LION EL'JONSON: ALL HAIL THE COMING OF THE DESTROYER | Warhammer 40k Lore

Fun fact: the emperor gave the Lion control over a group of lobotomized Men of Iron called the Excindio. Being the firstborn means you get all the best toys.

If you think about it, the fact that half of the Lion’s sons turned traitor only serves to strengthen the similarities between him and the Emperor. Truly like father, like son.

My favorite quote from the Lion, and I live by this quote. ‘You will never reach Terra in time to defend it, brother. The warp will not let you. This crusade will not let you. I will not let you. Do you think the archives of future generations will look upon you kindly for your absence?’ Curze paused in his diatribe, wiping away a fresh trickle of blood. ‘Or will the human descendants of this Imperium look to your legend and whisper of doubt? Will they ask why you were not present to defend the Throneworld, and speak likely lies that perhaps the Lion was not as loyal and true as the mighty, perfect Rogal Dorn? Perhaps the Lion and his Dark Angels waited in the deepest reaches of space, watching, listening, and deciding to join the fight only when an obvious victor emerged.’ The Night Lord’s eyes glinted again, with both amusement and sorrow. ‘That is your fate, Lion. That is your future.’ ‘Forgive me, brother.’ Curze tilted his head. ‘For what?’ Corswain was watching both primarchs yet still never saw what happened, such was the speed of the Lion’s movements. One moment the two brothers were speaking – the Lion’s features cast down in contemplation, Curze’s eyes fever-bright as he promised an ignoble fate. The next, Curze’s features twisted into a taut rictus of pain, blood running between his clenched teeth. The Lion held tight to the grip of his blade, buried to the hilt in his brother’s stomach. More than a metre of shining, bloodstained steel thrust from the back of Curze’s armour. ‘For such a dishonourable blow,’ the Lion whispered into Curze’s pale, bleeding face. ‘I do not care who knows the truth now, tomorrow, or in ten thousand years. Loyalty is its own reward.’

My favorite quote from the Lion is one he said to Guiliman: "Insult me again, Brother, and I will Theoretically punch you in your Practical face"

I finally realized why the Lion and Russ don't get along! One is a cat, the other a dog.

The dynamic between Leman Russ and the Lion are some of my favorite primarch relationships Lion- Acts Noble, is Savage Russ-Acts Savage, is Noble

"Survivors are just future enemies" - Lion El'Jonson

In his Primarch novel, Lord of the First there is this exchange between Lion and Emperor. It explain Dark Angels' true purpose. 'May I be the first to congratulate you on your recent victory.' Once again, the Emperor received the Lion within the staterooms aboard His flagship. The glorious suite of golden chambers elevated Imperial majesty to the point of inconsequentiality. So rich were they, so sumptuously appointed that, like the Emperor Himself, it was difficult to form a distinct impression beyond a sense of humbling and of awe. Once again, the Lion recalled little of the antechambers and grand processionals that had preceded his passage. It was as if a part of him was always here in these rooms with his father, and that part could never leave. ‘Thank you, father,' he said. 'You were not the first of my sons to reclaim a place at my side, but your tally of victories is second to no other. Even Horus looks upon them with envy.' 'Horus inspires,' said the Lion. 'Magnus enlightens. Lorgar illuminates. Roboute raises an Imperium in miniature that celebrates his name and yours. I have left as many worlds behind me as any two of my brothers, but I fear that darkness and ash will be the legacy I leave to your Imperium.' The Emperor considered long, as He often did, before giving an answer. 'In the time of the Aegypta there was an empress named Hatshepsut. By all accounts of her that survive she was an equitable and proficient ruler, by the standards of her time. She rebuilt her land in the wake of war and occupation, erecting great monuments and bringing prosperity to her people. She reassembled the Aegypta's navy, using it to re-establish their old empire, and launched military campaigns against the nations who had once been their oppressors.' ’A legacy whose parallels are not hard to see,' said the Lion. 'And yet those who came after her did all within their power to ensure that she would have no legacy. Her name was chiselled from every monument, her every deed and triumph stricken from public record. Even her body was removed from its royal tomb.' 'Why, if her reign was so equitable?' 'Because those who succeeded her desired it. Because sometimes what comes before is too troublesome to be paved over in rockcrete, to amend with a monument to compliance or a golden aquila on an Imperial flag. Sometimes it is enough only that it be destroyed, that no trace of it but darkness and ash be left to endure.' ‘And yet history still remembers this empress.' ‘The Emperor Thutmose the Third did not have his Dark Angels.'

I think that Bricky did a good job introducing The Lion in a “foot in the door” manner, only thing I would have added was how good of a duelist he was. Like he made Curze think that maybe his powers were bullshit because the Lion could’ve just killed him

Dark Angels: Yes, the Lion's awakens!! 😊 Also, Dark Angels: SHIT THE LION HAS AWAKEN!! 😨 (they haven't got all of the Fallen)

I actually thought bricky was going to follow up with "the difference with curze is that he ate children and rat and shit.... Whilst the lion ate chaos dinosaurs"

You forgot to mention the time he exterminated a race of psychic parasites and killed one by strangling it in his mind space and then reading it’s mind.

The royal sons of the Emperor have a great record of having caring parents after their discovery. Except for Lion El'Jonson’s adapted ‘Redacted’, half of the legion became ‘Redacted’ which led to more ‘Redacted’

When you mentioned the Lion spawn-camping Angron, I immediatelly pictured him sitting on a rock like Thanos when Angron comes back, just calmly re-sharpening his sword between the duels

The Lion coming back is interesting because it's such a huge change for the Dark Angels. The Ultramarines with Guilliman are just the Ultramarines without Guilliman but even harder. Having the Lion back will change the Dark Angels' whole identity.

Had to chuckle when it was revealed that Luther is still alive within the Rock. Can't have an old Medieval Castle without an insane Prisoner locked up and kept secret deep in the dungeons!

From my understanding. The Parallel with the Emperor isn't just what was discussed. The reason Luthor landed his big attack is because Lion actually hesitated to strike the killing blow, giving Luthor his opening. When Luthor realized what happened that is why his mind broke free from Chaos. The Lion of all people, shows him mercy due to seeing Luthor as a brother, hence why Luthor was convinced he would come back to forgive him.

The big thing to remember at The Boy The Lion is that he's not just a Primarch. He is the First Primarch, the template upon which all his brothers were built. This is not simply the return of a father to lead his sons. This is the firstborn son of the Emperor waking up from his ten thousand year power nap. Which I guess makes him very different from his dad, cause he can actually get out of bed.

Can’t wait for the Corax episode, probably the second nicest primarch next to Vulkan. Like he’s cold and indifferent but he isn’t unfair or malicious. Also he is sneakily one of the toughest primarchs, I mean he’s the only Primarch to come out of the drop-site massacre whole and he makes Lorgar his bitch multiple times which is always fun.

One minor thing not mentioned is the Lion is considered Keeper of Secrets. He never gave anyone the full story of his intentions or how much he knows. To anyone, even his own brothers or most trusted sons they only knew half of the side he showed them. It's why he's often given missions by the Emperor to exterminate something knowing history wouldn't remember it, but to accept that duty as its own reward. All his Dark Angels are conditioned to not question the Lion or pry into anything even amongst themselves because to do so would compromise a delicately kept information network to prevent obfuscation and espionage from outside forces. In some ways they put the Alpha Legion to shame.