# The Judgement Of Brother Janus Kennon



## JDMJapan (Jan 3, 2010)

In the begining of the Steve Parker's awesome novel, Rynn's World, a Deploment of Crimson Fists Deploy to the planet of Badlanding, to assault a Ork Waagh. Durring the battle, a scout team is deployed to keep overwatch. However, one scout, Brother Janus Kennon see's a ork who is obviously the leader of the small Waagh on the planet. After Multiple Requests, which were all denied, Kennon takes the shot anyways. The ork had a shield generator, so the shoots were useless. Back on Rynn's World, the Crimson Fist concil declares that the young scout shall face the utiment punishment: Severtor Convertion. Do you think that a Space Marine Scout should be converted into a severtor, just for dissobaying orders? I would agree for maybe de-ranking, or not being able to deploy or somthing, but basicly exicuting him for disobaying orders? That pissed me off. What do you think? Post your thoughts on the subject.

Nick

P.S: I highly sugest reading this book. I love the Crimson Fists, and wrote a list based on the book. Anyways… READ IT!!!!!!!!!!


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

What you must remember is that Kennon did far more than disobey direct orders from his sergeant. Kennon got the company he was attached to mauled, he alerted the ork forces of the Crimson Fists while they still had the element of surprise.


What he did, it was an unforgivable act that showed he was a reckless youth who would have a problem listening to his superiors in the future. Kennon proved that not only could he not listen to those who knew far better, he would not listen because he believed he was right.


It was a harsh thing to do, and I felt regret for Kennon when judgment was passed on him, but he had the blood of much of third company on his hands, the death of its captain no less. He is responsible and he had to pay for his actions.


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

He disobeyed orders (orders that were repeated more than once), he was therefore useless as an Astartes- I was surprised he didn't just get a bullet through the head on the battlefield.

The worst thing was that even with all the devastation caused by his actions he was unrepentant when he got back to Rynn's World.


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

Well in a way he did die, by being turned into a servitor Kennon the neophyte was never coming back, but his body would still be able to be useful to the chapter in some way.


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

The whole way through the novel the psycho-conditioning that a marine goes through to ensure total obedience to their superiors is mentioned. If a marine captain like Cortez cannot overcome it, a scout who disobeys a direct order on his very first deployment is nothing but a liability for the future. 

If his first fuck up leads to the death of a marine captain and half a company, why should he be left around to possibly repeat that error? Gun servitor was a let off for him IMO.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

this way as a Gun Servitor he'll be physically unable to disobey orders. Not to mention that people will be able to point at him and say, "that's the guy who fucked over our captain...that DICK!" and then push him on ahead of the front line. 

CP


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## JDMJapan (Jan 3, 2010)

Commissar Ploss said:


> this way as a Gun Servitor he'll be physically unable to disobey orders. Not to mention that people will be able to point at him and say, "that's the guy who fucked over our captain...that DICK!" and then push him on ahead of the front line.
> 
> CP


Hey, he may be a dick, but he could be an awesome sniper servitor!!!


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

Well no matter he's dead now anyway :biggrin:


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## RudeAwakening79 (Oct 20, 2008)

I found it interesting that afterwards Pedro and Alessio discuss his actions and that Alessio pretty much admits that he probably would have done the same as brother Kennon. Pedro tells him to stay focused so he doesn't have to judge Alessio later on....


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## joechip (Mar 4, 2010)

JDMJapan said:


> In the begining of the Steve Parker's awesome novel, Rynn's World, a Deploment of Crimson Fists Deploy to the planet of Badlanding, to assault a Ork Waagh. Durring the battle, a scout team is deployed to keep overwatch. However, one scout, Brother Janus Kennon see's a ork who is obviously the leader of the small Waagh on the planet. After Multiple Requests, which were all denied, Kennon takes the shot anyways. The ork had a shield generator, so the shoots were useless. Back on Rynn's World, the Crimson Fist concil declares that the young scout shall face the utiment punishment: Severtor Convertion. Do you think that a Space Marine Scout should be converted into a severtor, just for dissobaying orders? I would agree for maybe de-ranking, or not being able to deploy or somthing, but basicly exicuting him for disobaying orders? That pissed me off. What do you think? Post your thoughts on the subject.
> 
> Nick
> 
> P.S: I highly sugest reading this book. I love the Crimson Fists, and wrote a list based on the book. Anyways… READ IT!!!!!!!!!!


