SRSFACE wrote:
I kind of think it'd be awesome if the Emperor officially died, and the primarchs come back too late. They'd lead their legions again, but because no one can get along in the 41st millenia, it'd fracture the remnants of the Imperium even further.

 Wyzilla wrote:

 Themanwiththeplan wrote:
^This^

I'd like to see the Big E come back and lead the Imperium back out into the galaxy once Cypher finaly reaches the throne room or the throne breaks. There's still the little matter of that hole in the basement that he's holding closed, but once that is sorted and he gathers a few of his sons back to his banner then the real work can begin.
Some may well resist his or not believe his return, while others will call it heresy once they find out that he is outlawing religion (again). Expect mass desertions to the Tau and Chaos as others claim domion over their own and surounding worlds in the hope of carving out their own little empire. And that's just within the the IoM.
Other races with take advantage of the fractured Imperium so it will be plenty grimdark still, and well, the Big E and few sons can't be everywhere. And even still, where they go will be the hardest, bloodiest, dirtist fighting there is so they could be bogged down in that particular theatre for decades.
i think that would pacify the people who say 'There is only war' while offering a glimmering hope to others who wish to see the IoM get off at least one of it's knees.

Eh, I'd prefer it if the Alpha Legion also played a part. Have the majority remain Chaotic, but Alpharius and Omegon form a joint strike with Cypher leading their non corrupted forces on the Golden Throne, and rip the Emperor off it, only for him to regenerate and it revealed that the Golden Throne was keeping him from regenerating/was wounded by the powers of chaos and needed his body to fully die to regenerate. However, as numerous Chapters and armadas were routed back to Terra to defend against the 'invasion', the Archenemy makes a fell swoop and fully smashes the Cadian gate in the confusion while Orks continue to poor in, more Necrons wake up, Tyranids launch more tendrils against the IOM, and the Tau start to violently expand.

Story doesn't change much, but the Emperor is back fixing humanity, but in turn with the Inquisition slowly being disabled, Chaos has gained more ground and more people, and is swallowing up territory around the Eye of Terror and fortifying it as the IOM engages in 'galactic trench warfare' in order to push chaos back into Eye. Alpharius is tasked with leading the loyalists against Chaos while Omegon rallies forces to both defend the frontier and search for the missing Primarchs. Guilliman defrosts eventually to unite Ultramar again while a whole new Hive Fleet converges on the sector.

Status quo is largely the same, but events get more interesting.