Warhammer 40k is PEAK fiction!
In the grim dark future of space, there is only war.
Arguably the universe that capture my fascination the most is Warhammer 40k. An intergalactic war that fuses the dark ages with sci-fi and cosmic horror is a wonderous, fantastical blend of elements. The vastness of possibilities are as equal to the vastness of the war-torn galaxy that many rivaling factions seek to conquer, as well as the abundance of treacherous horrors of demons and species who commit crimes so grotesque they pale in comparison to that of Jeffrey Epstein and his satanic ilk.
To give a brief overview, Warhammer 40k is a grimdark fantasy sci-fi experience where the Imperium of Mankind is narrowly surviving a multi-front war against a myriad of threats. The Imperium is heavily inspired by (and often satirized) the Holy Bible, with it’s God Emperor, a once all mighty human being of impossible cosmic power, made a breathing corpse kept alive by daily ritual sacrifices of thousands of psychically-gifted people.
The God Emperor lead humanity out of an age of strife, where a major warp storm occurred that created a new breathing chaos god. Disrupting the entire galaxy, humanity lost it’s ability to navigate the stars, leaving millions of worlds stranded. For thousands of years, the emperor rose to power and made his throne on Holy Tera (formally known as Earth,) and launched a mighty crusade to reunite humanity and reclaim the galaxy in the name of mankind. To do so, he created 20 (or 18 if you have a commisar’s gun pointed at your head,) primearchs, demi-gods to lead a race of human super soldiers called space marines.
They fought the forces of xenos factions and demons of chaos valiantly, but their ultimate demise ended up being themselves. Half of the primarchs revolted against their father, and gravely crippled humanity. Many were manipulated by the forces of chaos, some fervently disagreed with the Emperor’s decisions. Regardless of the reasons, the Emperor of Mankind now remains stuck on the golden throne, his spirit holding the forces of warp demons from conquering the capital world of imperium.
Now, there is much more we can explore with the Warhammer 40k universe. Xeno races like the voracious Tyranids, the shell of the once almighty Eldari empire and their wicked cousins, the Drukhari. There’s much depth to be had about the chaos gods of Nurgle and Tzeentch, and perhaps I might explore some of these elements in depth later.
But today, I want to explore with you what makes this piece of fiction so special and inspiring as an author.
The Lore
Because of how massive this universe is, there are many books in the Black Library, a collection of Warhammer 40k material written by various licensed authors. This example, read by a stellar voice actor, I feel captures the true essence of the brutal war the Emperor’s sons face. The reading here is an excerpt from the novel “Slaves to Darkness", by John French. In this sample, John’s writing shares the brutality of war and violence with splendor, and expertly shares how dangerously manipulative and influential the demons of chaos can be. Perturabo was assigned to find the lost primarch Angron, and interrogates the demon-processed Volk to find answers.
The Fans
This is just one highlight of how Warhammer 40k is a stellar piece of fiction. How did such an impeccable universe acquire such amazing lore? Frankly I think we have the fans to thank. They fed this universe with a lot of fan content that brings great intrigue. Here I want to share you a fan-film made by a single person, Syama Pedersen, where a group of space marines are sent in to deal with the threat of powerful psykers and an ancient artifact. This same individual also contributed to the “Secret Level” episode showcasing this franchise.
The Selling Point
The whole appeal of conquering impossible odds is always a popular trope within fantasy settings. Even if it’s a group of space marines sent on a suicide mission to destroy a powerful demon, with one coming back alive, or the surviving Cadian guard maintaining their fighting spirit in spite of the complete antihalation of their planet. I feel, especially today, a lot of people are clinging onto faith, craving for that same level of stalwartness and courage that many in the world of Warhammer 40k require to survive.
Sure, there’s a lot of grotesque brutality, racism, and intolerance in its universe, and it indeed does parody the zealousness of some of our religious institutions. Through its exaggerations, it’s an honest reflection of our reality. We don’t need to be fooled into believing everyone is loving and accepting of others. We don’t need to be pandered to with “loving rainbows” and tolerance of inadequacies and delusions. That’s another key point I feel makes this such a special universe. Warhammer 40k’s main purpose is to be brutal, grim, and a much needed rich slap in the face at the sensitive.
Life isn’t fair, and neither is the 41st millennium. Through the unfairness, we need to cling to something to keep us sane and maintain our agency. We need something to maintain our faith in, lest we allow ourselves to fall as victims of chaos.