As the forces of chaos explode in Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2, players will quickly notice that most of Rubric of Chaos’ imposing Marines vomit colored dust instead of blood. This strange phenomenon is even referenced by Titus and his Ultramarines, noting their discontent with defeating enemies without physical form. After killing a Rubric Marine, they simply crumble into a pile of armor as rainbow particles fly away, leaving many players confused as to what they are actually fighting for. Space Marine 2.
[Warning: This article contains slight spoilers for the story of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2]
Despite their lack of physical form, each Rubric Marine is very much alive, but with a soul that is linked to their armor and the dust within it. Fortunately, for the revenge-hungry Ultramarines, Not all of these traitorous enemies are filled with the same kind of confetti, as Chaos Sorcerers are still flesh and blood. Players will face even more Chaos threats in their crusade to cleanse the system of heresy, but the Rubric Marines stand out from the crowd thanks to their brilliant demise.
A spell gone wrong 10,000 years ago
The unintentional source of this enemy’s immortality
The Thousand Sons themselves were once a legion of Space Marines dedicated to serving the Empire in a lifelong quest for knowledge, which led them to succumb to the influence of the Chaos Gods. Each member of the Thousand Sons legion had a genetic defect built into their DNA, resulting in a great affinity for warp-controlled sorcery. at the cost of undergoing major mutations in their bodies. These mutations were known as Flesh-Change, a devastating disease that caused horrific deformities to the point of turning the host into a shambling mutant abomination if left unchecked.
Spending years trying to undo this genetic curse, the legion’s sorcerers thought they had finally found a cure by conducting a ritual known as the Rubric of Ahriman, which would ultimately seal their fate. Members of the legion with a weaker connection to the warp were instantly turned to ash after being hit by the newly cast spell.while powerful sorcerers have had their bodies fused to armor, strengthening their abilities more than ever.
Despite having turned into colored dust, the armor of fallen Space Marines is infused with their life force, allowing them to live as mindless automatons of destructionalways serving the scheming Chaos God Tzeentch.
The current state of the Thousand Sons Legion
An endless crusade for knowledge and death
Having turned their backs on the Empire in favor of the limitless knowledge and power promised to them by the Chaos God Tzeentch, the Thousand Legion seeks new ways to sow Chaos throughout the Empire. Despite their current state, the Thousand Sons have had the best intentions for the Empire in the past, attempting to bring humanity into the future with their psychic abilities.
Ultimately, the fall of the legion was a result of Tzeentch and his never-ending schemes, manipulating the loyal Space Marines much as they did the Adeptus Mechanicus in Space Marine 2campaign.
Thriving on their enhanced sorcery, these Chaos Marines rely on powerful spells and illusions to defeat their enemies, inflicting players with hallucinations and specters to distract them in battle. Taking advantage of the shapeless bodies of the Rubric Marines, Rubric Sorcerers will revive their fallen comrades in an attempt to overpower players, making them high-value targets in combat. While fans of Space Marine 2 will have to wait and see what else the artisanal traitor legion has in store for the upcoming Operation DLC, there are plenty of weapons to freshen up the never-ending slaughter of Space Marine 2.