Never forget that when he asked permission to practice his melee combat in some corner in a storage, the Space Marine responded by giving him a quota to use the sacred training rooms on their ship. Space Marines considered him a trusted friend and a competent fighter. Never forget that he actually nicked the armor plate of a space marine during their sparring. Also a space marine considered him worthy of sparring with. Never forget that he was frequently asked for strategic advice by commanders, even though he is a political officer that should only be concerned with guardsmen morale. Never forget that as a normal human he had a willpower to resist slaneshi influence. He is a hero.
He was a human, a mere man who saw what he was against and fighting alongside and saw himself as not measuring up the task. Anytime he could accomplish something if great merit it couldn’t be him could it? He is just a man, and that is why he is simply the best. Despite having all odds against him there’s something capable of standing against all those horrors and coming out alive with a bit of luck. He is a representation of the humanity of the imperium.
The male and women regiments of the Valhallans love him, the space marines love him, the Tallarn love him, the Inquisition love him, the mechanicum love him and even the Tau love him.
The best description of Cain I'd ever heard is that he's like courage the cowardly dog. Whatever he's facing may makes him shit his pant but he will face it anyway.
Courage is just a small dog, as smart as a human but still a small, weakly dog that is forced to face supernatural creatures of nightmare his fear is understandable but his love for his owner the nice old Lady makes him rise above his fears.
69th like asides, Nice by the way, that might actually be possible considering he’s got his own mini cult following that the ecclesiarchy actually approved of. Or was that the inquisition?
"Oh nads! It's bloody Korbul" Cain's words when stumbling upon the Ork Warboss, whilst seeking safety from battle. Before killing said Warboss in single combat, the duel being recorded and later broardcast by the Commissariat.
He also fought a Khorne Berserker in 1 on 1 combat for a prolonged time in front of everyone and Jurgen Ex Melta sent said Berserker to the shadow realm. Even with Jurgen however Cain is no less of a badass. Before Jurgen killed it with a melta, Cain was noting that the Chaos Astarte's movements were beyond superhuman. Speed he couldn't see with his own eyes, and Cain had no bionic enhancements or cybernetics minus a few fingers.
The Korbul fight is particularly notable because there was no outside help involved. No melta, no earlier fights wearing the enemy down, no Jurgen shutting down all psychic powers (and noses) in the vicinity...just Cain's skill with a sword (and with acting less dangerous than he was) and one dirty fighting move. This against an ork warboss, and fighting those tends to be a Very Bad Time for regular Astartes.
Most of the Imperium: "I'll die for the Emperor!" Ciaphas Cain: "I'm gonna make whatever that is die for whatever it belives in, then go relax until some high ranked idiot sends me out into another life threatening situation."
He started out a coward, albeit a very very clever one. He then gradually transformed into a genuine hero, albeit a tremendously self-depreciating one. Though not thinking of himself as a hero was definitely one hell of an asset, since it meant he never got a big head or over-estimated his chances.
@@jamesroad316 And an even healthier amount of skill, luck might make you survive a crashlanding, luck definitely doesn't allow you to fight world eaters and hive tyrants and survive.
Cain is afraid, deathly afraid, of the endless horror that his position puts him into, but no matter what he thinks of himself, he always ends up doing good in the end.
Thats it. Hes constantly trying to avoid danger but whenever he finds himself in the heart of it all he constantly steps up. Personally i go by the old saying of "bravery isnt the lack of fear but doing the right thing even when you are afraid". Hes the very definition of bravery.
I agree no true coward could spare with a chapter master of the astartes, no coward could single handedly take out am ork warboss, which he just wrote off as getting lucky
I enjoyed every single Cain book - Sandy Mitchel really did create a great character, who shows true human nature - you try to do what saves your life but when forced into a situation you keep calm and do all you need to too survive. Someone you can understand and have sympathy with but also admire
Caiphus Cain was my first entrance into 40k and I’ve loved him ever since. As for whether he’s a coward or not, I think Inquisitor Amberly Vail summed it up best: true courage is not the absence of fear, but overcoming it. And having faced down pretty much every evil on the battlefield and killing it, I’d agree with her that he richly deserves his reputation as a Hero of the Imperium.
Cain is for those who don't know regarded as one of the greatest swordsman in the Imperium regarding to the chainsword. So good in fact that he could even hold his ground against a world Eater in single combat. Also despite all his books featuring him with a bolt pistol, he actually uses a las pistol and is a remarkable marksman with it.
