Aeonid Thiel

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Aeonid Thiel
ThielArt.jpg

Aeonid Thiel[7]

Title(s) The Red-Marked
Born c. M30
Active Period M30 - ???
Species Human
Type Astartes
Gender Male
Relatives
Occupation(s)
Affiliation(s)

Aeonid Thiel was a Sergeant of the Ultramarines 13th Chapter, 135th Company, who distinguished himself during the Battle of Calth for his adaptability and unorthodox thinking.[1a]

Biography

Battle of Calth

Spoiler!
The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: Know No Fear (Novel)

It was customary for the Ultramarines to develop "theoreticals" for both personal and tactical combat, against all manner of xenos or human foes. Thiel, however, was marked for censure by his superiors for theorizing combats between Space Marines. His superiors felt that this scenario was both impossible and bordering on treasonous, but Thiel defended his reasoning, saying that Space Marines were the galaxy's most formidable warriors, and it was good sense to analyze their strengths and weaknesses as thoroughly as any other opponents'.[1d]

Thiel's superiors were not convinced, and he was sent to the flagship Macragge's Honour to be rebuked by Chapter Master Antoli, and possibly by Primarch Guilliman himself. While waiting for his superiors, he decided he was already in as much trouble as he could be, and spent his time practicing with the exotic melee weapons from Guilliman's private collection.[1b][1c] When the Word Bearers unleashed their traitorous attack, the Macragge's Honour was invaded by a horde of daemons summoned from the Warp. Thiel quickly discovered that the daemons were more vulnerable to fire and melee weapons than traditional firearms. He fought his way to the bridge, where he saved Chapter Master Marius Gage's life from another daemon.[1d]

Thiel explained to Gage his thesis that, in a battle between former brothers, the Ultramarines' greatest weakness was their predictability, while the Word Bearers' greatest advantage was the shock of their betrayal; the only way for the Ultramarines to regain the initiative would be to dispense with both - using unorthodox tactics and strategy and wage war against their former brethren with all ferocity. Gage quickly approved of Thiel's logic, and detailed him to lead the parties of Ultramarines to scour the remaining daemons from the ship.[1d]

Thiel was later one of the party of fifty Ultramarines who accompanied Guilliman aboard the orbital weapons platform occupied by Kor Phaeron and his elite guard, the Gal Vorbak.[1f] Thiel fought bravely, but was unable to prevent Kor Phaeron escaping.[1g][1h] Thiel would later return to Calth as part of a relief effort and spent many years fighting the Word Bearers.[3]

Sergeant Thiel on the surface of Calth.

Imposter Thiel

Spoiler!
The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: Unremembered Empire (Novel)

Later, Thiel sought an audience with Guilliman, hoping to brief him on the situation on Calth. Guilliman eagerly agreed, for he valued Thiel's honesty and directly-to-the-point attitude. During their audience, Thiel asked if Guilliman would mind meeting his squad, all 'orphans' from previously destroyed squads on Calth who had banded together under Thiel. Again, Guilliman agreed.[4a] This would almost cost the Primarch his life as Thiel and his men revealed themselves to be Alpha Legion assassins and shot Guilliman at point blank range with their bolters, though the Primarch managed to kill all of them before collapsing.[4a][4b]

Red-marked

Spoiler!
The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: Stratagem (Audio Drama)
Spoiler!
The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: Nightfane (Audio Drama)

The real Thiel eventually returned to Macragge and had an audience with Guilliman in the same room where the Alpha Legion imposters tried to kill him. Guilliman told Thiel that the blade he stole is now his, he then questioned Thiel about the Red-marked and how they operated. After Thiel explained, Guilliman told him that he'd have the men he needed for the Red-marked, and his support. He then revealed to Thiel that he received Thiel's armour, which included his tactical argot. Guilliman told Thiel how the legions old thinking was outdated, and they needed to be more flexible like the Red-marked, and that he is working on The Codex to make them more tactical[9]

Thiel led a squad of red-marked to Iax alongside new Ultramarines recruits to investigate a Promethium rig that had gone silent. Upon approaching the rig their Thunderhawk was shot down, and upon entering the facility they discovered that it was abandoned. After fighting through security Servitors, the group came across a single comatose survivor, who quickly died despite the best efforts of the Ultramarines Apothecary. Thiel and his squad continued to search the rig, coming across a Tech-Priest who explained that the crew went mad and flooded the entire station. Thiel was then assailed by a traitorous Space Marine wielding sorcerous powers. Thiel was overpowered, but saved by his squad. The traitor identified himself as Alpharius and said the word "Nightfane" before he died. Thiel and his forces decided that Iax had been infiltrated by traitors.[7]

Thiel was later part of Guilliman's fleet of reinforcements as it rushed to rescue the loyalists in the Siege of Terra.[8]

Post-Heresy

Aeonid Thiel survived the Horus Heresy, becoming the Captain of the 2nd Company of the Ultramarines Chapter. He took part in the Battle of Thessala, during which Roboute Guilliman was mortally wounded by Fulgrim.[6]

Legacy

At the time of the Great Crusade, it was customary for Ultramarines marked out for censure to bear red markings on their helmets.[1c] During the Battle of Calth, Guilliman ordered that the squad leaders accompanying him aboard the orbital platform paint their helmets red; because the Word Bearers' attack had shredded the Ultramarines' normal command hierarchy and unit organisation, and because vox communication was unreliable, Guilliman wanted clear, visual cues for the Ultramarines to follow. Furthermore, he added that after Thiel's heroism of the day, red markings would be badges of honour, instead of censure.[1e]

Immediately after the Battle of Calth, it became customary for Sergeants of the Ultramarines, to paint their helmets red to signify their rank, including those of the force led by Captain Ventanus during the Underworld War.[2] The tradition has endured in the ten thousand years since the Heresy, among the Ultramarines and several Codex Chapters.[5]

Thiel's helm, known as the Helm of Censure, became a piece of Ultramarines relic wargear.[10]

Sources

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