Editing Space Wolves (section)

==A Quick Word Out of Character==
The true reason for all this, is that, we at /tg/, in our pathetic, low-reaching mastery of comedy, have seen how idiotic it is that every goddamn Space Wolf codex unnecessarily uses the word "wolf" as a prefix or a suffix every 3rd sentence (similar to the [[Robin Cruddace|Tyranid codex]] shoe-horning the prefix ''bio-'' into every 3rd sentence). Since /tg/ is an easily angered monster, not unlike an [[Angry Marine]], we furiously attempt to link Space Wolves to furries (it's really fucking annoying), as we are as fucked up as [[Chaos Pretty Marines]].

It has been established in the ''[[Horus Heresy]]'' series that the VI Legion doesn't employ the word "wolf" as much as they appear to do. Wolves are readily apparent in their motifs, such as Leman Russ's titles as "Wolf-King" and "Great Wolf," as well as in the formal name of the Wolf Guard, but it's not as overblown as it's made out to be. Apparently, whoever did the Fenrisian-to-Gothic translation made a few errors. First off, they don't call themselves "the Space Wolves." When speaking formally, they refer to themselves as the ''Vlka Fenryka'', which we can look at a few ways. "Fenris" is easy, a reference to Fenrir from Norse mythology. "Vlka" has a couple options; if you walk it backwards through the Germanic ''Volk'' you get "Folk of Fenris". This supports a common theory on 1d4chan where a bunch of colonists landed on a planet, bred giant dogs from their great, great, grand-children (more on that in a minute) then thought, "You know what's better than planet Unicorn? Planet fucking Fenris". So the the ''Vlka Fenryka'' are literally the folk of Fenris. Alternately ''Vlka'' can be translated from Slavic to get the "Wolves of Fenris" again.

No matter what you conclude on, you get Dan Abnett using linguistics to reinforce his theme that the Space Wolves are misunderstood by the rest of the Imperium - calling the Space Wolves because of a mistranslated word. One could even argue they are actually called "Space People", would make sense since Ragnar referred to them as "Star warriors" in the William King novels and their Fenrisian ''Kaerl'' auxiliaries call them "sky warriors," but the lore from these novels has been left by the wayside so take that as you will. When speaking informally, they refer to themselves as "the Rout", solidifying their purpose as the Emperor's executioners (self-proclaimed)/snowflakes. Additionally, the post of "Wolf-Lord" is also a mistranslation, as they refer to their Company commanders as ''Jarl''. Finally, they don't call their fortress-monastery the Fang, but rather the ''Aett'', which can be literally translated as "clan home." There's also this in-universe [[meme]] "there are no wolves on Fenris." At all. This was started by one of the primarchs remarking that they should be called xenos, because they're natives of an alien planet, and it quickly morphed into a joke. As it turns out, this is literally true.

With regards to the [[Fenrisian Wolf|Fenrisian wolves]], the origin a little more freaky than expected: they're not wolves, but descendants of human-wolf mutants. Back when Fenris was first settled, the colonists had the ''Canis helix'' added to help them adapt to the harsh environment by adding wolf genes to their genetic-makeup. Unfortunately, it worked a little too well--the ''canix helix'' caused a number of settlers to degrade into wolfmen and wolfwomen. Following this, they bred and produced a new strain of wolf into the environment. So there are no ''wolves'' on Fenris. They're just the descendants of human mutants. Which might explain why, post-Heresy, only Fenrisians can become Space Wolves (assuming that's why the successor chapters couldn't handle Russ' gene seed).

So yes, naming the planet after the wolves means we really do just end up all the way back at Wolves of Wolves after all. Whelp.

Of course, that means that the Space Wolves are wearing pelts made of [[Fabius Bile|human skin]], but lets not dwell on that - after all it's fairly common in the Imperium to wear human skulls... WolfyWolfWolf {{BLAM|''' *BLAM*}}.

===The Wulfen issue aka "Fucking Furries"===
The blatant author favouritism annoys fans of the other chapters with "Dark Secrets". GW's treatment of the Wulfen makes it effortless for fans of other chapters to hurl [[Mary Sue]] accusations at them, unlike the [[Blood Angels]] and [[Dark Angels]]. The Wulfen are now out in the open; once they were exposed they get little (arguably no) punishment while the Inquisition and Grey Knights just "kept one eye open" (other eye still being swollen from [[Armageddon#First_War_for_Armageddon|the last time]]). The aforementioned chapters on the other hand have to keep their secrets from being found out by the Inquisition and the Imperium at large.

Despite the fact that Fallen Angels were paraded around on Terra, many would assume they were [[Ravenwing]] without their fancy bikes. While any claims of Dark Angels being the real traitors from the Fallen would have [[Guilliman]] retort back that they are full of shit (with more and longer words), as he knew exactly what The First was up to during the Horus Heresy with the exception the events that caused the destruction of Caliban. Of course, the Unforgiven would also be pissed if they found out if one of the predecessors of the Grey Knights killed a Dark Angel and were part of the reason their homeworld was destroyed and would demand censure.

