Kig-Yar

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The Kig-yar (Latin Perosus latrunculus, meaning "hateful bandit" ) are an avian species which serve the Covenant, later the Covenant Loyalists. Humans have termed these creatures Jackals, as they are known for their swiftness and viciousness. Jackals serve as snipers and scouts within the Covenant due to their excellent sense of sight, smell and hearing. They were the first Covenant species encountered by the UNSC.

Background
They commonly carry Plasma Pistols, but may also be found carrying Plasma Rifles, Needlers, and Carbines. In Halo: Contact Harvest they were shown to wield a Knife/Sword crystalline weapon that explodes after a Jackal has released its grip, but they are not Energy Swords, as it says they are of a purple-pink color, making it similar to the projectiles fired by the Needler. Sniper Jackals are equipped with Particle Beam Rifles or Covenant Carbines for maximum damage and range, in addition to a Plasma Pistol for close combat situations. In addition, all but the snipers carry a powerful handheld energy shield. The most effective way of killing them is to throw a grenade behind their shield or to melee-attack them. At 5'8 ", Jackals are somewhat smaller than the average human.

In both Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, the Jackals are first encountered during the second level. The Jackals are never found on human ships for some odd reason. This may have something to do with the fact that their shields seem vulnerable to melee damage, limiting the Jackals' deployment options and make them vulnerable to close combat fighting. Another reason may be because Jackals are privateers, so they might steal human equipment and technology before the rest of the Covenant can examine it. However, in Halo 3, they are encountered on the first level, Sierra 117. They are the arch-rivals to the Grunts. Brutes and Elites have similar rivalry, both rivalries are for their rank and prestige among the Covenant, although the lower ranked feud seems to be considered less relevant. In Halo: Contact Harvest they are read to have larger spines on their back if male and if female, they have thick callus like plates on their head and shoulders. Also, they have either made or been given space suits.

Unlike Humans or Elites, Jackals are not brave and are by no means willing to give their life for the Covenant. For example, when you approach a sniper jackal, it will drop its weapon, pull out its plasma pistol and start running away. They are aggressive, and this is due mostly to the fact that they are merely mercenaries, rather than religious fanatics, and may be a part of their overall nature. In battle, Jackals share many similarities with Grunts. Like Grunts, they are a weak subordinate race and are somewhat cowardly. Despite their efforts to assure the Covenant of their superiority over the Grunts, they often cower in battle and run away with their shields up in the air. This is not done as often as the Grunts, but still happens.

Culture
Unlike races such as the Grunts, the Kig-yar were space-faring long before joining the Covenant. As such, the Jackals are unique among Covenant species: rather than faithful followers of the Prophets' religion, they are mercenaries working for the Covenant. However, due to the long time they have been in the Covenant it is possible some or many have accepted the Covenant religion.

The Halo 3 Bestiarum states that the Kig-yar government type is postindustrial capitalism, with a population of 978 million.

Once, the Kig-Yar culture was centered around rival clans sailing across Eayn's seas as pirates, raiding the encampments and settlements of rival clans. As the distances between the clans grew less, so too did the differences, and a united Kig-Yar race reached out to the stars in spacecraft, colonizing small asteroids around Chu'ot. Some of these saw opportunity, and became pirates once more, raiding merchant ships. These were apparently the Kig-Yar's only effective response to the overwhelming Covenant military juggernaut when they arrived in their home-system, though eventually in order to survive they accepted letters of marque: commissions from the Ministry of Tranquility to engage in the services of the Covenant, though often this was merely used as an excuse to continue raiding, this time preying on the ships of the Covenant's enemies, such as humanity.

When inducted into the Covenant, the Kig-yar were intended to replace the Grunts as the Covenant's footsoldiers; but the temperament of the Jackals made such a change impractical. Instead, they were placed in roles that suited their abilities better such as scouts and being in teams of commando units which allowed the exploitation of their fine senses in the battlefield. They are also deployed as police forces on occupied worlds, although this was always done under the supervision of a member of the higher castes. The reason for this duty was unclear - it is not known if the Covenant feel that the Grunts could not be trusted with such roles or if the predatory nature of the Jackals allowed them a greater ability to police planets. 

Jackals have little status in the Covenant hierarchy, and are subservient to all but the Grunts. Although they technically stand as equals with the Grunts, the reality is that Jackals are usually in an elevated position. While the other races consider the Grunts beneath notice, the Jackals are often purposefully cruel to them in order to assure themselves of their own superiority.

