A Bunch of Great Warhammer 40k Game Concepts (Games Workshop, please call me)

Warhammer 40k has a long history with video games, perhaps fittingly since it originated as a tabletop game. They don't always work perfectly, but when they do, the franchise has come up with some truly impressive titles. And there has been a pretty good streak of successful games in recent years- Space Marine 2, Boltgun, Rogue Trader, even the mobile game Tacticus. But a lot of these games have barely scratched the surface of the franchise's notoriously bleak universe.

The more I deep dive into Warhammer 40k lore, the more I start to find myself noticing things that could make really interesting games, yet remain untouched. I start to have really cool ideas for video games that sound really interesting, if only I actually understood game production and knew how to get the rights. So I'd like to present a collection of ideas I've had for 40k games that I think could make something really interesting. 

Games Workshop, if you're reading this, please take these ideas. Take all of them. Take them and put your best people on them. You don't even have to pay me for suggesting these; giving me credit is enough. Just make them happen!

Note: I'm deliberately avoiding any ideas centered around Space Marines. While there is certainly lots of untapped potential around them, they have been done so much already, and I'd like to propose something different.

Adeptus Custodes Hack n' Slash

It's not hard to see what makes the Space Marines so interesting to Warhammer 40k fans. They're genetically augmented super soldiers built to take on the worst of an unforgiving galaxy. But if we're going to go that route, why not go even bigger? After all there is one faction that is even bigger and tougher than Space Marines- the Adeptus Custodes. These golden-armored warriors are usually around 9 ft tall, easily dwarfing most Space Marines. And when they appear, it's a sign that things are really bad.

If Space Marine 2's main selling point was playing as a genetically augmented super-soldier, playing as a custode would take that to a whole new level. Players would get to be the one thing that's bigger and tougher than a space marine (at least within the ranks of the Imperium). This would mean being able to blast through monsters that could easily overwhelm someone like Titus. 

Another fun detail about the Custodes is they are the Emperor's personal guard, so playing as one would be an opportunity to bring one of 40k's key locations outside the realm of concept art and into an immersive 3D environment. The Imperial Palace is the seat of power for all of humanity. A Custode game could actually explore this place and some of its mysteries, maybe even feature an appearance by the Emperor himself (or what's left of him, anyway). 

That said, there is an aspect in which a Custode game could do more than just feel like playing as super space marines, and that would be focusing on their differing combat style. Space Marine 2 allowed a pretty solid range of melee weapons, but it was ultimately a shooter. A custode game would be the opposite. 

While they are definitely capable of using firearms and explosives, the Adeptus Custodes primarily use melee combat. So a game centered around them would logically be more of a hack-and-slash than a shooter. This would create a much more distinct experience from the Space Marine games. 

While Custodes could theoretically work at any point in the timeline, a game centered on them would be a great opportunity to explore the Horus Heresy, a Civil War which came closer than anyone before or since to destroying the Imperium. Playing as a Custode experiencing one of the biggest genre-defining moments of the franchise would be a great selling point.

Adeptus Mechanicus RPG

The Adeptus Mechanicus is one of the more peculiar factions in the Imperium. They are a techno-cult from Mars that has a... peculiar relationship to technology. They'll build marvels of engineering but also feel the need to bless it with incense and elaborate rituals. This goes beyond mere superstition, with "machine spirits" actually being a thing in this world, but it definitely looks strange to any modern engineer. The only thing is that they can't actually innovate, at least not openly. Instead, they have to scavenge and rediscover old pieces of lost technology. 

And here's where things get messy, since one of Adeptus Mechanicus' core beliefs is the inherent weakness of the human body and the need to ascend through technical augmentation. On the more moderate side, this basically means digging circuit boards out of the trash and shoving them into your body to see what happens, and becoming a cyborg. The more fanatical ones do that so much they don't have a body left, becoming more like a brain encased in a machine. 

Now the Mechanicus have appeared in games before. They did have a notable role in Space Marine 2 and, unsurprisingly, they starred in Mechanicus 1 and 2. But there hasn't really been a game that's taken full advantage of their strange beliefs. An RPG could have some fun with this, casting the player as a new initiate into the cult and putting an emphasis on scavenging parts. An RPG could allow the player to experiment with different types of upgrades, essentially customizing their augmentations for different playstyles. We've seen this kind of thing work before in games like Cyberpunk 2077, though a mechanicus RPG would probably be a lot more extreme in this regard.

Another fun detail- there are some interesting philosophical questions that could be explored with this setup. Questions about what it means to be human, and how far the player is willing to go to achieve their full potential. This could even be a mechanic in the game, where the player is given the choice to dive deeper into mechanical augmentations or try to retain some of their humanity, with pros and cons both ways. 

Cadian Tactical Shooter

On the flipside, it might be refreshing to do a game where you play as a regular human. Let's face it, sci-fi games centered around playing a genetically augmented supersoldier are becoming a tired cliche. From the Space Marines to Halo's Master Chief, it's been done a lot. What about changing things up and instead playing a game where you get the experience of being one of those supporting NPCs who lack all the fancy modifications. 

In the context of Warhammer 40k, even the normal humans have to be tough to survive its unforgiving universe. And few exemplify that resilience quite like the Cadians. As many like to say, their homeworld broke before they did. The Cadians are easily among the most versatile and experienced factions when it comes to warfare, yet they often get reduced to the background as support for Space Marines. Putting them front and center would offer a unique experience.

For one thing, playing as a Cadian would allow players to see the 40k universe in a new light, since we could see how it looks to a regular human without all the fancy gene seed upgrades. This would make a lot of encounters more daunting, and more challenging. But that opens up a new angle for a Cadian game- greater focus on tactics. After all, Warhammer 40k is supposed to be a tactical game, is it not?

A logical way to do a Cadian shooter would be to put an emphasis on caution and strategy, possibly following in a similar vein to the Ghost Recon series. The player is cast as the leader of a Cadian squad tasked with daunting objectives. You can't just go charging in and opening fire, you'd actually have to evaluate the situation and determine the best strategy. It would be harder, but that might make it a lot more satisfying when the Cadians actually manage to take down a Carnifex.

The great thing here is Cadians are trained to be versatile, which leaves room for the player to experiment with different playstyles. They could experiment with more aggressive techniques or go for a quiet stealth-based approach. It could even mean experimenting with different weapons, vehicles, and squadmates to find the right combination. 

Death Korps of Krieg

The Death Korps of Krieg is an intriguing faction with a messed-up history. Long ago, there was a rebellion that led to a civil war. And now the descendants of those who fought at Krieg are forced to perpetually "atone" for their actions. And of course, atonement can only be achieved by fighting and dying for the Emperor. 

