Halo Wars 2 opens with Captain James Cutter (Gideon Emery)[4] and the crew aboard Spirit of Fire waking from cryosleep at the Ark, a Forerunner installation. Unaware of how the Human-Covenant war concluded during their absence, the Spirit of Fire's forces travel down to the Ark to seek information.[2] On the installation they encounter and battle with an alien faction known as the Banished, a group that broke away from the Covenant.[2] The Banished are led by the Brute warlord Atriox and rose to power following the Covenant's demise.[2]