Thirteen years, eleven games, two systems, and one genre-defining universe - Halo is officially a juggernaut of the gaming world. The Halo Franchise took the Xbox from "the new kid on the block," to a console titan. Master Chief has become one of the most iconic characters in the gaming universe, standing shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Mario, Sonic, or Pac-Man.
In addition to the game franchise, Halo launched an entire media landscape. There are novels, comics, web series, television shows, and even a scrapped movie ( whose status seems to change every week). These new forms of media brought a rich and deep universe to life, one which is populated by a diverse cast of creatures who come in all shapes and sizes. We hope you enjoy our chart, an index of all the sentient alien species found in Halo!
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Halo: Galactic Index of Alien Species Transcription
Human Variant—Spartan
- Planet of Origin: Earth, Sol System
- Characteristics: Carbon-based oxygen-breathing mammalian life forms from the planet Earth. Humans have pushed past their physical peak by creating Spartans. Originally developed in secret through the kidnapping, training, and genetic augmentation of children, the Spartan Program has developed soldiers of immense potential and physical ability. Even with their significantly increased mass, Spartans are faster and stronger than even Olympic-level humans.
- Physical Description: Height 7ft, Weight 350lbs, Four Limbs, Bipedal
Until the Spartan-IV Program, candidates were acquired through clandestine operations. Candidates are now evaluated and acquired through a volunteer program and have been deployed to operations spanning the galaxy. This once clandestine group of soldiers is now operating under their own branch of the USNC-Spartan Branch.
Elites—Sangheili
- Planet of Origin: Sanghelios, Urs System
- Characteristics: Reptilian with a bi-nary circulatory system, quadruple split mandibles, and tetradactyl digits. Physically, the Sangheili are superior to humans in every way. Their unique facial structure has earned them the nicknames "Split-Lip" and "Squid-Head". The Sangheili are incredibly agile, due to their reversed-limb structure in their legs and redundant muscle structure.
- Physical Description: Height 7ft 4in-8ft 6in, Weight 310-390lbs, Reversed Limbs, Split Mandibles, Reptilian Skin and Features
The Elites have concentrated solely on military endeavors for a millenium—even before joining the covenant. They are some of the most formidable combatants in the galaxy and should be approached with caution. The Elites comprised the majority of the Covenant's military and military leadership since the beginning. Since the end of Human-Covenant conflicts, the Sangheili are to be considered allies of humanity and the UNSC.
Brutes—Jiralhanae
- Planet of Origin: Doisac
- Characteristics: Mammalian, sharing many characteristics with Earth's gorilla and bear, and considered to be pseudo-ursine (bear-like). Their massive muscles give them strength that surpasses Spartans and Elites alike. Brutes are covered with a thick, matted fur with jaws that are capable of snapping bone.
- Physical Description: Height 8ft 6in-9ft 2in, Weight 1,100-1,500lbs, Ape-like Appendages, Four Limbs, Bipedal, Three-Fingered Hands, Massive Bone and Muscle Structure
If the Elites are the lightning, the Brutes are the thunder. These massive, savage warriors are the shock troops of the former covenant. During the final days of the Human-Covenant War, they served as the leading warrior caste—replacing the Elites as protectors of the Covenant's leadership. The Brutes prefer action over wisdom, often solving issues—both internal and external—with force. Since the end of hostilities between Humanity and the Covenant races, the Jiralhanae have reverted to their tribal ways.
Grunts—Unggoy
- Planet of Origin: Balaho
- Characteristics: The Unggoy are a small, bipedal, exoskeleton-bearing race in the former Covenant Empire. Though they have an exoskeleton, they are also vertebrates, making it very difficult to compare them to any Earth-born creatures. The Grunts are the only members of the Covenant Hierarchy who do not breathe oxygen—thus requiring their signature methane masks.
- Physical Description: Height 4ft 6.in-5ft 6in, Weight 248-260lbs, Bipedal, Exoskeleton
The lowest of the low in the Covenant Hierarchy, the Unggoy are the physical labor force of the Covenant. Though not nearly as physically imposing as the Elites or the Brutes, the Grunts are valued for their incredibly high birth rate, as well as their tenacity. The Grunts are weak leaders and soldiers and are renowned for their lack of discipline in battle. Should their Elite or Brute leaders fail, they will almost certainly scatter. Since the end of the hostilities between the Covenant and the UNSC, the Grunts have found themselves as laborers for the Elites or continuing their service as warriors to the Brutes.
The Prophets—San'Shyuum
- Planet of Origin: Janjur Qom
- Characteristics: The San'Shyuum are a frail, bipedal species from the low-gravity world, Janjur Qom. While young Prophets are physically capable, the combination of a lack of physical lifestyle and high-gravity environments led many of the San'Shyuum to become frail and weak. Many of the Prophets who have been recorded by humanity were already very advanced in their age, leading to the misconception that all San'Shyuum are frail, nearly helpless beings.
- Physical Description: Height 7ft 3in, Weight 200lbs, Bipedal, Long Necks, Humanoid Features
The Leadership Caste of the Covenant Empire, the Prophets act as the theocratic heads of state. Their prestige comes from their research and interpretation of the Forerunner Artifacts and installations that were discovered across their empire. Their advanced science and technology are responsible for the rapid advancement of the Covenant Empire, including their initial success against the less-advanced UNSC.