This often gets exaggerated into the Krieg recklessly charging into danger in the hopes of getting killed, which isn't entirely correct. More accurately, they're trained to work in hostile environments and produce maximum results with minimal resources, and conditioned to be willing to put their lives on the line if the situation calls for it. 

This is actually a pretty good setup for a game. A campaign centered around Krieg could emphasize three major things- squad-based gameplay, brutal fighting conditions and limited resources. This would make combat a lot harder, since the player would have to find unconventional ways of dealing with problems and occasionally improvise or use the environment to their advantage. 

Another thing about Krieg is that they have a very distinct aesthetic that would help the game stand out. One of the big things that allowed this faction to resonate with players is their WWI-inspired design, which extends to their weapons and tactics. A skilled design team could really take advantage of this to create some amazing visuals.

There is also a practical side to doing a game about the Death Korps of Krieg. They almost always wear gas masks, so focusing on them would mean significantly less work on facial animations, something that's often a daunting prospect even under the best working conditions.

Orders Hospitaller Simulator

Orders Hospitaller is a unique faction within the Adeptus Sororitas, being one of the few orders that aren't combat-focused. Of course they can still be ruthless towards enemies of the Imperium, and being capable of self-defense is essential in 40k's unforgiving galaxy, it's just not their primary objective. Instead, they serve as the closest thing 40k has to first responders, providing valuable medical care and aid relief. And this could actually make an interesting spin on the franchise.

It comes as no surprise that war plays a big part in Warhammer 40k, but there is a lot more to fighting a war than just shooting enemies. Like, for example, being able to provide medical aid to soldiers. And this would be where a game centered around Orders Hospitaller could do something interesting. It would still fit thematically- there is still war happening, the player is an active part of the war effort, and they are helping people who have been affected by war.

A game centered around Orders Hospitaller would shift gears by moving away from front-line combat to acting more like search and rescue or field medics. Gameplay would probably be focused more on navigating war zones and treating wounded soldiers or rescuing civilians from disaster (which, again, was probably caused by all that war). 

 Of course, it wouldn't need to forego combat entirely. No doubt the protagonist would occasionally need to defend herself against any number of threats. There could even be moments where she has to take up arms to protect her sisters or patients, or occasionally deal with a heretic in the ranks. The point is, it would be a game about war where shooting wouldn't be the central focus. While perhaps an unconventional approach, it actually could make for a truly unique game within the franchise.

Sisters of Battle Shooter

Space Marine 2 was a huge success, and a masterpiece in a lot of aspects. But it did have the downside of being very male-dominated in a franchise that already has a reputation for hypermasculinity. There weren't a lot of female characters in the campaign and the ones it did have didn't get a lot of screentime. This does make a degree of sense, seeing as its primary focus is on the Astartes, a faction that is explicitly all-male in the lore. While it might have been nice to see more of Major Sarkanna, it was ultimately Titus' story. 

However, what if there was another faction we could do that might be a little less... masculine? Something similar enough to the Space Marines to adopt a lot of the same gameplay but distinct enough to still be its own experience? Like maybe a female counterpart to the Space Marines... oh wait, there is! The Sisters of Battle are the closest thing Warhammer 40k has to female space marines, and they're sometimes framed as a counterpart. 

A game centered around the Sisters of Battle could likely work with a similar structure to Space Marine 2. You could have your central protagonist accompanied by two of her sisters, with an emphasis on the dynamic between them and optional co-op. They use a lot of the same weapons as well. You would still have your bolters, flamers, grenades, chainswords, so gameplay wouldn't be too far off. 

But there is one thing about playing as the Sisters of Battle that would make it distinct from playing as a Space Marine- you're not playing as a super soldier. While well-trained and ruthlessly effective, the Sisters of Battle lack the genetic upgrades of their male counterparts. This game could take advantage of a change in scale, adopting similar basic mechanics while recognizing the Sisters are around half the size of titus and therefore need to adopt different tactics when taking on the same enemies. And managing to take down something like a carnifex that is usually able to go toe to toe with a Space Marine would definitely feel pretty satisfying.

Sisters of Silence Stealth Game

The Sisters of Silence are a curious faction who certainly live up to their name. The name has a double meaning. For one thing, they are literally silent, as in they never speak. Becoming one requires an extreme vow of silence. They also act as assassins who rely on stealth and cunning to reach their targets, rather than a direct assault. And this is where the potential starts to manifest. There hasn't really been a Warhammer 40k stealth game, and the Sisters of Silence are practically tailor-made for such a project.

The obvious structure would be to do something in the vein of either Hitman or Dishonored, where the player is assigned an objective and placed into an open-ish world that leaves them different options on how to accomplish it. The Sisters do come with some crazy powers that could also be incorporated into gameplay, most notably they can disrupt the powers of psykers just by being in proximity. How is this not already a game?

The other fun thing with the Sisters of Silence is an opportunity to explore one of the key defining moments of 40k's history. While this could work at any point in the timeline, they had an especially prominent role during the Horus Heresy, a brutal Civil War that broke the galaxy. Playing as a sister of Battle who does sabotage and assassinations against Horus's forces would be a great framework for exploring such a defining moment in the lore.

Tallarn Guerrilla Experience

The Tallarn Desert Raiders are an underrated piece of the Imperium that doesn't get much attention, which is unfortunate because they are quite unique. Inspired by the Fremen of Dune, Tallarn is built around guerrilla warfare, which could actually be a pretty good setup for gameplay. Aside from bringing a lesser-known faction into the spotlight, a game centered around Tallarn would still fit with the themes of Warhammer 40k but offer a very different style of combat to other factions. 

With their specialty being in Guerrilla Warfare, a Tallarn-focused game would logically be put more emphasis on stealth and strategy. Players would need to carefully evaluate each objective and figure out the best way to get maximum results quickly and efficiently. And, depending on the circumstances, there might be various ways of doing that. Perhaps a bit of sabotage to weaken their defenses is in order, or a carefully timed explosion, or maybe you just need to know where they're going to be and set a trap.

Ghost Recon Wildlands might be a good point of reference for how a Tallarn game could work. A squad-based game where the player has to strategically make use of the available resources is a good approach. Maybe they could have a few different specialists to choose from for different strategies. Alternatively, something more in the vein of Sniper Elite, where the player is thrown into the meatgrinder and left to experiment with different strategies could also work.

Tomb Raider-Style Action Adventure Game

The universe of Warhammer 40k has a pretty complicated history, one full of mystery and dread. Just among humans, there's the whole Dark Age of Technology before the rise of the Imperium (which itself has existed for a few thousand years in some form). But the full timeline goes back well before humanity existed, with the earliest recorded event being a galaxy-breaking conflict known as the War in Heaven. And there might be some things even older than that, like the enigmatic Blackstone Fortress.

