Halo’s Banished Spartans Explained

Halo's Banished Spartans Explained

As a veteran gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I can confidently say that the Halo franchise has been a constant source of excitement and anticipation for me. The rich lore and captivating setting are what keep me coming back for more, even after countless hours spent on multiplayer battles and story campaigns.


The Halo series has thrived due to the significant advancements it made in both technology and gameplay within the gaming industry, but its long-lasting popularity can also be credited to the intriguing universe and backstory woven into its stories. While the core games showcase a portion of this, the entire Halo intellectual property is rich with additional details that could prove valuable for future projects.

In the latest installment of the Halo series, titled Halo Infinite, there are significant shifts in the storyline that affect the primary adversaries, as a new group called the Banished is stepping into the spotlight and becoming crucial characters. Previously, groups like the Covenant and Prometheans held this position in the Halo universe. As the narrative evolves, it appears that the Banished will replace these factions. Additionally, recent developments in the franchise’s backstory introduce an intriguing idea: human Spartan super-soldiers are defecting to join the ranks of the Banished.

Banished Spartans Take Halo Infinite’s Major Antagonist Group a Step Further

2021’s Halo Infinite marked the first appearance of The Banished within the primary storyline of the Halo series. This formidable group was hinted at in 2017’s Halo Wars 2. Halo Infinite was a game that pushed boundaries, particularly with its move towards open-world exploration and a shift away from the Covenant as the dominant antagonist within the franchise.

After the occurrences in Halo 3, culminating in the defeat of the Covenant, the series has been gradually focusing on other significant adversarial factions. Notably, Halo 4 introduced a new enemy species called the Prometheans, who trace their origins to conflicts predating the human-Covenant war by approximately 100,000 years. However, the Banished are a more contemporary faction that is directly connected to the Covenant itself, emerging as a distinct group.

The Banished is a band of mercenaries who split from the deteriorating era of the Covenant Empire, predominantly comprised and governed by Brute warriors, or Jiralhanae. In the game Halo Infinite, the Banished are headed by an imposing figure named Atriox, with this group emerging due to the escalating defeats the Covenant suffered during a period of significant injury and indignity to the Brutes under Covenant leadership.

Halo’s Banished Spartans May Pose a Serious Threat Going Forward

The Banished, once loyal to different factions, incorporate a diverse assortment of Covenant gear, vehicles, and Forerunner tech. Various alien species from the Covenant can be found among their ranks. In contrast to the Covenant, the Banished disregard interspecies power struggles and disputes, welcoming beings of all kinds if they obey Atriox’s authority. This unique aspect allows even humans to join the Banished, an opportunity that was unattainable under Covenant leadership, giving the Banished a significant edge over their former comrades.

In more straightforward language: The latest Halo Chronicles reveal that Ilsa Zane, an initial Spartan-IV, was drawn into the Banished forces. It’s been disclosed that a planet called Venezia started a program to turn innocent children into Spartan super-soldiers through genetic manipulation and power armor technology. This new generation of deadly soldiers was then sold to the highest bidders, with the ruthless mercenary group, the Banished, being one of the main buyers. This could potentially mean a significant role for Banished Spartan soldiers in future Halo series narratives.

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2024-10-16 14:35