“Burn the heretic, kill the mutant, cleanse the unclean” – this is the motto of many devout and especially fanatical people in Warhammer 40,000. Everything that is not human is considered evil. But ironically, one of the super-soldiers, who walk the earth as demigods, is a mutant. A tricky dilemma for the average citizen.
In Warhammer 40,000, humans are not gentle with what is not strictly human. Xenos are at best scrutinized, usually there is no conversation but directly a battle.
The same goes for mutants, that is, for people who may not even be able to help their “otherness.” In a way, this is understandable, because mutations are in most cases “gifts” from the Chaos Gods.
Organizations like the Inquisition and the Adepta Sororitas, the warrior-priestesses in Warhammer 40,000, are dedicated among other things to the cleansing of mutations and similar issues. With mutants, usually the flamethrower is brought out first, then questions are asked.
But what if one of the Emperor’s sons is a mutant?
Angels of Death is about the Blood Angels:
The father of the Blood Angels was (almost) literally an angel
Sanguinius was the Primarch of the Blood Angels, one of the strongest Space Marine chapters in the world of Warhammer 40,000. He was considered extremely charismatic and humble. The Primarch was loyal to the point of sacrificing himself for the Emperor and the Imperium.
However, Sanguinius was born with a flaw: he had two enormous, angel-like wings that he could not even hide in armor. Whether these wings were planned by the Emperor or the result of extreme radiation exposure on his homeworld is not clear.
Not only that, Sanguinius was seen as an excellent leader, to whom everyone submits, but in battle as an absolute beast. With good reason, because in his blood is a “flaw,” the “Red thirst,” which turns him into a bloodthirsty berserker in combat.
This flaw has been passed on to all his sons, the Blood Angels. Nevertheless, no one would ever have dared to call Sanguinius a mutant.
“Why is he not considered a mutant?”
A user on Reddit asks exactly why Sanguinius is such an exception. The wings may make him appear like an angel, but they make him very clearly non-human.
The fans’ answer is quite clear: because Sanguinius was simply too important. As a Space Marine and Primarch, he is no longer a human; plus, he is loyal to the blood and one of the most important tools of the Emperor to unite humanity. There is simply no reason to ostracize him.
Moreover, no one would ever have dared to call Sanguinius a mutant. As Primarch, he had an almost divine status, and anyone who insulted Sanguinius would have been immediately hanged by devout people.
However, the Primarch himself saw himself as flawed. Possibly one of the reasons why he served the Emperor so faithfully.
Mutants may live if they are useful
However, Sanguinius is not the only exception when it comes to mutants in Warhammer 40,000. As long as they possess a certain usefulness and can be controlled, mutants may live in the world, albeit often not under the best circumstances and only for special operational areas. Most of these “approved” mutants are referred to as metamorphs:
- Ogryns are bulky, ogre-like giants who generally have a lower intellect but great strength. They are often used for heavy labor and the use of heavy weapons.
- Pariahs, also known as the Untouchables or “Blanks,” are basically the opposite of psykers. While all other humans have a connection to the Warp, Pariahs shield themselves and often others from the Warp. They make sorcery practically impossible.
- With the Conglomerates of Votann, akin to a dwarven folk, it is suspected that they were once humans who evolved over millennia. Whether they are a new species or stable mutations is not definitively clarified.
A significant exception, however, are Astropaths and Navigators. Both are essential to maintaining the Imperium. Astropaths are like the mobile phone connection in the Imperium; they ensure the transmission of messages through the Warp.
Navigators, on the other hand, are so rare and so important that almost all of them have noble privileges. These mutants possess a third eye through which they can see through the Immaterium and see the light of the Emperor. They are one of the reasons why humans can travel through the Warp.
Nevertheless, Navigators often face prejudice from particularly fanatical followers of the Imperium and are ostracized despite their status. Most, however, rise above what the masses think.
In general, the treatment of mutants is rather dangerous for humans, as even contact with a flaw can ensure that one ends up on the cleansing list of the Inquisition. However, there is a certain group of people who are allowed to do this: A handful of people are allowed to do in Warhammer 40,000 what would be heresy for everyone else
