One of World of Warcraft’s most iconic characters is having an identity crisis, as revealed in a new in-game cinematic posted unlisted on the official WoW YouTube channel.
The cinematic, which coincided with the release of a new patch 9.2 build on the game’s public test realm, reveals that Sylvanas, following her defeat by players and her subsequent betrayal of the Jailer, has gotten her soul back. Or, more accurately, half of her soul. The good half? It’s all a little confusing. Spoilers below.
Much of the cinematic revolves around Sylvanas, both the Banshee Queen version who has committed countless war crimes over the past several WoW expansions and the former High Elf Ranger General, arguing with one another in her own mind. As Uther explains, Sylvanas had her soul split in two all the way back in Warcraft 3 when she was killed by Arthas. That part of her soul, the Ranger General part, is now struggling to understand what her Banshee Queen half has done. With Uther’s help, Sylvanas seems ready to come to terms with her actions and be held accountable for them. And help the heroes of Azeroth along the way, of course.
It’s what looks to be the start of a rather convoluted redemption arc for what was previously one of Warcraft’s few powerful female characters. Once thought of as ruthless and cunning, it seems her character development following Warcraft 3 is now largely being thrown away, attributed to the evil half of her split soul.
It should be noted Warcraft is no stranger to redemption arcs, the most notable example being Illidan, who once served as the primary villain of WoW’s Burning Crusade expansion and later went on to save practically the entire universe at the end of the Legion expansion. How the game will handle the rest of Sylvanas’ story arc remains to be seen, but more than a few fans, most notably those who enjoyed the more evil incarnation of the character, are likely feeling conflicted about what seems like a sudden change of direction. It also puts players who have despised Sylvanas for years now in a tough spot, as they now have to accept that her actions weren’t entirely her own thanks to soul shenanigans.
WoW patch 9.2 will conclude the Shadowlands storyline, bringing with it a new zone to explore, a new raid, and the return of class-based tier sets. The patch does not currently have a release date and is currently being tested on the game’s PTR. When the patch does eventually release, it will come as Activision Blizzard continues to deal with multiple sexual harassment lawsuits and investigations and employee walkouts.
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