With 9th edition 40k, there will be a whole new round of codicies, which means an opportunity for more and new characters to join the fray. Below I've compiled a short list of some characters from the Lore and previous Codicies that currently have no representation in the game, but definitely deserve some IMO.
- Lord Commander Primus Eidolon- The leader of the remnants of the 3rd Legion. Assuming there will be a Codex Emperor's Children as some point, you'd have to have Eidolon as a counterpoint to Typhus and Ahriman in the DG and TS books. I also hope we will see a Codex World Eaters, but Kharn would be the biggest dog there, and he already exists. The Soul Severed though is also still out there, and having him at the head of an army of Noise Marines would just be great to see on the table.
- Be'Lakor- The First Daemon Prince. Technically he currently, this guy needs to be redone and in a big way. IMO next Codex Chaos Daemons, he needs to be a LOW and Supreme Commander and just be baller. He looks cool, has an appearance in a fairly recent Black Library Audio featuring Ahriman that is worth checking out, and in general just belongs in the game. Added bonus- Triple Release him for 40k, Age of Sigmar and The Old World (once that releases). It just makes sense to have the OG be bigger in the game (and may or may not help maintain the Malal mythos)
- Captain Alessio Cortez- Missing since Third Edition. This Crimson Fist Captain was the epitome of someone who looked like they've been through hell and came out stronger on the other side. Crimson Fists used to have a lot bigger presence in the Lore and Hobby than they do today. Sure they still have Pedro Kantor, but people used to collect them. They were on the cover of the codex even (yes, there was a time it wasn't Ultramarines). Bringing back this grizzled veteran and having him cross the Rubicon Primaris, and then giving him a model in his classic bad ass pose would really help sell this army again.
- Dark Apostle Erebus- Voted most hated man in the Galaxy for Ten Thousands years consecutively. The First and Foremost among the Dark Apostle, this Word Bearer has had so much impact on the lore, it would be a shame to bring back Daemon Primarchs and not bring back the man who led them all astray. And while I mentioned in a previous post Kor Phaeron showing up and being a candidate for the supreme commander keyword, I think Erebus would be more celebrated and reviled by the fanbase, and has a greater potential for some cool rules.
- Asdrubael Vect- How and why the Archon of the Kabal of the Black Heart is not in the game currently, I don't know. I get we went a decade or so at one point without an update to this army, and I can't figure out for the life of me why he didn't get a new model with any of their relaunches. Time to bring back the man with the most hated stratagem in the game.
- Grand Master Vorth Mordrak- While Voldus is neat and all, he is a pretty lame replacement for someone who could literally summon Ghosts of his fallen GK brothers and take them into battle against Daemons. Seriously, if that isn't grim dark, I don't know what is. Be neat to see him and his incorporeal pals be put into the game like Celestine and her two Geminae.
- Chapter Master Tu'Shan- Why are there only Two Salamander Characters in the game? There needs to be more, so I start at the top. Tu'Shan is respected by all he meets and leads one of the most noble Space Marine Chapters there is. What else really needs to be said.
- Angkhor Prok- The infamous kroot shaper. It would be great to see Kroot on the table more IMO. They have cool fluff and their primitive avian look is neat alongside the futuristic Tau, really highlighting how the Empire is more of a coalition of races. Giving the Kroot a Character again could go a long way to making them playable and interesting. Prok specifically is the one who brokered a deal with the Tau Empire though, so he may be dead at this point, but the idea is to at least get a kroot character back into the game.
- Captain Uriel Ventris- If Captain Titus of the Space Marine video game can't actually exist, this is the closest we will get to him. Roboute has met him and was impressed by him. Have this modern day Aeonid Thiel offer up some interesting ways for Ultramarines to play on the table. Maybe even make him a dual character profile with Pasanius, his #2, who would be interesting with his Necrontyr right arm.
- Doom of Malan'tai/Parasite of Mortex- Probably rename them with more generic names (like all the current bugs: Swarm Lord, Old One Eye, Red Terror, Death Leaper), but successors in Spirit. The psychic phase is a big part of the game, so having a bug that is just an absolute beast in that phase make sense. And as for the Parasite, no better reason than to come out with a winged warrior kit.
- Old Zogwort- The greatest Weirdboy to ever live. Seeing as there is no current Weirdboy Character, it might as well be him. No excuse at this point for one of the most psychically attuned races in the lore to not have a special character who excels in the psychic phase of the game. And by excel, I mean does completely powerful yet absolutely zany Ork things.
- Moriar the Chosen/Cassor the Damned- I list both of these BAMFs, and while for personal reasons I prefer Moriar, I would honestly be happy if they just took a note from BA history and made a Death Company Dreadnought Character again. Heck, they could even make him a Redemptor Dread for all I care. It is just cool to have a member of the Death Company entombed and battling for eternity in a huge metal monster body.
And no list of characters returning would be complete without
This Slaaneshi Daemonprince of Metal and Mayhem may have been finally caught by Ko'Sarro Khan, but that does not mean they can't concoct a scenario in which he is freed and escapes to ride once more through the Warp, all shiny and chrome. Ever a true fan favorite, there is little reason to not make an awesome warp dust fueled combat monster on a motorcycle fueled by insanity.