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Subject: Why were Zealots changed?

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Ok, so we all know that, from Halo CE all the way through Halo Wars, Zealots have been very high ranking Elites, with a certain religious importance aside from rank, that wear golden armor. Elites of this rank were then given special titles like Field Master.

Halo Reach changes this. Now the gold-armored Elites that fill the in-game role of semi-boss are known as Generals. "Zealot" is now a name given to Elites that wear maroon armor. As described by Halsey, they often compose strike teams tasked with the retrieval of important religious artifacts. Their actual relevance to standard combat operations is unknown.

The question is, why aren't Zealots gold anymore? Bungie could have easily swapped the names for the armor sets, making the permutation worn by the gold-armored Elites "Zealot," and naming the other variety seen at the end of Winter Contingency "General."

The only problem with this is that Zealots are supposed to have a high religious status, as seen in Halo Reach. You could argue that, if the gold-armored Elites in Reach were given the name of "Zealot," they would have lost their religious significance (one that was never present in the games anyway). In fact, the high ranking Elites in Reach behave exactly as their respective names imply. However, I do not understand why the name "Zealot," was detached from the iconic golden armor. Why not put the Elites of the retrieval team in golden armor, and the boss-like Elites in maroon?

Anyone have any insight on this?

[Edited on 11.23.2010 3:25 PM PST]

  • 11.23.2010 3:21 PM PDT

Whippin' 'nades since aught-2

Show me where in halo 1, 2, 3 or ODST gold elites are refered to as zealots.

  • 11.23.2010 3:55 PM PDT

52,000 kills in Halo 2 and more legendary playthroughs in CE than you can imagine. I am truly a God.
.................................,-;;-=-,_____
,-------------------------.___/-----i````````'\--`\ .
|-------------xvxvxvxvxvxv--o-~~~~~~o--,\======
|_______|_o_./``/--/`;````~----------------~`
....................../_/`` BR-55


Posted by: NecroGrim
Show me where in halo 1, 2, 3 or ODST gold elites are refered to as zealots.


You're kidding right? Halo 2 there is a quote from an Elite about a Gold armoured Zealot landing in a pod.

[Edited on 11.23.2010 4:19 PM PST]

  • 11.23.2010 4:15 PM PDT

52,000 kills in Halo 2 and more legendary playthroughs in CE than you can imagine. I am truly a God.
.................................,-;;-=-,_____
,-------------------------.___/-----i````````'\--`\ .
|-------------xvxvxvxvxvxv--o-~~~~~~o--,\======
|_______|_o_./``/--/`;````~----------------~`
....................../_/`` BR-55

I wish Bungie would have nailed down the Elite Ranks in Reach so there were no grey areas. What happened to the major domo rank?

  • 11.23.2010 4:21 PM PDT

General, Field Marshall, Supreme Commander etc are all Zealot ranks, some are more important then the other but they are all Zealots, so the Zealots weren't really changed (who knows, maybe Army Zealots have a different color?) they just got more sub-classes.

  • 11.23.2010 4:28 PM PDT

Posted by: Elite assassin 1
I wish Bungie would have nailed down the Elite Ranks in Reach so there were no grey areas. What happened to the major domo rank?

It seems that we fighting against the Covenant Army, atleast that would explain Army ranks that some Elites use and different vehicles and weapons. The Elites we fought before could've been some kind of Covie Marines.

[Edited on 11.23.2010 4:31 PM PST]

  • 11.23.2010 4:30 PM PDT

Posted by: Elite assassin 1
I wish Bungie would have nailed down the Elite Ranks in Reach so there were no grey areas. What happened to the major domo rank?


That rank is still there. They now wear the Officer permutation.

  • 11.23.2010 4:32 PM PDT

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Posted by: NecroGrim
Show me where in halo 1, 2, 3 or ODST gold elites are refered to as zealots.


...everywhere.

This is the Halopedia page for Zealots. Scroll past all the Reach info and to the bottom, to the pictures. You will see, very clearly, that prior to Reach Gold Elites were known as Zealots.

OT, I agree OP, it was stupid for them to switch it like that. Zealots are and always should be Gold.

Frankly, I don't like how they gave every Elite a different headdress this time around. I like it better Halo CE/2 style, with just distinguishing colors.

  • 11.23.2010 6:00 PM PDT

<3 Auntie Dot

Posted by: Spartan999
Ok, so we all know that, from Halo CE all the way through Halo Wars, Zealots have been very high ranking Elites, with a certain religious importance aside from rank, that wear golden armor. Elites of this rank were then given special titles like Field Master.

Halo Reach changes this. Now the gold-armored Elites that fill the in-game role of semi-boss are known as Generals. "Zealot" is now a name given to Elites that wear maroon armor. As described by Halsey, they often compose strike teams tasked with the retrieval of important religious artifacts. Their actual relevance to standard combat operations is unknown.

