The Great Schism: Collapse of the Covenant

Community Halo Universe
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[The Great Schism: Collapse of the Covenant

Possibly the most intricate and detailed side story of the Halo Universe is the presence and eventual collapse of the Covenant. This religious, cultural hegemony plays a key role as the protagonist in every released Halo game to date. However, most fans of the lure usually brush over this side-show opponent and take interest in other factions of the universe, such as the Precursors, the Flood, the Forerunners, and Humanity. It is common knowledge that the Covenant suffered internal strife before it’s eventual collapse in 2552, but most people do not bother with the complexities behind the reasoning of this disintegration. The Halo mythos presents quite a few possibilities.

I do not believe it is news to anyone here that the Covenant’s client species are drawn together by their reverence of the Forerunners, and the possibility of achieving god-tier status through some form of transcendence. However, even the knowledge of precisely how to achieve this transcendence has been altered countless times in almost all media of which it is a topic. This odd and usually unnoticed continuity error stems from one species, the founders of the Covenant, the San 'Shyuum.

The San 'Shyuum are a mysterious species of the Covenant. They intentionally limit the knowledge of the Forerunners to their servant species in order to keep their Empire in tact. The hidden knowledge they posses spawned a path of lies that they simply could no longer continue paving. This all began with the Great Journey.
The San 'Shyuum truly have no idea how the Forerunners achieved their transcendence.

“How exactly had the Forerunners accompished their transcendence? And how might mere mortals do the same?”
-Halo: Contact Harvest page 149

They originally told their loyal billions that the Forerunners both defeated the Flood and achieved godhood by activating their weapon known as the Halo Array.

“As Dadab understood the relevant Holy Scriptures, The Flood had perished in a final, cataclysmic event. The Forerunners activated their ultimate weapon: seven mythical ring artifacts known collectively as Halo. The Prophets preached that Halo not only destroyed The Flood, but somehow also initiated the Forerunners’ Great Journey.”
-Halo: Contact Harvest page 189

However, as the San 'Shyuum began to doubt the existence of the Halos, they took a different approach.

Recently, the Prophets had begun downplaying the myth, promoting a more measured approach to divination that encouraged the gradual accumulation of lesser relics.
-Halo: Contact Harvest page 189

But soon after the discovery of Installation 04 and Installation 05, the idea that the Halos were the key to the Journey resurfaced.

“The Forerunners, our most exalted lords, used the seven sacred rings to flee a doomed existence, to escape their endless struggle against the Flood. Long ago, the Prophets and Elites fought an equally fruitless war. Indeed, I suspect we would still be at each other’s throats had the Prophets not found evidence of the Forerunners and their Great Journey.”
-Halo 2: Delta Halo, Prophet of Regret Hologram

Yet, as time goes on, these beliefs take a twist that it is unsafe to feel the pulse of the Halo Array.

“I opened the portal to this hallowed place, this shelter from Halo’s fire, in the hopes that more of our Covenant would join us. Alas, save for a rabble of Heretics and their Demon allies, we are all that remains on this new world. So we must temper joy and sorrow in our hearts, for those who were left behind.”
-Halo 3: The Ark, Prophet of Truth Hologram

“With my gentle encouragement, our Lords’ holy relic springs to life. It is unfortunate that our enemies also bear witness to its glory. But soon their dull eyes will be closed; seared by the Rings’ unforgiving might.”
-Halo 3: The Storm, Prophet of Truth Hologram

This rapid change in belief is a probable reason for most Sangheili and the various members of each species loyal to them to separate from the Covenant. But San 'Shyuum confusion does not end there.

Mendicant Bias had exposed a major tenant of the Covenant religion as false. Deep inside the Forerunner Keyship aboard High Charity, the AI explained that what the Covenant interpreted as ‘Reclamation’ truly meant ‘Reclaimer’.

