The Heresies Of Belisarius Cawl - 40K Theories

Genius. Innovator. Pioneer. These are just some of the epithets by which Belisarius Cawl is known throughout the Imperium. But considering that the acts of technological innovation and invention are considered crimes by members of the Martian Priesthood, do Cawl’s actions mark him out as nothing more than a Heretek?
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[@40KTheories]

Before anyone asks, yes I’m aware that the reason Cawl continues with his work is due to the various visions he’s (supposedly) receiving from the Emperor himself. This video is more in regards as to why the rest of the Adeptus Mechanicus doesn’t call him out for blatantly violating their religious doctrines, in essence.

[@tmo_117]

I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the Primaris marines were developed from help from the Emperor, them working together mentally to create better marines to fight the threats the emperor sees

[@surtrpicks]

What about the potential of traitor gene stock usage….?

[@casbot71]

How would the Ad Mech and the Inquisition and various other Imperial factions react if they found out that Cawl "was" receiving visions from the Emperor? And if it truly was the Emperor, what if Cawl got proof that backed him up? A few Custodes might have received 'messages' from the Emperor about Cawl and how vital he is. A Inquisitor goes after Cawl and then gets seriously intercepted by a Custodes. Cawl might even have a Custodes bodyguard that he's not aware of - or pretends to not be aware of, he's canny and might spot the signs or just know that the Big E has assigned one to watch over him. But if the Emperor has plans that require Cawl, he'd want to have protection for Cawl.

[@tmo_117]

@@surtrpicks I think that has happened, not all traitors legion astartes became traitors, a lot defected, not a lot escaped, half the legions were killed but the genes didn’t make them traitors for the most part. I just think it’s seen as heretical to use them

[@surtrpicks]

@@tmo_117 agreed on all those points, it’s why I bring it up:) …..I forget the phrasing but didn’t he answer in Bobby G in a slippery fashion when questioned about it?

[@TheWarmachine375]

Adeptus Mechanicus: "Immediate restraining order!" Belisarius Cawl: "Restraint isn't part of my vocabulary."

[@Epicmonk117]

AdMech: Fine. I summon *_P R O H I B I T I O N H A M M E R_*

[@buenapilapil5513]

The Emperor: Delete!

[@Deridus]

Prohibition only expands demand-

[@Secretgeek2012]

Adeptus Mechanicus: "But you just said it!" BC: "Said what?" AM: "Restraint!" BC: "No I didn't." AM: "You did! You said 'Restraint isn't part of my vocabulary'!" BC: "Did I?" AM: "YES!" BC: "That is very odd because 'restraint' isn't part of my vocabulary." AM: "YOU SAID IT AGAIN!" BC: "Said what?" AM: Sounds of sparks and mechanical screeching.

[@Deridus]

@@Secretgeek2012 Thank you for the chuckles!

[@TheWarmachine375]

It's amazing that Cawl managed to complete the Primaris Marine project for 10,000 years without somehow tipping off the Inquisition, Mechanicus and also Chaos as well.

[@cottermcg123]

I find it kinda lame when considering the setting

[@imquantum8009]

Someone would have to not only successfully invade mars, but remain there long enough to uncover his extremely well defended laboratory. If the mechanicus can't find out about it, nobody can.

[@BookieHeretic]

Wasnt it because he's doing it all hiding in space in his flagship?

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

@@imquantum8009 He is part of the Mechanicus. If the Mechanicus cannot police its own and keep an eye on what the major Magi are doing then the scope for tech heresy and heresy in general is vast. You'd think that no magos would be able to get away with such a thing, ESPECIALLY on Mars. Maybe somewhere out in the boonies on the rim, but on Mars?

[@sebastianhovenas272]

​@@imquantum8009during the war of the beast, the officio assasinorum managed to discover a massive project on mars that the fabricator general tried to conceal as best as he could. The project was the construction of a massive teleportation device, taken from ork technology, and largely powered by the corpses of tens of thousands orks, if not more. And yet, even with the power and reasources at the fabricator generals disposal, he could not keep it secret, hell it didn't even take that long for the officio assasinorum to discover the project. Cawls primaris project however, is a HELL of alot bigger of a project. Like, the two are incomparable when it comes to size. And yet, you're telling me that in 10,000 years, nobody managed to discover the absolute massive installations of Cawl, and report it? He isin't even the fabricator general, so he dosen't nearly have as much influence or power, and yet, he managed to keep his gargantuan project secret for 10,000 years? That's some major bullshit if you ask me

[@flavortown3781]

I 100% believe roboute told cawl to just lie so that he can make stuff that's actually useful

[@40KTheories]

xD

[@listener709]

​@@40KTheorieswhy is guillaman so hung up in Genesee d from traitor marine when a lot of his successor chapters where "adopted"

[@TheWarmachine375]

It wouldn't be farfetched if the Cursed Founding was Cawl's doing when working on the Primaris Marines. Because when you make an omelette, you need to break a few eggs.

