Chaos Rising - Avitus Betrayal

And then the dead will come for you as well.
Song: Steamboy - 16 - Collapse and Rescue

[@Bluecatte]

poor avitus...he was the one who above all realized the purest truth. ...that there is only war.

[@windwind3170]

War is a lie! Truth is a lie!

[@MiJerk]

"In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war"

[@chrishighfield3644]

That sounds kina orky, or maybe khorny

[@MrCouchmen]

Nobody expected that in the future Guilliman will be revived and have Eldar waifu+new type of space marines called: Primaris.

[@SIGNOR-G]

​@@MrCouchmen if Avitus just waited a little more his nihilism may have been cured by these new events. Or worsed (the whole eldar thing is... well...).

[@mortman200]

Avitus always struck me as wanting to die. Martellus betrays because he's bitter at being abandoned. Tarkus betrays out of a corruption of his sense of duty. Thaddeus betrays because he wanted to save his friends. Jonah betrays because he was possessed by a daemon. Cyrus betrays because he wishes to reform the chapter without incomptence leading them astray. But Avitus? He was shown the reality and he couldn't take it. He simply wants to die, and he engineers his own downfall so he can end his life on his own terms, screaming bloody defiance at an uncaring universe.

[@chains2660]

Since my first play through I think I’m gonna make a virus corrupt because martellus and his super tank is a lot more headache than others.

[@frankreidpalmes9833]

Thats why Avitus is my favorite character in that game. Because even if he is a stern person who killed many, he was still human

[@masterofoffending3908]

He died as he lived.

[@kleomenis456]

Yes you are correct. It's feels so saddening atmosphere.

[@juliandavidhoffer2022]

That would be the case if they didn’t have him try to kill the only companions he has

[@Pancombine18]

Avitus did not fall to Chaos in the way his brothers might have understood it, instead he fell to the truth. He saw the galaxy for what it was once stripped of the comforting veneer of morality and higher purpose ingrained into him as a Space Marine; understood what it meant and could not stomach it. This makes Avitus a notable example of a 40k character becoming "self-aware". It isn't his love of violence or any lust for power or the corruption of Kyras that turns him traitor, but a sudden awareness of the galaxy in the way we as spectators understand: it is a hopeless meat grinder, and nothing more the setting exists for violence alone, for our pleasure. Avitus had been grappling with this doubt since the events of Victory Bay in Dark Crusade, and Kyras' cavorting with Eliphas pushes him over the edge. When he betrays the Imperium, it isn't because he suddenly hates it or his brothers or suddenly loves Khorne, but because of his new perspective. When Avitus betrays the Imperium, it is because he is a proud man with nothing left to ever take pride in again. Where he once held conviction he was only left with a death wish and he sought his demise in the only way he could ever respect it: amidst the heat of battle, in blood and fire, where the raging dead can be drowned out under the roar of bolter fire. In the end, Avitus died staging his last stand not against the alien, heretic, or loyalists, but against the whole cruel, uncaring universe.

[@GeneralCreed]

I honestly hope they make a live action or incredibly good CGI movie for Chaos Rising one day, this being the absolute most important scene where you'd have Tarkus kneeling towards Avitus in an attempt to comfort his dieing brother. "No man that died in his service died in vain" Avitus grabs Tarkus by the collar and pulls him closer with blood forming at the edges of his mouth, this orchestra soundtrack playing "Spare us your EMPTY PLATITUDES" blood spittles on Tarkus' wrinkled emotionless face as he fights back his own tears and regret. Avitus pushes Tarkus, leans back onto the cold snow, blood reddening the snow around his armor, he gives his last dieing words in this speech, tears forming in his eyes, looking up into the sky and says "there is nothing else in this forsaken existence"as the camera pans higher and away from Avitus to represent his final moments of true acceptance of his fate, this is by far would be the most heartbreaking moment in almost any video game or movie in my opinion because Avitus tells the most horrific truth of all, that life itself is pain.

[@justpassingthrough686]

WELL fucking worded bröther!

[@AdeptKing]

@@GeneralCreed We're getting something with the Blood Angels soon so it might have something akin to that though it's more about them dealing with their Black Rage.

[@swordguy6368]

He would make Malal proud to be honest.

[@LEGOMANIAC419]

TL;DR, he's a woke Space Marine

[@musafawundu6718]

Tarkus was deeply hurt by this betrayal. In Retribution he reveals that he had to kill Avitus when he brings Apollo Diomedes out of his despair and even in the final battle against demon ascending Kyras, he shouts "For those who have fallen! For those who cannot be redeemed!".

[@shade8816]

"Faith is a lie. TRUTH IS A LIE!" "Nothing distracts me from my target." Of all the lines that fit, this one is well timed and in a way chilling.

[@180791sanguinius]

A Space Marine with PTSD and excellently handled at that. Good job to the devs!

[@BlackAngus69]

A shame DoW3 couldn't have this caliber of writing and character arc(s).

[@nick0875]

Though it does make you wonder where the Chaplains of the Blood Ravens are, it's their job to tend to the mental and spiritual health of their Battle Brothers.

[@inwit594]

@@nick0875 The Chapter has been corrupted for well over a decade at this point, the Chaplains are either dead, corrupted, or hopelessly outmatched in their spiritual war.

[@nick0875]

@@inwit594 Or Relic didn't bother with writing one because they aren't exactly the best with the lore. Which considering some of the stuff Black Library allows in their stories isn't a surprise.