Jackals—Kig-Yar
- Planet of Origin: Eayn
- Characteristics: The Kig-Yar are a bipedal, avian species that served as scouts and snipers in the Covenant military. While not as physically capable as some of the ranking members of the Covenant, the Jackals are blessed with higher than average hearing, sights and smell. Children are born in eggs and have plumage which molts at adulthood into more reptilian scales.
- Physical Description: Height 6ft 3in-6ft 8in, Weight 190-210lbs, Bipedal, Avian/Reptilian Humanoid
Hunters—Lekgolo, Mgalekgolo
- Planet of Origin: Te
- Characteristics: Hunters are not actually single beings; they are walking populations of small worm-like creatures known as Lekgolo. When they take the Hunter form, the Mgalekgolo is the most physically formidable member of the Covenant military. The small, orange eels that make up the Hunters are unintelligent when in small groups, but through the unique process that forms their communal structure, they become intelligent beings.
- Physical Description: Height 12ft 1.2in-12ft 3in, Weight 10,500lbs, Bipedal, Multiple Organisms That Form a Single Being
Engineers—Huragok
- Planet of Origin: Ghibalb
- Characteristics: An artificial life form created to serve the Forerunners, Engineers are actually nanomechanical beings comprised of microscopic machines meant to mimic biological structures. They appear as floating biomasses, with long dark heads and four tentacles that can be split into smaller cilia. The Huragok are also bioluminescent and their heads and tentacles can emit a bright blue glow which can reflect their emotional state.
- Physical Description: Height 9ft, Weight 130lbs, Six Appendages, Bulbous Sections, Several Eyes
The Forerunners created the Huragok as servant-slaves, meant to be mobile centers for repair and enhancement of their super-advanced technology. When the Forerunners passed out of existence, the Engineers were rediscovered by the Covenant and went into tending the vast archive of Forerunner technology recovered by the Covenant. Since the end of hostilities, the Engineers have willingly joined the ranks of the UNSC in order to continue caring for Forerunner tech.
Drones/Buggers—Yanme'e
- Planet of Origin: Palamok
- Characteristics: Physically similar to beetles on Earth. The planet Palamok has nearly twice the gravity of Earth, this attributes to their physical characteristics. Their hard exoskeleton is comprised of a chitinous substance to shield them from falls. Their wings and physicality allow them to jump and glide. They are comprised of five different body portions, as opposed to the three of Earth's normal insects.
- Physical Description: Height 5ft 10in-6ft 9in, Weight 170-240lbs, Bipedal, Exoskeleton, Flight Capable
The Yanme'e generally served the Covenant as an aerial maintenance and labor force. While their morphology allows them limited aerial mobility on their home planet, on Earth and other Covenant worlds, the Buggers are capable of full-on flight—including airborne combat. In later parts of the Human-Covenant war, the Yanme'e were found to be excellent ambush units, conducting surprise hit and run type attacks on UNSC military units.
The Forerunners
- Planet of Origin: Ghibalb
- Characteristics: Forerunners resemble humanity in shape, and can vary in size between six and thirteen feet tall. Over the course of their lives, depending on their vocation, Forerunners undergo a number of artificial mutations. Soldiers are made larger, quicker and stronger while scientists are made with more appendages and enhanced senses. Their original forms were that of a tall, slender humanoid with patches of purple/pink fur around their heads.
- Physical Description: Height 6-13ft, Weight 250-1,200lbs, Four Limbs, Bipedal
The race that gave us the Halo Arrays, the Forerunners were the "children" of the Precursors—and also responsible for their extinction. Records indicate that Forerunners believed they could be better caretakers to the galaxy than their predecessors, and overthrew them. The conflict with the Flood eventually led to the creation of the superweapons known as Halo to the Covenant. The last-known Forerunner, Ur-Diadect, was killed by one Spartan John-117.
The Parasite—The Flood
- Planet of Origin: Unknown, Possibly Extra-Galactic
- Characteristics: Literally living death, the Flood begins as a parasitic life form that spreads via spores. The Flood can only thrive by consuming the biomass of other sentient beings. They come in various forms—the most important of which is The Gravemind. As the Flood are a species of central intelligence, the Gravemind acts as the brain of a group of Flood.
- Physical Description: Varies, Contact With the Flood Can Quickly Cause Infection and Death
Death incarnate and the most dangerous living being in the galaxy, the flood represents the end of life on an extra-galactic scale. Their singular purpose is the consumption and assimilation of all biomass—living or dead. Evidence has arisen that the Flood is actually a mutation of the race of Precursors, developed as a way of surviving and inflicting revenge on the Forerunners.
The Precursors
- Planet of Origin: Unknown—Possibly Extra-Galactic
- Characteristics: The original form of the Precursors is unknown. Given their knowledge and their hyper-advanced technology, it is safe to assume they had the ability to alter their physical appearances, even at will. The only known physical embodiment of the Precursors is the being known as The Primordial. Massive in size, The Primordial has multiple appendages, an insectoid-head, four arms, two legs, and a long segmented tail attached at the base of the skull, which is tipped with a two-meter long barb.
- Physical Description: Unknown
The face that protected the galaxy for hundreds of thousands of years, the Precursors are both the savior and the doom of the galaxy. The brought the Forerunners and Humanity to the peak of technological savvy, only to be struck down by the former. The Precursor-Forerunner war saw the end of their golden age, and the creation of the malevolent force known as the Flood.
Source: www.halopedia.org
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