- "Everyone, everyone, look unto me! I possess the blue flag! I have seen the top of the mountain, and you will worship me as though I were a god! (The entire Blue team gangs up on him) Bleh....I regret nothing! I lived as few men dared to dream!''"
- —Red Zealot in his shining moment in Best Laid Plans
The Red Zealot, also known as Zealot for short, is the most known of the Battle Creek Grunts. He was a soldier that often talked in a religious tone and eventually joined Doc/O'Malley as one of his minions.
Overview[]
Of all the Battle Creek Grunts, the Red Zealot is by far the most devout follower of their bizarre flag-worshiping religion. He talks in semi-monologues, adding a somewhat holy aspect to whatever the subject is. It's shown that he's sometimes annoying, such as when Doc/O'Malley and Lopez state feeling uneasy when he speaks to them about their personal faith in It's a Biological Fact. The Red Zealot is also quite gullible, as Simmons and O'Malley were both able to trick him at one point.
Role in Plot[]
Origin[]
The Red Zealot with the flag.
He first stood out by taking the Blue Team's flag in Battle Creek, and attracted everyone's attention by screaming a religious preach about the flag. However, at the end of his speech, the blue grunts all attack him. The Red Zealot also reacted the most when Caboose took their flag, yelling "Repent!, Repent!" Later on at Sidewinder, Simmons opens a portal to Battle Creek where the Red Zealot along with several other Grunts pass through. When Simmons tells them O'Malley has their flag, they attack him.
Alliance with O'Malley[]
When the bomb detonated, he ended up being blasted into the future, seemingly alone, near Doc/O'Malley's location. Upon finding a building that he believes is a holy shrine, (which is actually the Zanzibar structure), O'Malley dupes the Red Zealot into working for him. He ends up doing menial tasks, such as polishing the ammunition. However, when the base is attacked by the Reds and Blues, he mans a turret and fires at them.
Death[]
However, after finding the Great Weapon Tucker sneaks up on the Zealot and kills him with his sword. As he bleeds to death he says his last words, which were, "I can see the flag. It's so... flappy. 'Herk, ble-ag'". It's unknown what happened to the Zealot's body after the Blood Gulch soldiers searched Zanzibar.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- His name was never mentioned in the series and was simply credited as "Red Zealot".
- The Zealot, like the Grunts, is a parody of a stereotypical Halo player.
- Despite being a minor character, the Zealot obtained a drawing from Luke McKay.
- In MIA, a Red Grunt appears and taunts the Blues before being killed by the Blue Grunt Leader. This is a reference to the Zealot, but it's unknown if this is his Epsilon double.
- The Zealot has several similarities to the Blue Grunt Leader, a Blue team Grunt inside the Epsilon unit, as:
- Both hold high respect for their team and color.
- Both are the only identified Grunt on their team.
- Both speak in a religious tone (more so for the Zealot).
- In a deleted scene of Season 3, he was revived shortly after his death, saying "I have reformed! I have been sent back to my earthly shell to continue my mission. Oh flag, I will not fail you in this second chance that you have given me. I will make you proud. I will vanquish our enemy." before being shot at by Tex, to which he responds, "Unhg? I will get a better weapon and return." and then runs away.
- A zealot very similar to the Red Zealot appeared in Season 15, claiming that Caboose was the Great Destroyer and that he had returned. While they share the same voice, it is unknown if they are the same character. It is possible that the Red Zealot survived his death, as the other zealots had done in the past.