Contents show Who is Leandros in the original game? The Stain of Suspicion – Story Analysis
Warning. This page contains story spoilers related to Space Marine 1 and Space Marine 2. It is advised you read the page with caution. We are also summarising the events of Space Marine 1 to better explain who Leandros is in Space Marine 2. There’s some meta-analysis and how it relates to character development to help piece together some things you may have missed or forgotten about due to its relative unimportance at the time.
Who is Leandros in the original game?
Leandros is one of the young Space Marines who works alongside Captain Titus during the events of Space Marine 1. Leandros is very much interested in his codex doctrine and worships it and follows it to the letter. Captain Titus on the other hand, is more of the opinion it is a set of guidelines to follow. In Titus’ opinion, the best Astartes are the ones who can adapt the Codex, rather than follow it wholeheartedly.
This is a pain point of the relationship between Titus and Leandros in Space Marine 1. It’s made extremely worse by the Chaos artefact, which we now know as Aurora. For those playing through Space Marie 2, the Aurora project is based on the chaos artefact from the first game. It’s a suspicious chaos artefact that the Ultramarines managed to retrieve. But, to retrieve it, Titus physically had to handle the artefact, which gave off incredibly powerful warp energy, that would be enough to kill most mortals. But, Titus for some reason survived. We see Titus having some connection to the Immaterium through Chapter 2 via the resistance to Thousand Sons, tricks, the maddening effects of the warp, and other such events in game.
The combination of the natural differences between codex enforcement and the interaction with Chaos artefact raises too many suspicions. It is for this reason that Leandros reported Titus to the Inquisition, the Imperium institution for rooting out heresy amongst its population and forces. It’s another reason why the chaplain has concerns early on in the Space Marine 2 campaign.
This ends the events of Space Marine 1.
Gadriel’s storyline somewhat mirrors Leandros’ and it’s partially Leandros’ fault.
The Stain of Suspicion – Story Analysis
When we finish Space Marine 2’s campaign, we find out that Leandros is the Chaplain. This makes a lot of sense based on character development via both games. The chaplain’s personality is very dogmatic to the chapter, ultramarines, and his behaviour. This behaviour helps to identify why the Chaplain is always suspicious of Titus and his squad. The Chaplain says it himself in the prologue and epilogue:
The stain of suspicion never goes away.
Interestingly, we see a mirror of Leandros in Gadrial due to this stain. We see that with Gadrial’s relationship being somewhat suspicious of Titus. Suspicion builds up more and more as the campaign plays out. Titus hid his plans, intentions his background, the deeper details of the Deathwatch and more from his squad. This, by the way, is due to the advice the Chaplain gave to Titus after he awakes from surviving his biological enhancement into a Primaris marine. Bear in mind that we do not know the Chaplain is Leandros. We only meet the Chaplain for the first time at the end of the prologue.
Tensions culminate with the Navigators in the temple in the campaign. The navigator warns of the chaos interference with sending messages and the extreme risks warp communication brings. Consequently, The navigator gets possessed and accuses Titus of Heresy. Gadriel is happy to believe it is true due to the tensions of the stain of suspicion. The only thing saving Titus at that point is when Chairon figures it was the mark of Chaos involved. It puts Gadrial in his place and begins to trust Titus more. Something that Leandros never got.
Evidence of this reveals itself during the summon to see the Chaplain before mission 6. The Chaplain is somewhat disappointed in Gabriel. Leandros also mentions he won’t hesitate if the stain of suspicion once again shows itself to be true.
This stain of suspicion is a very convenient for Leandors and his role as Chaplain. Yet Gadrial eventually came round to Titus after he was nearly tricked by the Thousand Son’s trickery and deceit. It adds a little more to Leandros’ character and his inability to let what he saw in the first game go.
Wherever Titus is off to, he’s going with the Chapter Master and the Chaplain. That’s going to create some interesting story developments. In case you missed it, the Chapter Master hated that Titus was sent to the Inquisition and the Deathwatch, per the conversations on the campaign’s mission 6. And it was Leandros who is responsible for getting him sent there in the first place. That Thunderhawk will have a thick fog you can cut through. So, I wonder how the stain of suspicion will follow Titus this time. Albeit Titus is surrounded by brothers who trust him, except for the Chaplain.
So, that explains the actions and revelation at the end of the Space Marine 2 campaign. If the storyline continues, it’s likely that Leandros will have further involvement with Titus.
