Jiralhanae

"We are the Chosen Carriers of the Flame!"

— Tartarus

The Jiralhanae (Latin, Servus Ferox, translated to "Fierce Slave") are a race of Aliens in the unified conglomerate races of the Covenant that look very similar to rhinoceros, or apes. The Humans have termed such warriors Brutes because they are, as a general rule, an extremely savage race. They were the third species of the Covenant to be viewed by Humans and have a profound hatred of the Sangheili. None of the other races of the Covenant seem to hate the Elites as much as the Brutes do, but they still sided with the Brutes out of fear.

Overview

The Brutes have been part of the Covenant since before the time of the destruction of the farming planet Harvest, but the Sangheili greatly feared the goals and ambitions of the Brutes and purposefully kept them in low-ranking positions for as long as they possibly could. They seem to have high aspirations, and are extremely zealous in their belief of the Covenant's Great Journey, mainly due to their blind faith in the Covenant. The plot, to have the Jiralhanae put into power over the Elites started with their alliance with the Prophet of Truth during the Battle of Harvest and continued to gain headway until the eventual splitting of the Covenant between Covenant Loyalist Brutes and the Covenant Separatist Elites. They became the Honor Guards of the Prophets after the High Prophet of Regret was slain by the Master Chief, resulting in the removal of the Elites from this traditional role. They protect the Prophets fiercely. They first appear in Halo 2, but only in the cutscenes are they shown until the level, Sacred Icon, but only dead ones are seen. They are first encountered as live enemies in the level Gravemind in Halo 2.

Description

Brutes are of simian origin, they have been said to resemble large gorillas but, in some ways, they also resemble rhinoceroses, with bear-like characteristics. In Halo 2 they also resemble cougars. They have thick, gray skin, and are covered with matted, black, tan, or brown fur-like hair and some have short black colored beards. Their large, stocky appearance is most likely due to the gravity on their planet, which is about twice the gravity of that on Earth. As they age, the hair will change to a grayish-silver color, which is a great sign of respect for all the Brutes. They have very sharp teeth and sometimes use them as a weapon. Standing nine feet tall, they are immensely strong even when pierced by multiple bullet wounds (to the point of overpowering a SPARTAN in MJOLNIR armor in hand to hand combat) and fight hand-to-hand if they ever lose their weapon. John-117 barely survived a hand-to-hand battle with one, proving how physically dangerous they are. The Brutes, with the exception of Tartarus, did not use energy shielding in Halo 2. In Halo 3, all of them are equipped with Power Armor. Brutes speak in deep, gravely voices when speaking Human languages; however, they often speak with loud roars and grunts.

In many military records, Brutes are referred to as 'Bravo Kilos', since UNSC Marines have nicknamed Brutes "Baby Kongs", a reference to King Kong a famous 20th century film.

Culture

Brutes are extremely zealous creatures, known for their willingness to cling to ancient, bloody traditions and are deep believers in the promise of the Great Journey and in the Forerunners. Their home world is war-torn, and the creatures are known for their particular joy in vicious activity, complimented by regimented discipline.

They prefer using weapons from their homeworld, rather than the Covenant standard-issue plasma-based firearms. Brute weapons are notable for being extremely dangerous, somewhat primitive and brutal, and always featuring a blade attachment such as the Spiker, Mauler, Brute Shot, and the Gravity Hammer. These weapons show their barbaric nature. Although they do have their own type of Plasma Rifle, it is only found in Halo 2 (the rifle is red, but fires twice as fast as its blue counterpart, also causing it to overheat twice as fast). This type of Plasma Rifle was removed in Halo 3. Brutes are the only Covenant creatures to ever develop a liking to Human weapons, in particular the Shotgun. To all others this is heresy.

- In general, Brutes have a pronounced dislike of the Sangheili, due to the fact that they believe that they are better protectors of the Prophets than the Elites. The Prophet of Truth took advantage of this to ignite the Great Schism during the events of Halo 2.

Family

Brutes have a fierce pack culture and lineage, a close knit affair that ties each member to another, and forces them into varying states of rage known as "berserking", and desperate mourning for their fallen pack mates should one die in the midst of battle. What a pack member kills may be the food of the pack. Each pack is led by a prominent Brute Chieftain that wields a ceremonial Gravity Hammer to denote his status. A Brute becomes a pack Chieftain by challenging the current Chieftain to a Mortal duel; the victor claims the title after executing the other. It seems that the Hammer is also passed down to the winner of the duel. An example is the duel between Maccabeus and Tartarus. Tartarus came out victorious and won the Fist of Rukt. Their warrior culture is extremely patriarchal, with rank measured by success in the battlefield. Female Brutes have never been seen in battle.

