The Warhammer 40K community is no stranger to controversy, but the most recent one appears to have started from an unlikely origin: the Adeptus Custodes. Games Workshop has confirmed the addition of female Custodes in the next Codex: Adeptus Custodes (2024).
This goes against the long-held belief that the Adeptus Custodes were all male. This narrative modification has caused much criticism, as well as suggestions that actor Henry Cavill may leave his part in the Warhammer series.
The Introduction of a Female In The Adeptus Custodes of Warhammer 40K
The 2024 Codex: Adeptus Custodes includes a change in the lore which has been the source of this controversy. The 2024 Codex: Adeptus Custodes introduces a female Custode named Calladayce Taurovalia Kesh. In the past, the Adeptus Custodes were always presented as the Emperor’s elite, all-male inner guard, as confirmed by this excerpt from the Rogue Trader rules in 1987 that states:
The Adeptus Custodes is the Emperor’s inner guard, the members of which are privileged in being permitted to serve upon the Emperor, attending to his needs, receiving and recording his directions.
These men never leave Earth and only rarely leave the Imperial Palace – an endless, black hive of forbidden technology and subterranean passages delving deep within the bowels of the planet.
Many Warhammer hobbyists have expressed their dissatisfaction at this change in the lore with some even canceling their Warhammer+ subscriptions and promising to boycott Games Workshop.
According to an article by That Park Place, the controversy was further fueled by an article on the fan site Bell of Lost Souls, which labeled those opposing the change as “bigots.”
Warhammer 40K has never been consistent with its lore, implying that fans’ objections to female Custodes were rooted in sexism rather than genuine concern for narrative integrity, according to write Abe Apfel.
The Henry Cavill Rumor and Fan Discussions
To add fuel to the flame, Henry Cavill, a well-known Warhammer fan, has been rumored to be considering leaving the Warhammer 40K series as a result of this retcon.
Although these rumors appear to be unconfirmed, and most likely exaggerated for clickbait purposes, they highlight the deep division of the fanbase. Fans opinions differ as some say that the lore should evolve to be more inclusive, while others think that such changes only hurt the integrity of the lore.
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Discussions on Reddit highlight this gap between fans as many point out that earlier retcons, like the introduction of the Rogal Dorn tank, did not get criticized as much.
This shows that the problem is less with the retcon itself and more with the perceived imposition of current societal concerns into a fantastical setting such as the Warhammer universe.
Claims that Henry Cavill is leaving Warhammer?
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The opinion of some fans is that the inclusion of female Custodians is part of a larger trend of “woke” beliefs invading pop culture. Which is a fair assumption as there have been examples to this being the case with other things.
Despite the criticism, other fans support this change, claiming that it makes sense inside the Warhammer universe. They argue that the genetic modification procedure used to generate Custodians could include females and that the Imperium’s aim of enhancing its military potential would not lead them to just randomly bar women from its cause.
Ultimately, the inclusion of female Adeptus Custodes marks a fundamental change in Warhammer 40K canon. It is unclear if this move will result in long-term good inclusion or alienation of long-time admirers.
