Blood Angels/Characters
Characters belonging to the Blood Angels, both on the Tabletop and in the novel series.
Blood Angels
Sanguinius
One of twenty Primarchs created by the Emperor of Mankind, Sanguinius and his brothers were scattered to the stars by the Chaos Gods. Landing on Baal Secundus, Sanguinius' time in the Warp caused a mutation; angelic wings appearing on his back. Found by 'the People of the Pure Blood', a tribe that had experienced some limited mutation from the nuclear wars, Sanguinius went on to unite Baal and its moons. When the Emperor found Sanguinius, he immediately bowed before his father, who gave him command of the IX Legion of the Adeptus Astartes, renamed the Blood Angels.
During the Great Crusade, the Blood Angels mirrored much of Sanguinius's nature, including his gentle spirit and appreciation of beauty. At the same time, the Blood Angels also became the Imperium's best shock troops, mirroring Sanguinius's own desire to come to grips with his foes in close quarters combat. Sanguinius became close friends with Horus, but that friendship was shattered when Horus fell to Chaos and the Horus Heresy began. At the climax of the heresy - the Siege of Terra - Sanguinius participated in the defense of the Imperial Palace, and joined the Emperor and Rogal Dorn in their journey to the Vengeful Spirit, but became separated during teleportation. Finding Horus first, Sanguinius battled his brother and former friend, but having fought for several days before, was not at full strength and only managed to cause a chink in Horus' armor. Legend has it, this was perhaps the only thing that afterwards enabled the Emperor to defeat Horus. Sanguinius was subsequently killed by his brother, and the psychic shock of this manifests itself in the rest of the Blood Angels as 'The Flaw' from that day on.
- Ancestral Weapon: The Spear of Telesto, forged by the Emperor for Sanguinius as a gift.
- Badass: Generally ties with Leman Russ for most Badass Primarch among the fans.
- Badass Abnormal: Considered to be one of the most powerful of the Primarchs, including Horus.
- Badass in Charge
- Badass Long Hair: Canon may waver a bit about what color it was, but it's always about waist length.
- Badass Nickname: The Great Angel, Lord of Angels, All-Beloved, the Pure One.
- Cultured Badass
- Four-Star Badass: Was designed to be this.
- Beware the Nice Ones: He is the originator of the Black Rage and the Red Thirst, despite his constant kindness.
- Bishonen: Was very handsome. As in, eunuch Space Marines from legions not known for their aesthetic appreciation gibbered a bit at the sight of him.
- Bling of War: Almost mandatory for Primarchs, but Sanguinius generally took it the extra mile, especially with the strands of fine silver chain and pearls strung in his wings.
- Blue Eyes/Red Eyes, Take Warning: Depending on which depiction the authors/artists are going with. Blue Eyes are always type 1.
- Cain and Abel: Abel to Horus' Cain
- The Conscience: For Horus before he went mad.
- Cultured Warrior
- Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: During the Horus Heresy, he fought Ka'Bandha, a Bloodthirster of Khorne, and had his legs broken on Signus Prime. During the Siege of Terra, he paid Ka'Bandha back by breaking its spine over his knee!
- Dreaming of Things to Come: The extent of his limited psychic ability.
- The Dutiful Son
- Evil Former Friend: Inverted, he was Horus' most beloved brother.
- A Father to His Men
- Gentle Giant: Moreso than any of the other nice primarchs.
- Hair of Gold/Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: Again, depending upon depiction. Most illustrations are the former, but the Horus Heresy books and older editions are the latter.
- Heroes Prefer Swords: Wielded a power sword during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy.
- Heroic Sacrifice/Dying Moment of Awesome: Revered above all the other Primarchs in the Imperium for his sacrifice.
- Incorruptible Pure Pureness
- King in the Mountain: Notably averted. Despite every other First Founding Chapter having legends about their Primarch returning for a final battle with Chaos, it's explicitly stated that there are no provisions for the second coming of Sanguinius. It's partly why Rafen has so much trouble believing Arkio is Sanguinius reborn.