The point is the galaxy has a crazy past and uncovering old ruins and relics is already a common theme in Warhammer 40k, so why not use that as a framework for exploring some of that history in more detail? An action-adventure puzzle game in the style of Tomb Raider or Uncharted could be a fun way to do that, while also offering something a bit different. 

The premise could involve an archaeologist exploring old ruins while searching for a powerful artifact. It could be a human researcher seeking technology they think would aid the Imperium, or maybe a mechanicus tech-priest looking for knowledge. Either way, they would be searching through ancient structures and uncovering pieces of history, and, as happens a lot in 40k, a much greater danger. 

As for what they're investigating... well, take your pick. The Horus Heresy is already a thousand years ago at the current point in the timeline, and that's on the more recent end of things. There's the Dark Age of Technology, Necron Tombworlds, the Blackstone Fortress (itself an enigmatic mystery that could work great with Tomb Raider-esque puzzles), and anything leftover from the Aeldari empire.

But if you want to go really far back, why not use this as a way to explore the War in Heaven? It basically set everything in motion, but it's never really been shown. This approach could be an interesting way to tell a story around that conflict. Some of that fancy ancient technology could even be used to create flashbacks and let players experience actual moments of the infamous conflict.

And it might sound weird to do a puzzle game in Warhammer but that could still work. There could still be conflict, perhaps our protagonist is dealing with an opposing faction or one of the many xenos who are also competing for the same artifact? But thematically, it would still make sense on the grounds that it's exploring how war shaped the galaxy.

Tyranid Hive Simulator

Of all the alien species introduced in Warhammer 40k, tyranids are easily some of the most terrifying creatures. The easiest way to describe them would be something like the Xenomorphs of Alien, except somehow worse. They are a predatory hive mind whose only objective is to consume everything in their path. But the real danger is their intelligence. While their goals may be simple, tyranids are capable of elaborate battle tactics and espionage, and they have access to some advanced technology. And this is where a game could find some interesting opportunities. 

The thing to really take advantage of is the hive mind. In a way, the player is controlling the whole swarm. A fun way to do this would be to cast them as a hive tyrant, a sort of controller organism that acts like a commanding officer. Except instead of just giving orders, playing a hive tyrant would make it possible to directly control, and swap between, different types of tyranids. This would allow an interesting approach that could mix a shooter and real-time strategy format and put a lot more emphasis on their tactics.

There also hasn't been much that actually shows their perspective. Tyranids are usually portrayed as antagonists, so it would be an interesting shift to see what it's actually like to be them, especially if it had made a compelling story that actually makes the hive somewhat relatable, or at least understandable. Or at least allows players to have fun controlling supersized monsters and terrorizing the galaxy.

Imperium Team-Up

A common thread through all these suggestions is that a lot of them are, ultimately, part of the same Imperium. We have all these different groups we're  used to thinking of as separate factions- the Space Marines, Custodes, Sisters of Battle, Cadians, Death Korps, etc. But at the end of the day are they not all serving the same emperor? Sure, they may still have drastically different values and ideas of how to serve the Emperor, but that could still be a good source of conflict for a story. 

So why not bring a bunch of them together? Not just as different types of armies, but as a character-driven story around people brought together by unexpected circumstances who have to settle their differences for a common goal. Here's the setup: the Imperium sends a bunch of its forces on a critical mission, but things go bad (as happens a lot in 40k). Almost everyone is killed, save a few survivors who are reluctantly brought together and realize it is there duty to finish the job.

So here's what I'm thinking- a shooter using a similar structure to Borderlands where there are multiple playable characters and options for both single-player and co-op. Each playable character would come from a different part of the Imperium and therefore be tailored to a different playstyle.

So if, for instance, the playable roster included members of the Space Marines, Sisters of Battle, Cadians, Death Korps, and Tallarn Desert Raiders, each one could have different strengths and weaknesses. A Space Marine could be good for confronting larger enemies, while a Sister could be more agile and better at targeting weak points. Meanwhile, a Tallarn desert raider could focus on support through stealth and ambush tactics, and a Cadian could be portrayed as versatile.

And as far as the story goes, there's a lot of potential conflict just from the characters settling their differences. There is, canonically, already a rift between Sisters of Battle and Space Marines they would need to overcome. The Space Marine's interactions with the others could vary widely depending on which chapter he belongs to. An Ultramarine or Salamander will be a lot more amenable to working with normal humans than a Black Templar or Blood Angel. 

Fanbase Divided: The Complicated World of Gender Representation in Warhammer 40k

 

In 2024, a short story based on the lore of Warhammer 40,000 was published that made a big reveal. For the first time, it confirmed that a division of the Imperium of Man, known as Adeptus Custodes had women in their ranks. The results were... greatly varied. Many were willing to embrace the sudden inclusion, but there were many who found this to be a disgusting addition to the lore. When Game Workshop later tweeted confirmation that there have always been female custodes, it led to accusations of gaslighting. Some fans were acting like this was some slap in the face to the franchise, literally throwing tantrums because a supposedly all-male faction is now co-ed.

The thing is there is no actual basis for these tantrums. Nothing in existing 40k lore established there could not be female custodes. Fans just assumed that, because only male custodes had been named so far, that the faction was therefore all-male. This is textbook argument from ignorance. Absence of evidence does not indicate evidence of absence. 

All it indicates is that existing lore never mentioned female custodes one way or the other before this particular story. They had only identified male custodes up to this point, but there was no source that explicitly stated "there are no women in the custodes." Official artwork makes it clear that male and female custodes would be indistinguishable from each other while fully armored, so even then the idea that there have always been female custodes who simply blended in with their male counterparts is entirely believable. And yet, many fans will insist that it goes against the lore.

This is the murky ground of gender representation in 40k, a topic that leaves even its most hardcore fans divided against each other. It is a topic that has led to many heated debates and controversies over the years. Some want to see change, some deny there is an issue entirely. In this article, I will attempt to break down the different sides of gender representation and explore just what the issue is and how it can be addressed.

Space Marines

The simplest place to start with a discussion on gender representation is perhaps the biggest sticking point, the one that seems to really spark controversy among fans. Space Marines, also known by the formal title Adeptus Astartes are genetically modified supersoldiers who serve the Imperium of Man as an elite force. They are around eight feet tall, dwarfing most humans, and come in many different "chapters" which have their own unique characteristics and dedicated fans. The most iconic are the ultramarines, but other popular chapters include the blood angels, salamanders, black templars, and space wolves. 

Regardless of which faction a given player chooses, space marines are easily one of the most easily recognizable and popular parts of Warhammer 40k lore. However, they are all men. Unlike the custodes, this is made explicit in the lore. The process of creating space marines only works on men. And this is where the dispute comes into play. Should there be female space marines? 

It would seem logical that the answer should be a resounding "yes," but it is a bit more complicated than that.

