Jump to content

The most sympathetic Traitors- spoilers, spoilers everywhere


KaiserTJ1860

Recommended Posts

Reading through some of the posts here reminded me of some of the truly tragic characters in the Heresy that landed on the side of the Enemy but still - at first - retained some humanity, or at the very least character traits that made them endearing.
 
Ive got my list here, but who are yours?
 
 

Argel Tal - Reluctant acceptance of "the Truth" and his unfortunate demise


Little Horus - Hounded by visions of Loken and the regret with which he battles Torgaddon


Khârn - I think my favourite line in Betrayer was "people found it hard to dislike Khârn" (or words to that effect) A brutal warrior, resigned to the fate that was the Butchers nails. His relationship with Argel Tal was genuinley moving


Forgot the name - the Thousand Son who accepts death with the realisation of how the Change has affected his Legion


 
Obviously not exhaustive, but I do enjoy reading about characters whose loyalties lie contra to those we should support, but are still nonetheless relatable.
 


Oh and as an aside I LOVED Sharrowkyn's parting words to Lucius with there obvious nod as to how Lucius takes over the body of his vanquishers.


 
So yes, your thoughts on the 31k Universe's nicest bad guys?
 
 
TJ

Just about that whole Lucius thing.

 

 

It doesn't seem to me that Sharrowkyn does die. Cause I thought he was extracted with the Iron Hands, which would imply that Lucius didn't take his body as his own. To be it just meant that Lucius came back alive, cause Slaanesh wants to keep him alive. I know the idea is that he takes a person's body who takes pleasure in his kill. But as Sharrowkyn doesn't take any pleasure in it surely he doesn't get turned.

Just what I took from that moment, feel free to correct me

 

I'd say Lorgar, even though he's a simpering fool.  A-D-B wrote him quite well.  So when he gets tricked by Chaos and converted, you feel bad for him.  All he wanted was to be loved by the Emprah, and be given recognition for his devotion and efforts.  He was inferior to all of his brothers, and the one thing he thought he could do to bring himself on par with them, the Emperor punished him for.  And worst, the Emperor used one of his best sons to carry out the punishment, which was even more humiliating for Lorgar.

 

While I've had a lot of problems with the story of Lorgar simply because the Emperor's actions seem way too heavy handed and excessive to be logical, as written, Lorgar is a sympathetic character. 

Just about that whole Lucius thing.

 

 

It doesn't seem to me that Sharrowkyn does die. Cause I thought he was extracted with the Iron Hands, which would imply that Lucius didn't take his body as his own. To be it just meant that Lucius came back alive, cause Slaanesh wants to keep him alive. I know the idea is that he takes a person's body who takes pleasure in his kill. But as Sharrowkyn doesn't take any pleasure in it surely he doesn't get turned.

Just what I took from that moment, feel free to correct me

 

 

Yeah you're right here. I just like the allusion to Lucius future. I see the duel with Sharrowkyn and how it unfolded as the reason for the gift that Slaanesh bestows on Lucius

I've always thought Mortarion was pretty tragic:

 

He's already turned on one father, he turns traitor again out of loyalty to his friend and a desire to stand up for freedom, and what does it get him?

 

Nurglish date beat into the decaying leader of corpse abominations. Thanks, Chaos Gods!

What about about our one eyed friend Magnus? Poor chap both tried to save Horus and warn the big E. And all he got for that was a prison sentence. Then Horus changes Russes orders and he gets an orifice extension and sells his soul to save his people only in the end to have Ahriman mambo jumbo the Legion into automata. If that aint tragic IDK what is really.

In descending order based upon the degrees of tragedy in their fall:

 

Argel Tal

 

Magnus

 

Horus

 

Lhorke

 

Fulgrim

 

Khârn

 

The Word Bearer that had to kill his friend to start off the whole shebang in Know No Fear(can't remember his name and can't be bothered to look it up this moment)

-----------

I could keep going really.  I find a bit of tragedy in nearly all of the HH villains.  Few save individuals like Erebus, Kor Phaeron, Lucius etc etc etc can't be seen beginning their descent into Chaos as a victim.

 

The first and foremost, in my mind, being Argel Tal.  Argel Tal became a monster for his father.  Tal had no idea what would happen to him in the Warp, but Lorgar had a theory...

 

 

 

Since "Angel Exterminatus" I would say Perturabo. Because he´s not the callous, clinical, jealous and backstabbing scumbag, he was described as in the former HH-books. He is intelligent, visionary, creative, he has honor, he loves his legion, he loves humanity, he wants to bring the brother war to an end and he wants to restore the human rulership over the galaxy. He is not the candid guy you easily fall in love with or the warm-hearted brother - but he´s the on you can rely on, if things are getting worse. And he and his legion never got the props for their devotion and achievments, like the Death Guard too.

 

And at the end, he´s responsible for Fulgrims demonhood and for the fall of his legion...

I agree with Perturabo after Angel Exterminatus.

 

I have just finished Betrayer, and I am whole heartedly on side with Argel Tal for this thread. Despite having Raum inside him is still a clever, well thought, reasonable Astartes who cares about his brothers and The Blessed Lady (name escapes me) 

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.