“< FOR EONS I HAVE WATCHED > < LISTENED TO YOU MISINTERPRET > < THIS IS NOT RECLAMATION > < THIS IS RECLAIMER > < AND THOSE IT REPRESENTS ARE MY MAKERS > < I WILL REJECT MY BIAS AND WILL MAKE AMENDS > < MY MAKERS ARE MY MASTERS > < I WILL BRING THEM SAFELY TO THE ARK >”
-Halo: Contact Harvest page 274, 275 & 276

It has been confirmed that before 343 Industries took over, Humans were meant to be Forerunners, so some of what Mendicant Bias says here should be taken with a grain of salt. However, the purpose of what he says still remains strong. If the billions of Covenant discovered the Humans’ Reclaimer status, or that “gods” were left behind, it would prove the Great Journey false, and their faith a lie.

"[The Prophet of Truth] had accepted the Forerunners’ existence because their relics were there to find. He believed the Forerunners’ divination because in all their Ages of searching, the San ‘Shyuum had found no bones or other remains. He knew the Covenant’s core promise that all would walk The Path and follow in the Forerunners’ footsteps was critical to the union’s stability.
And he was certain that if anyone learned they might be left behind, the Covenant was doomed."
-Halo: Contact Harvest page 277

And with that, Truth set into motion what must be done in order to preserve the Covenant.

“‘We must take no chances with these…Reclaimers.’ Fortitude could not bring himself to say ‘Forerunners.’ He grabbed his wattle and gave it a steady tug. ‘They must be expunged. Before anyone else knows of their existence.’”
-Halo: Contact Harvest page 278

Unlike any other species the Covenant encountered, the Humans were ordered to be hunted and exterminated. But the Prophets needed a compelling reason that they could openly declare to their warriors without them questioning the faith. The San 'Shyuum managed to come up with a sensible reason to destroy them.

"So the Prophets taught, and the Covenant existed for finding the Halos, and following the Forerunners on their holy path. But these humans, they’d found Forerunner artifacts, and instead of venerating them like all other species, they had destroyed them.
Thel vibrated with religious rage. For that, the humans would pay."
-Halo: The Cole Protocol page 148](http://www.halopedia.org/images/thumb/0/01/Schism_2.png/640px-Schism_2.png)

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And so for nearly 30 years this went on. The Covenant hunted the humans through Luminaries, which tracked Forerunner relics as well as humans. Truth had them installed on all Covenant vessels in order to pinpoint and exterminate all human worlds. Although Covenant doctrine states Luminaries do not lie, Truth claimed they were all incorrect.

“All [The Prophet of Truth] had to do was claim that the aliens had set their own world ablaze rather than give the relics up. He wasn’t worried that there hadn’t actually been any relics, nor was he concerned that every Covenant ship’s Luminary would continue to misidentify the aliens as relics every single time they came in contact. ‘In fact’, he thought, his smile suddenly devious and sincere, ‘this would only make it easier to track the offending creatures and wipe them out.’”
-Halo: Contact Harvest page 382

Some, like Maccabeus, attempted to make sense of it by reasoning the humans were carrying Forerunner relics and hiding them from the Covenant. This undoubtedly stemmed some dissent among the Covenant, but not as much as when San ‘Shyuum, interpreters of the gods’ will, have colliding plans.

San 'Shyuum, known as Prophets during the 3,000 year span of the Covenant, were said to have infinite wisdom. Why then, did their plans constantly clash? A most notable example of this is the presentation of how to deal with Humanity to different parts of the Covenant. Expunging the Humans from existence was considered a holy war.

“‘We are in the midst of a holy war with the humans,’ Thel hissed.”
-Halo: The Cole Protocol page 230

“You are, all of you, vermin. Cowering in the dirt, thinking… what, I wonder? That you might escape the coming fire? No. Your world will burn until its surface is but glass! And not even your Demon will live to creep, blackened, from its hole to mar the reflection of our passage; the culmination of our Journey. For your destruction is the will of the gods! And I…I am their instrument!”
-Halo 3: Crows Nest cutscene

The idea of labeling this genocide a holy war caused many things the San 'Shyuum did to be done behind closed doors. In order to discover Earth, Truth sent a Kig-Yar team to trade with the humans. Unknowingly, Regret discovered these heretical Kig-Yar and dispatched a strike team of Sangheili Zealots to stop it. What resulted shook even the faith of a Zealot.

