We all hate Amazog around here, and with good reason – they phuck up almost EVERY good IP they touch. But, with Warhammer 40K, they have actually done a LOT of things very, very right. Take Secret Level, the mini-series that wraps around parts of the lore. Episode 5, in particular, is (to use the technical term), SUPER EPIC AWESOMESAUCE AMAZEBALLS:

This episode might take some explanation, so here you go. But the video stands on its own merits. It is simply BADASSITUDE.

The short follows up on Space Marine 2 – a video game that is basically pure testosterone converted into images and sound – after he receives the Laurels of Victory for, essentially, having gigantic balls the size of Terran domes in stopping the incursion of Thousand Sons sorcerer Imurah. Yet, for some reason, the Ultramarines still insist on treating one of their greatest and most legendary heroes as a carrier-boy.

Being the badass that he is, though, Titus simply carries on being awesome – and, by the way, does not particularly care about what the Codex Astartes has to say about fighting from behind cover.

I particularly like the otherworldly way in which the Astartes actually fight. There is a terrifying, brutal economy of motion to their fighting. Not one wasted movement, not a single flicker of remorse – just death, dealt silently and quickly in the most efficient form possible.

That, in all honesty, is how you would expect transhumans modified at the cellular, genetic, and organic levels to fight. Whoever put that animation together, knows damned well what he is doing, and truly respects the lore of WH40K.

Indeed, I think the chief animator for this thing, might just be the genius behind the Astartes mini-series on YouTube. If you have not seen that, then you are missing out:

We are actually getting a follow-up to that series, which looks even more incredible:

Overall, it is fair to say that any lore or universe that Amazog touches, should be treated with EXTREME suspicion, until proven to be a correct and faithful adaptation of the source material. I, for one, would not put it past Amazog to try to sneak in “female Space Marines” through some sort of ridiculous plot device – with the express help of Games Workshop.

But, for the moment, at least, it does appear as though the upcoming Space Marine animated outputs will be lore-accurate – and therefore INCREDIBLE.