Let's talk about the Primarchs each line in the "Ballad" refers to, and some of my insights into them.
Note: "[Evil flames ignite, imperial deeds become ancient history]" refers to the Great Heresy, not a single Primarch.
[Boundless arrogance]
Refers to Magnus. He arrogantly, blindly, and without self-control used psychic powers, disregarding the Emperor's warnings, allowing Warp corruption to unwittingly erode his entire Legion.
Magnus was also the most significant instigator of the Burning of Prospero. He made the wrong choices at every crossroads of his life, single-handedly ruining himself and his Legion. As for the plot where the Emperor promised a new Legion, it has been retconned. Magnus has been completely abandoned by his father.
[Self-importance like venom]
Refers to Lion El'Jonson. The Lion's portrayal varies greatly under different writers, but his feudal lord-like arrogance, reservedness, concern for appearance, and disdain for deep communication are universal.
The Lion could barely comprehend most so-called emotions in human interactions. He demanded an extremely high standard from himself and everyone, and the Lion's coldness, harshness, and unwillingness to communicate caused resentment among the Caliban garrison, such as Luther, ultimately leading to the tragedy that plagued the Dark Angels for ten thousand years.
[Thirsty at midnight]
Refers to Konrad Curze. As the embodiment of a judge among the Primarchs, Curze was instilled with an innate sense of justice, but this concept of justice, coupled with a childhood devoid of education, ultimately morphed into a cruel tyranny of slaughter.
Curze's lack of childhood education left him without sufficient understanding to solve many problems: the development of his homeworld, the resurgence of old nobility, the Legion's ethos, and so on. These issues, combined with a bleak future, ultimately crushed him. But until his last moment, his simple belief that "the wicked must be punished" remained unshaken.
[Divine slaves prostrate]
Refers to Lorgar. The world of Colchis, where Lorgar originated, was the most thoroughly religious world, capable of nurturing only fanatical believers. Even so, Lorgar couldn't be considered even a minimum standard believer.
The most basic requirement for a believer is to revere their god. For a true believer, the destruction of Perfect City would only be a joyous occasion, because their god actually responded to their offerings. As for that response appearing less than friendly—that must mean they did something wrong.
[Beast trapped in prison]
Refers to Angron. The most tragic of all Primarchs, and truly the one who sat in a "prison" (literally, given his background). Recently, he has officially become a complete clown with the new book "Echoes of Eternity."
Angron's tragedy is that he once had hopes of escape in his life, but these hopes were shattered, fleeting. They disappeared too quickly, requiring all his strength to grasp, and Angron, taken by the Emperor, had already given up on grasping them. He would only bend down and unleash his fury on those lower than him—just like his former slave masters.
[Divinely bestowed might]
Refers to Sanguinius. There's nothing more to say. With the new book "Echoes of Eternity," he has officially become the greatest among the Primarchs, stepping over his brothers and a Great Daemon to reach the pinnacle.
Sanguinius might have had the best physical components among the Primarchs, so it's not at all an exaggeration to say his might was "divinely bestowed." But his true nobility lay in his inherently noble soul. Perhaps the Great Angel also experienced moments of confusion, wavering, or even ill intentions (second... thump), but the one who stood on the Vengeful Spirit and faced Horus was, in the end, a great warrior capable of disdaining the Four Gods.
[Soaring hawk brought low]
Refers to Fulgrim. From the high and mighty, noblest and most favored Imperial Eagle, to the Daemon Prince who knelt before Slaanesh's will, crawling on the ground like a snake. He truly went from "soaring hawk" to "brought low."
Fulgrim is somewhat similar to Arthas. Their early lives were spent achieving success and smooth sailing, but when the real test came, just a few unforgettable setbacks completely crushed them. Their fall seemed to be the temptation of the Serpent Tongue, but fundamentally, it was their own weak will and extreme self-love.
[Fox gnawing tiger]
Refers to Mortarion. Typhon, this guy who rode on the tiger's prestige, eventually successfully turned against Old Mort, the tiger. Truly worthy of being recognized by the Khan as the real Legion Master (joy)!
Mortarion is probably the Primarch I dislike the most. He had few good qualities, and many bad ones. His badness wasn't pure, nor was it consistent. From beginning to end, he gave off the vibe of a "mouth-strong king," and his "mouth-strength" didn't even truly convince himself. Ultimately, he was just a brat who ran away from home halfway through his studies.
[The hidden are destined for obscurity]
Refers to Corvus Corax. From a distinguished son of the working class, raised by various families, to a great leader of the masses, and then turning around to suppress [redacted] by [redacted], a living tragedy.