The Blood Angels on the other hand have an infection similar to the Wulfen without mutating into some kind of half-human man-beast. The [[Red Thirst]]. The Blood Angels and their successors organize the afflicted into [[Death Company|Death Companies]] who are lead by their Chaplains into killing Xenos and foul traitors. If they somehow survive the mutated Blood Angels are {{BLAM}}ed or locked away until the next battle.

Both chapters send their traitors/mutants into battle to be used as cannon fodder. A much more grimdark action that would be in character for Space Marines. [[White Scars|They wouldn't be the only]] [[Raven Guard|chapters to have done this either.]] Instead of treating mutants as fellow warriors. Inserting noble bright into the setting where it doesn't belong. The same reasons that so many players also hated the Tau until GW retconned them into being more grimdark.

Making this all the more strange. In all likelihood [[Guilliman]] himself wouldn't see a problem with using mutated Space Marines as cannon fodder. Because he did so himself when he created the [[Moritat]]s after combat exercises with the [[Raven Guard]]. So chances are he would side with the other two former [[Imperium Secundus]] Legions. [[Ogryn|Due to not only favoritism but he and the rest of the Imperium at large would find it strange that the Space Wolves do not]].

If [[Guilliman]] ever found out about all three. He would most likely order [[The Fallen]] and [[Wulfen]] organized into [[Death Company|Death Companies]] style formations as well. Something that the Dark Angels are more or less doing already. This would just make it official. The Space Wolves would look like the bad guys if they objected, putting them in a tough spot.

=== Why people hate the Space Wolves, tldr version ===
One user on reddit summed it up with this. (fixed for grammar somewhat)

"The Space Wolves remind me of a 13 year old’s first D&D character: very cool, special, powerful barbarian hero who is morally flawless but doesn't listen to authority and always does the right thing but don't you dare cross them. They get away with shit because they're so special and the rules don't apply to them, guys. They got to wage war on the Inquisition with a slap on the wrist, while the Celestial Lions were slaughtered for merely questioning the morals of the Inquisition. [[Mary Sue|They get a free pass on mutation in a setting where that gets chapters purged.]] They drink and party while other chapters lose hundreds of brothers on meaningless, forgotten battlegrounds. They aren't even Vikings! The White Scars are Space Mongols. The Black Templars are Space Teutons. [[Ultramarines|There are Space Rome]]. [[Thousand Sons|Space Egypt]]. [[Raven Guard|Space Iroquois]]. But Vikings? No. They don't raid. They don't pillage. They don't terrorize. They don't explore, chart, map, and push boundaries. [[Mary Sue|They just fuck around, being special, unique perfect little dudes who don't suffer in GrimDarkness.]]

They exist in the wrong game."

So basically Space Wolves now have the same problem as the Tau did a few editions back.

===In defence of the Space Furries===
Part of the problem with how the Wolves are seen by a lot of people in the community was created by how they were presented in older fluff.

As already stated GW really, REALLY overdid it in the past with the wolf theme (the Murderfang and Canis Wolfborn are clear examples), forgetting that the Wolves were supposed to be cool space vikings rather than a bunch of furries with more wolves than you could shake a choppa at. Their incredibly bipolar characterisation didn't really help; in one book they were noble warriors that sacrificed everything to protect those that couldn't defend themselves, and in another they were mindless savages with a thirst for blood to make a Bloodthirster pop a boner.

But recent Black Library stuff helped patch things up: in the Leman Russ book of the Primarchs novel series we actually get a pretty big hint on what tempered the Wolves more brutal side; sometimes in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy, Russ is shown speaking with the Emperor in a dream of sort, where the Wolf King asks his father's forgiveness for not having been there to save him, to which the Big-E simply reply by telling Russ that he had never been intended to protect Him, but rather what He had created.

This, and a conversation Russ has with one of his sons later on, is the usual not so subtle way of GW of telling us that what Russ himself did in the years before disappearing was working hard to set his Legion/Chapter on the path the Emperor wanted them and making sure that they became the defenders of the Imperium they were always meant to be.

Sure, it's the usual retcon operation on GW's part, but for once it is a pretty good one that adds even more depth to an already cool Chapter and helps getting rid of previous inconsistencies in the fluff.

Another point to consider when comparing the Wolves seeming status as "special kids" with other Chapters like the aforementioned Dark Angels and Blood Angels is the following: they're far from being the only Astartes Chapters to disregard or outright kick in the balls the Inquisition.

