Thel 'Vadam: Difference between revisions

'''Thel 'Vadam''' (formerly ''''Vadamee''')<ref>'''[[Halo Waypoint]]''', ''The long road home''</ref> is the [[Sangheili]] [[Kaidon]] of the [[Vadam|Vadam family]] widely known as the [[Arbiter]] in the closing months of the [[Human-Covenant War]]. Thel commanded numerous fleets during his service in the [[Covenant Empire]], most notably as the [[Supreme Commander]] of the [[Fleet of Particular Justice]], which mounted a successful invasion and occupation of the [[human]] colony [[Reach]] and later during operations on [[Installation 04]]. In [[2552#October|October 2552]], he was stripped of his rank for failing to stop the destruction of Halo; however, at the mercy of the [[Hierarchs]], he was named as the newest, and final, Arbiter to serve the Covenant.  

Thel participated in some of the Great War's earliest campaigns in the [[Outer Colonies]], and through his successes, quickly became a [[Shipmaster]]. He caught the eye of the Hierarchs after killing a would-be assassin, and was given command of a capital ship. For nearly two decades, Thel would serve in the Fleet of Particular Justice, ultimately rising to become its commander-in-chief. After being branded with the Mark of Shame, he struggled to prove his battle prowess and usefulness as an agent of the Hierarchs. However, he would soon fall victim with the rest of the Sangheili to the treachery of the [[Jiralhanae]]. Acting with the Prophet's consent, the Brutes usurped themselves as the new commanders of the Covenant's armies and fleets.

The [[Great Schism|civil war]] quickly redefined Thel's loyalties. He would meet and aid, albeit indirectly, the [[Spartan|"demon"]] [[John-117]] against the Covenant and the Flood. Ironically, it was John-117's sabotage of the sacred Halo ring which caused Thel's demotion in the first place. Force to act as a pawn of the [[Flood]] [[Gravemind]], he was sent to stop the activation of [[Installation 05]]. In the facility's control room, he took his revenge on the [[Tartarus|Chieftain Tartarus]]. He proved a vital figure in securing a temporary alliance with the [[Unified Earth Government]]. He would prove instrumental in defeating the Covenant loyalists, the Flood, and preventing the activation of the Halo network. The [[High Prophet of Truth]], the sole survivor of the Covenant Hierarchs, would die by his hand in the war's final days. Aiding his former enemy John-117 in deactivating and destroying [[Installation 00|the Ark]], he escaped to [[Earth]] by the slimmest of margins.

 

Back on [[Sanghelios]], the Arbiter would become a symbol of Sangheili honor and resilience in the face of betrayal. Thel would attempt to unite the feudal states across their homeworld in forming the first coalition government since the [[Sangheili-San 'Shyuum War|1st Age of Conflict]]. However, many felt his ideals went against the ideals and religion of the Sangheili. Despite being greatly weakened, and in several ways defeated by humanity and the Prophets, many Sangheili retained their desire to eradicate humanity once and for all.  

Thel's role Kaidon was important for the Vadam family, as he was tasked with continuing the reign of the powerful state of Vadam. Early in his rule, he was attacked by three Sangheili assassins wielding Energy Swords. He managed to kill all three without injury, but he left one alive in order to determine who had ordered the attack. He then killed one of the Vadam elders, [[Koida 'Vadam|Koida]], for ordering the assassination, and ordered all of Koida's line to leave the keep by sunrise.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 83-94''</ref>

Thel was sent to [[Charybdis IX]] with command over the vessel ''Retribution's Thunder'' to participate in the [[Battle of Charybdis IX]], whilst being overseen by the [[Prophet of Regret|High Prophet of Regret]]. He and several other Sangheili boarded the {{UNSCShip|Do You Feel Lucky?}} and attempted to access the vessel's navigation database, but it had already been purged. He left and witnessed the destruction of the ship before being called to the ''[[Infinite Sacrifice]]'', where he met the Prophet of Regret in person. Regret informed him of humans reportedly wielding modified Covenant weapons, a transgression he believed to be the doing of the [[Kig-yar]]. He was then sent to the [[23 Librae]] system to track down the source of the illegal weapons traders, along with the Jiralhanae and Kig-yar vessel, ''[[A Psalm Every Day]]''.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 138-148''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 153''</ref>

