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'''Khârn''', also known as '''Khârn the Betrayer''', is a [[Chaos Space Marine]] of the [[World Eaters]] [[Space Marine Legion|Legion]]. Khârn is the greatest of all the [[Champions of Khorne]], second only to the [[Daemon Prince]] [[Angron]] in power. He is the avatar of Khorne, embodying that god's indiscriminate rage and bloodlust.{{Fn|1a}}
[[Image:Kharn2.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Khârn the Betrayer{{Fn|15a}}]]

==History==
===Early Career===
[[Image:Preheresykharn.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Khârn before the Horus Heresy{{Fn|8}}]]
Khârn was born on [[Terra]] and inducted into the [[World Eaters|War Hounds]] [[Space Marine Legion|Legion]]. Trained on [[Bodt]] by the War Hounds Master of [[Neophyte]]s [[Gruner]]{{Fn|21}}, Khârn eventually rose to become [[Space Marine Captain|Captain]] of the [[8th Company (World Eaters)|8th Assault Company]].{{Fn|2}}

When the War Hounds' [[primarch]], [[Angron]], was found, the entire Legion rejoiced, but their elation turned to horror when their progenitor rejected them and disavowed any interest in joining the [[Emperor]]'s forces. After forcibly teleporting the primarch aboard their [[Battle Barge]], as the Emperor had ordered, the War Hounds were forced to keep him imprisoned in a cargo hold, where he killed every Marine officer who attempted to treat with him. While the rest of the battle-barge's command staff hovered in indecision, Khârn - the next ranking officer - was the only one who volunteered to try next.{{Fn|2}}

Angron attacked Khârn as soon as he entered, and came dangerously close to killing him, but Khârn kept his composure in such contrast to the previous officers that Angron was reluctantly impressed; he swore to Angron that his refusal to fight back was not cowardice, but rather the complete awe and obedience which all War Hounds held for their primarch. He also managed to convince Angron that, if Angron was hungry for war, then the entire Legion was at his command, and the Crusade offered a whole [[galaxy]]'s worth of enemies to slaughter.{{Fn|2}}

Khârn succeeded where the other Captains had failed, and led his primarch to the bridge of the ship to assume command of his Legion.{{Fn|2}} Becoming Angron's [[Equerry]], Khârn was able to convince Angron to rejoin the Legion after he abandoned them for nearly two years.{{Fn|19b}} Seeking to gain his fathers respect and emulate his strength, Khârn later volunteered to have the [[Butcher's Nails]] installed into his brain, which at the time had a 100% fatality rate. However, Khârn survived the process, being the very first World Eater to endure the Nails and earn Angron's acknowledgment as his son.{{Fn|19b}} During the subsequent [[Ghenna Massacre]], Khârn and World Eaters equipped with the Butcher's Nails put down a revolt by his old comrade [[Mago]]. After a duel, Khârn slew Mago, but not before him declaring that Angron's path would lead the World Eaters to damnation.{{Fn|19a}}

===Crusade with the World Eaters===
During the Crusade, Khârn served as Angron's [[equerry]], often acting as a voice of reason that cooled his primarch's bloody rages (a surprising contrast with the person Khârn was destined to become). Like the other World Eaters, he underwent extensive surgery, increasing his aggression such that he now finds joy only in killing the enemy. His love of killing is so great that he has actually had a kill counter installed in the lens of his helmet. This kill counter was made from arcane technology and was a gift from the [[Warmaster]] [[Horus]] himself.{{Fn|6}}

Shortly before the [[Battle of Isstvan III]], Khârn had gained a reputation as a brilliant, but unstable warrior. Encountering him aboard the ''[[Vengeful Spirit]]'', [[Nathaniel Garro]] reflected that some of the rumors surrounding the World Eater involved atrocities that even the most battle-hardened [[Death Guard]]s found hard to stomach.{{Fn|4}} Through his dueling matches and joint campaigning with other Astartes, Khârn established friendships with [[Argel Tal]], [[Garviel Loken]], [[Sigismund]], and [[Nassir Amit]].{{Fn|14}}

