I don't oppose it but it feels unnecessary and redundant since the Sisters of Silence exists.
As I understand it, the Custodes are symbolic extensions of the Emperor. They're Terran princes who devoted their lives to serving him, being remade in his image, carrying out his explicit orders, being his eyes and ears, serving as a substitute for his very presence if need be. When they speak, they speak for him, and even Primarchs have to listen and obey.
They're not merely an army. They're living proof of his right to rule over mankind. So much so that their symbolic value has at times called into question whether they're actually effective as a fighting force at all. Like an ornate sword or scepter.
With all that being the case...to be the most effective reminder of the Emperor's will and rule, they're going to be guys. Because the Emperor is a guy. They serve in the Emperor's stead.
Clumsy retcon, but people overeacted way to much aboot it.
Sadly typical from Games Workshop, they keep retconning "small stuff", but they don't realize that they're fucking up their lore big time with it. Custodes all being males was used in my circle of friends to "prove" that female Space Marines really were impossible, and that it wasn't just the Emperor not trying hard enough. Now that female Custodes are a thing, I really wonder how Games Workshop can justify female Space Marines not being a thing. And don't get me started on the Sisters of Battles, they're "just" highly trained warrior monks, they aren't the barely humans that the Space Marines are. For fuck's sake, it's the same shit with Ollanius Pious, he used to be just a man standing against fucking Horus, the first of the Primarchs, the Champion of Chaos, and what Failbaddon wishes he was. Then Games Workshop made him a space marines, then a terminator, then a custode, then finally an immortal, when him being just a man, just one man, was just what the story needed to prove how far Horus was gone, that he would deliberaly kill what was as dangerous as a newborn to him. But no, a normal marine wasn't enough, he had to be bigger and stronger, making him more of a threat to Horus, and making Horus' murder of him less of a gratuitous act and more of an actual self-defense.
Warhammer is wasted on Games Workshop, be it Fantasy or 40,000.
And don't get me started on the Sisters of Battles, they're "just" highly trained warrior monks, they aren't the barely humans that the Space Marines are.
Besides them more or less ignoring that the all-female factions exist, fans of them can rest assured that GW will never doing something stupid like saying they can have male members. Because we all know what kind of response that would get.
Clumsy retcon, but people overeacted way to much aboot it.
True Retcons, rewrites and 'unreliable narrator' are part of WH40K's identity so I don't really care that much. I do hope SoS doesn't get abandoned because of this.
Besides them more or less ignoring that the all-female factions exist, fans of them can rest assured that GW will never doing something stupid like saying they can have male members. Because we all know what kind of response that would get.
If only everyone else could have that assurance.
I mean, at least in Dawn of War (don't ask me about Gladius), Sisters of Battles do have male members, but they're part of the secular clergy, while the sisters themselves are part of the regular clergy, so it's a clusterfuck but it's understandable. And I really like that Sisters of Battle can weaponize their faith, that alone made me do a 180° on them, from considering them discount Marines to being actually very interesting to play and read about.
I mean, at least in Dawn of War (don't ask me about Gladius), Sisters of Battles do have male members, but they're part of the secular clergy, while the sisters themselves are part of the regular clergy, so it's a clusterfuck but it's understandable. And I really like that Sisters of Battle can weaponize their faith, that alone made me do a 180° on them, from considering them discount Marines to being actually very interesting to play and read about.
I've read they're also the best equipped army in the Imperium. The church is the wealthiest organization around, and they're owed alot of favors by basically everyone. As such, they get first dibs on what money can buy.
Why are the SoBs female only? A legal technicality that forbade the church from "men at arms" after attempting to take over the imperium that one time, cap stoned by the fact the chief warrior nun personally ended the coup. All very intricate and interesting as Imperium internal politics should be.
I've read they're also the best equipped army in the Imperium. The church is the wealthiest organization around, and they're owed alot of favors by basically everyone. As such, they get first dibs on what money can buy.
Why are the SoBs female only? A legal technicality that forbade the church from "men at arms" after attempting to take over the imperium that one time, cap stoned by the fact the chief warrior nun personally ended the coup. All very intricate and interesting as Imperium internal politics should be.
And also, Living Saints, and they're well-respected among the Imperium. Space Marines wish they were as popular as sister of battles, but all the surgery they go through to become space marine make them impotent, while some sisters of battle end up marrying lucky Guardsmen, and grow up raising plenty of stalwart imperial citizens. The SoBs are honestly fun, but the female custodes are fucking retarded.
Why would a femstodes mean RIP for a psychic null?
The SoS are not there because they have a vagina for Custodes dick to fit into.
Not that I think it'd matter to you, but SoS are pretty much joined at the hip of the Custodes. They're never going to be as popular, nor as well developed. As such, making them distinct and flavorful is the best way to make them stand out. And no, being psychic nulls doesn't make them stand out. Quite the opposite in fact.
Plus nothing stop GW to include male into the Sister of Silence.
Either change the name or just say that can be sister regarless of the gender.
Like the Banshee for the eldar who are mainly woman, but it's was establish that men can be part of the squad.
Male nulls exist anyway, you wouldn't need to change the name either, why would it mater to a galaxy-wide empire in the very far future what today's culture around ganders is. I doubt anyone in the empire would care what the person that's banishing a demon back into the warp's genitalia looks like, or would argue the semantics of what their order is called.
Not that I think it'd matter to you, but SoS are pretty much joined at the hip of the Custodes. They're never going to be as popular, nor as well developed. As such, making them distinct and flavorful is the best way to make them stand out. And no, being psychic nulls doesn't make them stand out. Quite the opposite in fact.
'Their mere presence making demon's heads explode makes them not stand out, having a pussy however...'
Sadly typical from Games Workshop, they keep retconning "small stuff", but they don't realize that they're fucking up their lore big time with it. Custodes all being males was used in my circle of friends to "prove" that female Space Marines really were impossible, and that it wasn't just the Emperor not trying hard enough. Now that female Custodes are a thing, I really wonder how Games Workshop can justify female Space Marines not being a thing. And don't get me started on the Sisters of Battles, they're "just" highly trained warrior monks, they aren't the barely humans that the Space Marines are. For fuck's sake, it's the same shit with Ollanius Pious, he used to be just a man standing against fucking Horus, the first of the Primarchs, the Champion of Chaos, and what Failbaddon wishes he was. Then Games Workshop made him a space marines, then a terminator, then a custode, then finally an immortal, when him being just a man, just one man, was just what the story needed to prove how far Horus was gone, that he would deliberaly kill what was as dangerous as a newborn to him. But no, a normal marine wasn't enough, he had to be bigger and stronger, making him more of a threat to Horus, and making Horus' murder of him less of a gratuitous act and more of an actual self-defense.
Warhammer is wasted on Games Workshop, be it Fantasy or 40,000.
Male nulls exist anyway, you wouldn't need to change the name either, why would it mater to a galaxy-wide empire in the very far future what today's culture around ganders is. I doubt anyone in the empire would care what the person that's banishing a demon back into the warp's genitalia looks like, or would argue the semantics of what their order is called.
Something like knowing their name will yield an advantage. Semantics matter quite a bit in this kind of battle.