[@inwit594]

@@nick0875 I don't think it's that hard to believe that a chapter led by a powerful psyker that's fallen to chaos for well over a decade would be capable of killing or subverting the chaplains of the chapter. There's at minimum eleven per chapter. Killing eleven people isn't that hard when your the leader of a thousand. Chaplains have been corrupted as well, y'know. There's nearly no winning this scenario if the very top of your command structure is actively working against you. Physically? Kyras is chapter master, he's got the best equipment in the chapter, and is likely older and stronger than most Chaplains. He's also a psyker, which is a gigantic advantage in every facet as well. A fight would lead to the chaplains death 9/10 times. Reputation and rank? Well, again, Kyras holds two of the most senior positions in the chapter. His respect is second to none. Even the word of a chaplain against his is going to fail, and accusing a chapter master of heresy and for whatever reason not having enough proof would get you exiled at best or executed for heresy yourself at worst. If a civil war happened (like it does in game) it'd be that chaplains company at best versus the entire remaining chapter. Mentally? Chaplains are usually exceptionally strong willed, but aren't known for their tactical acumen or their mastery of strategy beyond what is expected of a leading space marine. Kyras is a librarian, and thusly is pretty strong willed himself, but is also a chapter master, the very pinnacle of leadership and martial prowess in the chapter. His tactics and strategy would likely leave any chaplain second.

[@Andreazor]

Avitus was the most touching, because he isn't wrong in what he says. He despairs, he has lost hope, in a universe where he has been little else than a tool all his life. Everything he has done, everything he is, was a lie. When he learned, he knew he had nothing left.

[@Bollthorn]

Right in the feels...

[@Pancombine18]

Bollthorn Space marines are corrupted

[@boxtank5288]

He rages moreso than most Marines but that only meant he was far more susceptible to emotion than the rest...So that truth, that there is never ending war in an uncaring universe, broke him.

[@Negativvv]

Everything is a lie? No there is only the Emperor...

[@atrj988]

@@Negativvv The Emperor? A broken shell of a thing that is a shadow of its former self. An entity transformed into an object of worship against its will, and who can do nothing but cling to what scraps of life remain because its all it can do to atone for its failures. An entity that was once so simultaneously *perfect* and so disconnected from the very beings it was created to protect because of that perfection that it cannot see the flaws in its plans or logic... the Emperor lied. The Emperor failed. But that doesn't mean that the Emperor's ideals of a Humanity united by reason, loyalty to one another, and a common purpose are lies. Let us hope that Guilliman can succeed in pulling the wretched, decrepit corpse of the Imperium back from the brink, and transform it into something better. If nothing else, he at least should be able to learn from his father's mistakes...

[@thetopherhaslanded]

its obvious Avitus is meant to be the real traitor since a lot more time and emotion is put into his speaches

[@jordanmanley9172]

+thetopherhaslanded Also, his heresy goes all the way back to Kronus, In DOW 1.

[@Ninja7546]

+thetopherhaslanded What about Thaddeus?

[@thetopherhaslanded]

+Ninja7546 yea i tried it with him cuz i thought it would be cool, cuz he's the young one i thought his betrayal could be like an Anakin Skywalker haha and it starts off well but in the final battle theres no speech. barely any lines at all then just dies

[@Petaurista13]

+Ninja7546 Thaddeus was young. Aviitus is only one who hates everyone beyond Blood Ravens (including Imperial Guard, even loyal) and the only one who find bloodlust main target. Only one thing is that he should be rather Khorn worshiper not Nurgle.

[@Petaurista13]

+thetopherhaslanded Yes. There are more clues than people says. Main one in the internet is that Avitus was the only one on Kronus who could possibly be traitor (as we have to exclude Cyrus, Trakus and Thule). But beyond that there are 3 more: 1. Avitus is probably the only one (I didn't saw all options) who talk so much during mission against traitor and after it. 2. Avitus' bloodlust 3. Avitus is the only one Sergant who advices Force Commander to do something corrupting (destroying Angels Gate to get access more easily)

[@Saw321lol]

"THIS IS ALL THAT REMAINS! BLOOD, AND FURY! ASNWER THEIR ATTACKS WITH HOLY FURY!"

[@MaitreKorda]

After all, Avitus was just an elite soldier and a veteran tormented by the horror he done. A soldier, created to fight in a war he became tired of. Beaten by guard when he was a child. Enlisted in the Blood Ravens. Fought in the Kronus campaign. Approched by Kyras and saw the truth about him and his chapter, didn't told it to the others. He spend all the years between this event and his death with this heavy burden, trying to stay loyal. At the end, he bacame too much for him, and he just broke. The way he help his former brothers, and hate chaos, he didn't want to join them, he even didn't except a victory in his final fight. It was a suicide, and he know it.

[@far_centrist]

hope is the first step on the path to disappointment.

[@OwlYaRlyRUS]

When I played, I received "Full Purity" position and I thought, that Martellus was betrayer. But I felt so sadly, when knew, that Avitus is canonicity betrayer... He was my almost favorite character in Dawn of War II. Rest in peace, brother.

[@piotrnapora5810]

I share your opinion and it doesn`t help that I like Martellus too

[@Paul939]

It does make the most sense. Avitus realizes there is no honor or glory after what Kyrus had shown him, and knows that death is the only truth in the galaxy. He essentially developed space PTSD after a lifetime of war and became a deathseeker. Kyrus revels in the pointlessness of it all, and Avitus was just a broken man.

[@cid2852]

Yeah, I guess Retribution made it clear who the canon traitor really was because people figured out that Tarkus was referring to Avitus when he told the story about having to kill one of his friends who turned traitor, but until Retribution came out, it was kinda up in the air. I was pretty convinced it was Martellus, just because 1) the whole story about him losing hope and turning to chaos when he felt like he'd been abandoned on Typhon made a lot of sense to me 2) he's just an NPC in the first couple of DoW2 games, so it's less likely any players would've been too attached to him (which would've made him a "disposable" character) and 3) when you have him as the traitor in a playthrough, he's pretty convincing (screaming praises to Khorne the whole time, murdering the shit out of everything in sight with his tank, etc).

[@atrj988]

@@cid2852 And to be honest, Martellus as the betrayer makes no sense. Considering the only reason you manage to unmask the betrayer at all is because Martellus helps you at certain points. You'd have never found the Judgment of Carrion if not for him, along with several other instances where he is instrumental in breaking the coded vox transmissions that ultimately reveal the traitor's identity.

[@enclave9614]

@@atrj988 and it punishes you with one of the hardest boss in the game haha

[@primkup]

Avitus saw Dawn of War 3 gameplay...

