To be honest, I was pretty convinced they were just a rip-off of the Idirans from Consider Phlebas, because everything else in Halo is ripped-off wholesale from somewhere else. But, I can also see the comparison being made between a fascistic theocracy on a genocidal crusade vs. a bumbling head-in-the-sand neoliberal empire thumbing its own asshole.
Made by the Halo devs... wat
Actually, now that I think about it, Halo was fantastic war propaganda, so I'm not surprised
Who did you think the Covenant was meant to represent?
Religion? Sucide bombing grunts? Lots desert maps? Head dresses? It's Al Qaeda time.
To be honest, I was pretty convinced they were just a rip-off of the Idirans from Consider Phlebas, because everything else in Halo is ripped-off wholesale from somewhere else. But, I can also see the comparison being made between a fascistic theocracy on a genocidal crusade vs. a bumbling head-in-the-sand neoliberal empire thumbing its own asshole.
I actually want to know about this as I never looked at halo anything but a video game as a kid.
the concept of the Covenant was developed before 9/11, but it's impossible for devs making an uncritical Mil-SF series in the United States during the height of war on terror consent manufacturing and islamophobia to not draw on that undercurrent. (half hour pop media crit video)