In the Halo universe, the Covenant is renowned for being a massive alien empire that revered each Halo installation with religious fervor. It saw the rings as something divine, and activating any of them was considered the most sacred act possible.
But why did the Covenant revere the rings? Why was lighting them so important? To understand both, it is essential to learn about the alien empire's core belief. Everything that it does, from the glassing of planets to wiping out every opposition from existence, is all for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Journey.
The Prophets, who are essentially the pinnacle of the religious hierarchy, have made it clear that it must be done ever since the formation of the Covenant. This is because they discovered artifacts from an ancient yet technologically more advanced race, which they would come to regard as their gods, the Forerunners.
Based on the findings, they assumed that the Forerunners used the Halo rings to transcend to a state of divinity, achieving a status close enough to godhood. The Prophets also believed that what was left behind by their supposed gods was for them and the Covenant, so that they could follow the same footsteps in going further beyond the mortal plain, which came to be known as the Great Journey.
With this belief set, the religious leaders ensured that every other race within the empire understood and followed its purpose. All members, Elites, Jackals, Brutes, and more, truly believed and devoted themselves to the Great Journey due to its promise of divinity, which is also why they all worshipped the rings with such fervor.
Clear on the reward that awaited, the Covenant scoured every planet for signs of Forerunner technology, all in the hopes of using the information that could be learned from them to find the Halo installations. And as soon as they reached even one, lighting them became the utmost priority, as it meant finally fulfilling the will of their gods and joining them in what they believed would be glorious salvation.
However, the Prophets eventually discovered that the rings did not actually do what they initially thought. They were actually weapons of mass destruction, ones meant for the Forerunners' real inheritors, humanity, to activate to stop the Flood from spreading. Upon lighting any of the rings, it would result in all sentient life in the galaxy being wiped out, except for a few life forms.
The Prophets believed that they were a part of the chosen exception, but not the other races. The revelation is one that the Prophets hid from the rest of the members of the Covenant, as the truth would no doubt throw the entire empire into disarray. So, the religious leaders continued the facade, allowing every member to continue believing in the Great Journey, even though it would ultimately lead to their demise.
While the Covenant failed in its attempt, due to events such as the Great Schism and humanity's intervention on Installation 00, one must at least respect the devotion every member placed into fulfilling it, however delusional it may have been. Although the rings don't exactly bestow godhood upon their users, they have at least provided one of the best narratives in video game history, given how their power is responsible for creating an empire that formed an entire religion around them.
For more like this, stick with us here at Gfinityesports.com, the best website for gaming features and opinions.