[@Pancombine18]

A game which got even abandoned by it's devs in 1 year

[@civilsecuritylite12054]

That's why he wanted to destroy the Blood Raven to end DOW3's heresy.

[@Opdeit]

DOw is good game fuck you

[@DavidFB24]

@@Opdeit did you mean dow1 or dow3?? cause if it is 3 then you are mistaken sir

[@emirhanyilmaz944]

@C.S.E United Europe well, the story was interesting though. But yes, it was pure heresy. I wonder if they would come up with a new dawn of war game that is based on blood ravens' history, such as the Secrets of Kronus.

[@phoenixfire9176]

"some day, you will see through all the lies. And then the dead will come for you as well". if you know about the plot of DoW, that is probably the best line in the history of ever.

[@Saw321lol]

"And then the dead will come for you as well." That should be reserved for Gabriel Angelos, about Cyrene, you know, the planet wich he called the Inquisition and exterminatus'd the living shit out of it? And he's pretty much considered the only remaining survivor from there.

[@phoenixfire9176]

Imperial Guardsmen did he gun them down himself? no. Avitus saw every man he killed.

[@Saw321lol]

Phoenix Fire So being responsible for the destruction of your own home planet, and the death of your entire family, (which he killed his father), isn't bad? Avitus killed IG on Kronus, Gabriel "technically" killed innocent people, women, children,disabled, etc. and the planet itself.

[@Robul96]

He did it to save them from Chaos corruption, to save the Imperium.

[@strenifstrecs2551]

It wasn't chaos, it was a budding rebellion.

[@Scarletraven87]

In case someone does not get it, he is blaming the whole 40k universe with his last line. I wonder if this setting is dark enough.

[@AngryIrishBenjamin]

Well it *is* dark. Really, really dark. Enough that some people lose interest in it because it's *too damn dark* for them. I'm sometimes surprised more characters don't go crazy realising what their universe means.

[@boxtank5288]

@@AngryIrishBenjamin Least it ain't XEELEE dark..

[@Xalerdane]

The harder the metal, the more brittle and easily shattered.

[@rustkarl]

Avitus talking about lies reminds me of Eliphas in Dark Crusade. Admittedly he was talking to Thule but it reminds me of the exchange at the beginning of the Chaos Stronghold. “Welcome Captain. Have you seen the truth at last?” “I won’t listen to your lies heretic!” “Then I won’t lie to you brother. You’ve been lied to enough.”

[@theunseenparagon7074]

It's ironic that the coldest, most ruthless, and vengeful brother was also the most human. For he, unlike so many other astartes, suffered guilt and remorse to the point of despair, which drove him to treachery. A truly tragic character.

[@REgamesplayer]

Avitus in truth was most sensitive soul of them all. He hated his foes with all his hearth for that they represented and that they had done to humanity and thus, he allowed himself to be consuming by his righteous fury. Problems begun to arise then he was pitted against his fellow humans. He couldn't handle the pain of their betrayal. The very fact that he is forced to kill his fellow humans made him to retreat to his shelter, fury and eventually, rage. Further events had shattered his trust in everything. He had seen rot in the Imperium and most importantly, in his own chapter and battle brothers and it was just too much for him to handle. He fell into depression and self-blaming from which his nihilistic nature was born. His act of heresy was in some way meant to open eyes of his brothers. To say no, to all lies that he is being told. To show cold, hard truth to himself and others. I pity him, his lines: "Only the fury of battle can silence the dead" "It's all that remains, blood and fury" "Faith is a lie, truth is a lie" Shows great pain and emptiness in his hearths. Most importantly, it shows that he cares about innocent who he had killed by following lies of his corrupted battle commanders. He chose to retreat to his shelter, fury, in order to have his peace even if it only means a short escape from his consciousness.

[@hanzzoezekiel]

BlackDeathViral03"The man who has nothing can still have Faith."

[@psmt1234]

BlackDeathViral03 lies and blasphemy! do you think victory bay was in service to the imperium? guardsmen lost on Kaurava? the heresies of the chaos rising? they where no heretics, no traitors, no xeno's no they where good honest Imperial serving the emperor and they killed them they killed them all. no the blood ravens are the traitors and Avitus was the true hero, using the strength of his character, and the strength of man to seek vengeance against those traitors for "THIS IS ALL THAT REMAINS OF THE BLOOD RAVENS BLOOD AND FURY!" cowards and traitors all! their chapter should be stricken from imperial record and their heretical and traitorous bodies destroyed to the very last molecule...for the emperor and the emperors mercy!

[@hanzzoezekiel]

Thomas Duponti You forget, Brother... Not ALL who serve the Blood Ravens are traitors. None could have predicted that Chapter Master Kyras would be a traitor to the Emperor.

[@psmt1234]

Hanzzo Ezekiel Don't besmirch my station with your title. I am a commissar of the Imperium I led man to greater glory in the emperors name. you merely lie and kill and lie and kill. your chapter has always been tainted by the weakness of the traitor legions. you have no holy ground to hide behind here. your chapter from its inception was doomed to turn from the light of the emperor. yet the imperium would stay their hand and keep you in its service. that I will accept, but I will never forget what I saw in Sub-sector Aurelia. pray to your dark gods that our paths may never cross for all that would keep me from destroying you is your usefulness to the Imperium.

[@Bek359]

Avitus reminds me a lot of Kurtz from Apocalypse Now, what with his turn towards extreme methods, his disillusionment with the blind self-righteousness of his faction, and his eventual suicide-by-cop. You can totally see Avitus saying "You can kill me, you have that right, but you have no right to judge me".

[@SaradinTheWise]

The voice acting/writing here was just truly incredible. Gives me absolute chills. This was Relic at its finest.

[@jamesdow211]

Agreed. Dawn of War 2's first two campaigns had a great design and story. Avitus' betrayal being foreshadowed in the first game was brilliant. Even more so, the blood raven's failures in soulstorm to retribution were all hinted at in dark crusade.

[@The_Meskhetian]

@@jamesdow211 In Dark Crusade?

