Abstract
Jaques Derrida is quoted as saying, “The end approaches, but the apocalypse is long lived.” The lore of Warhammer 40K is an apocalyptic myth created explicitly in the image of the Roman Empire. But the obvious connections to Imperium Romanum are only part of the picture. WH40K portrays an extension of the cycle of apocalypse that plagues empires across human history, including the American Empire. The 40K universe is one long apocalypse, a never-ending cycle of apocalyptic battles that, in the case of acts like Exterminatus, destroys whole worlds. For the inhabitants of those planets, the apocalypse is final, it is the end. But the apocalypse continues.
The philosopher Thomas Nagel suggests there is a space of objectivity he calls “the view from nowhere,” from where one may independently form ideas free of the pressure of cultural influences. In contrast, for mythmaking, there is no view from nowhere. Myths address the anxieties of a culture and attempt to instruct the members of this culture what values are important. Additionally, this mythmaking points a culture toward an end, or telos. WH40K lore is an apocalyptic myth allowing players to play into the specific myths of their faction and achieve the satisfaction of pursuing these ends, or teloi, in the broader myths of the Grimdark.
My paper defines apocalyptic literature, examine the modes of its creation, and make the case that WH40K lore fits this definition. Further, I argue that WH40K’s lore is a product of contributors who are not simply telling a story but are instead forming apocalyptic myths intended to be played into, allowing players the satisfaction of alleviating existential anxieties about their contemporary lived experience.
Author bio
Erik Christian Young has completed graduate studies in Eastern Christian History and Thought and has taught undergraduate religion and philosophy courses. He has presented papers at the biennial History of Astronomy conference at the University of Notre Dame and at regional Society of Biblical Literature conferences.
