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Warhammer 40K’s Greatest Memes Explained: Thieves, Liars and the Most Punchable Man in the Galaxy
In the grim darkness of the far future, there's only … memes? For over three decades, Warhammer 40,000 (or simply "40K") has captivated audiences with its rugged blend of gothic architecture, space fantasy and enough skulls to put a heavy metal album cover to shame.
But what's truly remarkable is how the franchise has morphed into a cultural phenomenon that extends far beyond the tabletop game it originally came from when Games Workshop launched it back in 1987.
These days, you're just as likely to find 40K enthusiasts who've never touched a paintbrush as those who spend hours perfecting the edge highlighting on their Space Marines. This is because Games Workshop created a medley of just about every beloved sci-fi and fantasy trope imaginable in its fictional setting.
Want xenomorphs with a dash of Starship Troopers? Say hello to the Tyranids. Craving some Force-wielding action? Space Marine Librarians and other psykers have got you covered (just don't call them Jedi, unless you want an Inquisitor at your door). Do you have a thing for giant mechs and questionable greater good philosophy? The Tau Empire welcomes you.
The funny thing about 40K lore is that its notorious inconsistencies aren't bugs — they're features. Every contradiction can be explained away by the Imperium's hilariously unreliable record-keeping and propaganda machine.
Of course, with lore this vast, keeping up can be a full-time job. But why read a 200-page codex or 60-plus book series when you can just absorb Warhammer wisdom through memes and the franchise's extensive presence in internet culture?
Here's a look at the finest weaponized humor the 41st millennium has to offer — whether you're a newcomer or a long-time fan looking to better understand what the heck is going on over at the /r/GrimDank subreddit.
Heresy
If there's one word that captures both the grim absurdity and zealous paranoia of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, it's "HERESY!" In the dystopian far future, humanity exists under the watchful eye of a galaxy-spanning theocracy and fascist government that worships their Emperor as a god, and they take their religious devotion very, very seriously.
The mere suggestion of straying from Imperial doctrine is enough to earn a one-way ticket to a punishment that usually involves fire, bolter rounds, a swift execution from the nearest commissar or being reported to the ever-vigilant Inquisition (who might decide to just blow up your entire planet to be on the safe side, which is called "exterminatus" if you're unaware).
The term has become a beloved catchphrase and reaction meme in the community, with fans jokingly declaring everything from xenos-sympathizing to putting pineapple on pizza as HERESY — usually accompanied by images of zealous Space Marines or Inquisitors in full righteous fury mode.
One of the earliest widespread uses of the "Heresy" meme was noted on 4chan many years ago, where posters from the /b/ imageboard routinely tried to purge furry and My Little Pony threads from their community by calling them "heretics."
Blood for the Blood God
Few battle cries in gaming history have achieved the memetic immortality of "Blood for the Blood God!" Originally the zealous war-shout of Khorne's followers in Warhammer 40,000, this phrase has transcended its grimdark origins to become the main marker of the franchise's gleeful embrace of over-the-top violence.
The cry originated with the worshippers of Khorne, one of the four Dark Gods of Chaos, who sits upon a massive throne crafted from the skulls of the slain in his realm within the Warp (the setting's chaos-filled alternate dimension). His followers, particularly the World Eaters Chaos Space Marines, commonly bellow, "Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!" as they charge into combat, each kill serving as both devotion and tribute to their bloodthirsty deity.
One of the earliest memes featuring the phrase was a Demotivational Poster posted to GameReplays by user Jean=A=Luc on July 3rd, 2008. The community has since embraced it with characteristic humor, spawning countless variations including the fan-favorite "Milk for the Khorne Flakes," a pun that would probably get your head lobbed off by a Khornate Berzerker's chainaxe in the 41st millennium.
I am Alpharius
Born from the mysterious Alpha Legion, whose entire schtick revolves around deception and secrets, the phrase, "I am Alpharius," has become a shorthand for the ultimate intergalactic prank. The line stems from the Chaos Space Marine legion's habit of having multiple operatives claim to be their Primarch (one of the sons of The Emperor and essentially demi-gods) Alpharius, creating a galaxy-spanning shell game of fake identities.
