I don't read the comics. So, he was already officially redesigned before this, huh? Why? Why is it necessary to redesign nearly every single thing just because? The only designs from Bungie-era Halo that has been retained for material taking place after Halo 3 are Covenant vehicles and a few Covenant weapons, and I think that's because the same guy who designed them in Reach designed them for Halo 4 as well. Bungie had problems with consistency in design, particularly with the Brutes, but they weren't nearly as bad as 343I. And no "It takes place five years after Halo 3" isn't an excuse. The armor of the Arbiter is as far as we know something that remained unchanged for centuries, being a traditional Sangheili design. That design existed before the Prophets changed the role and status of the rank of Arbiter, and for all we know it predates the formation of the Covenant. That armor was part of Thel Vadam's identity and was arguably the second most iconic thing in the Halo series after the Chief's armor... which was also redesigned for no good reason — and has no plausible explanation — in Halo 4.