# Lord of the Red Sands



## Phoebus (Apr 17, 2010)

I somehow missed this when it first came out, back in March 2013. Having now read "Lord of the Red Sands"... *I cannot recommend it enough.*

This is how you make a caricature into a tragic hero. In essence, this story presented Angron's mindset and motivation in anticipation of the release of _Betrayer._ Combine the ideals expressed here with the horrific reality of the Butcher's Nails, and you finally arrive at a justification for what had once been one of the most one-dimensional characters of this universe.

I also felt that this short story also gave an indication as to how Angron, who is an ardent opponent of tyranny, could possibly justify the wholesale massacre of worlds. The Butcher's Nails are only part of this, I think. At any rate, though, they couldn't justify an absence of remorse for committing such horrible crimes - they could only enable them by driving him to kill more. Rather, I think what we see in Angron is the philosophy of "Live free or die" taken to its most brutal extent. Angron despises the Emperor, and despises an Imperium that forces countless of civilizations to either surrender their freedom, be brutally conquered, or be destroyed. Freedom is the highest ideal in Angron's eyes, and slavery is a fate worse than death. I don't doubt that the World Eaters are, for the most part, conscience-less killers consumed by the Nails (and that's probably why Angron in large part despises them), and for them the culling of entire planets is taking the only pleasure allowed to them to the highest extreme. I wonder if Angron actually viewed it as an _honour_ of sorts: that, if you beat him and his warriors you have truly earned your freedom... but, should you fail, he will *not* be like the High Riders; he will *not* put you in chains. Death is better than that, in his eyes.

If you think that's not possible, I urge you to read this short story and consider how Angron treats one of his mortally wounded sons, who fought against him on Isstvan III. Their interaction is easily one of the most touching scenes in the entire Horus Heresy series, and spells out how strongly Angron feels about freedom. I truly wish that Angron had been captured like this from the very beginning, rather than as the mindless berserk bully we had known for so long. Even "After Desh'ea" - which was excellent in its own right - only managed to nail half the primarch he is.

Ultimately, "Lord of the Red Sands" makes the ending of _Betrayer_ that much more tragic. Lorgar's ritual ensured that what honour and good was left in Angron - if only reduced to, and expressed as, a hatred of tyranny in any form - was wiped away and replaced by a being who now truly _would_ simply kill for the sake of killing.


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

Not sure how I missed that one myself. Will definitely look it up now.


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## Karthak (Jul 25, 2010)

Phoebus said:


> Ultimately, "Lord of the Red Sands" makes the ending of _Betrayer_ that much more tragic. Lorgar's ritual ensured that what honour and good was left in Angron - if only reduced to, and expressed as, a hatred of tyranny in any form - was wiped away and replaced by a being who now truly _would_ simply kill for the sake of killing.


It's even worse than that. Angron valued freedom, but as a daemon he has none. He is just a pawn of Khorne.


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## Phoebus (Apr 17, 2010)

Well said, Karthak!


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## Reaper45 (Jun 21, 2011)

Just finished reading the first story about it.

Makes me hate the emperor and lorgar for doing what they did to him.


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