The Sisters of Battle

One of the simplest arguments against female space marines is to point to the fact that they actually do have a female counterpart. The Sisters of Battle are an all-female military force who display a level of faith and dedication to the Imperium that even Space marines could only dream of. These are women who literally operate missile-shooting pipe organs while singing hymns to their emperor. Basically they, and the larger Adeptus Sororitas, could be most easily described as a gender-swapped version of the Catholic Church.

The Sisters of Battle and Space Marines are often compared with each other, and it makes sense why. Both are structured around religious devotion to the Emperor (who, as far as they are concerned, is a literal god) and rely on very similar weapons and tactics. A common way to describe them, especially with the religious aspect, is that Space Marines are like monks while Sisters of Battle are more like nuns. "Nuns with guns" as some fans like to call them. The argument here would be that this theme neccessitates the gender restrictions.

Another potential argument would be to point out a double-standard. If women were to join the Space Marines, than is it not fair that men should be allowed into the Sisters of Battle?

Other Factions

It is important to note that, within the context of Warhammer 40,000 lore, the Space Marines and Sisters of Battle are exceptions rather than the rule. Just about every other division in the Imperium of Man is co-ed. The Cadian shock troops, Death Korps of Krieg, and Tallarn desert raiders have both men and women in their ranks. As mentioned above, it was eventually confirmed that there were even women in the Adeptus Custodes, supersoldiers twice the size of space marines. So women can't be space marines but they can get into the one unit that's even bigger and tougher.

Among the Cadians, both men and women know how to assemble a weapon before they know how to read.

Outside of the Imperium, the same is mostly true when it comes to the various alien races that populate the 40k world. The Aeldari and Tau lack any sort of gender discrimination in their factions. The Necrons technically lack biological sexes due to being transformed into robots, but many still identify as male or female, and female-presenting Necrons have been shown to hold positions of power. The one exception would be the orks, who as an asexually reproducing species, simply lack any concept of sex or gender. And of course it is hard to tell if the concept of gender is even applicable to tyranids.

This would be another argument against the inclusion of space marines. There are already strong women in Warhammer 40,000. Some people would argue that there is no issue at all based on this fact alone, and therefore there is nothing to address. 

Male Domination in Warhammer 40k

While the franchise has been getting better, Warhammer 40,000 does have a history of being male-dominated. Until fairly recently it held a predominantly male fanbase. It put a very heavy emphasis on the experiences of men. There are even recorded instances where Games Workshop actively blocked efforts to introduce female characters under the belief they wouldn't sell. 

And unfortunately, that history can still be felt in the fanbase. There are too many male fans throwing tantrums over the introduction of a female custode. There are several facts that make this "controversy" absurd:

1. Argument from ignorance. The only "evidence" to back up the notion that there are no female custodes is rooted the fact that none were identified before now.
2. While the existence of female custodes had not been explicitly stated, there are no prior sources explicitly stating that women could not be custodes. 
3. Official artwork of Adeptus Custodes portrays them wearing heavy plate mail-like armor that conceals their whole body. This implies that, when fully armored, a male and female custode would be indistiguishable. This makes it impossible to verify the sex of individual members in most artwork.

Looking at fully armored custodes, how would you tell if they were all male or mixed gender?

Putting together the facts available, it is clear that this wasn't even a change to the lore. This particular story simply took something that was always theoretically possible and finally confirmed it. Yet some fans simply can't handle the idea that they made an incorrect assumption and feel the need to act like this is going to ruin everything.

In terms of lore, we can see a lot of emphasis on men, especially within the Imperium. The Empire is led by a male emperor, who also happens to be a superhuman being of unknown origin and, at least as far as anyone can understand, pretty much expects to rule the empire forever, even when he's half-dead. The Emperor also 20 "primarchs"- genetically produced children with unique powers. Of them, eighteen have been identified and all of them are male. Two remain open, so the idea of a female primarch isn't out of the question, though there are many who would object to such a move.

Put simply, a lot of the most powerful people in the lore, at least among humans, are men. Even the Sisters of Battle are characterized by their unwavering devotion to serving the (male) emperor. In many ways, this is kind of the point. Knowing this certainly makes things a bit discomforting.

Among individual groups, men often tend to get represented more than women in official media. The Death Korps of Krieg are supposedly mixed gender, but portrayals of them tend to exclusively show male soldiers. And of course, the most iconic and popular part of the Imperium is the all-male space marines.

Is There an Issue?

The big question that divides the fanbase of Warhammer 40,000 is whether there is actually an issue in gender representation. Do we even need to address anything at all? Or is it just people making a mountain of a molehill? Well, yes and no. The answer is a bit more complicated than simply accusing the whole franchise of misogyny or trying to cite it as a shining beacon of feminism. After all, Warhammer 40,000 encompasses a wide range of material including minis, books, animations, and video games. And it can be hard to take into account every single detail.

We know that Warhammer 40,000 has a history of being male-dominated and made with a male audience in mind, but also making a concerted effort to change with the times and become more inclusive. It is not necesarily wrong to want female space marines, but not all who oppose the idea are misogynistic trolls. Some actually bring up valid thematic or narrative reasons, or point to the existence of strong women elsewhere in the lore, including the Sisters of Battle.

However, a lot of where the problems come in are down to that one sticking point: female space marines. While Warhammer 40,000 has a lot of interesting lore, not all of it is going to be visible to newcomers. Some of it is hidden in books, short stories, and even locked behind a subscription fee for the official Warhammer streaming service (yes, that's actually a thing). So while there may be lots for hardcore fans, for the more casual audiences they will most likely see the most iconic and easily recognizable parts of lore.

And that just happens to be the Space Marines, particularly the blue-armored Ultramarines. They are the ones who appear front and center in everything. They are the ones who have a popular series of third-person shooters centered around them. Space Marine 1 and 2 place them front and center and focus on the brotherly relationships among them. Ask anyone to name any part of Warhammer 40k and almost everyone will identify the space marines. 

And what of their counterparts, the Sisters of Battle? Considerably less so. Only the most hardcore of fans will mention them. Where's their equivalent of Space Marine 2? The closest thing they have is a critically panned VR game called Battle Sister. They appear as an option in Dawn of War, alongside the Space Marines and other Imperial Factions, but it is rare to see them get any significant focus. 

The Spacer Marines are an obvious faction that will likely be the first thing anyone sees. To get to the Sisters of Battle, you have to dive deep into the lore. You have to go into all the books and and the Warhammer+ series to see any of them in action. This shows a level of disconnect between how often the space marines are portrayed vs. how often the Sisters of Battle are portrayed. We can extend this further to there being comparatively less material around any of the other co-ed factions.

So is there an issue that needs to be addressed? Well, yes, but not in the way one might expect. The issue isn't that there aren't strong female characters in Warhammer 40,000, the issue is that we don't see enough of them. The fact is the one faction that is explicitly all-male is basically the face of Warhammer 40,000, and this gives the wrong impression. Because so much emphasis is placed on the Space Marines, there often isn't room to include female characters thereby creating the appearance of a franchise centered around super macho men with little to no gender representation. 

