Though Halo is built on the idea that Master Chief is the greatest protector and force in the universe, the challenges he must overcome sometimes push against how invulnerable he may appear. From Halo: Combat Evolved through to Halo Infinite, players have had to overcome numerous villainous threats that challenge both Master Chief's physical and mental fortitude in a myriad of ways.
It's time to look at and rank the villains from the Halo franchise and see who stands at the top as the strongest foe that the Chief has come up against. Tread lightly as this article does contain story spoilers for Halo Infinite and its ending.
Updated May 5, 2022 by Jerrad Wyche: Halo: Infinite brought the Halo series back in a major way, providing a solid multiplayer and single-player package for fans of the science fiction shooter. The game's story also introduced some intimidating villains, added to the roster of bad apples that have made their presence known over the course of Master Chief's journey. You never know what the Spartan will have to fight off next, but there's always another source of evil waiting to emerge from the pits of darkness.
12/12 Sesa Refumee
Villains come in all shapes and sizes, and despite having a smaller role in Halo 2, Sesa Refumee presents himself as a notable enemy standing in Master Chief's way. This guy was never anything more than a Sanghelli soldier, but despite never obtaining the title of Arbiter, he managed to become a heretical leader and defector. He only appears in two levels in the entirety of Halo 2, but his fight is exciting as a warrior looking to forge his own path must face off with a Spartan killing machine looking out for the entirety of humankind.
11/12 343 Guilty Spark
343 Guilty Spark is the closest thing to a frenemy that Master Chief has had in the entirety of the Halo series. He aids Master Chief and his team in Halo 3, up until the point he realizes that they are trying to destroy the installation. Shortly after it critically injures Sergeant Johnson the Master Chief is able to kill the terrifying Forerunner Ancilla with the Spartan Laser, bringing their working partnership to an end. The Monitor played such a pivotal role in the series that the development studio tasked with taking on the series after Bungie's departure named themselves 343 Industries in honor of the character's impact on Halo.
10/12 Harbinger
The Harbinger in many ways served as the most frightening threat to Master Chief and company in Halo: Infinite. The Banished were posed as the physical dominant threat standing in the Spartan hero's way, but ancient evil tends to hold unimaginable power. Her boss fight toward the climax of the game's narrative was rather challenging and she offered something a bit different than what a lot of the rest of the game offered. It's still unclear if her story came to an end, or if her actions set in motion unimaginable horror that Master Chief will have to dispatch in the near future.
9/12 The Didact
Halo 4 isn't considered all that beloved among the fans, but it did introduce some neat concepts and enemies to the world of Halo. Though he was born with the name Shadow-of-Sundered-Star, most people would know the vengeful Forerunner Promethean as The Didact. Not only did he serve as the first time in the series that a Forerunner's face was revealed, but his name is derived from a Greek word meaning 'to instruct' which indicates his role among his people. The thing that makes him such a strong villain is that despite Master Chief hitting his ship with a Havok nuclear bomb, it is later revealed that he was simply contained. The UNSC breaks this news to the Chief in order to relay the notion that it is believed that the bomb didn't in fact kill The Didact, as intended.
8/12 The Arbiter
Most Halo fans consider The Arbiter to be the name of the Sangheili who stands by Master Chief's side in Halo 2 and Halo 3, but it was actually a title given to the highest-ranking Sangheili in the Covenant. Six known individuals have worn this title, with Thel 'Vadam being the only one known to be a protagonist and ally to humans. The armor and weapons an Arbiter wields are deadly and make anyone bearing the title a real threat.
7/12 Bassus
Bassus is a Brute Warchief who we get to witness the strength of just moments after he makes his first appearance in Halo Infinite's campaign. Right after attempting to shut down the Banished's mining drill, he appears right behind you in a matter of seconds.
He's armed with a giant Gravity Hammer in a small confined space which makes creating distance between you and him almost impossible. Unless you're really lucky or happen to have the perfect loadout, chances are you'll quickly be staring at a loading screen trying to strategize the optimal approach to taking down this behemoth of a villain.
6/12 The Prophets
The Covenant has served as the longest-running and the most consistent threat that Master Chief has faced. The High Prophets, also known as the Hierarchs, were a group of three San'Shyuum that lead the Covenant High Council.
Their strength lay in politics and diplomatic pursuits and their decisions created a cataclysm of consequences for both the Covenant and humankind. Their greed and desire for more power ultimately led to their downfall, but they were mighty foes when they were around.
5/12 Atriox
Atriox is the protege of Escharum, which puts him a little further down the list than him. When taking into account that Escharum viewed Atriox as his best accomplishment and that Atriox is teased to still be alive during the after-credits of Halo Infinite, it is clear that he is still a force to be reckoned with.
Atriox served a major role in the spin-off real-time strategy game Halo Wars 2, so his appearance in Halo Infinite is his first real introduction to the majority of the Halo fan base.
4/12 Cortana
Halo Infinite bends over backwards in an attempt to contextualize and wrangle in the wild decisions the narrative of Halo 5 pursued. In that game, Cortana went rogue in an attempt to conquer everything in her path.
She can change things on a grand scale, and it was clear to the UNSC that she was a threat to everyone, regardless of how Master Chief felt. Thankfully she came to her sense and helped humanity in the end, being birthed anew as a clone known as The Weapon.
3/12 Escharum
Escharum is interesting for a variety of reasons, but one of the main factors in why he is so strong has to do with his unwavering confidence. For the entirety of Halo Infinite he clearly explains his respect for Master Chief, but at the same time suggests their fight will be legendary and that he'll be the one to finally take down the Spartan.
Once you finally fight him in his multi-phase boss fight it becomes clear how he earned his title and reputation. The guy is a living tank and easily the most brutal and strategic Brute to ever exist.
2/12 Master Chief
Now, this entry isn't going to discuss whether the narrative approach in Halo 5 was good or bad, but Master Chief did play an "antagonistic" role in that title. That means that he was technically the villain and thus earns a spot on this list.
You've played as this unstoppable killing machine, so it's clear his power and effectiveness are hard to match. Thankfully he works on behalf of humankind, otherwise, humans would stand no chance against the ultimate Spartan weapon.
1/12 Gravemind
When talking about strength, most people default to physical characteristics that make threats imposing on a physical level. The Gravemind isn't terrifying because of its physical prowess, but rather because it works as the hivemind of the Flood.
This parasitic lifeform takes over any and every living thing in its path. It's as close to omniscient as any being has been portrayed in Halo's lore. It serves as the main antagonist in Halo 3 after being mentioned and teased within Halo 2, and its legacy is still felt in Halo today.
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=320&h=160&dpr=1.5)
