The story of the next WoW expansion “The War Within” begins – but not in Dragonflight, rather in the Season of Discoveries of WoW Classic.
Even though the World of Warcraft Patch 10.2.5 Seeds of Renewal has just gone live, many players are already thinking about the next expansion “The War Within”. After all, this is supposed to be the start of an entire saga. The most important character who sets this story in motion is the ominous Xal’atath, a strange being of the void with great power.
Xal’atath has now been found in the game – but not in Dragonflight, rather in WoW Classic in the “Season of Discoveries”.
Who is Xal’atath? Xal’atath has existed in World of Warcraft since the “Legion” expansion. The strange entity was locked in a dagger for a long time and has corrupted priests and cultists repeatedly over millennia. While she has granted them great power, at the moment of their greatest need, Xal’atath has always turned away and left the victims to their fate.
At the end of Legion, we part ways with Xal’atath – but she reappears. In Battle for Azeroth, the dagger once again falls into the hands of the heroes thanks to N’Zoth. Xal’atath manipulates the players to free her from the dagger and deliver her the body of an elf that she will inhabit from then on. After completing her task, she disappears and promises that we will see her again in the future.
She was last seen very briefly in the mega-dungeon “Twilight of the Eternals”, where she greets Iridikron after he has gained the hungry essence of Galakrond the Devourer.
What is Xal’atath doing in the Season of Discoveries? You will inevitably encounter Xal’atath when you want to craft particularly powerful equipment in the Season of Discoveries, imbued with the power of the void. At the end of a new questline, you travel to the Hillsbrad Foothills and find a fallen shard of light, near which a shadowy apparition stands at the end.
The YouTuber Bellular discusses the shadowy elf in one of his latest videos:
Even though the shadowy high elf there doesn’t explicitly bear the name “Xal’atath”, it is quite obvious from her actions and especially her words that this can only be Xal’atath.
She speaks as if she wants to entice the character to action, and whenever he refuses, she comments “Boring”. Although it is just one word, it has been a very prominent quote from her that she often said during “Legion” when you defeated enemies in her name.
That Xal’atath is responsible for a peculiar box in the questline, which gradually drives all cultists to an insatiable hunger, is another clue. This aligns with her plans that she pursues in Dragonflight and The War Within. After all, she has gained the essence of hunger through Iridikron – something she will surely use her knowledge from the past for.
It is explicitly stated that the creator of the box experienced a “shadowy figure” in a dream – here too, it seems clear that this was Xal’atath, especially when considering her dialogues.
What does Xal’atath’s appearance mean? Blizzard revealed before the start of the Season of Discoveries that the new features on display are indeed part of the lore. However, this is not about major revelations or twists, but rather should be viewed as “photos from the past”. Small events that show a bit more of a character without fundamentally changing them.
It seems to be the case with Xal’atath as well. The Season of Discoveries confirms that Xal’atath has already been involved in the heroes’ activities for much longer than we realize.
The developers seem ready not only to plug old plot holes in the new expansions and provide more context, but also to include some hints in the “old” WoW that hint at upcoming expansions.