The question is, why aren't Zealots gold anymore? Bungie could have easily swapped the names for the armor sets, making the permutation worn by the gold-armored Elites "Zealot," and naming the other variety seen at the end of Winter Contingency "General."

The only problem with this is that Zealots are supposed to have a high religious status, as seen in Halo Reach. You could argue that, if the gold-armored Elites in Reach were given the name of "Zealot," they would have lost their religious significance (one that was never present in the games anyway). In fact, the high ranking Elites in Reach behave exactly as their respective names imply. However, I do not understand why the name "Zealot," was detached from the iconic golden armor. Why not put the Elites of the retrieval team in golden armor, and the boss-like Elites in maroon?

Anyone have any insight on this?


Campaign-wise, the Zealots that appear through Reach are probably High Ranking Elites, who are chosen to retrieve religious artifacts, and thus, they wear an appropiate religious harness.

Coming to think about, we only get to fight few Zealots in Reach, 2 of em while they searched for info about the ruins at Sword Base, the rest in the very end escorting the only Field Marshall.

This make me thinks that the Zealots with the different Harness and Colours from the ones we knew (and love), are part of an specific branch within the covenant society, tasked only with the retrieval of important religious artifacts or information, capable of leading a full Military Campaign only if needed.

While the Golden colored Zealots we have encountered in previous games are actually Military Commanders, that excel in the arts of wars.


[Edited on 11.23.2010 7:47 PM PST]

  • 11.23.2010 7:45 PM PDT


Posted by: Sergeant Murph
Posted by: NecroGrim
Show me where in halo 1, 2, 3 or ODST gold elites are refered to as zealots.


...everywhere.

blah blah blah Halowikia blah blah blah
That's not halo 1, 2, 3 or ODST.

But the answer is: the word zealot is used only once before Reach. It happens when a gold elite wielding a sword lands on Uprising, which provokes the spec-ops elite to say "A Zealot! So much for a stealthy advance." The rest is conjecture.

  • 11.23.2010 8:20 PM PDT

Oh hey there

Posted by: petarded2
It's a metaphor for the 07s' lack of identity. too old to be newfa­g, yet too new to be oldfa­g, we wander b.net in search of a home, forever trying to be something we are not.

I have an explanation but not really an insight. Reach's story line has just shown how little Bungie cares for the canon of Halo anymore they just want to be done with it and move on to their next project. So why would they care about a minor detail like that.

  • 11.23.2010 8:49 PM PDT

Escalators don't break, they just become stairs.

I don't care that they change its looks because they look EPICLY AWESOME!!!!!!!! Seriosly, insted of plain old regular elite but with gold armor, they are awesome looking with armor and colors coming together like the Silly Rabbit describes Trix. I don't care that they changed, I just care about awesomeness.

  • 11.23.2010 8:52 PM PDT

I'm agent Nahman Jayden, eff-bee-eye.

The Zealots in Halo 1-3 were generals. The only thing that changed in reach was the name.

  • 11.23.2010 9:07 PM PDT

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Posted by: Mutoid Log
The rest is conjecture.
Well, that's kind of like saying that Spartan-117's name being "John" is conjecture, seeing as how it is only ever stated once in the entire series of games.

Despite there only being one statement of the word "zealot" in the games, it should not be confused with anything other than known fact that gold Elites are Zealots.

To you few others, I know most all high ranking Elites are technically Zealots. That's one of the first things I covered in my post. Halo Reach, however, presents a different truth. My point is that now, there is a very clear distinction between Zealots and gold-armored Elites. I see a problem with this. It seems like a minor little detail, with fairly large consequences in the conversational context, that was changed for no discernable reason.

  • 11.23.2010 9:09 PM PDT

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Posted by: A HAM5TER
The Zealots in Halo 1-3 were generals. The only thing that changed in reach was the name.
Source? I don't ever remember hearing of a "General" rank prior to Halo Reach.

  • 11.23.2010 9:10 PM PDT

Escalators don't break, they just become stairs.

I'm pretty sure that in the novel The Cole Protocl, Thel's group of elites are Zealots.And then again later, he describes flicking off pieces of his GOLD armor. I may have just thought this but i'm pretty sure somewhere in that book they say that their armor is gold.

  • 11.23.2010 9:23 PM PDT

<3 Auntie Dot

Posted by: Spartan999
Posted by: Mutoid Log
The rest is conjecture.
Well, that's kind of like saying that Spartan-117's name being "John" is conjecture, seeing as how it is only ever stated once in the entire series of games.

Despite there only being one statement of the word "zealot" in the games, it should not be confused with anything other than known fact that gold Elites are Zealots.