===The Heresy Begins===
[[Image:KharnNoHelmet.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Khârn during the Horus Heresy{{Fn|28}}]]
During the infighting on [[Isstvan III]], Khârn was believed killed in action while fighting [[Garviel Loken]] of the [[Luna Wolves]], a [[loyalist]] determined to stop [[Horus]]. Khârn engaged in close combat with Loken, only to be thrown against the dozer blades of a nearby vehicle, impaling his chest.{{Fn|3}} It was believed that the blow was fatal, but this proved false. His mangled body was discovered by one of the members of his company, [[Skane (World Eaters)|Skane]]. Khârn's friend, [[Apothecary]] [[Kargos]], subsequently saved the Centurion's life.{{Fn|12a}}

Khârn, and a squadron of World Eaters, were later dispatched to [[Prospero]] to retrieve the Moon Wolf, a sigil gifted to [[Magnus The Red]] by Horus, to prevent any other Psykers from using it to contact him, as Magnus had done in his attempt to prevent the Heresy. As an aside, Khârn also had a personal objective of locating 'mind-healing' devices of the Thousand Sons. While there he interrogated Captain [[Menes Kalliston]] of the Thousand Sons, captured after a brief battle with the World Eaters. Captain Kalliston admitted that the devices Khârn was searching for had all been destroyed but offered to use his Athanean Psyker powers to salve the guilt and pain of Kharn's mind. Decrying himself as beyond saving, Khârn rebuked Kalliston's offer and, after a brief struggle, beat the Thousand Sons Captain to death.{{Fn|9}}

Khârn later takes part in the [[Shadow Crusade]], forming a friendship with [[Word Bearer]] Captain [[Argel Tal]]. Tal even proved able to calm Kharn, which led to [[Erebus]] becoming worried that his destiny as the Betrayer would be foiled. After Erebus arranged the death of Tal, an enraged Khârn nearly slew the Word Bearer [[Chaplain]]. Following the events on [[Nuceria]] and the transformation of [[Angron]] into a [[Daemon Prince|Daemonic entity]], Khârn was the first one whom the Primarch spoke to. Angron ordered Khârn to massacre the slaves on the lower decks of the ''[[Conqueror (Ship)|Conqueror]]'' and build him a skull throne.{{Fn|12x}} Khârn and [[Lotara Sarrin]] later put down a mutiny by members of the World Eaters and [[Serf]]s who wished to escape the increasingly corrupted ''Conqueror''.{{Fn|18}}

Following the transformation of Angron, the World Eaters went on to mindlessly slaughter any world they came across. Khârn accompanied Angron throughout this, and continued to insist that the Primarch was dying. Angron and his Legion refused all summons by Horus to muster at [[Ullanor]] in preparation for the drive on [[Terra]]. This eventually caused the [[Iron Warriors]] under [[Perturabo]] himself to track the World Eaters to [[Deluge]]. On the world, they found the population butchered and erected into a giant mound. At the top of it stood Kharn, who pleaded with Pertuarbo and his forces to leave before it was too late. Soon enough, Angron led an attack of World Eaters and Khornate Daemons against the Iron Warriors. Eventually the two sides came to an agreement to leave for Ullanor following the arrival of the [[Ultramarines]]. Khârn accompanied Angron to Ullanor and then to Terra.{{Fn|17}}

===The Battle of Terra ===
By the time of the [[Siege of Terra]], Khârn was barely able to hold back the urge to murder anything around him, even valued comrades such as [[Lotara Sarrin]]. After hearing that [[Mortarion]]'s [[Death Guard]] would instead be the first to assault Terra, Angron fell into a rage and massacred all he came across within the bowels of the ''Conqueror''. Lotara Sarrin feared that he would murder the [[Tech-Priest]]'s attending to the vessels reactor, risking a catastrophic meltdown. This forced Khârn to confront Angron within the ship, where the Primarch revealed he knew of the 8th Captain's ultimate destiny and wished to supplant him as the Chosen of Khorne. The two battled, with Khârn being little match for his gene-father. However before Angron could finish him, Khârn placed a teleport homer on the Primarch which transported him to the shifting maze within the nearby [[Night Lords]] flagship ''[[Nightfall]]'' within, Angron became trapped and spent his time battling the many traps within the maze.{{Fn|20}}

