The Good Guys of 40k Revealed

In the universe of warhammer 40,000 you may have heard that there is no good guys. I disagree with this statement. First things first, its not the imperium or the tau. Both are expansionist empires, so no matter how altruistic they may seem, their motives are the same. Its domination. So to start on the right foot, the definition of good guy is according to mirriam webster a morally correct person or character : a hero.

Chaos, that's out for obvious reasons. Necrons are an odd one, because where some are about killing all life most are just crochety old people who are waving their walking sticks while shouting get off my lawn. Mostly while young whippersnappers of the mechanicus are stealing their stuff. So they would be a neutral force.

Tyranids and orks, no both are just of a singular goal, and that is utter destruction.

Here we with the final race the aeldari, the dark aeldari the drukhari no. The harlequins nope, the ynarri close well kind of if they didnt ally with the drukhari. The good guys of 40 k are the craftworld aeldari. The first argument agaisnt this statement but they caused the birth of the chao god slaanesh. Here is the thing, the craftworlders didn't. In fact they were considered the conspiracy theorist of the aeldari empire. Nay sayers and doom speakers.

The exodites left first, then the craftworld aeldari. Both seeing the rot at the core of their empire. Where as the exodites just noped the hell out of there. The craftworld aeldari stayed until all hope of saving their race was gone. It was then, they left on their worldships. Showing from the start even when it meant death, they wanted to save people and prevent tragedy.

Next is their altruism, unlike the tau whose altruism is alway in fact a selfish desire to increase their own empire. The assurani whose kind acts are always tied to prevention and destruction of the spread of chaos. Through the use of divination they often help other races, by the death of a single individual. Yet they never seek praise or adulation. It is often that the planet the craftworld aeldari saved, is never aware of the fact how close they were to utter destruction. This is the biggest indication of how they are the good guys of 40k. It is one thing to the right thing, it is another to do it and never tell anyone what you done.

What about their galatic empire, the aeldari are objectively benign rulers. We know this because of the sheer number of species and cultures that were allowed to flourish under their rule. Even humans could colonise planets and set up pseudoo empire at a time the aeldari could have extinguished them with very little difficulty. See the aeldari have rarely relied on warp travel, but use the webway to cross the exspanse of the galaxy. So where humans could wait months or even years for reinforcements, the aeldari could have them in days. Without the risk of warp travel. Humans are not the only ones with a small empire, we had the squat empire too. Allowing races to flourish and grow, with out genociding them is not the acts of an evil empire.

Finally, unlike every other race in warhammer 40,000. The craftworld aeldari motive is survival. Whille there is some that want to bring back their galaxy spanning empire. Most are about the survival of the species. So where they have and do save other species and planets. They will put their own species first in all things. They are also honest about this too. Unlike another certain fishy looking species.

Going back to the definition, the craftworld do what is morally good, rule without forced assimilation, and will even aid those who wish them extinct. All without thought of reward or gain. Trying to rid te galaxy of an evil they didn't create, but warned their brethren of. Yes they are arrogant, egotistical, and proud. These character flaws don't prevent them from doing the right thing for the right reasons. So is there a good faction in 40k? Yes it is the craftworld aeldari.