“Zhar got up and walked over to Thel. ‘If the illustrious Hierarchs cannot agree on these things, what else do they disagree on, and what else might just be Prophet manipulation, Shipmaster?’”
-Halo: The Cole Protocol page 330

All traces of this argument were killed off, aside from Thel, who manages to live only because he protected the Hierarchs.

So far, the Great Schism seems to be an event that was cataclysmic yet inevitable. As more and more humans and relics were discovered, the San 'Shyuum’s lies become harder and harder to manage. But another idea has surfaced from the Halo lure. Was the disposal of the Sangheili apart of a set plan instead of a slow undoing?

Throughout the lore, many occasions hint at the idea the Great Schism was a coerced event, not a natural undoing. Before the Prophet of Truth’s ascension to Hierarch, he was known as the Minister of Fortitude. His duty was to dole out Forerunner technologies and to settle disputes between client Covenant species.

“Although the Covenant was focused on hereafter, its member species still had mortal desires for wealth, power, and prestige - all of which the right Forerunner technology could provide. It was the Minister of Fortitude’s responsibility to balance these competing wants - to decide, simply put, who got what.”
-Halo: Contact Harvest page 145

This balance of power was extremely fragile. No two species of the Covenant are particularly fond of each other as a whole.

“As junior staffer in the Ministry of Concert (the institution tasked with the arbitration of inter-species disputes), Fortitude had handled a case that dealt directly with this issue […] and taught him a valuable lesson about the fragility of the Covenant: how easy it was to grow complacent about various species’ petty squabbles, and how quickly this complacency might lead to disaster.”
-Halo: Contact Harvest page 150

This is why, when the Sangheili revolt spurred the Great Schism, there were very few allies to the Sangheili, and quickly after the beginning of the revolt, these few factions of the various races, that allied with the Sangheili either through fear or a rare sense of camaraderie, were either killed in battle or returned to the status quo of the Covenant. In order to keep the Covenant in tact, it is possible the San 'Shyuum came to a consensus that the Sangheili wielded too much power or were the source of too much inter-fighting of the Covenant.

“‘We need to be more careful about the Sangheili,’ Regret said. ‘Honor and nobility might one day get in the way of orders.’ Truth glided away from the city scene and into the heart of the chamber, where golden streams of light flashed through a gentle drug-smoke haze. ‘Maybe,’ he said. ‘But some of them seem fiercely loyal, and very useful. I value loyalty.’ Regret grunted. ‘I value results.’ ‘Then it is good we work together,’ Truth said. ‘For the good of the Covenant.’”
-Halo: The Cole Protocol page 347

“‘We are strong, Kig-Yar. That is why we sit at the right hand of the Prophets.’ Reth laughed. ‘One day that shall pass.’ […] Thel shook his head. ‘The Sangheili will remain by the side of the Prophets.’ ‘You are too arrogant,’ Reth spat. ‘The Jiralhanae betrayed you. We are given this special mission by the Prophet of Truth. Both seek to minimize your kind. You have dominated things far too long.’”
-Halo: The Cole Protocol page 229 & 230

However, the Prophets are no fools. They realize the magnitude of the consequences if this plan is to be carried out with ambition laid bare.

“Some San 'Shyuum had lingering doubts about the Unggoy’s loyalty. But the Writ of Union was very clear: security matters were the Sangheili’s responsibility. And if the Prophets had learned anything about keeping their prideful protectors happy, it was the importance of letting them preserve as many of their pre-Covenant traditions as possible. Even in his youth, Fortitude had understood that while something like the Unggoy Rebellion might temporarily destabilize the Covenant, a Sangheili revolt would shatter it.”
-Halo: Contact Harvest page 151 & 152

So, instead of ousting the Sangheili from the Covenant, it was decided they would slowly ease them out of their responsibilities and replace them with the newer, less suspecting Jiralhanae, in hopes the Sangheili would not realize what was actually happening. They wished to keep the Sangheili within the Covenant, but with less authority, so they did not have the opportunity to expose the San 'Shyuum or the Covenant faith.