Naming

Most, if not all Brutes, have Latin-sounding names, some examples of which are Tartarus and Bracktanus. In Contact Harvest, it is revealed that the "us" at the end of their name is an honor denoting maturity or experience in battle. Oddly, in Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, there was a Brute Shipmaster, by the name of Gargantum, which seems to contradict this rule, although this is never explained why. It is also possible that the ending "-us" could come from the name Brutus, who killed Julius Caesar. This can explain both the nickname of the Brutes, and their personal names.

History

File:ChieftainPrecherr.jpg

A Brute Chieftain performing a sermon in front of his pack.

Despite their savagery, Brutes have proved intelligent enough to achieve spaceflight and space-faring status, though their warlike nature meant they quickly collapsed into civil war after, falling back to their former pre-space status and learning nothing from the experience. The Brutes had recently concluded a mechanized war of attrition in which the many Master Packs fought and pummeled each other back to a pre-industrial state. When the Covenant discovered them, they had just rediscovered radio and rocketry. Their warrior culture makes them formidable opponents, even for Spartans, and they were incorporated into the Covenant as fierce guards for the Prophets and heavy infantry.

Brutes are obviously carnivores, given their fearsome fanged jaws and propensity for violence. It has been stated that they feed on the flesh of their enemies, such as the Humans they face in battle, and have been seen eating the meat of a Thorn Beast, apparently considered a delicacy among Brutes. They have once stated they would have gladly devoured the Arbiter, had they been allowed.

A Pack of Brutes, consisting of many ranks.

As part of the Covenant, Brutes were required as a prerequisite to convert to the Prophets' religion of worshiping the Forerunners. Previously, their original culture revolved around the worship of totems and idols, but they made swift converts. As it is, the Brutes are now the most fanatical adherents to the Prophet's faith, although they seem to hold little concept of sanctity, evidenced by Tartarus's handling of the "Oracle", among other things. Though Brutes are described numerous times as the most recent additions to the Covenant, their "ancient feud" with the Sangheili means that their introduction into the Covenant was still some time ago.

File:Brute 1024.jpg

A Brute Chieftain, circa 2530 (as seen in Halo Wars).

Even at a glance, the Brutes are one of the most primitive members of the Covenant, at least technologically. Even though they employ Power Armor, and use a selection of the Covenant's weapons such as the Plasma Rifle, their native technology is crude; they use weapons propelling crude spike-like or explosive projectiles. These weapons are often fitted with vicious yet crude metal blades for melee combat.

Home world

Main article: Doisac

Doisac is the name of the Brute home world. It possesses three satellites: Warial, Solrapt, and Teash, and is the fourth planet of the Oth Sonin system. The gravity on the planet is approximately 2.1G while the atmosphere is 1.3 atm. Surface temperature is between -15'C to 52'C. The estimated population of the planet is approximately 12.5 billion. Its habitat is described as being dominated by magma and magnetism.

Anatomy and Physiology

Brutes are physically imposing enemies to face in combat. Standing at approximately 9 feet tall, they not only tower over their Human opponents, but the majority of their Covenant allies. They have thick, gray skin that is extremely resilient to damage.

They are covered in thick, shaggy fur that offers further protection. It covers most of the body except for the head and the shoulder blades. However, the Brutes in Halo 2 are shaggier than those of Halo 3. In Halo 3, the Brutes have what looks like scales on their arms, but it may have been extensions to their armor. Brutes exhibit two coloration's: brown and grey. This is perhaps an indication of age, since lower ranking Brutes are brown and most Honor Guards, and Tartarus himself, are grey. In Halo 3, they are seen with shaved faces, which increases the fearful effect they have on opponents.

A Brute stripped of most Power Armor. Note that Brutes in Halo 3 have shaved faces and a carefully groomed beard.

In Halo 3 Brutes have mixed red-and-blue blood (on first glance they look completely red, but on closer inspection one would see blue spots in pools of Brute blood). At a casual glance, it appears purple. In Halo 2, however, it appeared black. Brutes resemble a cross between an ape and a rhino, being taller and more muscular in the torso and limbs than a Human.

Heavily muscled and possessing an animalistic brutality and strength, Brutes can rely on close combat to defeat their enemies, even more so than their Human counterparts. However, their great strength may in fact be simply relative, due to the species' evolution on a world with twice the gravity of Delta Halo, Earth, and other planets and structures with one g. featuring characteristics simian, ursine, and alien, their appearance matches their Human given name.

Brutes have four digits on each hand including opposable thumbs. As such this allows them to make use of a variety of weapons both of Covenant and human design. Their feet have only two digits. When it comes to ranged conflict Brutes show a tendency to use large, rapid firing, often powerful weapons. This may be indicative of their mentality and an extension of their brutal nature. The many spikes and serrated edges that adorn their race's weapons, vehicles and Armor further exhibit this. It is interesting to note that in Halo 2 Jiralhanae can be seen using Human Shotguns. The Brutes also created a handgun version of the Shotgun, the Mauler, in Halo 3.

Brutes are not as mentally slow as they may appear, and are often fairly cunning tacticians. As such they can pilot vehicles, ships, and command both land based and fleet encounters with strategic competence, if lacking in artistic flair.