[@40KTheories]

I do like that idea, especially when you take guys like the Sons of Anteus into account.

[@chadstorm92]

Yeah, face-palming now for never thinking about that before. Super interesting. That totally needs to be a plot thread.

[@michaelolmos8257]

@@40KTheories And the minotaurs are apparently the only other successful chapter of marines created without a hitch, emerging as an unstoppable replacement executioner of the emperor. Now that the space wolves have long since grew out of that role these days.

[@Matt-md5yt]

@@michaelolmos8257 and Minotaurs went into the High Lords as their lap dogs.

[@listener709]

​@@40KTheoriesat the very least he swiped as much info as he could

[@WarriorVirtue]

If he's not a heretek, then at the very least he is unbelievably callous. Throughout every crisis the Imperium has faced in the last ten thousand years, from The War of the Beast to the Tyrannic Wars, Crawl was sitting on the biggest "Press to Win" button in galactic history and never pressed it.

[@40KTheories]

In fairness to the War of The Beast, you could argue that the Primaris Marines were simply not ready at that point, given how soon after the Horus Heresy it was.

[@neoluna1172]

imo its also likley that without gulliman's backing, cawl would have just been exeucted as a hereitek

[@robertnelson9599]

@@neoluna1172 That is my headcanon, Cawl waited until he found a surefire way to resurrect Guilliman.

[@casbot71]

​@robertnelson9599 What if Cawl has a bunch of other stuff he's been working on in the 10,000 years, and it's also going to be released soon since he's finally got the protection and support of Gilliman. And with the desperation of the Imperium, there's not going to be much pushback.

[@mitchverr9330]

The AdMech have a whole host of other kit they are sitting on for "press to win" too, they generally dont seem to enjoy giving out their toys/risking their position unless its vitally needed at that point it would seem. (It also doesnt help GW seem to like to just forget about the vastness of the admech gear, cybernetica for example from the FW 30k range just... noping away). Also the risk that a new toy always equals a chance of it being used back on them too at some point, meaning they always risk an arms race against themselves funnily enough as anything they let become "standard" means all forgeworlds can start to access it, including the suspect ones that might go naughty. An example would be like Ryza developing/reviving experimental weapons for their non ending war against a full scale Ork invasion which are supposed to be some of the most insanely powerful things that any forgeworld can make outside of Mars itself. Or others which mess around with time travel technologies.

[@Tokumastu1]

If the Mechanicus is the backbone of the Imperium then Cawl is one of the 2 remaining functioning braincells. The other functioning braincell being Guilliman and both are incredibly overworked.

[@internetuser320]

And call inferior is one of Carl brain cell 😂

[@supervillainJ]

I love that the lions not even a braincells just a warrior who is going to cut people 😂

[@internetuser320]

@@supervillainJ murderous cell

[@LoneSilverW0lf]

@@supervillainJpost coma nap he’s certainly seemed to have wizened up. So hopefully now he’ll be the third brain cell. He can still have his murder happy times.

[@KaiserAfini]

Guilliman finds Cawl incredibly suspicious, so while he appreciates the help, he remains vigilant of his ravenous appetite for knowledge.

[@Helem5XG]

Imagine discovering the STC of a Butter Knife and getting declared a Hero of the Imperium plus ruling a whole planet.

[@40KTheories]

I wonder how the Imperium makes butter, seeing as cows are extinct (source: Vaults of Terra novels)? Maybe it's plant-based or something, I dunno lol.

[@arandomcomment7208]

​@@40KTheorieshumans produce milk

[@40KTheories]

I'm pretty sure all mammals do, in fairness.

[@maeton-gaming]

I like to think that certain worlds produce premium export butter that is considered a galactic luxury@@40KTheories

[@foxhound5699]

If The Imperium found the STC for a butter knife they would assume the measurements are wrong and make it 7 feet long, then form a crusade to hunt down this xeno scum known as 'butter' since our ancestors needed a specific sword to fight it.

