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Great Schism

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki

Concurrent:

Human-Covenant War

Next:

Sangheili-Jiralhanae war

Great Schism
H2A - HighCharityBattle Concept.png

Date:

Location:

Milky Way Galaxy

Outcome:

Sangheili victory

Details
Belligerents
Commanders

High Prophet of Truth†
High Prophet of Mercy†
Prophet of Exquisite Devotion†
Chieftain Tartarus†
Chieftain Gargantum
Captain Melchus

Arbiter Thel 'Vadam
Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum
Unidentified Sangheili Shipmaster[1]
Fleet Master Voro Nar 'Mantakree†
Imperial Admiral Xytan 'Jar Wattinree†
Blademaster Vul 'Soran
Fleetmaster Rojka 'Kasaan

Strength
Casualties
 

"This is the third vector of chaos."
— Zo Resken, former Prophet of Clarity, to his Sangheili liberators[2]

The Great Schism,[3] also known as the Covenant Schism,[4] or the Great Betrayal among the Sangheili,[5] was a major civil war between the forces loyal to the Covenant against the Covenant separatists, which split apart on November 3, 2552. During the Schism, three major forces fought for victory: the Sangheili Fleet of Retribution allied with the UNSC; the remnants of the Covenant led by the San'Shyuum and the Jiralhanae; and the Flood, which took over the Covenant holy city of High Charity in an effort to assimilate the other warring factions. The Schism marked both the end of the Covenant and the partition of its client species for a thousand years.[4] For the UNSC, it served as a major turning point that led to the end of the war after their disastrous defeat on Reach.

History

Background

Thel 'Vadamee: "We are strong, Kig-Yar. That is why we sit at the right hand of the Prophets."
Reth: "One day that shall pass."
— Conversation between Reth and Thel 'Vadamee in 2535[6]

For centuries over the course of the history of the Covenant, various high ranking Sangheili with great influence would eventually come close to discovering the truth about the Forerunners, which would falsify the Covenant religion. Such influential Sangheili were perceived by the San'Shyuum High Prophets as a threat to their authority and power, and would send these Sangheili on suicidal missions decorated under the honorary guise of Arbiters to discretely remove their threatening presence.[7]

With this history of influential Sangheili well documented among the High Prophets, the threat the Sangheili posed was made even more apparent in 2552, when Sesa 'Refumee's heretic faction spread information about the Great Journey being false.[8] Intending to prevent the Covenant from falling apart and losing power, the High Prophet of Truth made plans to eject the entire Sangheili species from the hegemony, viewing them as untrustworthy and doubting their reliability and loyalty. Supreme Commander Thel 'Vadamee, another powerful and influential Sangheili, failing to prevent Demon John-117 from destroying a holy "Sacred Ring" further perpetuated distrust toward the Sangheili.

The High Prophet of Truth plotted to eventually replace the Sangheili with the Jiralhanae, as he saw the latter as more willing and unquestioning pawns. Ever since the Jiralhanae's integration in 2492, their dominating physicality and aggressive behavior was perceived as a threat by the Sangheili to their superior status in the Covenant hierarchy. In turn, the Sangheili treated the Jiralhanae poorly and oppressed them, to keep them in line. Competition for dominance in the Covenant military and hatred festered between the two species, though the Sangheili maintained their authority and power a founding race. Feeding off of their societal rivalry, Truth knew that the Jiralhanae would be more than happy to replace the Sangheili as the Covenant's military leaders. He had appointed Tartarus, a loyal Jiralhanae, to the position of Chieftain of the Jiralhanae who would help him execute his plan. Truth kept these schemes to himself and waited until the time was right to implement them.

Secret preparations

After the High Prophet of Truth learned the location of the human homeworld, he secretly amassed a fleet of over five hundred warships, commanded entirely by Jiralhanae, at the command-and-control station Unyielding Hierophant.[9] In September 2552, this station and the fleet were destroyed by a group of SPARTAN-IIs who learned of its purpose shortly before the invasion could commence.[10] This put a temporary halt to Truth's plans.[11]

