Rtas Is The Friend That Thel Needed Because He's Immune To The Societal Pressure Around Him. Rtas And

Rtas is the friend that Thel needed because he's immune to the societal pressure around him. Rtas and Thel are cut from the same cloth: they were both stand-outs in their families, trying hard to honor them. Yet Thel was far more susceptible to his belief that he was destined for greatness.

Sangheili are arrogant. Their position in the Covenant hierarchy stoked this arrogance, and ultimately spelled their downfall. Their size and strength made it easy for them to throw their weight around with client races and each other, and there's many examples of them doing it in spades.

Thel perfectly captures this arrogance in the years leading up to his advancement as Supreme Commander. As a kaidon, he was harsh and exacting. As a shipmaster, he pulled rank, dishing out orders and punishment in equal measure. This was all seen as a good thing--a sign of a good leader.

Look at the difference in the way that they address the Unggoy, the lowest in their command:

Thel leans into not using the Unggoy at all unless they can be used as cannon fodder, whereas Rtas directs the Unggoy to take cover behind the Sangheili, an unheard of amount of concern for a servant race.

Before the destruction of Installation 04, Rtas answered to Thel. He was doing the dangerous work of investigating and quelling the flood outbreak on the Infinite Succor, a mission which cost him his crew and left him disfigured. Two days later, Installation 04 is destroyed and 'Vadam slides way, way down the totem pole. He is now a public enemy. He is literally branded as a pariah and openly reviled. His chosen punishment was to be hung by his entrails and paraded through High Charity, save for his appointment as Arbiter.

Despite his appointment, no one would have blinked if Rtas chose to demean Thel, but he chooses not to. Save for a lecture on who's in charge (Rtas was answering to him a month before, after all) when Thel joins his crew, Rtas treats him much the same as anyone else. He recognizes that Thel is the same person that he was before his disgrace: he is still a worthy warrior and tactician, and as a result, does not resent or prohibit counsel from him. If the roles were reversed, I don't believe Thel would have treated him the same way.

Rtas is the first individual to treat Thel with any kindness after his fall from grace. This theme plays out throughout the events leading up to the Great Schism, with Rtas fighting alongside Thel and treating him with respect. When the Changing of the Guard takes place, they exchange a significant nod, solidifying their roles as friends and allies during a period of terrible change, despite the fact that Thel answered to the very same hierarchs that made the decision. During the events Halo 2, Rtas is his only friend, and even after that, his only true confidante while they're surrounded by a species they barely trust.

Ultimately, Rtas is not encumbered by the pretext and grandeur seeped into the culture around him: he does not care for titles and will give anyone due respect if they deserve it, and, conversely, will disrespect anyone who doesn't, no matter who they are.

When Tul 'Juran asks to join Rtas' crew, she is asking him to break centuries of tradition prohibiting females from joining the Covenant military. But the Covenant is over, Tul is capable, and, more importantly, her intentions are true: she wanted to avenge her family, something any Sangheili would set out to do. So Rtas lets her, over the objection of the older soldiers under his command. Thel gets the credit for allowing females into the Swords, but Rtas was the first to do it.

In the same vein, Rtas permits Stolt--an Unggoy--to lead his own ranger squad. Why? Because he is competent, and that is all a leader need be. Rtas levels out his arrogance with pragmatism and a sense of humor not often seen, particularly at his rank.

ANYWAY Rtas 'Vadum is level-headed in a culture built on boastfulness and zealotry and kind in a society that doesn't reward kindness.

Here's him being Thel's bff for good measure: