Primarchs- Masters of disguise?

[Rune Priest Ridcully]

Basically, in "A Thousand Sons", Sanguinius has his hair black, whilst before he was the one Primarch we had a definate idea of what he looked like, your usual typical blond angel, now though he seems to have dyed his hair black, hope this is not a sign of GW retconing Sanginius and the Blood Angels to resemble the literacy abomination that is Twighlight just for a quick cas flow.

Russ, there seems to be good general idea of what he looked like, but seems he spent most of his time using hair dye, I ave seen pictures of him Black, brown, blonde, Ginger and I am sure I saw a grey haired one somewhere, personally I think Russ was ginger, it's just how I picture him, plus it makes the Battle of Prospero "clash of the gingers".

Magnus, again we seem to have a good idea of what he looked like, but there are still descripencys between some images, but also, why does his armour have nipple horns?

Horus, like the above, we seem to have a good idea of what he looks like, his face keeps alternating between looking normal and looken like a saggin potatoe.

Images of Mortrion seem consistant, your typical angel of death.

The others we seem to have general ideas of wat they look like, apart from Vulkan and Alphurus/Omegron, the 2/3 Lizard legion primarchs have no images, and next to no descriptions apart from a few.

So, does anyone have a good idea on what the primarchs looked like, or did they play with the mum, er... dads make up a lot when growing up?

[Brother Captain Alaric]

This is my general understanding....

 

Horus- Black Hair, shortened (maybe), patrician features, some scars.

Sanguinius- Pretty, long blond hair, perfect skin.

Magnus- Reg haired giant cyclops.

Leman Russ- Long blond or ginger hair, wolflike features, pretty much your average SW but more badass.

Lion El'Johnson- Black or blonde hair, average looking features.

Guilliman- Only images i've seen paint him as an average looking space marine, either with short black hair or bald.

Mortarion- Really pale, thin skin, looks as if hes on his death bed.

Angron- Bald, angry.

Fulgrim- See Sangy but with white hair instead.

Corax- White skin, black eyes, not sure on this one.

Vulkan- Black, bald (retcon?)

Dorn- White Hair, serious face, scars

Khan- Mongolian

Ferrus Manus- Bald, great eyes, metal hands

Lorgar- Bald, scripture carved into his skin

Perturabo- Bald, always in armor, pissed off looking

Alpharius- ?

Curze- Long black hair, gaunt face

[Primarch015]

This is my general understanding....

 

Horus- Black Hair, shortened (maybe), patrician features, some scars.

Sanguinius- Pretty, long blond hair, perfect skin.

Magnus- Reg haired giant cyclops.

Leman Russ- Long blond or ginger hair, wolflike features, pretty much your average SW but more badass.

Lion El'Johnson- Black or blonde hair, average looking features.

Guilliman- Only images i've seen paint him as an average looking space marine, either with short black hair or bald.

Mortarion- Really pale, thin skin, looks as if hes on his death bed.

Angron- Bald, angry.

Fulgrim- See Sangy but with white hair instead.

Corax- White skin, black eyes, not sure on this one.

Vulkan- Black, bald (retcon?)

Dorn- White Hair, serious face, scars

Khan- Mongolian

Ferrus Manus- Bald, great eyes, metal hands

Lorgar- Bald, scripture carved into his skin

Perturabo- Bald, always in armor, pissed off looking

Alpharius- ?

Curze- Long black hair, gaunt face

 

pretty much this. except i think angron has either dread locks or thick wires that connect to his scalp.

[Captain-Plonker]

I seem to recall Lion El'Johnson was actually blonde in Fallen Angels.

 

The writers seem to be somewhat inconsistent on hair colour though.

The way you've got yours down is pretty much what I feel they should be like.

[Mithril hound]

Russ has black hair.

[Luc O' Luck]

On the cover of Prospero Burns, Russ has blonde hair. In the original John Blanche sketch, Russ has blonde hair, in the images of the original model, Russ has blonde hair. The book, A Thousand Sons has Russ with copper hair. A single trading card has an image of Russ' Body Guard with red hair. So the ginger thing seems to be largely apocryphal, the blonde hair has more basing in fact and black hair?

 

Really? Black hair? ;)

[Sons of Horus]

Horus is bald.

[Captain-Plonker]

There are inconsistencies about appearance in various sources, it seems.

 

Also, why is Alpharius' appearance left blank? He's described in Legion, you can even use some of the traits attributed to the AL marines, since they all have surgery and stuff to look the same as their primarch.

 

EDIT: Also, why does everyone think Khan should look Mongolian? I think he'd still be caucasian, like all his brothers, and his dad. Never made much sense to me that Khan would be a different ethnicity(?) to the rest of his family.

[Hyperion]

Also, why does everyone think Khan should look Mongolian? I think he'd still be caucasian, like all his brothers, and his dad. Never made much sense to me that Khan would be a different ethnicity(?) to the rest of his family.

 

I asked Dan Abnett about this at his Seer Council session at Black Library Live. I suggested that the reason different legions have racial characteristics is because each primarch had genestock from a particular Terran tribe added to their genetics when they were created. This seemed to be the only way each primarch would have racial characteristics and that the space marines created from each primarch would share those characteristics. Dan agreed and mentioned that the Space Wolves really are norse, and the Emperor would certainly have been interested in the genetics of great warlords from Terra's history (incl Genghis Khan).

 

So it's not only the White Scars that have racial characteristics, but all of the Legions. Dan said that they haven't fully mapped out which tribes are which Legions, but some are pretty obvious.

[Captain-Plonker]

Perhaps, but it's been said in a few places that the primarchs all shared common aspects of appearance, 'aquiline nose' comes to mind, as well as widely-spaced eyes.

 

And what primarch, other than Khan, was bred from non-white genes?

 

The only possibility I can think of is Vulcan, but I always thought he just had dark skin due to the geneseed and the radiation of their homeworld, not because he was made with black genes.

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Speaking as an avid reader and writer, I can say that the descriptions mean next to nothing to me.. I have my own idea of what each Primarch looks like, generally uninfluenced by GW.

[Hyperion]

Magnus is described as copper skinned. Russ is nordic. There's some suggestion that the Dark Angels are french. The Crimson Fists suggest the Imperial Fists might be spanish. Like I said, they've not nailed them all down, but each primarch seems to have a different genetic makeup, and it is a simple explanation to say that the Emperor mixed different racial characteristics into each one, along with his own genetics (so he's where they get their nose and eyes from!). That said, the tribes of 30K Terra may be very different to the ones that exist now.

[Whitefireinferno]

And Angron never would have had dreds or anything that could be grabbed in a fight he had either a Bald/shaved head or very short hair like a 1 or a 2 at the most since he was a gladiator and they wernt against grabbing hair in a fight so you dont have any no advantage to your foes.

[Mithril hound]

Did u read them space wolf books? Yeah, well russ is said to black haired by the dudes in the 13 co.

[shatter]

Also, why does everyone think Khan should look Mongolian? I think he'd still be caucasian, like all his brothers, and his dad. Never made much sense to me that Khan would be a different ethnicity(?) to the rest of his family.

 

I asked Dan Abnett about this at his Seer Council session at Black Library Live. I suggested that the reason different legions have racial characteristics is because each primarch had genestock from a particular Terran tribe added to their genetics when they were created. This seemed to be the only way each primarch would have racial characteristics and that the space marines created from each primarch would share those characteristics. Dan agreed and mentioned that the Space Wolves really are norse, and the Emperor would certainly have been interested in the genetics of great warlords from Terra's history (incl Genghis Khan).

 

So it's not only the White Scars that have racial characteristics, but all of the Legions. Dan said that they haven't fully mapped out which tribes are which Legions, but some are pretty obvious.

 

It never occurred to me that it would be other than this. I assumed He was like one parent and an exemplary mix of a racial type or tribe was the other. I also thought that two or three were not made this way but were variants of Himself... with alterations.

So in a sense he was The Father of them all. There will be similarities in appearance between the whole... err.. family unless He deliberately removed it... but that seems counter-productive to me.

[Retrograde]

I always assumed the infant primarchs were influenced physically as well as mentally by the worlds they found themselves on. It's a simple explanation and the only logical way to explain why many seemed to share the physical characteristics of their peoples.