On October 20, the High Prophet of Regret made a move the High Prophet of Truth did not expect: having discovered a significant Forerunner artifact on Earth on his own, but unaware of the fact it was humanity's homeworld, he took a fleet of fifteen ships to Earth.[11] Immediately after Truth learned of this, he sent the remnants of the fleet he had amassed to Earth; he gave his Jiralhanae troops orders to forcibly overtake the Sangheili in command of the remaining forces on and above Earth. To Regret's surprise, Earth was the human homeworld, resulting in a massive battle forcing him to flee. When Regret retreated from Earth, his Sangheili-led ships in orbit and ground forces continued to engage the United Nations Space Command, but now without a leader. Only moments after, the Jiralhanae forces within the fleet and on the ground killed all remaining Sangheili on Earth,[12] as Truth had ordered. They took over the Sangheili's duties to occupy the human city of New Mombasa until more Jiralhanae reinforcements sent by Truth arrived. As High Charity and the rest of the Covenant fleet were on their way to the newly discovered Halo Installation 05, the murder of these Sangheili ground forces remained secret from the rest of the Covenant.

Regret, who would arrive at Delta Halo weeks before High Charity and the rest of the Covenant, would serve yet another purpose for Truth: the final stage in Truth's plan.[11] With the arrival of the UNSC In Amber Clad commanded by Commander Miranda Keyes on Installation 05, the UNSC decided to assassinate the Prophet of Regret after they got the intel they needed, with John-117 set to carry out this task.

The Changing of the Guard

Main article: Changing of the Guard
Kig-Yar and Unggoy protest on High Charity.

After the High Prophet of Regret was killed by Spartan John-117 on November 2, 2552, the two remaining Hierarchs reorganized Covenant society. Claiming that the Sangheili could no longer protect the Prophets due to Regret's death, the High Prophet of Truth publicly replaced the Sangheili with the Jiralhanae as the Prophets' protectors. Much to their dismay, all Sangheili Honor Guardsmen were ordered to give away their armor and weapons to the new Jiralhanae Honor Guardsmen. The Sangheili viewed this as a violation of the principle that the Covenant had been founded upon and threatened to resign from the Covenant.[13] Several Unggoy and Kig-Yar would join in protest against this change as well.[14]

The High Prophet of Truth further demoted the Sangheili by giving command of their fleets to the Jiralhanae, including the Fleet of Profound Solitude, Fleet of Tranquil Composure and Fleet of Inner Knowledge.[15] Many Sangheili Shipmasters and Fleetmasters would be replaced with new Jiralhanae commanders. Truth allocated more loyal forces to his disposal by pardoning and releasing all Jiralhanae prisoners, while publicly framing it as a celebration for the species newly elevated status in Covenant society.[15]

The Sangheili found these changes to be deeply humiliating, as founding members of the Covenant they were insulted to see their societal status relegated below the Jiralhanae.[16]

Conflict erupts

"The Great Schism is upon us. The unbreakable Covenant Writ of Union has been split asunder. This is the end of the Ninth, and final, Age."
— Xytan 'Jar Wattinree[3]
The massacre of the Sangheili High Councilors.

The High Prophet of Truth predicted that the High Council would elect a new Hierarch to replace Regret, and so he made his move to eliminate the Sangheili High Councilors to prevent another moderate Prophet from being elected.[17] Once enough Jiralhanae were in place, Truth instigated a pogrom by ordering the assassination of many Sangheili Councilors.[18] Many Sangheili High Councilors and former Honor Guards were ordered to meet in the Control Room of Installation 05 to begin preparing for the Great Journey. However, Jiralhanae Captain Melchus arrived at the Control Room with a large, heavily armed contingent of Jiralhanae and proceeded to massacre the Councilors and former guardsmen.[19] This would spark the start of the Great Schism.

This massacre of the Sangheili Councilors was perceived as an insurrection against the Covenant to the Sangheili, as well as many Mgalekgolo and Unggoy. The Jiralhanae and other loyalists were led to believe it was a Sangheili revolt, rejecting their newly elevated status. After the assassination of the Councilors, war and violence broke out on High Charity, with the two sides polarizing quickly. Video messages of the various massacres were sent to all Sangheili forces,[20] resulting in the entire species learning that they had been forced out of the Covenant.[21]

Former Sangheili Honor Guards fight with the Jiralhanae on High Charity.

