Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Alright, so I've been seeing a lot of threads and such lately about the Primarchs and I was wondering, out of all the Primarchs that could come back, which one should? I don't want this to be "Pick your favorite Primarch", I want you to think about which Primarch the Imperium would benefit the most from coming back?

For me it's a tie between Girlymen and Vulkan. Girlymen because he is the best strategist and General, and Vulkan because he is the "Peoples Primarch" and the best leader.

The Lion, Dorn, or Guilliman. The three that I think would restore some order to the Impeirum, and do at least some good. The rest would either just take control of their Chapters and do some fightin', or they would mess stuff up.

Not sure why Dorn is on the list, unless you want to clone his hands or something... He is a skeleton on the Phalanx.

None of them should come back, any more then the Emperor should. Their absence (and the myths surrounding their death/disappearance and prophesied return) are vital elements of the Warhammer universe's atmosphere and tone.

A few are, most aren't. The return of many are actually key parts of the fluff.

Vulkan is the most likely to return of the choices. his Tome of fire is leading the slamanders closer and closer to finding his artefacts and the truth as to where he is.

Vulcan should come back because he would probably move the imperium out of its technological slump (sort of).

I say Vulkan because I think that the Salamanders (and consequently those who play them) got boned. We got the short end of the background stick. I mean, Space Wolves and Imperial Fists and Ultramarines have all these cool stories about their Primarchs, but Vulkan really only did a couple of things before his "death." If he had at least actually died it would be something. At least Ferrus Manus has that much going for him.

That's where I put my money.

Guilliman coming back could set up a schism between the Ultramarine and (some) of their successor chapters and the High Lords of Terra over the course of the Imperium.

Most of the other Primarchs' don't lend themselves to good stories if they come back.

According to the last codex, you have to go with Gulliman, there's nothing the man cant do!

I loved how bad ass Corax was when I listened to Ravens Flight, but he isn't as all round good at everything as Gulliman.

Gulliman fights (beats up Alpharius) leads the men and even likes doing paper work!

Vulcan will come back I'd like to see sanguinius,dorn or Corax

English Assassin wrote:None of them should come back, any more then the Emperor should. Their absence (and the myths surrounding their death/disappearance and prophesied return) are vital elements of the Warhammer universe's atmosphere and tone.

That's true, but this is meant to be from a unbiased knowledgeable Imperium citizens point of view.

I don't think Guilliman coming back would be for the best. I don't see him playing nice with the High Lords of Terra, he'd probably try to just do things his own way, which would create a huge power struggle and leave the Imperium weak.

...actually as a xenos fan, that sounds pretty good! Let's bring back Guilliman!

Haha but as for what would be best for the Imperium, I'd say Dorn. He strikes me as more likely to not disturb the status quo too much while still lending his expertise to help.

I say Russ or Vulkan. the 2 primarchs that weren't D-bags(Russ was just a tool)

How did Vulkan get off Istvan I thought Corax couldn't find his brother

Daston wrote:How did Vulkan get off Istvan I thought Corax couldn't find his brother

It's never stated how.

Daston wrote:How did Vulkan get off Istvan I thought Corax couldn't find his brother

it isn't said anywhere.

It is known that he was seen alive after Istavan when he gave the Salamanders the last ever Legend of Zelda game(called the Tome of Fire) and said he was going off to look for something and would come back when they manage to beat the game. to date they are 55% complete

Really sirrah, really?

And, either Dorn or Vulkan, but the others could be hand in dealing with the whole Black Crusade invasion of Cadia thing.

You have to wonder if the return of any of the primarchs would really be a good thing for the Imperium at this point. The Imperium is very different than it used to be, and the primarchs might not be too keen on those differences. Any schism at this point could be catastrophic for them.

want one to organize who is stuck into paperoworks all day - gullyman
want one to hunt someone - russ
want one to intercept tresspassers - khan
want one to fight a guerilla war - corax
want one to obey, a soldier - Dorn
want one to win the populace - vulkan
want one to win the war - Lion

I d either take one who wins the hearts and keeps the basic human fighting > Vulkan
or have one to outmaneuver the enemy, to lead tactically > the Lion.

seems i prefer a supportive role....

Small, Far Away wrote:Really sirrah, really?

My first choice would be Rogal, but he's rather unambiguously dead.

Dawi-Marine'Va wrote:

English Assassin wrote:None of them should come back, any more then the Emperor should. Their absence (and the myths surrounding their death/disappearance and prophesied return) are vital elements of the Warhammer universe's atmosphere and tone.