[shatter]

Your statement is fair I think but also quite arguable because of geneseed, a primarch's people (read; marines) can look like him, not the other way around. Given enough time, grooming and manner (and partner phenotype preference) could well follow with any populations that venerate them.

 

Oops, I forgot to mention that they're also vessels containing power siphoned from the warp... in which case, anything is possible.

[Custodian Athiair]

according to "Tales of Heresy" with all the short stories. It explains that Lorgar has gold leaf on his skin, or something to that affect ?!?!?!?!? :D

 

and i don't think horus is bald? i imagined him with black hair, average length. becuase he was like that.

 

Athiair :lol:

[Wulfen00]

Traditionally Russ was blonde, now it seems to lean more towards black, I don't think he was a ginger however.

 

Angron strikes me as short hair but with plugs in his skin/scalp due to the pysco-conditioning he had to be a gladiator.

 

I am pretty sure most hair styles/ general appearance would be based off of the homeworlds, as the emperor did use varations from different tribes of terra.

So IMO each would have tendancy to be reflective of the base cultures on each planet.

So Ultra smurfs would be Roman, Guilliman IMO looks like Caesar

 

Magnus/ Thousand Sons would look egyption, so likely shaved head, phero style beard and maybe some style of head dress?

 

Dark Angels always strike me as germanic/french so likely rather chissiled features, and Lion'el IMO has long blonde hair and looks like the epitome of Aerians.

 

Khan would def be mongolian in comblextion and traits. So long black hair, either just the top knot or tied back, and have a thin but long beard.

 

Russ as noted would look like a big angry space viking

 

For some reason I always felt that Vulkan was black skinned before. In older editions the skin colour was just that and not really due to radiation etc. So no mat black skin and red eyes, just black marines. IMO Vulkan would seem like Shaka-Zolo to me.

 

Horus would be the closest in appearance to the Emp. but pre-heresey short hair or mid length, during and post would likely have mutated slightly to appear as sinister as his mind?

 

Lorgar strikes me as a radical relgious type, so monk cut (bald top, hair "halo") and tattooed or carved symbols/ scripture in his scalp.

Cruze, now this is the thing, he IS the night hunter, so I think he would always be bathed in shadow, likely a cowl or hood of some sort at the very least. Side note~ didn't he let himself be killed by an assassin, showing redeption and remorse for his part in the heresy?

 

Dorn seems like a military man through and through. Some how IMO he appears to me as the 30k version of Douglas MacArthur. Straight military cut, white hair, some scars yes, but unfased by everything and always witha stern look on his face.

 

Sanguinious, the perfect angel appearance, blonde, long flowing hair, eyes like hellfire (when mad), perfect complection and tan. A straight up golden boy.

 

Fulgrim would have a very refined appearance, but he reminds me of Louis (XIV or is it XVI) the "Sun King" where regardless of look, requires to be told of his prowess and appearance. IMO long almost platinum blonde hair, perfect complection with a slightly upturned nose.

 

 

The rest I am not 100% on so will leave out.

[Spacefrisian]

Dont forget that the Crusade took part over more time than 1 day, this means that their hair also changes over time. In regards to this you can never be right or wrong with how their hair looked. Heck Angron could have though why not paint my hair pink today.

[Corsair]

Traditionally Russ was blonde, now it seems to lean more towards black, I don't think he was a ginger however.

 

Angron strikes me as short hair but with plugs in his skin/scalp due to the pysco-conditioning he had to be a gladiator.

 

I am pretty sure most hair styles/ general appearance would be based off of the homeworlds, as the emperor did use varations from different tribes of terra.

So IMO each would have tendancy to be reflective of the base cultures on each planet.

So Ultra smurfs would be Roman, Guilliman IMO looks like Caesar

 

Magnus/ Thousand Sons would look egyption, so likely shaved head, phero style beard and maybe some style of head dress?

 

Dark Angels always strike me as germanic/french so likely rather chissiled features, and Lion'el IMO has long blonde hair and looks like the epitome of Aerians.

 

Khan would def be mongolian in comblextion and traits. So long black hair, either just the top knot or tied back, and have a thin but long beard.