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Their plan was set into motion. Sangheili Fleets were slowly replaced with Jiralhanae Fleets, but the plan seemed to quicken exponentially with Regret’s failed invasion of Earth due to his noncooperation with Truth. It was seen as an opportunity by Truth to further empower the Brutes. Truth’s Fleet arrived at Earth with specific orders to the Jiralhanae, to forcefully take command of all remaining Covenant here at Earth, where no Sangheili will survive to spread word of what had happened. This was the biggest step in replacing the Sangheili. And not soon after, Truth followed up this plot by pinning the death of the Prophet of Regret upon Sangheili shoulders, giving him an ample reason to publicly step down the Sangheili and step up the Jiralhanae.

Rtas 'Vadumee: “This is unprecedented. Unacceptable.”
Prophet of Truth: “A Hierarch is dead, Commander.”
Rtas 'Vadumee: “His murderer was within our grasp. If you had not withdrawn our Phantoms …”
Prophet of Truth: “Are you questioning my decision?”
Rtas 'Vadumee: “No, holy one! I only wish to express my concern that the Brutes…”
Prophet of Truth: “Re-commissioning the guard was a radical step, but recent events have made it abundantly clear that the Elites can no longer guarantee our safety.”
Rtas 'Vadumee: “I shall relay… your decision… to the Council.”
Prophet of Truth: “Politics. How tiresome. Do you know, Arbiter, the Elites have threatened to resign, quit the High Council, because of this… exchange of hats?”
Thel 'Vadamee: “We have always been your protectors.”
Prophet of Truth: “These are trying times… for all of us.”
-Halo 2: Sacred Icon cutscene

Later, Truth tasks Tartarus with the instructions to assassinate Thel 'Vadamee and take the Sacred Icon from him, so the various Covenant species would see that the Jiralhanae succeeded in capturing the Index where the Sangheili have failed. As close as the San 'Shyuum’s plan is to completion however, an unexpected element rears it’s head. The Flood. As Hierarchs flee to the Dreadnought, the Covenant races aboard High Charity are left leaderless, and with no San 'Shyuum around to keep their hatred in order, exactly what Truth fears occurs. The Brutes anxiously murder the Sangheili Councilors, and in response the Sangheili engage an all out revolt. And we all know what happens after that…

Afterwards, when war consumes High Charity, a lone San 'Shyuum that steeled himself away wrote down his account of the Great Schism, a summation of what was just previously discussed. His insight led to a biting afterthought on the Jiralhanae.

"The Jiralhanae were a major mistake. I see that now. The Sangheili honor guard was always vigilant and almost inert when at peace. One never had to worry about what a Sangheili might do any more than one worried if the stars would come out at night. They were predictable; they were loyal.
The Jiralhanae, it is clear, are neither. They are garrulous, quick to anger and wont to fight amongst themselves. They are territorial and they are ambitious. And none of this marries well with their essentially limited intellect. We thought they could be trained and their loyalty bought. We had factored that, brought to heel, they would be more obedient than Sangheili and less prone to independent thought. I think it would not have lasted much longer than our current circumstances allowed. They are beasts, in essence and in action. We should have never committed them to our Covenant, let alone promoted them above the Sangheili."
-Halo Evolutions II: Wages of Sin page 297

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That must’ve taken a good amount of time to compile.

Nice job!

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> That must’ve taken a good amount of time to compile.
>
> Nice job!

It did indeed. I just got frustrated because I felt like a lot of people really didn’t understand the motives and backstory of the Covenant on this site, and instead of trying to explain the certain parts that mattered to the subject, here I could lay down everything as a whole. I just hope people gain some insight from this, maybe even sparking an interest to do some research on the subject themselves.