That's true, but this is meant to be from a unbiased knowledgeable Imperium citizens point of view.

Ah, I see what you mean. It's an interesting point to ponder - others have already pointed out the the actual return of one of the primarchs would likely result in civil war, since they would likely wish to (re?)claim powers arrogated by the High Lords and the Administratum.

I would imagine that most worlds in the Imperium might venerate a particular primarch, one associated with the reconquest of their world in the Great Crusade (provided, of course, that primarch had not been airbrushed from history after the heresy), or one whose legion or successor chapters had defended or recruited from that world, so first and foremost I would expect the average citizen's opinion to depend upon conditional factors like those.

In terms of the primarchs' characters, Guilliman and Vulkan strike me as the most down-to-earth of the primarchs (Vulkan seems actually to be a man of the people, Guilliman at least notably cares about them), whereas the rest are either aloof (Corax, The Lion, Dorn) or uncivilised (Khan, Russ), but it's not an easy judgement to make, since their characterisation in the game's background and fiction is rather less than consistent.

For the good of the Imperium?

Ranked in order:
Guilliman... this is basically his Imperium already, having him back may bring the rest of the Imperium up to Ultramar's standards. Plus, he's the only Primarch who is physically still in the Imperium (albeit probably dead).

Vulkan... man of the people, and all that, but I'm not sure how good of an administrator he is. Plus, I'm convinced he got utterly gibbed at Istvaan, so there is nothing to come back.

Dorn... another favored son of the Emperor who didn't fall far from the tree. Only reason I don't put him above Vulkan is that towards the end he seemed really disillusioned with the shape the post-Heresy Imperium would take (I'm certain he undertook his last mission fully intent on dying). If he were somehow resurrected, he may be too morose/morbid/gloomy to accomplish much.

Corax... kind of a peripheral character, but apparently the worlds he left behind were in good shape, so why not?

The Lion... too self-involved, utterly lacks charisma or the ability to read people. would make a horrible leader who is either easily manipulated or horrendously paranoid.

Khan/Russ... basically the same guy, except one smells of a stable and the other of wet dog. Both primitive screwheads.

Vulcna wasn't an administrator, he was a blacksmith/inventor (created the prototype for the ironclad). Which is why he would probably be able to help bring the Imperium out of its severe technological slump.

Guilliman may be a pompous douchebag, but the Imperium is largely the way it is because of him, which means I don't think that there would be as much of a power schism, and he was legitimately brilliant, and could actually improve the well-being of the Imperium if he became active.

From a narrative standpoint though, none should come back.

Logical choices:

Lion: Because his lideship can help overstretch Imperial army's.
Guiliman: Because his new reforms will make the Imperium stronger.
Dorn: Because his lidership can take us out of crysis.

But I agree with Void_Dragon - if Primarch ( even 1 ) returned it would tip the balance toward Imperium and they would start wining the war ( and that is the last thing people want ).

Brother Coa wrote:But I agree with Void_Dragon - if Primarch ( even 1 ) returned it would tip the balance toward Imperium and they would start wining the war ( and that is the last thing people want ).

I don't know about that.

Primarchs are powerful, but they are not invincible.

And remember that the forces of Chaos have Primarchs among them as well, and these Primarchs have been elevated to Daemon Princes.

Magnus, at the head of a fleet.

Void__Dragon wrote:

Brother Coa wrote:But I agree with Void_Dragon - if Primarch ( even 1 ) returned it would tip the balance toward Imperium and they would start wining the war ( and that is the last thing people want ).

I don't know about that.

Primarchs are powerful, but they are not invincible.

And remember that the forces of Chaos have Primarchs among them as well, and these Primarchs have been elevated to Daemon Princes.

Those Primarchs are much-less brain dead now.
And Emperor was not invincible to, even so he did a LOT for the galaxy.
If even one of them return he would organised the Imperial forces. Adn not to mention that they would start targeting xenoleaders and strongholds...
I am not saying now that if Leman Russ returns he would tear apart entire Tau empire... but he would heavily fortify Imperial Worlds around it and daily launch harass operations toward their less defended colonies. He would gaiter all the Wolves under one banner and start going on small crusades around the galaxy ( like BT, only bigger ).
Guiliman would so organised the Imperium that Imperium would have better results in the end with fewer cassulties and better results in killing their enemies.

In either way - Imperium would start to win. Not at first, but after 250 - 700 years sure... And Primarchs are only 1 level beneath the Emperor himself, they are pretty hard to kill to.