Halo Infinite will see one group of alien antagonists return from their last appearance in 2018’s Halo Wars 2. The Banished are a faction of mercenaries formed primarily from former Covenant fighters. Born from the events of the original trilogy’s main conflict, the Banished have united under a new philosophy that opposes the Covenant's religious and racial hierarchy.
Not only do the members of the Banished have significant differences from the Covenant they were once a part of, but the faction has also undergone several key changes over the course of its development. Here’s everything known about the Banished's role in the Halo universe so far, and what the faction's appearance might mean for Halo Infinite.
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The Banished faction was born out of inter-species tensions within the Covenant during the Human-Covenant War. Several Jiralhanae, known as Brutes by humans, grew tired of being placed on the front lines by their Sangheili officers, known as Elites. During the war, it was typical for groups of around forty Brutes to clear the way for future attackers, but this usually led to the Brutes sacrificing themselves for the Covenant cause the most despite being the most recent species to join.
The Banished were founded by a Brute named Atriox. Over the course of the war, Atriox became one of few Brutes to survive multiple first-wave attacks. As a result, he became something of a reluctant legend among his people. Increasingly disillusioned with the Covenant and their war against humanity, Atriox vented his frustration at the Covenant to a human marine before killing him. However, when he turned around, Atriox found himself confronted by another Brute who accused him of blasphemy against the Covenant.
In the ensuing fight, Atriox killed his accuser, an act for which he was sentenced to death. However, Atriox overpowered his Elite executioner at the last moment, inspiring a group of other Brutes who were present at his execution to rise up and overthrow their officers. This group of Brutes included one know as Decimus, who would come to be known as the co-founder of the Banished.
At first, the Banished mostly led pirate raids against the Covenant. The faction's opportunism paid off, allowing the Banished to take control of even more of the Covenant’s resources after the Great Schism. During this, a group of Brutes led by one named Tartarus began taking revenge against the Elites, leading many Elites to retaliate against the Brutes. Thanks to the Great Schism, the Banished gained many more recruits, even opening its ranks to human criminals willing to stand the group's harsh conditions. Despite their similar origins, the Banished also profited from being seen as distinct from Tartarus and his forces, allowing them to bring factions like the Elite squad “the Silent Shadow” into their fold.
Once the Banished had grown, it began branching out even further. Atriox sent members to Brute colonies and into human criminal organizations to make connections. The Banished were also able to take over the Covenant assault carrier Enduring Conviction, turning it into the mercenary group’s flagship for Halo Wars 2. Inter-species tensions between Halo's alien races still arose during the Banished’s expansion, however, with Brute Chieftain Jovus dying during an attempted attack on Atriox for allowing Elites to join his organization. Despite rejecting the Covenant's species hierarchy, Brutes dominated the Banished while other species were relegated to lower positions.
About six years after the end of the Human-Covenant War, the Banished came into conflict with the UNSC Spirit of Fire while attempting to capture the Ark, the Forerunner installation that the Halo Array superweapon could be activated from. The battle was a disaster. The Banished’s flagship was destroyed in the conflict, Decimus was killed, and the attempt by the Banished to capture a Halo ring failed. To make matters worse, just a few months later, the Banished would accidentally release the Flood surviving in the wreckage of the High Charity, the former space-faring capital of the Covenant. Fortunately, the Banished forces were able to overcome the Flood, but not without taking further casualties.
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Since then the Banished have been on the rise once more. One Halo Infinite teaser released on twitter contained a message from the Banished. “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.”
By the time of Halo Infinite, however, it is not Atriox leading the Banished’s main forces. The speaker in the teaser is War Chief Escharum, and his lines seem to imply that Atriox is missing or out of action by the time of Halo Infinite. The message also suggests that the Banished have finally gained control of a Halo ring, which Atriox originally failed to do. While Atriox was willing to let humans join the Banished, the War Chief seems bent on wiping them out after the recent defeats the group has suffered.
It seems strange that 343 would leave Atriox out of Halo Infinite, however. It seems likely that Atriox will return at some point, possibly with dire consequences for Escharum. After all, when talking about the hatred between the Brutes and Elites, Atriox has said that “vengeance has no reward," and he may feel similarly about the UNSC. Atriox is also a pragmatist, though, and may approve of the destruction of humanity if it continues to be the main threat to the Banished.
In his absence, the intense sway that Atriox’s legacy has over the Banished already appears to be being used by War Chief Escharum to keep the faction under control. With Master Chief back in action, it’s unlikely the Banished will succeed at wiping out humanity, but the future of the faction, its leadership, and the fate of the former Covenant species all remain to be revealed in Halo Infinite.
Halo Infinite is set to release in 2021 for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.