- Master Swordsman: In Deus Sanguinius, Mephiston says that Sanguinius was the match of any warrior who ever lived.
- Mayfly-December Romance: Apocryphal earlier editions suggested he was or had been at one point married to a normal mortal woman.
- Meaningful Name
- Nice Guy: Was practically a saint by 40K standards.
- One-Man Army: Enough to carve through a horde of Bloodletters like so much grass, and then have enough fight in him to kill their commanding Bloodthirster by snapping its spine over his knee.
- Papa Wolf
- The Paragon: Horus even said so himself.
- Parental Favoritism: Daddy's favourite after Horus.
- Pretty in Mink: Many depictions have him with something resembling a leopard skin either thrown over one shoulder of his armor, or used as a cape.
- Raised by Natives: Raised by the tribesmen of Ba'al Secundus.
- Tender Tears: From a heart so pure, gentle and kind that they were said to have turned into diamonds when they hit the ground.
- Winged Humanoid
- You Shall Not Pass: During the Siege of Terra, he held the Eternity Gate to the Imperial Palace, by himself, against one of the traitor legions, and paid back Ka'Bandha by breaking his spine. And lived.
Commander Dante
"For eleven hundred years, I have fought and I have seen the darkness in our galaxy. I have seen the vileness of the alien and the heresy of the mutant. I have witnessed the sin of possession. I have seen all the evil that the galaxy harbours, and I have slain all whose presence defiles the Emperor. I have seen what you will see. I have fought what you must fight, and I have slain what you must slay... so fear not and be proud, for we are the sons of Sanguinius, the protectors of Mankind. Aye, we are indeed the Angels of Death."
Commander Dante is the Lord of the Host and Bringer of Sanguinius' Light. A golden angel descending from the skies, bringing hope to the loyal citizens of the Imperium. Alive for more than one thousand years, Dante possess the experience of war unlike any other Space Marine.
Such is his experience that he was the overall commander of the Second Battle for Armageddon forces, given full command by Marneus Calgar and Tu'Shan.
He is well known for his perfect mastery of flight, being able to fall from the skies with incomparable precision.
- Ancestral Weapon: His Axe of Mortalis.
- Badass: Let's see...
- Badass Bookworm: Tactical genius.
- Badass in Charge
- Badass Grandpa: 1,100+ years and still kicking.
- Badass Long Hair
- Four-Star Badass
- Big Good: During the Second War for Armageddon. Unofficially for his and all other Blood Angel descendant chapters.
- Bishonen: He is a Blood Angel. The older an Astartes becomes the more he resembles his primarch. Dante's pretty darn old. Also: [dead link]
- Commanding Coolness: That's Lord Commander Dante.
- Death From Above: He is so skilled with this that he never misses.
- In a special Apocalypse Formation, not only does his formation never miss, but it can charge in the turn they deep strike.
- Death Glare: He wears the Death Mask of Sanguinius. Just by being present, it curses an opponent. When assaulted by him, your close combat skill can drop to 1.
- Determinator: He believes that he has lived far longer than he should. The only reason he keeps fighting is his faith in the Emperor, and his unwavering belief that one day, he will be the golden warrior of a prophecy that will stand between the Emperor and the darkness.
- Elite Army: Heads the Sanguinary Guard, the Chapter's elite troops and successor to Sanguinius' bodyguard.
- The Faceless: He is one of the few Space Marines commanders always depicted wearing his helm or the deathmask that comes with his office.
- Fragile Speedster: Not exactly, he's still a Space Marine, but he can be insta-killed by any weapon with high enough strength. However, he is really fast - both in movement and close combat.
- Genius Bruiser: Tactical genius, thousand plus years of experience, and also a hard hitter.
- Good Is Not Nice
- Hand Cannon: His can destroy Land Raiders.