[@patrickmcginty3234]

Isn't the current Fabricator General in hot water at the moment for hiring Dark Eldar homunculi to assist in repairing the Golden Throne? It would explain why the Mechanicus at large hasn't moved against Cawl yet, as they have to choose between two leaders who are each hereteks in their own way.

[@40KTheories]

If I recall correctly, that particular Fabricator General got replaced (along with a bunch of other High Lords) following Guilliman's return. I'm fairly sure it was detailed in the second Watchers of The Throne novel - the one where the Custodes have a punch up with the Minotaurs.

[@kevinoliver3083]

Wasn't the Fabricator-General part of the plot to have the Drukhari repair the Golden Throne. And killed, or maybe captured went that deal went awry? As per the 'Vaults of Terra' series.

[@Matt-md5yt]

@@40KTheories wait the Minotaurs fought the Holy Custodes? so High Lord's lap dogs VS the golden Boys what a fight to read about

[@daswordofgork9823]

@@Matt-md5ytoh yeah the Custodies killed ALL but one of the Minotaurs with the exception of Moloc. Who actually scared Trajan Valoran, but it was called off after Gulliman slaughtered off all of the High Lords of Terra.

[@seansteele6532]

Are you Cawling him a heretech?

[@TheWarmachine375]

Belisarius Cawl: "A revelation led me to it." Rogal Dorn: "So you too have the visions of the Emperor, my Father? Mood Kindred."

[@daswordofgork9823]

Rogal Dorn: No…. I am here because father wanted me to avenge the Captain General’s death. Belisarius Cawl: What? So I am gonna die? Rogal Dorn: Yes~

[@darkpit37]

Either way, Cawl definitely isn't *intentionally* heretical. In the novel Bellasarius Cawl: The Great Work, he would at one point profess his loyalty to the machine God to a C'tan shard, stating "there is only one God, the machine God, and you are not he." He would have no reason to lie about this to a C'tan shard.

[@Matt-md5yt]

is the Shard the Void Dragon? if so wow

[@darkpit37]

@Matt-md5yt no it was the one trapped in the Pharos device.

[@mitchverr9330]

Given Cawls position and closeness to the Emperors works, it could be the case of overlooking because they know that he has enough backing to cause a civil war if they did try to go after him and when the Mechanicus have a Schism, Titans walk and worlds burn. They also likely expect him to have hidden STC data on all sorts of things given the amount he seems to find (or not find). Fighting somebody with that potential runs the risk of collapsing your entire civilization so why take that risk, which could be over nothing, when that person is actively providing a net benefit? (theres also the side issue that many forgeworlds act pretty suspect in the same lines as Cawl does, which automatically gives him strength as they will see themselves as at risk if Cawl gets taken down so would likely side with him out of survival)

[@codycurtin2295]

Those "flashbacks" with Cawl talking to the Emperor were so of my favorite in that (i think the Cawl one) novel.

[@limbo8497]

I think my favorite aspect of Cawl is that he really wants the seat of Fabricator General of Mars. Guilliman is aware of this, and refuses to endorce it because he knows it'll start a second Schism of Mars. Which would be Bad.

[@Forestxavier20]

"I want to lead Mars" "Cawl. You do realize that would cause a bloody civil war given how many people hate you, right?" "Absolutely! But you can't please everyone, and I just know I could get much more done with the help of my fellow Mechanicum following my commands"

[@ltcinsane]

Cawl probably ran the longest black ops RnD projects in history XD

[@ltcinsane]

I suspect part of the reason the more zealous members of the Mechanicus haven't taken Cawl out is his association with Guilliman & probably also because civil war in the mechanicus would be kind of a bad thing in the current lore ... i suspect maybe that is another reason Guilliman hasn't made good on making Cawl fabricator general as it would potentially start some shit the Imperium doesn't need right now.

[@huntermad5668]

Most of his more heretical researches were done on his massive Ark Mechanicus likely he got from working for Guilliman. Most of people have worked on them likely never left.

[@akumaking1]

How long until Cawl decides to start making secret deals with the Necrons to get stuff like black stone or the generic sequence to make more blanks? That would be an interesting story line.

[@granite6760]

Cawl and Trazyn just mucking about like old pals while creating absolutely batshit insane technology

[@darkkiba229]

You finally did one on Cawl!!!!! You're the first 40k lore channel I ever watched 4 years a fan!!!