This distinction might be meaningless for hardcore fans, but it creates a less-than-ideal impression to everyone else. When people come into the franchise, what's the first thing they see? The Space Marines. They don't see the Sisters of Battle or female guardsmen. They see blue-clad supersized men in bulky armor. And this is where the problem comes in. More women need to take the spolight, rather than being relegated to places where fewer people can find them.

A common argument against this is focusing on the Space Marines acts as a kind of filter. If a potential fans sees the Space Marines and are put off by them being all-male, they will stop there and go enjoy something else. However, this does not work as a reliable metric since it hinges on potential fans being put off by an inaccurate first impression. Some people could end up missing out on a lot of stuff they'd love simply because the Space Marines were so in their face they couldn't see anything else.

We can also just as easily turn the filter argument around. Instead of weeding out people who want inclusivity, how about we put our best foot forward and show the variety and diversity of the Warhammer 40k universe? Potential fans who would prefer hypermasculinity can then see how diverse the franchise actually is and will go off to something less woke. Or they can stick with the space marines. If that's their preferred group, it is a valid choice, as long as it is a choice.

So, now that we have identified the real issue at play, how can we address it? Well, the way I see it, there are two logical ways to change this.

Solution 1: Female Space Marines

The most obvious solution to the issue, which has become the main point of contention, is to start having female space marines. In theory, this would address the problem of gender representation without changing the current approach. 

One argument in favor of female space marines involves pointing to the real-life circumstances that contributed to the lore around their absence. When Games Workshop first began making space marine models, before all the lore was fully established, they actually attempted to make female space marines. The only problem was this was the 80's and, despite the popularity of Aliens and Metroid, a lot of its predominantly-male audiencewasn't ready for it. This led to the female minis not selling and pressure to focus on more masculine characters that seemed more profitable at the time. Eventually that also got incorporated into the lore

This seems like a petty story of sexism in media and seems like a logical reason to make the change. It was nothing more than a business decision motivated by what the higher ups at Games Workshop decided was more profitable and a reflection of how their biases and assumptions at the time. Considering this was over thirty years ago, and we're living in an era where people tend to be much more accepting of badass women, it may be time to reverse the decision. 

Arguments against introducing female space marines tend to appeal to the in-universe explanations for why women can't join their ranks. The simple explanation in the lore is the gene seed needed to make space marines only works on men. 

Does this make it impossible to add female Space Marines? Not necessarily. The simplest way to do it would be to retcon the existing lore, though this approach would not be well-received by fans. A more creative way would be to incorporate the change into the lore. The inclusion of female space marines could be attributed to in-universe technological advancements. Maybe a scientist figures out a way to make the gene seed work in female subjects, meaning women were unable to become space marines until a specific point in the timeline.

That said, while incorporating the change makes sense in theory, it does run into some complications with Warhammer 40k's themes of stagnation, especially with regard to the Imperium. Humanity is basically in a new dark age, which has stifled innovation. Put simply, the technology they are currently using comes from the Emperor, and as far as they are concerned the Emperor is perfect, so his technology must be perfect as well. Therefore, as far as anyone understands, any effort to improve on the Emperor's designs would be implying he is imperfect and amount to heresy.

In the existing lore, the Space Marines were creations of the Emperor himself, and given humanity's religious worship of him as a deity, it makes sense that people would be reluctant to modify the Space Marines if it could be avoided. From a worldbuilding perspective, this reasoning could be interepreted as meaning that any attempt to modify Space Marine gene seed to accomodate women would be considered heretical and any effort to do so would be discouraged if not outright prohibited.

Another explanation comes down to the Emperor's character and why he created the Space Marines. The Emperor acts in what he believes is humanity's best interest (though whether it's actually good for humans is a matter of debate), and he values regular unaltered humans. Genetically modified humans, like the Space Marines, were only ever meant as a means to an end, a tool to further his agenda. From here, there are two reasons only men could handle the process:

1. The gene seed comes directly from the Emperor, who is a man, so it is only compatible with male subjects
2. Space marines are significantly bigger and stronger than humans, and some look down on them. Ensuring that space marines could only be one gender might be a way of preventing them from reproducing (thereby spreading their genes and making more super humans) to a level where they can dominate regular unaltered humans.

Taking this into account, the lore does seem to make an in-universe justification for introducing female space marines difficult at the very least.

Other arguments point toward the fact that there are in fact strong women in Warhammer 40k, with the Sisters of Battle being commonly cited as an example. This argument could work if equal representation was assured. However, the problem is the Space Marines have disproportionately greater representation than the Sisters of Battle. 

Space Marines are everywhere, you have to dig into deeper lore to find the Sisters of Battle. And since it's the space marines that get so much attention, it brings us again to the problem that the one explicitly all-male faction is the one most people see, creating the appearance of a male dominated world simply because people don't see the female characters. 

The simplest way to fix it would be to just stop making it an all-male faction. If there are women space marines fighting alongside the men, then they will appear alongside men in Space Marine-centered media, and there is no longer an issue. 

However, as noted, this is a contentious issue that has more nuance than might initially be apparent. Yes, some of it is is simple misogyny, but some of the arguments do make legitimate points.

So now that we have identified the most controversial solution, what other options do we have?

Solution 2: Stop Making it All About the Space Marines

If female space marines aren't an option, there is another solution. The problem ultimately comes down to Space Marines being featured front and center in everything, giving the wrong impression because so many people only see the hypermasculinity of one faction. The one way to keep that part of the lore intact while improving gender representation is therefore for the space marines to stop hogging the spotlight all the time. 

If female Space Marines aren't an option (which many fans argue it isn't), then the logical solution is to give more attention to other areas where strong women can be present. Maybe do more with the Sisters of Battle or one of the other co-ed groups. Or even move away from humanity all together and do something with one of the aliens, like maybe something about the Aeldari. If the Sisters of Battle got anywhere near the attention Space Marines do, it would be a lot easier for fans to actually see that the Space Marines are unique in this one aspect.

This means ensuring that these factions are easily available. They shouldn't be hidden in novels or locked behind the paywall of an exclusive streaming service. They need to be seen with the same level of vigor as the Space Marines. There have been a few efforts. The Sisters of Battle got a VR shooter called Battle Sister, and Adeptus Mechanicus starred in a strategy game called Mechanicus, which recently got a sequel.

We need more efforts like these. There would be a lot less disputing about female space marines if the Sisters of Battle had equal screentime. Or perhaps we could take advantage of some of the factions that are actually co-ed. After all, just in the Imperium there are so many different factions with their own unique personalities. 