Khârn next appeared leading an attack from a [[Spartan Assault Tank]] on the [[Lion's Gate Spaceport]], though the attack faltered in the face of the Emperor's psychic shield of the [[Imperial Palace]].{{Fn|22b}} During the renewed assault on the Spaceport, Khârn fought alongside [[Abaddon]], [[Kroeger]], and [[Zardu Layak]]. Almost completely feral from the Butcher's Nails and influence of Khorne, Khârn penetrated deep into the Imperial lines in order to battle [[Sigismund]]. The two former allies dueled, and while Sigismund was the superior swordsman he could not match the Khornate power swelling through Kharn. Sigismund was only saved thanks to [[Rogal Dorn]], who swatted away the berserk Khârn like an insect. Khârn was only saved from death due to a rescue launched by Abaddon.{{Fn|22a}} Later Khârn and Angron both led a massive World Eaters assault on the [[Eternity Wall Spaceport]]. As the Port fell, Khârn slew [[Sisters of Silence]] Commander [[Jenetia Krole]] without even realizing what he had killed.{{Fn|23}}

During the drive into the [[Inner Palace]], Khârn was at the forefront of every assault. However he was eventually confronted by the [[Imperial Fists]] [[First Captain]] and his old sparring partner [[Sigismund]]. In the battle that followed not even Kharn's Warp-infused might could best the Imperial Fist, who much to his frustration refused to speak or acknowledge the World Eater. Finally Khârn was struck down by Sigismund, but before the final blow was struck the World Eater Captain remarked that even he was not as damaged as the embittered Sigismund had become. Sigismund then slew  Khârn upon the soil of his original homeworld.{{Fn|24}} His corpse was later discovered by Kargos who ordered his comrades to bring Khârn back to the ''Conqueror''.{{Fn|29c}} After this point, an apparition of Khârn stalked the halls of the ''Conqueror'' alongside the wraith of his long-time comrade Lotara.{{Fn|29a}} When Lotara's ghost finally began to realize that her physical self had mutated into an undead monstrosity, the apparition of Khârn warned her not to look until eventually admitting that the monster was the ''true'' Lotara. Afterward, both spirits faded away.{{Fn|29c}}

===Coma, return, and Battle of Skalathrax===
[[image:40k-79-kharn-the-betrayer.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Khârn the Betrayer{{Fn|32}}]]

After Horus' defeat and their retreat from Terra, the World Eaters discovered that by some dark miracle, Khârn still lived. Whether Khorne himself breathed life back into the berserker's body or whether the relentless clamour of battle revived his blood-lusting spirit remains a mystery.{{Fn|1a}} Regardless, Khârn initially remained comatose and did not rouse as the World Eaters scattered during the [[Great Scouring]].{{Fn|30b}} The Legion tore itself apart without him or Angron to guide them.{{Fn|30a}} Even though many World Eaters lost hope that Khârn would ever reawake, Captain [[Dreagher]] of the [[9th Company (World Eaters)|9th Company]] firmly believed that his old comrade would eventually heal to lead the entire Legion once more. Thus, Dreagher took Khârn's body onto his ship, the ''[[Defiant]]'', where the World Eaters built a sort of shrine for him and tried to reawaken him for years.{{Fn|30a}}{{Fn|30b}} Khârn eventually regained his senses, but contrary to Dreagher's hope the 8th Captain would further doom his Legion instead of guiding them.{{Fn|30a}}

When Khârn returned, fully healed, he led the remains of the World Eaters against a much larger [[Emperor's Children]] force at [[Skalathrax]]. During [[Battle of Skalathrax|the battle]], Khârn would become both legendary and infamous amongst the Legion. In what was dubbed the Night of Madness, Khârn turned on his brothers and took up a [[Flamer]], running through the World Eaters lines and burning them from cover in an effort to drive them forward to victory. The flames quickly spread into an uncontrollable inferno and those who sought to stop Khârn were struck down by the warrior. The actions proved to finally break the World Eaters as a Legion and they tore themselves apart.{{Fn|25}} Because of this, the World Eaters were completely scattered into small, individual war bands, and have seldom, if ever, fought as a unified Legion since then. Khârn's actions at Skalathrax earned him the sobriquet '''"The Betrayer"''', which he has carried ever since.{{Fn|1a}}