[@jamesdow211]

@@The_Meskhetian yes in the space marine victory cutscene

[@andrewgause6971]

@@The_Meskhetian yeah, it says that the chapter's darkest times are ahead of it. And then we find it all out. Soulstorm saw nearly half the chapter's battle strength destroyed by Gorgutz and the others because of Boreal's incompetent leadership, along with hundreds of Aspirants. Then the Tyranids almost wipe out what is left of them, its all but confirmed that at the end of Dark Crusade, Davian discovered that the Blood Raven primarch was none other than *Magnus the Red* (and the Blood Ravens are a loyalist faction of the thousand sons, which Davian would understandably be terrified of the Inquisition finding out about *right after* they investigated the whole "okay, what the hell happened in this blue on blue incident on Kronus?") And everything else.

[@jdjdjdjd4887]

To give relic props for the voiceacting is not fair for the actors

[@firelord699]

"FAITH IS A LIE, TRUTH IS A LIE!" *contemplates life*

[@TheStargateNerd]

'TIS A LIE

[@KingLich451]

OUR ALLIES ASS IS A LIEEEE

[@somerandomdude7785]

BOREALUM IS A LIE!

[@Cerzak78]

LIE IS A TRUTH

[@evanhunt1863]

Hold on- was that a lie too? (Insert trollface)

[@Avenger85438]

When a Space Marine becomes self aware of the Galaxy wide torment he is trapped in. A proud man with nothing to be proud for.

[@MrZombert]

"No man died in his service that died in vain." Epic

[@phoenixfire9176]

+Sgt.Galahad no as epic as "and then the dead will come for you as well"

[@rustkarl]

But it offers no solace to one who has fallen to the truth of despair.

[@alisonpurgatory85]

They still died. They just die. To rationalize it with, as Tarkus said, empty platitudes, is an insult. 'It is impossible to strive for the heroic life. The title of hero is bestowed by the survivors upon the fallen, who themselves know nothing of heroism.' -Johan Huizinga

[@masterofoffending3908]

Girls with time machine: Hello grandma, I'm your granddaughter Boys with time machine: Avitus wait! Your chapter's honor still can be restored!

[@johnkaczynski1905]

It wasn't just about his Chapter's honor, his honor aswell and to him he already lost it a long time ago. No matter what could happen, the dead already came for him...

[@Ragnarblackmane12]

Goodbye Avitus. You saw so much of the suffering in the bleak world of the 41st millenium, saw the rot and shit in the dark places of the Imperium, saw the reality of the times you were in. Its interesting how he knows he's probably going to lose, knows his former brothers are coming after him, and he doesn't run. He wanted it to end. In a way it reminds me of Talos of the Night Lords novel. He knows the Imperium is rotten in many places and knows that what he does is also rotten and evil, and knows the Imperium will come for them eventually, though it wasn't quite the Imperium that he fought in the end. Of all the fictional universes, 40K is one of the most if not the most grim.

[@Damocles178]

Avitus: Get Back! Jonah: I am already in motion! Lol talk about perfect timing for the command lines :) Oh and Cyrus: Missile Barrage! Ha he totally said that a little too late; the missiles had already hit :D

[@gryphonbotha1880]

Avitus: This is all that remains - blood and fury! Jonah: Answer their attacks with holy fury!

[@Zack-tx7oz]

@@gryphonbotha1880 , oh yeah! I actually laughed at that part because Jonas proved Avitus´ point further.

[@mabiguy1]

I actually like this betrayal more than the others since Avitus is kinda the most loyal "Traitor" out of the squad (ok, Jonah doesn't really count since he was possessed, just saying) since he gave the most information about the corruption in the chapter. I also like how he talked about Kronus since it was really cool how they put Avitus and Tarkus in the Dark Crusade story, despite not actually being in the game as separate characters.

[@saphirone8030]

+MabiguyXIII Live happy. He is the canonical traitor. The commander and Thaddeus has been sent to fight inside the eye of the terror.

[@ZeroCanalX]

+MabiguyXIII I more liked Gordian, since he actually appeared in Dark Crusade... Pitty they killed him off in the Vanila DoW2.

[@boxtank5288]

MabiguyXIII Avitus' actions were essentially suicide by cop.

[@klassehkhornate9636]

MabiguyXIII Tarik’s in dark crusade was the space marine Thule talks to in the necron stronghold

[@user-hz9hu4gh2z]

He was also the sanest traitor out there: Thaddeus actually trusted a daemon (not a very sane thing to do), Martellus transformed into a batshit crazy Chaos fanatic, Cyrus went ow the edge with his paranoia and Tarkus simly reached "Arthas with Frostmourne sword"-insane levels with his daemon bolter thing. And yeah, Jonah was posessed after becoming a Sorcerer by another name. Avitus - not so much, he just grew there of constant lies, dishonor and pointless bloodshed.

[@spacehitler4537]

Avitus fell victim to the true depths and nihilism presented by Khornate corruption. The overwhelming despair in the face of the galaxy wide Meat Grinder humanity has become; every soul spilling blood for little more than blood's sake. He does not praise Khorne for he likely knows not even the name of that blasted thing upon its throne of skulls. However he saw that in his actions alongside Kyras he served them all the same in spite of his devotion to the emperor.

[@zombievideos247]

It's amazing how each and every Blood Raven remains loyal somehow. Avitus calling each and every Black Legion soldier a dog, scum. Tarkus murdering a horde of Chaos soldiers with his Bolter. Thaddeus doing it to save the chapter from the Tyranids and his brothers from the Warp. Only killing in self defense. Cyrus may have been the only true traitor, along with Martellus. And that's simply because he didn't call them scum at every corner. Among other things. Even he wanted to correct everything. Strange, the so called treasonous Blood Raven rarely praised the Chaos Gods and tormented the Emperor, it was almost always with good intentions, never simply a lack of faith, the choice of heresy was not simply falling to Chaos. It was escaping the lies of the Chapter, and assisting his brothers to destroy the Chaos threat within the Chapter. And even the blind zealots like Space Marines could see that, a true testament to faith.