Brutes are known to descend into a highly aggressive berserk killing-rage when all their pack mates have been killed. Their incredible physical strength coupled with a dogged self determination to kill their target makes a berserk Brute a force to be reckoned with, powerful enough to kill Hunters (if they slam into the Hunter enough). Also, when berserking, they will not hesitate to attack an enemy, even if the target is in a vehicle, such as a Ghost. If the target is in a Spectre or Wraith, they will board it and attempt to kill (in a Wraith) or force the enemy out (such as in a Warthog or Spectre). Interestingly, they will not attack, nor hijack a low flying vehicle (such as a Banshee).

There is a substantial difference between the Brutes of Halo 2 and Halo 3. The Brutes of Halo 2 had very little armor, were unclothed and unshaven. The Brutes of Halo 3 were largely shaven, clothed in tight-fitting garments and were adorned with Power Armor.

The aesthetic and graphic differences between the two games also had a strong dichotomy between them, for the Brutes in Halo 2 were less detailed and bulkier than they were in Halo 3. This is a result of the technology at the time the two games were made.

Given the absence of power armor at the time of Halo 2, it is possible that the Brutes that were seen were members of Tartarus's pack and/or a subset of the Jiralhanae that shunned the use of extensive protection and emphasized relying on their own strength, skill, courage, and ferocity to protect them.

In Halo: Contact Harvest, it is stated that before Jiralhanae reach full maturity, they naturally release pheromones. Other Jiralhanae can smell these pheromones and tell how others are feeling by the scent. When they do reach maturity, they learn to control the releases of their pheromones and most likely stop them all together.

Battlefield Tactics/Weaponry

Unlike Elites who are masterfully skilled tacticians, the Brute combat mentality relies on overwhelming force, sheer strength, power in numbers, and the firepower to kill its opposition, (and it must be noticed that this tactic will work in-game if the player doesn't run away fast enough). However, Brutes are also capable of more advanced tactics such as flanking maneuvers and taking cover. Most Brute packs encountered in Halo 3 will often consist of 4-6 individuals; the number of each type of individual varies with the difficulty being played. Often, these packs will consist of 1 Brute Captain, 1-2 Brute Majors and 2-3 Brute Minors. It can be twice that many if there is a Chieftain in command near by.

An ODST faces an enraged Brute. (Image can be seen at Halo Graphic Novel, in the painting pages)

Whilst patrolling, Brutes exhibit a sense of calm and confidence, some have been found testing captured Human weaponry whilst in this relaxed state. Once engaged in combat the Brutes hunch into a more ape-like stance and begin firing upon their target(s). Often the target is subjected to a barrage of fire and explosives in excess of what Elites and Grunts can muster simply because of the new Brute weaponry.

Brutes rely primarily on their own technology. They are initially found wielding Brute Plasma Rifles to deadly effect. These faster firing variants on the standard Plasma Rifle suit the Brute mentality well. Higher ranking members of the pack (often Captains) are found using the Brute Shot allowing a Brute pack to lay down a withering hail of explosive fire on an enemy position. In the later months of the Covenant Civil War, they become much better equipped, with many weapons of their own make such as Spikers and Spike Grenades.

Originally only wielded by Tartarus in Halo 2, the Gravity Hammer is a favored weapon of Brute Chieftains in Halo 3. Swinging it with considerable power, Brutes use the weapon to crush their foes and knock enemies down.

Like the Elites, the Brutes can pilot most vehicles including Ghosts, Spectres, Banshees and Wraiths. Brutes also have the ability to Board vehicles. If given the opportunity, they will attempt to jump onto your vehicle and melee you off it. In Halo 3 Brutes use two new vehicles, the Chopper and the Prowler.

With the advent of the Covenant Civil War, Brute weaponry is more commonplace. The Type-2 Antipersonnel Fragmentation Grenade, more commonly known as the Spike Grenade, is a creation of the Brutes themselves. It is suspected that with their newly found dominance amongst the Covenant Loyalists, the Brute Plasma Rifle has been replaced with the Type-25 Carbine or Spiker. The blades that adorn this weapon are a testament to their barbaric nature and their affinity for close-quarters combat.

Brutes are also fond of explosives and will often use all types of Grenades in combat, although they aren't very accurate, particularly Spike and Incendiary grenades. However, on Normal and above, these can become lethal tools as they become more accurate (especially the case for Spike Grenades.) Keep in mind that the Spike Grenade acts like the Plasma Grenade, once stuck results in an instant kill. They have also been known to use Fuel Rod Cannons, Rocket Launchers, and even Frag Grenades. For some reason, Brutes seem particularly fascinated with Human Shotguns, perhaps attributable to the advent of the Mauler into the Covenant ranks. Their skill with the Covenant Carbine, makes them dangerous at mid to long ranges. On higher difficulties in the level High Charity and in the level The Covenant, Brutes will use Battle Rifles (although the latter is in a Banshee), but this is quite rare, since they regard most Human weapons as worthless (despite how effective some of these are against them, an example would be the Battle Rifle).

