Marcion

"Leaders have arisen who command respect, and undying loyalty. There is one in particular who plays lord over what's left of the Black Hand... a heretic. His name? Brother Marcion."

- Kane

Grand Confessor Marcion was a prominent Nod figure serving the Brotherhood since the Second Tiberium War. He was last seen during the Second Nod Reunification War in 2034.

Background
During the Second Tiberium War, Brother Marcion was the leader of the Brotherhood's religious wing, spreading and enforcing the prophecies of Kane. He was no mere monk however - he was also a fighter, gaining widespread recognition in battle when he gallantly used an improvised flamethrower to wipe out many entrenched GDI soldiers. This inspired the creation of the Purifier walker, embodying the spirit of Marcion. As the War drew to a close, he became disillusioned with Nod and its leader.

When Kane died and Anton Slavik took control of Nod, giving the Black Hand a new public profile, many claimed the Nod leader was a traitor to the Black Hand's true purpose. Marcion's impassioned and popular preaching made him a natural opponent for Slavik. What started as a doctrinal disagreement quickly escalated into a schism that threatened the very existence of Nod itself. The situation spun out of control quickly, with Slavik dead at the hands of an assassin and Marcion in Australia, on a self-imposed exile. Evidence suggests that his betrayal was actually planned by GDI; a spy managed to use his vanity against him and turn him on the Brotherhood and Kane, triggering yet another splintering of the Brotherhood.

However, Kane, who needed a figurehead to lead the Brotherhood in order to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to himself, ordered LEGION to capture Marcion and afterwards, Kane managed to bring Marcion back into the fold, where he became the first member of Kanes newly reformed Inner Circle and temporary official leader of the Brotherhood. Marcion exhibited unease when he met Kane following his capture; claiming that if he knew Kane lived, he never would've tried to bury his legacy.

Marcion was also responsible for commissioning the development of the first generation Scorpion tank, inspired by Kane's teachings concerning the importance of psychological warfare in modern warfare.

Writer
He was also an influential religious leader and writer. One of his most famous writings concerned his praise of fanatics, Nod suicide bombers. He was himself fanatically faithful to aspects of Nod religion, and clashed with other members of the Brotherhood whom he viewed as impure.

Related books

 * Kane: Visionary or Maniac? by Carlos Del Mar - a study of Kane, with a chapter on Marcion and his schism
 * Marcion - as I Knew Him by Elbert Goldman - Biography

Quotes
"Kane was a coward and a traitor who long ago lost faith to the purity that is Tiberium... His violent demise was the result of his own lies and blasphemies and he will be brought down to the pit of Hell and all there will STARE at him and ask: "Can this be the one who shook the Earth and the Kingdoms of the World?""

- Marcion, during a speech

Behind the scenes
Marcion was played by Carl Lumby.