While he doesn't make any tangible contribution to the story, the Arbiter has a brief cameo of sorts in Halo Infinite.
If you never played the original games, and are therefore not familiar with this popular character, he was a deuteragonist in the first Halo trilogy. Voiced by the inimitable Keith David, he has occasionally popped up elsewhere in the franchise too.
Although he became almost as important as Master Chief by the end, the Arbiter's first appearance wasn't until the second game, where he surprisingly took on the lead role (which was a highly controversial creative decision at the time).
What Happened to the Arbiter?
It's rarely used, but his real name is actually Thel 'Vadam. "Arbiter" was just the rank given to him by the villainous Covenant before he switched sides.
Speaking of which, he was originally one of the top assassins for the fanatical empire, until his race (the Sangheili) was betrayed, and they all became separatists. Having defected alongside the rest of his species, the Arbiter then works alongside humanity in Halo 2 and eventually becomes Master Chief's closest partner in Halo 3. In fact, he is the one who slays the final High Prophet near the end of the game.
Various extended universe materials and novels explain what happened to Thel 'Vadam after the explosive events of that third installment. There, we learn that he played an instrumental role in the civil war that later broke out amongst the Sangheili.
He then sat out the fourth game's conflict, but made a brief reappearance in Halo 5: Guardian, where he lent a hand during the climactic assault on the Covenant stronghold. We don't know what happened to him after that, as Halo Infinite doesn't really explore it in any detail whatsoever.
Where Is the Arbiter Easter Egg in 'Halo Infinite'?
Before you get your hopes up, it's worth knowing that the Arbiter doesn't feature in the Halo Infinite story campaign.
He doesn't appear in any main missions, nor can you find him out in the open world. In fact, Master Chief doesn't even mention him once in passing (which is a little rude, considering everything the duo went through together).
However, there is a cute little nod to the character's role in the franchise that you can find while exploring the Zeta ring. To find it, you will need to reach a certain point in the story, as the area in question is gated by progression. Specifically, you will need to have at least done the "Pelican Down" mission (which is the eighth chapter of the game) or have got yourself access to aeriel transport.
With either a Banshee or a Wasp, fly over to the isolated island in the middle of the map. There, atop one of the cliffs, you will find a plushie of the Arbiter overlooking the landmass. It is not collectable and there is no achievement for finding it, but it's a fun reference.
The precise location has been marked on the map below.
Halo Infinite's single-player campaign is available to download as part of the Xbox Game Pass service. Meanwhile, its multiplayer portion is distributed as a seperate, free-to-play product that you can get with or without a Game Pass subscription.
