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Hey dakkadakka, long time reader here.
I didn't actually plan on joining but I recently read a very nice thread about Lion El'Jonson and his possible return (here: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/502062.page), and being a MASSIVE Dark Angela fan I could not let an engaging discussion about The Lion (my one and only idol) go by like that.
So, for what it's worth, here is my version of the Lion's potential return:

Many of the theories here might have been true if it was a more extroverted Primarch like Lorgar, Angron (both pre-heresy) or even Rawbutt Girlyman (Robout Guilliman), but this is not the Lion. Remember how he was like before Caliban. He was a silent type with the trademark Dark Angels stubbornness, just as he was a genius with ambitions and a master strategist. It was Luther, his counter part, that was the charismatic leader who rallied people together and inspired them where Lion executed a flawless and well thought through plan.
You must also consider that the Dark Angels are very secretive and introverted, given their Primarch and history, hence his/their modus operadi would bear marks of all of these traits.

Let's say Lion was to wake up/has woken up. He would not rush it. Most likely he would tell a Watcher on the Dark to bring Azrael to him to inform him about the present day. Azrael would then summon the very highest echelon of the Inner Circle and make them swear an oath of silence. Breaking would amount to treason and hence death.
Lion would then assume the leading position in the Circle and plan their next move.

Revealing himself would be too dangerous for numerous reasons. Many authorites within the Imperium hold more power than he does and they control the masses. His appearance could spark a civil unrest that the Imperium could ill afford. Furthermore, Orks might get wind of a very tough guy and charge there to fight him en masse. Chaos would rally their demon Primarch in the hope of taking him down.
He alone would not stand. I believe he would guide his legion through the Inner Circle and accomplish a far more subtle and powerful goal.

Lets try it like this:
One Chapter would be dedicated to sweeping up the last of the Fallen, another Chapter would represent the public face of them so that everything would seem like business as usual and no suspicion within and without the Chapter is raised.
Another part of the Legion would attempt to infiltrate and leech information from various imperial organisations to keep him up to date and building his network of information and influence.
The very last part however, most likely taken over by various Deathwing companies, would work towards his ultimate goal: the return of the Primarchs.

Think about it. He might not be able to stand alone, but with his brother he would have a fair chance to stand against the tide of darkness and guiding the Imperium (got Rowboat Girlyman for that).

This might look like this: disguised Pilgirms would go to Macragge and check on Rawbutt while Lion might work on a way to cure him.
He would also launch an investigation about the nine relic of Vulkan by probably following in his brothers shoes and using the vast informational network his chapter has built, while trying to guide the Salamander to them to make it look authentic.
He might also launch an investigation about the Webway to locate Jaghatai Khan as well as find solid proof of the fates of Ferrus Manus and Rogal Dorn, because facts beat rumours.
The last part will be the hardest. He must locate Corvus Corax and Leman Russ inside the Eye of Terror but him being a master strategist I have faith that he can come up with something, even if it is just a bone on a string.

And there you have it. Some plot points that do not advance the plot but would provide a lot of new fluff on the DA and Lion to mix with the status quo and some new theories to boot.

He will take action but in a subtle war of guidance and Information that would put the Vanus Temple to shame. But he will not march to Terra and reveal himself. He sees humanities need to believe in something greater than they are and the need to act with a unified purpose and while they still hold up, he can focus on events with a long term effect.

And, who knows, maybe he already has awoken and the info in the codex is just another cover up and this is why The Rock takes a U-Turn to Cadia. I mean it is the Dark Angels were talking about, a Chapter forged in enigma and mystery.

Well, I hope you liked my feeble attempt of capturing the grand mind of the Lion. So, tell me what you think. I would love hearing your opinions and thoughts on this!

On a final note, I am currently planning and painting a new Unforgiven Chapter that is based on what a described here. With own story, homeworld and artwork. Might toss something out here once I have a reasonable amount

I think its awesome, hi they could even try to revive the Emperor and Abbaddon and the traitor legions could attack Terra. Don't listen to the naysayers that will come and assure you they will because they don't want anyone to disturb the storyline they've grown attached to.