The last surviving Brute of a pack will go berserk, charging at its enemies in a blind rage. This may be due to the strong bonds with the members of their pack. A Brute, after calming down from its rage, will sulk and mourn the loss of its comrades, even caress the bodies of the fallen. However, upon seeing its enemy, the Brute will abandon its sulking mood and once again become enraged. This mourning is a rare occurrence, almost never seen in combat, and only when there is a brief lull in the fighting.

Brutes are extremely resilient, and can take enormous amounts of damage. Before Halo 3, they lacked any form of equivalent to the Elite Personal Energy Shield. As of Halo 3, regular adoption of Power Armor has been cycled into Brute ranks. However, the Power Armour is weak to Plasma-based weaponry and can fall apart. If the armor is successfully destroyed, the Brute will charge and try to fight hand to hand.

A Brute in berserker stance.

Brute Rampage

A Brute Rampage (also known as "Berserking") is when a Brute becomes enraged and aggressively charges its enemy in a reckless attack (In Halo 2 an enraged Brute will drop their weapon and charge immediately). The Brutes in Halo 3 keep hold of their weapon, though they still charge instead of firing it. When a Brute berserks they may charge in a straight line towards you. Usually they will pause for a brief moment immediately before the charge, this gives you a chance to anticipate their actions. It is possible to exploit this tendency by allowing the Brutes to charge in a straight line off the edge of a cliff, while using yourself as bait. Chieftains do not drop their weapon; instead they charge with their Gravity Hammer. Captains have been seen going berserk, while wildly firing their weapon with full/semi-full power armor.

Their "rampage" stages come in two types, in Halo 2 the Brutes would run at you on all fours and then melee you to death while remaining on all fours. In Halo 3 they will put their arms outwards and run at the player and do a smashing type animation or jump at the player and do the same.

Causes

• Member of Brute's pack is killed.
• When the player is seen by a Chieftain.
• Random anger on higher difficulties for higher ranks.
• When their Power Armor is stripped.
• When it is the last Brute alive.
• When he was interupted by you.

Combating Brutes

When engaging Brutes, one should note their incredible endurance. On Legendary mode, even the weakest of them can take massive amounts of damage, similar to a fully shielded Elite or Spartan. Even the lowest ranks of Brutes should not be taken lightly.

File:2074988-Full.jpg

Invincible Brute Chieftain with Gravity Hammer and a Regenerator, giving him what amounts to double invincibility.

