Sacred Icon & Elites: Story Speculation

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One of the more interesting moments from Halo 2 for me is towards the end of the level, Sacred Icon, when you emerge from the barrier and see the Library in its full for the first time. It took me years to finally notice the 3 sentinel factories floating in the sky, one being shot down by distant Wraith mortars. Shortly after, companion elites drop in around the battlescape before you.

I find it interesting that when you reunite with the Ship Master, his first response to you is “Arbiter! What are you doing here?” This is pertinent to the idea that the elites are unaware of the context at which they are being used. This was supposed to be the Arbiter’s mission.

Recalling back to the words of the Prophet of Mercy,

“The tasks you must undertake as the Arbiter are perilous, suicidal!”

Is it too speculative to assume these elites were also deployed as a scheme to expel them from the Covenant?
I suppose one could argue that Covenant forces merely thought the Arbiter had perished within the walls, but Shipmaster’s line proposes some questions.

Thoughts?

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I haven’t played that mission in a long time, but I don’t think the game tells us why the Elites were sent down there. I don’t think it was to get the Sacred Icon because, as you say, that was the Arbiter’s mission, and Rtas only knew of it after the Arbiter told them.

I think you could be right. What better way to get rid of the Elites? Humans vs. Sentinels vs. Covenant vs. Flood.

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Agreed.
We see R’Tas and his Elites meeting with the Prophets earlier. Perhaps Truth decided that they posed a threat to his takeover, and sent them to the Library know they would likely die?

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