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Before Beast Arises I remember reading a lot of fan theories stating that Deathwatch could possibly have been been formed by the Loyalist Death Guard or Black Shield Space Marines. Now it seems those pieces of speculation have been replaced in the wake of the Beast Arises series.

Now the origin has it created to initially focus on tactically taking out targets that larger forces would have trouble getting to, specifically to take out The Beast and other Prime-Orks.

I'm relatively unfamiliar with the original Deathwatch lore so what do you think of the origin of the Deathwatch? Does it affect your feelings of them?

DontEatRawHagis wrote:
Prime-Orks

Sorry for derailing, but having not read any of the Beast series before is that an actual term that's used? Because that is a pun for the ages.

theocracity wrote:

DontEatRawHagis wrote:
Prime-Orks

Sorry for derailing, but having not read any of the Beast series before is that an actual term that's used? Because that is a pun for the ages.

Lol! Yes it is used in the books from what I've heard from other people. Also it is so good I'd buy one. The Prime-Ork is about four times the size of a Primarch

DontEatRawHagis wrote:

theocracity wrote:

DontEatRawHagis wrote:
Prime-Orks

Sorry for derailing, but having not read any of the Beast series before is that an actual term that's used? Because that is a pun for the ages.

Lol! Yes it is used in the books from what I've heard from other people. Also it is so good I'd buy one. The Prime-Ork is about four times the size of a Primarch

One of the Prime-Orks...

In regards to the OP:
It was never really speculation worth listening to that the loyalist Death Guard and Blackshields founded the Deathwatch. I really think though that you've got your wires crossed and are conflating a bunch of different fan theories that have floated around for awhile.

-Garro and his Knights Errant founded the Grey Knights
-Garro and his Knights Errant founded the Inquisition
-Etc etc etc

The Death Guard and Blackshield idea never had any merit. Their connections to the Inquisition and the Grey Knights was far too clear.

Personally, I prefer the origin presented in the Deathwatch RPG, in which a conclave of Inquisitors and Chapter Masters all met, when a series of prophecies and Imperial divinations all started to converge to the idea that the Imperium would be beset by a multitude of incredibly powerful xenos forces, even greater than what was faced during the Great Crusade.

This lore isn't completely incompatible with what's presented in The Beast Arises, but what was presented just feels... small by comparison to the idea of hundreds of chapters and Inquisitors gathering together.