- Incorruptible Pure Pureness
- It's Raining Men: Master of it.
- Lightning Bruiser: He's a Space Marine. Though more Lightning than Bruiser.
- Mask of Power: His curses an enemy. Also, it makes the enemy weaker in close combat.
- Miles to Go Before I Sleep: Older than most Astartes by many centuries, there is a part of him that longs for rest. But prophecies from the age of Sanguinius foretell a time when the Emperor will be in grave peril and depend on a golden warrior to defend him. Dante believes there is at least a chance this refers to him, so he will not let himself die until this has come to pass.
- The Musketeer: Power Axe and Infernus Pistol
- Officer and a Gentleman: Thousand of years of war experience with his Blood Angel refinement make him this.
- Powered Armour: Golden Artificer's Armour.
- Really 700 Years Old: The oldest non-Dreadnought Space Marine in the Imperium. He's been Chapter Master for 1,100 years, and that's not accounting for the few hundred years it would take for him to rise far enough in the ranks to be suitable for the position.
- Reasonable Authority Figure
- Tranquil Fury
- White-Haired Pretty Boy: In some depictions.
- Who Wants to Live Forever?: Has shades of this.
Mephiston
Chief Librarian of the Blood Angels and Dante's right hand man. Born Calistarius, he participated in the Second War for Armageddon. During the Battle of Hades Hive, he fell to the Black Rage and was inducted into the Death Company. At the final assault on the Ecclesorium building, he was buried under rubble for seven days and seven nights, his mind teetering on the edge of madness and his body on the verge of death. Through sheer will alone, Calistarius cast out the Black Rage and burst from his tomb as Mephiston, Lord of Death. After tearing through several bands of Orks and punching straight through the biggest one there, Mephiston made the long walk back to Imperial lines. Eventually ascending to the rank of Chief Librarian, Mephiston has served as the lieutenant and friend of Dante for years.
- Badass
- Death Glare: It's an actual tabletop rule.
- Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Once throttled the life out of a daemon with his bare hands!
- Glass Cannon: YMMV: Subverted, he is extremely tough (toughness 6 to be specific) and one of the most powerful characters on the tabletop, but he lacks any sort of invulnerable save unlike most other Blood Angels HQ.
- Heroic Willpower: One of only two Blood Angels to come back completely from the Black Rage.
- I Call It Vera: Vitalis.
- Lightning Bruiser: Thanks to his "Wings of Sanguinius" psychic power, he can fly, and is also one of the hardest hitting characters in the entire game.
- Magic Knight
- Theres No Kill Like Overkill: His "Sword of Sanguinius" Psychic power can double his strength to the maximum stat, and, because he can use his force weapon in the same turn, he can have strength 10 instant-death attacks.
- Number Two: To Dante.
- One-Man Army: On the Tabletop people will throw whole squads at him and he still takes them.
- Psychic Powers: The most powerful psyker among the Blood Angels, and a contender for the most powerful among the Space Marines.
Corbulo
Leader of the Sanguinary Priests (the Blood Angels Apothocaries), Corbulo's duty is to guard the Red Grail, a cup used to carry the blood Sanguinius lost in the battle with Horus.
- Badass Preacher
- Chainsaw Good: Carries Heaven's Teeth, a irreplaceable Chainsword from the Great Crusade.
- Combat Medic: He is the high priest of the Blood Angels; not only he is skilled in combat, but he's on a continuous search for the cure of the Flaw.
- Feel No Pain: Every Sanguinary Priest grants this to every battle brother that is close to him.
- Even more, such is his skill and power, that when making a Feel No Pain save, he will only fail one time out of six.
- Generation Xerox: Noted as bearing a great resemblance to Sanguinius.
- MacGuffin Guardian: His task to protect the Red Grail.
Astorath the Grim
"Treat them with honour, my Brothers. Not because they will bring us victory this day, but because their fate will one day be ours."
