Everything you need to know about Halo’s Banished faction
A teaser from Halo developer 343 Industries suggests that the Banished faction will be in Halo Infinite. This news has excited many Halo fans, but many others are confused since they don’t know who the Banished are. If that’s you, don’t worry — we’re here to help. Here’s everything you need to know about the Banished faction.
Origins and background
Early years and expansion
As the Banished’s sphere of influence expanded, many of Atriox’s Brute chieftains were sent throughout the galaxy to spread the word about the Banished. This resulted in many Brutes, Elites, Grunts, and possibly even some humans joining the ranks of the Banished, as galactic criminals and veterans of the Human-Covenant War alike searched for a new calling.
Conflict on the Ark
Following this, both the Banished and the remaining UNSC forces continued to fight for control of the Ark, though the outcome of this conflict is not yet known. An encounter with the Flood that was contained within the Ark left the Banished vulnerable for a time, but they were able to recover and continue their efforts against the UNSC.
Bonus: Weapons, armor, and more
In addition to the Covenant vehicles the Banished use, they have also developed and manufactured three unique ones of their own. The first is the Reaver, which is a two-legged walker that can fire anti-air rockets at enemy aircraft. Secondly, there’s the Marauder, which is a medium tank that’s outfitted with a heavy plasma turret and missile launchers. Lastly, the Banished make use of an artillery aircraft called the Blisterback. It can land on the ground and launch volleys of explosives at enemies from afar, or it can hover in the air and bombard foes with a heavy plasma cannon.
Your thoughts
What do you think about the Banished? Do you think they’re cooler than the Covenant or the Flood? Are you excited about possibly seeing them in Halo Infinite? Let me know.
If you’re interested in checking out the fiction that details the events mentioned in this article, you’ll want to pick up Halo Wars 2 as well as the Rise of Atriox comic anthology. The former is available on Xbox One and Windows 10 for $40, while the latter is available for $20.
The origin story
Rise of Atriox Anthology
The Banished’s rise to power
This anthology contains all five issues of the Rise of Atriox comics, which detail how Atriox and the Banished broke free of the Covenant and rose to power.