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Nice! I was going to post earlier but I thought I thought you hadn’t finished. It’s a nice read.

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> Nice! I was going to post earlier but I thought I thought you hadn’t finished. It’s a nice read.

I originally posted this on a forum where the links of images were just plain images and acted as spacers to separate the different sections, and the ending was much more clear with that haha. But thank you.

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Very nice job. I feel this will be an VERY helpful tool for newcomers to Halo. Halo 4 is set in the aftermath of Halo 1 - 3 so they would have missed out on all of this.

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So Truth replaced the elites with brutes because he feared the elites were asking too many questions?

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“With my gentle encouragement, our Lords’ holy relic springs to life. It is unfortunate that our enemies also bear witness to its glory. But soon their dull eyes will be closed; seared by the Rings’ unforgiving might.”
-Halo 3: The Storm, Prophet of Truth Hologram

Also this is not a contradiction like you state, “seared by the rings unforgiving might” it is possible that they thought of the halos as both weapons and keys to godhood. The Halos would destroy all nonbelievers while ascending the loyal. Much like the idea of the rapture in certain branches of Christianity.

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A very good read, great post!

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> “With my gentle encouragement, our Lords’ holy relic springs to life. It is unfortunate that our enemies also bear witness to its glory. But soon their dull eyes will be closed; seared by the Rings’ unforgiving might.”
> -Halo 3: The Storm, Prophet of Truth Hologram
>
> Also this is not a contradiction like you state, “seared by the rings unforgiving might” it is possible that they thought of the halos as both weapons and keys to godhood. The Halos would destroy all nonbelievers while ascending the loyal. Much like the idea of the rapture in certain branches of Christianity.

From other quotes I posted in here the Covenant is well aware that the Halo Array also acts as a weapon against the Flood.

Now what you are suggesting might make sense, but the other quote that I grouped next to that one clarifies this. Truth finds it unfortunate that more Covenant did not make it to the Ark, because they would be destroyed by the Activation, regardless of faith.

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> Very nice job. I feel this will be an VERY helpful tool for newcomers to Halo. Halo 4 is set in the aftermath of Halo 1 - 3 so they would have missed out on all of this.

There’s an idea. Maybe this will only be Part 1. After the Kilo Five Trilogy is finished I will make a Part 2 explaining the uneasy relationships and shift of powers in the Post War Universe.

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A really nice explanation, here- as someone who’s often questioned what I see as a deeply illogical Great Schism, this seems to make a good deal more sense than in the games. Is what you’re saying this- the Hierarchs didn’t actually want to exclude the Sangheili, knowing how much damage this would cause, but instead the Jiralhanae misinterpreted orders, and then general confusion sped out of control? A nice, neat explanation. It’s often bugged me that Truth behaved in such a ridiculously counterproductive way towards the Sangheili, and you’ve made it work as logically as one can.

It still does leave me with one query, though. If the Prophets are as ambitious and corrupt a species as they are portrayed in the games and fiction (I’d say more “human” than any other Covenant race, actually), why did no younger Prophets seize the opportunity to denounce Truth and re-establish union with the Sangheili, who clearly are still deeply attached to their religion?

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Good read. I agree with most of what you wrote, with one exception:

> Later, Truth tasks Tartarus with the instructions to assassinate Thel 'Vadamee and take the Sacred Icon from him, so the various Covenant species would see that the Jiralhanae succeeded in capturing the Index where the Sangheili have failed. As close as the San 'Shyuum’s plan is to completion however, an unexpected element rears it’s head. The Flood. <mark>As Hierarchs flee to the Dreadnought, the Covenant races aboard High Charity are left leaderless, and with no San 'Shyuum around to keep their hatred in order, exactly what Truth fears occurs. The Brutes anxiously murder the Sangheili Councilors, and in response the Sangheili engage an all out revolt.</mark>

This is what Tartarus and Thel say to each other before Tartarus pushes him down the pit:

> Tartarus: “Excellent work, Arbiter. The Hierarchs will be pleased.”
>
> Thel 'Vadamee: “The Icon… is my responsibility.”
>
> Tartarus: “Was your responsibility. Now it is mine.”
>
> Tartarus: “A bloody fate awaits you and the rest of your incompetent race. And I, Tartarus, Chieftain of the Brutes will send you to it!”
>
> Thel 'Vadamee: “When the Prophets learn of this, they will take your head!”
>
> Tartarus: “When they learn? (chuckles) Fool. They ordered me to do it.”