Astorath the Grim is the Blood Angels' High Chaplain, and also the Redeemer of the Lost.
Being the Redeemer of the Lost, Astorath possess a unique job: to grant mercy to every Death Company Battle Brother that didn't fall in battle, in the form of a clean death. It was long ago decided this duty would be one best suited for a single brother, and thus far a single brother has been all that was needed. However, as he is the only one responsible for the culling of these lost men, he must travel far and wide amongst each Blood Angel successor fortress, and find those who are soon to fall.
- An Axe to Grind: His Executioner's Axe. To kill an out-of-mind Space Marine, it has to be extremely sharp.
- Ancestral Weapon
- Asskicking Equals Authority: Since he must kill the Death Company battle brothers, his job is not the safest one.
- Badass
- Blessed with Suck: One of the reasons he became Redeemer of the Lost is due his power to "feel" those Battle Brothers that will fall to the Black Rage.
- Grim Reaper
- Lightning Bruiser: He is fast, like most of the Blood Angels. However his axe allows him to hit really hard, and, since he is a Chaplain, he makes himself even stronger when he assaults.
- The Magnificent
- Mercy Kill: This is his job, and responsibility to the entire Death Company.
- My Significance Sense Is Tingling
- Powered Armour: Red Artificer Armour.
- Sci-Fi Writers Have No Sense of Scale: How is he supposed to take care of every single Battle Brother that falls to the Black Rage?
- Lemartes takes on his duties within his own chapter the majority of the time, which helps alleviate the burden.
- Unstoppable Rage: In-game he can make the army fall to the Red Thirst half of the time.
Erasmus Tycho
Captain of the Third Company following the Second War for Armageddon, where he assumed command after his captain was killed fighting the Orks. He was scared during the battle and bore a hatred of the Orks ever since. After Armaggedon, he oversaw the destruction of Orilan, and was saved by Ramius Stele from a daemon of Chaos. Which is what Malfallax may have wanted Tycho to believe. During the Third War for Armageddon, Tycho succumbed to the Black Rage and inducted to the Death Company, where he was killed fighting Orks.
- Bling of War: Wore solid gold Artificer Armor.
- The Captain: Third Company's captain.
- Fantastic Racism: Against the Orks.
- Good Scars, Evil Scars
- Hair of Gold
- I Call It Vera: Blood Song his combi-melta bolter that can use special-issue bolts
- It's Personal: With the Orks.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: In giving Stele the blood debt.
- Not As You Knew Them: Was lost to the Black Rage.
Lemartes, Guardian of the Lost
Chaplain Lemartes is the warden of the Death Company and never have they been such a potent force as under his guidance. Though Lemartes himself is afflicted by the accursed Black Rage, his formidable willpower has allowed him to remain in control of his actions, leaving him free to lead the Death Company in glorious charges that eclipse all the deeds of legend.
- Ancestral Weapon: His Blood Crozius, it is said to be the very weapon of the first High Chaplain of the Blood Angels.
- Attack! Attack! Attack!: He is part of the Death Company.
- The Berserker: He is this to the Blood Angels, which already tells you how furious he is!
- Badass Preacher
- Determinator: He stands in the very brink of the Black Rage. All the time.
- Lightning Bruiser: He is as fast as Dante and the Sanguinor. He can be even more faster when charging. He is also hit the enemy like a truck.
- Limit Break: His Fury Unbound rule. Wound him if you dare. That will break his limits and hit even harder.
- Major Injury Underreaction: You wound him? Thanks, now he hits three times the number of attacks and harder.
- Screaming Warrior: He is a chaplain. He is in a state of complete fury.
