What The Arbiter’s Brand Means In Halo Season 2

Spoilers are ahead for Halo season 2, episode 6, “Onyx.”

In Halo season 2, episode 6, “Onyx,” The Arbiter (Viktor Åkerblom) — a.k.a. Var ‘Gatanai, the high-ranking Elite who led the Covenant invasion of Reach — brands himself with a symbol. For long-time fans, said symbol will be immediately recognizable as a reference to Halo 2. However, the Paramount+ show doesn’t offer much of an explanation for the scene, making the brand more of an Easter egg. The sixth installment in the series’ sophomore outing doesn’t heavily feature The Arbiter, but the Covenant-centric sequences do reveal a lot about where Var ‘Gatanai’s story is headed.

Disillusioned with her higher-ups, the Covenant’s “blessed one” Makee (Charlie Murphy) convinces Var ‘Gatanai to go rogue. Instead of following the Prophets’ orders (and being subject to their punishments), Makee suggests they find Halo on their own. Eager to prove himself, Var balks at the idea. The battle in Halo season 1’s ending is The Arbiter’s “great shame,” and he’s hoping to restore his honor by abiding by the Prophets’ will. However, after Cortana (Jen Taylor; Christina Bennington) shows them John’s (Pablo Schreiber) vision of Halo, Var changes his mind, setting the stage for an intense inter-Covenant conflict.

The Arbiter’s Mark Of Shame Brand Appears In Halo Season 2, Episode 6

In the core canon, Thel ‘Vadam takes on the title of Arbiter — a ceremonial, religious, and political rank. However, Halo season 2 confirmed Var ‘Gatanai is The Arbiter in the Silver Timeline’s version of events. Eager to redeem himself by killing Master Chief (Schreiber), who’s referred to as “The Demon” by the Covenant, Var ‘Gatanai comes into conflict with Makee when she stops him from ending John’s life on Reach. Another “blessed one,” John may be an instrumental part of locating the Forerunner’s Halo array, or so Makee claims during one of the Fall of Reach episode’s biggest moments.

In the wake of their conflict, Var considers turning Makee over to the Prophets. As they orbit High Charity, Makee enlists Cortana’s help in convincing Var to work outside the Prophets’ precepts. While Makee attempts to activate one of the two Forerunner keystones, The Arbiter reckons with his life-altering decision. In doing so, Var ‘Gatanai brands himself with the Mark of Shame. This teases that Halo season 2’s Arbiter is another Halo 2 character — one who isn’t replacing Thel ‘Vadam, so much as serving as an influence on his eventual Halo 2 story.

The Mark Of Shame Is A Key Symbol In Halo 2

A once-coveted rank, the meaning of “Arbiter” changed roughly 400 years before the onset of the Human-Covenant War, when the holder of the title renounced the Covenant’s Great Journey. As a result, the title of Arbiter became associated with great shame, and subsequent Arbiters were expected to become martyrs in order to redeem themselves. In the core Halo canon, Thel ‘Vadam is the commander who fails to stop Master Chief’s destruction of Installation-04 in Halo: Combat Evolved, hence why he takes on the mantle of Arbiter in Halo 2.

After his great shame, Thel ‘Vadam takes the Mark of Shame. A brand that’s burned into one’s flesh, the Mark of Shame is bestowed upon those who have been disgraced or turned to heresy. Usually, those who are branded with the Mark of Shame are promptly executed. In the case of Thel, he chooses to take on the mantle of Arbiter; although this saves him the humiliation of a public execution, becoming an Arbiter is its own kind of death sentence. Still, Thel believes that he can redeem himself by serving the Covenant one last time.

The Meaning Of The Mark Of Shame Changes Over Time

By revealing The Arbiter, Halo season 2 massively changes the timeline of events that plays out in the core canon. It’s possible that Var ‘Gatanai isn’t the show’s Thel’ Vadam stand-in, but a replacement for Sesa ‘Refumee. After realizing that the Forerunner Halo array is a universe-sterilizing superweapon, Sesa denounces the Prophets, breaks away from the Covenant, and leads a heretic faction. Thel is then tasked with stopping Sesa before he undermines the Covenant’s Great Journey with his secessionist beliefs. However, as Thel ‘Vadam rebels against the Covenant teachings, the Mark of Shame becomes a symbol of defiance.

After Master Chief kills the Prophet of Regret, the remaining Prophets decide to reorganize the Covenant hierarchy, stripping Elites of their rank due to their inability to protect the assassinated Prophet. These events culminate in a much larger conflict: the Great Schism — a.k.a. the Covenant Civil War. Although the Mark of Shame is meant to be a regrettable brand, it’s a symbol of honor during the Great Schism. In fact, the Elites in Halo 3 even wear the Mark of Shame on their combat harnesses as an ode to Arbiter Thel ‘Vadam and his opposition.

How The Mark Of Shame Teases The Arbiter’s Halo Season 3 Story

In Halo season 2, episode 6’s ending, Makee realizes that she can’t commune with the Forerunner keystone. Makee and Cortana suspect that if John interacts with the other keystone, which is being held by ONI and the UNSC on Onyx, both Forerunner objects will activate once more. Cortana transmits herself to Onyx to help John access the keystone, but the Covenant priest and other loyalists on the Arbiter and Makee’s ship detect the A.I.’s transmission. Ordered to execute Makee for her insolence, Var ‘Gatanai slaughters the Covenant loyalists, choosing to protect the “blessed one.“

Whether Arbiter Var ‘Gatanai is the show’s Sesa ‘Refumee stand-in — one who is primed to lead a heretical faction alongside Makee — or a Thel ‘Vadam replacement who will stand alongside the humans, the Elite has taken a clear stand against the Covenant. Although he may have taken the Mark of Shame to atone for his decision to go rogue with Makee, the brand will likely become a powerful symbol of defiance in the Halo TV series, just as it is in the core canon, which sets up an exciting Halo season 3 story.