Warhammer 40K: Where Are All The Loyalist Primarchs
Roboute Guilliman has been holding down the fort for the Imperium for a while. It’s time for his brothers to help him carry the load. So where are they?
This one is just a refresher for folks who might not know the statuses of all the other Loyalist Primarchs.
I’m back brothers! Brothers?
Many are dead but Guilliman was locked in status for 10,000 years and if he can come back I wouldn’t completely rule out any of these Primarchs. All it takes is some plot armor and GW can make them return. Let’s get started and see if we can get The Avenging Son some company.
Jaghatai Khan – Missing in the Webway
After the Heresy, Khan went on to lead the White Scars in the Great Scouring. During the campaign to conqueror the Yasan Sector, Khan came into conflict with both traitors and Dark Eldar raiders. During the Battle of Corusil V against a mighty Dark Eldar Lord, it was reported that Khan was lost within the Webway during the pursuit of the Xenos.
The Great Khan is lost in the Webway – but he could be anywhere. He could have been captured by the Dark Eldar (at the time) or maybe he could have fought his way out of the webway and been cut off. He could be on some backwater world out there just waiting for the Imperium to find him. He might even be that power-armored giant trapped in Trayzyn’s museum.
Rogal Dorn – MIA, Presumed Dead
Rogal Dorn is missing and presumed dead after attacking a Chaos fleet with a vastly outnumbered force. Seeing the importance of attacking the enemy fleet while they were still preparing he relied on hit-and-run attacks until his reinforcements could arrive. Dorn went missing on board the Despoiler Class Battleship Sword of Sacrilege after leading a desperate attack on its bridge. Only his hand (Hand of Dorn) was recovered which is kept in stasis by his chapter.
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Only his hand was recovered. Konrad Curze told the assassin M’Shen that he was ripped apart by his enemies and was killed. But during the War of the Beast Primarch Vulkan told Koorland he would speak well of the Imperial Fists to Rogal Dorn. If Dorn was dead at the time, what did he mean by that? Did Vulkan (who is a perpetual) think he would die and speak within Dorn in the afterlife? Or is Dorn alive and Vulkan knows how to commune with him?
Whatever the case, we’re going by the comic book rule here: No body, no death.
Corvus Corax – MIA, last seen in the Eye of Terror
After locking himself in a tower for a year due to the guilt he felt, Corvus Corax left on his ship Deliverance on a course for the Eye of Terror. He has been hunting the Traitor Primarchs in the Warp.
Corax went on to hunt the traitor Primarchs, seeking revenge for the Drop Site Massacre. At some point he became mutated by the powers of the Warp, turning into a creature made of darkness and shadow itself. Using his new abilities, Corax wreaked havoc on a Word Bearers Daemon World in the Eye of Terror. Far beyond the abilities of average Word Bearers, the Daemon Primarch Lorgar himself appeared before Corax and the two engaged in a vicious duel. Corax managed to dominate the battle, forcing Lorgar to retreat and close the portal he had arrived from. As Lorgar vanished, Corax vowed that he would hunt down and slay the Daemon Primarch.
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Look, GW basically has a twofer here. Bring back Lorgar as a Daemon Prince Primarch and have Corvus Corax hot on his tail. Two Primarchs at the same time – do it GW. Make it happen.
Ferrus Manus – KIA, Head Missing…
Fulgrim personally killed Ferrus during the battle at Isstvan V, using the daemon weapon he acquired fighting the Laer to strike his head from his shoulders in one fell swoop. Fulgrim, distraught with grief that his closest brother was dead by his own hand, was soon thereafter possessed by the daemon within the sword. The possessed Fulgrim then delivered Ferrus’s head to Horus.
Not only was he killed by his brother, he was beheaded and that head was taken to Horus. So yeah, he’s dead and the Iron Hands couldn’t even recover all of his body. Maybe he could come back as a head attached to a daemon engine – like a reverse ED 209.
“I was brought back by chaos – and I want some revenge!”
