: Just two centuries ago, it was claimed that non-whites were too stupid to
: hold real jobs or run for office, using BS science about "skull
: shape" or "then why isn't Africa a superpower". The real
: reason is because the oppressed were being denied the same education as
: the privileged, and so said privileged made up such excuses so they
: wouldn't have to do anything about it. Liking cutting a guy's arm off and
: then claiming he was born that way.

: I assume it's the same with the Covenant and their caste system. The Grunts
: seem stupid because they've been rushed through boot camp and treated like
: slaves while the Elites train for years and are given top of the line
: weapons and energy shields. Though in a way, you might not be wrong that
: Skolt is "the Einstein of his kind". To get this far against
: oppression to the point that the Elites revere him, he must have been very
: hyper-competent to succeed with all the odds against him. The guy wrestled
: a Spartan; that ain't ordinary.

The Unggoy shouldn't be underestimated one bit. Less than a century before the Human-Covenant War they striked out against their aggressive peers, the Kig-Yar, and their Sangheili masters as well. I'm sure the Covenant weren't ones at the time to result to entire glassings of member colonies without incredible amounts of widespread, coordinated violence. That leadership had to have come from somewhere or else the Sangheili would have had little trouble quelling this insurrection with conventional means.

Most of this contempt for the Unggoy's fighting ability comes from their portrayal in the games. They're largely portrayed as cowards who flee the second Sangheili officers turn their back or get shot down. If Star Wars Battlefront is any indication, lowly soldiers generally will run the fuck away from Darth Vader. Spartans are no different.