Having played through Space Marine II, and really enjoyed it, the path the writers chose to take with a certain Chaplain is very intriguing indeed. Given that it’s been months since the game released, I won’t bother with spoiler warnings.
People meme about “generational hater”, but there do seem to be nuanced differences between Leandros as he was in comparison to how he is as a Chaplain. Beneath all the unforgiving hostility there is a strange fairness now, with perhaps a bit of wisdom. With his helmet off Leandros looks grizzled, and he’d have to be as Chaplains are meant to be absolute monsters in combat, so his novice days are long behind him.
The question to my mind is how did he become a Chaplain? Two hundred years is a long time and plenty can happen in it. It’s time enough for Calgar to throw the book at the little snitch multiple times, then for that little snitch to get his act together. I suppose there is an irony in that he has been made what he was meant to report his concerns about Titus to in the first place. And in that position, the other Chaplains and the Chapter Master are breathing down his neck to prevent any more foolish decisions.
Clearly it’s worked, because from what we see Leandros is quite a good Chaplain. And although he’d never admit it, there’s points in the game where he seems to almost stick his neck out for his former Captain. A guilty conscience is probably not something a Space Marine gives much thought too, but for someone who is supposedly interested in shooting him in the back of the head at the first opportunity, Leandros seems to spare an odd amount of thought for Titus’s wellbeing.
I look forward to seeing what Saber Interactive will be doing with him. They’ve taken this character down an interesting road. I hope they don’t do anything like have his pride make him fall to Chaos.