Eayn is the Jackal homeworld and a satellite of the planet Chu'ot‎. It's primary moon is Y'Deio. The gravity is about 0.875 G's, making the inhabitants lighter on Eayn than on Earth. This is surprising, considering how fast Jackals move on Earth. Its color palette (green & blue) is that of Earth, but of course, its continents are shaped differently.

Like the other lower caste members of the Covenant, the Jackals are not represented on the High Council but are instead vetted by the Ministry of Concert. However, unlike the other castes, the Kig-yar do not vocally complain about their position but instead have chosen to siphon off resources to their brothers but whether the Covenant leadership was aware of this is unknown. 

Jackals are not permitted by the Elites to have more than one name, but Jackal society had never placed a premium on such things, so they don't care. Jackal names are invariably single syllable, with two consonants and one vowel, such as Yeg, Jak and Bok. The ranking authorities in Covenant society have been known to feed prisoners to Jackals, perhaps indicating that the Jackals are more bloodthirsty and cruel than previously seen in combat.

Unknown Rank
In Halo: Ghosts of Onyx a high ranking Jackal in red armor is mentioned but it is unsure where these red armor Jackals fit in to the ranking scheme. It is assumed to be above Jackal Majors. Assuming that like all other Jackals, their shield will be similar in color to its armor, red or yellow is a good possibility.

Jackal Anatomy and Physiology
Jackals are vaguely avian in appearance, with feather-like quills on their heads and arms on males and calloused plates on females for protection from males during mating, and taloned, bird-like feet. Jackal Majors seem to be more muscular than Minors, with larger biceps and chests. They have three fingers on each hand including an opposable thumb. Jackals have exhibited both beaks and needle sharp teeth. Such a great variation may be indicative of two species of Jackal.

Though they are not a low-g species, they do have many qualities that are shared with species from low-g worlds. The female of the species lack the spiny plumage (said plumage's color serving as indication of the Jackal's mood) of the male; replacing it with calloistic plates at the forearms and the rear of the head. The "callous like" skin helps protect the female during courtship. When mating, the male can choose to fertilize the egg, in where a female is produced, were as in if the eggs are not fertilized a male is produced. Aside from the obvious differences in reproductive organs, the male and female of the species are more or less identical in appearance with no physical disparity or mass distribution between the sexes. 

ONI scientists have noted a great variance in skin tone and color between Jackals, usually a dark orange or green, and some are mottled or spotted with markings of various color. The purpose of color variation in Jackals is unknown, though it has been speculated to be tribal tattooing or camouflage suitable for their home world. Although the Jackals vary in skin color, their blood is purple in color similar to that of Elites, possibly showing a similar genetic or chemical makeup.

Though they are mainly carnivorous in appearance and indeed are known to consume flesh, apparently even that of other sentients, the Kig-Yar are omnivorous. They will eat fruits including an unknown type of melon that may be native to their homeworld.

Jackals seen thus far in the games have been predominantly left-handed; none have been seen wielding a firearm with their right hand. All Jackals wear their shields on their right arm.

The boots that Jackals wear are shaped similarly to the feet of birds. The number of bird-like physiological traits could be an indication of Avian ancestry. Several other bird features include keen eyesight, three fingers like the first birds and possibly hollowed bones because they are fragile against melee attacks.

Because of their avian physiology and the hollow structure of their bones and lack of large calcium deposits, Jackals cannot be mutated by the Flood. The lack of calcium in their skeletons also makes them a poor source of food for potential Flood forms.

Changes from Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo 2


In Halo: Combat Evolved, the Jackals wore more armor, and often had helmets, had shorter, stubbier beaks, more jewel-like eyes, and came in two skin color variations: dark green and dark orange. In Halo 2, they are more avian looking and have only an orange skin color. Also they have pink reptile like eyes which flicker off and on when dead but still stay pink. It is unknown why these changes happened, and if the Halo 2 Jackals are a different variety/race of Jackals than the ones in Halo or if the changes were mostly just graphical. Besides the aesthetic differences, there has also been changes in the way the Jackal Personal Arm Shield works and looks, and the addition of a sniper rank. In neither game do Jackals utilize Plasma Grenades, although they do carry grenades in Halo 2. One bungie staff member quotes that now they are scarier.

