Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Halo season 2, episode 3
Halo season 2 introduces a brand-new Covenant villain to the Silver Timeline, though he may hold a familiar title to fans of the original games and books. As seen in Halo season 2, episode 3, Master Chief John-117 continues searching for proof that the alien alliance known as the Covenant has already infiltrated the UNSC’s stronghold planet of Reach. To that end, the Master Chief hears a harrowing recording from a dangerous new foe who will very likely become a new nemesis.
Despite his best efforts to convince his superiors such as ONI’s James Ackerson who took over the Spartan Program following Doctor Catherine’s Halsey’s arrest at the end of Halo season 1, John-117 has very few allies left in his desperation to prove what he saw on the colony world of Sanctuary and evidence that the Covenant is planning a major offensive. However, the truth will undoubtedly come to the surface, especially after John-117 listens to a recording from one of the Covenant’s Sangheili Elites named Var ‘Gatanai, a new foe who may very well be the Halo series’ first Arbiter.
When Halo Season 2’s Finale Is & How Many Episodes Are Left
Halo season 2 is now streaming on Paramount+, so here’s how many episodes are left and when the finale is set to release.
Var ‘Gatanai Is Leading The Attack On Reach In Halo Season 2
A Brand-New Sangheili Leader For The Halo Franchise
As seen at the very end of Halo season 2, episode 3, John-117 meets with Corporal Perez, a UNSC communication specialist and the only other person who saw the Covenant’s Elites (as well as Makee) on Sanctuary. To that end, Perez reveals she discovered a secret message underneath the interference from Sanctuary’s relay station, a dark and foreboding prayer from a Sangheili Elite named Var ‘Gatanai:
This message from Sancturary supports John-117’s belief that the Covenant were merely practicing, preparing for a much larger offensive on Reach which seems to have already begun. To that end, Var ‘Gatanai himself looks to be leading the offensive on this core colony world, commanding the Covenant fleet and ground forces while also marking John-117 as the ultimate sacrifice in the holy crusade to claim the Halo rings. However, it’s worth noting that Var is not an existing character from the original Halo games or books. Instead, he’s a brand-new Covenant villain for the Halo show.
Is Var ‘Gatanai Replacing Thel ‘Vadam In The Halo TV Show?
A New Covenant Arbiter For The Fall of Reach
In the timeline of the original Halo games and books, Thel ‘Vadam was the Elite Sangheili who commanded the Covenant forces during the Fall of Reach, becoming responsible for over a billion human deaths during the Human-Covenant War. However, he’d eventually fail in his duty to protect the first of the discovered Halo rings known as Installation 04 as seen in the first Halo game. This led to his punishment and evolution as “The Arbiter”, a shamed warrior of the Sangheili chosen by the Covenant’s Prophets for the most dangerous suicide missions as a means of regaining honor.
That said, major disunity between factions of the Covenant known as the Great Schism would lead to Thel’ Vadam and many of his fellow Elites joining forces with humanity as seen in Halo 2 and beyond once the Prophets betrayed the Sangheili in favor of the Jiralhanae (also known as Brutes). However, it seems as though Var’ Gatanai is perhaps a preexisting Arbiter who’s now commanding Covenant forces on Reach, the implication being that Thel ‘Vadam’s Arbiter has perhaps been replaced in the Halo show.
Halo Season 2 Is Already Teasing A Major Event That Happens In Halo 5: Guardians
A small reference made in the second episode of Paramount’s Halo season 2 is already teasing a major event in the Halo 5: Guardians video game.
Var ‘Gatanai’s Creation Falls In Line With Halo’s Silver Timeline
A New Villain For A New Timeline
The Halo show’s “Sliver Timeline” is one that stands apart from the games and books, allowing the show to create its own continuity with deviations as it provides its own take on the Human-Covenant War. While there are several core beats that remain unchanged, there are new elements and characters such as the woman Makee, a Blessed One raised by the Covenant who also wishes for humanity’s downfall.
A new character such as the newly introduced Var ‘Gatanai makes sense as the Halo show works to establish its own version of Reach’s demise. That said, this doesn’t necessarily mean that Thel ‘Vadam has been fully replaced either. After all, Vadam could still be tasked with the protection of the first ring in a potential Halo season 3 and could still become the Covenant’s Arbiter going forward.
Halo
A live-action adaptation of the video game franchise of the same name, Halo follows Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 (Pablo Schrieber) as he fights his part in a war between humanity’s United Nations Space Command (UNSC) and the Covenant, an alliance of multiple hostile races of aliens intent on destroying the human race. The Master Chief is supported by Cortana (Jen Taylor) – an AI construct based on the personality of Dr. Catherine Halsey, who created the Spartan supersoldier program – implanted in his brain.
- Release Date
- March 24, 2022
- Cast
- Jen Taylor , Bokeem Woodbine , Charlie Murphy , Shabana Azmi , Kate Kennedy , Natascha McElhone , Yerin Ha , Bentley Kalu , Pablo Schreiber , Danny Sapani , Olive Gray , Natasha Culzac
- Seasons
- 2
- Creator(s)
- Kyle Killen , Steven Kane
- Writers
- Kyle Killen , Silka Luisa , Richard Robbins , Steven Kane , Justine Juel Gillmer
- Franchise(s)
- Halo
- Directors
- Otto Bathurst , Jonathan Liebesman , Roel Reiné , Dennie Gordon , Debs Paterson , Craig Zisk , Jessica Lowrey
- Showrunner
- Kyle Killen
- Where To Watch
- Paramount+
