Warhammer 40K: The Haunting Presence of Cyber Cherubs in Space Marine 2
Since Space Marine 2 launched on Monday, two million players have descended upon the grim darkness of the 41st millennium, discovering the gothic grandeur and bombastic ultraviolence of the Warhammer 40k universe for the first time. But judging by comments in fan groups across social media platforms, they were not ready for the cyber cherubs. And who can blame them?
From the outside, Warhammer 40k looks like any other machismo sci-fi setting. Those brightly armored, refrigerator-shaped Space Marines may predate Halo’s Spartans and Gears of War’s Cog Soldiers, but to an outside observer, they’re more or less the same - sci-fi soldiers in power armor. All the grunting and talking about honor and duty is par for the course for any overblown sci-fi action story. None of which prepares you for your first encounter with a flying cyborg baby in Space Marine 2.
- Surprised first-timers have taken to various social media platforms, particularly the r/SpaceMarine subreddit, to share their reactions.
- These are usually variants of “what the hell is this thing?!”, accompanied by a spattering of choice curse words.
Allow us to explain. Cyber cherubs are one of many kinds of cyborg slaves employed by the Imperium of Man, made from a mixture of human tissue and mechanical components. Fitted with crude anti-gravity motors, they often perform simple carrying functions, typically in ritual contexts.
In Space Marine Chapters, they may serve in the armory or even battle as ammo porters, while in religious settings they may swing incense censers high above the heads of the congregation or carry laud-hailers (megaphones) to broadcast the preacher’s sermon.
Are they made from real human babies? Maybe. Larger ‘servitor’ cyborgs - assisting the tech priests in the hangar bay - are sometimes made from cloned human bodies grown in vats or from fully grown humans who have been lobotomized for breaking one of the Imperium's many laws.
The origin of cyber cherubs owes to the artistic genius John Blanche, who shaped the game’s illustrations for decades. Dark? Yup. This is why all factions in Warhammer 40k have morally ambiguous elements.
Like many weird aspects of 40k, the cyber cherubs contribute to a setting rich in bizarre details, part of the charm that engages players.
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.