The ships within the High Charity defense fleet began shooting each other down while gunfire erupted aboard the interior High Charity. At the front lines of the conflict, the species of the Covenant took distinct sides. Those who followed the High Prophets included all San'Shyuum and Jiralhanae (with a few exceptions),[22][23] many Kig-Yar and Yanme'e, some Unggoy, and a minority of the Mgalekgolo. The forces allied with all the Sangheili consisted of many Mgalekgolo, Unggoy and Huragok.[24]

After discovering that the Prophet of Clarity was attempting to aid the Sangheili, the Prophet of Exquisite Devotion attempted to have him executed for treason. However, a group of Sangheili led by G'torik 'Klemmee arrived and rescued the Prophet of Clarity—killing Exquisite Devotion in the process.[25] The group would later escape High Charity aboard a stolen supply ship, Journey's Sustenance.[26] Around this time, Truth left the High Prophet of Mercy to die at the hands of the Flood, solidifying his place as the autocrat of the Covenant.[27].

Chol Von, a T'vaoan shipmistress, renamed her missionary ship Joyous Discovery as Paragon at some point of the Great Schism.[28] During the Schism, she captured a Phantom, killing two Sangheili in the process.[29]

The civil war was at first a conflict over orthodoxy and leadership, however a revelation among the Sangheili occurred when Thel 'Vadam's contingent discovered the truth about the Halos and the Great Journey from both the Gravemind and 343 Guilty Spark. Their disillusionment changed their goal from reforming the purity of the Covenant to actively standing against the Covenant religion the following day.

Sangheili-human alliance

One of the Sangheili leaders, Arbiter Thel 'Vadam, duels against the Jiralhanae leader Tartarus.

A shaky alliance between some Sangheili and their former foes, the humans, was forged out of necessity and revenge against the Covenant to some extent.[30] Both sides had two common enemies that wished for their extinction: the Covenant and the Flood. This alliance of circumstance was forged in the control room of Installation 05, when Sergeant Major Avery Johnson and Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee united to prevent the Chieftain of the Jiralhanae, Tartarus, from activating Delta Halo and firing the Halo Array.[31] Meanwhile, Rtas 'Vadum led a strike team of Sangheili to capture the Shadow of Intent from the Jiralhanae as a flagship for their local forces. After succeeding in killing Tartarus, the Arbiter persuaded many Sangheili to ally with the humans, forming the Fleet of Retribution.

On November 17, the devastated UNSC Home Fleet attempted a last-ditch assault on the High Prophet of Truth's Forerunner Dreadnought, which had integrated with the Forerunner artifact that Regret had discovered nearly a month prior. This attack failed and a Flood-controlled battlecruiser crashed in Voi only moments after Truth's fleet entered the portal generated by the artifact.[32] However, the Sangheili Fleet of Retribution, led by Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum, arrived in pursuit of the cruiser; as the fleet glassed the city and its environs, the Sangheili and UNSC agreed to follow Truth beyond the portal.[33]

The Ark

The death of the Prophet of Truth.

The joint Sangheili-UNSC fleet arrived at the Halo Array's control center, Installation 00, on December 11. During the ensuing battle, the Fleet of Retribution completely destroyed their Jiralhanae counterpart, despite the latter's three-to-one numerical superiority.[34] Sangheili forces later helped SPARTAN-117 disable the shield generators protecting the installation's Citadel, in which the Prophet of Truth was hiding. Master Chief John-117 and Arbiter Thel 'Vadam entered the Citadel and fought through what remained of Truth's personal guard. After reaching the control panel they discovered that the Hierarch had been infected by the Flood; as the Prophet slipped in and out of lucidity, 'Vadam stabbed him in the back.[35] The Flood-controlled High Charity was destroyed shortly thereafter,[36] effectively dissolving the Covenant.

Shipmaster 'Vadum evacuated the remaining Sangheili and human forces after the holy city's destruction. Seemingly, only his flagship, Shadow of Intent, remained. Any remaining Covenant forces were killed when Halo Installation 08 was activated and the Ark was severely damaged by the debris; the activation also ended the immediate threat of the Flood. The Master Chief, the Arbiter, and the AI Cortana had escaped on the frigate UNSC Forward Unto Dawn, which was split in half when their escape portal closed too early.[37]

After the Human-Covenant War

An Elite fights against a Brute raiding his settlement.
Main article: Sangheili-Jiralhanae war

With Truth dead, High Charity destroyed, and the Ark heavily damaged after Installation 08's firing, some of the remaining Jiralhanae forces tried to rebuild their tattered strength to continue their war of conquest.[38] Even though the Jiralhanae eventually collapsed into various civil wars, they still posed enough of a threat that Sangheili commanders kept up the offensive against them for at least another six years, even as they continued to lose irreplaceable warships and the war continued with no end in sight.[1]

