In Warhammer 40,000, there are numerous characters with… questionable paths. One of the most memorable is Lucius, a Chaos Space Marine of the Emperor’s Children. He can certainly write many deaths in his resume. The reason for his constant return: Slaanesh.
The certainly most well-known figures from Warhammer 40,000 are the Space Marines, and among them, the Primarchs, the “fathers” of the chapters, stand out even more. However, the truly thrilling and special stories are often found at the fringes of history.
Most of you probably know Horus by now, whose heresy almost wiped out the Imperium of Man. This has become something of common knowledge, even among those who only have a superficial understanding of Warhammer.
Significantly fewer people know, however, that a sharp-tongued man was the one who first turned Horus into a traitor. And probably even fewer people know about a special Space Marine who simply cannot really die: Lucius.
Lucius is considered one of the best duelists in the entire universe, having defeated numerous opponents with just one archaic sword. However, he was often outmatched in many battles, often resulting in death. But a God never wanted that to be the end.
From Duelist to Traitor
Originally, Lucius hails from the world of Chemos, the former homeworld of the Emperor’s Children. In his youth, the young warrior was already known for his manifold talent, which later developed into expertise in the art of war.
Lucius showed an inclination towards sadism early on, slaughtering beggars and bandits, and even “accidentally” injuring his own students. Eventually, his talent in combat was recognized by the Emperor’s Children, and Lucius was inducted into the Legion.
During the Great Crusade, Lucius, along with other loyal Space Marines, was on Isstvan III, where they were to be slaughtered by Horus. Out of envy for another officer, he betrayed his brothers here and ultimately succumbed to his arrogance.
Fulgrim, the Primarch of the Emperor’s Children, eventually took him personally into his bodyguard, and from then on, Lucius increasingly fell to Chaos – particularly Slaanesh, the Chaos God of Excess, whom the Emperor’s Children follow.
Lucius’ death is so exquisite that Slaanesh wants to experience it again and again
What makes the traitor so special is his death. Or, more precisely: his deaths. Technically, he first died in a duel against a Dark Angel, who punished him as a traitor. However, he was merely brought back to life by an apothecary.
During a gladiatorial match, Lucius later fell to Cyrius, the Lord Commander of the Emperor’s Children. His death was said to have been such an exquisite pleasure that Slaanesh himself took notice.
The Chaos God then cursed Cyrius, causing him to painfully mutate for weeks – until Lucius was reborn from his flesh. Cyrius, meanwhile, still exists as part of Lucius’ armor, where the distorted faces of all his victorious duel opponents are “immortalized” or, more precisely, trapped.
The Traitor Returns – in his Opponents or Elsewhere
Since then, the same thing has happened time and time again. If Lucius’ murderer experienced even a little joy at his death, the traitor was soon reborn in the body of his opponent. This even works with foes like the robotic Necrons: One of their fighters defeated Lucius, and a new Lucius soon emerged from his metal.
However, it seems that even joy in death is no longer necessary. In the newer, official lore, it states:
- Lucius broke free from the flesh of a six-armed Xenos mercenary, light-years away from his place of death
- he emerged from a pit of rotting Servitor parts
- and centuries after his death, he was revived in the living metal of a Cryptek.
Previously, Lucius had been reborn in the body of a factory worker when he stepped on a landmine. The general consensus in the community is: As long as Slaanesh finds it amusing in some way, Lucius returns. Is that logical? Certainly not. But it’s cool all the same, and that’s exactly what it’s all about, fans say: “Misunderstood the setting” – newcomers suggest improvements for Warhammer 40,000, fans explain why those are ridiculous