 

Russ as noted would look like a big angry space viking

 

For some reason I always felt that Vulkan was black skinned before. In older editions the skin colour was just that and not really due to radiation etc. So no mat black skin and red eyes, just black marines. IMO Vulkan would seem like Shaka-Zolo to me.

 

Horus would be the closest in appearance to the Emp. but pre-heresey short hair or mid length, during and post would likely have mutated slightly to appear as sinister as his mind?

 

Lorgar strikes me as a radical relgious type, so monk cut (bald top, hair "halo") and tattooed or carved symbols/ scripture in his scalp.

Cruze, now this is the thing, he IS the night hunter, so I think he would always be bathed in shadow, likely a cowl or hood of some sort at the very least. Side note~ didn't he let himself be killed by an assassin, showing redeption and remorse for his part in the heresy?

 

Dorn seems like a military man through and through. Some how IMO he appears to me as the 30k version of Douglas MacArthur. Straight military cut, white hair, some scars yes, but unfased by everything and always witha stern look on his face.

 

Sanguinious, the perfect angel appearance, blonde, long flowing hair, eyes like hellfire (when mad), perfect complection and tan. A straight up golden boy.

 

Fulgrim would have a very refined appearance, but he reminds me of Louis (XIV or is it XVI) the "Sun King" where regardless of look, requires to be told of his prowess and appearance. IMO long almost platinum blonde hair, perfect complection with a slightly upturned nose.

 

 

The rest I am not 100% on so will leave out.

 

Just a quick couple of points regarding the above:

 

Curze allowed himself to be 'killed' as vindication of his decision to rebel (based off his visions and life experience), not as a means of redemption.

 

Also (at least according to the Heresy novels) Fulgrim has white hair and Lorgar is bald; Magnus has a massive mane of red hair, and as far as I remember this has always been the case (pre-dates the novels, although confirmed in them).

[Primarch015]

Russ has black hair.

 

 

do you have a source for this? or are you just being sarcastic?

[Primarch015]

And Angron never would have had dreds or anything that could be grabbed in a fight he had either a Bald/shaved head or very short hair like a 1 or a 2 at the most since he was a gladiator and they wernt against grabbing hair in a fight so you dont have any no advantage to your foes.

 

im referring to the artwork. not speaking out of my ass. in each piece of artwork i have seen of angron he does have a bald head, but he also has these tubes OR dreads at the back of his head.

[Brother-chaplain Astador]

They are his neuro-implants, which he was..gifted with as his days as a Gladiator on his homeworld, they are rage/aggression enhancers.

 

He made it so all his marines had them, though the Emp forbade it.

 

http://www.pa-sy.com/hhccg/images/angron.jpg

 

 

This, I beleive, is this picture you are referring to.

 

Personally

 

Being that Russ and his legion are Nordic, I can prsonally not imagine him with anything other than Blonde/gingery hair

 

But then we all have artistic liscence so let your imagination run wild.

[Imriel]

Basically, in "A Thousand Sons", Sanguinius has his hair black, whilst before he was the one Primarch we had a definate idea of what he looked like, your usual typical blond angel, now though he seems to have dyed his hair black, hope this is not a sign of GW retconing Sanginius and the Blood Angels to resemble the literacy abomination that is Twighlight just for a quick cas flow.

 

"A Thousand Sons" isn't the first Heresy novel to have Sanguinius with black hair, as I recall the color may be linked to him mourning the Blood Angel's losses on Planet Murder.

 

Russ, there seems to be good general idea of what he looked like, but seems he spent most of his time using hair dye, I ave seen pictures of him Black, brown, blonde, Ginger and I am sure I saw a grey haired one somewhere, personally I think Russ was ginger, it's just how I picture him, plus it makes the Battle of Prospero "clash of the gingers".

 

"Visions of Treachery" has a bit on the battle of Prospero on page 14: "Russ was magnificent and primal, garbed in a suit of gloriously elaborate armour and a wolf pelt cloak, with his mane of golden hair spiked and stiffened with blood." So it would seem that the artwork for Prospero with ginger hair is suppose to actually be blond hair dyed red with blood.