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Why is Lucius even there?


malorn24

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I have been listening to Galaxy in Flames and a thought just occurred to me. Why was Lucius even selected to be part of the First Wave (the ones that would not follow Horus)? His entire story strikes me as one that would have followed Fulgrim where ever he led because of his own vanity.

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His association with Tarvitz is the most likely explanation. They were old associates and it makes the most sense that that is what condemned him.

 

Plus, from a writers point of view, it gives a reason for the bad guys to win without the good guys losing face when he betrays them

I always assumed because of his closeness with tarvitz.

It's not even really an assumption, he even says during the story that he's there primarily because of his association with Tarvitz.

 

I also imagine that, with the Emperor's Children being as ego-centric as they are at that point, there was plenty of influence of internal politics and favour on the choices for the Isstvan III betrayal. If there was someone Eidolon or some other higher-up didn't like, chances are they'd get sent down.

 

I kinda feel the opposite way about Lucius in there actually: that his impact wasn't significant enough. It's described that even after he betrays the survivors it's a fierce battle, and then they just bring the Dies Irae in anyway (which in turns make me wonder why it's been sitting around for so long).

 

 It's described that even after he betrays the survivors it's a fierce battle, and then they just bring the Dies Irae in anyway (which in turns make me wonder why it's been sitting around for so long).

 

Wasn't the Irae involved in its own internal power struggle for an undetermined length of time during the treachery? Or you could use the FW explanation that the storms whipped up by the Virus bombing and inferno prevented the use of air power and heavy gear like Titans.

 

It's described that even after he betrays the survivors it's a fierce battle, and then they just bring the Dies Irae in anyway (which in turns make me wonder why it's been sitting around for so long).

Wasn't the Irae involved in its own internal power struggle for an undetermined length of time during the treachery? Or you could use the FW explanation that the storms whipped up by the Virus bombing and inferno prevented the use of air power and heavy gear like Titans.

 

There is a brief struggle, but from what we see in the book it's only really between three individuals and it's over as soon as it starts.

 

The FW explanation could work, I guess, though it still bugs me.

Probably a combination of:

Closeness to Tarvitz

Mutual hatred with Eidolon which comes through even more clearly in later stories.

He's obnoxious even for the III legion.

 

Remember, the loyalists didn't know that was why they were being sent. The primarchs couldn't literally pick and choose on an individual basis. They picked companies and squads based on expected overall loyalty. I'm sure that amongst those companies not sent there were loyalist individuals who were murdered by their comrades and amongst the loyalist first wave there were those who would have been willing traitors who had to be sacrificed to sell the deception.

Another side is that loads of people got sent down who might have been loyal to Horus but no chances were taken.  Was is Daar in Betrayal where he was a bit of a nutter but got sent any way and became the Headtaker/hunter? 10,000s of guys got sent down. Lucius was a bit part player.

Don't forget gentlemen that in Betrayal it says that Fulgrim had kind of lost the plot and selected lots of marines for the first wave that would have followed him anyway, so that could no doubt factor in. With Lucius in particular though it's Tarvitz/High Command not liking him

 

 

It's described that even after he betrays the survivors it's a fierce battle, and then they just bring the Dies Irae in anyway (which in turns make me wonder why it's been sitting around for so long).

Wasn't the Irae involved in its own internal power struggle for an undetermined length of time during the treachery? Or you could use the FW explanation that the storms whipped up by the Virus bombing and inferno prevented the use of air power and heavy gear like Titans.

 

There is a brief struggle, but from what we see in the book it's only really between three individuals and it's over as soon as it starts.

 

The FW explanation could work, I guess, though it still bugs me.

 

 

It's a brief struggle, but it still leaves them a man short to operate the Titan.

Lucius was a sublime swordsman but he had enemies in the III Legion. Remember that the III Legion force sent to Isstvan III was led by Eidolon, not Fulgrim himself. 

 

Eidolon disliked (and/or was jealous of) Lucius. There was also the matter of Lucius's friendship with Tarvitz. As far as Eidolon was concerned, it was one stone, two birds. 

  • 4 weeks later...

Bit of a res, but I'm listening to the Fulgrim audio book right now and came across this bit:

 

[following the Emperor's Children's assault on DS191, which takes place after Fulgrim has secretly joined Horus]

 

'My lord,' pressed Vespasian, 'why were captains Vairosean and Kaesoron held back from supporting Captain Demeter? But for the intervention of Tarvitz and Lucius, Solomon's men would be dead.'

 

'Tarvitz and Lucius saved Captain Demeter?' asked Fulgrim, and Vespasian was shocked to see a hint of annoyance surface on Fulgrim's face. 'How...courageous of them.'

 

This was probably another factor in Lucius being sent to die on Isstvan III: he had angered Fulgrim and inadvertently sided himself with those too staunchly loyal to be swayed into rebellion.

From a storytelling perspective, its a fantastic twist that plays off our existing assumptions about the setting and the characters that populate it. As readers, we enter with knowledge of how the Heresy ends, which makes writing that period a place without a lot of suspense unless you shake up the reader's expectations. 

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