Tartarus speaks not only of murdering Thel but of also sending the rest of the Sangheili to a similar fate, under orders of the Hierarchs. Here’s another set of quotes, these ones you hear on the level Gravemind:

> Prophet of Truth (Loudspeaker): “The Elites have failed to protect the Prophets, and in doing so, have put all our lives at risk. Let no warrior forget his oath, ‘Thou, in faith, shall keep us safe, whilst we find the Path.’”
>
> Prophet of Truth (Loudspeaker): “With my blessing, the Brutes now lead our fleets! They ask for your allegiance, and you shall give it.”
>
> Prophet of Truth (Loudspeaker): “Creatures of the Covenant: the path is broad, and we shall walk it side by side!”
>
> Prophet of Truth (Loudspeaker): “Be glad! A reward for all your toil and all your sacrifices is near at hand.”
>
> Prophet of Truth (loudspeaker): “At this moment, the Council is gathered on Halo, to see the Icon secured.”
>
> Tartarus (Loudspeaker): “Rise, pack brothers! Cast down the Elites!”
>
> Prophet of Truth (Loudspeaker): “There are those who said this day would never come. What have they to say now?”
>
> Tartarus (Loudspeaker): “Once the towers are clear, we’ll drive them from the lower district!”
>
> Prophet of Truth (Loudspeaker): “I have listened to the Oracle, and it confirmed our deepest hope. The Great Journey begins with Halo.”
>
> Tartarus (Loudspeaker): “The Elites are falling back to the Mausoleum. Fools! Their Arbiter can do nothing for them now!”
>
> Prophet of Truth (Loudspeaker): “Who would doubt the Prophets? What have they foretold that has not come to pass?”

Even as they broadcast over the city and are giving out orders for people to obey the Brutes and to trust in them, the Elites and Brutes are already going at each other. They still appeared to have the ability to give people orders but made no attempt to put an end to the fighting. Also, Tartarus is barking out orders to his brethren to kill all the Elites in the Tower district and eventually to drive them from the city at large. It would be unconscionable to think that he is doing this without the Heirachs permission when the two Hierarchs are basically right next to him and are capable of giving orders themselves. It seems, at least to me, that the Genocide was indeed ordered by the Prophets rather than being the result of mass confusion.

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this is a great explanation of everything

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> A really nice explanation, here- as someone who’s often questioned what I see as a deeply illogical Great Schism, this seems to make a good deal more sense than in the games. Is what you’re saying this- the Hierarchs didn’t actually want to exclude the Sangheili, knowing how much damage this would cause, but instead the Jiralhanae misinterpreted orders, and then general confusion sped out of control? A nice, neat explanation. It’s often bugged me that Truth behaved in such a ridiculously counterproductive way towards the Sangheili, and you’ve made it work as logically as one can.

The geonicide on Earth was planned. That’s almost certain because no one would know about it.

However the murdering of the High Council of Elites was perhaps unexpected.

> It still does leave me with one query, though. If the Prophets are as ambitious and corrupt a species as they are portrayed in the games and fiction (I’d say more “human” than any other Covenant race, actually), why did no younger Prophets seize the opportunity to denounce Truth and re-establish union with the Sangheili, who clearly are still deeply attached to their religion?

  1. Most of their species died on High Charity
  2. They don’t know about the loyal Sangheili. Right now they are in hiding and probably won’t risk coming back out so soon.
  3. These Sangheili may still worship the Forerunners as gods, but by no means does it mean that they would be willing to follow a “Prophet” again. Not after what happened.
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> Tartarus speaks not only of murdering Thel but of also sending the rest of the Sangheili to a similar fate, under orders of the Hierarchs.

