are also able to be killed by melee attacks again, as in [[Halo: CE]]. However it seems that Hunters are more vulnerable to melee attacks in [[Halo 3]].
File:Reach Hunter-1-.jpg|One of the Hunter pairs defending a covenant jammer in New Alexandria
 
File:Hunter99.jpg|A Mgalekgolo on [[Corvette (map)|Corvette]].
If a grenade is thrown at a Hunter, it can strafe-jump away from the explosion. However, their spikes and back armor now falls off in pieces as the Hunter accumulates damage, and their Assault Cannons do slightly less damage, while it appears that [[grenades]] and explosives seem to do more damage compared to the other two games and can kill instantly if stuck on the back or neck on Heroic or a lower difficulty. Gravity Hammers can also do a great deal of damage if hit in the exposed part of their back. Meleeing them with a Brute Shot in the back usually blows off its covering armor plating, but hitting the unprotected part instantly kills it, and strangely sends the Hunter flying 30 feet in the air. This may be a glitch or just something Bungie mistakenly left in ''Halo 3'' after development, this can be done with other species too.
File:Ceahunter.png|Mgalekgolo in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''.
 
File:HCEA-MgalekgoloHunter.png|In-game preview of the Mgalekgolo in ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''.
The most effective weapons against them are [[Support Weapons|support weapons]] and explosives. It is also possible to kill a Hunter in one ram with a [[Ghost]], [[Wraith]], and [[Chopper]] when using the turbo boost. The most effective weapons against Hunters are the [[Spartan Laser]] and [[Plasma Cannon]], the [[Plasma Cannon]] works much like the [[Plasma Rifle]] did in Halo: Combat Evolved, killing them very quickly, as does its human counterpart the [[Machine Gun Turret]]. And like most things in [[Halo 3]] the [[Spartan Laser]] kills in one shot. The [[Missile Pod]] and [[Rocket Launcher]], both explosive weapons, can tear apart Hunters. As can dual plasma rifles if you hit them in their unprotected backs. A very effective, albeit difficult to use wepaon is the energy sword, as one lunge at the unprotected back can kill it on Heroic. This is very hard to do because firstly, you need to get close to the Hunter,  and secondly, you need to have an energy sword, which are only dropped by dead Elites or The Arbiter, and have either 100% charge, or barely enough for one swing.
File:HCEA-OgadoIgido.png|Bond Brothers Igido Nosa Hurru and Ogado Nosa Fasu protect the Cartographer Facility in ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''.
 
File:HCEA-IgidoOgadoMelee.png|Bond Brothers Igido Nosa Hurru and Ogado Nosa Fasu preparing to launch simultaneous melee attacks.
There is always a heavy weapon available to fight a Hunter. In the Storm, you can save your rocket launcher from the Scarab battle. On the first pair on The Ark, you can rip a Plasma Cannon off the Deployable sniper tower in the first area. For the second pair, you have a Scorpion (enough said). On the Covenant, you can save your Spartan laser or use the Fuel Rod Gun from the Chieftain right before this part.
File:FUD-Hunter.jpg|A Mgalekgolo in ''[[Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn]]''.
 
File:FUD-Hunter-Closeup.jpg|A close-up of a Mgalekgolo's helmet in ''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn''.
If a Hunter is unaware of the player or his allies, it will usually stand still. This is the perfect chance for the player to use a powerful scoped weapon such as the [[Sniper Rifle]] or a "messy" weapon with slow projectiles and arc effects such as the [[Fuel Rod Gun]], [[Plasma|Plasma Grenade]] or [[Spike Grenade]]. If the player is in front of or on the side of the Hunter, he can use the scoped weapon on its neck, which is slightly weaker than its back, and weaken it with 1-2 shots, and then finish it off with his grenades. If he is on its rear, the best choice would be the "messy" weapon. He should&nbsp;shoot 2 shots (without waiting for the first to reach its target, he should fire the second) to ensure an easy kill. Of course, if he has the [[Rocket Launcher]] or the [[Spartan Laser]] with him, he should face the Hunter and destroy it with one shot. One way to get to a Hunters back is to have one teammate shoot the hunter in the front, (wasting ammo so use a plasma pistol, or an [[SMG]]) while the other player sneaks around the back and sticks it.
File:H4 profile - Mgalekgolo.png|A Mgalekgolo in ''Halo 4''
 
File:H4-Campaign-MasterChief-Vs-Hunter.jpg|[[John-117]] battling a Mgalekgolo during the [[Raid on Ivanoff Station]].
If you do not have these, it is best to stay back and use the [[Battle Rifle]] or [[Covenant Carbine]] to the vulnerable areas.
File:HE19 PalmerfightsHunter.jpg|[[Sarah Palmer]] fighting a Mgalekgolo in a [[War Games]] simulation in ''[[Halo: Escalation]]''.
 
File:H2A Render Mgalekgolo.png|A render of the Mgalekgolo in ''Halo 2: Anniversary''.
=== ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' ===
File:H2A Mgalekgolo.png|Render of the Mgalekgolo in ''Halo 2: Anniversary''.
 
File:H2A-SOSMgalekgolo.png|Mgalekgolo at the Bastion of the Brutes.
[[File:94299424-Full.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A golden Mgalekgolo fires his assault cannon at night.]]
File:H2A-TallMgalekgolo.png|A Mgalekgolo standing straight.
'''Changes from ''Halo 3'' to ''Halo 3: ODST'''''
File:H2A-Mgalekgoloface.png|A close-up of a Mgalekgolo's helmet in ''Halo 2: Anniversary''.
* A new class of Hunter with gold armor has been added in ''ODST''. Instead of a continuous energy beam, this gold hunter fires powerful, fast-moving, exploding plasma projectiles similar to [[Fuel Rod Cannon]]s.
File:H2A Terminals - First Hunters.jpg|Pre-Covenant Mgalekgolo in [[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|''Halo 2: Anniversary''{{'}}s terminals]].
 
File:H5G-MgalekgoloHunter.png|A Mgalekgolo in ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''.
Like in Halo 3, Hunters travel in pairs, but there is the odd moment when you will find a lone Hunter. This is possible in Campaign and Firefight. A pack of Hunters may consist of two regular Hunters, one blue Hunter and one gold Hunter, or two gold Hunters. Other than the color, the only difference between the blue and gold variants is the weapon they carry. Gold Hunters carry an assault cannon similar in function to the cannon used by the Hunter in Halo: CE, but with rounds identical to fuel rod rounds in Halo 3. This means that the round will travel quickly, and with little arc, except for the gold coloration this cannon looks no different from the usual Halo 3 assault cannon.
File:H5G-Hunterforming.png|A Mgalekgolo being formed aboard the ''[[Argent Moon]]''.
 
