Dark Angels, Dark Secrets, Part 1: Introduction

The Unforgiven are here!

Your robed, secretive, plasma tooting
space marines have finally arrived!

     As anyone who is even mildly interested in Warhammer 40K must have noticed, the much expected Codex: Dark Angles (6th edition) has hit the shelves, as of a couple of weeks ago. Of course, almost 6 years, and 2 editions of Warhammer 40K, have passed since the previous Codex. But things like that tend to be forgotten when the newest flashy Codex hit the shelves.

  

 It is only the second Codex to be released after the arrival of the 6th edition rulebook (after Codex: Chaos Space Marines). It was a higly anticipated  release, and until its release forums and blog were on fire with rumours about its contents. A lot of the buzz generated, was also due to the Dark Vengeance boxed set, featuring Chaos Space Marines and Dark Angels.

6 years we waited for a Belial
 model and we got one  with
Urinary incontinence

  In hindsight, Dark Vengeance, was  a very big clue of what was to come. For those who know anything about the Dark Angels, would know that there 2 things which set them apart from the other chapters (not counting the 'dark secret' thingie, which we will touch upon in depth later). And these are their first two companies, the famous Deathwing and Ravenwing Companies. Ok ok ok... maybe 3 things, add plasma weaponry in the list! Indeed the focal points in this release are the new Deathwing and Ravenwing units. Apart from those,  the Codex did not harbour any big surprises. I mean, we did get Asmodai back, and praise the Emperor for that, but what was not a surprise. I don't think they could gotten away with such an omission again! Of course we got some new shiny stuff in the wargear section and some slightly reworked special characters, but really all to be expected.

   So if you like terminators, bikers, land speeders (I know I do!) and some plasma guns.... come on who doesn't like some Str 7 Ap 2 goodness!

    

But the purpose of this post is not to talk about the new models and units, or the fact the much anticipated model for Belial is in a pose, with his knees bending inwards as if he is dying to take a piss. No. The purpose is to talk about what, fluffwise, sets Dark Angels apart. Namely, the terrible dark secret they  are harbouring. I expect, that now with the release of the new Codex, we will see a lot of talks and speculations all over the internet, concerning the nature of this secret. And of course that is what this post is all about. 

Crash Course on Dark Angel History

  Let's do, first, an as brief as possible, recap of the events that lead up to the Dark Angels' "fall from grace". I will skip most of the details, as they will be the subject of next articles.

Caliban and the Young Jonson

  The Emperor (aka Empy, the Big E, Emprah) decides to create the Primarchs to be the generals and leaders in his planned Crusade to unite all humanity. Chaos, being chaos, decide to mess with him  and scatter the till infant Primarchs all over the galaxy, and they are forced to fend for themselves until finally their dad Emperor located them and reunitd with them. One of them, is Lion El'Jonson, Primarch of the 1st Legion, which came to be known as the Dark Angels. Mr. Lion, landed on the planet Caliban, incidently a planet pretty close to the Eye of Terror (never a good thing). Caliban is an extrenely dangerous place to be in. The planet, densely forested, is home to some badass, deamonic beasts. The only safe heavens are the strongholds of the various Knightly orders that exist on Caliban. So the infant Jonson lands and survives on a planet on which he has no right to do so (survive that is). A band of Knights lead by Luther, from a group known simply as The Order (REALLY!! The Order? You guys in GW could be asked to find a decent name? Just 'The Order'?) find young Jonson, who is about 10 years old at the time, and instead of killing the boy for a beast, Luther takes him in. 

  Of course being a Primarch comes with certain perks, superhuman strengh and intellect and all around awesomeness being some of them. Jonsongrows into becoming a Knight of the Order, starts a crusade to rid Caliban on the beasts that roam the land and being the special snowflake he is, he eventually becomes the Grand Master of the Order. Luther being an important knight and hero of Caliban on his own right, is completely overshadowed by Jonson... like who wouldn't be overshadowed by a 6 ft tall superhuman, with an intellect to match, starts to feel the first pangs of jealousy towards his brother knight. Just after the completion of his crusade, The Emperor finds and there was much rejoicing. Jonson reunites his Legion, which he renames Dark Angels. Of his fellow knights, those young enough and able are undergone the process to become Space Marines. The rest of the knights just get some genetic enhancments, as they cannot possibly survive the process. 