To me, that quote means Tartarus was ordered to kill Thel and take the Icon. The part about the elites seems like something he wants to do on his own planning, hence saying he would lead them to it.

> > Prophet of Truth (Loudspeaker): “The Elites have failed to protect the Prophets, and in doing so, have put all our lives at risk. Let no warrior forget his oath, ‘Thou, in faith, shall keep us safe, whilst we find the Path.’”
> >
> > Prophet of Truth (Loudspeaker): “With my blessing, the Brutes now lead our fleets! They ask for your allegiance, and you shall give it.”
>
> This goes right in line with what I was saying about the fleets being replaced and pinning Regret’s death on the Sangheili as an excuse.
>
>
>
> > Prophet of Truth (loudspeaker): “At this moment, the Council is gathered on Halo, to see the Icon secured.”
> >
> > Tartarus (Loudspeaker): “Rise, pack brothers! Cast down the Elites!”
>
> And there it is. The Council is at Halo. No San 'Shyuum are on High Charity, and Tartarus gives his orders. Note how Tartarus says this and not Truth, and that it is addressed specifically to his pack brothers.
>
>
>
> > Prophet of Truth (Loudspeaker): “There are those who said this day would never come. What have they to say now?”
> >
> > Tartarus (Loudspeaker): “Once the towers are clear, we’ll drive them from the lower district!”
> >
> > Prophet of Truth (Loudspeaker): “I have listened to the Oracle, and it confirmed our deepest hope. The Great Journey begins with Halo.”
> >
> > Tartarus (Loudspeaker): “The Elites are falling back to the Mausoleum. Fools! Their Arbiter can do nothing for them now!”
> >
> > Prophet of Truth (Loudspeaker): “Who would doubt the Prophets? What have they foretold that has not come to pass?”
>
> Now this is where they go back and forth, each talking about two different events (Murdering the Sangheili Councilors and Activating the Installation), which gives you the notion Truth and Tartarus are not with each other, and both are occupied with their own plans.

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> To me, that quote means Tartarus was ordered to kill Thel and take the Icon. The part about the elites seems like something he wants to do on his own planning, hence saying he would lead them to it.

Yeah but he was talking about killing Thel, and about leading the charge against the Sangheili. To which Thel says the Hierarchs won’t stand for. Won’t stand for what? Killing him, or killing the Sangheili? Or most likely he meant both? We don’t know which he was talking about, but presumably it was both. Tartarus then says that he is acting under orders. What is he then referring to? The fact that Thel might be disagreeing with him killing him, or the fact that he understands his time is up but disagrees with Tarturus killing the Elites? Or again telling Thel that he has orders for both? We can’t really know. I just assumed that Thel was taken aback by both revelations; called them out which Tartarus then refuted with his permission slip from the Prophets. About both actions.

Plus there’s no reason why Tartarus should be misleading to Thel at this point. Without the intervention of the Gravemind catching him in mid fall, he would have certainly died. No chance to survive. If he had permission to kill Thel but none to start butchering the Elites I’m sure he would have outlined the distinction, most likely to rub it in and let Thel know that there is nothing he can do to stop it as he plummets to his death.

> This goes right in line with what I was saying about the fleets being replaced and pinning Regret’s death on the Sangheili as an excuse.

Yes.

Something to note about this though is that he may be witnessing the confusion from the initial firefights and so feels it necessary to let the Covenant know that it is the Brutes that have his backing, not the Elites. It seems a bit co-incidental that he would say this just as hostilities start to break out between the two principle races.