"I was aiming for the stomach, but then he just kind of crouched and I scored a headshot" Is the first thing that comes to my mind when I remember those novels
Literally, even after he actually died and was given a state funeral he kept on coming back so often the Astra Militarium Admistration kept him on the active duty rolls just in case. They've been wrong before. HA ! 🤣
None of that. He is a survivor. Whatever he does, he does it to survive. He has very good skills, which he uses really good in extreme situations. Not a coward though, but he always tries (and fails) to smooth things out in the favor of his survival. The fact that he still cuts himself out of difficult situations makes him a hero.
He even makes an effort to not lose soldiers, granted lots to make sure he has a good amount of meat between him and painful firey death, but it somehow works
What I like about him is that his luck is both the worst and the best. The worst in that it always puts him in danger and the best that it always got him out of it lol
Its his special ability, his luck increases the closer he gets to danger. In his office: the lord general wants him to face off a Tyrinid Hive Fleet. At the hive fleet, he stumbles into finding the nord queen and Yergin's Blankness and Stankness stuns the tyrinids long enough to kidnap the entire queen.
I would argue that running towards certain death is just as cowardly as running away from it, because you have already decided that death is certain, and therefore have already given up. Fear of being considered a coward is still fear none the less. Somebody who steps back, judges the situation, and acts accordingly, is no coward.
this reminds me of a phrase of my favorite children's book "the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse" the dialogue goes like this boy: what is the bravest thing you ever said? horse: "help" asking for help is not giving up, is refusing to give up
(some spoilers in this message) Stephen Perring comes a close second after The Great And Mighty Jonathan Keeble in my list of best male narrators. I mean, let's face it, Jonathan is pretty much undisputed. But Stephen is also great, especially with his knack for human characters. (I'm curious to hear his Dramon voice, though.) And not to forget the amazing Emma Gregory! Loved her interpretation of Sulla. And she's even better in "Celestine". I swear, that chapter with ... her waking up in the Warp (the first chapter) is something else. Especially when she steps of the ridge into the abyss and *unfurls her wings.* #ultracomfortandsupport #itfeelsliketheresonlywar
@@ThomasSullivan3 He gets promoted in the book 'Warmaster', i think he's now a Lord Militant General and also the 'First Lord Executor', (an old Imperial Army honorary rank) Warmaster Macaroths right hand man, and presumed as his successor if Macaroth falls
@@cj4857 I just wonder what Abnett will do with him now that a full circle and story arc has come to pass. I am not sure of the chronology but the only place he could go from here would be to cross paths with Bob or Ravenor - either this or go full Yarrick on Khaos and start obliterating fallen Marine chapters. And as the rest of the good company of commenters around here I would pay good money to have an official crossover between Gaunt and Cain. It would probably be so out there it would actually be good.
Ciaphas Cain, for all of his self-depreciation, is actually an insanely talented person. This man has fought Genestealers, Cultists, Necrons, and a Chaos Marine in melee. His book series is one of my absolute favorites because all he wants is a cushy job and to be left alone, and it seems like the Emperor Himself is guiding him into these situations so that his talents are not wasted.
@@broccoli6235 Inquisitors wipe out whole planets dooming billions to death by torture, mass-sterilisation or literally just blowing up the planet. I think they're still worse.
@@ProjectEkerTest33 to us yeah, but it is a good question. Inquisitors kill billions but most do it anonymously and with a good reason (most of the time). But it is interesting to think about, to us inquisitors are pretty bad, but most in universe see it as a justifiable loses, really the only people who really hate them (like a lot and aren’t heretics) are space marines. To be honest planetary governors probably are hated most the both of those combined, by the masses of citizens I mean.
@@broccoli6235 Yeah fair point. Considering that almost all planetary governors are corrupt, heretics and/or incompetent cowards the average citizen probably hates them the most.
the emperor protects as does an inquisitor and jurgen. great series of books. ciaphas has faced it all: chaos marines; dark eldar; demons; genestealers; greater demon; heretics; necrons, orks; tau; and tyranids. you name it he's faced it even nobles, students, and bureaucrats! the emperor has a sense of humor and ciaphas brings a smile to his face. thanks for the mention of my favorite 40k character
Yep, idk how many wh40k books ive already read but the caine series felt really special and were always exciting....not like some other stuff (im looking at you Horus Heresy Filler Books )
I Goddamn nearly died laughing when i heard him order a random guardsman get a fucking broom hahahahahahaha amazing. Truly a hero the Imperium needs. I wonder if he will ever run into Guilliman? I would give my life to read or hear that book xD
Alas even with his inquisition girlfriend's influence and his own hero status, where he gets his life extended with methods reserved for upper class, he is pretty much retired and old in the end. The books are written as his uncensored version of autobiography that are kept for research purposes within the inquisition, and we know for sure that he was around 200 years old when he was called back from his retirement during the 13th black crusade. He most likely died from old age somewhere between 200-300. And most likely peacefully, which is uncommon in his profession.