===Later Actions===
{{QuoteBox|quote='''''"KILL! MAIM! BURN! KILL! MAIM! BURN!"'''''{{Fn|10}}}}
[[Image:Kharn.jpg|thumb|right|'''Khârn the Betrayer''' wielding [[Gorechild]]{{Fn|7}}]]
Since Skalathrax, Khârn has become the unstoppable and bloody avatar of Khorne and has survived the bloodiest battles to the current age. He never came so close to death as during the Siege of Terra.{{Fn|1a}} He hunted through the [[Eye of Terror]], slaughtering any worthy enough to be killed in Khorne's name. One of the famous battles at this time was his fighting with [[Zarghan Ironfist]].{{Fn|11}} However, Khârn has taken countless lives and while [[Human]] skulls are the most desirable he is known to have slain every almost every kind of [[xenos]] and [[daemon]]. [[Hive Tyrant]]s, [[Necron Overlord]]s, [[Autarch]]s, and [[Warboss]]es have all met their end at Kharn's hand. Despite his crazed nature, Khârn will still offer his services to brave Chaos warlords. However, many are reluctant to call upon him, for his allies are often as at much risk as his enemies.{{Fn|13}}

Khârn has gathered a substantial following (for unclear reasons) as he has slaughtered his way across the galaxy. His band of [[Berzerkers]] and other devotees of Khorne has become known as the [[Butcherhorde]].{{Fn|15}} During the [[7th Black Crusade]], he and his forces ravaged the [[Blood Angels]] [[Strike Cruiser]] ''[[Sanguine Tear]]''.{{Fn|13a}}

During the [[Thirteenth Black Crusade]], his wrath was unleashed upon the Imperium as he, alongside a few of the most insane [[Khorne Berserker]]s, were loosed on the Emperor's warriors flocking to the defence of [[Cadia]].{{Fn|15}} During the Crusade he was a key Chaos commander during the [[Diamor Campaign]], where he led his Butcherhorde against the [[Blood Angels]], [[Adeptus Mechanicus]], and Imperial [[Titans]] on the planet of [[Amethal]].{{Fn|15}}

After the opening of the [[Great Rift]], Khârn sensed the presence of [[Saint Celestine]] on the planet of [[Tsadrekha]] and he headed there to claim her skull for Khorne. After carving a path in the Imperial defences, the berserker found and fought the Living Saint, killing her in a duel.{{Fn|16x}}

Following the return of [[Angron]] in the [[Arks of Omen Campaign]], Khârn reappeared, however briefly, at his Primarch's side to battle the Imperium. During the [[Battle of Malak]], he led a boarding action against the Imperial [[Battleship]] ''Honour of Terra'' which slew the commander of [[Indomitus Crusade Fleet Quartus]], [[Trincus Abconcis]].{{Fn|27}}

==Weapons and Abilities==
Khârn is one of the most deadly yet unstable close combat fighters in the galaxy. He is just as likely to attack his own allies in a berserk fury as he is the enemy.{{Fn|1a}} Originally, Khârn wielded the [[Chain Axe]] known as ''[[The Cutter]]'', though he was a master of all types of weaponry.{{Fn|26}} Today, Khârn wields a [[Plasma pistol]] and the ancient [[chainaxe]] known as [[Gorechild]]{{Fn|1a}} (which, along with its twin [[Gorefather]], was wielded by Angron himself during the Heresy{{Fn|5}}, rimmed with the teeth of a [[Mica Dragon]]{{Fn|1a}}. Gorechild is able to tear through armour, flesh and bone with ease.{{Fn|12b}}

As Khorne's greatest champion, Khârn enjoys the ''Blessing of the Blood God'', which renders him immune to the effects of psychic powers.{{Fn|1a}} In addition, since he has become [[Daemon]]ically corrupted Khârn exudes a blood mist wherever he walks. This mist allows for the manifestation of Daemonic creatures and can drive lesser foes to madness.{{Fn|16a}}

==Images==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
Kharn1.jpg|Khârn during the Heresy{{Fn|31}}
Kharn_model.jpg|Miniature (2nd Edition){{Fn|1b}}
Kharn7th.jpg|Khârn miniature (7th Edition)
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Skulltaker (Strike Cruiser)|Skulltaker]]