M6C Magnum/M6G Magnum	Can be effective at close to medium range once you have removed the helmet to get a quick head shot. It is also very effective when dual-wielded with the plasma pistol. One overcharged shot followed by a headshot is lethal. Note: This does not work on Brute Chieftains or in Halo 2.
Shotgun	Are very effective against Brutes at point blank range. It should take two hits or one hit and a melee attack to kill one. Although higher ranking Brutes, like Brute Chieftains, may take up to three or four because of their Power Armor. In Halo 2 shotguns are almost completely useless against Brutes.
Needler	One of the most effective weapons against the Brutes. Filling a Brute with needles until it explodes is a certain way to kill one quickly. In addition, if you fill him up with enough to make an explosion, then it will also injure/slaughter nearby enemies foolish enough to be near the Brute.
Brute Shot	Effective against most Brutes especially if they are mostly alone. Shoot grenades while walking forward to stun it, and once you're close enough you can kill it with a melee attack. Even if you cannot get close enough to melee it you can destroy most of its armor this way allowing for a head shot from a Battle Rifle or Covenant Carbine. Blanketing groups of Brutes with Brute Shot grenades is an effective way to remove their armor from them before picking them off with a Battle Rifle.
Melee	Melee fights with Brutes are incredibly risky, even for skilled players, though strikes from behind are instant kills. There is, in fact, an Achievement in the PC edition of Halo 2 for killing a berserker Brute with a melee attack, called the Go Ape Shiv. In Halo 3, melee attacking Brutes is less risky. If you have taken some of its Armour off, then a low ranking Brute should die in one hit. However, it should not be attempted on high-ranking Brutes such as Chieftains. Taking a Brute's armor down completely will make them have a small fit of rage. At close range, while they are doing this, it is possible to go behind them and assassinate them before they can turn around. In Halo 3, meleeing a brute cheiftan is simple if you know how to do it, wait for it to charge jump over it and melee like heck, you can try to shoot a magazine of spikers and it will slow the brute down and right when it responds by stoping or looking away, to attack. Sometimes Brutes will try to melee you if you are close enough. If you are positioned correctly and move fast enough, you should dodge it, exposing the Brute's back (or sometimes their side), which you should melee for an instant kill. It is advised that you jump to dodge a Gravity Hammer though, and note that they can do a sort of turn around melee when you are behind them. Also, in Halo 2 Rtas 'Vadum and some Elites can do the same with the Energy Sword, often to a devastating effect.
Plasma Pistol	An overcharged shot from a Plasma Pistol, can remove most Brute armor in one hit. A Chieftain's armor (Halo 3) will not fall off completely, but he will still lose his shields and sometimes have his helmet knocked off (which may allow for you to stick him). Plasma Pistols are virtually useless on Halo 2 Brutes. It is, however, very effective when dual-wielded with the M6G Magnum (Halo 3 only). One overcharged shot followed by a headshot is lethal, or an overcharged shot followed by an immediate melee. This however does not work on Brute Chieftains, and they require several overcharged shots by the Plasma Pistol to remove their Armour completely.
Plasma Rifle	Although Plasma Rifles aren't often seen as an excellent weapon, charging at a Brute whilst firing the Plasma Rifle rapidly would easily bring a Brute's armor down. A finishing melee would be enough to finish it off. This only works in Halo 3, where the Brutes have obtained their new Power Armour.
The Noob Combo	An overcharged plasma pistol fired at a Brute followed immediately by a headshot by a Battle Rifle, Carbine, or Magnum is effective in killing most ranks of Brute. In the meta-game this combo is actually awarded bonus points, despite its poor reputation in Halo 2 multi-player. Note: Noob Combo becomes more difficult to do when one activates the Tough Luck skull on Halo 3 as Brutes will roll and dodge the charged Plasma Pistol shot more frequently. However if you are close enough and you already overcharged the pistol the aiming assist will become 2X smaller and red at that point the pistol is locked on and if you fire and the brute attemps to dodge, he will still be hit.
Battle Rifle/Carbine	Another effective tactic against Brutes in Halo 3 is to stay out of range and pummel it with a Battle Rifle or Covenant Carbine. The object here is to first shoot off its helmet/armor and then make a headshot. Since Battle Rifle ammo can sometimes be scarce, it is a good idea to use weaker weapons like the Assault Rifle and the Plasma Pistol to deactivate their shields and save the Battle Rifle ammo for headshots. Groups of Brutes will try to outflank you if you try and stay out of range. It is a good idea to keep moving between cover to stop them from overrunning you. Therefore, if available, switch the Battle Rifle for the Covenant Carbine, as the Carbine also kills the Brute in 2-3 headshots without the scattering effect of the BR. In addition, the majority of the Brutes carry Carbine, making them effectively refill-tanks.
MA5C Assault Rifle	The Assault rifle is quite effective against brutes, taking half a magazine to kill a Brute Minor. It should take a maximum of 1 full magazine to kill any Brute (besides a Chieftain). Use this weapon at medium range, and fire in bursts to mimic Battle Rifle fire and then once the shields are down, switch to a headshot weapon. At close ranges try to melee the Brute, do to the balanced of the fire/melee nature of the Assault Rifle. However, be extremely cautious in Legendary, as the Brutes (especially the Majors) can take you out in less time. Therefore, it is advisable to snipe them (ex. with the Beam Rifle or Covenant Carbine) rather than use the Assault Rifle. Alternatively, a common practice is to save the Assault Rifle for the berserk Brutes, as the headshot-based weapons are useless against fast moving enemies.
Machine Gun Turret/Plasma Cannon	If available, the hail of damage will rip right through Brute armor and you can fire indefinitely, to keep them in cover while your Marines or co-op players kill the other enemies such as Grunts or Jackals before moving on to kill the Brutes. With excessive amounts of Brutes, you may need to detach the turret and take it to a more defensible position. Take note that it no longer has unlimited ammunition, so suppressing fire is no longer as viable an option.
M7/Caseless Submachine Gun	The gun's low accuracy and high recoil make it a pretty fair choice against unshielded opponents in close quarters. It is best used dual-wielded with a plasma weapon, because of plasma's shield-degenerating abilities. This weapon is only found on the level Crow's Nest, Floodgate, Cortana and Halo on Halo 3, but is found throughout the campaign in Halo 2.
Sniper Rifle/Beam Rifle	These sniper weapons are very effective weapons against brutes. Even without headshots, it is still powerful enough to knock off armor. With headshots, it is even better. Always aim for the head or the eye. Unlike an Elite, sniping Brutes in their torso is not that effective, except to remove armor as they can take 2 or 3 shots before dying. Do not try it when they have gone berserk, for the majority of the shots will be wasted. To fully exploit the use of the sniper, it is not recommended to use on Brute minors any other low classed Brute, due to the fact that sniper ammunition (or a replacement rifle) is scarce.
Spartan Laser	It takes one accurate shot to take down all Brutes. You should save your ammunition for higher ranked Brutes because ammunition is scarce. (Note that with Mythic skull activated, Brutes can survive Laser shots.)
Scenario	Sometimes during game play, you will come across Brutes acting out certain mini-plays. Such as the Urinating Brute on the level, The Ark and the Brute Captain that is torturing a Marine on the level Sierra 117. These plays allow you to avoid deadly confrontations. On most levels of Halo 3 there are small mini-plays, in which you can attack Brutes. Sometimes the scene will be interrupted and all the other enemies will start to attack you. It is best if you learn to exploit these scenarios for yourself, for they are far too numerous to list them all.