As he arrived at 23 Librae, his ship was attacked by ''A Psalm Every Day''. Thel and his crew were taken by surprise, and the vessel's second salvo disabled the ''Thunder's'' weapons, communications and engines. ''A Psalm Every Day'' escaped while Kig-yar boarding craft and Spirits strafed the hull. Thel, increasingly frustrated, gave permission for his crew to abandon ship. However, this was a secret test in order to weed out the weaker Sangheili among his crew and eliminate them. Enemy Spirits destroyed the retreating craft in short order. Thel then ordered the destruction of the ''Retribution's Thunder'', which killed the boarding Kig-yar.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 155-163''</ref> Thel, however, survived and was captured, along with most of the bridge crew. They ultimately managed to escape and hijack a [[Kig-yar shuttle]],<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 169-172''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 187-190''</ref> taking them to [[Unnamed Kig-yar transport|another Kig-yar vessel]]. On the surface of [[Metisette]], Thel captured the leader of the warband, [[Reth]].<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 194-203''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 214-217''</ref>

Escaping Reth's clandestine [[Unggoy]] army, Thel returned to the Kig-yar's vessel. Throughout the interrogation, the Sangheili were surprised by Reth's insistence that he was allying with the humans with the blessing of the [[Prophet of Truth|High Prophet of Truth]]. The sale of contraband were a bluff in order to location human worlds through tracking devices implanted in the weapons.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 227-231''</ref> Reth eventually escaped when a loyal grunt switched off the energy barrier, fleeing via escape pod.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 235-237''</ref> Thel then turned his eyes to the Rubble, as a large skirmish between UNSC [[UNSC Midsummer Night|forces]] and Kig-yar forces was taking place on the ''[[Infinite Spoils]]''.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 251-252''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 268''</ref> The Sangheili and his crew then boarded the ''Infinite Spoils'' and came face to face with [[Jai-006]], engaging him in a brief fight. The Spartan then fled the ship with the other UNSC forces. Thel, surprised at the strength of the human warrior, stayed behind and commandeered the ''Infinite Spoils''.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 273-276''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 281-282''</ref>

Thel managed to destroy most of the Rubble's [[mass driver]]s,<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 299-301''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 310''</ref> but was left helpless when [[The Redoubt]] was destroyed and [[Habitat Exodus]] left the system. There was little else to do but wait for the [[Hierarchs|High Prophets]] of [[Prophet of Truth|Truth]] and [[Prophet of Regret|Regret]] to arrive and recover him with his comrade, [[Zhar (Sangheili)|Zhar]].<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 329-330''</ref> Upon reporting the failure of the mission, Zhar attempted to kill the Prophets feeling helpless at the loss of his honor caused by the Prophet's scheming. Thel activated his Energy Sword and killed his friend without mercy.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''pages 340-342''</ref> This act prompted Truth to spare his life and gave him command over a ship in the [[Fleet of Particular Justice]].<ref name="tcp349"/>

At some point between 2535 and 2552, Thel's exceptional leadership and combat prowess earned him the rank of [[Supreme Commander]] of the Fleet of Particular Justice. Near the end of his time serving as Supreme Commander, he led the Covenant forces under his command to victory over the UNSC's greatest military stronghold. The [[Fall of Reach]] proved to be the highlight of Thel's service in the Covenant. As the battle ended, Thel ordered a flotilla of warships to follow the fleeing ''[[UNSC Pillar of Autumn]]''. The ''Autumn'''s course led them to holy Forerunner artifact of [[Installation 04]]. After confirming that the ring a creation of the "gods", the [[Prophet of Stewardship]], the highest ranking political figure with the Fleet, immediately claimed authority over the operation, claiming the mission was now a religious matter. As Thel was unwilling to relinquish command, and unable to contact ''[[High Charity]]'' to determine who held jurisdiction, a power struggle emerged between Thel and Steward for ultimate authority. As the [[Battle of Installation 04]] wore on, the Prophet began subverting Thel, misappropriating military forces to secure facilities on the ring. Thel sent a single infantry unit to the ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'' to relieve the Prophet, but it was destroyed on approach. The Stewart threatened further punishment for any future affronts to his leadership. As Thel assembled a strike force to physically relieve the Prophet, the emergency beacon on the ''[[Infinite Succor]]'' was activated. Thel dispatched a [[Special Operations]] force to assess the threat and procure the [[Minister of Etiology]].  As Thel was about to leave with his strike force for ''Ascendant Justice'', [[Commander]] [[Rtas 'Vadum|Rtas 'Vadumee]] returned to the ship and revealed the results of his mission: the [[Flood]] was on Halo.  

