# Ciaphas Cain: Hero or Coward?



## emporershand89 (Jun 11, 2010)

So in a recent thread I held a poll between Ciaphas Cain and Gaunt. It became apparent rather quickly that more people favored the charismatic Ciaphas Cain over the heroic Ibram Gaunt. Therefore I propose a new question for debate, one that nags at my mind since reading his books.

In almost every story Cain is portrayed as this man with the most unlimited amount of sheer dumb luck. In attempting to escape fate he is often pulled into life-ending situations that tend to end with sudden slavation of one type or another. At other time he seems to get over his cowardly side and stand up to the evils of the universe that are thrown at him.

So which one is he my freinds, a Hero of the Imperium as one book entitles? Or a shirking Coward that has the blindest luck and a Nullified aid Jurgen to thank for being alive? Your thoughts, comments?


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## Beaviz81 (Feb 24, 2012)

Toss a coin, basically the author even tells you that.

Tossing one now. Heads hero, tails coward.

Heads, hero it is them.


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## locustgate (Dec 6, 2009)

Both...you can be a coward and a hero.


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## GeneralSturnn (Feb 20, 2011)

locustgate said:


> Both...you can be a coward and a hero.



like a Heroic Coward, or a Cowardly Hero.


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## locustgate (Dec 6, 2009)

GeneralSturnn said:


> like a Heroic Coward, or a Cowardly Hero.


i.e. Courage from Courage the Cowardly Dog.


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## Over Two Meters Tall! (Nov 1, 2010)

One of Heinlein's main characters was so lazy he spent all his time figuring out means of avoiding work, and in doing so was one of the most productive inventors of his age.

Cain sounds like he's always running away so fast he smacks right into the life/world saving event.


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## Reaper45 (Jun 21, 2011)

To me cain is more of a hero than anyone else. He proves that you don't have to run into bolter fire to get things done. Which is what 99.9% of the IG command wants their forces to do. In doing so he becomes a hero who cares for his troops.


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

In the side notes in the books Amberley Veil freely admits that he was a coward, but his actions while acting in a cowardly way led to many Imperial victories, some against seemingly insurmountable odds, so therefore he was also a hero.


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## HOGGLORD (Jan 25, 2012)

A coward, but a fine actor, thus making himself seem a hero to those around him.


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

Khorne's Fist said:


> In the side notes in the books Amberley Veil freely admits that he was a coward, but his actions while acting in a cowardly way led to many Imperial victories, some against seemingly insurmountable odds, so therefore he was also a hero.


I don't recall her ever confirming him as a coward, simply pointing out that that was how he seemed to view himself even though many of his actions appeared to paint a very different picture.


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## emporershand89 (Jun 11, 2010)

darkreever said:


> I don't recall her ever confirming him as a coward, simply pointing out that that was how he seemed to view himself even though many of his actions appeared to paint a very different picture.


Similar to a biography, Amberely makes notes at the bottom of the page in regards to this. I have read her bluntness, and on a few occasions she has out rightly accused him of running away in "Cainish," fashion. She was especially cruel in *Hero of the Imperium*


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

emporershand89 said:


> Similar to a biography, Amberely makes notes at the bottom of the page in regards to this. I have read her bluntness, and on a few occasions she has out rightly accused him of running away in "Cainish," fashion. She was especially cruel in *Hero of the Imperium*


Exactly. She freely acknowledges his cowardice, but also does not in any way take anything from the importance and effectiveness of his results, whichever way it is that he achieves them.


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

A self confessed coward is perhaps not the best judge of his own character. After all he does have a few moments where his bravado shines through.


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

I see Cain as a genuine hero with a case of imposter syndrome. He only recognizes his cowardly leanings and his failures, and marginalizes his successes or attributes them to others. Having read _The Flashman Papers_ on whom Cain is largely based and comparing the two protagonists, it shows where Cain came from and how different he is from a character who is a true coward, deceiver and accidental hero.

Harry Flashman is what Ciaphas Cain believes himself to be, but read both series and you'll see the marked differences that in my opinion prove Cain to be a hero, albeit a reluctant one but a real hero nonetheless.


LotN


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