Post-Covenant

Though the Jiralhanae retained their pack and tribalistic culture, their constant internal feuds began to take a back seat as enmity with the Sangheili built up, caused by the similarity in roles between the two species. Though the Jiralhanae retained the majority of their pre-Covenant technology, they also began to incorporate aspects of Covenant technology into their own designs, including mounting a plasma cannon onto their Prowler, a vehicle with a strong Jiralhanae aesthetic but with some Covenant technology. The Jiralhanae have little need to learn the languages of other species, instead relying on translation devices. Their exact fate, after the disastrous defeat at the Ark, is unknown, though it is extremely unlikely that they would surrender or retreat, or that the Sangheili would allow them to. Thus, it is reasonable to think that the UNSC and Elites destroyed the remnants of Brute resistance or are in the process of doing so.

Appearances

Chronologically the first appearance in canon that the Brutes make is in Halo: Contact Harvest, where the Prophets send a Brute-operated vessel, rather than an Elite ship, to capture the "relics" on Harvest: actually the Human occupants. The resulting hostilities led to the Human-Covenant War.

After the events at Harvest, the Brutes played an even more reduced role, absent from almost every battle or event in the war. This is possibly explained by their failure to eradicate all the Humans on Harvest. They soon began petitioning the High Council for more participation within the Covenant military. They were next seen in Halo: First Strike acting as Temple Guards on the Unyielding Hierophant. In Halo 2, they began to replace the Elites within the military, eventually replacing them completely after they withdrew from the Covenant, and in Halo 3 they make up the dominant caste among the Covenant armed forces. In Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, Brutes are shown loading Human nuclear missiles aboard a destroyer for analysis, but play a relatively minor part. Brutes did not appear in Halo: Combat Evolved.

Published Order

• Halo: First Strike
• Halo 2
• Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
• Halo: Contact Harvest
• Halo 3
• Halo: Uprising
• Halo: Last One Standing

Brute Hierarchy

The Brute species is arranged in a pack society, based on a hierarchy determined by viciousness and number of war kills. A “pack master” leads brute packs. A Chieftain will frequently be addressed as such while issuing orders during combat. In Halo 2, the ranks were mostly determined by red flags on their backs, the amount of armor they wore and the color of their fur (sometimes even their weapons). Like the Elites, ranks in Halo 3 are differentiated by armor color. Furthermore, the higher the rank, the more advanced and resilient the armor becomes.

Rank	Image	Description
Brute Heroes
War Chieftain - Armor	File:H3 Brute Chieftain Armor.gif	These Brute Chieftains rely upon powerful weapons like Portable Plasma Cannons and Fuel Rod Guns to crush their foes, while often throwing or possessing Power Drainers and Flares. Their armor cannot be stuck by Plasma, Spike Grenades or Needler needles. However, they can be stuck by Incendiary Grenades. An infamous example was Tartarus after he murdered his uncle. Identification: Dark Golden Armour.
Brute Chieftain - Weapon	File:H3 Brute Chieftain Weapon.gif	These Brute Chieftains are clad in crimson/black Armour and wield close-ranged Melee weapons such as Gravity Hammers. They use Invincibility Energy Drain or a Flare and their Power Armor cannot be stuck by Plasma, Spike grenades or Needler needles. However, they can be stuck by Incendiary Grenades. Identification: Black and red Armour.
Brute Leaders
Brute Captain Ultra	File:H3 Brute Captain Ultra.gif	The Brute Captain Ultras are the highest captain rank and use heavier weapons, such as Brute Shots and Fuel Rod Guns. Identification: Cyan Armour.
Brute Captain Major	File:H3 Brute Captain Major.gif	The Brute Captain Majors are even more experienced than their younger comrades and lead larger packs into battle. Also usually wield brute shots. Identification: Golden armor.
Brute Captain	File:H3 Brute Captain Minor.gif	The Brute Captains are experienced Brutes who now lead their comrades and the lesser races into battle. Identification: Purple/Red Armour.
Brute Specialists
Brute Bodyguard	File:H3 Bodyguard.gif	Brute Bodyguards are some of the Chieftain's most reliable warriors and not only protect their chieftain but enforce his tribal law. They seem to be the Brute counterparts of the Honor Guard Elite Unit. Identification: Greyish Blue armor.
Brute Jumppack	File:H3 Brute Jumppack.gif	These veteran Brutes utilize jump packs to launch aerial attacks from afar, and use their enhanced mobility for guerrilla battle tactics. They seem to be the Brute counterparts of the Ranger Elite Unit. Identification: Jump pack, Blue armor.
Brute Stalker	File:H3 Brute Stalker.gif	Brute Stalkers are the secret police of the Brutes and specialize in stealth techniques with their Active Camouflage generators. They seem to be the Brute counterparts of the Stealth Elite unit. Identification: Grayish Black armor.
Brute Infantry
Brute Ultra	File:H3 Brute Ultra.gif	Brute Ultras are now armed with violet Armour, they are comprised of the best of the regular infantrymen, showing tact, cunning skill and strength. Identification: Purple-Blue armor.
Brute Major	File:H3 Brute Major.gif	Brute Majors are clad in dark blue Armour and are promoted in a similar fashion to the Elites. They are promoted on the casualties they inflict. Identification: Blue armor.
Brute Minor	File:H3 Brute Minor.gif	Brute Minors are the lowest rank of the Brute race, clad in turquoise Armour and typically armed with the Type-25 Carbine. Not only do they compete for their posting but also for their equipment. Identification: Teal armor, unarmored in Halo 2.