File:H5G-BerserkHunter.png|A Hunter going berserk aboard the ''Argent Moon'' as their bond has been broken.
As in Halo 3, Hunters are most susceptible to attacks from behind, where powerful weapons such as the machine gun turret or rocket launcher will do incredible damage. Close quarters combat is now extremely dangerous because you run more slowly and can not jump as high while playing as an [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper|ODST]]. Sometimes, it is possible to put the Hunter into a chain of continuous melee attacks, regardless of how far away you are from it, and the trick is to get close enough to it to make it melee, then, back off and shoot its exposed area continuously, and it in turn will continuously melee. Be cautious when attempting this method, because if the Hunter lands a melee, it will do severe damage.
File:Hunters 249.png|First pair of Hunters engaged by [[Fireteam Osiris]] on the [[landing zone]] at Sanghelios.
 
File:Brave warrior.png|An enraged Mgalekgolo and a Swords of Sanghelios Sangheili Storm dueling.
Combating gold Hunters is more risky at long range, because their fuel rod projectiles travel faster, can be fired quite quickly in succession, and carry massive splash damage. This makes them more formidable against vehicles. It is recommended that the player weaves in such a way that the Hunter will constantly have to adjust its aim. Fighting both a blue and gold variant at the same time is also tricky, because you have two different types of attacks to dodge. In firefight, teamwork is essential in taking down the Hunter, the ideal position being one person in front of the hunter, getting its attention, while another person positions himself behind it, with a clear shot at the exposed spots. Another good strategy when facing two Hunters, is to have one stand in front of the other. When the Hunter in the rear fires, he will injure the Hunter in front of him.  
File:H5G-TrappedMgalekgolo.png|A Hunter trapped by [[031 Exuberant Witness]] on [[Genesis]].
 
File:H5G-WarzoneHunters.png|Two Legendary Mgalekgolo part of a War Games simulation.
Another less well known tactic involves forcing the Hunter to jump off of the map. This can be done if you lead a hunter to an area with a bottomless pit (this only works on the maps [[Windward (Level)|Windward]], [[Chasm Ten (Level)|Chasm Ten]], and [[Alpha Site (Level)|Alpha Site]]) and throw a grenade at their feet. With tough luck on, the Hunter will attempt to dodge the grenade and jump off of the floor and into the pit, killing itself. Grenade placement must be very precise, and in an area where the hunter will jump off of the map (to the side of the hunter if the hunter is right beside the pit).
File:H5G-WarzoneHunter.png|A Serpent Mgalekgolo on [[Escape from ARC]].
 
File:H5G Marketing E32015HE ElderHunter.jpg|A hologram of an Elder Mgalekgolo.
It is always good to preserve [[Fuel Rod Gun|Fuel Rod]] and [[Rocket Launcher]] ammunition in anticipation of Hunters. They will usually appear at least once during a set. These weapons are the most effective at Hunter killing, and it is possible to kill a Hunter in less than five seconds if well equipped. Before the mythic and tilt skulls are activated it is a good idea to use sticky grenades, unlike Halo 3 firebombs have almost no effect.
FilE:ElderHunterA.png|An Elder Mgalekgolo on [[Raid on Apex 7]].
 
FilE:ElderHunterB.png|Another Elder Mgalekgolo on Raid on Apex 7.
=== ''[[Halo Wars]]'' ===
File:H5G-Mgalekgolo.png|Render of a Remnant Mgalekgolo in ''Halo 5: Guardians''.
[[Image:HW hunters.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A pair of Hunters as depicted in Halo Wars.]]
File:H5-Serpent Hunter.png|Render of a Serpent Mgalekgolo in ''Halo 5: Guardians''.
Hunters always appear in pairs and occupy a strong anti-vehicle role<ref>http://www.halowars.com/GameInfo/Hall.aspx#Hunter</ref>. Armed with a Fuel Rod Gun, they can deliver heavy damage to UNSC ground vehicles. When one Hunter falls, it becomes much easier to kill the remaining one<ref>http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?pager.offset=1&cId=3172311&p=</ref>. As aforementioned, they are mainly anti-vehicle: they'll get rid of [[Warthog]]s, [[Cobra]]s, [[Wolverine]]s, [[Gremlin]]s and early [[Scorpion]] versions pretty fast. However they're ineffective against infantry, and useless against aircraft. Can be trained inside the [[Hall (Covenant)|Hall]] and have several upgrades:
File:H5G-MythicMgalekgolo.png|A Mythic Mgalekgolo in ''Halo 5: Guardians''.
 
File:HW2B Banished Hunters.png|Banished Mgalekgolo in the ''[[Halo Wars 2 Open Beta]]''.
*'''Bonded Shield'''- Adds the iconic hunter shield which deflects projectiles.
File:HW2-Hunter Render.jpg|Render of the ''Halo Wars 2'' Hunter unit.
*'''Spirit Bond'''- Increases damage output while both hunters in bonded pair are alive.
File:HW2 Blitz Hunters.png|[[Blitz]] card of a Banished Mgalekgolo in ''Halo Wars 2''.
*'''Assault Beam'''- Mortar-like Fuel rod Cannon upgrades to Beam version for sustained, yet heavy amount of damage.
File:HW2 - Colony.png|"Colony" the Banished [[leader]] of the Lekgolo.
 
File:HW2-HuntersvsMarines.png|Hunters fighting Marines on Installation 00.
'''Resource''': 250
File:HW2-Colonyhunters.png|A Hunter Captain, Goliath, and Hunter bond brother pair in ''Halo Wars 2''.
 
File:HCL Icons 6.jpg|The Hunter figure from the sixth [[Halo Legendary Crate]].
'''Minimum Tech Level''': 1
File:HINF Hunter.png|A Banished Mgalekgolo in ''Halo Infinite''.
 
File:HINF Hunters.png|A pair of Banished Mgalekgolo in ''Halo Infinite''.
'''Population Count''': 2
File:HINF DamagedHunter.png|A Banished Mgalekgolo's exposed back.
 