[@GearShotgun]

Sadly more than a few marines go chaos after realizing the mistakes and follys of the Imperium. Why couldnt the Imperial Guard on Kaurava simply join forces with the marines to retake the planet? Because the marines wanted to keep everyone out for their own secrets, worse, they killed them because of it. Its easy to see how that would weigh on anyones conscience

[@zombievideos247]

GearShotgun Conflicting orders if I remember correctly.

[@BaranZenon]

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions." - The moment they accepted Chaos in this way or another they lost. Isnt this the main reason of Horus Heresy? Horus and his lot also wanted do something good for the mankind, but since they wanted use the power of Chaos for that (which it is ALWAYS working the other way around - You are not in control. You are just a bitch of Chaos. A puppet of the Dark Gods) they just fucked up everything.

[@pihip]

Wyczesany Bóbr Thank First Chaplain Erebus and his legion, the Word Bearers, for the Horus Heresy - they were the ones who orchestrated Horus' fall and betrayal, and the rest is history. AFAIK, the only Legion that actually thought the Warp could be used for good were the Thousand Sons, and first they got a public and humiliating dressing-down from the Emperor, then got their home planet burned by the Space Wolves. Is it any wonder that so many Primarchs sided with Horus?

[@Ezekratos]

Do not forget Jonah, who was possessed by a daemon, and even in the end the entity couldn't unleash all his power due to the Librarian resistance and will, helping the rest of Blood Ravens to kill it.

[@TomZanovich]

You know, I've been thinking... Avitus hates the Imperial Guard, right ? In the fluff, it is because when he was young, a PDF regiment committed pillages in his natal village. But what if his hate against the IG, as we see it, was far more complex ? After all, even if the description in DoW2 says he deeply hates the IG, he just appear to be annoyed by them from time to time, like when he declares we "Baby-sit them at the first occasion"... What if Avitus actually felt sorry for the Guard and for the guardsmen he had to kill in Victory Bay ? What if he really hated the IG for his young days, but then started to actually empathy them after having discovered that all the soldiers he had killed were actually innocent ?

[@lucast.1259]

Well spoken my friend. That is a fought-out theory.

[@Bollthorn]

It could be that, coupled with the guilt of killing innocent and loyal servants of the Emperor, that triggered his doubts. And, of course, Kyras was able to capitalize and act on that to gradually mould Avitus.

[@MrBaconification]

+TomZanovich You may be right, Avitus seemed like he was filled with regret through the entire campaign. He seemed like he was going to snap at any point.

[@furiousfinch1587]

The hundreds of thousands of individual men and women he'd watched commit terrible deeds by the orders of the so-called holy servants of the Emperor. The hundreds of thousands of individual men and women he'd mowed down like grass in Victory Bay, pushed forward to bleed and die for the sake of bleeding and dying, and so much as asking why is met with a bullet to the face courtesy of your own leaders. Avitus couldn't hold onto his sanity long enough to reach a condemnation of the corrupt, greedy, self-appointed leaders of mankind. He broke, and faced his doom in despair at the senseless, hopeless, endless slaughter and agony of life in the Imperium of Man. It was not daemons or sorcery, nor even weapons which destroyed Avitus. He was destroyed by the cruel indifference and unspeakable malice of mankind itself. I'm sorry, Avitus. I'm sorry you had to see so much.

[@EmoHawkas]

Well actually, in the fluff, the Blood Ravens never fought the IG on Kronus . Once they arrived on Kronus, they asked them to left the planet and they did .

[@coldfear47]

The world of warhammer 40k is so sad,dark,endless wars ...... No peace ..

[@jupiterloverful]

It is the same as real world, bro.

[@TheStargateNerd]

jupiterloverful Just like in real life.

[@zombievideos247]

While the enemies of the Emperor draw breath there can be no peace.

[@TheMastertbc]

i like their fanatism though in the real world they are all lying and pretending to do something good while just exploiting other countries

[@Kareszkoma]

Except! We don't have tyranids. Fuckin hell yeah we dont have tyranids O.o...

[@misterjoper4055]

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder made manifest

[@TARINunit9]

Thadeus Betrayal: 68k views Martellus Betrayal: 77k views Jonah Betrayal: 113k views Cyrus Betrayal: 129k views Tarkus Betrayal: 140k views Avitus Betrayal: 206k views

[@michaelweinstein2160]

TARINunit9 a

[@NguyenHoang-mo7hs]

Because Avitus's betrayal is cannon.

[@KingLich451]

and the best written imo.

[@Memento--Mori]

KingLich Why do you think it's the best written? Because it's the canon betrayal...

[@gamesman089er]

Great choice of music used, makes the situation a lot more fitting, and ultimately das in the end.

[@gamesman089er]

sad*

[@Disconnect350]

Can you really call a guy who didn't want to serve a corrupted chapter master a traitor?

[@Tracer_Krieg]

***** It is not the Chapter he betrayed. It was his own brothers.

[@Disconnect350]

Jacob Sailer It was both.

[@Tracer_Krieg]

***** No, he served the Chapter by serving Kyras, in his own twisted way.

[@Disconnect350]

Jacob Sailer I still don't understand one thing. Why was Kyras still a chapter master after everything he did? I mean, sure he tried to hide everything, but why was Avitus the only one who rose up before Retribution? Kyras was showing signs of corruption even before.

[@evilstatistic1994]

***** By retribution most of the chapter was either declared renegades since they found out the truth or had been corrupted by Kyras. He only kept proud fools like Apollo Diomedes (who'd be unable to work out the truth) in high positions to maintain the illusion while the corrupted like Apothecary Galan were maneuvered into positions of power where they'd corrupt their underlings and so on. Doesn't help that Space marines have an almost blind loyalty to their Chapter masters which reduces any rebellious elements and the ability to instantly declare anyone who could expose him a renegade to be hunted down and slain means it wasn't too hard for Kyras to get away with his actions. His reputation as a hero for defeating Ulkair and saving the 5th company from the Space hulk Judgment of Carrion only aided his "reliability".

[@neumann2550]

Am i the only one who see Avitus betrayal/death as very sad event?

