Sanguinius is known for many things. One of which is dying to allow Horus to be defeated! Here is the story and events leading up to his death.
Via our good friends at Lexicanum
Before Horus’ treachery was revealed, he sent Sanguinius to a world named Signus Prime to supposedly fight the Xenos known as the Nephilim. However once in the Signus System the Blood Angels were ambushed by hordes of daemons, and they soon became stranded on the damned world. At the peak of the fighting Sanguinius confronted the Greater Daemon of Khorne Ka’Bandha who managed to wound Primarch by breaking his legs. Sanguinius was then rendered comatose by a psychic backlash created by the Ragefire and amplified by the deaths of his sons at the hands of Ka’Bandha.
The Red Thirst subsequently erupted across the Blood Angels, and they slaughtered both friend and foe alike in their rampages. Fortunately the Legion Librarians managed to eventually restore the Primarch, and he was able to defeat Ka’Bandha in a second duel, banishing him back to the Warp. Sanguinius then led his forces into the Chaos Fortress on Signus, the Cathedral of the Mark, where he was confronted by the Keeper of Secrets Kyriss the Perverse.
Kyriss gave Sanguinius a choice: sacrifice himself to the Ragefire and have the Red Thirst forever lifted from his sons, or allow his Legion to face eventual destruction due to their genetic flaw. Deciding to sacrifice himself, Sanguinius was about to step into the Ragefire when he was beaten to it by Apothecary Meros, who was transformed into the Red Angel. Mourning Meros, Sanguinius slew Kyriss and swore vengeance on Horus.
Reeling from the catastrophe that had befallen him on Signus but determined to defeat Horus, Sanguinius had the Blood Angels set course for Terra. However as a result of the Ruinstorm created by the treacherous Erebus, navigation and communication across the Imperium was made almost impossible. Following the Pharos’ psychic beacon, Sanguinius eventually found his way to Macragge, where Roboute Guilliman, fearing Terra lost, declared a reluctant Sanguinius the New Emperor of his contingency empire Imperium Secundus. Sanguinius was soon plagued by visions of his death at the hands of Horus, and realized this was no omen but a window in the future.
Thus the belief is that Sanguinius did not die in vain; but by dying, allowed Horus to be slain and the Heresy destroyed.
Later during the Battle of Sotha while Guilliman and Lion El’Jonson were both away, Sanguinius was confronted by Konrad Curze, who had infiltrated his throne room on Macragge and badly wounded Azkaellon. Curze confided that he had foreseen Sanguinius’ death on the Vengeful Spirit and wanted to know why the Angel still followed the Emperor when their mutual visions had proven his teachings to have been lies. He also asked why Sanguinius had rejected Kyriss’ officer atSignus Prime and if the Angel felt he was more deserving of the title of Warmaster than Horus, to which Sanguinius responded he was not. Trying to teach Sanguinius that fate could not be changed and that his own death would not be here, Curze let Sanguinius come at him with his sword and goaded him to cut him down. Sanguinius ultimately halted his sword, urging Curze that it was not to late to change and join with his loyalist brothers. Proclaming there was only Chaos in the end, Curze set off an explosive trap and escaped.
As the Lion and Guilliman continued to clash over policy in Imperium Secundus, Sanguinius attempted to mediate the two. He later presided over the trial of the now-captured Konrad Curze. After Lion El’Jonson attempted to kill Curze during the trial while in a rage at the Night Haunter’s accusations, Sanguinius dismissed him from Imperium Secundus.
Later, Sanguinius became determined to pass the sentence of death down onto Curze himself, but just as he was about to strike down the Primarch Lion El’Jonson reappeared. Demanding to be Curze’s jailer and stating that Curze was able to see the future, and he repeated that Curze’s claim that his death would be at the hands of an assassin was sent by the Emperor. This, to the Lion, was proof that the Emperor was still alive. Sanguinius recognized that his own visions of death would also be true and he shared his visions of death at the hands of Horus with both of his brothers.
Sanguinius was able to eventually make it back to Terra. In the Battle of Terra, Sanguinius fought valiantly, organising the final defence of the Imperial Palace and held the Eternity Gate alone when no others could withstand the horror of the assault, even breaking the back of the same Greater Daemon Ka’Bandha who wounded him on Signum. When the Emperor teleported aboard Horus‘s Battle Barge, the Vengeful Spirit, Sanguinius was with him but they became separated and the Primarch was forced to face Horus first.
Despite being in the pit of Horus’s tainted and mutated Chaos fuelled Battle Barge, Sanguinius tried to revert his brother to the side of the Emperor, using their old friendship as a lever. Horus would not listen to or agree with any of Sanguinius’ words and the two argued and tried to sway the other to the side of the heresy they stood upon. Sanguinius was eventually struck down by Horus, the only damage Sanguinius did was create a small dent in Horus’ armour. Some say, however, that it was through this chink in Horus’s armour that the Emperor was able to deliver the fatal blow.
Thus the belief is that Sanguinius did not die in vain; but by dying, allowed Horus to be slain and the Heresy destroyed.
Sanguinius’s body was taken by the Imperial forces as they retreated from the buckling Chaos Barge and his body was borne away to his home planet Baal, where he was laid to rest in the Golden Sarcophagus, deep within a vast tomb whose doors were topped with massive Angel effigies in honour of the fallen Primarch.
Of all the Primarchs, Sanguinius is commonly held in the highest honour. Because he is generally believed to have sacrificed himself to allow Horus, the “Great Betrayer”, to be defeated, the Primarch’s name is cherished by the common citizens of the Imperium. Temples devoted to Sanguinius rise aside those of the Emperor. Sanguinius is commemorated on a sacred day of celebration called the Sanguinala, when adepts across the galaxy wear on their breast the red badge of Sanguinius.
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About the Author: Zeb Barrett