- Unstoppable Rage
Rafen
The protagonist of the Blood Angels series, Rafen was born to Akam of the Broken Mesa clan of Baal Secundus, and the elder brother of Arkio. During the initiate rights, he failed a test by Brother-Sergeant Koris, while his brother Arkio passed, and went into the deserts to redeem himself. During the self-imposed quest, the Thunderhawk carrying Koris and the initiates crashed in the desert, and he saved the lives of the others. Koris deemed him worthy of being a Blood Angel, and since another initiate had died, he was allowed to travel to Baal and join the Blood Angels. He eventually served in Koris's squad in the Sixth Company while Arkio went on the Bellus Expedition.
- The Atoner: For allowing Fabius Bile to abscond with a vial of Sangiunius's blood.
- Big Brother Instinct: He promised his father to protect his brother.
- BFS: Uses a power sword in Red Fury and Black Tide. Probably the one he used against Arkio.
- Cain and Abel: Uniquely, he's the Cain, but he's upholding God's will. Sort of.
- Go Mad from the Revelation: Absolutely loses it when he learns that Fabius Bile is planning to make a clone of the Emperor. Any Space Marine would feel the same way.
- The Hero
- Only Sane Man: Genuinely feels like this during Deus Encarmine and Deus Sangiunius.
- Sergeant Rock: During Red Fury and Black Tide.
Arkio
Brother of Rafen and son of Akam of the Broken Mesa Clan. His mother died giving birth to him, so his father charged Rafen with his wellbeing. Passing the Blood Angels initiate tests, he joined the Bellus Expedition under Captain Simeon and Inquisitor Lord Ramius Stele to locate the long lost Spear of Telesto, a weapon used by Sanguinius during the Great Crusade. After using the Spear in battle, he begins to mutate into a physical reincarnation of Sanguinius, and the other Blood Angels feel that he is Sanguinius reborn. Which is exactly what Stele wants to lead the Blood Angels to Chaos.
- Cain and Abel: Interestingly, he's the Abel, but is rejecting God's will.
- The Chosen One: Of Tzeentch.
- Due to the Dead: He orders the progenoids of those who opposed him to be harvested anyway.
- Messianic Archetype: Is not this, and intended to be a Dark Messiah.
- Redemption Equals Death
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: After the mutations began, Arkio went from a humble man to genuinely believing he was Sanguinius, and developed all the pride one would expect from it.
Sachiel
Born into what could be considered aristocracy among the tribes of Baal Secundus, Sachiel considered his passing of the Blood Angels initiate tests to be a matter of course. Joining the Sanguinary Priests, he became an Apothecary and joined the Bellus Expedition. By the time the Bellus returned to known space, Sachiel had become a High Priest and the ranking Chaplain of the Expedition, as his predecessor had died. As people begin to believe that Arkio is the reincarnation of Sanguinius, Sachiel became one of his trusted advisers. Just as Stele had intended.
- Alas, Poor Villain: Rafen has this reaction to his death.
- Badass Preacher
- Combat Medic
- Chainsaw Good
- Fatal Flaw: Pride
- Unwitting Pawn: To Stele.
Koris
A veteran sergeant of the Sixth company, Koris recruited and a number of initiates, including Rafen, Arkio, and Sachiel. When belief begins to spread that Arkio is the reincarnation of Sanguinius, Koris maintains a healthy skepticism.
- BFS: Wields a power sword.
- Fighting From the Inside: After Stele induces the Black Rage, he tries to warn Rafen of Stele's heresy.
- Heroic Sacrifice
- The Mentor
- Sergeant Rock
- Veteran Instructor
Turcio
A battle-brother of the Fifth Company, part of Koris's squad along with Rafen.
- The Atoner: For following Arkio.
- Number Two: To Rafen.
- Mark of Shame
Corvus
A battle-brother who joined the Bellus Expedition.
