Understanding The Elites In Halo
Among enemies that a player can encounter in Halo, the Elites are considered to be one of the most difficult foes that can be faced. The Elites in Halo exist to create, to some degree, an equal and opposite opponent to the player’s character, Master Chief. To give these difficult foes 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’s take a look at this group of aliens and see what makes them add so much to the Halo games.
The Covenant
The Elites of Halo 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 unknown reasons, 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 Elites from Halo are the second highest rank.
Skilled Soldiers
The reason for the high ranking for the Elites in Halo is because they are the leaders of the Covenant’s military might, leading troops into battle while 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 in battle. In game terms, the Elites in Halo provide an equal and opposite force to challenge the player’s own skill and firepower.
Equipment
The Elites in Halo were designed to look like large, bipedal humanoids, and the design of their hands is similar to humans, with five fingers and a thumb. The hand configuration is important, because it allows humans to use weaponry from Elites when it is found. Of course, because you’re killing many members of the Covenant in the Halo games, it’s pretty easy to find these weapons at one point or another.
In The Future
Of course, Elites will figure into the story of the upcoming addition to the Halo series, Halo 3. This game will build off the storyline put forth in Halo 2, one in which the Elites are no longer completely loyal to the Covenant, some even allying themselves with human forces. Whether this will translate to ever being able to control an Elite in Halo 3 much as the player was able to control one, The Arbiter, in Halo 2, is unknown, but the prospect is likely.
