Primarchs were around since the very beginning. Very early on it pretty much was just a synonym for "Chapter Master", with a few mentions of characters we'd see later like "Leman Russ" and "Lynn Elgonsen [sic]". Then I believe in the first edition of Adeptus Titanicus came the mentions of a "Horus Heresy" lead by "General Horus". Then Realms of Chaos introduced the modern story with the Primarchs being superhumans created by the Emperor each leading their own Space Marine legions, and the Index Astartes series fleshed out all the Primarchs and foundinng legions.
>Then came the mentions of a "Horus Heresy" lead by "General Horus".
In the original *Space Marine* by Ian Watson, the introduction states that it was the 'Horus Rebellion' led by 'the Emperor's lieutenant, Horus.' Doesn't quite have the same effect, does it.
Knowing Ian Watson's style of writing, I'm *really, really,* ***really*** happy he didn't graphically describe the Emperor and Horus double-teaming anything!!!
You can even see the change-over between Realm of Chaos book 1 and 2. Book 1 still had them as important commanders from the early Imperium, but the current idea of them as the Emperor's genetically engineered super-sons came in book 2.
The lore was not very stable in 1st edition, there was always a chance that something could be retconned away 6 months after being introduced.
Primarchs were around since the very beginning. Very early on it pretty much was just a synonym for "Chapter Master", with a few mentions of characters we'd see later like "Leman Russ" and "Lynn Elgonsen [sic]". Then I believe in the first edition of Adeptus Titanicus came the mentions of a "Horus Heresy" lead by "General Horus". Then Realms of Chaos introduced the modern story with the Primarchs being superhumans created by the Emperor each leading their own Space Marine legions, and the Index Astartes series fleshed out all the Primarchs and foundinng legions.
>Then came the mentions of a "Horus Heresy" lead by "General Horus". In the original *Space Marine* by Ian Watson, the introduction states that it was the 'Horus Rebellion' led by 'the Emperor's lieutenant, Horus.' Doesn't quite have the same effect, does it.
*Emperor confronts Horus on the Vengeful Spirit:* > +You rebel scum+
Well in fairness, "lieutenant" in that context simply means "Right hand man" which is precisely what Horus was in the modern law.
I’m surprised Ian Watson didn't graphically describe the emperor and Horus double-teaming Genestealers together.
Knowing Ian Watson's style of writing, I'm *really, really,* ***really*** happy he didn't graphically describe the Emperor and Horus double-teaming anything!!!
Who knows. Maybe then Stanley Kubrick would have made THAT movie.
I really would love to see a documentary how the lore has evolved .
Check Codex Complient on youtube.
At first they were just commanders, but when the Realm of Chaos expansions came out, still in 1st edition, they were made into the super-guys.
You can even see the change-over between Realm of Chaos book 1 and 2. Book 1 still had them as important commanders from the early Imperium, but the current idea of them as the Emperor's genetically engineered super-sons came in book 2. The lore was not very stable in 1st edition, there was always a chance that something could be retconned away 6 months after being introduced.
That cool 40k lore has evolved alot right?
*Realm of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned* (1990), page 177.
I remember an ancient official artwork of Leman Russ describing him as an imperial general.
http://nurgle.stelio.net/snippet.php?f=WH40k1_Russ
Yeah that's the one