File:HINF HunterSlam.png|A Mgalekgolo melees the ground.
== Trivia==
File:HINF BerserkHunter.png|A Mgalekgolo berserks after its bond brother was killed.
*In ''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', it mentions that Hunters have skin and a jutting spine. This is incorrect, as they were revealed to be a compound of small worm-like creatures. However, this does not preclude the possibility that the worms may form a skin-like membrane on the outside of their colony for protection against more casual damage, and in Halo 3 a metal column can be seen after the back armor plating has been detached, perhaps forming an artificial "spine" for vertical support.
File:HINF-Hunters@Spire.jpg|Banished Mgalekgolo at the base of a [[Reformation Spire]].
*At first, Hunters were meant to comprise the whole of [[Heretic]] forces on the [[Gas Mine]].<ref>"Essentials - Disk Three"</ref>
File:HINF BanishedHunters.png|Ardent Mgalekgolo in water.
*In a Bungie Weekly Update, [[Frank O'Connor]] said: "''Hunter society is complex and we have seen but the tiniest fraction of it. There are some fundamental facts about Hunter biology that mean the combat type is just the tip of the iceberg.''"<ref>http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=updatefeb03</ref> This means, or at least implies, that there are other kinds of Hunters that simply have yet to be seen. For example, [[Scarabs]] are powered by these worms.
File:HINF-HunterOfficers.jpg|Ardent Mgalekgolo patrolling.
*SPARTAN-II [[William-043]]&nbsp; killed a Hunter by ripping out some of the [[Lekgolo]] worms in its body, hinting that a Hunter can be killed if too many of its worms are displaced.
File:Enc22-Mgalekgolo.png|A Mgalekgolo worm as they appear in the [[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)]].
*It is possible to splatter a Hunter with a Mongoose.
File:HINF-TrolliHunter.jpg|A Mgalekgolo made out of [[Wikipedia:Trolli|Trolli]] candies.
*The Hunter resembles the enemy of the same name from [[Bungie]]'s older series, ''[[Marathon]]'', except that ''Marathon'''s Hunter has a shoulder-mounted weapon, rather than an arm-mounted weapon.
*Hunters can be killed by beserking [[Brutes]], as noticed in the ''[[Halo 2]]'' levels [[Gravemind (Level)|Gravemind]] and [[The Great Journey (Level)|The Great Journey]]. The Covenant Separatist Hunters would try to melee the Loyalist [[Brutes]] away, but the Brutes, having a faster melee attack, would continuously melee the Hunters, eventually killing them.
*Hunters can range in size from a Spartan to nearly seventeen feet tall.
*Hunters in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' are not harmed by [[Fuel Rod Gun]]s. This may be because you are not supposed to have [[Fuel Rod Guns]] in Campaign, or it may be a precaution meant to prevent Hunters from injuring each other when fighting in pairs.
*Hunters in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' have ranks in the actor variant [[tag]]s. One variant is called 'Hunter' and another called 'Hunter major'. In ''Halo 2'', there is no ranking system for Hunters.{{fact}}
*Like most other races of the [[Covenant]], Hunters' blood differs from that of [[humans]]. Mgalekgolo blood is bright, fluorescent orange and appears to have a very thick, slimy texture. It has also been noted that their blood smells strongly of burnt plastic, hinting that the make-up of their bodily fluids is drastically different from that of a human.
*In ''Halo: First Strike'', it was stated that the spikes on the Hunter's back are sensory nodes. <ref>''[[Halo: First Strike]]'', page 110</ref> Additionally, the spikes on Hunters' backs were said to be as sharp as razors in ''[[Halo: The Flood]]''.
*In Halo Legends, there is an episode showing a hunter at least 50 feet tall.
 
==Gallery==
<gallery> 
Image:1210404018 2170450642 7d47a8bc44.jpg 
Image:1210403895 Hunter.jpg   
Image:1218481371 Hunter3.jpg
Image:200px-Huntercrouched.jpg
Image:HLHunters.png|The Hunters as they appear in the [[Halo Legends]] episode, [[The Duel]].
File:ODST TayariPlaza06.jpg|An ODST fighting with a Golden Hunter on [[Tayari Plaza]].
</gallery>
</gallery>


==Related Pages==
==List of appearances==
*[[Taming of the Hunters]]
{{col-begin}}
*[[Assault Cannon]]
{{col-2}}
*[[Scarab]]
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*[[Lekgolo]]
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''
*''[[Halo: The Flood]]''
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]''
*''[[Halo 2]]''
**''[[Conversations from the Universe]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''
*''[[Halo: Uprising]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]''
**''[[Bestiarum]]''
*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''
*''[[Halo Wars: Genesis]]''
*''[[Halo Wars]]''
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
**''[[Origins]]''
**''[[The Duel]]''
**''[[Prototype]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[Blunt Instruments]]''
**''[[The Return]]'' {{mo}}
**''[[Wages of Sin]]'' {{mo}}
*''[[Halo: Blood Line]]''
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Covenant|Covenant]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Invasion|Invasion]]''
{{col-2}}
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''
*''[[Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
**''[[Spartan Ops]]''
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
*''[[Halo: Broken Circle]]''
*''[[Halo: Nightfall]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminals]]''
*''[[Halo: New Blood]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''
*''[[Halo: Ground Command]]''
*''[[Halo Mythos]]''
*''[[Halo: Fractures]]''
**''[[Breaking Strain]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]''
*''[[Halo: Smoke and Shadow]]''
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Envoy]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Legacy of Onyx]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Recruit]]'' {{C|Non-canonical appearance}}
*''[[Halo: Fireteam Raven]]''
*''[[Halo: Battle Born]]''
*''[[Halo: Outpost Discovery]]''
*''[[Halo: Point of Light]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Infinite]]''
*''[[Halo: The Television Series Season One]]''
**''[[Emergence]]''
*''[[Halo: Whispers from the Pyre]]'' {{Mo}}
{{Col-end}}


==Sources==
==Sources==
<references/>
{{Ref/Sources|2}}
 
{{Lekgolo}}
{{Navbox/Species}}


{{Covenant}}
[[Category:Mgalekgolo| ]]
[[Category:Living Organisms]]
[[Category:Lekgolo]]
[[Category:The Covenant]]
[[Category:Sapient species]]
[[Category:Covenant species]]

Latest revision as of 13:33, December 18, 2024

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This article is about the species. For the armor, see HUNTER-class Mjolnir.
Mgalekgolo
(Ophis congregatio)
Render of a Mgalekgolo in Halo Infinite. Included as part of the magazine kit linked to in this tweet.
Physical information

Avg. height:

12'1" (368.7 cm)-12'3" (373.4 cm)[1][2]

Avg. weight:

10,000 pounds (4,500 kg)-11,000 pounds (5,000 kg)[1][2]

Distinctions:

A single entity created by a unified colony of small worm-like creatures called Lekgolo

Sociocultural information

Homeworld:

Te

Notable individuals:

Also known as:

Hunter
Can o' Worms
Ogre
Worm-guts

 

"They're all scary and angry and they like to smash things."
— Bungie[3]

The Mgalekgolo[4] (Ophis congregatio, meaning "serpent union"),[5] is a gestalt of Lekgolo, which are small worm-like creatures that group together to exponentially increase their intelligence, strength, and maneuverability. Of the myriad Lekgolo collectives, the best known is the Mgalekgolo or Hunter, a bipedal form that is used for heavy assault. Ironically, the Mgalekgolo is among the least common Lekgolo configurations, but due to their formidable combat capabilities they are most commonly fielded by the Covenant.[4] While the term "Mgalekgolo" is formally limited to this particular type of Lekgolo gestalt with the other forms having different names,[2][4] it is sometimes applied to other Lekgolo colonies as well, such as that used to operate the Deutoros-pattern Scarab, or the Goliaths employed by the Banished.[6]

History[edit]

"The Hunters have come to our aid, Arbiter. They will fight by our side."
— A Special Operations Sangheili during the Battle of Installation 05.[7]

After the formation of the Covenant, early experiments with the Luminaries reverse-engineered from the Forerunner Dreadnought in High Charity led the Covenant to the Lekgolo homeworld Te, which was located near Urs, the home system of the Sangheili. While the San'Shyuum and Sangheili hoped to find a treasure trove of Forerunner artifacts, they instead found hives of Lekgolo inside orbital rings surrounding the planet. The rings were in fact the destroyed remains of an ancient Forerunner installation in orbit. The relics had been the Lekgolo's food for millennia, and the orbital rings were actually composed of digested-and-destroyed Forerunner relics that some of the Lekgolo had been consuming.[8]

Jeht facing off against naked Mgalekgolo in their natural unarmored form.

