Halo Elites

The Elites are considered to be one of the most difficult enemies a player will face whilst playing Halo.  The Elites exist to create, to some degree, an equal and opposite opponent to the player’s character, Master Chief.  To give these difficult enemies depth and to add to the fun of the game, the background and design of the Elites in Halo have been carefully thought out.  Let us take a look at this group of aliens and see what makes them bring so much to the Halo games.

The Covenant

The Halo Elites are one race in a multitude of others that exist as part of the Covenant, a theocratic society that worships an ancient, technologically advanced civilization as gods.  For reasons that are unknown, the Covenant has declared a religious war on the humans and is attempting to eliminate them entirely, which is why there is such animosity between the humans and the Elites in the Halo games.  Within the Covenant, which has a caste system, the Halo Elites are the second highest rank.

Skilled Soldiers

The reason for the high ranking of the Elites in Halo is because they are the leaders of the Covenant’s military might, leading troops into battle whilst existing as formidable opponents themselves.  In this regard, they are much like the spartan super-soldiers such as Master Chief, with superior physical ability, tactical ability and general prowess during battle.  In game terms, the Elites in Halo provide an equal and opposite force to challenge the gamer’s own skill and firepower.

Equipment

The Halo Elites were designed to look like large, bipedal humanoids, and the design of their hands is similar to humans, they have five fingers and a thumb.  The hand configuration is important because it lets humans use weaponry from the Elites when it is found.  Of course, because you are killing various members of the Covenant in the Halo games, it is fairly easy to find these weapons at one point or another.

The Future

Of course, the Elites will figure into the story of the most recent addition to the Halo series, Halo 3.  Halo 3 builds off the storyline put forth in Halo 2 in which the Elites are no longer completely loyal to the Covenant, some even allying themselves with human forces.  Halo 3 may see the gamer being able to control an Elite, much as the player was able to control one, The Arbiter, in Halo 2.