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Sangheili Zealot

Article Discussion
Revision as of 19:44, April 21, 2015 by ArcticGhostXCV (talk | contribs) (→‎Known Zealots)
Zealot redirects here. For the Halo: Reach multiplayer map, see Zealot (level).
Sangheili Zealot
H4SangheiliZealot.png

Function:

Apostolic delivery and coercion, reliquary acquisition[1]

Species:

Sangheili

Affiliation:

Covenant
Swords of Sanghelios
Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction
Merg Vol's Covenant faction
Sali 'Nyon's Covenant faction

Ministry:

Ministry of Fervent Intercession (pre-Great Schism)[1]

Notable individuals:

See Known Zealots below

 

"The true devotee honors our name with actions, not words."
— Sangheili Zealot's mantra

Zealot is a military order of high-ranking Sangheili warriors in the Covenant, as well as some of its splinter factions in the wake of the Sangheili civil war.[2] They were supervised and deployed by the Ministry of Fervent Intercession.[1] More of a philosophy than a rank, Zealots are among the most devout worshipers of the Forerunners,[3] even after the dissolution of the Covenant.

Background

"The Path is strict, Jora — it brooks no deviation, no remorse. We are zealots. We serve the Way. These are our orders. We do not question them."
— Thel 'Vadamee to Jora 'Konaree[4]

Zealots are greatly experienced and unparalleled in combat skill. Equipped with advanced armor systems and equipment, they are also among the most resilient and powerful Sangheili infantry.[1] Although all Sangheili males are trained in the arts of combat from a young age, Sangheili believe that future Zealots are born with an innate desire to kill.[3]

Unlike the majority of the Covenant's conventional military forces, which fell under the authority of the Ministry of Resolution, the Zealots were a separate group that reported to the Ministry of Fervent Intercession. Zealots had their own internal structure and rankings that varied from fleet-to-fleet and chapter-to-chapter.[2] The ministry deployed small teams of Zealots during all significant engagements to locate, analyze, and amass intelligence regarding reliquary sites, as well as to recover Forerunner artifacts or otherwise important data.[1][5] During the Human-Covenant War, many Zealots were assigned to battlefield duties in order to directly partake in the destruction of a species the Covenant viewed as heretical.[1]

In addition to artifact retrieval, Zealots may serve in a variety of command roles ranging from Shipmaster[6][4] to Supreme Commander.[7] The rank of Field Marshal is exclusive to the Zealot class. Field Marshals hold supreme authority over Covenant land forces, effectively making them the groundside counterpart to a Fleet Master or Supreme Commander; Field Marshals are also occasionally tasked with leading Zealot strike teams.[8]

As late as 2558, Zealots continued to serve within certain factions of the Covenant remnants, including those which remained religiously devoted to the Forerunners following the hegemony's collapse. Despite still having a combat niche, Zealots now serve in political and social leadership positions, filling all the roles previously occupied by the San 'Shyuum.[9][10]

Armor

Zealots have access to a variety of armor types and styles, reflecting the multiple roles encompassed by those who hold the title. Zealots most commonly wear ornate maroon armor that, while intricate, is more subdued in design than the suits worn by Sangheili of lower ranks. Despite the availability of specialized armor styles, many Zealots wore combat harnesses during the war with humanity. These suits were distinguished by their gold coloration (indicating a command role)[11] and the nearly peerless durability of their energy shields.[12][13]

Standard Covenant War design

The armor type most commonly utilized during the Human-Covenant War features a smooth, organic thoracic cage harness; large, sloping shoulder pauldrons; and a long, back-swept helmet with mandible guards. The helmet and pauldrons feature decorative blue bands.[14] Zealots in command positions,[11] including those who attached to regular Covenant military forces, wore the same armor, albeit colored gold like the suits worn by lower-ranking Generals.[15][note 1] The color scheme worn by Ultras (silver-white with black trim) is also used.[16] Field Marshals wear a modified version of the standard Zealot harness; the front of the helmet has two horn-like prongs and the pauldrons are wider.[14] Zealot Supreme Commanders may wear a similarly colored doarmir fur cloak with their armor.[7][13][note 2]