Enraged by the Lekgolo's "desecration" of Forerunner relics, the Covenant began a military campaign against the Lekgolo. After facing considerable difficulty eradicating the creatures,[4][8] Arbiter Jeht 'Lcmutee was sent to study the Lekgolo for a full year on Rantu, one of Te's moons. It was there that the Arbiter witnessed the Lekgolo combine into Mgalekgolo to battle him, forming around a series of rocks to support their bipedal forms.[9] Recognizing the potential of the gestalts, 'Lcmutee returned to High Charity and suggested that the Lekgolo be inducted into the Covenant. However, the Lekgolo initially resisted, leading to a conflict between them and the Covenant. While the Mgalekgolo won most of the time on the ground, they faced extinction and were forced into the Covenant by the superior starship technology of the Sangheili.[10] This event later came to be known amongst the Covenant as the "Taming of the Lekgolo". The Covenant may have used Sharquoi armor designs for the Mgalekgolo armor.[11]

The Mgalekgolo gestalts, armed with thick armor plates and assault cannons, would come to serve the Covenant as shock troops. Numerous Mgalekgolo participated in the Human-Covenant War. During the Great Schism, most Mgalekgolo pairs sided with the Sangheili, though others remained with the Prophet of Truth and the main body of the Covenant.[7] There is no known reason for the split in loyalty.[4]

During the further conflicts in the wake of the Human-Covenant War many Mgalekgolo would fight on behalf of Jul 'Mdama's new Covenant order against humanity and Swords of Sanghelios. These Mgalekgolo participated in the battles of Requiem, Nuusra, Sunaion, and Genesis.[12][13] Others would remain loyal to Arbiter Thel 'Vadam and his Swords of Sanghelios.[14] Several would join Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group and partake in the Battle of Ealen IV.[15] Mgalekgolo that were a part of the Banished were unusually aggressive and may have been forced into service.[16] These Mgalekgolo would be deployed by the Banished against the crew of the UNSC Spirit of Fire during the Second Ark Conflict.[17] During Operation: SPEARBREAKER, a Banished Mgalekgolo known as Colony led an effort to destroy the Spirit of Fire with a Forerunner Despair-class fighter.[18]

During the Battle for Zeta Halo in May 2560, the Master Chief faced a number of Mgalekgolo in service of the Banished. His new AI companion, the Weapon, was confused when he identified the creatures as Hunters, having no idea what a Banished or a Hunter even was and then deciding that she didn't want to know the answer to what they hunted. One of the targets of opportunity that the Master Chief went after on the Halo ring was a Mgalekgolo pair known as Myriad who, much like Colony, trended towards a more individualized identity rather than being a part of a subservient hivemind. Another Mgalekgolo pair were sent after the Master Chief by War Chief Escharum in the arena on the second level of the House of Reckoning while the Master Chief was fighting his way through the Banished stronghold in order to rescue Fernando Esparza.[19]

Description[edit]

Culture[edit]

Main article: Lekgolo § Culture

Mgalekgolo almost never associate or communicate with other species other than the Sangheili. They are dismissive, scornful, and arrogant to the "lesser" species, and are contemptuous to their foes.[10]

Anatomy and physiology[edit]

Lekgolo worms on a Mgalekgolo's exposed back.
Main article: Lekgolo

A Mgalekgolo is not a single organism, but rather a collective of small, orange, eel-like creatures called Lekgolo. In order to form a Mgalekgolo, dozens of individual Lekgolo bond with one another both physically and neurologically to form a single "hive-minded" community.[20] The Mgalekgolo is the most common form seen in combat during the Human-Covenant War, but is actually one of the rarer and smaller forms in the Lekgolo society, used primarily in interaction with the Covenant hierarchy.[4] Their primary combat tactic is an approximation of a hunter-killer formation, hence the name "Hunter".[2] Because of their combined neural nets' sensitivity to their surroundings, Mgalekgolo can think and work as an effective combat unit without even using verbal communication. They can also locate their enemies even without directly "seeing" them, such as when they are facing the opposite direction.

Mgalekgolo do not use vocal chords to speak, but instead vibrate their bodies to make a low rumble to produce speech. They are capable of mimicking the language of other species, forming words and sentences that are "felt" rather than heard. Their quiet nature among other races of the Covenant is probably a result of difficulty speaking with other Covenant races. The known names of some Mgalekgolo seem to imply that they use very simple vowels and only a few consonants.

Mgalekgolo usually stand between twelve to thirteen feet tall, but during combat they hunch themselves over to protect their vulnerable neck and midsection, reducing their height to roughly eight feet. They fight using assault cannons integrated directly into their armor, and they carry an enormous two-ton pavise shield made of an alloy derived from the same material that forms Covenant warship hulls.[2] Mgalekgolo body armor is eight centimeters thick, with the shield being even thicker.[21] Their shields and armor protect them from almost every form of plasma-based or ballistic weaponry available to Covenant and human infantry alike, and the shield is a powerful melee tool capable of crushing anything in its path and allowing the Mgalekgolo to neutralize most enemies in close combat. However their heavy protection is inadequate against dedicated anti-tank weapons, with 102mm HEAT warheads,[22] 105mm recoiless rifles,[23] and 90mm high-velocity tank cannons taking them out with ease.[24] The M149 Magellan 105mm recoiless rifle is even capable of over-penetrating both the pavise and the armor with a delayed fuse round.[25] There are a few weak spots in the armor however, such as the lower back where they are vulnerable to regular weaponry. However, due to their sheer size and speed, it is difficult for enemies to hit these spots. Their arm-mounted shield was the basis for an avenue of UNSC research which produced an early prototype shield of human origin.[26]

The assault cannon the Mgalekgolo wields operates in two modes; one firing a single explosive capsule of incendiary fluid,[12][27][28] the other spraying the fluid out like a beam.[29][30][31]

Bond brothers[edit]