To you few others, I know most all high ranking Elites are technically Zealots. That's one of the first things I covered in my post. Halo Reach, however, presents a different truth. My point is that now, there is a very clear distinction between Zealots and gold-armored Elites. I see a problem with this. It seems like a minor little detail, with fairly large consequences in the conversational context, that was changed for no discernable reason.


As I stated above, the difference between the Gold Zealots and the Maroon ones are their duties. Gold Zealots seems to act like "Brute War Chieftains" in the sense that they fight along their troops and participate mainly in War Campaigns.

The Maroon ones we see in Reach are probably religious Zealots, tasked with the study and retrieval of Forerunner artifacts for the Covenant religion, and although skilled, they do not participate quite often in War Campaigns.

In Halo 1 and 2, which are the only games where Zealots appear (with the exception of Halo Wars, but they only appear on Cutscenes)we don´t get involved in a mission to retrieve some sort of artifact or assault a Covenant Convoy tasked with the study of forerunner whatsoever, hence we never encountered this type of "Religious" Zealots.

[Edited on 11.23.2010 9:33 PM PST]

  • 11.23.2010 9:29 PM PDT

I'm agent Nahman Jayden, eff-bee-eye.


Posted by: Spartan999
Posted by: A HAM5TER
The Zealots in Halo 1-3 were generals. The only thing that changed in reach was the name.
Source? I don't ever remember hearing of a "General" rank prior to Halo Reach.
Common sense is my source. Use it.

  • 11.24.2010 9:55 AM PDT

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Posted by: A HAM5TER
Posted by: Spartan999
Posted by: A HAM5TER
The Zealots in Halo 1-3 were generals. The only thing that changed in reach was the name.
Source? I don't ever remember hearing of a "General" rank prior to Halo Reach.
Common sense is my source. Use it.
Unnecessarily hostile much? You dont get to use your own opinion as a source for discussion. This is not philosophy.

  • 11.24.2010 10:52 AM PDT

I'm going to be brave and be honest. I prefered the campaign when certain elites all wore the same armor but with different colors.

For example, Minors should be blue with normal armor, Majors should be red with normal armor, zealots gold with normal armor. All the others should be the same as in halo reach, c'ept for spec-ops which should be assault from Halo 3.

It's just my opinion though and I still like the campaign and the awsome armor perms.

[Edited on 11.24.2010 12:14 PM PST]

  • 11.24.2010 12:12 PM PDT

I'm agent Nahman Jayden, eff-bee-eye.


Posted by: Spartan999
Posted by: A HAM5TER
Posted by: Spartan999
Posted by: A HAM5TER
The Zealots in Halo 1-3 were generals. The only thing that changed in reach was the name.
Source? I don't ever remember hearing of a "General" rank prior to Halo Reach.
Common sense is my source. Use it.
Unnecessarily hostile much? You dont get to use your own opinion as a source for discussion. This is not philosophy.
Let me simplify. Halo 1-3 Gold aliens. On the front lines and shipmasters. Not used to recover artifacts. Still Following me? Good. Halo Reach Generals (also classified under the Zealot ranks): Gold aliens. On the front lines and shipmasters. Not used to recover artifacts. Common Sense says they are the same.

  • 11.24.2010 12:14 PM PDT

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Posted by: A HAM5TER
(also classified under the Zealot ranks)
This makes no sense to me. Each armor set has a unique name. They are not all in a category listed as "zealot."

You still are not understanding something. You don't support an argument with an assumption that is completely baseless and call it common sense. You have completely sidetracked this thread. I don't care about the title "General." It is irrelevant. I care about the title "Zealot" and the fact that it was always associated with Elites in golden armor.

[Edited on 11.24.2010 1:26 PM PST]

  • 11.24.2010 1:23 PM PDT

Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien.
Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar.
tenn' Ambar-metta!


Posted by: NecroGrim
Show me where in halo 1, 2, 3 or ODST gold elites are refered to as zealots.


In the Novel the Cole Protocole, Thel's group are described as a group of zealots in golden armor.

In Halo The flood, the shipmaster (golden armor) that you kill before rescue Cpt. Keyes is described as a Zealot an elite in golden armor.

There are more examples if you need.

[Edited on 11.24.2010 1:34 PM PST]

  • 11.24.2010 1:33 PM PDT

I am a monument to all your sins

halopedia theorizes that zealots, generals, and field marshels are different classes of zealots

  • 11.24.2010 1:37 PM PDT

Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien.
Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar.
tenn' Ambar-metta!

Maybe the Covenant Rank system was already changing at the time of the fall of Reach and by the time of Halo CE the new rank system and gear was changed.

  • 11.24.2010 1:42 PM PDT

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