Our reader Annika Hadlak on Facebook suspects that there is something much bigger behind the whole story. After all, Sylvanas has been planning for much longer than many players even realize:
I believe that Sylvanas has had something going on since Legion and only assumed the role of Warchief to pursue this plan better. Not to mention that the old Loa of Death was responsible for Sylvanas’ appointment to Warchief. When viewed under that aspect… honestly, Sylvanas was never evil.
Why is this a bad idea? There is also criticism of the idea of making Sylvanas a heroine. This comes from both Alliance and Horde players. MeinMMO reader Desten 96 believes that Sylvanas has harmed the Horde too much to deserve redemption. Reader Kyriae also views the development critically:
No matter what Blizzard does, for me as an Alliance player, they can only lose and I will hate the story because it always has the sour undertone of (Horde) fan service.
If they make Anduin a villain, that’s what the Horde players desire. If they turn the female Hitler-lookalike into a good character, that’s not only a slap in the face for Alliance players, but also a mockery of the victims [of Teldrassil]. In my eyes, I might be a bit radical, but someone who has committed genocide should NEVER be a hero.
The emotions that Sylvanas displays in the new cinematic are extremely ambiguous. On the one hand, she threatens Anduin with the same gestures that the Lich King Arthas once displayed and even holds a Wrathblade in her hands. On the other hand, she hesitates to strike Anduin down immediately.
How the story ends will likely not be revealed for several weeks. In the meantime, it’s worth visiting the Twisted Corridors, as you can get a new mount that even works in the Maw.
In a new cinematic from World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, the “evil” Sylvanas Windrunner suddenly appears hesitant. Her behavior suggests that she might be undergoing a transformation. We asked you for your opinion on the development and you voted quite decisively.
What was it about? Shortly before the opening of the Torghast’s Twisted Corridors, dataminers found a new cinematic featuring Sylvanas and Anduin. In it, Sylvanas hesitates to kill the young king.
You can now watch the cinematic in the game itself. To do so, you need to unlock the Twisted Corridors and defeat Graf Denathrius in Nathria. You will then receive a short quest line from Bolvar to follow the developments in Torghast.
There, she displays something resembling compassion or “humanity” (as far as it applies to a high elf). Many players speculated, based on her hesitation and behavior, about a “redemption arc” for the Banshee Queen.
This means that she would undergo a transformation – from the cunning war criminal, responsible for genocide and a massive war, to a “redeemed” hero. We asked you whether you want a “redemption arc” for Sylvanas.
Here are the numbers: A total of 1,321 MeinMMO readers voted. Each had only one vote to cast. This is how the distribution looks:
- I think it’s good: 63%
- I don’t like it: 26%
- I don’t care: 11%
Almost two-thirds of you want a “good” Sylvanas, a heroine. There are various reasons for this – and not everyone agrees.
Sylvanas as a heroine – Why you want a “redemption arc”
Why Sylvanas deserves a change: The story of Sylvanas Windrunner is one of the oldest in World of Warcraft. She has been contributing to the storyline for years, and the current development is, for many of you, a sign that her story continues.
For that reason alone, she should not end as a “villain.” And since she is known for her deception, it fits well that many currently see her as such, as MeinMMO reader N0ma writes:
I think it’s likely, à la Darth Vader. That way, you would have showcased Sylvanas critics under the premise: story not heard all the way to the end.
Our reader Annika Hadlak on Facebook suspects that there is something much bigger behind the whole story. After all, Sylvanas has been planning for much longer than many players even realize:
I believe that Sylvanas has had something going on since Legion and only assumed the role of Warchief to pursue this plan better. Not to mention that the old Loa of Death was responsible for Sylvanas’ appointment to Warchief. When viewed under that aspect… honestly, Sylvanas was never evil.
Why is this a bad idea? There is also criticism of the idea of making Sylvanas a heroine. This comes from both Alliance and Horde players. MeinMMO reader Desten 96 believes that Sylvanas has harmed the Horde too much to deserve redemption. Reader Kyriae also views the development critically:
No matter what Blizzard does, for me as an Alliance player, they can only lose and I will hate the story because it always has the sour undertone of (Horde) fan service.
If they make Anduin a villain, that’s what the Horde players desire. If they turn the female Hitler-lookalike into a good character, that’s not only a slap in the face for Alliance players, but also a mockery of the victims [of Teldrassil]. In my eyes, I might be a bit radical, but someone who has committed genocide should NEVER be a hero.
The emotions that Sylvanas displays in the new cinematic are extremely ambiguous. On the one hand, she threatens Anduin with the same gestures that the Lich King Arthas once displayed and even holds a Wrathblade in her hands. On the other hand, she hesitates to strike Anduin down immediately.
How the story ends will likely not be revealed for several weeks. In the meantime, it’s worth visiting the Twisted Corridors, as you can get a new mount that even works in the Maw.