When a single Mgalekgolo becomes too big, the colony will divide in half to create two independent Lekgolo colonies. These colonies will share an extremely close and mysterious bond, referred to only as being "bond brothers", or "mates".[32] Mgalekgolo that have split into "bond brothers" are recognized by spiked appendages that rise from their shoulders, which means that they are bonded to another Mgalekgolo.[8] Bonded Mgalekgolo colonies are dropped into battle together by the Covenant, as the Spartans learned: where you find a Mgalekgolo, there is always another close by. If one of the bonded colonies is killed, the other will go into a frenzied state, much like the berserk state of a Jiralhanae, or the suicidal charge of a desperate Unggoy. If left alone for a long period of time, however, they will adopt a "tactical split personality" of shooting followed by melee attacks. On one occasion a Mgalekgolo whose bond brother was killed went berserk killing its allies aboard the crashed Radiant Perception and eventually became suicidal.[33]

Naming[edit]

Mgalekgolo have three names: a personal name, a bond name, and a line name. When written with the Roman or Latin alphabet, the three names can be transposed together as one single name or separated by spaces.

  • The personal name is given at their "birth".[10]
  • The bond name, or their middle name, is taken between bonded pairs. Examples of some Mgalekgolo names include Igido Nosa Hurru and Ogada Nosa Fasu.[34]
  • The line name represents the genetic heritage, being the name of the most successful Mgalekgolo of its ancestors. If one reaches a certain level of status, its offspring will have its personal name as their line name.[10]

Ranking system[edit]

Promotional image for Halo 3: ODST featuring Edward Buck fighting a Mgalekgolo Flak on campaign level Tayari Plaza.
Edward Buck fighting a golden Hunter on Tayari Plaza.

Unlike most Covenant forces, Mgalekgolo seem to possess presumably no visible rank. As they are deployed more like equipment or weapons platforms rather than conventional troops, rank may simply not apply for them.[citation needed]

However, they can be deployed independently of other Covenant troops, which may indicate that a level of independence and responsibility may be granted, thus meaning that they may have a high enough rank to be trusted by themselves. During the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV, Mgalekgolo are seen guarding the crystal in Côte d'Azur, which is retrieved by Blue Team. One of these Mgalekgolo killed a Kig-Yar by stepping on it,[35] demonstrating the Lekgolo colonies' characteristic disregard for the lives of other species, whom they generally view as annoyances rather than allies.[2] During the Onyx Conflict, some Mgalekgolo apparently had command of lower-ranking Sangheili, even killing one of them for failing to follow orders, signifying they may have a higher military rank in the Covenant military than previously indicated.[36]

During the Battle of Mombasa, Mgalekgolo appeared in two different forms in two different colors: the normal blue-armored Mgalekgolo that are armed with an assault cannon that fires a continuous stream of radioactive incendiary gel, and a gold-armored Mgalekgolo armed with an assault cannon that fires a single bolt of radioactive incendiary gel.[28]

Several Mgalekgolo under the command of Jul 'Mdama's Covenant were given the leading rank of Swarmlord, and their prowess led them to be employed as simulated enemies in UNSC War Games.[29]

By 2559, the Banished also utilized two specialist Mgalekgolo ranks, the defensive Mgalekgolo Ironclad and the aggressive Mgalekgolo Scarred[37], in addition to the standard Mgalekgolo. The Banished Lekgolo forces on the Ark were also found to be directed by powerful Mgalekgolo Captains, under the command of the pair known as "Colony". These Captains are linked directly to "Colony" and Banished Lekgolo colonies operate at full efficiency while Captains are on the field.[38] During the Battle for Zeta Halo, the Banished also deployed the red armored, more aggressive rank of Ardent Mgalekgolo.[39]

Trivia[edit]

Production notes[edit]

Language Equivalent
Flag of France.png
French 		Les Hunters in Halo: Combat Evolved.

Les Chasseurs in all media since Halo 2.

Flag of Spain.png
Spanish 		Los cazadores in Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

Los Hunters in all media since Halo 2.

Main-Legendary.png See our gameplay information related to Mgalekgolo on its gameplay page.
Main-Superintendent.png Browse more images in this article's gallery page.
  • Halo: The Flood, mentions that Mgalekgolo have skin and a jutting spine. This is incorrect, as they were later revealed to be a compound of small worm-like creatures. However, this does not preclude the possibility that the worms may form a skin-like membrane on the outside of their colony for protection against more casual damage, and in Halo 3 a metal column can be seen after the back armor plating has been detached, perhaps forming an artificial "spine" for vertical support. Strangely, the reference to Mgalekgolo having spines was kept in the 2010 re-release of the novel.[40]
  • At first, Mgalekgolo were meant to comprise the whole of Heretic forces on the Threshold gas mine.[41]
  • The Mgalekgolo was inspired by the Pfhor Hunter from the Marathon series, as well as by the Drinniol, or Hulk, from the original Marathon. However, the Pfhor Hunter is actually a class of power armored soldier with a shoulder-mounted cannon rather than an arm-mounted cannon. The Drinniol also inspired the creation of the Drinol, Covenant species that was designed for Halo: Combat Evolved but was cut during development.
  • No Mgalekgolo are ever seen supporting the Master Chief during the events of Halo 3. This is because in the making of Halo 3, Bungie did not want to confuse players by having them with both allies and enemies.
  • Despite appearing on the cover of Halo: Spartan Assault none actually appear in game.
  • In the Halo Legends episode The Duel, the Mgalekgolo are shown to be at least 50 feet tall. This was explained by Frank O'Connor saying that a Hunter's appearance changes due to the gravity and environment.

Gameplay[edit]