@@oditeomnes the best part is, the imperium has seen him "die" and come back so many times (he didn't die those times, just disappeared for a while) that he is permanently on active duty just to cut down on the mountains of paperwork involved with writing up and filing countless documents explaining why he supposedly died and came back. Even at his real funeral in front of tens of thousands of high ranking witnesses he is left on Active Duty in his file, since he might just come back AGAIN and be like "So you'd never BELIEVE what just happened!"
Guilliman seeing right through Cain's bullshit and seeing him for the man he is and liking what he sees... and then adding Cain to his own staff or making him the go-to-guy for important missions. This is the only way this meeting would end for Cain XD
Cain is his own unreliable narrator, describing events from many decades ago. He's remembering everything in his own old age, through a film of self-awareness and humility. I'm sure he felt all the fear and selfish impulses he describes, but I think the solid streak of cowardice he ascribes himself is wildly overplayed in Cain's own head.
@@margar9021 ahh yes but if the Imperium was a Communist Dictatorship it would have the same casualties, infact Fascism with its many faults normally have well trained armies compared to its Commie counterparts
@@jakehughes6087 I mean ya dictatorships are bad, good thing socialism and communism arent inherently authoritarian. Also fascism is self destructing by its own nature, I wouldn't reccomend defending fascism on any level dude, it looks weird.
It would be interesting to cast. I could see Rory McCann (who played The Hound in GAME OF THRONES) as Jurgen, carrying his ever-presnt melta-gun alongside the standard issue lasrifle.
Can I just point out that the Krieg soldier in the image is pointing towards something while talking on a radio as if the operator can see what he’s seeing.
The thing that cemented him into my roster of favorite characters was how he handled the disciplinary hearing after the brawl. He had to find a way to please all sides (Including the crew of the ship they were traveling on) in the name of maintaining morale and discipline. Clearly he was still considering the job, and intended ot do it to his best ability, and that made him consider options that other commissars may have overlooked. (The decision winding up simultaneously saving his butt and almost screwing him over later in the book)
I was so happy when I saw this notification. I love the Cain books. I would love to see you do more of a character deep dive after you get to reas a few more of Cains exploits
Thanks for doing a video about my favorite character! The series of novels and short stories gets into his mind, and I can honestly say he's a not a coward, he's a survivor who's always looking at the best angle for survival. Taking up the mantle of hero was the most robust one he had... and got him a look in with Amberley Vail. o.- A.G.
how delightfully topical, I just got done listening to 4 of the cain audiobooks and then bam! you come with this! Cain's a really neat character, Jurgen is my favorite however.
One of the benefits of the Cain series' unique perspective of the W40k universe is that I find it's more relatable for casual fans or newcomers. The focus being on regular humans in the Guard, Ciaphas' terror at the dangers he's unwillingly plunged into, and his "Duty's nice, but no, I'd rather *not* die For the Emperor, thank you very much," mindset makes it a good vessel for giving the average Joe a tour of the 40k setting. I've tried reading a few other 40k novels, but none of them were able to grab me in the same way.
Saving he's own skin ends up him going into situations that could kill him, but this always ends with up him saving every one except the enemy. His luck rations seems to never run out.
@Wolf Lord Rho: I am a long time fan of the Ciaphas Cain series and this channel. I love that Sandy Mitchell brings a light of comedy to the 40k universe through Ciaphas Cain. I would personally recommend reading the first short story: "Fight or Flight", the second novel: "Caves of Ice", and the most recent audio drama: "The Devil You Know". I do enjoy all of the lore involving Commisar Cain, but I think those titles all capture the character of Chiaphas Cain the best. If you end up reading more about his character then i would love to hear it.