Imperium of Man
Inquisitor Lord Ramius Stele
Raimus Stele is an Inquisitor in the Ordo Hereticus, tasked with seeking out heretics against the Imperial Church. After glancing at some forbidden material, he began studying the Warp in the hopes learning more. However, his attempt to cast a spell of binding on Orilan released the daemon Malfallax, causing mutations that forced the Adeptus Terra to declare an Exterminatus on the planet. Escaping with his bodyguard and former lover Marian, Stele managed to brook safe passage onto Captain Tycho's ship, where he finally pledged himself to Malfallax, killed Marian to avoid being exposed, and was credited with saving Tycho from Malfallax. Earning the gratitude of the Blood Angels, he was given a blood debt and later placed in charge of an expedition to find the Spear of Telesto. Now he plans to use Arkio as a false messiah to turn the Blood Angels to the Chaos Gods.
- An Axe to Grind: Uses a force-axe when he goes into battle.
- Big Bad: Forms a trio with Malfallax and Garand.
- Bald of Evil
- Hoist by His Own Petard
- Psychic Powers
- Psychic Nosebleed: His psychic powers take a lot out of him.
- State Sec
Chaos
Malfallax
A greater daemon of Tzeentch, Malfallax spent years trying to turn Inquisitor Ramius Stele to Chaos, until he finally succeeded on Orilan. Over the next few decades, Stele and Malfallax concocted a plan with Warmaster Garand of the Thousand Sons to turn the Blood Angels to Chaos Undivided using Arkio as a false messiah.
- Big Bad: Forms a trio with Garand and Stele.
- Body Horror: Gives this out like candy.
- Eldritch Abomination
- Feathered Fiend: Lord of Change.
- Villainous Breakdown: Even after being sent back to the Warp, it was so enraged that it would take ages to think of anything but it's anger. But time has no meaning in the Warp.
- Walking Wasteland
Garand
A Warmaster of the Word Bearers, Garand is a powerful Chaos Space Marine. He conspires with Malfallax and Stele to turn the Blood Angels to Chaos Undivided.
- An Axe to Grind
- Asskicking Equals Authority: A Chaos Warmaster. He wouldn't have gotten the job any other way.
- Big Bad: Forms a trio with Malfallax and Stele.
- It's Personal: His feelings toward the Blood Angels, over Fortrea Quintas.
- Psychic Powers
- Time Abyss: He was one of the Space Marines who took part in the Horus Heresy.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: To Iskavan.
Iskavan
Dark Apostle of the ninth host of the Word Bearers, Iskavan the Hated lead the ninth host on Cybele against the Blood Angels of the Sixth Company. After being forced to retreat, Iskavaan headed to Shenlong, where he planned to battle the Blood Angels and regain his honor. In truth, he was to be sacrificed by Garand as part of the plan for turning the Blood Angels, because of the ninth host's failings.
- Evil Sorcerer
- General Failure: Garand's opinion.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice
- The Magnificent: Iskavan the Hated.
- Summon Bigger Fish: After losing the Ikaari Fortress to the Blood Angels, Iskavan decides to summon a Blood Thirster of Khorne. Garand interrupts the spell to let him die.
- Taking You with Me: Abandoned by Garand, he decides to unleash every viral weapon on Shenlong to kill the Blood Angels.
Fabius Bile
Once the Chief Apothecary of the Emperor's Children, Fabius Bile fell to Chaos along with the rest of his Legion during the Horus Heresy. Cast out for not worshiping Slaanesh, Bile sold his services to the rest of the Chaos Space Marines by becoming the "Primogenitor", making clone stock for the Traitor Legions recruits. Impersonating a dead biologist, Bile managed to abscond with a vial of the blood of Sanguinius, which he intends to trace back to its source--making a clone of the Emperor of Mankind.
- Big Bad: Of Red Fury and Black Tide.
- Evilutionary Biologist: As his "New Men" will attest.
- Genuine Human Hide: We at TV Tropes are required to remind at every possible chance that Fabius Bile's labcoat is made of human skin!
- Mad Scientist: From the perspective of anyone outside of Chaos.
- Why Won't You Die?: Because he cloned himself.