A DA geneseed question?

[Lord_Hail]

So i got way too much time at work to think... And i was wondering, when a recruit has the geneseed put in could/would he have any knowledge or insite into who the geneseed came from. Such as training, knowledge of the fallen and in the case i was thinking knowledge of a confesion of a fallen (yes refrence to Brother McAdoo's untimely fate....). I think it is a possibility whats your questions and comments.

[Viray]

I would say no as there is no prior indication in any of the fluff, at least any fluff that I can recall, that would suggest new Dark Angels genetically inherited the memories of their predecessors through the implantation of the geneseed. If that were the case, I highly doubt the Dark Angels would have bothered with the secrecy of the Inner Circle.

[puck]

I believe recruits are told where their geneseed comes from but other than that have no connection to previous owners. There are two examples and an exception. First, it is already known that armor is handed down and stories are told to recruits about who wore the armor before them so why should geneseed be any different. Second, in the second or third Soul Drinkers book (I know its not DA but its the only reference that comes to mind) one of the characters- a scout- specifically references being told about the previous owner of his geneseed. Perhaps this is something more commonly found in very small/under strength chapters where geneseed is all the more important. The only example of "chapter memory" I can think of the the Black Rage thing with the Blood Angels, but its unclear whether this is passed on by each battle brother or some kind of defect in the geneseed itself.

[pueriexdeus]

You know this question brings up some thoughts as far as...

 

Biological motivation; current educational/motivational theories mention that as an organism/human progresses and evolves it will pass on it's survival instincts and the resulting children will be born with specific/certain types of knowledge. This information is embedded into the genome of the DNA through socially learned cognition. Over the course of years/centuries the newborn will instinctively have an understanding of where the parents came from and what it took to survive.

 

With that concept it would be plausible to infer that the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th generation Gene-seeds implanted will have biological knowledge learned from its predecessors. Now that also falls back to the original father (Lion El Johnson) and his DNA... That was built upon throughout the centuries.

 

So is it possible for future generations of DA to have a Collective Unconscious of what came before them? If so at what point will they become unconsciously aware of the Fallen?

[Lord_Hail]

Thanks for all your imput. Soon my evil plan will unfold..... (fluff for the fluff god!!!)

[Phoebus]

The idea of "race memory" written into your genes was explored by Frank Herbert in the "Dune" series of books. Whether such concepts are applicable in the 40k milieu, on the other hand, is up for debate. Any number of fluffy reasons could be thought of to support it, especially if it's "unconscious" and not something they directly draw on--which isn't really demonstrated anywhere.*

 

Collective unconscious? In the sense of shared, Chapter-wide memories? I don't think so.

 

Gene-seed is a linear inheritance. It's not shared. While it's possible to argue that every Dark Angel could theoretically have engrained race memories going back all the way to Lion El'Jonson, it's unfeasible to assume that he would also share memories with other battle-brothers. Sure, the zygotes split, but there's always going to be a branch where you no longer share memories with someone else.

 

* The only instance I can think of is the intensity with which battle-brothers subscribe to historical issues that are held with deep conviction by the Chapter. For example, when Boreas reveals to his followers the truth of the Fallen, there is much lamentation, gnashing of teeth, and expression of genuine rage.

 

Personally, I think it would be pretty cynical if Chapters from the Dark Angels to the Space Wolves used hypno-conditioning and indoctrination to make their Astartes feel reverence for their Primarchs, fury over past events, etc., artificially. It would be fake. I would much rather believe that these feelings are in large part similar to what happens to the Blood Angels, except that Chapter is even more affected because they imbibe even more of the Primarch's genetic material (his blood).

 

Mind you, I still think that hypno-conditioning and indoctrination is responsible for triggering certain stimuli (anger, for instance), but I think those are calculated to achieve certain effects for battle or in preparation for battle. I think that would be much more justified than triggering false pride, shame, etc.