Now this doesn't mean ignoring the Space Marines all together. They can still be the focus of stories, just that they should have equal representation to others rather than dominating them. That said, just because the space marines are the main focus doesn't mean it always has to be an all-male cast. There are workarounds that can still make female representation possible even in space marine-centric media.

Take the Space Marine games, for example. Both center around Space Marine Demetrius Titus and heavily emphasize his brotherly relationships with other Space Marines. However, the first game also gave a major role to Lieutenant Miranda Nero, a Cadian commanding officer who oversees a lot of the game's operations. Space Marine 2 introduced Major Sarkaana, another tough Cadian leader. It could be argued that Sarkaana deserved more screentime, and it might have been nice if she wasn't the only female character to have any significance to the game's campaign, but it does show a legitimate effort to portray strong women while respecting the game's existing lore.

The upcoming Warhammer 40k TV series on Amazon Prime ran into a major controversy when star Henry Cavill refused to participate in the show unless they respected the lore. This was in response to the show's writers wanting to introduce female space marines, while Cavill insisted on sticking with what has already been firmly established. 

Cavill was not neccessarily wrong to demand this, but the writers seemingly failed to consider potential workarounds. like finding female representation in non-Space Marine characters. Could they not have found room to include the Sisters of Battle? It seems as if some media just fails to realize there are other things to 40k besides Space Marines.

If female space marines are not an option, and they wouldn't be if many fans have their way, than the logical solution is to stop putting so much emphasis on the one faction that can't have female members. If more attention were to be given to the Sisters of Battle, or even one of the co-ed factions like the Cadians, Death Korps, Tallarn Desert Raiders, or Adeptus Mechanicus, it would open  up a lot more room for women to take center stage and for strong female characters to actually be seen.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the issue of gender representation in Warhammer 40k is a complicated issue with multiple layers. While no fandom is completely united, there are few quite as divisive as that of Warhammer 40k, especially with regards to such a specific issue. We can't simply label the whole franchise as sexist. There is sexism within its history and certainly among its fans, and this has defintely had an impact on how the lore is constructed. 

Still, we can also see examples of strong female characters and positive gender representation. Even the big sticking point of space marines is more nuanced than it initially appears. We see people throwing literal tantrums because a faction that was always theoretically capable of having female members had a female member, but we also see some intelligent and well-constructed arguments for why it makes sense for one particular group to be gender-locked. 

In the end, the big issue is less about whether there is representation, but about how clear that representation is. There are strong female characters, yes, but how many people actually see them? Ultimately it comes back to the issue of the space marines once again. When the all-male faction is the one everyone sees, it obscures a lot of the deeper and more diverse lore from all but the most hardcore of fans. And this is the part that needs to change. 

How can that change happen? We have outlined two possible ways. Ultimately, it is impossible to please everyone. No matter what choice Games Workshop goes with, there will be pushback. If female space marines are unveiled, there will be fans who embrace the change and fans who will rage. There will be those who rage if space marines aren't the center of everything, but perhaps bringing other more varied factions into the foreground will attract new audiences. 

Jaws in the Age of Covid-19

In 1975 a director by the name of Steven Spielberg, a man at that point with only two feature films and a few shorts to his name, premiered his latest film- an adaptation of a novel by Peter Benchley. After a notoriously difficult production, audiences were shocked to see a frightening tale of a killer shark. Its title made it clear what to expect: Jaws, obviously in reference to the deadly jaws of the great white shark who serves as its main antagonist. The film was an astounding success, and made a massive impact commercially and critically. The John Williams score alone has developed a long-standing association with any depictions of deep sea threats. Audiences were so shocked by the frightening creature that the film provoked a wave of anti-shark sentiments that even made the author of the original book regret its existence.

Many film scholars have identified the astounding success of Jaws as marking the end of the so-called "New Hollywood" period that began in the late 1960's with the end of the American Studio System. Jaws is sometimes known as the first real "blockbuster" as it unwittingly inspired major film studios to adopt a business model that is still in use today.

And we can certainly see the influence of its financial success in various subsequent films- which included three sequels as well as numerous b-films revolving around humans fighting aquatic monsters. The idea of a disaster film revolving around sharks isn't that unusual either. Certainly the popularity of films like Sharknado (2013) owe something to the success of Jaws.

The idea of humans faced with danger posed by an abnormal underwater predator was hardly new even in 1975. Over a century earlier Herman Melville had written the novel Moby Dick. In the novel, Moby Dick was a sperm whale notorious for his proficiency at killing whalers who tried to hunt him. He is pursued by Captain Ahab, a whaling captain who becomes increasingly obsessed with hunting down the "white whale," ultimately dooming himself and all but one of his crew. In fact the influence of Moby Dick is clearly visible in the second half of Jaws, with the character of Quint (Robert Shaw) acting as a sort of modern day Ahab whose growing obsession with catching the shark ultimately leads to his demise.

But my main interest in this discussion is less so the film itself, or the impact it has made on film in general, but rather its relation to our current social circumstances, and how a film made 45 years ago is weirdly relevant under new circumstances. Like the citizens of Amity, we have our own shark to deal with- at least figuratively speaking. Our shark is a pandemic. The Carona Virus, also known as Covid-19, is currently posing a major global threat. Social Distancing is a necessary measure, but instead of acting responsibly, the issue has become politicised in the United States. President Donald Trump has displayed an uncanny inability to respond to the virus, putting his political goals first.

While many people remember the second half of Jaws, which actually sees Brody, Hooper, and Quint pursuing the shark, the first half is particularly disturbing in light of current events. The central conflict concerns Brody and Hooper trying to respond to the presence of an unusually large shark that has been known to target humans in the water, which is complicated by the presence of the town's mayor Larry Vaughn, a politician who uses his media connections and authority to overrule the two men. Within minutes of finding out that a swimmer was killed by a shark bite, Brody is trying to close the beach, only to be immediately blocked by Vaughn, who insists that the beaches need to stay open because the town is an attractive spot for tourists.

A lot of people remember the roles of Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfus, and Robert Shaw (who doesn't even become a prominent figure until the second half), but Vaughn is just as important. In many ways he behaves as a very Trump-like figure of authority. He may have even taken inspiration from Donald Trump, a man already notorious when Jaws entered production. Vaughn can be most easily described as a charismatic politician who acts like he knows what he is doing but in reality is putting his own interests above those of the people he is meant to be leading.

The opening scene of Jaws famously shows a young woman swimming out in the dark only to be attacked and killed by the shark whose presence will drive the rest of the film. But while it's presence is constantly felt, the shark isn't even seen during the first half, its presence only signalled by the occasional POV shot and the iconic score by John Williams. It's not until the second half that we actually get to see the shark, and even then we only see it when it is visible to the characters (its presence at other moments being signalled by an increasing number of floating barrels). Much of the plot instead concerns its human characters and how they react to the shark's presence, rather than the shark itself.