We know Rogal Dorn is dead.
Also your idea seems to be 'Johnson comes back. Fixes everything 'cos he's dead smart'

 purplefood wrote:
We know Rogal Dorn is dead.

I've fallen behind in fluff as of late, but didn't they just recovered his skeletal hand and no one has any clue about his body. I thought GW left it open for the whole "You guys can keep my hand, see you in a few millenia."

 Grimaldus99 wrote:

 purplefood wrote:
We know Rogal Dorn is dead.

I've fallen behind in fluff as of late, but didn't they just recovered his skeletal hand and no one has any clue about his body. I thought GW left it open for the whole "You guys can keep my hand, see you in a few millenia."

Pretty much. We know that Dorn is dead just like we know that Ferrus is dead (read: we assume). Ferrus was supposetly decapitated by Fulgrim during the Istvaan V Dropside Massacre but that was never confirmed as noone found the body. As for Dorn, aye, his fists have been found.
One of them is dead for sure, if we assume that GW balances things out and we know that two traitors are dead. So for us it is Sanguinius and most likely one of these guys.

And no, I am not saying he WILL fix it all. There a couple rather challenging tasks there where he might fail horribly. But he sure as hell gonna try is what I am saying.
And, well, he does not have to solve anything. Just have him wake up and start scheming, that is enough for now. Too big steps will just agitate status quo defenders, where I actually partially agree.

He goes out, Luther wakes too, they kiss and make love....Kidding

I think first thing for him would be: "Where is Guiliman ?"
DA: "In stasis m'lord"....
Lion :"Then I'm the ruler".....
DA: "No mlord, HloT are..."
Lion : Prepare the backstabers.....

Ferrus is confirmed dead now, For what its worth. He gets vividly decapitated in HH so. Yeah, Ferrus aint standing back up

Well replacing your head is possibly a bit tougher than your hand(s), so I am pretty sure we can go with Dorn on this one, again, given that it even comes this far (which is very unlikely all by itself).

Yeah...



I don't think he's up for giving it back

Rogal Dorn is also confirmed dead.

They have his body, but only scrimshaw on his hands.

The Lion does not have the people skills to be a leader of the Imperium. I doubt he would make colonel in a modern army his people skills are so poor. He is so paranoid that it would be another reign of blood like the Vandire era.

I dont understand why so many people want to bring back the primarchs, it doesnt really advance the story in any useful way. I am glad that GW doesnt bring them back, cheap resurections are for comic books.

i think the primarch body count as it stands is

Ferrus- confirmed, super dead
Sanguinius- dead
Dorn- dead

and for the other side:

Night Haunter- dead
Horus- dead
Alpharius- dead, or not dead, or maybe it was Omegron, or maybe it was someone else, or maybe the inquisitor was lying.... who the hell knows anything when dealing with the Alpha legion.

The rest are either in cryo-stasis, went out for a pack of cigarettes and never came back, or are demon princes chilling on their demon planet (Angron and Magnus some times come out and get gak done).

Then of course theres good old 2 and 18, but its complicated enough without them.

Wouldn't it be an easier write ....to say that Corax, Russ, or Khan come back from their wanderings in the dark and fix all the cryostasis primarchs re-uniting them with their respective chapters, thus ending 40K as a game and sending us all crying to our dark, damp basements realizing how much money we wasted on this hobby?? Oh ...Oops sorry I don't mean to be harsh but really, why is it that some people can't leave the story as it is with no end in sight and enjoy the game/hobby for what it's meant to be ....Sheesh!

The codex says that the lion will lead a new and far greater crusade than ever before. (Gw director i smell a whole lot of money from the new untis and rulebooks that would be realeased >

Quietly assassinated by the Officio Assassinorum.

 Melissia wrote:
Quietly assassinated by the Officio Assassinorum.

This probably...

Melissa is right. He represents a threat to the status quo, yet, at the same time, he's not strong enough to defend himself against the status quo. He doesn't have any sort of cemented position. He doesn't even have bodyguards. The Dark Angels don't even know he's alive, with the exception of the Watchers in the Dark (who are just a bunch of incompetent monks).

Besides, he's not coming back. The Watchers in the Dark have been treating him for 10,000 years, and he hasn't improved yet. He never will.

