Could heretic astartes reverse their sterilization and reproduce?

[Abominant]

So I know about how ionizing radiation during the astartes creation process basically destroys or mutates the stem cells that create sperm, rendering the marine effectively sterile.
But what about heretic astartes?

Do you think that chaos marines would be able to reverse their sterilization if they wanted to?
It's not like anyone in the imperium looks into that, so I was wondering if it is possible.

 

Also, are heretic astartes created by the daemonculaba also sterile? If so, is it on purpose, or is it a side effect like the usual process of marine creation?

Edited March 13 by Abominant

[Grotsmasha]

Although I don't have a source, I always belived it to be a designed, and desired effect of the process. Loyalty to the Emperor and Primarch only, no room for family and offspring. 

[AutumnEffect]

I've never seen any source that says Astartes are sterile. I've never read anything about ionizing radiation during astartes creation either. 

 

There are several sources that they are aesexual, i.e. without sexual desire. This is most likely due to their psycho-conditioning.

 

My main source at the moment being a conversation a Marine has with Ibram Gaunt in Salvations Reach;

"Could it be a woman? A... sexual partner? I'm afraid I have no experience in that either."

 

I'll rephrase the question;

Could the effect of Chaos give Astartes sexual desire?

I think its certainly possible, as it breaks through whatever psycho-conditioning gives them loyalty to the imperium which i would recon to be much more important than midnight escapades, though I think they would consider it beneath them.

 

There was also a conversation in a horus heresy novel where some Night Lords were poking fun at Sevetar, implying he was having intimate relations with a female mortal.

His response was something along the lines of "Ew, a normal human?" (Paraphrasing deeply and going off of memory here.)

 

Hope that helps.

 

*edit*

I also think Fabius Bile or a number of other less skilled... 'people' could make all sorts of things possible if the marine in question paid enough.

 

In the end, I've never seen anything concrete about Space Marines and sexuality (and trust me, I've been looking for years because... reasons.)

There's a lot implied and a lot of subtext, but just about nothing is confirmed and if you see anyone claiming it is confirmed then I'd be doubly suspicious.

 

Even my 'source' is questionable. It could just be that one marine. Or just his chapter.

Like a lot of 40k, the answer is probably 'it depends'.

Edited March 13 by AutumnEffect

[Ayatollah_of_Rock_n_Rolla]

2 hours ago, Abominant said:

So I know about how ionizing radiation during the astartes creation process basically destroys or mutates the stem cells that create sperm, rendering the marine effectively sterile.
But what about heretic astartes?

Do you think that chaos marines would be able to reverse their sterilization if they wanted to?
It's not like anyone in the imperium looks into that, so I was wondering if it is possible.

 

Also, are heretic astartes created by the daemonculaba also sterile? If so, is it on purpose, or is it a side effect like the usual process of marine creation?

 

Bile thinks, it's possible in Reynold's Prodigial : "Space Marines could not breed, not without excessive modification or mutation"

[Karhedron]

8 minutes ago, AutumnEffect said:

I've never seen any source that says Astartes are sterile. I've never read anything about ionizing radiation during astartes creation either. 

 

GW have always been (deliberately) vague in this area. One of the female Remembrancers in "Horus Rising" sees Loken and thinks something along the lines of "what a waste". GW have written more books on Marines than any other faction and there are no examples (that I am aware of) of Marines getting romantically involved with anyone. Marines go through massive amounts of surgery and genetic modification as well as psychological conditioning. Whatever it is, it is so profound that even hedonists like the Emperor's Children seemlingly don't seem interested post-ascension.

[AutumnEffect]

46 minutes ago, Karhedron said:

 

GW have always been (deliberately) vague in this area. One of the female Remembrancers in "Horus Rising" sees Loken and thinks something along the lines of "what a waste". GW have written more books on Marines than any other faction and there are no examples (that I am aware of) of Marines getting romantically involved with anyone. Marines go through massive amounts of surgery and genetic modification as well as psychological conditioning. Whatever it is, it is so profound that even hedonists like the Emperor's Children seemlingly don't seem interested post-ascension.

I remember the Mersadie quote as well, just after Loken was taking a shower.