In Halo: Combat Evolved, Jackals hunt predominantly in pairs, usually one major and a minor, 2 minors, or sometimes 2 majors (though more than one pair may be present in certain areas). In Halo 2, shielded Jackals work primarily in teams upwards of four, though they are occasionally found in pairs. Sniper Jackals can also be found working in teams on occasions.

Changes in Halo 3

 * Jackals now wield the Covenant Carbine without having to be given them, these Jackals are designated by some as "Marksmen Jackals" seeing that they are neither Snipers nor shield-bearing Jackals.


 * The Jackals in general wear more armor to better protect themselves, making it more difficult to kill a Jackal from the front. It now requires at least two melee strikes to kill a Jackal in Halo 3.


 * Jackals in Halo 3, appear to no longer wear the armored boots they wore in the previous games. As such they feature more animalistic talons on their feet.


 * Halo 3 Jackals have a massive "over-bite" and their teeth hang down over their bottom jaw, suggesting that the Jackals have some form of melee bite attack, though only a few rare encounters can confirm such suspicions.


 * Sniper Jackals wear a visor-like device on their heads that covers their left eye. It can be assumed this enhances their vision to allow for greater accuracy. When Jackal snipers sight a target, this visor emits a purple light; this functions both to warn the player and reveal the sniper's position. The visor, along with the now-slower targeting time for the creatures' Beam Rifles, can best be described as an effort to balance the snipers out after Bungie's realization that they were too deadly in Halo 2.

Trivia

 * On Halo 1 for PC, there is only one kind of jackal, and they have green shields. (No yellow or blue, only green)
 * 'Kig-yar' is Breton for 'chicken' and (Phonetic) Welsh for 'chicken meat'.
 * One of the things that Jackals say is 'Hackata! Hoo-ya!' As Jackals say reversed human phrases, this, when translated, means "You! Attack!".
 * Several pieces of Jackal dialog are English sentences that have been reversed and sped up.
 * Although Jackals in Halo 2 carry grenades, they are never seen using them. This is possibly because of the fact that, in terms of game mechanics, they 'dual-wield' their energy shield with whatever other weapon they are carrying.
 * When playing as the Arbiter, you may give Jackals Plasma Pistols, Plasma Rifles, Needlers, Magnums, SMGs and even Shotguns. They may also be given Carbines and Battle Rifles; however, this is due to a glitch, and the animation is flawed. On a modded level of "Outskirts" where you play as a Jackal, you can pick up human Sniper Rifles because the sniping weapons have the same tags. And the animation is near perfect too.
 * In Halo 2, Jackals feature a reloading animation for the Needler, and the Needler only.
 * All Jackals shoot left handed, including the use of sniper weapons, and are the only Covenant to do so. (with the exception of Rtas 'Vadum)
 * Kig-Yar appear to have the same hands as Trandoshans from Star Wars.
 * When you kill a Jackal, if you look at their eyes, they flicker on and off.
 * The only level where Jackals spawn with different weapons is on the level Delta Halo, where they spawn with Plasma Rifles, at the part where Cortana says: "We're coming up on another structure". They should be right in front of you on a structure.
 * Perosus means "hateful". Latrunculus means "robber, bandit, mercenary", so their Latin name means "hateful mercenary/robber/bandit.
 * On Halo 2, if you give a friendly Jackal a needler or a carbine, it is possible to see them charge the weapon, just like they would a plasma pistol. This fact can also be found on the "glitches" section of Halopedia.
 * On the level Sacred Icon, if you give the Jackals or Grunts a different weapon than the one's they spawn with, in the middle of the Gondola ride they will lose them due to a loading zone glitch and then get killed by the Flood.
 * In Halo 3, Jackal Majors carry purple shields instead of yellow seen in Halo 2.
 * In some levels of Halo 2, Halo 3 and possibly Halo 1, there are Jackals donning whitish colored shields, whether it's a glitch like the Honor Guard-Councilor, or it's part of the ranking system is unknown. Other sightings include greenish-coloured shields.
 * The only female Kig'yar soldier known is Chur'yar
 * These were the first Covenant to encounter and to fight Humans(This encounter took place on Harvest.)

Related Links

 * Jackal Point Defense Gauntlet


 * Jackals Unlimited Plasma Pistols