Like the classic "I'm Spartacus" scene but with genetically engineered super soldiers, the Alpha Legion's dedication to everyone being Alpharius has evolved into a beloved community catchphrase, whether used to derail serious lore discussions, respond to questions about identity or simply mess with fellow fans. After all, in a universe where anyone could be Alpharius, the joke itself could be a deep-state Alpha Legion ploy … or is it? (By the way, I am Alpharius).
Blood Ravens Stealing Everything
The Blood Ravens are a Warhammer chapter with an infamous "collecting" habit, and players became well acquainted with the faction's kleptomaniac tendencies through the Dawn of War games. These magpies in power armor became notorious for their habit of mysteriously "recovering" sacred relics from literally every other faction.
A notable example of this was the time a Blood Raven was seen wielding the Daemonhammer "Godsplitter," originally belonging to the Black Templars, an ultra-zealous loyalist Space Marine chapter known for never giving up their relics.
Though a bit exaggerated, the community seized on this quirk with glee, turning it into an endless stream of memes about the Blood Ravens' sticky fingers. Their battle cry might as well be "Yoink!" given how they've supposedly "found" everything from other chapters' most sacred artifacts.
In fact, the joke got so popular that even Games Workshop joined in, officially describing their tendency to accumulate suspicious amounts of "gifts" from other chapters in their lore. Remember: "Knowledge is power. Guard it well."
Everybody Hates Erebus
If there's one thing that unites the fractious Warhammer 40,000 fandom, it's the near-universal hatred of Erebus. The manipulative First Chaplain of the Word Bearers Legion holds the dubious honor of bringing about humanity's darkest hour — the Horus Heresy (you'll need to read up on Warhammer 30K if you want more on that old chestnut).
Through elaborate schemes and the kind of punchable smugness that transcends millennia, Erebus orchestrated the corruption of Warmaster and Luna Wolves Primarch Horus, effectively kicking off a civil war that would doom humanity to ten thousand years of suffering and setting up the 40K setting as we know it today.
What makes him particularly infuriating is his cockroach-like ability to survive anything thrown at him, combined with his insufferable tendency to act like he's the smartest person in any room. Even when he gets his comeuppance (like when Khârn gave him the beat-down of the millennium), he somehow slithers away to scheme another day.
The fandom's collective desire to see Erebus die horribly has spawned countless memes, with "F--- Erebus" and "Kill Erebus" becoming rallying cries that unite Imperial, Chaos and Xenos players alike. In a universe full of genocidal monsters, demon gods, freakish aliens and unspeakable horrors, Erebus somehow managed to remain the most universally despised character ever created.
Honorable Mentions
The meme landscape of Warhammer 40K wouldn't be complete without a few more fan favorites, though we could triple this article and still only scratch the surface of Warhammer memes.
"From the Moment I Understood the Weakness of My Flesh" has become the battle cry of tech enthusiasts everywhere, spawned from the Adeptus Mechanicus's obsession with replacing their weak organic parts with superior machine bits — though most memers aren't quite ready to replace their hands with toasters (another bonus AdMech meme reference for you there).
"MOAR DAKKA!" embodies the Orks' delightfully straightforward approach to warfare, where the solution to every problem is simply "add more guns" (or "dakka" in Ork-speak), and then maybe some more guns on top of these because there's never enough dakka for the green-skinned brutes.
Then there's Grandfather Nurgle, or "Papa Nurgle" as some call him, the surprisingly wholesome Chaos god of decay and disease, whose followers have turned plague-spreading into oddly endearing family bonding — leading to countless memes about Nurgle being the most supportive and loving of the Chaos Gods, even if his idea of a hug might involve flesh-eating bacteria and other nightmares.
For more Warhammer 40,000 memes and internet culture, you can check out Know Your Meme's full entry on the franchise here and peruse to your heart's content … we're pretty sure there's nothing too heretical in there.
