Horus Heresy: The Emperor had it comin'!

[KnightShift]

I just started reading the Horus Heresy novels. Starting with TALES OF HERESY. Thought that might be a good way to ease into what's coming.

And in that book I read the short story "The Last Church". And you know what?

The Emperor of Mankind really is a scumbag and the Heresy is more his fault than I can possibly describe.

Based on that story and what little I know of the Horus Heresy, I'm beginning to think that the whole thing was a natural reaction to the Emperor's supreme act of egotism... if not outright divine intervention. Humans will NEVER be able to let go of their natural drive to look for something beyond themselves. Whether that's in religion or enlightenment of some other form. For one man, even one as allegedly "ascended" as the Emperor, to declare that to be obsolete and unneeded...

Yeah, it was a disaster waiting to happen. And now the Imperium is getting its just deserts for the Emperor's folly.

I'm now thinking of making my own chapter of Space Marines that are secretly Jewish, like the hidden Jews in the final Dune novel that Frank Herbert wrote. Just my own way of saying "up yours" to the Emperor and that no man can ever completely destroy faith, while also acknowledging that *maybe* he's realized the mistake he's made and is trying to own up to it.

(Well, make them either Jewish or Amish )

[BlueRonin]

In principle, wouldn't that be repeating the Word Bearers story arch? The idea of Astartes embracing a religious outlook in an enforced secular organization?

On the other hand, if they are a later founding chapter whose religious outlook develops into a singular god that is NOT the Emperor... well, wouldn't that make them heretical traitors by default? Even if they kept it secret from the Inquisition - whyw ould they continue to fight for the Emperor if they were devoted to another god?

[KnightShift]

Maybe there needs to be a third faction of humanity then: not for the Emperor or for Chaos.

I'd be down for that

[BlueRonin]

There are quite a few human planets / populations that belong to neither (Imperium / Chaos), existing either beyond the reach of the Imperium (unexplored, warp storms, logistical short-comings, etc) or fighting for their independence. They haven't necessary thrown their lot in with Chaos just because they are independent.

I guess if you really stretch it an independent planet / system could support the recruitment and logistical needs of a renegade chapter - neither having turned to Chaos. However, there better be a good reason for them being able to exist out of Inquisitorial reach. I'm sure they would love to make an example out of such a heretical state of affairs

[krispy]

The soul drinkers series of books shows them as near renegade marines, they were tempted by chaos but fought back and are instead renegades that have been removed from the history books - if i was going to make a new chapter then i would consider doing them because it would be pretty fun to model them.....

anyway - yeah i can think that the emperor had it coming

[BlueRonin]

What I'm curious about is whether the Emperor has such a long-sighted vision that it has all been according to design? That everything since (and including) the Horus Heresy was manipulated into being as part of a grand scheme to protect the evolution of mankind in a psychic race

Frank Herbert all the way!

[Jearden]

I agree (if the Emperor didnt plan the whole thing) then he did have it coming.

In a lot of ways tho, I think the Emperor planned it. I think tho that he got caught in his own trap. Im a believer that the Emperor wants to die, that he is stuck in the Golden Throne, wanting to escape but being kept alive by his own mechanism. Now weather he is trying to manipulte someone on the outside to help him, I dont know, but it seems to me the ultimate irony that he is stuck there.

[Dosadi]

I think the emperor did plan the whole thing right down to his own death at the hands of Horus. What I don’t think he foresaw was the immediate aftermath of his death. I think he assumed he would die, and thus be reborn as the “Star Child”; essentially a cosmic being. He was preparing mankind for that event. Knowing that his death and rebirth was his next phase of evolution and it would be necessary in order to sheppard mankind towards their destiny.
However, mankind had different plans for the Emperor. They encased him in the Golden Throne and sustained his life artificially and began worshiping him as a god. Al the emperor’s effort to create a purely secular society were undone by his own apparent divinity, if he hadn’t been so damn perfect people wouldn’t have turned him into a god. As a result he was never able to be reborn, we got ten thousand years of the Imperium and mankind is further away from their destiny than ever.


So ya, he had it coming.


Dosadi

[darth_papi76]

I think the Emperor was planning something big and then got caught napping with his pants down around his ankles. But the idea that he was caught by his own trap is an interesting one. I hope they bring back the sensei and star child fluff.

[Emperorsmercy]

Or possibly, we think about it too much.