  • When combating Mgalekgolo, a player can 'leapfrog' the charging melee attack, either jumping above or to the side of the Mgalekgolo. This exposes the rear armor to a quick shotgun blast or grenade stick, often resulting in death on lower difficulties. Although this tactic does not work as well on Halo 3: ODST, simply circling around behind the Mglekgolo at the right time works the same way.
  • In Halo 3, it is possible to splatter a Mgalekgolo with an M274 Mongoose.
  • In Halo: Combat Evolved, Mgalekgolo are not harmed by fuel rod guns. This may be because you're not supposed to have fuel rod guns in campaign, or it may be a precaution meant to prevent Mgalekgolo from injuring each other when fighting.
  • Mgalekgolo have ranks in the actor variant tags. One variant is called 'Hunter' and another called 'Hunter major'.
  • In Halo: Combat Evolved, a single shot from a pistol or sniper rifle to any unarmored section will kill a Mgalekgolo; this is because Bungie programmed the Mgalekgolo's exposed flesh as a "head."
  • In Halo 2, a Mgalekgolo's mass is enough to kill other characters if they push them against a surface. This can sometimes be seen in The Great Journey, where friendly Mgalekgolo may accidentally crush Sangheili against walls.
  • In Halo 2, it is impossible to kill or even damage Mgalekgolo with melee attacks.
  • In Halo Wars, a Mgalekgolo's shield can deflect projectiles that would almost always kill them in previous games, like Wraith Mortars and shots from the M808B Scorpion's main cannon.
  • In Halo: Reach, Mgalekgolo have received a huge graphical overhaul. They are much more textured, are larger, have Forerunner symbols and emblems on their armor and appear to have some kind of eyes on their helmets.
  • Mgalekgolo are also much tougher in Reach. They are capable of surviving multiple explosive hits and even repeated plasma grenade sticks. Their back armor is much more durable, making their weak point harder to expose. They will also raise their shield vertically when being attacked from the front, covering both their neck and mid-section to protect themselves from incoming fire and are less likely to turn around and expose their back to the player.
  • In Halo: Reach, a near-miss from a Mgalekgolo's melee will cause the player's screen to violently shake.
  • Although the Mgalekgolo present in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary use the Halo: Reach skin, they are almost half the size of their Halo: Reach counterparts due to the much smaller skeleton frame used in the original game. Their abdomens also appear to be armored, though this armor doesn't protect from damage and it's purely cosmetic.
  • In Halo 4, Mgalekgolo perform melee attacks much faster than their predecessors, making it harder to dodge them. Like in Halo Reach, a near-miss from a melee will cause the player's screen to violently shake.
  • In Halo 2: Anniversary, Mgalekgolo received a new skin that also incorporates abdominal armor, though this armor is also purely cosmetic and offers no protection whatsoever.
  • In Halo 5: Guardians, Mgalekgolo are far more lethal than their predecessors. Their melee strikes are now nearly impossible to dodge. They also utilize both firing modes of their assault cannons. They also appear to be far more durable than their predecessors. In addition, when one is killed, the remaining Mgalekgolo will go into a "rage", start emitting green electrical sparks, move faster and more aggressively, and will fire its assault cannon's close range attack twice in each volley.
  • In Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 3: ODST, players can avoid Hunters at certain points during Assault on the Control Room and Mombasa Streets, where some Hunters are "asleep" despite ostensibly being in their combat stance. The Hunters will not notice if the player is nearby unless the player attacks them or makes noises near them, similar to the way sleeping Grunts can be awakened by noises. In the Halo: Combat Evolved level Assault on the Control Room on the lower level of the control room, the player can score a double-kill with one shot from a sniper rifle if they manage to catch a pair of "asleep" Hunters off-guard.
  • In Halo: Combat Evolved, splatter kills against Hunters are extremely easy due to the game mechanics allowing a small prod to instantly kill them. They often choose to avoid vehicles rather than engaging them head-on.
  • In Halo: Combat Evolved, when engaging Pod infectors at close range, Hunters will often try to shoot rather than melee them, killing themselves in the process. This could be due to their size making it difficult for them to aim properly.
  • In Halo: Combat Evolved, Hunters are far more vulnerable than they are in later games. On any difficulty (even Legendary), they can be killed with a single shot to any unarmored part of their bodies. They are so vulnerable that even a single pistol shot can kill them.
  • In later games, the best strategy for dealing with Hunters when there is no access to a weapon such as a rocket launcher is to stick them with a Anskum-pattern plasma grenade. The explosion will blow the back of their armor above the weak spot off, giving the player a wider area to target with their weapons. However, they still remain difficult to kill due to the need to dodge their attacks while aiming for the weak spot.
  • In the Halo: Reach level New Alexandria, the player runs into a situation where they fight four Hunters at once instead of just two. There is a rocket launcher available in the room this occurs in which is sufficient with proper targeting.
  • In Halo 3: ODST, Hunters are fairly easy to deal with compared to the later games in the Halo series, likely reflecting the fact that the player is no longer controlling a Spartan and is instead controlling weaker ODSTs. On lower difficulties at least, a good strategy is to blow off the back of a Hunter's armor with a Anskum-pattern plasma grenade and then rake their exposed back with fire. In that game, it doesn't take much fire to kill one once their back is fully exposed, especially compared to Halo: Reach when in a similar situation, Hunters are extremely hard to kill.
  • A good weapon to use against Hunters when a rocket launcher or fuel rod gun is not available is a shotgun, particularly after a Hunter's armor has been blown off in the back. Ideal for close-range combat, shotgun blasts inflict more damage than weapons such as an assault rifle. In order to get a Hunter to expose their weakness, a player typically needs to get close enough to make the Hunter charge, generally ending with them in close proximity even when the Hunter is vulnerable. At this kind of proximity, a shotgun is ideal for its stopping power and close-combat effectiveness. In the Halo: Reach levels ONI: Sword Base and The Pillar of Autumn, shotguns can be found in close proximity to where the player encounters and fights Hunters.

Miscellaneous[edit]

  • Like most other races of the Covenant, Mgalekgolo's blood differs from that of humans. Mgalekgolo blood is bright, fluorescent orange and appears to have a very thick, slimy texture. It has also been noted that their blood smells strongly of burnt plastic, hinting that the make-up of their bodily fluids is drastically different from that of a human.

Gallery[edit]

Development images[edit]

  • Early concept art of a Hunter for Halo: Combat Evolved.

    Early concept art of a Hunter for Halo: Combat Evolved.

  • Concept art of a Hunter for Halo: Combat Evolved.

    Concept art of a Hunter for Halo: Combat Evolved.

  • Concept art of a Hunter for Halo: Combat Evolved.

    Concept art of a Hunter for Halo: Combat Evolved.

  • Concept art of a Hunter for Halo: Combat Evolved.

    Concept art of a Hunter for Halo: Combat Evolved.

  • A pair of Mgalekgolo in an early build of Halo: Combat Evolved.

    A pair of Mgalekgolo in an early build of Halo: Combat Evolved.

  • A conceptual render of a Mgalekgolo in Halo: Combat Evolved.

    A conceptual render of a Mgalekgolo in Halo: Combat Evolved.

  • Finalized concept art of a Mgalekgolo for Halo 2.

    Finalized concept art of a Mgalekgolo for Halo 2.

  • Early sketch of a Mgalekgolo for Halo Wars.

    Early sketch of a Mgalekgolo for Halo Wars.

  • Concept art of a Mgalekgolo for Halo Wars.

    Concept art of a Mgalekgolo for Halo Wars.

  • Concept art of a Hunter in Halo Legends episode, The Duel.

    Concept art of a Hunter in Halo Legends episode, The Duel.

  • Concept art of the Mgalekgolo for Halo 4.

    Concept art of the Mgalekgolo for Halo 4.

  • Halo 4 concept art.

    Halo 4 concept art.

  • Halo 4 concept art.

    Halo 4 concept art.

  • Halo 4 concept art.

    Halo 4 concept art.

