Paramount+ has released a new trailer for Halo, featuring first looks at several members of the alien forces known as the Covenant, the mortal enemies of humanity. Coming from executive producer Steven Spielberg, Halo will serve as the long-awaited television adaptation of the beloved Halo games and novels. Existing in its own continuity, Paramount’s Halo will largely be a new adventure while still featuring Master Chief John-117 as he defends humanity from the Covenant alongside his AI companion Cortana.
A coalition of alien races religiously united in their worship of the ancient Forerunners and their creation of the Halo rings, the Covenant desires to exterminate humanity due to their existence as the true inheritors of the Forerunners legacy. As such, the Covenant military and the United Nations Space Command have been in a bitter war as mankind seeks to colonize the stars, a war which the UNSC hopes Master Chief can help them win, being a creation of the Spartan super-soldier program in the Halo games.
While not every race belonging to the Covenant is seen in the new Halo trailer, a good handful are featured battling the UNSC, proving that the war will have long been underway before the series’ first episode. There are also some iconic Covenant spacecraft and weapons such as energy swords seen as well. Here’s every alien species featured in the new trailer, including what may be something new entirely.
Elites
The first alien race Master Chief is seen battling in the new Halo trailer is the Sangheili, more commonly referred to by the UNSC as Elites. One of the more dangerous Covenant races, the Elites often serve as commanders and generals, enjoying an elevated position in the Covenant’s hierarchy. As seen in the trailer while two Elites duel with Master Chief, they often wield lethal energy swords and are much taller than the average human. While they would eventually be ousted by the Covenant leadership in the Halo games (with some even allying themselves with the UNSC) it seems they’ll be dangerously dedicated members of the Covenant at the start of the new series.
Jackals
The Halo trailer also features the Kig-Yar, also known as Jackals. Jackals are the scouts and snipers of the Covenant military, armed with energy shields to keep their smaller bodies protected in battle. Jackals are the second-lowest species on the hierarchy, being just above Grunts. While the Grunts aren’t seen in the trailer, it’s more than likely they’ll be featured in the series proper seeing as how they’re the largest group who largely serve as the Covenant’s cannon fodder.
Prophets of High Charity
Known as the Prophets of Truth, Regret, and Mercy, the San’Shyuum are the “Exalted Holy Ones”, acting as the religious leaders of the Covenant who study the Halo rings and Forerunner artifacts (one of which is found by Master Chief in the trailer). Knowing from their studies that humanity is foretold to be the true “reclaimers” of the Forerunners legacy and the Halo rings, the Prophets have launched the Covenant’s holy war against mankind in their attempts to hide the truth and claim all Forerunner technology for themselves. More often than not, the Prophets operate out of the Covenant’s planetoid station and capital city known as High Charity.
Lekgolo
Certainly one of the more surprising dangers, the Halo trailer features a humanoid female leading what look to be Lekgolo worms constricting several UNSC officers. While the Lekgolo are typically seen assembled together in the games as massive Hunters for the Covenant, they can also operate independently from one another as seen here. However, the female among the Lekgolo apparently wants humans to surrender to the Covenant, suggesting an affiliation with the united alien forces and providing some intriguing mystery as to why. In any case, Master Chief and the UNSC have all sorts of threats to be wary of in the new Halo series, not to mention the Covenant races not seen in the trailer such as Grunts, Brutes, or the Lekgolo in their usual Hunter form.
Halo begins streaming March 24th on Paramount+.