Vulkan – MIA, Presumed Dead
Vulkan is a Perpetual. But during the War of the Beast he appears to have been “killed” after battling The Beast in a blast caused by the detonation of a temple-gargant’s generator. He has been missing ever since.
Vulkan was presumed dead by the Imperium and Koorland stated that his sacrifice would be forever remembered. However, the Salamanders still hunt him in the 41st Millennium. They believe that he will return to them after they have found all nine of the Artefacts of Vulkan.
But again, Perpetual. So…is he dead? Will he come back? Vulkan also seems like one of the more likely candidates to come back…right? We sure hope so. I’m sure that eventually he will be sound of body, but sound of mind is much more iffy.
Lion El’Jonson – Was a Snow White situation – Now He’s Back!
One of the greatest secrets of the Dark Angels WAS that Lion El’Jonson was asleep in a hidden chamber on the Rock.
But now as the result of the Arks of Omen campaign – The Lion is back with a roar and ready to face the 40th Millenium. He started off by kicking his angry brother Angron’s butt, and he’s back on the Rock.
“Welcome back bro; you look different”
More importantly, he has forgiven The Fallen and is putting the ole Dark Angels Legion back together. He’s still looking to kick Luthor’s ass for the whole rebellion-blowing up-Caliban thing. But overall, it’s a good thing something woke him up. Guilliman could use some backup. Something tells me Roboutte and the Lion won’t exactly see eye to eye.
Leman Russ – MIA, Awaiting the Wolf Time
In 211.M31 Russ, at a great feast with his Legion in attendance, stood and said: “In the end I will return. For the final battle. For the Wolf Time.” He then left the Fang and embarked into the Eye of Terror accompanied by his personal retinue bar one — Bjorn the Fell-Handed, who remained on Fenris in the role of Great Wolf. The tale of his disappearance is retold every thousand years by Bjorn, now the oldest dreadnought alive. Every once in a while, the Space Wolves embark on what is called the Great Hunt to search the galaxy for their missing leader. Though they have searched far and wide, they still haven’t found any sign of their Primarch. Many within the Space Wolves believe that Russ has sought out the Tree of Life to restore the Emperor to health. Apparently The Wolf Primarch’s Arch-nemesis Magnus knows the Wolf King’s whereabouts, but keeps it secret.
So it would be great if Leman Russ could come back, too. However, if he DOES come back, it will be for the 40k End Times. Which…might not go as planned. So maybe it’s a good thing he’s MIA.
Sanguinius – KIA, Have Body
Sanguinius was slain by Horus in the final stages of the Siege of Terra.
In the later stages of the Siege Sanguinius fought valiantly, organising the final defence of the Imperial Palace and held the Eternity Gate alone when no others could withstand the horror of the assault, even breaking the back of the same Greater Daemon Ka’Bandha who wounded him on Signum. When the Emperor teleported aboard Horus‘s Battle Barge, the Vengeful Spirit, Sanguinius was with him but they became separated and the Primarch was forced to face Horus first. Despite being in the pit of Horus’s tainted and mutated Chaos fuelled Battle Barge, Sanguinius tried to revert his brother to the side of the Emperor, using their old friendship as a lever. Horus would not listen to or agree with any of Sanguinius’ words and the two argued and tried to sway the other to the side of the heresy they stood upon. Sanguinius was eventually struck down by Horus, the only damage Sanguinius did was create a small dent in Horus’ armour. Some say, however, that it was through this chink in Horus’s armour that the Emperor was able to deliver the fatal blow. Thus the belief is that Sanguinius did not die in vain; but by dying, allowed Horus to be slain and the Heresy destroyed.
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His body was recovered and is currently laid to rest in the Golden Sarcophagus on Baal. So we do have a body. But we’re going back to the OTHER comic book rule: Just because they are dead doesn’t mean they can’t come back. Guilliman’s body was in a stasis field for 9,000 years too. Hey – Blood Angels are Space Vampires, right? Just pump him full of blood, call in Yvraine to do some Aeldari-hocus-pocus over the body, and let’s get this party started!
Well, there you have it. If you didn’t know the status of the loyalist Primarchs, now you know.