[@SwedetasticGames]

In the novel The Great Work, Cawl seems surprised and bemused that Cawl Inferior is insisting to Guilliman he is made lord of the Mechanicus, something Cawl himself seems to not want. In the Plague War book series, Cawl Inferior is also described as consisting of multiple brains suspended in fluid and connected to one another, along with heavy hints at some sort of warp manipulating tech to function. The point of all this? I don't think Cawl Inferior is an AI at all, instead something far closer to a clone with limited operational parameters aswell as potentially stolen and modified Dark Mechanicum tech regarding the warp affected/affecting components.

[@awesomehpt8938]

Someone needs to call Cawl and call him a Heretek.

[@brendanmcbride6292]

Hahahahaa 😂

[@blitzme99]

nice to see you putting out more regular content again. Been a fan since years ago.

[@morcova]

Belisarius Cawl is the "bosses kid" of the Mechanicus ... gets to get away with just about everything.

[@CountDVB]

He’s also the only one there who isn’t a total nutjob. At least practical and innovative

[@casbot71]

Could Cawl, under the protection of Gilliman, carve out his own mini Mechanicus in Ultramar away from the authority of Mars? And there have a bunch of acolytes trained/chosen by him, who secretly undertake original research and reverse engineering of xeno tech and other Heritek. A interesting what if?

[@matteocdt5214]

1- found the ultramechanicum 2- hoard necron tech 3- reverse engineer it for human usage 4- watch the aeldari piss themselves in fear by recognizing the green beams(this point may vary, due to guilliman's um, "involvement" with said race)

[@Matt-md5yt]

@@matteocdt5214 why not Tau tech? it's always the necron tech people go after lol

[@matteocdt5214]

@@Matt-md5yt because tau tech is not that advanced in the first place. Necron tech, on the other hand, is extremely advanced and surpasses even pre-slaneesh aeldari tech

[@brandonaughtman9091]

Cawl is someone that thr Imperium desperately needs, right after the Primarchs themselves. Technology stagnation is awful and Nurgle would smile upon it.

[@Mooseshovel]

There is a reason this rule was implemented into the mechanicus. Its called the Golden Age of Technology. If humanity was allowed to invent, they would have won the galaxy millenia ago. 40k wouldnt exist

[@LoneSilverW0lf]

If they weren’t so necessary to keep fighting, you’d think someone would have called them out on their stupidity by now.

[@00yiggdrasill00]

​​​@@LoneSilverW0lfunfortunately they aren't as wrong as we like to think. Technological innovation is highly dangerous with the warp around. The issue is they take that caution way too far and are far too willing to dismiss the idea of divine inspiration as a source of invention. I find it an interesting paradox where they worship a god of knowledge, and yet fail to even try to grasp how that god would try to share that knowledge with them. Talk setting a low bar for your own god. With proper secrecy and defence on a few labs at safe admec worlds they could do quite a bit in safety by simple redesign or applying current technology to other situations and keep outright invention to a slow, but importantly, steady pace

[@jasoncown]

Good to have you back these days, Remleiz :)

[@brendanmcbride6292]

Been watching for ages man, big fan. Thanks hey i always come back to this channel for some 40K.

[@jacobfreeman5444]

I wonder if Cawl is even human anymore. There is a very real chance what we know as Cawl is just another remote model to allow the central intelligence to communicate. A clever subterfuge to allow an immergent AI to slip past the dogma of the church. In which case it is possible Cawl's innovations could also be just pulled from STC data he has gathered and pieced together. We know a lot of STC are fragmentary. Cawl could have spent his time just overlapping the fragments until a picture immerges. Which would be a very logical way to proceed for a machine intelligence.

[@j.bat.8235]

Cawl as a full AI, using Cawl's model as a proxy body to slip undetected into Imperial space, is a theory I'd love to get expanded into a novel

[@CousinJesse1]

The Imperium doesn’t need new weapons. It has all the weapons it will ever need. What the Imperium does need however is warp-less FTL engines & communicating systems, and a power supply strong enough for them. The next “great work of Cawl” should be that. Even if in limited size or number (such as only being suitable for cruisers) then that could still make all the difference in regard to how the Imperium is able to defend itself, as you’ll see whole chapters of Astartes crammed into one cruiser with the speed and flexibility to respond in time to emerging threats.

