Sangheili

The Honorable Sangheili

The **Sangheili**, also called **Elites**, are a race of reptilian humanoids from the series, Halo. They are a very honorable race with a rich warrior culture.

## Physiology

Sangheili are physically imposing beings, typically standing more than a foot taller than the average human. They are vaguely reptilian in overall appearance, with leathery skin, digitigrade legs and sharp claws and teeth. Their large hands have two fingers and two thumbs. Their most distinguishing trait is their jaw structure, which is made up of four separate mandibles attached to their face.

Sangheili are muscular and very tall, usually standing between 2.25 and 2.62 meters (7.38 and 8.6 feet), though they often seem slightly shorter due to their usual hunched position, but the armor they wear makes them appear more hunched than they actually are. Their jaws are quadruple-hinged, with an upper jaw and four lower mandibles arranged in two tiers. Mandible and upper jaw structure along with teeth shape and numbers result from different phenotypes; however they do not indicate reproductive isolation. These mandibles have between six and twelve teeth each and some Sangheili have an additional, larger fang on the tips of each mandible. Anywhere from eight to more than a dozen broader teeth may be mounted on the upper jaw structure. Adult Sangheili mandibles can be found in varying shapes, sizes, and ranges of dexterity, and are as distinctive as a human fingerprint. Some Sangheili also possess molars. Sangheili smell with the use of two nostrils, each slightly in front of and below the eye socket. Given their predatory nature, a Sangheili's sense of smell is likely very developed. Despite the Sangheili jaw structure, they are able to pronounce the letter "M" without difficulty, a fact that human scientists have been unable to explain. They do however have difficulty pronouncing "P." For example: Dr. Evan Phillips, one of the foremost human Sangheili experts, was addressed as and referred to as "Phillisss." Additionally, the Sangheili skull has a density sufficient enough to prevent a .40 caliber bullet from being able to exit the other side upon impact.

Sangheili have a binary circulatory system that pumps indigo-colored blood. They breathe oxygen and their homeworld has a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere comparable to Earth's, allowing them to breathe the same atmosphere as humans. Sangheili cannot breathe molecular nitrogen. Sangheili have a similar digestive system to that of humans. They are shown to have an esophagus and intestines, and are also depicted to have an anus.

Most Sangheili have leathery skin covered in many part by scales. Young Sangheili have pale protective scales hanging from their necks that they lose with age, an evolutionary leftover from the days when Sangheili parents used to carry their offspring in their jaws. Sangheili skin color can range from light brown to dark brown, light gray to black, and blue. They have forward-facing eyes with vertical slits and horizontal eyelids much like those of terrestrial reptiles, likely giving them high-resolution central vision and depth perception. Their eyes can have multiple colors ranging from red all the way to green and can be even gray. Most Sangheili though possess yellow or orange eyes.

Sangheili exhibit minor sexual dimorphism, with the females being slightly smaller than the males. Sangheili males possess a subtle leathery scent, while females have been described as smelling like "clean feathers". Sangheili are oviparous, meaning that they lay eggs rather than giving live birth. They incubate their recently hatched young in tank-like pods. The species is remarkably long-lived; Sangheili over 60 or 70 years of age have shown to be fully fit for combat duty, and Jul 'Mdama was considered young, at least in keep elder terms, at 64 years old, Thel 'Vadam was considered to be one of youngest Sangheili to not only be promoted to Shipmaster but also one of the youngest Sangheili to achieve the title of Supreme Commander between his late 40's to early 50's while by 851 B.C.E., 'Crecka was over 90 years old. Nizat 'Kvarosee was stated to have served in the Covenant for roughly 200 human years. Circa 100,000 BCE Sangheili life expectancy was 27 Earth years. This discrepancy was likely due to their primitive culture at that time having little, if any, function medicine, whereas Sangheili of the 26th century have medicine and medical technology surpassing humanity.

## Pre-Apocalypse

When Halo came out, the Sangheili were part of the Covenant that were wiping out humanity in order to seek out Forerunner technology, which they believed to be gods. Yet things changed when Halo 2 came around when the Covenant decided to have the Jiralhanae (Brutes) takeover their role due to multiple factors. This includes the Prophet of Regret being killed by Spartan-117, the Prophets want more brawn than brains to protect them, and Thel 'Vadam discovered the truth of the Halo rings from 343 Guilty Spark. Not only that, people can play the Sangheili in multiplayer in Halo 2 that created only a small number of Avatars. When Halo 3 came about and at the end of it, many Sangheili ventured out into the psyche multiverse to find something out there along with many Avatars by their side.

Some have taken up jobs as mercenaries as they fight for money and honor. Other started their own settlements to "return to the honorable days of our kind". Which means that they want to return to their honorable ways before the Covenant came with much of their culture being similar to Earth's feudal Japan. Others stay with Vel 'Thadam to rebuild Sangheilos and joined the Swords of Sanghelios. While others are continuing to hunt down the Brutes in the vast multiverse before they can bring disaster to other systems. Although some of the Avatars became cast members of various Halo Machinimas. However, some of the Avatars get infected by a parasitic lifeform that take over all Avatars.

## Post Apocalypse

When the apocalypse came, many Sangheili pirates came through first and started attacking and raiding in certain parts of West Africa before they were killed by the Covenant of Halo 3. The Swords of Sangheili lead the charge against some of the Covenant Remnants when some try to make their way towards Earth when some of the remaining Prophets wanted to change on how the original trilogy should've ended while also dealing with The Banished. But in the end, the Swords of Sangheilios won. However, some of the Sangheili Avatars joined other infected Avatars that attacked certain areas of Earth.

But after the infected was wiped, some of these Avatars committed the Sangheili version of seppuku but ended-up respawning. Many of them venture forth to find redemption for their dishonorable actions with some creating their own nation based on that. A theocratic nation to let you know since the Sangheili are religious. Others, on the other hand, went out to find a place for self-exile while also making a living.