Special Operations Sangheili (Earth-5875)

"Out of darkness, these blades will light our way."

- - Special Operations mantra

Special Operations sangheili is a rank of sangheili warriors in the Swords of Sanghelios and formerly the Covenant, being the lowest Special Operations rank, superseded by the Special Operations Commander.

History
Special Operations sangheili were used by the Covenant for most of its existence, including the genocidal war against humanity. Following the end of the Battle of Meridian, a team of Special Operations sangheili and a kig-yar sniper were deployed to the ruins of a city to locate forerunner. They deployed an Eye, locating an orokin Luminary underground, delivering it to the Prophet of Regret, who sent his Stewards to study it. It revealed to them the location of the Ark, and the portal which could reach it on the planet Erde-Tyrene.

During the Fall of Reach, the Fleet of Valiant Prudence deployed a secret team of zealots to disable Reach's communication outpost at Visegrád. Noble Team was sent to investigate, only to be confronted by the attackers. A trio of Special Operations sangheili and a general were deployed as the final attacking groups. Numerous Special Operations sangheili were deployed at the third floor of Sword Base, but were ultimately defeated with the combined forces of David-B312 and Emile-A239. Many of them were deployed alongside mgalekgolo bond-brothers in order to stop the UNSC from sabotaging one of the Covenant's stealth pylon, which were being used to cloak Covenant troops to Viery.

The SDV-class heavy corvette Ardent Prayer was crewed by majority of Special Operations sangheili under command of Shipmaster Ardo 'Moretumee, and during Operation UPPERCUT, it was boarded by a team of YSS-1000 Sabres commanded by David-B312 and Jorge-052, which entered the bridge and killed all the unaware crew. In the later stages of the battle, the Covenant started glassing the planet, including Sword Base, which was reduced to rubble and floods. A Special Operations team was sent to the base alongside a general and a huragok. While they were searching through the dismantled atrium of the base, they were attacked by Noble Team, who killed them all.