[@Nilns]

But..but... Who's gonna buy a model of that?? I totally agree, though. Perhaps continuing work on reverse engineering the Eldar webway would be a better use of his genius and flexible techno-morality.

[@maeton-gaming]

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo FINISH THE GREAT WORK@@Nilns

[@minhducnguyen9276]

I mean, that's exactly what his "great work" is he's currently studying Necron technology in an attempt to suppress the great rift and replicate their FTL technology.

[@outis7080]

That's in Necron level tech. Belly Crawl is good, but he's not that good.

[@minhducnguyen9276]

@@outis7080 Chaos on the other hand, learned how to use Blackstone right after Cadia, and they already had a working prototype of a rift making device, making imperial technological progress looks like a joke.

[@stephenpiper2690]

Cawls gona come across a Votan ancestor core, un-plug, re-plug one in, more tech and advancment will come, and votan will actually get some lore.

[@davidjordan697]

This is something I’m really looking forward to, seeing how the league’s interact with the imperium. Particularly how aware the mechanicus is of the nature of the votann and how they respond to that. If mars isn’t ignorant of their true nature, then a votann would seem like a combination of their holy grail, a working STC and an AI, which they think is pure evil.

[@GeoffryGifari]

no idea cawls body is that huge

[@GeoffryGifari]

Is it possible that, even with his borderline heretek status, cawl himself is so powerful (due to age, accumulated knowledge & tech) that the other admech couldn't do anything even if they tried?

[@40KTheories]

Maybe, but given how even the Fabricator General of Mars - one of the High Lords of Terra can be deposed for being a traitor, I can't imagine why Cawl couldn't be if the Mechanicus were so inclined to do so.

[@DeathBYDesign666]

​@@40KTheoriesThey need him, it's that simple! The loss of this one man would set them back centuries, maybe even millennia. They allow his dogma because they really have no choice in the matter if they want to keep the power they have. You have arguably the most important person from arguably the most important faction of all humanity so he kinda gets to do whatever he wants.

[@DracoMaverick]

I like to think he had a road block when trying to make the Primaris and just salvage from Corax's Raptor Project.

[@danielmclellan1522]

My headcanon is that his memory of being involved in creating the Astartes is the result of installing the memories of that OG geneticist that was mentioned, and those memories overlapping with Cawl's own memories of being part of the Raptor project. Hence the project of creating new Primaris being easy, much like creating the Raptors, but upgrading existing Astartes being something that he was technically still trying to work the flaws out of even when Guilliman came back and said "so what have you been doing this whole time?"

[@DarthSmirnoff]

Belisarius Cawl invented the Cheesy Gordita Crunch. He deserves Sainthood, not charges of heresy.

[@legionaireb]

Yes, but where does he stand on the issue of Taco Friday?

[@thomaspurol9322]

He doesn’t eat like we do, nor can he even taste

[@Deridus]

His heresy probably has him doing Taco Friday on thursday...

[@jorgnocke991]

Great video thank you so much please keep up your amazing works stay safe and have a wonderful and blessed day thank you

[@davidmalkin4241]

Been a massive fan of your channel for years, always fantastic content that makes me think about 40k my passion. Thank you so much for your great content and more to come.

[@trajanfidelis1532]

Cawl's biggest heresy? Innovation. Hydra Dominatus.

[@shazbo7]

I was expecting this to be a few hours longer

[@ts25679]

Are we sure the personality inside of Cawl is the bodies original? Any chance the original was wiped and an A.I mind installed after?

[@scout360pyroz]

He isn't fully machine. Its a BIG nono to fully become a machine, particularly in the brain, I think. Enhancement and expansion, even manipulation is ok, but it must be HUMAN under it all. Cawl messes with his memories in order to free up space for what he thinks is most important.

[@e2rqey]

Calling Cawl him a "divisive" figure is both an understatement and a great pun 😅

[@fixedG]

What Cawl is is a useful narrative device. In an Imperium and indeed a whole galaxy identified by its stagnation and never-ending struggle merely to survive, with progress impossible, Cawl represents a way to change things and introduce new things. And the ground is still fertile for new narrative directions in the same direction in service to the Imperium, a turn to Chaos as a champion or even successor to Vashtorr, or even a third way pursuing his own goals like a "good" (or otherwise similar) reflection of Fabius Bile.

