Ferrus Manus, the Gorgon, Primarch of the Iron Hands, earned his living-metal hands by killing a great silver wyrm on Medusa. He was the closest friend of Fulgrim, and he died on Isstvan V when that same brother cut off his head in the opening act of the Horus Heresy.
Ferrus Manus at a glance
| Primarch of | the X Legion |
| Legion | X: Iron Hands |
| Homeworld | Medusa, a harsh world of storms and quakes |
| Flagship | The Ferrum |
| Wargear | Living-metal silver hands, the hammer Forgebreaker, the sword Fireblade |
| Allegiance | Loyalist |
| Fate | Beheaded by Fulgrim at the Drop Site Massacre on Isstvan V |
Who was Ferrus Manus?
Ferrus Manus was the Primarch of strength and iron will. He hated weakness in himself and in others, and taught that the flesh is weak and must be made strong. He was a master smith, a fearsome fighter and a proud, hot-tempered leader. He was the first of the twenty Primarchs to die, and his death shaped the Iron Hands for ten thousand years.
Origins on Medusa
Ferrus landed on Medusa, a cruel world of storms, ice and earthquakes, where nomadic clans survived by being tough and clever with machines. The young Primarch proved stronger than anything the planet could throw at him. He fought the great beasts of Medusa with his bare hands.
The silver wyrm Asirnoth
The most famous story of his youth is his battle with Asirnoth, a huge silver wyrm. Ferrus fought it for days and finally threw it into a pool of molten rock. As the creature died, its liquid metal skin flowed over his hands and arms and hardened into a living silver coating. From that day on Ferrus had hands of metal that could shape iron without tools. His Legion's name comes from them.
Discovery by the Emperor
By the time the Emperor found him, Ferrus had united the clans of Medusa. The stories say the two tested each other in a contest of strength and skill before Ferrus accepted his father. He took command of the X Legion and named them the Iron Hands.
The Iron Hands
The Iron Hands recruited from Medusa's clans. Following their Primarch, they replaced parts of their bodies with bionics, seeing the machine as stronger and purer than the flesh. The Legion was organised into clans led by councils, a structure that would survive long after Ferrus was gone. His First Captain was Gabriel Santar, a veteran the Primarch trusted above all his other sons. Because of their love of machines, the Iron Hands grew close to the Mechanicum of Mars. They shared its respect for technology and its contempt for the weakness of the body. In battle, the Legion fielded more tanks and war machines than most of its brothers.
Fulgrim and the forges
Ferrus's closest brother was Fulgrim of the Emperor's Children. The two were opposites, one a grim smith, the other a perfectionist artist, and that made them friends. Once they held a contest to forge the finest weapon. Ferrus made the hammer Forgebreaker, Fulgrim made the sword Fireblade, and each was so impressed by the other's work that they swapped. That exchange would turn into a tragedy.
The Great Crusade
The Iron Hands were heavy, relentless fighters who favoured armour, tanks and close assault. Ferrus was a hard commander and could be harsh to allies. He respected Vulkan as a fellow smith, worked well with Corvus Corax, and argued often with brothers he considered weak.
Fulgrim's offer
When Horus rebelled, Fulgrim, already corrupted, came to Ferrus at the forge-world Callinedes and tried to convince him to join the traitors. Ferrus refused in fury. The two brothers fought. Fulgrim escaped, and Ferrus swore to hunt him down.
The Drop Site Massacre on Isstvan V
At Isstvan V, Ferrus led the first wave of the loyalist attack with the Salamanders of Vulkan and the Raven Guard of Corax. Desperate to reach Fulgrim, he charged ahead with his elite warriors instead of waiting for support. Then the second wave of supposedly loyal Legions turned their guns on the first: the Iron Warriors, Night Lords, Word Bearers and Alpha Legion had all joined Horus.
Ferrus finally reached Fulgrim, and the two brothers fought in a terrible duel. Fulgrim, using the Fireblade that Ferrus had once given him, cut off his brother's head. Ferrus Manus was the first Primarch to die in the Horus Heresy, killed by the friend he trusted most.
The Shattered Legions
The Iron Hands lost their Primarch and most of their warriors on Isstvan V. The survivors fought on as part of the Shattered Legions, joining with other survivors of the massacre to wage a long guerrilla war against the traitors. Their grief turned to bitterness and a hard belief that the flesh had failed them. Many Iron Hands blamed the Primarch's own fury for the disaster, and swore never to let emotion rule them again.
The Iron Hands today
In the current era, the Iron Hands are known for heavy bionics, cold logic and an even colder attitude to weakness. Each warrior replaces more of his body as he gains experience. They are ruled by the Iron Council, and they keep the memory of their Primarch alive with a fierce hatred for Fulgrim and the Emperor's Children. Their successor Chapters include the Red Talons and the Brazen Claws.
Personality and brothers
Ferrus was proud, honest, stubborn and quick to anger. He demanded the highest standards and showed little patience for failure. He loved Fulgrim like no other brother, respected Vulkan and Corax, and disliked anyone he saw as soft. Many believe his temper and pride cost him his life on Isstvan V.
Ferrus Manus FAQ
How did Ferrus Manus die?
Fulgrim beheaded him on Isstvan V at the start of the Horus Heresy.
Why does Ferrus Manus have silver hands?
The metal skin of the wyrm Asirnoth flowed over his hands when he killed it on Medusa.
Is Ferrus Manus coming back?
He is dead. The Iron Hands have long hoped for his return, but no current lore brings him back.
What weapon killed Ferrus Manus?
The Fireblade, the sword he himself forged and gave to Fulgrim.
What are the Shattered Legions?
The survivors of the Iron Hands, Salamanders and Raven Guard after Isstvan V, fighting together.
Books to read
- Ferrus Manus: Gorgon of Medusa (David Guymer)
- Fulgrim (Graham McNeill)
- The Damnation of Pythos (David Annandale)
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