I've not finished the full Cain series yet (I love the audiobooks, so I'm eagerly awaiting each new release), but Cain seems to have an extreme case of imposter syndrome, he's his own worst critic and his own doubt of himself reinforces moral judgement because he also empathises with people and so tries to save whoever he can. He will frequently look at his thoughts as selfish, cowardly, or deceitful, but his actions prove him wrong and show level-headed decision making to save as many lives as possible, even in instances where he puts his own life at risk to do it, and he justifies it as "trying to save his reputation". In one instance there is a fully-loaded troop transport on standby at a base ready for a precision strike and a chaos leman russ tank is getting closer to it, and the guardsmen nearby don't have the right guns to damage armour, so Cain uses himself as a distraction to allow Jurgen to hit it with a meltagun blast to disable it's tracks, and the nearby guardsmen are emboldened by this and rush the tank and start climbing on it trying to get into the hatches, but the tank finally notices the gunship and starts aiming to fire on it, Cain's first instinct is to sprint to the ship, jump on, and order it airborne, getting it out of range of the tank. The editorial note from Amberley afterwards says that Cain was well within his right as a commissar to order Jurgen to fire his melta on the tank again to destroy it and kill all the imperial guardsmen on it, but he didn't want to kill them by his order when they were just trying to help in whatever way they could, so he chose a riskier option that directly put him in danger. The books are full of moments like this where Cain does something completely at odds with his own narrative of being a selfish coward, and he just brushes it off as being a lapse in judgement rather than it being his true character being shown, even when he gives speeches he often acts as though he was a fraud for saying something he didn't believe himself, but knew would make someone feel better or inspire a soldier to keep fighting, and he doesn't realize that's probably exactly what a good leader does, they will tell white lies and give speeches that they think are untrue if it will raise morale; but likely due to the Imperium's hero worship and the presence of demi-gods like space marines, Cain thinks he isn't worthy of standing next to great people
Let’s face it, if it had been Yarrick who walked into that mess hall, he wouldn’t of even needed to say a word to get the guardsmen under control. This is the guy who stared down a Space Marine Captain, and won.
If Cain was assigned to become a Death Korps Commissar, he would definitely accidentally make them appreciate the value of life... Although, it would probably go something like the Kriegers seeing the most valuable life to protect is Cain’s so they all sacrifice themselves to protect him at any cost
Cain and Amberly are absolutely my favorite take on 40k. I love grimdark as much as the next guy but you have to inject some human personality once in a while or it loses all impact. Wish GW leaned into this angle more often (rabble rabble back in my day grimdark was satire rabble rabble)
I've been waiting SOOO long for one of my favorite 40k Lore guys to address one of the most overlooked series in the BL. I am DYING to hear your take on Death or Glory. Death or Glory is not just one of my favorite 40k novels, it's one of my favorite stories period. I re-read it at least once a year when I need a distraction
This was an insightful analysis of one of my favorite Warhammer 40K characters. According g to interviews with the author, he is a cross between Harold Flashman and Blackadder, while Jurgen is a mix of Blackadder's henchman Baldrick and MacAuslan of the stories written by the author of the Flashman novels.
A nice intro to Ciaphas Cain and his character but I think some of the best characterisation of the commisar comes from Amberley's footnotes. Besides being hilarious you get the insight of some-one who saw passed his 'Hero of the Imperium' facade and highlights his genuine heroic acts and pointing out holes in his own 'coward' narrative...also they add some great extra comedic snark you don't expect from an inquisitor of all people
Ciaphas Cain,on the imperial guardsmen. oh there my personal meat shields (something threatens his men) Don't you dare threaten my meat shields( proceeds to throw himself between them and the threat). Then proceeds to justify to himself why doing something insanely brave and heroic is actually him being a coward (well if I allowed my men to get slaughtered then I wouldn't be able to hide behind them). Its this contradiction that makes him such an interesting character. Another thing great about the books is the little glimpses into "peacetime" imperial life we get from Amberly Vail's side notes ,such as there being holovid shows that are obviously shown across multiple planets, just this little snippet implies so many things like there is some form of "independent" media industry. If your trying to introduce 40k to someone the Cain chronicles are one of the best ways to do so.
This video is heresy I met commissar Cain and he is undoubtedly brave as he valiantly lured the enemy away splitting up there forces allowing for a swift victory! At first I thought it was strange tactic to drive a camera at full speed away from the enemy as soon as they appeared but I cant argue with results
after reading all the books soo far i have the theory that amberley vail is only using Ciaphas Cain for editorial exclusivity so she can make a profit out of his image, and the reason why the higher command allways sends him to the most dangerous missions possible is because they are part of this. Our boy is been played.
My Favorite Series of Books in the Black Library by far! Always a fun adventure with every book! I think that his solution regarding the two Regiments that are fighting each other to ultimately solve the reason for the fight is brilliant!