This has the peculiar effect of making the shark a much more enigmatic entity compared to its more obvious human characters. The shark itself actually does not do all that much in the film. The people it kills are mostly background characters- we never really get to know Chrissy or Alex Kitner before their demise, and even less so the unnamed man in the rowboat who is eaten by the shark later on. The only central character to actually be killed by the shark is Quint, and that only happens at the very end. If anything, the key players are never really in danger during the first half as they are never actually in the water.

Instead, while the shark is legitimate cause for concern, there is a much more dangerous threat in the form of Mayor Vaughn, who proves far more dangerous than the shark itself. Much of the film could have been averted if it were not for his presence. Had the beaches been closed as Brody repeatedly tried to do, the shark would have eventually left on its own due to a lack of food. The Mayor is the key obstacle.

After receiving the coroner's report that swimmer Chrissy Watkins (Susan Blaklinie) was killed in a shark attack, Brody immediately begins taking action. When he learns that there are not any "beach closed" signs he actually goes to the local hardware story, picks up materials, and has his staff begin making signs. No sooner has he done this than he is approached by Mayor Larry Vaughn, who quickly tries to overrule him. Suddenly the coroner (presumably through bribery, coercion, or a combination thereof) is saying it was a boating accident and not a shark, an alternate story the Mayor eagerly jumps onto to justify keeping the beaches open.

In fact the Mayor tries to outright discredit Brody, claiming he just made a mistake caused by not being familiar with the town. His reasoning is simply that they are a popular destination for tourists because of their beaches and tourists bring in money. This is disturbingly reminiscent of Donald Trump's resistance to social distancing. Like Vaughn, Trump continually insists on opposing potential safety measures. Why? Because opening businesses is good for the economy, showing no concern for people who might be endangered by doing so.

As if this wasn't enough, we have even had the problem of politicians making the questionable decision to keep beaches open during Covid-19, in spite of the obvious risks. While the reasons why they should be closed may be different (in real life, it is because crowds that normally form on beaches would produce favorable conditions for the virus to spread, rather than a shark in the water), the issue of politicising a life-threatening situation and putting people's lives at risk for the sake of money seems alarmingly familiar.

Vaughn manages to keep the beaches open, and sure enough the shark arrives. The first instance he tried to cover up, but the second happens in front of an entire crowd of witnesses, and results in the deaths of both a dog and a child. When a town meeting is called, Brody declares that the beach is going to be closed, only for Vaughn to suddenly add that it will only be closed for twenty-four hours. When Brody points out that he never agreed to that he is ignored, and finds himself ignored further when he tries to state that he has called for an expert. The culminates in the introduction of Quint, a fisherman who offers to kill shark for a price. For all his faults (as noted later) Quint is an experienced fisherman who has dealt with sharks before, and has knowledge and skills that could be put to use. But his offer is ignored by the Mayor simply for being too expensive.

The parallels only start become clearer when shark researcher Matt Hooper arrives. He examines Chrissy's remains and immediately determines that it was indeed a shark bite that killed her, and reacts in shock when Brody reveals that the town has failed to notify the coast guard or perform any sensible counter measures, which the viewer will know is thanks to the actions of the Mayor. When Vaughn is first introduced to Hooper, he more or less ignores him. They shake hands, but the whole time Vaughn's attention is elsewhere. 

Vaughn spends much of the film completely ignoring Hooper. When a bunch of fisherman claim to have caught the shark, Vaughn latches right onto it, ignoring the fact that Hooper has multiple reasons to doubt that they indeed got the right one. Of particular note is Vaughn outright refusing to let Hooper perform a test that could be used to confirm whether the shark that was caught was indeed the same one that killed Chrissy and Alex. No matter how much Hooper protests the Mayor only gives excuses.

Certainly this refusal to listen to an expert is reminiscent of Trump's efforts to ignore the CDC. Recently he even went the extra step of trying to bypass the CDC all together by ordering hospitals to report directly to Washington. One of the key voices of reason at the moment, Anthony Fauci, has been a frequent target for Trump, who has routinely tried to discredit him the same way Mayor Vaugn tries to discredit both Brody and Hooper. 

And worse still, two deaths is not enough to pursuade Vaughn to listen to any kind of reason. He keeps insisting on keeping the beaches open, because the Fourth of July is an especially popular holiday for tourists. This is even after Brody and Hooper confirm that the shark is indeed still a threat. He quickly seizes any opportunity he can to doubt their claims, pointing to Hooper dropping a shark's tooth as proof of their unreliability. He even tries to deflect blame by pointing to a sign that has been vandalised (probably by someone fed up of the Mayor's crap) and demanding Brody instead focus on catching the graffiti artist. 

When Hooper makes a last attempt to pursuade Vaughn, pointing out that the proportions of the shark in the vandalised sign are actually pretty accurate, he is met with "you'd like to prove that, wouldn't you?", as though the Mayor sees anything that challenges his political agenda as a conspiracy against him. Not unlike Trump's habit of making assertions and dismissing anything contradicting them as being part of the "radical left wing's" agenda or "fake news." Once again the beaches remain open, despite clear evidence that they should not be, because it's good for the economy. A politician prioritises his public image and money over the lives of the people he is mean to be leading.

So once again, after being warned about the dangers of keeping the beach open, Mayor Vaughn keeps it open for tourists. But he manages to go one step further. After blocking any effort to close the beach or get rid of the shark, he has Brody and Hooper reduced to conducting patrols on boats in the surrounding waters, a move that is conspicuously insufficient for tracking and catching a large shark that is likely to strike from under the water. 

But at first things go okay. People are able to enjoy themselves on the beach, but knowledge of the shark has made sure they stay out of the water, seemingly an okay compromise. But of course the Mayor decides to intervene and make it worse. He approaches one family on the beach, and actually pressures them to go into the water. Once one family is seen going in, others start to follow, until a large number of tourists are splashing in the water and making themselves very good targets for a hungry shark, all while Vaughn cheerfully brags to the press about how the situation has been resolved. 

Like just about every decision Vaughn makes throughout the movie, his decision to force people into the water turns out to have some serious consequences. It ends up creating a panic that actually diverts attention away from the shark. The ominous presence of a shark fin results in the crowd panicking and running back onto the shore, only for the police to find that it was a prank orchestrated by two children. It's not until after this scuffle is over that the shark is spotted in seemingly isolated area where it manages to eat one man and nearly kills Brody's son. 

Just like Vaughn, Donald Trump has failed to properly address the Covid-19 disaster. We can see him jumping on partial or just plain false information, leading outrageous claims being presented as facts, such as the assertion that drinking bleach will cure the virus. Just as Vaughn tries to encourage people to swim in water occupied by a giant shark, Donald Trump has openly resisted measures that could help contain the virus, and discouraged  his supporters from wearing masks that could help reduce the spread of the virus.