[@xxlCortez]

Nope, I think it is the most powerful and emotional betrayal among all.

[@ggleplussuxx4787]

The last phrase is very desperate.

[@g0atboy207]

+Guardsman PL Of course you are not the only one, it's supposed to be tragic.

[@boxtank5288]

Effectively Suicide is what he is committing, he made a last stand NOT against Chaos, Xenos, or Loyalists, but against the very uncaring universe itself...

[@user-cb4vt3qm3j]

I don't really rewatch this video, I relisten it. The music, the writing of the lines and their delivery, the unit quotes and sounds of battlefield and how all of that meshes together - it's all just so delicious.

[@chaospacemarine8330]

2:23 that was the drop that made the glass spill for Avitus Everything else could be chalked up to outside influences and/or plans beyond the wisdom of a simple veteran sergeant, but to hear the Chapter-Master himself talk about not using a known Champion of Chaos as an asset, but using one Avitus had probably helped in evicting from the blood-soaked ground of the Deimos Peninsula, spilled from the thousands of innocents sacrificed to Khorne. His world turned upside down: loyal servants of the Emperor were mindlessly gunned down by their kin, and their charges slaughtered for nothing in Victory Bay, under the watchful eyes of one who always was from the beginning a servant of the Chaos Gods; and this, while those that they were sent to Kronus to eradicate completely like Eliphas escaped retribution entirely to once again turn them against one another. Yeah, if I just realized I participated to a mass sacrifice that us puny earthling would classify as a global genocide for simply no reason I'd start planning to bite the bullet too.

[@Firespectrum122]

Avitus is just what happens when you find out that Matt Ward is writing your newest codex.

[@professorsponge1554]

This is likely the canon betrayal. Martellus, Tarkus, Jonah, and Cyrus are all with Diomedes in Retribution, which leaves Thaddeus and Avitus the most likely traitors. But Tarkus takes Avitus's betrayal much harder, which makes more sense for Tarkus to become the Ancient.

[@MrBaconification]

+Professor Sponge It IS avitus. They mention that Thaddeus is on a crusade with the force commander, and Tarkus says he served on Kronus with the traitor. Only Avitus served on Kronus with Tarkus (excluding davian thule).

[@professorsponge1554]

MrBaconification Okay, I wasn't sure about the commander. I half-believed he was executed or exhiled

[@GreenskinHolland]

+Professor Sponge Also, in dawn of war 2 you start to notice that Avitus is displeased with the chapter and that he relished in combat/slaughter.

[@professorsponge1554]

GreenskinHolland I did notice that when I replayed it after Chaos Rising. that leaves the question of what happened to the Force Commander... not that he was really a character but his fate is unknown.

[@ghekor]

+Professor Sponge He was aperantly Exiled for 100 year to the Eye,from what i read/heard which could also double as a crusade against chaos if Thaddeus is with him.

[@dragonslair951167]

I think ultimately, Avitus was closest to Khorne, and left unchecked, he would have become a devout worshiper of Khorne. He is disillusioned with his chapter, a corrupted symbol of holiness and honor; he is disgusted by the deceit and dishonor that surrounds him, and furthermore, he uses violence as an escape. Much like how Angron and the World Eaters grew disgusted by the hypocrisy and corruption of the Imperium as a whole. Now, like a true Khornate Berserker, Avitus seeks only to die bloody and thrashing on the battlefield, crying out in defiance against a cold, cruel, uncaring universe.

[@yaujj65]

Is it similar to Kharn? I know it is similar to a fanfic version of Kharn where he is tired of his friend and lover lying to him and got him subjected to Ahriman.

[@MarianoRyu]

- "Faith is a lie! Truth is a lie! THE CAKE IS A LIE!"

[@strikerecho2592]

"Nothing distracts me from my target." Cyrus= Steve Blum = BADASS!

[@carterhowlet8175]

but it's such a delicious lie!

[@KingLich451]

*YOU LIEEEE*

[@mcapollodiomedes3620]

Our enemies ass is a lie

[@andresr.viguera9791]

I can´t think about a character with more of a meta view as Avitus: he literally saw the setting they live in!

[@RichterBelmont2235]

Even the cruel warp gods who toys with mortals are but a sting of an ant compared to the deathly cold bite of the uncaring universe.

[@JAKphoenixify]

You can see that the developers clearly wanted Avitus to be the betrayer, he was clearly the least likely.

[@TheAtomicGoliath]

WOW and HOW!?! This dialogue is way better than the regular dawn of war 2 campaign, I'd almost say its as good as the first campaign from the first dawn of war game!

[@harmonicajay91]

On the one hand... Avitus is right. The Galaxy is just a game board for the Chaos Gods that has been allowed to exist because they don't want to get bored, but on the other... It's not like it took much for him to really fall. For Avitus, there was always that chance. It's sad really.

[@JASON9948]

This is the cannon traitor in retribution Tarkus said that he killed his friend who was part of the Kronus campaign

[@laurencedixon5307]

It's kinda interesting. Two 40k games with two grizzled old veteran characters. IF this is your ending Chaos Rising then they contrast very differently both in personality and fate. Sidonis from Space Marine is a Grizzled Veteran but comes across as wise and even cheerful with phrases like "Clever of the Damned Orcs". His tone helps to convey. He died from being impaled by a chaos lord Avitus meanwhile is cynical, gruff and nihilistic. He is angry with his work and life and treats other people similarly. He died because all this cynicism and nihilism finally caused him to abandon what principles he had left and died a traitor. One died loyal, Another died a traitor. One died hopeful, One died Cynical. Both Veterans.