Also in Halo 2, Brute Minors are seen with little to no armor, the only armor being a helmet-like head plate which, ironically, gives no protection from headshots from even the weaker weapons such as the Plasma Pistol and Magnum.

Other Ranks

Chieftain of the Jiralhanae - The Leader of the entire Jiralhanae race. Both Maccabeus and Tartarus were of this rank. Since Tartarus was killed in the Battle of Installation 05, the current Chieftain is unknown.

Brute Ship Master/Alpha Jiralhanae - Commanders of ships. They may be equivalent to Captains or Chieftains of the Jiralhanae.

Brute Honor Guard - Seen in the Halo 2 game and in the Halo: Uprising comics, they took the role of protectors of the Hierarchs from the Elites after the Great Schism, role which seems to be undertaken by Brute Bodyguards in Halo 3.

List of Jiralhanae Quotes

Main article: Jiralhanae/Quotes

In-Game Appearances

Halo 2

• The Heretic (Cut scene Only)
• Cairo Station (Cut scene Only)
• The Arbiter (Cut scene Only)
• The Oracle (Cut scene Only)
• Sacred Icon (Cut scene Only, also dead Brute bodies can be found)
• Quarantine Zone (Cut scene Only)
• Gravemind
• Uprising
• High Charity
• The Great Journey

Halo 3

• Sierra 117
• Crow's Nest
• Tsavo Highway
• The Storm
• Floodgate (dead and infected ones)
• The Ark
• The Covenant
• Cortana (dead and infected ones)
• Halo (infected ones only)

Trivia

• Interestingly, in Halo 2, the Brutes are much tougher than their Halo 3 counterparts, even without armor. This is perhaps because the Halo 2 Brutes were meant to be even tougher than the Elites, which is how tough the Halo 3 Brutes are. There is also a possibility that there are several races of Brutes.
• The first time they are actually encountered in gameplay, albeit dead, is in the level Sacred Icon when they are attempting to attain the Index. Ironically, you will never receive them as allies, though Tartarus does alleviate several enemy reinforcements.
• On the level The Ark, if you watch the Brutes for a while they will sniff their armpits or scratch their feet and legs with their other foot or they may yawn.
• In the level Crow's Nest, a Brute may use the UNSC turret in the room where you meet the Chieftain.

The Halo 3 CGI TV trailer "Starry Night" depicts Brute variants of Halo 3.

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• The word "Jiralhanae" is a Korean word (지랄하네), meaning something in the league of a "stupid aggressive lunatic" (which almost perfectly describes the Brutes aggressive personality).
• Ironically, Brutes were the first Covenant creatures encountered by humanity on peaceful terms.

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A Brute Chieftain wielding an Energy Sword (this instance was never actually used as default in Halo 3, but rather in the video Et tu Brute).

