United Earth Government

Lore & Background

The UEG's authority extends across human-colonized space, but it faces internal strife from colonies desiring independence, leading to violence and terrorism. To suppress these rebellions, the UEG's Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) creates the SPARTAN-II Project, an elite group of enhanced supersoldiers. In 2525, the Covenant begins a genocidal holy war against humanity, with superior technology and numbers proving decisive advantages. After the Covenant invaded Reach in 2552, the UNSC's last major stronghold besides Earth, Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 is left as one of the few remaining Spartans.

The rediscovery of the Halo rings prompts a desperate battle against the Covenant, who believe they are instruments of transcendence, not destruction. Master Chief and his artificial intelligence Cortana are instrumental in the destruction of a Halo ring to stop the Covenant and the threat of the Flood. Turmoil within the Covenant and the revelation of the Halo Array's true purpose leads to the Covenant splintering into civil war. The disgraced former Covenant commander known as the Arbiter, along with many of his species, helps the humans stop the Covenant leadership from activating the Halo Array via the Ark. The Human-Covenant War ends.

Reader's Guide

Military operations are conducted exclusively by the UNSC, which acts as the armed wing of the UEG. This includes the Navy for space superiority, the Marine Corps for planetary defense, and specialized units like the ODSTs.