  • Render of the hi-poly model of a Mgalekgolo in Halo 4.

    Render of the hi-poly model of a Mgalekgolo in Halo 4.

  • 3D render of the Mgalekgolo's body armor in Halo 2: Anniversary.

    3D render of the Mgalekgolo's body armor in Halo 2: Anniversary.

  • Final render of the Mgalekgolo in Halo 2: Anniversary.

    Final render of the Mgalekgolo in Halo 2: Anniversary.

  • Concept art of a corrupted Mgalekgolo for Halo 5: Guardians.

    Concept art of a corrupted Mgalekgolo for Halo 5: Guardians.

  • Concept art of a Banished Mgalekgolo for Halo Wars 2.

    Concept art of a Banished Mgalekgolo for Halo Wars 2.

  • Early concept art exploration of Mgalekgolo for Halo Infinite.

    Early concept art exploration of Mgalekgolo for Halo Infinite.

  • More early concept exploration.

    More early concept exploration.

  • More early concept exploration.

    More early concept exploration.

  • Early concept exploration of something relating to the Mgalekgolo, possibly of the Lekgolo worms themselves.

    Early concept exploration of something relating to the Mgalekgolo, possibly of the Lekgolo worms themselves.

Screenshots and official artwork[edit]

  • Final in-game view of the Mgalekgolo in Halo: Combat Evolved, with gun raised.

    Final in-game view of the Mgalekgolo in Halo: Combat Evolved, with gun raised.

  • Alternate preview of the Mgalekgolo in Halo: Combat Evolved, crouched behind its massive shield.

    Alternate preview of the Mgalekgolo in Halo: Combat Evolved, crouched behind its massive shield.

  • A Mgalekgolo in Halo: Combat Evolved.

    A Mgalekgolo in Halo: Combat Evolved.

  • Bond Brothers Igido Nosa Hurru and Ogado Nosa Fasu in Halo: Combat Evolved.

    Bond Brothers Igido Nosa Hurru and Ogado Nosa Fasu in Halo: Combat Evolved.

  • An in-game view of the Mgalekgolo in combat stance in Halo 2.

    An in-game view of the Mgalekgolo in combat stance in Halo 2.

  • An in-game view of the Mgalekgolo running in Halo 2.

    An in-game view of the Mgalekgolo running in Halo 2.

  • A Mgalekgolo preparing to launch a melee attack in Halo 2.

    A Mgalekgolo preparing to launch a melee attack in Halo 2.

  • An in-game view of the blue-armored Mgalekgolo in Halo 3.

    An in-game view of the blue-armored Mgalekgolo in Halo 3.

  • A Mgalekgolo about to fire its assault cannon.

    A Mgalekgolo about to fire its assault cannon.

  • A Mgalekgolo firing its assault cannon.

    A Mgalekgolo firing its assault cannon.

  • A Mgalekgolo pair in combat in Halo 3.

    A Mgalekgolo pair in combat in Halo 3.

  • A pair of Mgalekgolo from Halo Wars.

    A pair of Mgalekgolo from Halo Wars.

  • The Mgalekgolo's final model from Halo Wars.

    The Mgalekgolo's final model from Halo Wars.

  • Closeup of Hunters in-game

    Closeup of Hunters in-game

  • Hunters with Bonded Shield Upgrade

    Hunters with Bonded Shield Upgrade

  • Squads of Hunters on the move

    Squads of Hunters on the move

  • An in-game view of the gold-armored Mgalekgolo in Halo 3: ODST.

    An in-game view of the gold-armored Mgalekgolo in Halo 3: ODST.

  • A pair of gold Mgalekgolo in Halo 3: ODST.

    A pair of gold Mgalekgolo in Halo 3: ODST.

  • Mgalekgolo blood in Halo 3: ODST. Note the blood's luminosity.

    Mgalekgolo blood in Halo 3: ODST. Note the blood's luminosity.

  • A larger form of Mgalekgolo in the The Duel.

    A larger form of Mgalekgolo in the The Duel.

  • A Mgalekgolo carrying three Unggoy Minors during the Battle of Line Installation 1-4 in Halo: Blood Line.

    A Mgalekgolo carrying three Unggoy Minors during the Battle of Line Installation 1-4 in Halo: Blood Line.

  • A Mgalekgolo in the Halo: Reach Beta.

    A Mgalekgolo in the Halo: Reach Beta.

  • An in-game view of the Mgalekgolo in Halo: Reach final build.

    An in-game view of the Mgalekgolo in Halo: Reach final build.

  • A group of Mgalekgolo ready to attack in Halo: Reach.

    A group of Mgalekgolo ready to attack in Halo: Reach.

  • A Mgalekgolo about to launch a melee attack in Halo: Reach.

    A Mgalekgolo about to launch a melee attack in Halo: Reach.

  • One of the Hunter pairs defending a covenant jammer in New Alexandria

    One of the Hunter pairs defending a covenant jammer in New Alexandria

  • A Mgalekgolo on Corvette.

    A Mgalekgolo on Corvette.

  • In-game preview of the Mgalekgolo in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

    In-game preview of the Mgalekgolo in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

  • Bond Brothers Igido Nosa Hurru and Ogado Nosa Fasu protect the Cartographer Facility in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

    Bond Brothers Igido Nosa Hurru and Ogado Nosa Fasu protect the Cartographer Facility in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

  • Bond Brothers Igido Nosa Hurru and Ogado Nosa Fasu preparing to launch simultaneous melee attacks.

    Bond Brothers Igido Nosa Hurru and Ogado Nosa Fasu preparing to launch simultaneous melee attacks.

  • A Mgalekgolo in Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.

    A Mgalekgolo in Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.

  • A close-up of a Mgalekgolo's helmet in Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.

    A close-up of a Mgalekgolo's helmet in Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.

  • A Mgalekgolo in Halo 4

    A Mgalekgolo in Halo 4

  • John-117 battling a Mgalekgolo during the Raid on Ivanoff Station.

    John-117 battling a Mgalekgolo during the Raid on Ivanoff Station.

  • Sarah Palmer fighting a Mgalekgolo in a War Games simulation in Halo: Escalation.

    Sarah Palmer fighting a Mgalekgolo in a War Games simulation in Halo: Escalation.

  • A render of the Mgalekgolo in Halo 2: Anniversary.

    A render of the Mgalekgolo in Halo 2: Anniversary.

  • Render of the Mgalekgolo in Halo 2: Anniversary.

    Render of the Mgalekgolo in Halo 2: Anniversary.

  • Mgalekgolo at the Bastion of the Brutes.

    Mgalekgolo at the Bastion of the Brutes.

  • A Mgalekgolo standing straight.

    A Mgalekgolo standing straight.

  • A close-up of a Mgalekgolo's helmet in Halo 2: Anniversary.

    A close-up of a Mgalekgolo's helmet in Halo 2: Anniversary.