[@friskydingo9024]

Cawls one of my favorite characters in the 40k verse. I play Blood Angels on the table top and if a Mechanicus army wasn't so red I'd start collecting them as well.

[@brendanmcbride6292]

Me too! Im the same.🩸

[@LutherMahoney]

Does Vashtor get a buff if Cawl creates something? Isn't Vashtor a Chaos entitiy who gets his power from Invention?

[@40KTheories]

I don't think that's how it works when it comes from Vashtor, since to my knowledge he's an embodiment of the Forge of Souls.

[@brotherhoodofsteel4751]

It's because he has over 5 million power in rise of Kingdoms.

[@professorsponge1554]

Considering the gods of chaos were able to interfere with the freakin primarch project, it bothers me that they only decided to react AFTER cawl started to bus out his special snowflake marine out to the chapters. khorne himself thought the primaris were a danger that he got off his skull throne and killed an entire chapter's worth of primaris. But their creation? nah. he sat back and let cawl do this.

[@Mathis37]

It's possible that the interference with the Primarch Project was setup by the Emperor's need to learn/get power from chaos (during his trip to Molech) in order to complete, or at least speed up, the development of the Primarchs. Cawl was able to avoid drawing that same attention because he worked slowly and quietly.

[@Matt-md5yt]

I am glad you covered Crawl.

[@christopherg2347]

"There is no innocence - only degrees of guilt." - Inquisition saying. While there is a prohibition of innovation, several innovations (no STC origin) are in use. While there is a prohibition of AI, the titans machine spirits border on or are outright AI. So he is probably a "tollerated fringe case, that could start another scism".

[@Kissom-jn5qb]

Saw the title and was surprised it was not an hour long first part of a fourteen chapter series.

[@Avenday2013]

Do you know what Belisarius Cawl would be called if he had a dinosaur skull as a head? Belisaurus Cawl! ...No, Im am not going anywhere, I'm unashamed.

[@oldeskul]

I think Cawl hasn't done anything...or been caught doing anything that can be called tech heresy, yet.

[@guyver441]

A successful and effective Heretek. As with anything the difference between being praised and being punished for an action lays with how useful and beneficial one is.

[@mandroid-rb4uy]

hello 40KTheories Belisarius Cawl a Visionary a genius and Heretech Extraordinaire!!!

[@ashslaa]

Maybe and it's a stretch, the inquisition that monitor the Mechanicus, I forget it's name. Is shielding him? Since his creations are benifiting the defence of imperium as a whole, that and the knowledge he possess is to valuable to loose?

[@malaltherenegadegod]

Don't fool yourselves! Cawl is a broken toaster from Hell. Remember, the guy's (or guys'?) mind and identity left me wondering if even Games Workshop knows who Cawl really still is. But honestly I would say he is more like my favorite namesake, Malal or Malice. He may not be good overall, maybe even be a heretek. But, he kills Chaos...just don't get in the way. You could die too! Yes. Like the Mechanicum version of Malal.

[@Overanalyse_This]

So this is not really relevant to this video aside from it being the same setting but something you said got me thinking about what I would have done differently as the Emperor given what we know. In no particular order: 1. Been nicer to Angron. I would have helped him and his warriors when I discovered him. I would have tried to ease the pain caused by the Nails. I know E couldn't remove them but he could have done SOMETHING! 2. Been nicer to Perturabo and let him do some of the cool construction projects. 3. Told the Primarchs about the threat of Chaos and that this is a secret that must be kept at this level. 4. With the Edict of Nikea, I would have said that Magnus is the only one allowed to study the Warp with the hope of him finding a way to fight it. He would have to live me though si I can keep an eye on him. 5. Made the Lion the Warmaster and appointed either Sanguinius or Horus/Robute as his deputy. 6. Been kinder to Lorgar. I'd have told him that he has discovered my divinity but it is not yet the time to reveal it to the galaxy. However, when the time does come, he would be the one to spread the news. What do you guys think? This probably addresses most of the major problems the Imperium faces into the 40th millennium. I'm sure that there would be a whole new set of issues though.

[@tontonkenshiro981]

it surprised me that nobody thought that Cawl could be someone that receive the Illumination of the Machine God in the point of view of the Marsian Schism. The guy received direct orders from the Omnissiah and His son, dedicate ten thousand years of research and experiment to achieved His goal, help at the ressurection of The Avenging Son. Belisarius is technically "blessed" so he got more freedom

[@orestislazanakis4960]

"Cawl" is gw's magic password for all *their* innovations.