You're not being completely honest. Kennon didn't just disobey orders, he got a Space Marine Captain and most of his company killed. That is a HUGE disaster to a space marine chapter. And that little snot showed no remorse for what he did. When Cortez tried to defend Kennon's actions my opinion of Cortez dropped like a rock. I cheered when Pedro sentenced him to servitor conversion.

If it's any consolation, Steve Parker might agree with you. Cortez implies he would have done the same thing in Kennon's position and Parker WOULD NOT SHUT UP about how awesome Cortez was.


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

joechip said:


> WOULD NOT SHUT UP about how awesome Cortez was.


Thats just it though, Cortez had that reputation that to others within the chapter made him out to be so awesome and unstoppable. Then there was his friendship with Kantor that allowed him to get away with so much, things like that, they breed arrogance and other worse things though it was justified.

He simply would not stop, wouldn't die; so of course your gonna hear a fair amount about how awesome he is; he's a chapter hero and legend. Things and people like that are rarely depicted as anything but awesome, though yes, the story maybe could have done with a little less.


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

This idiotic Scout's fate is a fine example of what remorse, even fake remorse can get you. If he had admitted his wrongdoing and learned his lesson he could have gotten away with the penitents brand, and a crusade of penitence. Instead he refused and got mind-wiped, reduced to a Servitor. Personally I would have killed him and burnt his gene-seed, prevent such a stain from touching the Chapter ever again.


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

Well, in the end looks like the orks did that for you Lord of the Night; though I can understand why Kantor would not have chose such a path. As bad as Kennon was, he was still a member of the chapter, no matter how much of a disgrace he was. To end his life would have been to rob the chapter of a useful body, even if the mind was no good overall. Servitor conversion, keep the useful body while ridding the useless mind.


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## sphere830 (Aug 4, 2009)

Although, I lack about a hundred pages finishing this book, I agree with this thread's original author, it's a great read. For me, like those stated before, Kennon's arrogance and undisciplined ambition cost the chapter too many lives. The insubordination would have, as Cortez pointed out when addressing the council of condemners, been overlooked if the outcome had been a dead warboss. Obviously paraphrasing here, but the gist of the come back was that Kennon caused the death of a captain and half of his company. Cortez, through centuries of successful warring and consistent service with the chapter master himself, has earned the right to question authority; but not to down-right disobey orders and as inferred by Kantor himself, if having catastrophic consequences, would receive the same punishment. 
So I view it as unbridled ambition and Kennon, being youthful and a rookie, taking a potentially heroic risk and failed. He instead earned a classic "greek", "flawed hero" styled tragedy which was his downfall. This potential bright star character served also to elucidate Kantor and Cortez's long sibling rivalry, if you will, all the while adding interesting foreshadowing of the crisis to come. So for me, Janus Kennon represented the calm before the storm, story-arch wise, in having to "judge" one of the chapters brightest rising star illuminating the chapter's ever-looming annihilation. k:


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## donskar (Apr 8, 2010)

40K is a tough world. Astartes get turned into servitors, and Commissars can execute incompetent generals on the spot (see Eisenhorn).


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## joechip (Mar 4, 2010)

darkreever said:


> Thats just it though, Cortez had that reputation that to others within the chapter made him out to be so awesome and unstoppable. Then there was his friendship with Kantor that allowed him to get away with so much, things like that, they breed arrogance and other worse things though it was justified.
> 
> He simply would not stop, wouldn't die; so of course your gonna hear a fair amount about how awesome he is; he's a chapter hero and legend. Things and people like that are rarely depicted as anything but awesome, though yes, the story maybe could have done with a little less.


I know Cortez is a legendary hero and all that but...I just could not stand him :angry:

His opinions on almost everything made him seem like a moron to me. Starting with his agreeing with Brother Kennon and just getting worse form there. Also, that Pedro seemed to be giving him special treatment because they were friends just made me hate Cortez more and loose alot of my respect for Pedro.

Yes, I understand he's an unstoppable engine of destruction but to me he also came across like an arrogant jerk and an idiot.


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

A lot of Space Marines are arrogant jerks, the difference is Captain Cortez has earned arrogance. He has achieved victories that eclipse the records of many Space Marines, and is a living hero to the Crimson Fists.

Kantor doesn't give him a wide berth because they are friends, although thats a factor, the main reason is that he knows what Cortez can do, and what losing him would mean to the Chapter. Cortez has earned some leniency from his commanders.


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