But while he might be the most obvious parallel, Mayor Larry Vaughn is not the only link to our current circumstances. I am far from the first person to notice the resemblance. A simple Google Search will quickly reveal a variety of headlines comparing Vaughn to Trump. There is even a quote from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (a conservative often compared to Trump) that claimed Vaughn was the "real hero" of Jaws. Yes, someone actually thinks the guy who got three people killed by ignoring a serious danger for the sake of money was a hero. But while there are other parallels of note.

Trump himself has made a lot of questionable decisions, but he also has a number of supporters who eagerly take in what he says and try to take matters into their own hands, often making the situation worse. As a simple example, the astonishing number of Trump supporters who have protested against masks. The problem with this, obviously, is that the reason for rules about wearing masks during a pandemic is to stop the spread of the virus. But some people, acting on misinformation, fear, and complete disregard to anything experts have to say, end up making the problem worse.

Just like anti-mask protesters in real life, Mayor Vaughn also inspires people in his town to act irrationally and foolishly. We see this at the Town Meeting, which starts with one of the Mayor's counsel joking about the bounty on the shark that just killed a child, which actually gets a laugh from some members of the crowd, indicating that not everyone is taking the problem seriously. But it gets worse when a woman in the audience (which includes several local business owners) asks if the beaches will be closed. When Brody says they are, he is met with a disapproving groan from the audience, presumably because they are more worried about how it will affect their jobs. Not unlike anti-mask protesters who put their own interests over much bigger problems.

But things go further when residents of the town come up with some poorly-thought out methods of trying to catch the shark. Two men sneak onto a pier and try to catch the shark using a chain, which almost gets them killed. The next day, several groups launch their own witch hunts against the shark in the hopes of claiming the 3,000 dollar bounty, people who disregard safety protocols and ignore Brody when he tries to point out their mistakes. We then get a parade of boats going out and tossing dynamite into the harbor, before coming back with a random shark that is just assumed to be the correct one. 

We then get a big moment of the shark being put on display by the fishermen who caught it. Their ignorance is exposed when one asks what kind of shark, and Hooper (a shark expert) points out that it is a tiger shark, to which one of the fisherman simply responds with "A what?" A crowd gathers around the shark, with the press eagerly jumping on and a photographer trying to compose a shot, all of which ignores Hooper when he finds reason to question if they actually have the right shark. The fishermen dismiss his measurements of the shark's bite radius and he is yelled at to clear out of the way before his investigation is finished. This easily calls to mind the Trump-supporting Americans who refuse to follow instructions and refuse to listen to experts, endangering themselves and others by refusing to wear masks in public.

Finally, I'd like to talk about Quint as a similarly problematic figure in the second half. While the Mayor's dismissal of his offer in the earlier town hall scene easily feels like he is ignoring an expert, Quint himself has issues that ultimately prove detrimental to dealing with the shark. Notably, he puts profit above actually helping others. Although he is not entirely unjustified in being reluctant to risk his life pursuing the shark, he demands an increase in pay from the initial $3,000 bounty already being offered. Some of his claims about the shark are also somewhat exaggerated, such as claiming it will "swallow you whole." While he has knowledge of sharks, certainly more than most people in the town, his behaviour leaves one to wonder if he is really the best choice.

After the initial town hall scene, Quint is more or less forgotten until about halfway through the film. He might have disappeared all together if not for the Mayor's interference. It is only by desperation that Quint is even permitted to take part. Brody resorts to hiring Quint after his own son was nearly attacked by the shark, this being after three people have already been killed by it and the Mayor consistently blocking any reasonable response. Had the beaches just been closed at the start Quint would never have needed to be involved.

Once Quint is finally brought onboard he frequently runs into conflict with Brody and Hooper. One of the first things we see when the boat leaves is Quint sitting in a chair while the other two men are visibly working hard. He goes on to pull out an oversized fishing rod that he thinks has successfully caught the shark, even after Hooper quickly figures out it is probably something much smaller- we never get to find out exactly what as Quint's stubbornness results in the rod being broken. Later on, he gets everyone drunk leaving them vulnerable when the shark manages to attack the boat.

When they do finally encounter the shark, Brody speaks the famous line "we're going to need a bigger boat." Sure, on its own it makes a good dramatic line, but it actually comes up a few times. After saying this line, Brody attempts twice to emphasise the point to Quint. He's not just making a remark about the shark's size, he is legitimately realising that a bigger boat will be needed to take on this shark, an observation that is ignored by Quint. He even tries to convince Quint to just use the radio to call for someone to bring a bigger boat,  bot his pleas fall on deaf ears.

Quint is too proud a man to show weakness. As the hunt continues it becomes increasingly clear that he wants to be the one to kill the shark. This also explains his refusal to get a bigger boat, doing so would, at least in his mind, show that he is incapable of catching the shark. That would be a weakness. This aspect of him is foreshadowed back in his introductory scene, where he openly refuses to take on any crew members and insists on going alone because "there are too many captains on this island." He even resists taking along Brody and Hooper at first.

This also proves to be a series of very poor decisions as, like the Mayor in the first half, Quint ignores the advice of others and, unsuprisingly, it backfires on him. There was a reason Brody wanted to call for a bigger boat- because he quickly figured out that using the one they had was going to put them in unnecessary danger and wouldn't be sufficient for fighting the shark. Sure enough, when the shark is provoked it manages to destroy and sink the boat. Quint even goes a few steps farther during the final confrontation by destroying the radio when Brody tries to call for help, putting them in even greater danger. Quint's insistence on being the one to kill the shark ends up being the very thing that results in him getting eaten, much like Ahab being dragged down by his white whale.

Now unfortunately, this same problem can be seen in the American government's reaction to Covid-19, perhaps most obviously in Trump but also in his supporters. Like Quint, Trump is afraid to show weakness. He doesn't like to be wrong, but he also wants to be the one to address problems. Trump has claimed to respond to the pandemic while obviously making the situation worse, just as Quint is ostensibly killing the shark but ultimately just makes things more dangerous for him and his crewmates. Trump ignores advice that contradicts his view, and refuses to do things that he think will make him look weaker, just as Quint refuses to get a bigger boat when it is obviously needed. Like Quint destroying the radio that could have saved his life, Trump opposes actions that could help contain the spread of a deadly virus.

For a film that came out 45 years earlier made by people who could not have known about the outbreak of Covid-19, the parallels are astonishing. Jaws suddenly feels extremely relevant to our current situation in this day and age, maybe even moreso than it did when it first came out. While the filmmakers obviously could not have known about what would happen in 2020, what this shows is that the political climate of today is nothing new. The problem of a life-threatening situation becoming the subject of political controversy is one that may have existed long before, but perhaps only now has been fully exposed.