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Most of the images I find of the Imperial Aquila (the two headed eagle) depict the eagle with an eye in the left head, but no eye on the right head. Is this intentional? Is it supposed to be blind on the right side? I'm doing a tile mosaic for a terrain piece, and I was curious.

I don't know the symbolism for it, but it appears to be rather consistent.

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Etched_Brass/ETCHED-LARGE-IMPERIAL-EAGLES.html
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Etched_Brass/ETCHED-BRASS-MEDIUM-IMPERIAL-EAGLES.html

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Aquila

Thanks Kel. Appreciate the link.

Is the Eisenstein citation to the Terra-Mars union statement alone or to the rest of the paragraph as well? I can't remember and don't have my copy of that book handy. Frankly, the first part of the paragraph (looking back to the past) sounds like a fan explanation rather than a solid piece of canonical fluff.

the reasons is this.

one head is blinded to contemplate the past and the other is sighted to look to the future.

I allways wondered about this as well...

Actually I think it s the head that looks to the future that is blind. It represents how The Imperium never evolves and is always stuck in the past.

KamikazeCanuck wrote:Actually I think it s the head that looks to the future that is blind. It represents how The Imperium never evolves and is always stuck in the past.

Makes sense now, but according to the lexi article the original context was pre-heresy, which would make sense then (forgetting the dark ages and looking to the future ahead)

One thing though about the article that may lead to some confusion, wasn't the use of the aquila (pre-heresy, speaking) an Emperor's children/Big E exclusive mark?

Yeah, the aquila was the Emperor's personal symbol. They also mention in the Horus Heresy that the Emperor's aquila had lightning bolts incorporated into it, but I have never seen that version of the symbol.

You can see that aquila in old RT pictures, I'll see if I find some.

If I'm not mistaken the bolts were held in the aquila's claws

The right head which is sighted represents the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. The left head which is blind represents the Adeptus Astronomica. The body represents the Adeptus Custodes. The right talon represents the Adminstratum. The left talon represents the Adeptus Arbites. The wings represent the Adeptus Mechanicus.

Gogsnik wrote:The right head which is sighted represents the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. The left head which is blind represents the Adeptus Astronomica. The body represents the Adeptus Custodes. The right talon represents the Adminstratum. The left talon represents the Adeptus Arbites. The wings represent the Adeptus Mechanicus.

You're talking about this

Hmmm, I always thought this was a mistake or a misprint, though now that you mention it, wow, quite EYE OPENING, lol.


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Punny

Krauser wrote:You're talking about this

That's the one, as printed in Rogue Trader.

The Odessey wrote:Hmmm, I always thought this was a mistake or a misprint, though now that you mention it, wow, quite EYE OPENING, lol.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Punny

Nice one

Where do astartes come in? :(

They're the ones bearing the eagle?

Morgrim wrote:They're the ones bearing the eagle?

Not at first they weren't.

As an artist, I have been commissioned to come up with several two-headed creatures, and for some reason I always stray to blinding one side, I think it probably has something to do with the duality of two face/heads. I wonder if originally the original art piece was just done that way and then GW had to figure out why?


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Also I Dig that it has a pre-heresy and a post heresy meaning.

Lol, completely agree with your first point

Krauser wrote:

Gogsnik wrote:The right head which is sighted represents the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. The left head which is blind represents the Adeptus Astronomica. The body represents the Adeptus Custodes. The right talon represents the Adminstratum. The left talon represents the Adeptus Arbites. The wings represent the Adeptus Mechanicus.

You're talking about this

Is this from a RT? That would be too bad since this interpretation seems so forced. Like they just tried to fit all of the branches onto the existing Eagle.

I like how it was originally the Emeror's heraldry and always prefered the interpretation that the Imperium now revers the past and no longers looks to the future.

Ya that picture doesn't even make sense.

it was the Emperors personal symbol.

one head was blinded to look at the past the other sighted to look to the future. i think it was in Horus Rising that was discussed.

Only the Emperors Children were allowed to wear it at first. after the heresy any marine could.



the lightining bolt clenched by a fist was an older symbol the Emperor used during the unification wars and it became a symbol for the Astartes.

The pic is from RT.

Although I like the Emperor having a one headed eagle as his crest and later on adding a second head.

As some have said the RT pic seems too forced to incorporate all of the Imperial factions into a single icon.

Oops, wrong thread. Disregard!

Grey Templar wrote:

the lightining bolt clenched by a fist was an older symbol the Emperor used during the unification wars and it became a symbol for the Astartes.

That's what I was thinking, is that found in any fluff?

Horus Rising i think.

How about the sign of the aquila? or is that an entirely different thread?

The sign of the aquila is when you just sort of cross your thumbs like your making a bird for shadow puppetry and place it on your chest.

Jimsolo wrote:Yeah, the aquila was the Emperor's personal symbol. They also mention in the Horus Heresy that the Emperor's aquila had lightning bolts incorporated into it, but I have never seen that version of the symbol.

I believe I've seen it, in the 1st edition or something. I can't quite remember where off the top of my head but I'll try and find it.