Timeline

2552

September 22:

October 20:

October 21:

  • The Prophet of Truth's Jiralhanae-led reinforcement fleet arrives at Earth and starts the excavation of the Ark Portal. They kill all remaining Sangheili in the city.[12]

November 2:

November 3:

November 8:

  • The Forerunner Dreadnought arrives in the Sol system, and proceeds on course towards Earth at near-relativistic speeds.[49]

November 17:

  • The Forerunner Dreadnought enters Earth's atmosphere. John-117 ejects from the ship upon reentry, landing in the jungles near Mount Kilimanjaro.[49]
  • Battle of Voi. The Prophet of Truth uses the Forerunner Dreadnought to activate the Portal, and his loyalist fleet follows it through the portal. The Flood-infested Voi, only to be contained by the Sangheili fleet.[33]

December 11

  • News spreads wide through Sangheili fleets, who take in some instances up arms against their Prophet escorts and, more widely, against the Jiralhanae.
  • Truth and his loyalists arrive at the Ark, pursued by the Sangheili Fleet of Retribution. A massive battle begins over the Ark. All of Truth's vessels are eventually destroyed over the Ark by the Sangheili fleet.[34]
  • Sangheili and human forces fight their way to the Citadel. The Prophet of Truth, the last Hierarch of the Covenant, is executed by Thel 'Vadam with help from the Flood. John-117 stops the Ark from firing the Halo rings.[35]
  • High Charity is destroyed by John-117 after he overloads the city's main reactors causing them to detonate.[36]
  • Rtas 'Vadum evacuates all humans and Sangheili, via the Shadow of Intent, back to Earth.[36]
  • Arbiter Thel 'Vadam, John-117 and Sergeant Johnson battle to the control room of Installation 08. Guilty Spark runs rampant, killing Johnson before being subsequently destroyed by John-117. Installation 08's sentinels turn on the Spartan, Thel 'Vadam, and the Sangheili. The unfinished Installation 04 is activated, devastating the Ark and destroying the entire local Flood infestation including the Gravemind. These final events ended the Human-Covenant War.[37]
  • John-117, Cortana, and Thel 'Vadam escape the Ark. With their escape vessel, UNSC Forward Unto Dawn cut in half upon slipspace transition, only Thel 'Vadam gets back to Earth.[37]

Trivia

  • A "schism" is a division within a religious sect or denomination. The term "Great Schism" is sometimes used to describe real-world internal religious debates, most notably the East-West Schism, which led to the establishment of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Western Schism, which caused a split within the Roman Catholic Church.
  • In Halo: Contact Harvest, the Prophet of Truth foreshadows the Great Schism, noting that if the Sangheili ever separated from the Covenant, the entire government would collapse.[50]
  • According to the Bestiarum, the Unggoy were too indecisive to continue the rebellion and the true political motivation of the Mgalekgolo, if any, remained a mystery.
  • In Halo 3: ODST, it is implied that the Office of Naval Intelligence was aware of internal conflict within the Covenant from early on. During the level Tayari Plaza which takes place on October 20, Buck asks Dare about the Sangheili bodies lying around the city, as they appear to have been killed by the Jiralhanae; Dare responds that said information is classified.

Gallery

  • The Jiralhanae assume the title of Honor Guard from the Sangheili, accelerating the eventual conflict between the two races.

    The Jiralhanae assume the title of Honor Guard from the Sangheili, accelerating the eventual conflict between the two races.

  • Acting on the Prophets' orders, Tartarus and the Brutes betray the Arbiter and claim the "Sacred Icon".

    Acting on the Prophets' orders, Tartarus and the Brutes betray the Arbiter and claim the "Sacred Icon".

  • The Sangheili watch as the Jiralhanae Chieftains betray and murder their comrades, igniting the Schism.

    The Sangheili watch as the Jiralhanae Chieftains betray and murder their comrades, igniting the Schism.

  • Sangheili and Jiralhanae ships war above High Charity.

    Sangheili and Jiralhanae ships war above High Charity.

  • Civil war rages among the Covenant around High Charity.

    Civil war rages among the Covenant around High Charity.

  • Ships battle over High Charity.

    Ships battle over High Charity.

  • H3 Truths fleet vs Fleet of Retribution.jpg

    The Prophet of Truth's armada prepares to engage the Arbiter's Fleet of Retribution during the Battle of Installation 00.

