There has been a revived interest in Cypher with the release of the new formation from Games Workshop. Cypher dates back to the Horus Heresy and witnessed the fall of Caliban. There were no Fallen Angels prior to Horus Heresy and the schism occurred at the very end of the civil war when the Dark Angels returned to their home world. The Legion was cut in half with those loyal to their Primarch Lionel Johnson remaining with the Imperium and those loyal to the traitor Luthor turning to the fell powers of Chaos. All existing chapters have some that have fallen including even Blood Angels and Space Wolves. Only the Grey Knights are pure.
The term Cypher was a title of high rank within the Dark Angels' organization, not the name of a specific Space Marine. Cypher witnessed the battle between the two sides and is symbolic of the dividing line between them. Therefore he contains the essence of both sides. The Dark Angels in their current state of paranoia view him as a traitor. It was Cypher who returned their Primarch's Lion Helm to the Chapter. Cypher also sided with Abbadon during the 13th Black Crusade. He is his own man whether by choice or simply for survival. Not all the Dark Angels left behind on their home world Caliban sided with the traitor Luthor but they had no choice in the matter.
Cypher is very powerful and may have reached his heightened state of existence through self realization, opening his mind to a higher level of eclectic knowledge triggered by his experience on Caliban... A state of being unattainable to the average Space Marine. Cypher contains the thoughts, feelings and experiences of both loyalist Dark Angels and the Fallen... As such he is unique and there is no other like him. Cypher is equally at home leading an Imperial force or a Chaos war band and he knows how to play both sides against each other if need be.
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