Magnus the Red, Primarch of the Thousand Sons Legion, is described in multiple places as being "cyclopean". I have always (well, for over a decade at any rate) interpreted this description as meaning he has one eye. He is, in a literal sense, a cyclops.
For example, wh40k.lexicanum.com unambiguously suggests that Magnus was a literal cyclops from the moment he got out of his pod after his journey through the warp; courtesy of the chaos powers.
However, I've recently encountered some other (potentially non-canon?) material suggesting that my understanding might not be the case. It is possible that the word "cyclops" can be interpreted as meaning that he had one eye that was blinded or malformed, with only one remaining good eye. Some of the artwork on wh40k.lexicanum.com portrays Magnus in this manner, as does the Horus Heresy Collectible Card Game I believe. Indeed, warhammer40k.wikia.com suggests that Magnus cut out one of his own eyes? (yuck!).
Now, I'm still personally of the former opinion. But physically, they can't both be right. In acknowledging that this is probably a simple oversight in the background fluff of Magnus somewhere along the line, I'd like to ask if anyone else has got an opinion on this? In the absence of commenting, please feel free to vote on the poll that has been set up.
Addendum: Votes tallied at 73% saying he was a cyclops; 27% that he had a bad eye.
For example, wh40k.lexicanum.com unambiguously suggests that Magnus was a literal cyclops from the moment he got out of his pod after his journey through the warp; courtesy of the chaos powers.
However, I've recently encountered some other (potentially non-canon?) material suggesting that my understanding might not be the case. It is possible that the word "cyclops" can be interpreted as meaning that he had one eye that was blinded or malformed, with only one remaining good eye. Some of the artwork on wh40k.lexicanum.com portrays Magnus in this manner, as does the Horus Heresy Collectible Card Game I believe. Indeed, warhammer40k.wikia.com suggests that Magnus cut out one of his own eyes? (yuck!).
Now, I'm still personally of the former opinion. But physically, they can't both be right. In acknowledging that this is probably a simple oversight in the background fluff of Magnus somewhere along the line, I'd like to ask if anyone else has got an opinion on this? In the absence of commenting, please feel free to vote on the poll that has been set up.
Addendum: Votes tallied at 73% saying he was a cyclops; 27% that he had a bad eye.
5 comments:
I think he is a litteral cyclops. Play the game/read the fluff how you like.
Yeah, I've got to agree with gamer's world here, I think he is a literal cyclops.
The Primarchs are supposed to have fantastical differences and quirks. Saying that Magnus simply had an accident while running with scissors (or something like that) is a bit rubbish.
I also recall that Magnus was shunned by some of his peers (like Sanguinius) BECASUE he was a cyclops. From memory, was that not a crucial part of the fluff, one of the reasons he felt excluded from the Imperium? This bit only makes sense if he was a 'natural' cyclops - if it was a war wound it would have simply gained him respect from his brothers...
I read some time ago - canonical source, but I don't recall if it was the early Adeptus Titanicus/Space Marine era of the Epic rules or what exactly - that Magnus has only one working eye when he was Imperial, the other being missing or deformed or whatever. Since his ascension to daemonhood, that eye has slowly migrated over to the center, making him a more mythical Cyclops.
His Epic model presents him as a hulking winged beast with a single central eye. Not the most flattering local, but all of the Epic Primarchs were a little on the goofy-looking side IMO.
I've also read that he had a third eye, in his forehead, Navigator-style. Of course, I cannot cite my source in this, it is just something "I read somewhere."
Hi Folks,
Thanks to all of you so far for taking the time to respond! They've been an eye-opener for me (no pun intended). I'll leave the poll open for a while and see happens.
I do remember all those epic models - Mortarion looked like the iconic reaper if I recall correctly.
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