  • Shipmaster Let 'Volir sees the conflict devolve into senseless feuds.

    Shipmaster Let 'Volir sees the conflict devolve into senseless feuds.

List of appearances

Note

  1. ^ The massacre of the Sangheili on Earth on October 20, 2552 (witnessed in Halo 3: ODST) is regarded as an isolated incident leading up to the Schism, whereas the conflict at large is considered to have begun with the Sangheili's banishment from the Honor Guard and the subsequent outbreak of all-out hostilities within High Charity and its fleets on November 2.

Sources

  1. ^ a b c Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe "The Return" - "It was a terrible war. The Prophets provided the Brutes with powerful new weapons, hoping that they would in turn defend their Prophets against our wrath. But when the Prophets went into hiding, the lack of leadership allowed the Brutes to return to their savage nature and they soon began to fight against each other. This lack of solidarity made them much easier prey. Some of my fellow commanders continue that fight even now"
  2. ^ Halo: Broken Circle, page 232
  3. ^ a b Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 240
  4. ^ a b Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 245
  5. ^ Halo: Evolutions, The Return, page 247
  6. ^ Halo: The Cole Protocol, page 229
  7. ^ Halo 2: Anniversary - Terminal 11 - "In some cases, that influence was already being used to question the decisions of your Hierarchs. In fact, that very questioning often gave rise to the charges of heresy that so neatly removed the challenger from the Hierarchs' concern."
  8. ^ Halo 2 - The Arbiter - "Our Prophets are false! Open your eyes, my brothers! They would use the faith of our forefathers to bring ruin to us all! The Great Journey is a-"
  9. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 297
  10. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 407
  11. ^ a b c d Halo Waypoint, "Ten Twenty" history article
  12. ^ a b Halo 3: ODST, campaign level Coastal Highway
  13. ^ a b Halo 2, campaign level Sacred Icon
  14. ^ Halo 2, campaign level Gravemind (level)
  15. ^ a b Halo Wars, Timeline
  16. ^ Gamestop: Halo Wars 2: New Character Images and Details Revealed - "This arrangement was deeply unpleasant for the Shipmaster, especially since Elites were used to lording over the Brutes during the time of the Covenant..."
  17. ^ Halo Waypoint: High Council
  18. ^ a b Halo 2, campaign level Uprising
  19. ^ Halo: Broken Circle, pages 219-222 (Google Play edition)
  20. ^ Halo: Evolutions The Return (Motion Comic) - "We were scouting for humans when the message came in. I could not comprehend what I was seeing. Our betrayal by the Prophets. The Slaughter of our leaders."
  21. ^ Canon Fodder - "The resulting conflict would be called the Great Schism, and it would divide the Covenant into two, ultimately forcing the Sangheili out."
  22. ^ Halo: Glasslands, page 55
  23. ^ Halo: Broken Circle
  24. ^ Halo: Evolutions, "Wages of Sin", page 509
  25. ^ Halo: Broken Circle, page 242
  26. ^ Halo: Broken Circle, page 250
  27. ^ a b c Halo 2, campaign level Gravemind
  28. ^ Halo: Mortal Dictata, page 141
  29. ^ Halo: Mortal Dictata, page 73
  30. ^ Halo 3, campaign level The Covenant "I will have my revenge on a Prophet, not a plague!"
  31. ^ a b c d e f Halo 2, campaign level The Great Journey
  32. ^ Halo 3, campaign level The Storm
  33. ^ a b Halo 3, campaign level Floodgate
  34. ^ a b Halo 3, campaign level The Ark
  35. ^ a b Halo 3, campaign level The Covenant
  36. ^ a b c Halo 3, campaign level Cortana
  37. ^ a b c Halo 3, campaign level Halo
  38. ^ Halo 3, multiplayer level Assembly
  39. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 96 (2010 edition)
  40. ^ Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Terminal 11
  41. ^ Halo 2, campaign level The Arbiter
  42. ^ Halo 2, campaign level Metropolis
  43. ^ Halo 2, campaign level The Oracle
  44. ^ Halo 2, campaign level Regret
  45. ^ Halo 2, campaign level Quarantine Zone
  46. ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 199
  47. ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 189
  48. ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, pages 244-245
  49. ^ a b Bungie.net: Bungie Weekly Update: 01/23/09
  50. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 152

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