Though, sterility (the content of my quote) does not equal sexual desire (what I believe is the content of your reply)

 

A human can be sterile and have sexual desire, or have no sexual desire and be perfectly able to naturally have children.

 

To be fair, we don't really know the details of what the Emperors Children do in their spare time.

Nor do I really want to.

 

On the subject of romance, Loken and Mersadie had a moment of love together when they were reunited before the solar war, though I'm certain it wasn't physical. Or wasn't intended to be interpreted that way.

There are many kinds of love as well. A lot implied, little concrete.

 

I might have misunderstood you though as 'romance' could be a euphemism for sex.

 

In the end, I don't think that an absence of evidence is evidence of absence. I haven't read a graphic description of a Tau being born but I don't assume they spring fully formed from the aether saying "Tau do not have babies."

 

That's just what Orks do.

Edited March 13 by AutumnEffect

[terminator ultra]

slaanesh. I'm not elaborating

[Terminatorinhell]

The way I saw it is that I think their bits are intact. But they've gone through so much psycho-indoctrination at a young age it's debatable that they just don't have that kind of desire? Or if they did how is it addressed? 

 

In current days, people are in a spectrum. They could have a high desire drive or none and that's just how they are. 

 

Maybe most of the marines just don't care? And whatever hormones and mental training they have they're just like whatever. 

[Brother Nathan]

Id add if there are how many varations between chapter in mutations and gene influences etc allowing for a range of things from extended bone claws to becomming wolves and organs not working etc then how much more variety will chaos have.

But would say it depends on the naritive plan... thinking to have abbaddon reprilocuce a special unit of super sons totally loyal then no... 

Claims from some cultist leader though with no proof that his da was an astartes hence why he should lead the warband.... all for. 

Less is more and too much specifics and what not can undermine too. 

[Primarch Betalio]

If I recall correctly, it's implied that the Space Wolves and White Scars have kids...I'd wager that the Emperor's Children do too, yet they probably die young due to the cancer or whatever. Wouldn't surprise me if some Apothecary of the Iron Fists managed to make them infertile, I'd also imagine that the Night Lords might also purely for the shock/ horror value.

 

Because the Death Gaurd deal with life and rebirth, I'd imagine that in the event that one is slain, perhaps some neophytes rise out of him ( kinda like how mushrooms grow on the decaying)

[Iron Father Ferrum]

13 hours ago, Primarch Betalio said:

If I recall correctly, it's implied that the Space Wolves and White Scars have kids...I'd wager that the Emperor's Children do too, yet they probably die young due to the cancer or whatever. Wouldn't surprise me if some Apothecary of the Iron Fists managed to make them infertile, I'd also imagine that the Night Lords might also purely for the shock/ horror value.

 

Because the Death Gaurd deal with life and rebirth, I'd imagine that in the event that one is slain, perhaps some neophytes rise out of him ( kinda like how mushrooms grow on the decaying)

 

I've never seen that implication anywhere.  The closest I recall mentioning is that Lukas was a bit of ladies' man, though that lore entry was unclear if it was before or after his ascension.

 

Also, not to get too graphic, but considering that Astartes are far larger than baseline humans in nearly every way we've seen, it's doubtful that the, uh, shall we say act of procreation would be physically possible.

[Kaiju Soze]

4 hours ago, Iron Father Ferrum said:

 

I've never seen that implication anywhere.  The closest I recall mentioning is that Lukas was a bit of ladies' man, though that lore entry was unclear if it was before or after his ascension.

When I've seen the relevant text quoted, he implies it's post-augmentation. With that said, Space Wolf recruits tend to be older than standard; it wouldn't be unreasonable that some of them may have fathered children before recruitment.

[AutumnEffect]

21 hours ago, Iron Father Ferrum said:

Also, not to get too graphic, but considering that Astartes are far larger than baseline humans in nearly every way we've seen, it's doubtful that the, uh, shall we say act of procreation would be physically possible.

 

We are straying into the graphic territory, but I think it being physically impossible because of size difference is a bit far. Looking at human averages and assuming all things are proportional, they wouldn't be impossible at all. All experiences are different, but the size (again, assuming averages and proportion) wouldn't even be difficult.

Edited March 18 by AutumnEffect