The current lore of Warhammer 40,000 is changing. In the newer history, there is a new leader for what might be the greatest superpower in the galaxy. And the Imperium is in desperate need of a change. The exciting part: the new chief has spoken with the old one.
Roboute Guilliman, also known as Guillaume in German texts, is the Primarch of the Ultramarines – the guy who was created by the Emperor himself and serves as the genetic template for the chapter.
The Space Marine is an absolute loyalist and fights with great zeal for the Imperium of Man. Over the course of the history of Warhammer 40,000, Guilliman has had a significant impact on events multiple times.
He is credited with the existence of the Codex Astartes, the rules of the Space Marines, which limit each chapter to 1,000 members – even if not everyone adheres to this.
Now Guilliman is the Lord Marshal and Regent of the Imperium, the de facto leader of humanity in Warhammer 40,000. Under him, many things are run differently.
The Emperor’s Grace vs. Guilliman’s Grace
On Reddit, a user shared an excerpt from the novel “Dark Imperium” by Guy Haley from 2022. It discusses the different interpretations of “grace” under the Emperor and Guilliman.
The “Emperor’s Grace” is in Warhammer a synonym for a redemptive shot intended to kill a comrade. It often occurs at the slightest illness, as it could be a sign of Nurgle’s infections.
Guilliman’s Grace, on the other hand, follows the creed that ailments should be treated. As the Imperium lacks manpower, the Regent prefers to establish clinic worlds where soldiers can be treated – depending on the severity of their injuries or illnesses, with different methods, but always with the goal of recovery, if possible.
The quote states: That is the difference between the grace of Guilliman and that of the Emperor. Users find plenty of positive words for this approach. Guilliman is the one person in a world full of horrors and insane rules who works with a cool head.
However, this situation has not lasted long. The Primarch first had to return from the dead.
Guilliman is back and first saves the world
During and shortly after the “Horus Heresy”, the great brother war, Guilliman was so severely wounded by one of his Chaos-corrupted brothers that he had to spend the next 10,000 years in a stasis field at the moment of his death.
Only in the newer lore has the Adeptus Mechanicus managed to create armor that can heal Guilliman while he wears it. This achievement is thanks to the help of a group of Eldar, the former galaxy-dominating Space Elves.
Disgusted by what the Imperium has become, Guilliman first visited his father, the Emperor, who has been sitting on his Golden Throne for millennia. However, his return has drawn the attention of the forces of Chaos.
Guilliman first had to protect Terra from a Khorne invasion after having previously been attacked in the Warp and even having fallen into captivity. Only through the help of numerous allies, including again Eldar and the Sisters of Silence, was he able to reach Terra at all. Shortly thereafter, another war against Nurgle’s forces broke out – in which the Primarch had to be rescued by the Emperor himself.
What exactly the two discussed in a psychic connection is not known. However, Guilliman has already started restructuring the Imperium. And hardly anyone is as well suited for this task as he is.
The Regent is a master of administration – and has once ruled an Imperium
Like all Primarchs, Guilliman was “abducted” after his creation and grew up somewhere in the galaxy. As the adopted son of a regent, he learned early on how to manage an empire and care for its inhabitants.
Accordingly, the system over which he reigns is an absolute model in terms of logistics. While this part of the galaxy was cut off from the Imperium, Guilliman even declared and administered the “Imperium Secundus.”
He had already managed the actual Imperium right after the brother war. That things are going so well for the worlds under him is nonetheless a surprise, as Space Marines are not humans – or not anymore.
Many Space Marines have difficulty understanding human needs and simply follow rules instead. However, Guilliman has something like compassion, even if it may only be learned.
At the moment, a meta-human is ensuring that humans in Warhammer 40,000 are better off than before. Strictly speaking, the Imperium did not actually have a human as a leader before either, because the Emperor is something entirely different: The Emperor from Warhammer 40,000 is only so powerful because thousands of shamans sacrificed themselves in the Stone Age
