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I was thinking. Has anyone ever turned to chaos, realised the error of his ways and returned to the undying light of the immortal god emperor ? or is the pull of chaos too strong?

No, sir, that doesn't happen, they could resist the pull of chaos, after they fell into it somewhat, and get out, but the Imperium would learn that they turned in the first place, and he would be purged, the same way a mutant would.

The Emperor does not tolerate weakness.

Most people who attempted to do that could only hope for a slightly less painful and drawn out death than they would do otherwise, having fallen to chaos and the -I- knowing about it.

cool thanks for the replies

I'm not sure about falling to true chaos and returning, but there have been chapters that have become renegades and fought against the chapters sent to attack them later choosing to stand down and surrender; generally not because they wished to destroy the Imperium, though, but because they felt the original reason they turned was a matter of honour or that some segment of the Imperium was doing more harm than good.

Penitent crusades and a lot of supervision seem to be the way of dealing with these. I suppose that summerality executing a few hundred marines is a waste of resources and will discourage any future renegades from yielding.


It's possible for some members of a chapter to realise that there is now a chaos taint and attempt to get the chapter out of it, and if that doesn't work purge/run from it (depending on how deep rooted it is and the confidence of the marines in question) and the Inquisition would likely consider these marines at least chaos tainted. Although to attack them for this would be incredibly hypocritical since it is strongly implied that it was loyalists from the legions that joined Horus that were the founding members of the Inquisition.

Imperium -> Chaos -> Imperium seemed indeed never to happen (Maybe the Soul Drinkers will make a first)

But Imerperium -> Chaos -> "On their own" / Renegade / Against Chaos happend sometimes. (The Ex-Chaos Hexer from Demonworld)

The Grey Knight Alaric was possessed by a Daemon and while having a battle of wits in the dreamscape of his mind had his body controlled like a puppet that went on bloody rampages. He eventually overpowered the Daemon that was vying for dominance over him and regained control of his body. Does that count?

No. The GK codex specifically states that not once has even one of thier number fallen to Chaos. The deamon may have been 'attempting' to posses that GK, but failed to exert full control.

Here's the attitude we like see around the Imperium.

Witch Hunter wrote:A heretic may see the truth and seek redemption. he may be forgiven his sins and absolved in death. A Traitor can never be forgiven. A Traitor will never find peace in this world or the next. There is nothing as wretched or as hated in all the world as a Traitor.

Doesn't falling to chaos make you both a heretic and a traitor, though?

Yes, it probably would

Nope once you join us your gone forever.

Although I heard a story of a red corsair who saw the light and tried to assassinate Huron. But died trying.

But their not a REAL legion so it doesn't count.

It'd probably be accepted as a worthy attempt and redemption in death. The Imperium seems big on the 'you cannot earn forgiveness in life, but fight as hard as you can until you are finally killed and you will earn your redemption and go to the light of the Emperor' sort of thing.

Yes, exactly. Are you interested Morgrim?

Emperors Faithful wrote:Yes, exactly. Are you interested Morgrim?

Somehow I don't think I qualify. Killing other xenos for sport and pleasure is unlikely to count.

Now granted, if I was in a horribly dire situation I couldn't get myself out of and had no allies likely to survive too to consume my life spirit, and had to option of a suicidal charge in such a way that it would aid the Imperium, I'd seriously consider it. Much bonus points it if harms chaos. Having soul burnt by the Emperor sounds much nicer than having it eaten and eternally tortured by She Who Thirsts.

Shadowbrand wrote:Nope once you join us your gone forever.

Who? Canada? nobody wants you back once you turn Canadian.... Like that pair of underwear you took the gamble with over whether a fart was a fart or a shart?

^ HAHAHAHAHAHA oh you silly Canadians

Morgrim wrote:I'm not sure about falling to true chaos and returning, but there have been chapters that have become renegades and fought against the chapters sent to attack them later choosing to stand down and surrender; generally not because they wished to destroy the Imperium, though, but because they felt the original reason they turned was a matter of honour or that some segment of the Imperium was doing more harm than good.

Penitent crusades and a lot of supervision seem to be the way of dealing with these. I suppose that summerality executing a few hundred marines is a waste of resources and will discourage any future renegades from yielding.


It's possible for some members of a chapter to realise that there is now a chaos taint and attempt to get the chapter out of it, and if that doesn't work purge/run from it (depending on how deep rooted it is and the confidence of the marines in question) and the Inquisition would likely consider these marines at least chaos tainted. Although to attack them for this would be incredibly hypocritical since it is strongly implied that it was loyalists from the legions that joined Horus that were the founding members of the Inquisition.

There might be those " renegade" SM chapter's that turned to in fighting because of differances in beleifs and might had to "purge" themselves to keep the imperium off their backs to save the chapter as a whole.

The penitent crusades are crusades where chapters have committed crimes against the emperor and must now proceed to go on one, which consists of losing your homeworld and by default basically losing your ability to reinforce your numbers. So to answer your question Spamandachips i would say that a chapter can be removed from the records as heretics not offically be such and proceed to push themselves through a crusade to prove their worth.

Penitent crusades usually happen when two loyal forces, with conflicting orders, act according on their own beliefs of what is best for the imperium. Usually, the side that wins is right, the side that loses is wrong and has to undergo a penitent crusade to make amends.

Although, there have been people that have fallen to Chaos to realize the folly of their ways. It's just that none of them ever returned to the fold (Horus was mortally wounded just as he regained his perspective, Luther went bonkers and is kept under lock because the DA obviously have trust issues, Fulgrim just gave up and got possesed by the demon blade; there was an arbites in Dark Apostle who began to do the work of the Dark Gods while in slavery, and commited suicide when he realized what he was doing)

If I remember well, the chapters that fought at Badab surrendered and are now under a penitent crusade. Basically the idea at the basis of this is to use the SM chapter to make some attacks and suicide campaigns trying to purge both the chapter and the enemy.

They are always under surveilance from other chapters and the inquisition.