Editing Sable Swords (section)

==Canon Conflict==
Although some sources state that the Sable Swords were founded in 926.M41 (like the Codex Space Marines 5th ed), the Sable Swords also are referenced in M32 during the slaying of the tyrant [[The Beheading|Drakan Vangorich]] (WH 40k 5th Edition Rulebook). <s>There are various theories attempting to explain why this Canon Conflict exists, the most likely of which are</s> (now explained, see below):

#There have been two chapters with the name "Sable Swords" (yes)
#[[Administratum|The Imperium's record keeping is shit]] (Definitely yes)
#Games Workshop is incompetent and can't keep track of its own damn canon (yes)

An online reviewer notes that [[Graham McNeill]] has explained the canon conflict in ''Obsidian'' (short story from the anthology ''Space Marines: Angels of Death''). The Sable Swords of M41 are indeed the second chapter to bear that name.

GW seems to have attempted to retcon continuity errors, which also plague the [[Star Phantoms]]. Said to have been founded during the Sentinel Founding in M38 (according to [[Forge World]]'s [[Imperial Armour]] and GW's Space Marines 5th ed), the Star Phantoms nevertheless appear in [[Black Library]] fiction about the [[Flesh Tearers]] set in M31.

Interestingly, the [[FFG]] Deathwatch RPG mentions that the [[Fire Angels]] were founded in M40 (''Honour the Chapter'' supplement), but apparently not the first chapter to bear that name or their heraldry. Since both the name and heraldry are reused, it is possible that the Imperium honours certain lost chapters by maintaining their symbols and traditions etc. The original Sable Swords did help take down Vangorich. The chapter master Qublicus Amar personally led the Sable Swords contingent, and originally in command of the Astartes strike force before falling in battle.

That the second Sable Swords could have been a nod to the original might be possibly confirmed in ''Obsidian'', but the online reviewer does not give the specifics, and the anthology is not worth getting just to verify lore that should have been made damn well obvious to begin with in the core fluff pieces.

That bitching about GW neglecting less well-known chapters, making them difficult to research? Totally justified. Apparently, McNeill wrote ''Obsidian'' as a bonus for the anthology release of stories originally appearing on the program of the 'Space Marine assault on Games Day UK 2013'. Obviously, not everyone is going to buy every piece of lore, and GW would have done well to have the canon conflict clarified in a more prominent source. Even the Black Library authors seem (possibly) to have had difficulty reconciling the canon conflicts. In the Beast Arises novel ''The Beheading'' (2016), Guy Haley seems to have followed the 5th ed Rulebook in making Sable Swords a Fourth Founding (M32) chapter that helped take down Vangorich. Meanwhile, McNeill had published ''Obsidian'' in 2013 ([[Rage|!!!!!!!!!!!]]).

To be fair, another interpretation of the ambiguity might be a retrospective attempt to [[Just as planned|play]] the continuity errors as a deliberate trope about the Imperium's shitty record keeping and lost histories (as listed above as a possibility). For example, the Sable Swords also took over the heraldry of the [[Astral Knights]], and it might be presumed the Imperium is not actually aware that the name itself has been in use before (perhaps the records were lost during the [[Age of Apostasy]]?). Yet against this, there is the fact that BOTH the heraldry and the name of the original Fire Angels survived to be reused, suggesting that the Imperium has successfully kept records of lost chapters. In addition, the online review of ''Obsidian'' seems to suggest that the re-use of the Sable Swords name is known in-universe.

<s>So until someone forks out $25 dollars for the anthology and confirms, the situation likely seems to have been that</s> Well, got the clarification. See the very end of this page:
#Originally, GW couldn't keep track of its own damn canon.
#Someone finally noticed, and McNeill was tasked with providing a respectable recton of the mistake in ''Obsidian''.
# The Imperium <s>(probably)</s> honours lost chapters by reusing their name and heraldry (e.g. the Astral Knights heraldry and the Sable Swords name for the second Sable Swords) OR (less likely) the canon conflicts were rectonned as a trope about the Imperium's shitty record keeping and lost histories.
#GW's [[fail]] means that not even its authors (Guy Haley) for the Black Library are up-to-date with the lore and followed one of the contradictory sources OR Haley was aware and decided to name drop the original Sable Swords as a participant in one of the most infamous events in Imperial history (a context for their illustrious memory).
# Ultimately the confusion stems from the fact that very few people seem to have read ''Obsidian'' (hilariously, the hardback cover for the anthology proudly mentions "Only 1500 copies printed worldwide".

The ambiguity might be welcome to some who prefer a sandbox, but not necessarily grounds for plausible speculations (even in that hazy everything-is-canon sort of way). For example, it is quite possible that the canon conflict for the [[Star Phantoms]] (see their page) is just GW's inability to maintain their canon across a wide range of divisions and materials. Nevertheless, based on in-universe speculations about the Star Phantoms being a possible Dark Angels successor chapter (otherwise unknown geneseed), there are theories that the Phantoms were, in fact, founded during the Second Founding in M31 and <s>their 'official founding' date is [[Dark Angels]] up to their usual shenanigans</s> {{Blam}} WHAT SHENANIGANS??? THE DARK ANGELS ARE THE LOYALEST AND MOST DUTIFUL CHAPTER.

Ahem, if someone who has access to ''Obsidian'' can just confirm whats up, that would be great. FOR EXAMPLE THAT THERE ARE CHAPTERS NAMED IN HONOUR OF LOST CHAPTERS MAKING IT UNLIKELY THAT STAR PHANTOMS ARE OF THE DARK ANGELS LINE AND THAT THERE ARE NO DARK ANGELS SHENANIGANS.

PS - THIS UPDATE IS NOT TO BE CONNECTED IN ANY WAY WITH THE STAR PHANTOMS WHO ARE NOT OF THE DARK ANGELS LINE AND WHO ARE BUSY CRUSADING AGAINST THE ENEMIES OF THE IMPERIUM! THE EMPEROR PROTECTS!

Okay - Finally managed to clarify what exactly happens in ''Obsidian''. The online reviewer seems to have a bit too effusive about the 'clarification' of the canon conflict. It is an ''interpretation'' (admittedly, justifiable ) based on some vague monologues (of course, we all are guilty of this). What McNeill actually says is that the Sable Swords were not the first chapter to bear the twin-crossed swords heraldry: "a badge of honour that was yet new and felt ancient at the same time. They were not the first to bear this device, but they would do it honour."

So, no outright clarification that the Sable Swords name had been named in honour of an earlier chapter with said name. There are two possible ways of reading all this:

# The Sable Swords twin-crossed swords are an inverted ''version'' of the Astral Knights twin-crossed swords heraldry, making the latter the 'first chapter' to bear that symbol. GW, McNeill, Haley, EVERYONE, remain ignorant of the damn canon conflict.
# The Sable Swords twin-crossed swords are inverted and thus ''different'' from the Astral Knights twin-crossed swords. Ergo, the Sable Swords bear the symbol of another chapter with an original inverted twin-crossed swords.

As you can see, it is probably a case of GW canon [[fail]]. Lorewise, the situation ends up as a case of [[your dudes]]. You can opt for 
# [[Administratum|Shitty record keeping]]. [[Grimdark|Eternal obscurity]] for the original chapter, for all their services to the Emperor and the Imperium.
# The Imperium [[noblebright|honours]] certain lost chapters by reissuing their names and or heraldry (fellow Astartes did honour the memory of the Astral Knights).

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