The upcoming patch 9.1 for World of Warcraft is already playable on the public test realm. The bag list for the new raid is already found on the PTR, in which Sylvanas Windrunner is the final boss. Among her loot, there is a trinket that alludes to a famous scene from BfA and hides a dark secret.
What is this item? It is the trinket “Old Warrior’s Soul”. This strength trinket increases the bearer’s attack speed in combat and allows them to heal injured allies in battle at the cost of their own health points.
The soul drops from Sylvanas Windrunner in the Sanctum of Domination, the new raid in the upcoming patch 9.1. However, it is not just any trinket, but also a clue to the past.
What does this soul mean? The icon of the soul shows the head of an Orc. This, along with the name, suggests a famous character whose soul Sylvanas is carrying: Highlord Saurfang.
This is also indicated by the fact that Saurfang received a cinematic titled Old Warrior in BfA. Sylvanas and Saurfang faced off in a duel at the end of the Battle for Azeroth, from which the banshee emerged victorious:
Together, this means that Sylvanas has apparently stolen Saurfang’s soul to use it for herself – Just like Arthas, who imprisoned Sylvanas’s own soul in his runeblade Frostmourne back then. Arthas is considered the greatest villain in WoW history.
As early as 2018, there were hints that Sylvanas is becoming more like Arthas. The soul of an old warrior that she carries seems to confirm this even further.
Good or Evil? The Discussion Around Sylvanas
This could also mean for the soul: It is not entirely certain that Sylvanas has actually enslaved Saurfang’s soul and is using it for herself. Some players speculate that she simply holds onto the soul “like a keepsake” (via wowhead).
Since all souls have been going to the Maw since the machinery of death was disrupted in Shadowlands, Saurfang would have faced a terrible fate there. It is possible that Sylvanas rescued the soul in a moment of kindness and is now keeping it safe so it does not fall into the hands of the Jailer.
Signs of a change had already appeared before in a cinematic showing a “good” Sylvanas. Certainty will likely only come in patch 9.1.
Either way, some players are now tired of Sylvanas and her eternal schemes. They fear that Blizzard will continue to spin her story and she will never face justice for her crimes.
Although she serves as the final boss in the Sanctum of Domination, many players are sure that she will not receive her just punishment there, but will undergo some kind of redemption:
Some WoW players are already mocking the new patch 9.1, showing no interest in it
