The current antagonist in World of Warcraft is seen in a completely different light. Have we been mistaken about her?
Xal’atath is the current, major threat in World of Warcraft. One that is supposed to span the entire “World Soul” cycle. Even in Patch 11.2 Spirits of K’aresh, the strange Void creature in the body of a dead elf will play a role again. But probably a different one than the community expected.
Spoiler Warning: This is about the story content of Patch 11.2 Spirits of K’aresh.
Who is Xal’atath? The exact origin of Xal’atath has long been a mystery. Initially, she was the artifact weapon of the shadow priests, but over the years, she has received much more background story. She is now the antagonist of the World Soul saga.
Because she has often carried the nickname “Herald of Dimensius” in the past, many assumed that her ultimate goal was to bring the Void Lord Dimensius to Azeroth to devour the World Soul.
But now it turns out: No, that is not the case at all.
What does Xal’atath do in Patch 11.2? She is our ally. The spacewalker, the mentor of Alleria, reaches an agreement with Xal’atath. She will help us understand the events on K’aresh and try to prevent the Void Lord Dimensius from being resurrected by the Shadow Keepers.
The Shadow Keepers are trying to manifest the Void Lord again. If they succeed, he would likely then set his sights on Azeroth – something that would mean death for all the inhabitants of the world.
But here comes the twist: Xal’atath doesn’t want that either! She apparently has completely different plans for the World Soul of Azeroth and did not intend for it to fall victim to Dimensius.
Therefore, she supports us in Patch 11.2 and bestows the artifact cloak, the “Rishii Wrap”, with her power. This allows us to enter the astral realm and ultimately gain access to the raid, and thus also to the oversized raid boss Dimensius.
Is Xal’atath now “good”? No. She does not make a 180° turn and her actions are not forgotten. She has the blood of many beings of Azeroth on her hands, and especially the mages of the Kirin Tor are not likely to forget the destruction of the city and the killing of so many colleagues so quickly.
The events of Patch 11.2 seem to be a clear case of “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” It is, therefore, merely a temporary alliance for the purpose of a single goal – it is highly likely that Xal’atath will betray us soon and follow her own plans again. Whatever those may be.
At least shadow priests can be happy, as they can once again work side by side with their former “Knife Wife”. Although at this point, it is still unclear what plans Xal’atath is actually pursuing. We will probably learn that in Midnight, as the next expansion brings the Void over Azeroth – along with the long-awaited housing.
