Just who is Oll Perrson?

[Katharon]

The thing is they didnt need ol to be a perpetual. Part of the poibt of that character was the "mere human". By taking that out the story loses a lot of its point

Except that no one, except a very select few, know that Perrson is a "perpetual" (or whatever flavor of the month is this time around). The fact that merely looking a primarch (not corrupted) in the eye can turn a Space Marine silly and cat-got-your-tongue-tied, imagine what it would do to a regular human being when the full force of personality and will to dominate combined with the horrors of Chaos are combined with that? As such, a less-than Astartes but more-than Human character like Perrson isn't without question. But the fact that he was once a soldier in the Imperial Army means that, for propoganda's sake, he makes for good posthumous inspirational recruitment material. Dead men can't talk, nor disbar anyone from using their name to inspire generations of young fanatics into lock-stepping their way to duty to the Golden Throne.

[daboarder]

sorry I should have made it clear.

Ol being a regular human used to be important to US, the audience, for the same reason that the IG are there. He was just a bog standard bloke doing what he could to help humanity and proven evil from trying, even if it cost him his life.

By changing him to a perpetual all that impact of his choices is lost as now he did them with full comprehension of the situation as opposed to the "oh **** a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do..." it used to be.

But thats just my thoughts on the matter.

[Katharon]

Maybe I'm betraying my plebeian roots, but I think making him "more" than a normal man isn't necessarily lessening his character. I would also argue that he isn't necessarily walking into the situation with full comprehension. It's more like he has a vague idea of whats going to happen, but it's not clear what or if he is even necessary. We the reader know what's going to happen and why, but by putting yourself in the character's shoes it's not the same. So while making him no longer a normal bloke that just happened to stumbled upon the bridge of the Vengeful Spirit at the height of the Battle of Terra (which is itself far more weird than making him somehow special), I think it's appropriate.

[BrianDavion]

I think it's too early to fully conclude things. However I suspect the perpetual story arc is when it's finally brought to an end going to be more signfcigent then we know. Honestly I have a hunch it'll end up having a fairly big reveal. as for the death being less. depends how it happens. if Horus is throwing around attacks that could kill a perpetual Pearson might genuinely be put in a situation where, for the first time in his existance he is faced with a very real "I need to do this but it'll kill me" moment. A man whom is otherwise immortal. whom has lived life for millenia, sacrificing that for something is... considerable

[Resinpants]

Did anyone try Oll Personn as "All perrson" that is an Eternal Champion kind of character (like in Moorcock's novels). Personne is French is "nobody" so he is no one in particular but seems to be an avatar of some sort
my2cts

As much of Warhammer is directly ripped off from Moorcock, I saw this as a kind of nod in his direction, Una Persson was a companion to Catherine and Jerry Cornelius in the Eternal Champion books. The idea of a character to transcends mortality as well as time and space fits with the notion of an Eternal Champion-style figure.

I like the Persson/Grammaticus storyline. It's not inconceivable that both of them could be sons of the Emperor, but I don't think it will go that way. In a storyline where we all know the ending, it's good to have wild cards like these.

[Psychosplodge]

I think that's been ruled out hasn't it in one of the books?
Didn't one of them have a conversation with a space marine about when he met the Emperor?

[Baneblade]

There is a part in "Angel Exterminatus" by Graham McNeil where an Iron Warrior named Kroger is reliving his past lives in various warzones throughout earth's history. There is a mention on page 375 about Kroeger (who was a German soldier named Franz at the time) fighting with an allied soldier in the trenches at Verdun in WWI named Olivier Pearsonne.

Read Storm of Iron. It is the first novel where Krogaer; and most of the Iron Warriors in Angel Exterminatus show up, including someone that was worked by Fabius Bile, and in no way Krogaer is a perpetual. Then read Dead Sky Black Sun. The rest of the Iron Warriors show up, even though the book is part of the Uriel series.

[Resinpants]

I think that's been ruled out hasn't it in one of the books?
Didn't one of them have a conversation with a space marine about when he met the Emperor?

I guess what I meant was that he might not know that the Emperor was his dad!! The Emperor is an egotistical neo-fascist dictator, he might be a love-rat too!! :-)

Some mysteries are best left unexplained.

[snider029]

sorry I should have made it clear.

Ol being a regular human used to be important to US, the audience, for the same reason that the IG are there. He was just a bog standard bloke doing what he could to help humanity and proven evil from trying, even if it cost him his life.

By changing him to a perpetual all that impact of his choices is lost as now he did them with full comprehension of the situation as opposed to the "oh **** a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do..." it used to be.

But thats just my thoughts on the matter.

Ièm sure you don't understand you are a perpetual until the first time you die. So if anything before his original death it was still "a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do" how ever I'm unsure when his original death was or if it was even covered.

Edit: Never mind he was a god damned Argonaut which does kind of sully the story of his sort of non-sacrifice.

[Psychosplodge]

I guess what I meant was that he might not know that the Emperor was his dad!! The Emperor is an egotistical neo-fascist dictator, he might be a love-rat too!! :-)

Some mysteries are best left unexplained.

possibly, but we're shining a light on some of the oldest...
Have we lost the fluff that the emperor cannot perceive his true children?