A new cinematic in WoW Patch 7.3 reveals new details about the Naaru. And it sheds a whole new “light” on the holy creatures …
Although the maintenance for Patch 7.3 Shadows of Argus in World of Warcraft is still officially ongoing, Blizzard has already released a new cinematic.
Rejection of the Gift
In the cinematic, the Army of the Light manages to reconstruct the Supreme Naaru, Xe’ra. The holy being rises and immediately addresses Illidan – the Chosen One. With warm words, the Naaru lures Illidan closer and offers to cleanse his body and fill it with light, that he may become a being of light. But Illidan rejects the gift. He has already traded something for power once and does not want to do so a second time.
And that’s precisely when the exciting point comes – the Naaru forces Illidan. Xe’ra binds the demon hunter in golden chains and begins to purify his body against his will and empower him. Illidan fights against it, unleashes his inner demon, and destroys Xe’ra.
You can watch the cinematic “Rejection of the Gift” here:
The Naaru – Just a Manipulating Force in the Cosmos?
This plot development sheds entirely new light on the Naaru. They have previously been seen as pillars of goodness, pure beings of light. But are they really? Until now, the Naaru have always been on the side of the mortal races – whether Draenei, Humans, or Elves.
But the crux of the matter is: The races have always followed the will of the Naaru. The races have always seen the will of the Naaru as the “good path.” Draenei have preached for millennia that the Naaru bring wisdom and strength. As soon as someone resists “the prophecy,” the Naaru resort to violence.
Thus, the Naaru could simply be very powerful, manipulative beings. Since “The Burning Crusade,” we have known that the Naaru emit waves in their presence that reach the mind of every being and fill it with peace and serenity. One feels comfortable with what the Naaru says – one automatically supports it.
This theory is also strengthened by the fact that none of the other attendees (Alleria, Turalyon, Velen) intervenes when Xe’ra obviously wants to force Illidan. They are all convinced that “the Light” is doing the right thing – because they are under a form of mind control.
Xe’ra may also be a one-off case. But if one looks back, then the Eredar were also corrupted by a being of light – for that is how Sargeras presented himself to the Eredar, as a holy, luminous being of light. Is there a connection …?
What do you think of this story twist and the theory? A cool plot twist? What are the Naaru really? Are they truly much more fanatical and “darker” than was previously recognized?
Cortyn says: Watching the cinematic made my grin broader and broader. One of my characters had long speculated in RP that the Naaru essentially act just like the Old Gods and place their light above all else. They even control the immediate environment through “pleasant sounds” that influence everyone nearby – mind control that the victims still perceive as positive.
That the Naaru are now regarded as at least fanatical and perhaps even “evil” makes me cheer. A cool story twist that hardly anyone expected and which makes many past actions in World of Warcraft appear questionable.
You can find more information about Patch 7.3 Shadows of Argus in this article.
