Sangheili Zealot

A Zealot with his Energy Sword

A Zealot is a rank of Covenant Elite. It is a very high rank and is usually given to Elites who have killed many humans. They wear distinct gold armor and their shields are far more powerful than their lower ranked counterparts in that they usually recharge faster, and are customarily protected with an Overshield. In the rank ladder of the Elite, they are 5th down only looking up to only Honor Guards, Supreme Commanders, Imperial Admirals, and Councillors. They are one step higher than Ultras.

Combat

Emerging from an Orbital Insertion Pod

They are often found wielding an Energy Sword and when found holding a Plasma Rifle they fire at a very fast rate. Much faster than lower Elites, they are also far harder to hit and duck behind obstacles to avoid fire. When found with Energy Swords they are highly dangerous and should be dealt with quickly.

They are very powerful and smart, and are a force to be reckoned with.

Titles

Because "Zealot" is the highest military grade for an Elite, there appear to be a variety of rank titles for Zealot Elites, and some Zealots are subservient to others. Some of the known titles include:

Supreme Commander: These are the highest known titles for Zealot Elites. Supreme commanders are in charge of entire fleets of starships, as well as all ground forces within those fleets. The only known supreme commander was the Arbiter, being in charge of the Fleet of Particular Justice.

Ship Master: This rank is equivalent to the UNSC naval "Captain". Ship Masters command Starships within the Covenant, but they still fall under the command of their fleet's Supreme Commander. An example of this is Orna 'Fulsamee, who was the ship master of the Truth and Reconciliation.

Field Master: This rank is equivalent to the UNSC Marine "General". Field Masters command entire armies, battalion strength or greater. They are in charge of all warriors of any race within that army, as well as all armor, air support, and material utilized by that army. An example of this is Noga 'Putumee, who led forces against the humans on Installation 04.

Appearances

Halo: Combat Evolved

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A Zealot on Halo: Combat Evolved

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A Zealot on Halo PC. Note the armor does not shine

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A Zealot on Halo 2

In Halo: Combat Evolved, Zealot Elites appear with the same frequency on all settings, however their strenght on each difficulty varies significantly. They are difficult to kill on Normal mode and almost impossible to kill on Legendary. They always have Overshields, and most also wield Energy Swords (On at least two occasions in the level Two Betrayals, Zealots are seen with Plasma Rifles also). Zealots are also always accompanied by a vanguard group of lesser ranking Elites. The ranks of these Elites vary depending on the Diffuculty, with Minor Elites making up the vanguard on Normal mode, and Major Elites and Stealth Elites making up the vanguard on Heroic and Legendary.

Halo 2

Unlike Halo: Combat Evolved, Zealots only appear as enemies in the suicidal mode known as Legendary. They are always seen with Ultra Elites, Minor Elites, and Major Elites. They have strong energy sheilding and will continually charge the player and the Marines.

A example of a fight with a Zealot is in the level Outskirts. At a point in the level where a Phantom approaches and drops off troops, it will drop one Covenant Zealot off along with the rest of the units. The Zealot will then normally charge up the stairs and attack the player and the Marines. Another example is a section of the level near the Hotel Zanzibar, after Sniper Alley. As you head towards the hotel, a Zealot will leap from a building's roof and attack.

Zealots in Halo 2 are far more sneaky than their Halo: CE counterparts. They usually fight in more refined and stelathy ways than their allies, rahter than simply charging the player the entire time, they will sneak on on him and only charge after being seen.