The WoW interwebs are losing their shit right now. Why, do you ask? It’s because the latest Warbringers video was released from Blizzard. For those of you who haven’t seen the video, or who don’t know what’s going on in the game’s lore right now…let me fill you in.
For weeks and months now, all the denizens of WoW have been wanting to know how and why the Great Tree of Teldrassil, the home of Kaldorei (Night Elves) on Azeroth, was burning. During that time, there’s been much speculation about who would do something so horrific, catastrophic thing and why. Well, today we found out. Today, Warbringers: Sylvanas has released and with it seems the final fall of one of, if not the most beloved character in the WoW lore.
After watching the video, myself, on first viewing, my gut reaction was I felt as if Garrosh and Arthas got together and had a female High Elf Forsaken baby somehow, and this was the result. I moved from shock to sadness to anger. As a mostly Alliance player for most of my WoW-playing life (having played the game since Vanilla), Sylvanas and Thrall were the first two Horde characters that I actually grew to love and respect. Those two characters (along with the Wrathgate) are the reason I decided to start playing Horde characters and end my alliance so-called bias. I was proud to follow both characters and call them my leaders. Now that Thrall has gone on his walkabout, I was so happy and proud when eventually Sylvanas was named Warchief of the Horde at the beginning of Legion, even though the circumstances around the ascension weren’t the best. How could they do this to Sylvanas?!
Sigh! After taking a long breath, watching the video a couple more times and thinking with a thoughtful mind, sans emotions, this video is amazing, and that includes the story. Many of us as WoW players love Sylvanas. Regardless whether you are Horde or Alliance, we all love her story and have felt for her plight to save her Forsaken, and herself. Now, seeing her seemingly fall so far as to kill innocent people—people that she once protected, and gave her life for is a really hard pill to swallow. As I’ve been reading the forums, I see many standing behind Sylvanas, and I see many, including many Horde players saying that she’s gone too far. Now, I love Sylvanas. I still get teary-eyed when I listen to “the Lament of the Highborne”, and I would before this video proudly follow her into battle to save the Horde. Now, as a Horde player, when I log into my toons, I can no longer in good conscience follow a leader that I once loved and admired. It’s one thing to kill an Alliance combatant on the battlefield, but to knowingly bomb a location filled with innocent people for no other reason than to prove that hope means nothing? What the hell Sylvanas?! You know that you may not be going down the right path, when your top supporter, Nathanos Blightcaller hesitates before carrying out your order.
That’s the point of good storytelling. Now, I know, I know—there will be some who call this turn that the devs (and maybe Christie Golden) have come up with for Sylvanas crappy, or horrible, or lazy writing. I don’t think so. This Warbringers video has become a rallying call. It’s a call to the Alliance to come together and focus their anger, sorrow and hate on Sylvanas’ Horde. For the Horde, it has divided them into many respects. Now, you are going to have some who will stand even more fervently behind their Warchief. And you will have others who will turn their backs on Sylvanas, and look towards another as a leader to represent them. Maybe that will be Saurfang. Maybe it will be Baine Bloodhoof—maybe they will go in search of Thrall. Who knows.
I’m guessing that by the end of the Battle for Azeroth expansion, we as WoW players will all know where we go from Sylvanas’ decision to kill innocents in order to seemingly prove a point. My question is does she prove her point, or instead does she realize how far she’s fallen and decide to turn around before it’s too late?
What do you think? Did you like the new Warbringers video for Sylvanas? Did you agree with Sylvanas’ decision to burn Teldrassil and the reasons behind it? Are you #FortheDarkLady or #For Saurfang, or are you like me #FORAZEROTH? Let me know in the comments below.