Corvus Corax's internal struggles during the Great Heresy were an unfortunate fusion of realistic problems and his own personality. The success of the Great Crusade and the well-being of his homeworld were a binary choice. The Raven Lord made the most painful decision, and such decisions were repeated many times by the Alpha and Super Raven Guard. When Corvus Corax went alone into the Warp, what he hated most were the traitors, and what he hated second most was himself.
[The stone for solitude]
Refers to Rogal Dorn. He is jokingly said to be responsible for the rebellion of at least half of the rebellious Primarchs. In fact, this is a joke, but without him, Horus might have long since overturned Holy Terra.
Dorn might be the most similar to his sons. Look at the Imperial Fists, and you'll know what Dorn is like: they won't win every battle, they won't be as noble as the Blood Angels, as miraculous as the Ultramarines, as explosively cool and inner-sage-like as the Dark Angels. But if you truly encounter a life-threatening situation, entrust everything to them. They will fight to the last moment, no matter the cost.
[Ambitious beyond measure, weeping at the end of the road.]
Refers to Horus. The once mighty Warmaster, who in the end could only weep helplessly before the Emperor, begging his father to protect him, but the Emperor was already powerless.
Horus's image has been completely torn apart by countless writers, but we can still confirm that the one who received the coronet at Ullanor was a somewhat uneasy but ambitious loyalist of the Imperium. However, his loyalty and dreams held a fundamental divergence. Even without the interference of the Four Chaos Gods, Horus would one day have to choose between his sons and his loyalty to the Emperor. He might once again be ambitious beyond measure, and once again weep at the end of the road.
[Black ink for appearance, heart like a pearl]
Refers to Vulkan. Our beloved Uncle Black, with the fiercest appearance and the warmest heart. The Primarch closest to being "a good person," even Sanguinius is inferior to him in this regard.
To be fair, Vulkan's characterization is somewhat too simplistic. Like many Akharin Primarchs (a term similar to "background characters" or "forgettable"), he lacks major works where he is the protagonist (don't even mention "The Beast Arises"). This results in his character being reduced to little more than "good at eating intestines, strong, and a skilled blacksmith." I still don't understand what makes the Salamanders, as a "Clover Legion," special?
[Steel heart and iron blood, cannot escape rust and decay]
This refers to both Perturabo and Ferrus Manus... well, actually, only Perturabo, because Ferrus Manus is too much of an Akharin; I don't understand him at all.
I've written quite a bit about Perturabo before. This guy is pretty much the most severe case of passive personality disorder. But no matter his true nature, Perturabo ultimately "decayed." His betrayal, his slaughter, and his atrocities undoubtedly deviated from his bright original heart. I wonder if this ruthless guy, when living as a shut-in in the Warp, ever felt a moment of regret or remorse...
Probably not.
[Serpent robes and green armor, fickle loyalty]
Refers to Alpharius. The undying Hydra, clad in green armor, deceived the Imperium, deceived Chaos, deceived his brothers, deceived his subordinates, and ultimately even deceived himself.
Along with the ramblings in The Primarchs series, the mist surrounding the Hydra has grown even thicker. However, one thing is certain: Alpharius is very likely the most ruthless of all Primarchs, more ruthless than Lion El'Jonson and Perturabo combined. After all, his attitude towards his own sons was purely that of pawns. The Alpha Legion was truly dismantled by their own gene-father.
[Flying wolves and swift horses, gallop no more]
Refers to Leman Russ and Jaghatai Khan, respectively. These two are quite similar in many aspects, for example, they are both (not) truly savages, but were both alienated as barbarians.
However, the Khan was a truly civilized man. His series of investigations and self-judgments in the early Great Heresy, as well as his thought and perseverance during the Siege of Terra, were enough to make the Emperor weep. There are not many Primarchs with such intellect.
As for Russ, he is more regrettable. Although he always called himself an executioner, his performance during the Burning of Prospero and the assassination of Horus can hardly be called mature. While his character charisma is sufficient, his actions... sometimes are truly frustrating to witness.
[Crown falls to the ground, rattling, masterless]
Refers to Roboute Guilliman. The great Regent, but the crown refers not to his own crown, but to the crowns of his foster father King Konor and the two Emperors he served. He was not present when these three crowns fell.
But afterwards, he took another step forward (joy).
As the only active Primarch, his image is infinitely approaching "bright, great, and righteous." However, if you truly examine his actions at the end of the Great Crusade:
The Five Hundred Worlds, an independent administrative system, being able to precisely locate individuals like Dantioch whom even the Iron Warriors didn't know where they were...
What exactly are you trying to do, Guilliman?
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