  • Pre-Covenant Mgalekgolo in Halo 2: Anniversary's terminals.

    Pre-Covenant Mgalekgolo in Halo 2: Anniversary's terminals.

  • A Mgalekgolo in Halo 5: Guardians.

    A Mgalekgolo in Halo 5: Guardians.

  • A Mgalekgolo being formed aboard the Argent Moon.

    A Mgalekgolo being formed aboard the Argent Moon.

  • A Hunter going berserk aboard the Argent Moon as their bond has been broken.

    A Hunter going berserk aboard the Argent Moon as their bond has been broken.

  • First pair of Hunters engaged by Fireteam Osiris on the landing zone at Sanghelios.

    First pair of Hunters engaged by Fireteam Osiris on the landing zone at Sanghelios.

  • An enraged Mgalekgolo and a Swords of Sanghelios Sangheili Storm dueling.

    An enraged Mgalekgolo and a Swords of Sanghelios Sangheili Storm dueling.

  • A Hunter trapped by 031 Exuberant Witness on Genesis.

    A Hunter trapped by 031 Exuberant Witness on Genesis.

  • Two Legendary Mgalekgolo part of a War Games simulation.

    Two Legendary Mgalekgolo part of a War Games simulation.

  • A Serpent Mgalekgolo on Escape from ARC.

    A Serpent Mgalekgolo on Escape from ARC.

  • A hologram of an Elder Mgalekgolo.

    A hologram of an Elder Mgalekgolo.

  • An Elder Mgalekgolo on Raid on Apex 7.

    An Elder Mgalekgolo on Raid on Apex 7.

  • Another Elder Mgalekgolo on Raid on Apex 7.

    Another Elder Mgalekgolo on Raid on Apex 7.

  • Render of a Remnant Mgalekgolo in Halo 5: Guardians.

    Render of a Remnant Mgalekgolo in Halo 5: Guardians.

  • Render of a Serpent Mgalekgolo in Halo 5: Guardians.

    Render of a Serpent Mgalekgolo in Halo 5: Guardians.

  • A Mythic Mgalekgolo in Halo 5: Guardians.

    A Mythic Mgalekgolo in Halo 5: Guardians.

  • Banished Mgalekgolo in the Halo Wars 2 Open Beta.

    Banished Mgalekgolo in the Halo Wars 2 Open Beta.

  • Render of the Halo Wars 2 Hunter unit.

    Render of the Halo Wars 2 Hunter unit.

  • Blitz card of a Banished Mgalekgolo in Halo Wars 2.

    Blitz card of a Banished Mgalekgolo in Halo Wars 2.

  • "Colony" the Banished leader of the Lekgolo.

    "Colony" the Banished leader of the Lekgolo.

  • Hunters fighting Marines on Installation 00.

    Hunters fighting Marines on Installation 00.

  • A Hunter Captain, Goliath, and Hunter bond brother pair in Halo Wars 2.

    A Hunter Captain, Goliath, and Hunter bond brother pair in Halo Wars 2.

  • The Hunter figure from the sixth Halo Legendary Crate.

    The Hunter figure from the sixth Halo Legendary Crate.

  • A Banished Mgalekgolo in Halo Infinite.

    A Banished Mgalekgolo in Halo Infinite.

  • A pair of Banished Mgalekgolo in Halo Infinite.

    A pair of Banished Mgalekgolo in Halo Infinite.

  • A Banished Mgalekgolo's exposed back.

    A Banished Mgalekgolo's exposed back.

  • A Mgalekgolo melees the ground.

    A Mgalekgolo melees the ground.

  • A Mgalekgolo berserks after its bond brother was killed.

    A Mgalekgolo berserks after its bond brother was killed.

  • Banished Mgalekgolo at the base of a Reformation Spire.

    Banished Mgalekgolo at the base of a Reformation Spire.

  • Ardent Mgalekgolo in water.

    Ardent Mgalekgolo in water.

  • Ardent Mgalekgolo patrolling.

    Ardent Mgalekgolo patrolling.

  • A Mgalekgolo worm as they appear in the Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition).

    A Mgalekgolo worm as they appear in the Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition).

  • A Mgalekgolo made out of Trolli candies.

    A Mgalekgolo made out of Trolli candies.

List of appearances[edit]

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ a b Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition), page 141
  2. ^ a b c d e f Halo Waypoint: Lekgolo/Mgalekgolo
  3. ^ Bungie.net, Bungie Weekly Update 08/14/09
  4. ^ a b c d e f Bestiarum
  5. ^ HBO Forums: Bestiaium Latin names translated
  6. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 163
  7. ^ a b Halo 2, campaign level The Great Journey
  8. ^ a b c Halo: Contact Harvest, pages 269-271
  9. ^ Halo 2: Anniversary: Terminal 8
  10. ^ a b c d Halo: Combat Evolved: Sybex Official Strategies & Secrets
  11. ^ Halo: Envoy, page 186
  12. ^ a b Halo 4
  13. ^ Halo 5: Guardians, H5
  14. ^ Halo Waypoint Store - Swords of Sanghelios Tee
  15. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue 2
  16. ^ Halo Wars 2, Phoenix Logs - Hunters
  17. ^ Halo Wars 2
  18. ^ Halo Wars 2: Operation: SPEARBREAKER
  19. ^ Halo Infinite
  20. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 267
  21. ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 218
  22. ^ Halo: The Flood, page 183
  23. ^ Halo: The Flood, page 363
  24. ^ Halo: The Flood, page 242
  25. ^ Halo Legends: Prototype
  26. ^ Halo 2 for Windows Vista, Easy difficulty shield (File link)
  27. ^ Halo: Combat Evolved
  28. ^ a b Halo 3: ODST
  29. ^ a b Halo 5: Guardians Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "H5G" defined multiple times with different content
  30. ^ Halo 2
  31. ^ Halo 3
  32. ^ Halo: The Flood, "Chapter ??", page ??
  33. ^ Halo: Smoke and Shadow, page ???
  34. ^ Halo: The Flood, page 163
  35. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 222
  36. ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 358
  37. ^ Halo Wars 2, gamemode Blitz
  38. ^ Halo Waypoint Canon Fodder - Leggo my Lekgolo
  39. ^ Halo Infinite, gamemode Campaign
  40. ^ Halo: The Flood (2010), page 181
  41. ^ Halo 3 Essentials: Disk ??

v • d • e
 
Lekgolo
Gestalt forms
Mgalekgolo ranks and roles

Hunter: "Flak" • Aggravator • Remnant • Serpent • Devastator • Ironclad • Scarred • Duelist • Premier • Particular • Ardent • Captain • Elder • Swarmlord

Other: Goliath
Other forms

v • d • e
 
Sapient species of the Milky Way
Humanity
Covenant species
Ancient species
Protogenic
Other
Unidentified species
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