The loss of the holy [[Forerunner]] [[Installation 04|relic]] was an unforgivable offense in the eyes of the High Prophets and Sangheili Councilors. 'Vadamee was stripped of his rank, title, name, and honor, and branded a heretic for his failure to safeguard Halo. The [[Mark of Shame]] was branded upon his chest, and he was sentenced to death. His corpse was to "be hung by his entrails" and "paraded through [[High Charity|the city]]" as an example to others.<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''', level ''[[The Arbiter (Level)|The Arbiter]]''</ref>

Upon being brought to the Prophet Hierarchs of Truth and [[Prophet of Mercy|Mercy]], they offered to commute the sentence if he would become the new [[Arbiter]]. Understanding that the office of Arbiter was itself a death sentence and seeking to regain his honor, Thel accepted.

The High Prophets, surprised by the fact that 'Vadamee had escaped from the gas mine, decided to send their agent to the "[[Quarantine Zone]]" on [[Installation 05]] to retrieve the [[Activation Index|"Sacred Icon"]]. This holy relic was needed to activate Delta Halo and begin the Great Journey. Before the mission, the Arbiter witnessed the [[Changing of the Guard|replacement]] of the [[Elite Honor Guards]] with [[Brute Honor Guard]]s as a result of Regret's assassination at the hands of the human [[Demon]]. Though distressed by change, and voicing his concerns to the Prophet of Truth, 'Vadamee made no further comment. Fighting his way through the [[Sentinel Wall]] (with a few surviving Grunts and Jackals) to deactivate the [[Library|Library's]] shield, he made his way on foot, aided by the Spec Ops forces of Rtas 'Vadumee.

The Arbiter proceeded into the Library, encountering the remains of a battle between [[UNSC Marine Corps|UNSC Marines]], [[Sentinel]]s and Flood [[Combat Forms]], and witnessed [[Commander Miranda Keyes]] and [[Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson|Sergeant Johnson]] retrieving the Index. Using his armor's active camouflage, he approached Johnson and Keyes. Attacking while cloaked, 'Vadamee surprised Johnson, knocking him unconscious with a headbutt. Keyes attempted to shoot Thel, but was quickly disarmed and captured. Tartarus then arrived and captured Keyes by using the Fist of Rukt's gravity manipulation, claiming the Index for himself. Tartarus informed the wounded Arbiter about the Brutes' intended genocide of the increasingly incompetent Elites, an act sanctioned by the High Prophets themselves. Stunned, Tartarus knocked the Arbiter into a pit leading into the depths of Installation 05.

Narrowly avoiding death, the Arbiter was captured in mid-air by the [[Gravemind]], the central intelligence of the Flood, and brought to its lair. It was here that the Arbiter met [[John-117]] for the first time. The Gravemind attempted to convince 'Vadamee that the Halos were weapons of destruction, not a path to transcendence, a position which John supported. In order to "show the truth" to 'Vadamee, the Gravemind teleported him to the Control Room, while the Master Chief was sent to High Charity to stop the Index from activating Halo.

Johnson negotiated a shaky truce with the Arbiter in order to prevent Tartarus from activating Halo. Given the extreme danger posed by Halo, they both agreed that Tartarus  had to be eliminated at all costs. Johnson led the offensive, using a captured Scarab to eliminate ground units while Thel maintained air superiority with a Banshee. Together, they punched a hole through loyalist lines and reached the Control Room of Installation 05.