• The ViDoc, Et Tu Brute, shows Brutes wielding Energy Swords; however they are never seen doing so in the finished game. Et Tu Brute also shows a Brute Minor with a Brute Shot using the corpse of another Brute as cover from which to fire from, and another tearing the arms off a captured Marine.
• Brutes go much more berserk in Halo 2 than in Halo 3 and far more often.
• Even though Brutes are supposed to be stronger than Elites, in Halo 2 on Normal difficulty or above Elites can kill you with one melee but when Brutes go berserk it takes about a couple of hits for them to kill you on Normal.
• Brute society in its constant war state and Brutes general love for blood could be compared to Viking society and other various tribes.
• Servus is Latin for slave. Ferox means "headstrong, spirited, courageous, warlike/wild, arrogant, unbridled, or belligerent". In a translation, their name means "headstrong (or other word) slave".
• In the Halo 3 level, The Ark, you can see a Brute Captain urinating on a wall before he sees you, allowing you to attack him from behind. Afterward, you can see what he had done on the floor.
• In Halo 3, meleeing a Brute Chieftain will stop him from meleeing you for a few seconds as he reels from the blow. If you can continue to melee him, it will kill him. This also occurred to Elites in Halo: CE and Halo 2; they would double back and flinch from a melee, leaving you open to kill them.
• In Halo 2, it is possible to find Brutes wielding Human Shotguns. This is the only in-game instance of a Covenant member making use of Human weaponry by default.
• Brutes can be seen worshiping on The Ark, or receiving orders from the Prophet of Truth.
• In Halo 2, Brutes blood is a form of dark blue while it is a dark red in Halo 3.
• In Halo: Contact Harvest the Brutes were seen to be extremely religious and blessed food before they ate it.
• Though Brute is the UNSC nickname for the Jiralhanae, Elites have been known to refer to them by the same name. This might be due to the Elite's extreme enmity and arrogance towards the Brutes.
• Brutus was the one who betrayed and killed Julius Caesar, and was later hunted down by Rome. This is similar to how the Brutes betrayed the Elites and were eventually defeated.
• In the Brute ViDoc they can tear off opponents' arms, though this is never seen in Halo 3, probably because it was too violent.
• The actor who does the voice of the Brute Chieftains, John DiMaggio, also voices Bender in the cartoon Futurama and Marcus Fenix from Gears of War.
• The bones located on the level Cortana are believed to be Brute bones.
• All Brute-manufactured weaponry in Halo 3 use spikes or blades.
• In Halo 2, almost all of the Brutes have dark brown fur except for Tartarus who has grey fur due to his age. A few others will have light brown hair as well.
• In Halo 3, berserking Brutes will stomp one foot on the ground and then look like a Halo: Combat Evolved Elite berserking by positioning their feet wide, throwing up their hands, and roaring.
• In Halo 2, Brutes are the last Covenant enemies to make an appearance in game, appearing first in the level Gravemind which is the twelfth of fifteen levels in the game.
• In the ViDoc Et Tu Brute, the Chieftain wielding a Plasma Cannon is wielding the cannon from Halo 2.
• In Halo 2, Brutes didn't have a proper ranking system similar to the Elite's system. A proper ranking system for them was finally created in Halo 3.
• The "-us" suffix on the end of Brute names is actually a Latin noun ending, which designates something as masculine.
• Sometimes, in Halo 2, if a berserking Brute is too far away to bludgeon its opponent, it will throw a plasma grenade in a lagged motion within its primal ape stance.
• Although in Contact Harvest the Brutes wear the armor that they wear in Halo 3, the armor changes for some reason in Halo 2. For example, Tartarus wore the Red Captain Armour but it disappears in Halo 2. This may be accounted for the fact that the Brutes where added "a little too late" (according to Et Tu Brute) in Halo 2. None the less, the question remains of why the Brutes gave up their power armor. The Brutes seen in Halo Wars (which may be multi-player-exclusive) also wear the Halo 3 Brute armor. [1]
• In Et Tu Brute, Chris Butcher describes the Brutes in Halo 2 as "damage sponges".
• Brute armor was upgraded in Halo 3. They were also made to look more realistic and less primitive.
• Jiralhanae is now known to appear in Halo Wars. [2]
• If you stick a Brute's weapon with a Plasma Grenade just before he puts it away when he goes berserk, the grenade will disappear, but still explode.
• In Halo 2, if a Brute is equipped with a Brute Plasma Rifle and berserks, they will throw down the weapon, and it will be fully charged.
• On the Halo 3 level The Ark in a room full of Brute Shot-equipped Brutes, you can see Brutes making motions as if they were shoveling food into their mouths.
• In Halo 2, the Brutes' shoulder plates bear a strong resemblance to the Scout armor permutation.
• Unlike most Covenant species, Brutes have no problem using Human technology. This can be seen in almost every level in Halo 3 when Brutes use Shotguns, Frags, and Trip mines
• In Halo 2, Brutes use flags rather then armor to show their rank.
• Some Brutes in Halo 3 use Plasma Rifles mostly on Tsavo Highway and Crow's Nest.
• In Halo 2, if you happen to hijack a Brute's Banshee and the Brute survives the fall, the Brute will not attack, and will not be wielding a weapon. However, the Brute can still be killed normally, will make scripted sounds, and appear as a hostile on your radar and reticule.
• The Brutes were meant to use the Energy Sword but only use in Gravity Hammer in the final version of Halo 3.
• There has been rare occurrences on Sierra 117, where a Brute, after being 'stuck', went beserk, jumped ten feet in the air while pulling a 180 degree turn, before executing a fatal melee attack on the players head.
• The Brutes' many nicknames include "Baby Kongs", "Hairy Hellraisers", "Meanies from Mars", and "Paris Hiltonites".
• In Halo 3: Recon a Brute is seen duel wielding Spikers.
• The way Brute Captains symbolize their rank in Halo 2 is by using Red Flags.
• In Halo 3 all of the brutes are shaved