Hesduros-inspired design

Another armor type is derived from traditional designs worn on Hesduros.[10] This style was in use by 2526,[17] though the prevalence of its issue relative to other wartime models is unclear. It is commonly worn by Zealots serving various remnant factions in the wake of the Covenant's collapse, most notably the body led by Jul 'Mdama, which was formed on Hesduros. In addition to the standard maroon coloration, this version is also produced in blue[18][19] and gold.[20][16]

This suit has a very organic, almost chitinous appearance, reflecting its origin on Hesduros.[10] The helmet, which encompasses most of the wearer's face, vaguely resembles those worn by the Ascetics and Covenant Special Operations forces. A cross-shaped pattern of purple insets faces outward from a central point on the helmet; the helmets worn by Merg Vol and Jul 'Mdama emit distinctive holograms, perhaps produced by the aforementioned insets. A blade-like "talon", derived from the armor worn by kaidons on Hesduros, is located on the inner toe of either boot.[10] Like the armor worn by Special Operations and Stealth Sangheili, this armor is equipped with active camouflage. Zealots who wear this armor type are colloquially known as "Roaches" by UNSC personnel.[21]

Known Zealots

Trivia

  Browse more images in this article's gallery page.
  • The plasma rifle-wielding Zealots of Halo: Combat Evolved will not melee attack. This is because they are programmed to go berserk when they see the Master Chief and have no provisions for melee attacking while in berserk mode.
  • In Halo: Reach, the Zealot armor is available as an Armor Permutation once the player has reached the rank of Captain. The game features a loadout called "Zealot" which gives the player a Type-31 needle rifle, a plasma pistol, and two plasma grenades. There is another loadout available only in the third phase of Invasion called "Royal Zealot". This loadout is an improved version of the standard Zealot loadout. It provides a needle rifle, a Type-33 Needler, and three plasma grenades, although once the player uses the third grenade, they will be able to carry only two.
  • The real-time strategy game StarCraft features an iconic Protoss infantry unit known as the zealot; these warriors also wear golden armor and wield powerful energy blades.
  • Seven Zealots are fought in Halo: Reach's campaign: two on Winter Contingency, one on Tip of the Spear, (who can be killed to unlock the Your Heresy Will Stay Your Feet achievement), and four (including the Field Marshal) at the end of The Pillar of Autumn.

Gallery

List of appearances

Note

  1. ^ In Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, Zealots wear a standard combat harness distinguished by its gold coloration. This led to the long-held misconception that gold armor reflects a Sangheili's status as a Zealot. It was first implied in Halo: Reach and later confirmed in Halo: The Great Journey: The Art of Building Worlds that gold armor merely indicates the wearer's position as a field commander. However, Halo: The Essential Visual Guide states that the gold-armored Elites seen in the first two games are indeed Zealots.
  2. ^ The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor depicts Supreme Commander Thel 'Vadamee (a Zealot) wearing maroon armor and a maroon cloak while in command of his fleet; this was in fact the first time maroon was associated with the Zealot class. Halo 2 Anniversary's terminals instead depict 'Vadamee wearing a gold combat harness during the same timeframe, though the cloak's color is unchanged.

Sources

  1. ^ a b c d e f Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 60
  2. ^ a b Halo Waypoint: Canon Fodder
  3. ^ a b Halo Encyclopedia (2011), page 134
  4. ^ a b c Halo: The Cole Protocol, page 142
  5. ^ a b c d e Halo: The Cole Protocol, page 138-139
  6. ^ Halo: Combat Evolved, campaign level The Truth and Reconciliation
  7. ^ a b Halo Graphic Novel, The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor
  8. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2011), page 135
  9. ^ Halo 4 Interactive Guide
  10. ^ a b c d Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 49
  11. ^ a b Halo: The Great Journey: The Art of Building Worlds, page 52
  12. ^ Halo 2
  13. ^ a b Halo 2 Anniversary terminals
  14. ^ a b Halo: Reach
  15. ^ Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
  16. ^ a b Halo: Escalation, Issue 15
  17. ^ Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
  18. ^ Halo 4, Spartan Ops
  19. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue 14
  20. ^ Halo: Spartan Assault
  21. ^ Halo: Nightfall, Episode 1
  22. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 197

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