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First of all, I think that the Arbiter speaks of reclaiming the original ideal of the Covenant. The original idea of the Covenant was that two former enemies would come together and combine their strengths for a greater purpose. Even if this fraternity was founded upon a fable, and even if it became tarnished by greed and distrust, I think it's a wonderful start for the post-2552 world, and I believe that the Arbiter is someone who can build a better future.
: This is the same Covenant that his species, the Sangheili, have ruled over
: for centuries by abusing the skill and labor of those species lower in the
: imperial caste. Thel seemed to want this empire to remain and likely with
: little to better the conditions and interspecies relations of its members.
What makes you think Thel will continue the oppression? He's seen and experienced the sort of abuse that the old system would met out to stay in power, so why wouldn't he seek a more stable union?
There was good in the Covenant once. The Writ of Union was a compact between equals. It assigned roles to each race that played to each one's strengths, while leaving plenty of room in the middle for the species to meet. Take, for example, the design and administration of manufacturing plants. Is it in the Prophet's realm of "Finding the Path" or in the Elite's realm of "Keeping us safe"? Or is it in a third realm, one that could be claimed by Prophets or Elites or any race that joined the Covenant.
Remember, even when the Grunts were the lowest of the low in the Covenant military, they could still serve in special operations groups. And in civilian life, they could enter the clergy or become rich merchants with gem-studded methane harnesses. There is an element of egalitarianism there that could split the caste system wide open in time, particularly since the Covenant is being reforged.
: In the post-war years, with the Sangheili
: ability to maintain, operate, and support large fleets severely diminished
: from its wartime peak, Thel surely couldn't police the vast territories of
: the former Covenant. But if he could, if he could reunite the member races
: of the Covenant, would Thel be any better than the Sangheili and
: San'Shyuum elite that preceded him?
Yes.
: Though who would blame him? Humanity is the
: sole superpower in the Orion Arm. While the Sangheili aren't close to shy
: of possessing carriers and high-end battlecruisers, they couldn't hope to
: match the power projection capabilties of the UNSC on any day.
Are we going to have this discussion again? We're going to have this discussion again.
The UNSC's ability to project power is far behind the Arbiter's. His warships can outpace most Human ships in slipspace, certainly all ships built during the war. We've got one warship that can reach Sanghelios with a pocket fleet. Any one of his warships can reach Earth. Since he has control of the Sangheili core worlds (Catalog confirmed this, I think) he's got ships to spare if we get uppity.
: New
: technologies in humanity's forces is tipping the scale in their favor
: considerably. Per Catalog, we know that Shadow of Intent, a Sangheili
: carrier, destroyed three ONI prowlers that had been tailing it for some
: time, all while the allied Human-Sangheili fleet undertook exercises and
: joint patrols. Thel must be buying time for his people.
Alternatively, shooting down Prowlers is Thel's way of saying "Cut that out right now, while we can still go about this civilly."
: With so many
: conservative, hardline elements on Sanghelios and within Sangheili
: civilization elsewhere, the Arbiter will have one hell of a time
: satisfying the needs of his people in a galaxy dominated by an alien race.
: The Sangheili have for far too long been under the influence, been
: controlled by, and stood in the shadows of another race.
Yeah, for all of a few decades.
I know that it's easy to generalize the actions of a few into the fault of the many, but the Human-Covenant war was started by three individuals. At some point, the majority, maybe even the entirity, of the Prophets were inducted into a conspiracy to split the Covenant apart and replace the Elites with the Brutes. But for the majority of the war, the Elites were exterminating Humans for reasons they embraced.
: I believe a Cold War is brewing underneath the framework of this new
: galactic order and Thel is just one to let it go hot.
Have we ever played the good guy? | Grizzlei | 11/1/14 11:07 pm |
Re: Have we ever played the good guy? | Anton1792 | 11/2/14 1:36 pm |
Re: Have we ever played the good guy? | gamerguy2002 | 11/2/14 1:38 pm |
Re: Have we ever played the good guy? | Jaydee | 11/3/14 2:56 am |
Re: Have we ever played the good guy? | Morhek | 11/3/14 3:48 am |
Re: Have we ever played the good guy? | Quirel | 11/3/14 4:24 am |
Don't you know? A flawless cowboy is always good! | Quirel | 11/3/14 4:11 am |