[@alisonpurgatory85]

That's because Chaos Rising had actual complex characters who reacted to their horrible situations in human and realistic ways, whereas Space Marine had stock soldier archetypes because its an empty power fantasy

[@LunaPPK]

@@alisonpurgatory85 that's literally how ultra marines are lol and pls there is nothing complex about almost the cast in this game dude in question qas the same bull headed brute the whole time even in the first game. Traitor ending just out of nowhere where gives him face

[@LovecraftianLEGO]

'Geeeeeet BACK!' 'I am already in motion!' 'This is all that remains! Blood and fury!' 'Answer their attacks with holy fury, brothers!' Lovely coincidental match ups of the scripted and in-game dialogue

[@rotraven]

"I want none of your pity, Tarkus! But remember this day because you are looking at your own future." Chaos Gods: Enter DOW3

[@Trufflemonk]

This video made me main loyalist factions After seeing what realization of 40k reality can do to human, I start to respect Emperor even more. He is an ultimate antivillain, that suffers immense struggle and forced to commit millions of atrocities, to protect mankind from most terrible of truths in the Galaxy

[@crimsonknight7011]

You could tell throughout that he was suppose to be the traitor. His general attitude is angry and annoyed. He constantly had disdain for Imperial Guardsmen. In missions he would suggest the path that had a higher chance of death saying that they are space marines and not cowards. Also I remember he suggested destroying Angel Gate which will cause corruption points.

[@TheGarand01]

He no longer speaks with the same fury and conviction as he did before. What you see now is as broken a man as a space marine can become.

[@karankenZ]

5:03 it's funny how we all enjoy the dark grittyness of the w40k universe and the lies of the imperium and accept them as the only choice. It amuses us. But truth is, not one of us would ever want to live in this world. No matter how powerful or strong we would be in that world. Avitus just showed us that the world of W40k is shitty and no matter how much we enjoy it, such a universe would be a curse to us.

[@Jaghatai_Kahn]

When you realize you in warhammer 40k

[@scottm8292]

3:42 Proof of Avitus' PTSD

[@SatanTheSheep]

Avitus: the reason I don't like the imperium anymore.

[@TheSexyBunneh]

As much as I want to hate Avitus, I cant. He realized the inherent nihilism in 40k. And this is coming from a long time space marine player 😁

[@Tracer_Krieg]

Through out the game, I never liked Avitus but I did respect him. That changed with his betrayal. It was then that I finally understood what he had become; of all the horrors he'd been called upon to do and of how his conscience was tested by his loyalty to the chapter. His final words haunted me. Made me think of the soldiers within the Wehrmacht (not the SS) who found their conscience sacrificed in committing loyalty to the Fatherland. "It matters not who lives or dies, blood is shed. There is nothing else in this forsaken existence."

[@MaitreKorda]

+Jacob Sailer SS are just like a lot of soldiers in the war. The war is the truth about our world. And those who come to face it will always lose their innocence. You may go to war for the good reasons, fighting may be the right choice, but doing it is never a right thing, no matter who is the ennemy, they will do horrible things, kill, and destroy lives. That's worse for the peoples who are very young or forced to do it at a young age, because they didn't even have a choice. For them, it can become natural. For nazis, they are way more philosophicaly complicated than Avitus, they hated the State, but loved their people (this lead to a huge, violent and bloody political competition within the Reich, and it made it surprisingly very strong). Hated Christianity, hated Jews (and their religion too, by the way), and they didn't even like themselves, they really thought Aryans were the best for mankind (even better than them) and tried to make them to the top of the specie. They were totally delusional (lost the World war, their pride, lived poorly for 2 decades...) to the point it became a part of them, and they naturally spead it to the whole society. At this point, good and evil become shades of grey, and killing millions is not a big deal.

[@misterjoper4055]

+M Korda TGSNT.tv for truth

[@MaitreKorda]

Mister joper Never watched TGSNT, only read books. Is it good or are you joking and it's just neonazi propaganda?

[@misterjoper4055]

I am not joking,lol,At the very least you should know the other side of the story.

[@MaitreKorda]

Mister joper I think I know both already, there is so much to be tell.

[@GiulioFischetti]

Avitus' final words reminded me Rutger Hauer "Tears in Rain" monologue in Blade Runner.

[@ultramewmewfan]

the 40k version of depression...

[@ZetsubouGintama]

Soooo basically Avitus goes PTSD and just basically say "FUCK YOU MATT WARD AND GAMEWORKSHOP", right?

[@slurpeexyza17]

That's a succinct way to put it.

[@OrganicPumpkinSeeds]

Can you imagine if the Force Commander was the traitor? Tarkus: 'It was you, the Force Commander. How could you do this?!' FC: '...' Martellus: 'The Force Commander left us this message before retreating to the planet.' Message: '...' Avitus: 'Any last words, heretic?' FC: '...bacon.' Would be quite the entertaining scene.

[@phoenixfire9176]

The music is perfect

[@harlz8568]

"There is the honor of the blood ravens!" "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Man. He didn't take that insult well.

[@TheSpartanMaty]

'GET BACK! 'I am already in motion!'

[@thegrandpotato6014]

Remember this is the CANON ending.

[@nicholasbury5994]

I see through the lies of the Jedi, err, I mean Emperor.

[@phoenixfire9176]

"It matters not who lives and dies, blood is shed, as it has always been. There is nothing else in this forsaken existence". God this goes so hard

[@SquigPie]

I was sorta pissed when Avitus was my traitor, since I had attempted to make Cyrus the traitor, however, I found his reasons for doing so very well-done. He talked about how the screams of all those he had killed haunted him every night. How he had become delusioned with the Imperium and all the things he used to believe in.

[@rustkarl]

Avitus saw the universe for what it was, and despaired.

[@Jumbuck1151]

Someone give that man a damn snickers already

[@RanwulfMaxwell]

Damn, Avitus can put up a fight! Shooting Missiles and then using Assault Cannon? That's a goddamn awesome combo!

[@sandrothenecromancer6810]

"it matters not who lives or dies, blood is she as it has always been, there is nothing more in this forsaken existence!"

[@kalmahcarl]

"Tarkus- Do you remember when chapter master Kyras came to Kronus, after the final victory?" That doesn't sound like Avitus. He sounds too cal- "YOU SHOULD YOU BLIND FOOL!!!" There he is.

[@Maccrack2]

Dialogue is fantastic and goes insanely well with the music. I simply can't get tired of this video and i commend you on a fantastic job !!!

