A recent edition of the Ultimate Guide to Warhammer 40k appeared to eliminate the recently retconned-in female members of the Adeptus Custodes from the game’s canon.
A screenshot from Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (2024), Focus Entertainment
Recent debate within the Warhammer 40K community centered on the inclusion of female custodians, sparking passionate discussions among fans and creators alike. However, it seems as though an excerpt from The Ultimate Guide to Warhammer 40K by Guy Haley and Gavin Thorpe has effectively erased female Custodes from the game’s canon.
Adeptus Custodes are renowned as the Emperor of Mankind’s elite personal guards, embodying unparalleled martial prowess and unwavering loyalty. Traditionally depicted as male, these custodians serve as the Emperor’s shield, protecting the security of Terra with genetically enhanced abilities. Their role has always been pivotal within the Warhammer 40K lore, making any changes to their depiction significant to the fanbase.
A screenshot of the Dark Angels Bulwark cosmetic for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (2024), Saber Interactive
In early 2024, official Warhammer accounts announced the inclusion of female Custodes, signaling a shift toward forced diversity within the Adeptus Custodes. This announcement was met with mixed reactions.
Supporters lauded the move as a progressive step toward inclusivity, arguing that it reflects broader societal changes and enriches the lore with diverse characters. On the other hand, critics, including some long-time fans and content creators, expressed dissatisfaction. They contended that introducing female custodians disrupted the established lore and aesthetic of these iconic warriors, feeling that it strayed from the traditional depiction that fans had come to admire.
This opposition was supported by the game’s established lore. For example, a quote from the Emperor of Mankind during the Age of Strife regarding the Adeptus Custodes reads:
“These men are my bodyguards, their lives forfeit to the guarantee of my physical safety. Of their loyalty to me there shall be no question nor doubt. I, and I alone, shall have the authority to stand in judgement over them. No other commander shall they have in battle nor in service. None shall bar them from me and none shall hamper or stall their mission. So it is decreed!“
Additionally, as pointed out by former World of Warcraft team lead Mark Kern, AKA Grummz on X, the Adeptus Custodes were identified as men as far back as 1987.
Warhammer 40k is a grimdark sci-fi tabletop game that is the #1 miniature gaming IP in the world.
The Adeptus Custodes are the Emperor’s inner guard and much stronger, better in every way than space marines.
Introduced in the Rogue Trader rules in 1987 as MEN from the VERY… pic.twitter.com/oeTlARrPuf
— Grummz (@Grummz) April 15, 2024
But Games Workshop attempted to retcon this and potentially gaslight players by stating on X, “Since the first of the Ten Thousand were created, there have always been female Custodians.”
A post on X in which Games Workshop attempts to retcon female custodians into Warhammer 40K – Warhammer on X
In a recent video, YouTuber Endymion, crediting sources such as WokeHammer L on X and fellow YouTuber Marshall Bohemond, highlighted discrepancies in The Ultimate Guide to Warhammer 40K. He emphasized that the authors, Guy Haley and Gavin Thorpe, were senior writers at Games Workshop, lending credibility to their recent interpretations. There were two passages in the book that raised eyebrows.
The first passage reads:
“As a legion of exceptional individuals the Adeptus Custodes are less regimented than other Imperial forces with promotion based entirely on merit. The Captain-General leads, aided by a group of ten tribunes. Below the tribunate, commanders of individual forces are known as Shield Captains. Armies, or Shield Hosts, are formed from across all five orders. Dozens of other suborganizations, brotherhoods and groupings run through the orders such as the Companions, Wardens, Shadowkeepers, or Solar Watch.”
In another excerpt, the Adeptus Custodes are specifically described using male pronouns.
“As custodians accumulate victories, they are awarded a name to commemorate each one, though these are kept secret from those outside the legion and in public a Custodian will continue to use the name granted to him upon his investiture.”
Moreover, Wokehammer L showcased the excerpts from a physical copt of the book on X, highlighting the use of male pronouns and gender-specific terms such as “brotherhoods.”
pic.twitter.com/dPX3vzXdUH
— Wokehammer Ls (@wokehammerLs) December 25, 2024
This, Endymion and many others argue, supports the claim of a retcon aimed at reinforcing the traditional male-only depiction of the Adeptus Custodes.
Henry Cavill speaking at the 2019 San Diego Comic Con International, for “The Witcher”, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
The series is still slated to receive a live action adaptation through Amazon MGM Studios with former Superman actor Henry Cavill attached. Despite rumors of the show’s internal cancellation, YouTuber Mr. H of Mr. H Reviews noted that based on his insider knowledge, the series is “definitely not dead.”
Do you believe that Games Workshop has eliminated female custodians? How does that make you feel about the future of WarHammer 40k? Sound off in the comments below and let us know!
