Halo’s Arbiter Revealed In Season 2, Potentially Changing The Story Massively

Spoilers are ahead for Halo season 2, episode 5, “Aleria.”

Halo officially confirmed the identity of the show’s Arbiter in season 2, episode 5, “Aleria” — and it’s drastically different from the core canon of the Halo games and books. As it made clear in its first outing, the Paramount+ series takes place in the alternative Silver Timeline — one that’s separate from Halo‘s existing canon. In its sophomore outing, the show is more adept at balancing its original ideas with the influence of preexisting lore, but its alterations remain difficult to predict. Episode 3, for example, had viewers wondering who the Covenant’s Var ‘Gatanai is in the larger story.

While the Covenant-raised human and “blessed one” Makee (Charlie Murphy) infiltrates UNSC strongholds in order to find the missing Forerunner Keystones, she’s accompanied by Var ‘Gatanai (Viktor Åkerblom), a battle-hardened Elite. Later, Corporal Talia Perez (Cristina Rodlo) translates a Sangheili transmission from Sanctuary: the same Elite declares himself Var ‘Gatanai — “Death.“ Sure enough, the recording leads into the Covenant’s brutal invasion of Reach. One of the biggest moments in Halo season 2’s Fall of Reach centers on a short-lived fight between Var ‘Gatanai and Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber), cementing the Elite as a key character.

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The Arbiter Is A Ceremonial Title In Halo Lore

In Halo lore, the title of Arbiter is a ceremonial, religious, and political rank. While that’s the core canon’s definition of the term, it seems to hold true for the Paramount+ series’ Silver Timeline as well. One who is given the title is subsequently referred to as “The Arbiter.” First introduced as a position within the Covenant power structure in Halo 2, the rank of Arbiter is bestowed upon an Elite warrior called Thel ‘Vadam. Originally, past Arbiters quelled rebellious Grunts and tamed Hunters. The High Prophet of Mercy maintains that without Arbiters, the Covenant would have broken apart.

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However, the once-coveted title’s meaning changed roughly 400 years before the onset of the Human-Covenant War when an Arbiter admitted that he didn’t believe in the Covenant’s Great Journey. After this Arbiter was killed, the title became associated with great shame. As a result, subsequent Arbiters were sent on missions that they were expected to die during, thus redeeming themselves by becoming martyrs for the Great Journey. That said, Thel ‘Vadam sees the brand as an opportunity to atone for his past failures. In the Halo TV show, the term’s Silver Timeline history hasn’t been made clear yet.

Halo Season 2, Episode 5 Confirms Var ‘Gatanai Is The Show’s Arbiter

Halo season 2, episode 5, “Aleria,” deals directly with the fallout of the invasion of Reach. While the human survivors evacuate to Aleria, Onyx, and elsewhere, Makee and Var ‘Gatanai regroup on their ship. So far, it’s not entirely clear why the Covenant want Cortana, but the acquisition of the A.I. construct causes some friction between Makee and the Elite. “You honor our people with this great victory,” Makee tells Var ‘Gatanai as the Covenant glass the planet of Reach behind them. However, the Elite isn’t satisfied: the pair only managed to find one of the two Forerunner Keystones.

For Var ‘Gatanai, attaining the Keystones was a crucial mission — one that would help pave the way for the Covenant’s Great Journey. Not to mention, the Elite is frustrated that Makee stopped him from killing Master Chief, a.k.a. “the demon.” While Makee assures Var ‘Gatanai that they can’t rush the steps needed to complete the Great Journey, the Elite seems to have more at stake. During this conversation, it’s revealed that Var ‘Gatanai is the show’s Arbiter, presumably because he failed during Halo season 1’s ending battle. What occurred in “Transcendence” is likely the Arbiter’s great shame.

What Halo Season 2’s Arbiter Reveal Means For Thel ‘Vadam

In the wake of Halo: Combat Evolved and Master Chief’s destruction of Installation 04, Thel ‘Vadam pays the price. Since he was in command during the loss of the holy relic, Thel is stripped of his rank and sentenced to death. While failing to protect the Sacred Ring is deemed an unforgivable failure, the High Prophets of Truth and Mercy offer him an alternative to being killed and “paraded through the city” as an example. Thel ‘Vadam can accept the title of Arbiter; although it’s a death sentence, the opportunity may help him regain his honor.

After learning the truth about the Forerunners’ Halo array — as a means of stopping the Flood, it was built to destroy all sentient life in the galaxy if activated — the Arbiter’s faith is shaken. Disillusioned with the Covenant’s higher-ups and the Great Journey itself, the Arbiter defects, setting the stage for an alliance between him and the humans. While Var ‘Gatanai is the Halo show’s current Arbiter, the rank could be bestowed upon another Elite in the future. On the other hand, the Silver Timeline might be replacing Thel with Var altogether to streamline things.

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The Arbiter & Makee Are Poised For Conflict Over The Halo Array

When the Arbiter learns that the Prophets’ plan to activate the Halo array would doom all sentient life in the universe, he takes a stand against his own kind. Since Halo season 3 seems primed to introduce the Flood, it would make sense to follow the journey of a single Arbiter: Var Gatanai may start off as a devoted soldier and, like Thel, become disillusioned by the truth. The Halo show is already setting up a conflict between the Arbiter and Makee. That tension will only become more pronounced when the duo reach one of the Sacred Rings.

The Arbiter continually questions the authority of the “blessed one,” while Makee relies on some clever Cortana trickery to convince the Arbiter of their new mission. For now, both characters seem devoted to the Covenant and the Great Journey, though it’s clear Makee has misgivings about branding humans like John as “demons.” Still, if the Halo TV series plans to reinvent its central Arbiter story, it may as well create its own variation on the Flood and Great Schism stories in future seasons.