[@FreddeX91]

I agree with BloodiedShingle up there, i was a little angry when i found out that this mission has more or less been declared the canon one (some say that Thaddeus may also may be the canon traitor, but whatever) since Avitus is my favorite character, but after seeing this i can do nothing short of approve. It is simply awesome, touching and tragic! :)

[@JBrander]

*I AM ALREADY IN MOTION*

[@Avenger85438]

Sad thing about Avitus. All the destruction, violence, and bloodshed he took part in lost all justification when he learned it was all for a Corrupted Chapter Master. Now all he can do is go to his death with his hope utterly destroyed. Unwilling to justify carnage anymore.

[@Damocles178]

While it is a shame that this is the last time we'll ever see Avitus in the series (Due to his betrayal being canon); his betrayal was the best and most epic as he actually leaves you thinking about the Imperiums own actions too since even people that are part of the Imperium are not truly safe if the inquisition becomes suspicous of them. Even some loyalists might partially agree with him (Even if they would never turn to Chaos).

[@juanmariocortezrochabrun8687]

faith is a lie, truth is a lie, the cake is a lie.

[@Papadragon18]

"GET BACK!" "I am allready in motion!"

[@BloodiedShingle]

This mission was the most emotional of them all for me. Avitus was an interesting case- a Space Marine who'd actually been broken by war and all the trauma. It seems ironic that the cynic of the bunch turned out to be the most human- to me, anyway.

[@BigDickCheney]

Yes, I added the music.

[@kleomenis456]

One of the saddest betrayals. Avitus is one of the finest.

[@TheSonOfDumb]

"Blood is shed as it has always been. There is nothing else in this forsaken existence." This... is true.

[@lordtarkus3444]

The blood ravens are a lie, truth is a lie, honor is a lie, duty is a lie, you are a lie, warhammer is a lie

[@mad_prophet]

always has been 🔫

[@TheArb1ter]

This is one of the most epic moment's in gaming i've seen. Great voice acting and music fits this movie perfectly.

[@bigbroarivus]

Avitus final words to Tarkus: "Now you're devastated brothers."

[@p-ball_from_SEA]

I wonder if Relic planned this all along which is why Avitus' betrayal made more sense.

[@Papadragon18]

Probably. Especially since you can quite clearly hear that it's his voice actor who reads the distorted recordings of the traitor's communication.

[@AbyssalZones]

His betrayal is the one that seems to have the most seeds planted in it. Even in Vanilla Dawn of War 2 campaign, you can tell he is cynical about the Chapter's honor.

[@G3orgianSoldier]

avitus despaired the same way as kyras.

[@MrRaivokasMagma]

I kept thinking about this when the scene with this music happened in Steamboy. Couldn't hold the laughter :D

[@cnlbenmc]

Avitus never had the temperament for the Blood Ravens; he always felt like he didn't quite fit. In the End; he became something worse than even a bloodthirsty Khorn Fanatic, he became a Nihilist. I've always thought that the Daemon of the Maledictum was very atypical for a Khornate entity and given its name maybe it's actually Malice it serves or is even that God himself and is merely pretending to be something else. After all; no mere Daemon no matter how powerful can grant Apotheosis to Daemonhood, they can only intercede to give their recommendation only a Chaos God can grant it and this thing has done it twice.

[@Damocles178]

It's cool that each of the betrayers has their own way of confronting you; Martellus in the predator and Avitus in the terminator armour etc. Though to be honest Martellus going renegade made absolutely no sense as he was the one that helped you so much to uncover who the traitor was; honestly why couldn't someone else have been the betrayer if none of your own squads fell to Chaos? He even fixed your terminator armour and everything; what betrayer would do that.......

[@Techmadman1]

The reason why Avitus was the canon betrayer was because at the star forge he saw the document that explains the truth of the origins of the Blood ravens, along with something to do with the emperor himself. Avitus destroyed these documents and the other evidence to protect his brothers, but I get the truth started to nor away at him, in a way it really isn't his fault he did what he did, in a way Tarkus knows this and that's why he is sorry for what happened.

[@xxlCortez]

Wasn't Kyras who done it? I think the Blood Ravens just secured Kronus, coz I doubt Thule would just keep destroying references to their chapter's origin if he see it has connection with chaos.

[@Techmadman1]

Thule had no idea about the chapters origin. In truth Thule was blind to the fact and/or ignored it completely. Remember that Apollo Diomedes had trouble even believing that Kyras was influenced by chaos, and Apollo Diomedes is the captain of the honor guard, well was...

[@zombievideos247]

I'm pretty sure it was Thule.

[@ZeroCanalX]

+Techmadman1 He actually personally destroyed great number of relics from Kronus and withdrew from politics of Chapter's Inner Circle.

[@Damalycus]

Almost moving! No, it IS moving. Great voice acting. I knew about this being canon, when I played, and had Avitus more corrupt than anyone. But i still got Martellus. Thank you for uploading this video, BDCheney!

[@Majora48]

Veetpl and bigdickcheney have the best warhammer videos ever thank you guys

[@Kerendips]

4:01 The ultimate paradox...

[@xxlCortez]

And what about "Only the fury of battle can silence the dead"? :D

[@SgtR3ynolds]

The below statement is true. The above statement is false.

[@Hiperforteca]

SgtR3ynolds no statement in this comment chain is true. Now that's a paradox!

[@insideous57]

in my opinion, this is definitely the most plausible and awesome of the betrayals

[@Razgriz_01]

Im gonna assume that the Space Marine honor guard in Dark Crusade could be Avitus and Tarkus.

[@WarbossR0kt00fSant0s]

Alongside Thule, yeah.

[@ravenstrategist1325]

No, the honor guard are super elite space marines that protect the chapter master. Avitus and Tarkus were simply line battlebrothers at the time. After the Blood Raven triumpheed on Kronus, Kyras arrived to tie up "loose ends": Relics, Taldeer spirit stone and other dark deeds, such as congratulating Avitus on his purge of Victory bay where Avitus slaughtered thousands of Imperial guardsmen that opposed the Blood Ravens on Kronus.