The Black Legion is one of the most infamous Traitor Legions in Warhammer 40,000, embodying the relentless ambition and dark power of Chaos Undivided. Once known as the Luna Wolves and later the Sons of Horus, they were the chosen warriors of the Warmaster Horus during the Horus Heresy. Their transformation into the Black Legion is a tale of betrayal, destruction, and an unyielding drive for vengeance against the Imperium.
Origins: The Luna Wolves and the Horus Heresy
Before the corruption of Chaos, the Black Legion was known as the Luna Wolves, one of the twenty original Space Marine Legions created by the Emperor of Mankind. Their Primarch, Horus Lupercal, was a brilliant strategist and the Emperor’s most favored son. His Legion was among the most successful during the Great Crusade, earning a reputation for unmatched battlefield prowess.
When Horus was elevated to Warmaster, he renamed his Legion the Sons of Horus, solidifying his authority over the Imperium’s war machine. However, his exposure to the corrupting influence of Chaos during the Davinite ritual led him to betray the Emperor, sparking the Horus Heresy—a devastating civil war that nearly shattered the Imperium.
The Fall and Rebirth: From the Sons of Horus to the Black Legion
Despite Horus’ power, his rebellion ultimately failed at the Siege of Terra. Horus was slain by the Emperor aboard his flagship, the Vengeful Spirit, and his forces were thrown into disarray. The Sons of Horus, leaderless and despised by their fellow Traitor Legions, retreated into the Eye of Terror, a realm of the Warp.
With Horus dead, the Legion fractured. His body was stolen by Fabius Bile, a former Emperor’s Children apothecary, who attempted to create clones of the Warmaster. This act horrified many among the Sons of Horus, including a powerful Chaos Champion named Ezekyle Abaddon, Horus’ First Captain.
Determined to reclaim their lost honor, Abaddon launched the Battle of Harmony, annihilating the cloning facilities and ensuring no pretender could take Horus’ place. Rejecting their former identity, he renamed the Legion the Black Legion, repainting their armor black as a symbol of their rebirth. No longer servants of a single god, the Black Legion embraced Chaos Undivided, swearing loyalty only to Abaddon and his vision of vengeance.
The Black Crusades and Abaddon’s Ascendancy
With Abaddon as their new Warmaster, the Black Legion emerged as the dominant force among the Traitor Legions. He orchestrated multiple Black Crusades, massive invasions of the Imperium aimed at destroying key worlds, securing powerful relics, and weakening the Emperor’s domain.
Among his most significant achievements were:
The First Black Crusade – Abaddon led a massive incursion from the Eye of Terror, gathering support from other Chaos forces. This marked his declaration as Warmaster of Chaos.
The Fourth Black Crusade – The Black Legion claimed the Daemon Sword Drach’nyen, a weapon of immense power.
The Twelfth Black Crusade (The Gothic War) – Abaddon unleashed the Planet Killer, a superweapon capable of destroying worlds.
The Thirteenth Black Crusade – The largest Chaos invasion in millennia, leading to the partial destruction of Cadia and the opening of the Cicatrix Maledictum, splitting the galaxy in half.
The Black Legion Today
The Black Legion remains the most powerful and unified of all Traitor Legions, acting as the spearhead of Chaos against the Imperium. Unlike other warbands obsessed with their past glories or individual Chaos Gods, the Black Legion embraces Chaos as a whole, allowing them to recruit warriors from all across the Eye of Terror.
Under Abaddon’s leadership, they continue to wage war on the Imperium, striking at its most vulnerable points. With the Great Rift now dividing the galaxy, the Black Legion stands poised to deliver the final blow against the Emperor’s failing empire.
Conclusion
The Black Legion is more than just a Traitor Legion; it is a symbol of Chaos’ unrelenting fury and ambition. Once the Emperor’s finest, they are now his greatest threat, driven not by blind faith but by a singular goal: the destruction of the Imperium. Led by the indomitable Abaddon the Despoiler, they will stop at nothing to see the galaxy burn.
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