> And there it is. The Council is at Halo. No San 'Shyuum are on High Charity, and Tartarus gives his orders. Note how Tartarus says this and not Truth, and that it is addressed specifically to his pack brothers

I see many holes in this though. Firstly, the Council would have to have some form of contact with the outside world. I don’t see why there would be a heavy communications blackout that prevents the Council from relying instructions to subordinates across High Charity and beyond. I know its the Great Journey and stuff, but I don’t think they would cut themselves off from the outside. Wouldn’t they be giving sermons and letting people know, all across the Covenant Empire, that the Journey was happening, and happening like right now?

Secondly, did the Council have any Sangheili aides like 'Ikoporamee in The Flood? They must have had some Sangheili next to them at the time. Did the Brutes just burst into where the Councillors were and just massacre all their Sangheili auxiliary staff right in front of them? What about the Elite footsoldiers near to where the High Council were? Why did none of them contact the Council that was there with them, or their superiors who could? How did the Sangheili and the Prophet Councillors get separated so that the Elite Councillors where captured and slaughtered without the Prophets knowing? As this was unfolding the Council should have had plenty of opportunity to be told what was happening on Delta Halo alone and order hostilities ceased at once lest the ringleaders of this “uprising” on both sides be excluded from the Great Journey, or whatever else they can come up with to scare people.

Third, the Hierarchs themselves were still on High Charity as it was all going down. Tartarus was broadcasting orders to get his pack brothers to kill Elites. Rather than say something to decry Tartarus as a treacherous usurper, Truth and Mercy continue to deliver a sermon. Truth should have heard this, and he surely must have seen or heard evidence of fighting somewhere along his travels. Was he completely cut off as well from the outside world? Did no panicked Sangheili Fleet Masters and Brute Chieftains try to contact him for guidance on why everyone is suddenly killing each other?

It just seems too much of a stretch to think that the Council could have been unaware of the opening of the Schism and that they had no ability to lead and give instructions from their location. The lack of any sort of statement or recognition of the plight outside seems to indicate that the Prophets knew fine well what was happening and willed it so.

> Now this is where they go back and forth, each talking about two different events (Murdering the Sangheili Councilors and Activating the Installation), which gives you the notion Truth and Tartarus are not with each other, and both are occupied with their own plans.

I think it’s revealing about Truth’s cruelty really. Here it is, the Great Journey. The thing that every Sangheili man, woman and child has been dreaming about for ages, and they are being excluded from it. Truth then proceeds to rub it in their faces as his new lieutenants bark orders for Sangheili genocide. That’s how I saw this mostly; Truth is being deliberately apathetic to the Sangheili. He’s going on about the Great Journey and not even acknowledging that the Sangheili are a part of this anymore whilst they get slaughtered. It’s almost easy to sympathize with them really. There is also the possibility that he wants to appear as the voice of reason in a time of anarchy that people can look to. Truth is cool and calm whilst this is all going down, so it would be easier for everyone else to follow in his lead perhaps; as in “Pay no heed to this minor scuffle. All is going according to plan with the Journey. Just focus on this.”

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Just take a look at Wages of Sin from Halo Evolutions II. It confirms that the Jiralhanae didn’t act according to plan, and that the Sangheili were essentially replaced because they were too smart. Actually, I think I’m going to add this quote to the OP.

"The Jiralhanae were a major mistake. I see that now. The Sangheili honor guard was always vigilant and almost inert when at peace. One never had to worry about what a Sangheili might do any more than one worried if the stars would come out at night. They were predictable; they were loyal.
The Jiralhanae, it is clear, are neither. They are garrulous, quick to anger and wont to fight amongst themselves. They are territorial and they are ambitious. And none of this marries well with their essentially limited intellect. We thought they could be trained and their loyalty bought. We had factored that, brought to heel, they would be more obedient than Sangheili and less prone to independent thought. I think it would not have lasted much longer than our current circumstances allowed. They are beasts, in essence and in action. We should have never committed them to our Covenant, let alone promoted them above the Sangheili."
-Halo Evolutions II: Wages of Sin page 297

Also, I think you are misinterpreting what I meant when I said “Exactly what Truth fears occurs”. I am referring to the quote from Contact Harvest where Truth makes the comment that a Sangheili Revolt would end the Covenant.