Peacock

A Peacock is a creature, said to have plumage.^[1a] It exists at least by M41, with Planetary Governor Langost of Luxus I wearing a bejeweled velvet hat both in the shape of a small Peacock^[6a] with the feather of one as a plume.^[6b]

During the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy it was often referenced as an idiomatic expression toward the Primarch Fulgrim as well as the Emperor's Children, sometimes as a pejorative:^{[2][3a][3b][4]}

^{"Your peacocks will achieve nothing!" shouted Angron so loudly the audio-feed of his hololith shrieked with feedback. "My Legion should be first. Mine! We are the chosen of war. Give me the order, brother, and end this cowardice!"}

^{Angron, referring to the Emperor's Children[2]}

^{"Come to Barbarus, peacock, and see how long your feathers last in the smog."}

^{Mortarion to Fulgrim[3b]}

^{"I didn’t think to find some of Fulgrim’s peacocks here, yet the war does keep surprising us, doesn’t it?"}

^{Gherog Sharur, Praetor of the 23rd Company (Sons of Horus)[4b]}

It also, in general, appears to be used idiomatically in reference to someone displaying or walking with an air of confidence or swagger.^[5] Nobility who strut about with many Bionics of coiling wire and ribbed augmetic tubing have been compared to it^[1a] as were corrupt costumed sons and daughters of Nostramo nobles, quick to kill as they were to insult.^[7]

^{"Always late for the fight," Ezekyle had roared, strutting like a peacock.}

^{Abaddon as he approaches Ultramarine Sword-Champion Lamiad in a duel.[5]}

Trivia

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

• A Peacock is a real world creature
• A Peacock in Warhammer 40,000 is likely similar to a Peacock of Warhammer Fantasy and a Peacock of Warhammer: Age of Sigmar

See also

• List of Fauna

Sources

• 1: Rogue Trader: Into the Storm, pgs. 74-75 - Augmenticist
• 2: The Lost and the Damned (Novel) (e-version), Chapter 7
• 3: Scars (Novel) (e-version):
  • 3a: Chapter 7
  • 3b: Chapter 12
• 4: Eidolon: The Auric Hammer (Novel) (e-version), Chapter 7
• 5: Vengeful Spirit (Novel) (e-version), Chapter 20
• 6: Harlequin (Novel) (e-version):
  • 6a: Chapter 3
  • 6b: Chapter 6
• 7: Warhammer Community: Pages from the Black Books – The Night Lords (last accessed 19 February 2026)
  • External Link to PDF: The Night Lords (last accessed 19 February 2026)