Halo: Infinite, the next title in 343 Industries' long-running sci-fi series, is coming soon, and new details have come to light following the Xbox Series X event. One of these, a recent video of an in-universe audio transmission, confirms that Halo: Infinite's primary antagonists will be The Banished.
The Banished are a mercenary organization and splinter faction that broke off from the Covenant Empire during the Human-Covenant War. They were one of the playable factions in the real-time strategy title Halo Wars 2, where they faced off with the UNSC over an ancient alien structure. With a looser command structure than the Covenant, the Banished fight for themselves and reject their former masters.
A threat to humanity
The minute-long clip teasing the Banished's involvement in Halo: Infinite was posted on the official Halo YouTube channel. In it, an alien voice growls "The hour approaches. Forces occupy the Ring. Within hours, it will be under our control. Humanity will burn. Their brazen defiance will be all but a memory. No more prophets, no more lies, We stand together, brothers to the end. We are his will, we are his legacy, we are The Banished."
If the message is accurate, then this won't be the first time that The Banished have gone after a Halo Ring. It was also their objective in Halo Wars 2, and they almost succeeded under the strategic guidance of their charismatic leader, Atriox. It seems, however, that Atriox may not be actively involved in Halo: Infinite, and The Banished in the game will be operating under a different Jiralhanae, known as War Chief Escharum, based on today's gameplay.
Brothers in Rebellion
The history of The Banished begins during the Human-Covenant War, with Atriox, Decimus, and several other rebellious Jiralhanae. Tired of their people being used up as cannon-fodder on the front ranks of the Covenant's army, they broke off and formed their own faction. Initially acting as mere pirates, it wasn't long until Atriox's tactical genius saw The Banished swell into a formidable force.
This growing strength was further boosted by the collapse of the Covenant empire during the Great Schism. The Banished managed to salvage a huge amount of the empire's former assets, as well as recruiting heavily from both former Covenant soldiers and human criminals. Atriox's personal charisma managed to win over many of his people's former enemies, and he even declared that he had no particular animosity toward humanity. It's unknown whether this has changed in the intervening years, or whether Escharum will be operating without Atriox's approval.
A Diverse Force
As a ragtag collection of former Covenant and criminals, The Banished represent a wide selection of different species. Despite their breakaway being caused by the Sangheili domination of the Covenant forces, The Banished use a similarly race-divided command structure. In their case, the Jiralhanae are at the top, holding almost all the high-command ranks.
Sangheili and Unggoy forces within The Banished are mostly relegated to lower positions, with the latter even being used as cannon-fodder in the same manner that the Jiralhanae were within the Covenant army. Finally, the rarer races within Atriox's army often fit into specialist roles. Huragok are first and foremost engineers, while the Kig-yar and Humans mostly fight as raiders. There are even a pair of Mgalekgolo bond-brothers within the command structure, though they only defer to Atriox.
Arms and Armor
As a break-away faction of the Covenant, the Banished carry many of the same weapons. These include the Type-1 Energy Sword, the Type-2 Gravity Hammer, the Type-25 Spiker, and the Type-25 Brute Plasma Rifle. These weapons are highly distinctive, and the Banished often mark them with their own insignia.
This also applies to The Banished's armor, which is often painted crimson and is different for each race. Jiralhanae often get to use power armor, while Sangheilli and Unggoy make do with combat harnesses. As further evidence of the racial divide, Sangheilli troops often lack energy shielding, unlike their Covenant counterparts. Finally, the Banished employ specialist Jiralhanae soldiers equipped with Jump-Pack technology for rapid vertical movement and swift attacks.
On the Ground and in the Void
While the Banished are less mechanized than the Covenant, they still field a wide variety of adapted Covenant vehicles. These include the Blisterback missile-tank, the Shroud aerial stealth vehicle, the Reaver anti-aircraft platform, and the Marauder battle-tank. Just like with their weapons, the Banished have imposed their own aesthetic on these formerly Covenant vehicles.
During the events of Halo Wars 2, the Banished lost a significant portion of their space-borne strength. The game ended with the Banished flagship Enduring Conviction being dramatically bisected, which was likely one of their most powerful vessels. With no other CAS-class assault carriers to call on, the Banished rely on smaller vessels. From the canon, they possess at least five CCS-class battle-cruisers, as well as the SDV-class heavy corvette Elegy's Lament.
Halo Infinite releases this holiday season for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.