He wakes up and looks at the state of the Emperium.

"Yep, freight elevator to hell."

Takes a cue from Guilliman and slits his own throat in dismay.

There is no way the DA would let the the lion be assassinated.

 Sword Of Caliban wrote:
There is no way the DA would let the the lion be assassinated.

You normally don't let people get assassinated. Thats why assassines have to be sneaky.

Except for Kurze ...He apparently let the assassin do his job with explicit orders to not stop nor seek vengeance.

 Sword Of Caliban wrote:
There is no way the DA would let the the lion be assassinated.

Yeah, that's not relevant.

 SGrimhart wrote:
Except for Kurze ...He apparently let the assassin do his job with explicit orders to not stop nor seek vengeance.

The Officio Assassinorum makes Horus Heresy era assassins look like chumps, so eh.

If an assassin tried to kill the Lion, they'd have their heads punched off of their shoulders for their trouble.

They couldn't hide from the Primarch's senses, and they have no chance of besting him in combat once he is alerted of their presence.

Curze was "assassinated" by an Officio Assassinorum assassin. Which dates back to the Great Crusade. Said Callidus Assassin could not get the drop on Curze. She is very luck the Dark King allowed her to claim his life.

Obviously it's possible to get the drop on a Primarch. If a close range assault with toxins that could even slay a Primarch doesn't work, you can blow his brains out from a few miles away with an Exitus rifle.

 Void__Dragon wrote:
If an assassin tried to kill the Lion, they'd have their heads punched off of their shoulders for their trouble.

They couldn't hide from the Primarch's senses, and they have no chance of besting him in combat once he is alerted of their presence.

Curze was "assassinated" by an Officio Assassinorum assassin. Which dates back to the Great Crusade. Said Callidus Assassin could not get the drop on Curze. She is very luck the Dark King allowed her to claim his life.

Not to mention that failing to assassinate a newly returned Primarch would have some dire and far-reaching consequences for the Imperium's military. More than a few chapters would see this as blasphemy, if it got publicised.

 Void__Dragon wrote:
If an assassin tried to kill the Lion, they'd have their heads punched off of their shoulders for their trouble

Yes, I know you believe that your special snowflake is an untouchable, unbeatable mary sue. But not everyone agrees.

Then he would wake up Luther. Forgive him and go on to change the Galaxy for the better. *Yawn*

Wakes, up, looks at the gak hole that is now the universe, says feth it and runs to the eye to become a daemon, for the lulz.

 Melissia wrote:
Yes, I know you believe that your special snowflake is an untouchable, unbeatable mary sue. But not everyone agrees.

That's fine, they don't really have to.

Just be content in the knowledge that my view is correct.

You're awfully quick to flame though, aren't you? Is it perhaps because you have nothing substantial to reply with, so you must use insults as a crutch?

The Lion (Who I'm not particularly a fan of, nor did I create him, so he isn't "my" special snowflake), or any Primarch, is more than a match for any Imperial Assassin in single combat.

The only assassin that might have a chance is a Vindicare, as Omegus alluded to, due to their range, but this relies on the Lion being stupid enough to appear unarmoured and in a viable position to snipe him from. Fulgrim may be dumb enough to make that possible (Though notably, his temple caught the sniper round like it was a fish in a net), but the Lion likely is not.

 Void__Dragon wrote:

The only assassin that might have a chance is a Vindicare, as Omegus alluded to, due to their range, but this relies on the Lion being stupid enough to appear unarmoured and in a viable position to snipe him from. Fulgrim may be dumb enough to make that possible (Though notably, his temple caught the sniper round like it was a fish in a net), but the Lion likely is not.

His massive paranoia would probably help him in that regard too.

Anyway, this discussion is predicated on the fact that the Lion would be stupid enough to want to overthrow the High Lords right now, or that the High Lord would not see the benefit in having one of the greatest strategist to have ever existed on their side in the present situation. While the Lion could reasonably want to take the throne in absence of a better candidate, and the High Lords might want to avoid the political battle of the millenia, doing it while Chaos, Tyranids, Orks and Necrons and Tau are all munching on Imperial space and destroying what the Great Crusade created at an alarming rate is... well... beyond dumb.