How dark World of Warcraft is, is shown by a new cinematic, featuring some horror elements that are quite uncomfortable.
“World of Warcraft is becoming more like Disney” and “Since when is WoW so cute?” are comments that were made during the last housing cinematic. Many believe that WoW has lost the seriousness and the approaches of dark fantasy it once had in the past. That this is still part of WoW’s core DNA is shown by a new cinematic titled “Supremacy.”
The origin of Xal’atath’s mortal form
What is shown in the cinematic? The cinematic features Nexus King Salhadaar and his subordinates battling the servants of the Void. He defeats a voidwalker and tries to open a portal to save his remaining people.
In that moment, Xal’atath appears, seemingly freezing time for everyone else and conversing with Salhadaar. Xal’atath wants the king as her servant, but he declines – he will not be a puppet of another power. Xal’atath then reveals to him that much about her is not true and that many of her names do not represent the truth, before revealing the truth about her origin:
Xal’atath reveals that she once belonged to a mortal race. We see a rather small figure wandering through a dark desert. Stiff bodies of humanoid characters, apparently killed, protrude from the ground everywhere. In the sky, a void torrent is visible, from which eventually void tendrils reach out towards Xal’atath and begin to consume her body. She screams as her body is slowly distorted and devoured, until nothing remains of her but an empty shell – swallowed by the Void.
Whether Xal’atath’s origin is the truth, we cannot say at this time. However, it is important to note that Xal’atath has never lied, even if she acts very manipulatively.
What makes the cinematic so dark? The video contains several horror elements, from small jumpscares to distorted faces with screaming noises, but also the representation of what is shown is unusually dark. After all, Xal’atath in her “original form” has a rather childlike appearance, which may simply be due to her species – perhaps this is how the beings that Xal’atath belonged to looked.
Nevertheless, it is unusual to see a “childlike character” literally burning alive, and the essence leaving the body until it turns to ash.
Is Salhadaar not dead? Salhadaar was the penultimate boss in the raid Manaforge Omega and the last defense before facing the end boss Dimensius. However, Salhadaar was not killed. At the moment of his defeat, Xal’atath appears and absorbs the fallen king to keep him as a “useful servant.” He was apparently taken to the void storm and is trying to protect his Astral ones there until he is persuaded by Xal’atath to make a pact in this cinematic.
Salhadaar still plays an important role in Midnight, and there is a reunion with the king. But how loyal he truly is to Xal’atath and what his actual plans are, we will not reveal at this point.
Cortyn says: The video is a strong example that two opposing things can be true at the same time. On the one hand, World of Warcraft can be cute, playful, and almost a little silly, as shown in the housing cinematic with orcs carrying pink flamingo decorations through the neighborhood.
On the other hand, the universe can possess immensely dark corners and address themes that tip into the exact opposite. This has basically always been the case; today, both aspects are just a bit more pronounced – and people complain about it more loudly.
I believe that this is what makes WoW’s diversity, that there are both bright and dark moments, and I do not want to miss either. Especially, I want more of these 2.5D videos. They are among the best that Warcraft has ever produced.
If you want to know more about the complex story of World of Warcraft – don’t worry. We have condensed all the important storylines from the last 30 years into the key events in our big story summary of World of Warcraft.
