Summary
A talentedHalofan has created an incredibly detailed drawing of the Arbiter using colored pencils to achieve the look. While the Master Chief might be synonymous with theHalofranchise, gamers would be remiss to forget about the Arbiter known as Thel ‘Vadam.
Introduced inHalo 2, the Arbiter brought a new dynamic to the games. While the originalHalo: Combat Evolvedhad the Master Chief take on waves of Covenant forces, the second game in the series put a unique twist on things by having players control the Arbiter, an Elite from the Covenant. As the deuteragonist, the character allowed players to see the Human-Covenat War from another side, with the character featuring in a compelling story surrounding the Prophets’ betrayal of the Elites. Following the events ofHalo 2, the character would return to aid theMaster Chief inHalo 3, serving as a playable character in the co-op mode of the campaign, and would even show up in 2015’sHalo 5.
Recently, an artist paid tribute to the classic character in a colored pencil drawing. Taking to Reddit, the user known as emilymeganxart shared their picture of the Arbiter wearing his signature armor and holding an iconicEnergy Sword from theHaloseries. The Elite warrior stood with the weapon ignited and ready to strike, with the iconicHalologo emblazoned in silver in the background. Since sharing the drawing, the post has gained hundreds of upvotes from the community.
The picture stood out to many gamers due to its impressive attention to detail. Among the Reddit comments, many users complimented the artist on their skillful use of blending and reflection, with some picking up on the soft blue glow of the sword bouncing off the Elite’s armor. Furthermore, emilymeganxart managed to replicate the numerous intricate pieces of the Arbiter’s armor, including the individual plates running down the sides of his arms and back. According to the creator, Prismacolor soft core premier pencils were used for the drawing, while theHalologo was made using silver paint.
It is worth pointing out that this artwork follows the artist’s previousrecreation of the Master Chief using colored pencils. In addition, emilymeganxart has previously shared drawings on Reddit of other famous video game characters they have drawn, such as a Hunter from theDestinygames and Aloy from theHorizonseries. They even created a drawing illustrating Lara Croft’s character evolution throughout theTomb Raiderseries.
As the response to this new fan art illustrates, the Arbiter is a fan favorite for many. Unfortunately, the character did not feature in the latest game in the series. While the developers at 343 Industries continue to updateHalo Infinite, such aswith thenew Firefight: King of the Hill mode,the community director for the company has revealed that no single-player campaign content is currently in development for the game. This means it could be a while before fans get the chance to see the Arbiter in action again.
Halo
Halo is a science fiction first person shooter and part of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Studios. The franchise development originated with Bungie, but has since transferred to 343 Industries. The series centers on a conflict between humanity and various alien species over installations called Halos, superweapons created by a mysterious race known as Forerunners. Launching in 2001 with Halo: Combat Evolved, the franchise has also spun off into books, comics, animated films, live action TV, and much more.
