Azrael
"Forget your past life. From this day on you are simply a Dark Angel - nothing else is of consequence. The Chapter is all that matters"
 Azrael[13] | |
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| Title(s) | Keeper of the Truth |
| Born | c. M41, Kimmeria[1b] |
| Active Period | M41 - Present |
| Species | Human |
| Type |
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| Gender | Male |
| Relatives |
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| Occupation(s) |
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| Affiliation(s) |
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| Preceded by | Naberius (as Supreme Grand Master) |
Azrael (AZ-ray-uhl)[23] is the Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels Chapter and is one of the most secretive of the members of the already very secretive chapter.[1b]
Contents
Biography
Azrael was recruited from the savages of the feral world Kimmeria but shows none of their uncultivated behaviors. He is best known for, other than his leadership of the Dark Angels, caring for the chapter banner, the scouring of Truan IX, and crushing a techno-revivalist cult during the Faze V Uprising. For decades he then disappeared but must have provided suitable services to the chapter for he later became a member of the Deathwing, Captain of the 3rd Company and then Master of the Deathwing in 917.M41. From there, he famously led the assault that slew the Daemonically possessed Governor of Sephlagm before subjecting the world to Exterminatus. He gained further fame during the Vendetta Campaign.[1b] A charismatic and dynamic leader, he was an inspiration to those who fought along side him.[1b]
When the previous grand master, Naberius, died in 939.M41[1b] in the Rhamiel Betrayal, Azrael fought alongside Ezekiel to recover his body as well as the Chapter Banner, and together defeated his killer, the Night Lords Daemon Prince Gendor Skraivok.[4] After the battle Azrael was quickly promoted and given the title Keeper of the Truth and now sits at the head of the Inner Circle. He not only leads the Dark Angels in battle but also orchestrates the hunt for the Fallen and guards the chapter's most precious and terrible secrets, many of which are known only to him and the previous chapter masters before him.[1a][1b]
Pandorax Campaign
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The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: | Pandorax (Novel) |
In 960.M41 Kaldor Draigo enacted an oath sworn by the Dark Angels to the Grey Knights for their help retaking the Pandorax System. Azrael refused initially, considering it blackmail. His mind was changed when Draigo shared information he had received from a traitor Astartes prisoner, and Azrael committed his entire Chapter to the campaign. The Grey Knights did give him and the Dark Angels operational command as their sole concession. Once in system he participated in the attack on the asteroid Malefus Murex.[17]
Battle of Piscina IV
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The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: | The Purging of Kadillus (Novel) |
In 997.M41[1a] the Dark Angels visited Piscina IV as part of a visit to Piscina V to gather new recruits. The bulk of the chapter left after several weeks, leaving behind 3rd company to handle the last stage of recruitment. Shortly afterwards the world was attacked by the Orks.[19a]
Belial had their librarian Charon send an astropathic message to the rest of the chapter, warning them of the deteriorating situation on the planet.[19b] Upon recieving the message, Azrael had the fleet redirect from the system jump point and return to Piscina IV.[19c] When he arrived on the planet Azrael spoke with Charon. He then talked with Belial, making it clear that Belial had led the defense of the planet well, and remarked that it took great strength for him to call for help.[19d]
Return to Piscina IV
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The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: | Legacy of Caliban (Novel Series) |
Sometime after the initial battle, Boreas and the other Dark Angels left to watch the planet became entangled in a plot with The Fallen, and committed suicide to prevent a virus released from killing the planet.[20] Azrael sent a message to Sammael and the Ravenwing, ordering them to the planet to investigate.[21]
Sometime after the Ravenwing investigated and left Piscina IV, Azrael and the other companies arrived in force to try and deal with the ongoing civil unrest and Ork problem in the wake of The Fallen. Both Belial and Asmodai petitioned him, saying that they should commit Exterminatus on the planet and move on, Azrael disagreed with their reasoning but found their arguments sound, and said he'd consider them.[22]
Time Travel Warp Storm
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The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: | The Unforgiven (Novel) |
Towards the end of the 41st Millennium, Cypher turned himself in to Azrael and not only informed him that The Rock held the time-altering Tuchulcha engine, but that both Astelan and Typhus were seeking similar devices. After the intervention of the Watchers in the Dark Azrael agreed to work with Cypher and they eventually gathered all 3 engines, creating a warp rift over Caliban. However, as Fallen attempted to enter the portal and potentially change history and pleading from Ezekiel to let history be, Azrael reluctantly ordered Tuchulcha to scatter everyone from the rift. However, Azrael was not specific at which moment in time he meant, and the Fallen on Caliban ten thousand years previous were scattered as well. This led to the dark reality that Azrael himself may have been indirectly responsible for the scattering of the Fallen by causal loop.[2]