The Lion leads the assault on Caliban

   Treachery on the Horizon

   Luther, his second in command, his closets friend, mentor, etc., is of the latter group. Envy seems to take root in Luther's soul. The 1st Legion, now renamed Dark Angels Legion joins the Emperor's crusade.
  Skipping most of the event that take place between the time of the Dark Angels joining the crusade and the eventual destruction of Caliban. The campainging Angels, at the conclusion of the Horus Heresy, reach Caliban (all the intervining years Jonson and his Angels have little to no contact with Caliban). They get a surprising greeting by their fellow marines, when Caliban's defense forces fire upon them. Jonson order an orbital bombardement and eventual leads an assault on the surface. Leader of the renegade force on Caliban is his former bestets friend, mentor, brother-in-arms, Luther, who has fallen to Chaos (pressumably?).

   Eventually the Lion confonts Luther, who, being empowered by the Chaos gods give the Lion a run for his money. At the climax of their duel, Luther inflicts a grievious wound on the Lion. Realising at that moment the magnitude of his treachery by seeing his former comrade wounded, Luther denounces Chaos' hold on him. Naturally the Chaos gods get really pissed off, since they can't handl rejection and lash out with a tremendous phychic attack on Caliban Luther his renegade Angels. Luther is left mad and broken. Caliban under the strain of the phychic attack and the ongoing bombardment,  is torn apart, the only intact part is the Dark Angels' Fortress Monastery complex, known as The Rock. Moreover, all Luther accomplices, henceforth known as The Fallen, are sucked into the Warp, presumably scattered around the galaxy. The Lion, however, was nowhere to be found.

  The Aftermath

Remember that all this happened right after the conclusion of the Horus Heresy, when half the Astartes Legions fought the other half under circumstances and for reasons which at the point might not have been 100% clear to all. Now Caliban is destroyed, the Lion is nowhere to be found and the remaining Dark Angels are on a Rock floating in space. Not a very promising prospect for them, especially considering the general context of the Horus Heresy. So, supposedly, Jonson's Inner Circle, who we can only guess that they at the only people privy to the truth behind all the events, decide to keep all this a secret.  So they cover the whole incident as best as they can and begin their secret crusade to find all the Fallen Angels, in the hope that it will bring the Legion's redemption in the eyes of the Emperor.

  

  From that point on, and following the instruction of the Codex Astartes, the Dark Angels chapter and their successor chapter, collectively referring to themselves as The Unforgiven, undertake their secret crusade. Sometimes they put such extreme importance to their own agendas that they are known to abandon battlefields and their allies, and extreme cases attack or threaten hostilities towards Imperial forces. The true nature of this terrible secret is something that only the most high ranking officers know and they are prepared to keep it that way at all costs

To be continued.....

Stay tuned for the next Parts, where we will be dealing in more detail with the Fallen Angels and, possibly the most mysterious character of 40K, Cypher.

  In the meanwhile, if you wish to look up at some resources so as to form your own opinions here is a list for you!

• Codex: Dark Angels : Really any version could do. Although it will only give you the basics
• Angels of Darkness : Novel by Gavin Thorpe. Interesting read, casts some doubts on Jonson's loyalties
• Descent of Angels : Horus Heresy novel. Terrible book, but interesting information as it details the early history of the Dark Angels. 
• Fallen Angels : Horus Heresy novel. It picks up where Descent is left. The quality of writing is slightly better. It details events right before the campainging Dark Angels arrive in Caliban. Personal comment: The very last paragraph put forward another possible dark secret.

Whether you choose to do some homework before the next part, I am always keen to discuss any part of the history of the Dark Angels, so do not be afraid to add your comments below!  ;)