[@rottenmeat5934]

The idea the Mechanicus never innovates is strongly undermined by every Mechanicus story being driven by the use of some exotic technology like ironstriders or the siege of Badab.

[@neanderthal-]

Belisarius Cawl is totally loyal to the Emperor, perhaps not that loyal, to what the Imperium have become. Cawl saw the Imperium slowly die, and it's enemies get stronger, with new enemies like the Tyranids and Necros new factors, since the Emperor lived. He will break the rules to be sure mankind will survive. I Believe Belisarius Cawl will save the Imperium, somehow be a part of handling a replacement for the Astronomican as we know it, and make it possible for the Emperor to finally be replaced from the golden Throne and finally die (and resurrect?).

[@tristanband4003]

Or at least peacefully pass.

[@n.s.mcmahon6180]

Cawl is also a friggin' Dark Souls boss. Sure they could try to put him on trial, and even succeed in doing so, but who knows what Cawl could do if backed into a corner. It would probably be a bit of a risk for the Martian Priesthood to square off with a 10,000-year-old machine monster that knows where they live.

[@NetMoverSitan]

1:05 - (monotone) All hail Big Papa Ultrasmurf. Abominable intelligence! Naughty!

[@neanderthal-]

Belisarius Cawl could have knowledge about the two lost Astartes Legions....... perhaps his largest crime is having geneseed from the two lost legions, somewhere in his most secret hiding place.

[@OgamiClan]

Oh wow…..The intro changed. Awesome sauce.

[@40KTheories]

Has done so for about 3 months of so hehe :)

[@MeepChangeling]

Its also possible that Cawl is simply seen as a CONDUITE TO THE OMNISIAH as is his title, and thus anything he makes is really the omnisiah's will.

[@thegeneralscall]

10:05 Because GW doesn't want to deal with the conflicts in lore he creates.

[@arcdecibel9986]

The only heresy here is that Cawl saw fit to furnish the Ultrasmurfs with all sorts of badass new gear while the rest of the Mechanicus has a C-tier army list full of ancient junk we can barely maintain. The brother needs to open up some apprenticeships or something.

[@daniell1483]

Cawl is definitely one of the most interesting characters in the Verse since Guilliman returned. No way he is the only progressive Magus, so he represents almost a sub-faction of the Mechanicus. As long as he puts his talents to service of the Imperium, I'm glad to see where his story goes.

[@M0U53B41T]

The whole Cawl thing is just like the original inclusion of Mars in the Imperium with as much freedom and power as it had - simple, pragmatic expedience.

[@kharnthebetrayer1575]

When finding the STC for a steel blade …. Wins you the Grim Dark lottery!!!

[@simonberry4357]

"Indeed the wealth of information, that can be drawn from cawls mind is so vast that icn be discribed as-" A plot device

[@Hawkens4k]

from the sounds of things, hes a necessary person, cause folks do need new gear... now only if he can make something for imperial guard to survive better.

[@Audiotrocious]

Remember in Battlefleet Gothic 2 he calculates if killing the command staff would increase his mission success rate.

[@theone-tg4ey]

Restore all perfectly as it was. And remove enemy that wont leave well enough alone

[@akumaking1]

The book “Genefather” confirms a lot of tech heresy for Cawl. And the fact he has a female Necron Cryptek as a prisoner.

[@L0CKD0WN34]

The heresies of Belesarius 1. He wakes up every morning

[@scrotusmaximus3043]

No one who messes with the emperor's works is to be trusted, especially a mechanicus. It's only a mutually beneficial alliance, the ad mech will feast on the corpse of the Imperium as sure as the Tyranids or Great Enemy.

[@MrGregory777]

Look Cawl does great work. How he does it should not be scrutinized

[@fedupN]

AdMech tolerates him for several factors: 1st is that AdMech is a hive of competing forge fiefdoms jealously guarding their power and secrets. Forming a unified power block is hard, especially when you can get shiny things from Cawls success. 2nd is what you touched on. He gets stuff done, handwaves it enough to skirt the edge of heresy, and has massive backing from Gulliman. 3rd is that they HAVE killed him a few times. It just didnt stick. Bascially a ton of allegories to real geo political shifts in post constantine Europe with Catholic church having its dust ups, schisms, corruptions, and a few changes in who ran the show. No one said a damn thing if they didnt have the power to do so or it if they benefitted from it. Donation of Constantine, for example.