==Sources==
*1: [[Codex: Chaos Space Marines (4th Edition)]]
**{{Endn|1a}}: pg. 48
**{{Endn|1b}}: pg. 67
*{{Endn|2}}: [[After Desh'ea (Short Story)]]
*{{Endn|3}}: [[Galaxy In Flames (Novel)]], Sixteen
*{{Endn|4}}: [[The Flight of the Eisenstein (Novel)]], Chapter Four, pg. 103
*{{Endn|5}}: [[Battle for the Abyss (Novel)]], Chapter Thirteen, pg. 266
*{{Endn|6}}: [[The Wrath of Khârn (Short Story)]]
*{{Endn|7}}: [[Chosen of Khorne (Audio Book)]], ''Cover illustration''
*{{Endn|8}}: [[Horus Heresy (Artbook Series)]], pg. 250
*{{Endn|9}}: [[Rebirth (Short Story)]]
*{{Endn|10}}: [[Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition)]], pg. 59
*{{Endn|11}}: [[Farseer (Novel)]], Chapter 19
*12: [[Betrayer (Novel)]]
**{{Endn|12a}}: Prologue
**{{Endn|12b}}: Chapter 14
*{{Endn|13}}: [[Warlords of the Dark Millennium: Khârn the Betrayer (Background Book)]] (E-Book)
**{{Endn|13a}}: ''Blood for the Blood God''
*{{Endn|14}}: [[Butcher's Nails (Audio Book)]]
*{{Endn|15}}: [[Black Crusade: Traitor's Hate]] — ''Kharn's Butcherhorde''
**{{Endn|15a}}: pg. 59
*16: [[Shroud of Night (Novel)]]
**{{Endn|16a}}: Chapter 13
**{{Endn|16x}}: {{CME}}
*{{Endn|17}}: [[Slaves to Darkness (Novel)]] — Chapters 17–19
*{{Endn|18}}: [[A Rose Watered with Blood (Short Story)]]
*19: [[Angron: Slave of Nuceria (Novel)]]
**{{Endn|19a}}: Chapters 26-28
**{{Endn|19b}}: Chapter 22
*{{Endn|20}}: [[The Lost and the Damned (Novel)]] - Chapter 17
*{{Endn|21}}: [[The Weakness of Others (Short Story)]]
*22: [[The First Wall (Novel)]]
**{{Endn|22a}}: Chapter 30
**{{Endn|22b}}: Chapter 8
*{{Endn|23}}: [[Saturnine (Novel)]] Part 3 Chapter 4
*{{Endn|24}}: [[Warhawk (Novel)]] - Chapter 23
*{{Endn|25}}: [[White Dwarf 477]], pgs. 78-81
*{{Endn|26}}: [[Liber Hereticus]], pg. 225
*{{Endn|27}}: [[Arks of Omen: Angron]], pg. 39
*{{Endn|28}}: [[The Horus Heresy: Legions]]
*29: [[The End and the Death: Volume I (Novel)]]
**{{Endn|29a}}: Chapter 1
**{{Endn|29b}}: Chapter 4
**{{Endn|29c}}: Chapters 34-35
*30: [[Kharn: Eater of Worlds (Novel)]]
**{{Endn|30a}}: Prologue
**{{Endn|30b}}: Chapters 1-2
*{{Endn|31}}: [https://web.archive.org/web/20240904102835/https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/Kharn-the-Bloody-8th-Captain-of-the-World-Eatershttps:/www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/Kharn-the-Bloody-8th-Captain-of-the-World-Eaters Games Workshop Kharn Miniature] saved page, original link: https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/Kharn-the-Bloody-8th-Captain-of-the-World-Eaters (last accessed 4/9/2024)
*{{Endn|32}} [[Magic: The Gathering's Universes Beyond Warhammer 40,000]] - ''Khârn the Betrayer''

===Uncited===
{{Uncited}}
*[[White Dwarf 201 (UK)]]
*[http://uk.games-workshop.com/chaosspacemarines/kharn/ GamesWorkshop - Chaos Space Marines: Khârn the Betrayer]
*[[The Red Path (Novel)]]

{{WEForces}}

[[Category:Characters (Born: Terra)]]
[[Category:Characters (Great Crusade)]]
[[Category:Characters (Horus Heresy)]]
[[Category:Characters (Khorne)]]
[[Category:Characters (World Eaters)]]
[[Category:Khorne]]

[[de:Khârn]]