Age of the Dark Imperium
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In the aftermath of the disastrous Massacre at Darkmor Azrael organised a summit of all Unforgiven Chapters Supreme Grand Master's at The Rock. During the summit, Roboute Guilliman and his new Indomitus Crusade docks at The Rock and delivered much-needed Primaris Space Marine reinforcements. Relieved that Guilliman apparently did not know or at least did not care about the truth of The Fallen, Azrael pledged his forces to the new Indomitus Crusade.[5]
The Dark Angels accepted the new Primaris Space Marines out of necessity, but the Inner Circle remained sceptical of their presence as they have not gone through the strict rituals and tests of loyalty present to the rest of the Chapter. The Inner Circle began to debate over their worthiness to join their ranks. At the height of the debate Azrael staked his entire career on the Primaris Space Marine Apharan of the Deathwing, stating he was confident the Marine would pass a series of trials. Azrael personally oversaw Apharan's trials, and in the aftermath there could be no doubt of the Primaris' worthiness to join the ranks of the Inner Circle.[6] The Supreme Grand Master would later undergo the Rubicon Primaris and successfully became a Primaris Space Marine himself.[10]
Arks of Omen
Shortly after Azrael's conversion into a Primaris Space Marine, Vashtorr assaulted The Rock as part of the greater Arks of Omen Campaign. Though still recovering from his wounds, he nonetheless met the powerful Daemon at the Nameless Gate before the heart of The Rock itself.[11a] During their battle, Azrael was overwhelmed but able to score a vicious blow on Vashtorr and retreat back to his own lines while the Daemon was distracted by the arrival of Be'lakor.[11a]
After Vashtorr's abortive assault on The Rock, Azrael ordered that the Unforgiven gather in a strength not seen since the Horus Heresy. Assembling at The Rock, Azrael and his Inner Circle made for the Somnium Stars to end the threat of Vashtorr.[12a] In the subsequent Battle of Idolatros, Azrael was horrified to discover Vashtorr had converted the Dark Angels' ancient homeworld of Caliban into a monstrosity known as Wyrmwood. Azrael led a boarding assault on Wyrmwood that would have seen them all destroyed at the hands of Angron had Dante and reinforcements from across Imperium Nihilus not arrived. However, not even Dante could overcome Angron. When all seemed lost Lion El'Jonson himself returned after ten thousand years of absence. Azrael quickly overcame his confusion and countless questions and coordinated the Imperial effort with Dante as The Lion took care of Angron. Azrael succeeded in evacuating Wyrmwood with Dante and the rest of the Imperials as the planetoid activated The Key.[12b]
Wargear
Upon becoming Keeper of the Truth, he obtained the traditional wargear of his predecessors: the master crafted Sword of Secrets, the Lion's Wrath combi-plasma gun, and the ornate Lion Helm. The Helm is carried by a being of unknown origin called a Watcher in the Dark, but it shows extreme devotion to its master.[10] He also wears an ornate suit of Power Armour known as The Protector.[18]
During the Siege of Vraks, Azrael's personal vehicle was the Land Raider Prometheus named Angelis Imperator[3]
Images
Grand Master Azrael[15]
Miniatures of Commander Azrael and his Watcher in the Dark helmet bearer[16]
Grand Master Azrael after becoming a Primaris Space Marine[10]
Azrael Joytoy figure[14]
Trivia
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- Azrael is named after the Archangel of Death of the same name in Hebrew and a few select pieces of Islamic lore. From an adapted form of Hebrew it means "Whom God Helps".
Notes
- The "Azrael" who currently leads the Dark Angels is not the first Supreme Grand Master whose name was "Azrael". There had been a previous "Supreme Grand Master Azrael" who lead the Dark Angels during the Siege of Vraks. This is mentioned to the current Azrael by Kharn the Betrayer during the Pandorax campaign.[8][9]
See also
Sources
- 1: Codex: Dark Angels (6th Edition):
- 2: Unforgiven (Novel),
[Help] - 3: Imperial Armour Volume Two - Second Edition: War Machines of the Adeptus Astartes, pg. 48
- 4: Azrael (Novel),[Help]
- 5: Codex: Dark Angels (8th Edition), pg. 23
- 6: White Dwarf September 2019, pg. 29
- 7: Warhammer Community: New From Black Library (posted 17/12/2016) (last accessed 20 April 2020)
- 8: Imperial Armour Volume Five - The Siege of Vraks - Part One - Angels of Caliban
- 9: Trials of Azrael (Audio Drama)
- 10: Warhammer Community: Azrael Revealed – Unwrapping A Chapter Master Cloaked in Secrets (posted 25/12/2022) (last accessed 21 September 2025)
- 11: Arks of Omen: Vashtorr:
- 12: Arks of Omen: The Lion:
- 13: Codex Supplement: Dark Angels (10th Edition), pg. 24
- 14: Azrael Joytoy figure
- 15: [Help]
- 16: Games Workshop webstore: Dark-Angels-Azrael-Supreme-Grand-Master (saved archive page, dated 06/05/2015, last accessed 01/02/2022)
- 17: Pandorax (Novel), Chapter 9
- 18: Warlords of the Dark Millennium: Masters of the Dark Angels (Background Book) (E-Book) - The Protector
- 19: The Purging of Kadillus (Novel):
- 20: Angels of Darkness (Novel): The Tale of Boreas - Part 5
- 21: Ravenwing (Novel): Omens from Afar
- 22: Accept No Failure (Audio Drama)
- 23: Warhammer 40,000: Character Encyclopedia Pronunciation Guide
Uncited
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- Dark Angels miniatures gallery
- Codex: Angels of Death (2nd Edition)
- Codex: Dark Angels (3rd Edition)
- Codex: Dark Angels (4th Edition), pg. 46