[@timothylyons5686]

There are other rumors that it wasn't Belesarius Cawl but Kevin Rowntree.

[@matthewkemp594]

Cawl has plot armor because GW needs someone to invent new models they can sell.

[@robertnelson9599]

Cawl's experiments are only heresy because the Mechanicus refuses to accept them. Although I wish his character existed in the lore before 8th edition.

[@TheRealCartman1]

Is there Mechanicus who operate outside of Mars control but are not Dark Mechanicus? Could someone like Cawl be deemed a heretic by Mars but allowed to continue to operate?

[@Dsan805]

What if belisarius cawl was betrayed by Guilliman and trapped in the warp?

[@maeton-gaming]

he'd find a way out

[@tristanband4003]

​@@maeton-gamingmight not even be that mad.

[@Malkieification]

Yeah alright you had me at the title there :P I'll have to watch this, but must say in all my reading he's only a traitor because everyone forgot how to think beyond the past. Which is amusingly stated all to often. Edit: the book about him is also really freaking good. Wasn't expecting any of it.

[@npotufsstrugas6390]

"hair attack"

[@mikeylejan8849]

Cawl is the saviour of the Imperium. The Mechanicus needs to change immediately.

[@changer_of_ways_999]

I primarily read the Great Work novel for lore reasons but ended up really liking Cawl as a character. He came off to me as one of the good ones, if not one of the most reasonable characters in the setting. He's honestly working as hard as he can for the good of the Imperium but hamstrung by political issues and dogma at every turn. He takes big risks, however, and reminds me a lot of Ahriman in being incredibly proficient and pushes his extensive limits to dangerous heights in order to achieve his goals. While incredibly well intentioned, there's a reason why tech Heresy can be a concern because if at any point Cawl finally fails, it could lead to severe devastation. He especially plays it fast and loose with xenos tech and faces off with trying to best Necrons which is an especially dangerous game. I still can't bring myself to get his model. It's intentionally visually messy and I just don't like him as a character visually.

[@ThomasFishwick]

So, If I'm understanding this correctly it's suggested that Cawl effectively kit-bashes STC's? Discovering and researching them before stitching them together to 'create' new technologies? That sounds PERFECTLY like Cawl! Also, I don't buy the Cawl Inferior being AI. At least not true AI. I suspect that a copy of Cawl, or in some manner aspects of him, lives (for lack of a better term) deep within. Allowing Crawl the ability to be both close to Robute and at the same time continue his research in the field. Should Cawl Prime die in some way the Inferior can then still survive and enact his will (which I think also explains the memory "Wipes" as well)

[@TheMasaoL]

How do I know it's heresy? Because it's Cawl. Every time he breathes there's heresy about.

[@nunyabusiness7018]

cool

[@jjsheets330]

Belisarius Cawl is one of the greatest hero’s of the Imperium and to say otherwise his heretical.

[@1noduncle]

This box communique has been deemed dangerous and heretical. Only the mechanicus can get away with shit like this. Really got the high lords by the short n curlies

[@yvindblff5628]

Plot twist: Cawl Inferior is not an AI. BUT BELISARIUS CAWL IS. His body being operated on remote control by a surviving non-rebel AI still working to serve mankind. Plot twist #2: This is not unique to Belisarius. Every senior cleric is just a puppet, in the same manner, just going through the priestly motions.

[@MrJara1018]

Cawl has repository’s of doomsday weapons and exotic weapons on galactic scale . No one is going to do anything to him because he is too powerful, thank goodness he is on Imperiums side.

[@gp-1542]

Given the current situation of the galaxy I think he thinks certain “”“actions””” Are warranted

[@mikewaterfield3599]

How much time do we have? The guy is a walking McGuffin

[@bgcvetan]

Heresy? No menial he has the clearance, therefore he can do more than you.

[@dstubby82]

4:16. Yes. Also, yes. 😁

[@dlastkatipunero2185]

Much like AI art -they will fall in line Addendum: It is so nice that folks started helping 7% of the art world when AI art came up rather than 0. 1% during the last few decades XD

[@Inquisitormateo]

As a device repair tech, Cawl is my spirit animal. Be so good at tech that the government doesn't even bother to poke around your taxes, and so very good that you befriend the son of god. #HeretekGoals

[@ExploratorNerfy]

He's a heretek but a damn good one