A quick example? The Dark Angels threatening to open fire upon a Black Templars' ship after the latter had managed to capture and imprison Cypher (again, the Black Templars GET. SHIT. DONE.), despite the Templars' extremely close ties with the Inquisition, (since, you know, they act as the part of the FUCKING ARMED WING OF THE ORDO HERETICUS). Yet, the Inquisition did not retaliate in any way and let the Angels of Caliban get away with this without any repercussion whatsoever. This is on top of the Dark Angels getting away with their "totally not a legion" shtick, despite the Inquisition coming down hard on [[Astral Claws|other chapters]] for doing so, or all the times they've run off in the middle of critical battles (causing excessive casualties among allies) to pursue their own objectives.

In the Blood Angels case, their "fluff shield" from the Inquisition is more of a passive thing: Sanguinius is arguably the single most beloved Primarch in the eyes of the 41st Millennium Imperium's common population, so the Inquisition can't really move against them without heavily pissing off the common population and the Ecclesiarchy (since he's one of their most important Saints). And that's not even taking into account the way that almost every BA successor (possibly including other Astartes Chapters with alliances/honour debts) would immediately flip out against them, resulting in a bloody civil war that would eventually resolve with the Inquisition getting cyclonic torpedoes up their asses; in the end, it's a lot of work for little gain.

This isn't limited to the above two, either. The Iron Hands got away with straight-up treason and fully a third of their leadership (plus however many regular brothers turned out to be corrupted) falling to Chaos, despite the Imperium having repeatedly screwed over or excommunicated Chapters for far less. The Black Templars have gotten away with one of their crusades out-and-out [https://www.reddit.com/r/40kLore/comments/uhi3ah/holy_shit_the_black_templars_spoilers_for_throne/ MURDERING FUCKING CUSTODES and the Primaris Marines they brought as a gift], [[Heresy|''directly defying the Emperor's will in doing so''.]] The Cursed Founding Chapters, despite several being mutated and all but stated to be from traitor stock, are still around despite the Inquisition booting Chapters for less severe stuff than that.

And even then, crucially, the Space Wolves ''don't come out unscathed'' when they clash with the Inquisition. Their most cited "Fuck you, Inquisition!" moment ended with the Fang being damaged, the Wolves fleet and manpower getting a kick in the balls, and the Inquisition actively researching methods of bringing them to heel, like tampering with their gene-seed and striking against them when the Chapter is too weak to resist. Warzone Fenris ended with their dark secret being revealed to the wider galaxy, their sole recruiting source being badly fucked up, and most of their homeworld's population being purged by order of the big =][= - all with the Wolves unable to do anything about it.

Furthermore, if one thinks about it, the Space Wolves extreme degree of independence and complete disregard of other imperial authorities completely makes sense, especially if one considers what was said before about Russ realizing the true purpose of his sons: out of all the loyalist Primarchs left at the end of the Horus Heresy, Russ was the one that stuck around the longest (yes, Vulkan was last seen in the 32nd Millennium, but he had left his Legion even before the end of the Heresy and left the Salamanders to their own devices for almost a thousand years, before reappearing for the War of the Beast), almost 200 years in which he properly instructed his sons to do everything in their power to keep the Imperium and its people safe, because THAT was the E-money's wish, so it only makes sense that they would tell an organization of questionable morality and purpose that throughout the millennia had seemed more interested in keeping their powers and privileges than in protecting the Imperium out of a sense of duty and that arbitrarily had BILLIONS shot, murdered and/or Exterminatus'd without anyone to actually control their actions to just go fuck themselves.

Sure, the Wolves are flawed as fuck, stubborn, hard-headed sons of a bitch, that would fight literally anything and everything to do what they think it's right, but that's more than likely what draws so many people to them in the first place and it is probably what basically makes them the most "human" out of all the Astartes, if not of the whole rundown shithole that is Warhammer 40000.

=== A Primaris Marine calls the Wolves out on their bullshit ===

In ''Dawn of Fire: The Wolftime'', Logan is a dick to Guilliman and refuses to take reinforcements even after the furries got their assed kicked by [[Orks]]. One of the Unnumbered Sons promptly tells the Wolves that they're full of shit right to their hobo-stubbled faces, in a pretty [[awesome]] "You suck!" speech.

"You’re all vain, empty beasts. You talk of honour, of accounting the dead, of glory in battle but you are just inbred hounds rolling in the filth. You would all be ork-dead by now, if not for me and my brothers, but that’s not enough. [[Grimdark|I could bleed my last drop of blood for you, watch it freeze on your Emperor-abandoned drop-hole of a world and still you would not call me a Wolf of Fenris.]] [...]

You are nothing to the Rout of old," snarled Gaius. "A spent force, throwing yourselves at your enemies, shouting empty cries, bleating like sheep about Russ returning at the end. He would be shamed to see what had become of his sons! [..]

There is nothing special about you or your world. [[Belisarius Cawl|Cawl]] took apart what makes a Space Marine and put the pieces together again in something better. Primaris. Me. The Firstwolves. He found no Fenrisian magic dust, no sprinkles of wyrd. The Test of Morkai is just a barbaric ritual intended to massively elevate physiological responses to trigger gene-seed adoption. There’s nothing spiritual about it."