I’m unsure of certain aspects of the reveal in the Shadowlands cinematic and I wondered if any lore experts could provide some insight.
In the cinematic we see Sylvanas break the Helm of Domination in two, which shatters the Veil and opens the way through between Azeroth and the Shadowlands. I guess my question is - how and why?
My understanding is the that Helm contains the spirit of Ner’zhul and grants him great power. When Arthas (and later Bolvar) put it on, he gained the powers given to Ner’zhul to control undead creatures, among other abilities. But I don’t quite get why breaking it in half shattered the Veil. Was it simply the release of a huge amount of power that was being funnelled to the Lich from the Shadowlands? Was it ever explained at any time during or Blizzcon?
I get there may not yet be any real answers to my questions but if anyone has any thoughts or opinions I’d love to hear them.
Headcanon warning.
The Helm of Domination, like Frostmourne, is a vast repository for souls. With the new information we have about Shadowlands, it can be assumed that every soul contained within the Helm increases its power (Jailor and Maw ex.)
With the veil between Icecrown and Shadowlands being thin due to the power of Maldraxxus called on by the Lich King and the presence of so many Scourge, a mass release of this soul power would be able to break the veil between realms.
When Sylvanas is tearing the Helm apart, you see wispy white orbs being released… I believe these are some of the trapped souls who immediately rushed towards the Shadowlands when their bindings were destroyed.
I never saw any mention of the Helm absorbing souls - I always assumed that Frostmourne, being a runeblade designed specifically to absorb souls - was the only part of the gear that did that. Do you have any source that indicates the Helm had the same ability?
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Nope. Headcanoning a way for this to make sense.
OK. As I said in my post, my only theory was that the Lich King drew its power through the Veil from the Shadowlands (specifically probably the Maw) and the sudden breaking acted like an enormous power surge backwards (if so, that Veil needs a surge adaptor in place ). I guess its as good a theory as any but I’m just doing the headcanon thing like you. I wondered if there was more concrete info anywhere.
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Keep in mind though, that Frostmourne and the Helm were made on the same forge… in the Shadowlands. I’m sure they share a connection of some sort.
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The Helm of Domination thing that happened in that cinematic is just another retcon, that you’ll learn more when the expansion launches.
It’s a shame however that even the Lich King became a plot device for Sylvanas story, the Warcraft franchise lost some of its soul that day.
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Maybe the power within tried to return to the source of its creation, but couldn’t get there because you know its the land of the living. So unable to return it made its own way home, BAM, hole in the sky. Now I know what you’re gonna say, Frostmourne was made there too, why didn’t it crack the sky? Maybe it did, just not strong enough alone to get through, weakened it but not enough to break.
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Well we know the Shadowlands and Azeroth are ‘close’ to one another at Ice Crown, and that the Helm of Domination is a powerful artifact of the Shadowlands brought to Azeroth suffused with the powers of Death.
It could very well be that there was some mechanism beyond the destruction of the Helm that cause this event to occur, but it does not seem farfetched that the destruction of a artifact linked to the realm and as powerful as the Helm is could cause such a reaction to take place on its own. In other fantasy worlds other similar events related to the destruction of an artifact can lead to all sorts of events.
We can assume this has to do with her bargain with the Jailer. Sylvanas has become increasingly powerful throughout the events of Legion, and BFA. We can assume that she was capable (the how) due to that ever-increasing strength. We can assume why is because she wanted to get to this Jailer to further their deals and bargains.
We’ve known since Chronicle (I think) that there is a literal portal to the Shadowlands in ICC. We can also assume it has to do with the Frozen Throne. Sylvanas has been in contact with the Jailer for two expansions (so we guess) by this point. He likely told her that breaking the helm of domination would shatter the veil because of the amount of power contained within and how close to the portal it was.
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My theory: the Helm and Frostmourne were used by the Legion, but created in the Shadowlands (which pre-dates the Titans and the Legion by definition).
Kil’jaeden made a pact with a Shadowlands entity (the Jailer?) for the Helm to be made, granting the wearer necromantic power–something the Legion isn’t particularly known for.
Now that the Legion is dealt with and Azeroth saved from doom, i’m guessing Mr. Jailer wants his helm back. After all, who could possibly consider Bolvar a usurper, other than someone else who collects souls?
Also, this expains why the Jailer’s helm looks similar to the Helm of Domination (watch the preview again) and how Sylvanas had the power to destroy it.
If shattering the helm was capable of this…wouldn’t like…every evil entity in the history of ever have tried to destroy it?
I’d be willing to bet not many people knew. Let’s remember that no one was even supposed to know the helm of domination or a Lich King even existed anymore. The “heroes” who struck down Arthas were the only ones supposed to know.
That would be assuming they are at all aware of such effects and if releasing the Scourge or opening a way to the Shadowlands would be to their benefit. Also assumes that the aid of someone on the other side or some other mechanism is not also required.
This is obviously speculation since we don’t have much info but my current theory/explanation is basically this:
The Veil between our world and the shadowlands is like a wall. However when crafting the Lich king armor they basically cut a hole in the wall and put in a door; the helm of domination. This let the lich king access the powers of the shadowlands and use them on azeroth to a far greater extant then would normally be possible.
The lich king (who used/controlled the helm) was like a gatekeeper and could let souls out to serve the scourge or keep it shut to keep souls from passing through, also forcing them to serve the scourge. When Sylvanas broke the helm she destroyed the door and thus we end up with a hole in the sky.
That would also explain why the helm (which is very young as far as the history of the world/universe goes) was able to cause such damage to something as ancient as the veil between the two realms. It was a means of access that was forcibly put there but thus weakening the overall integrity of the veil
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The sad reality of it is that none of what happened in the cinematic was intended until it came time to do that cinematic. This is not some grand reveal/payoff of some teased plot points. This is Blizz clumsily retconning and rewriting lore to suit wherever the storyboard committee wants to take the story next. The helm of domination was never intended to be THAT significant until all of a sudden it was.
It would be nice to find out that there was some grand lore plan and not just a small group of writers just making things up as they go with no regard to the extensive and rich lore that they could be using.
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That is certainly one viewpoint. If you think about it, the ability that the Lich King and Death Knights have of raising the dead is the sort of thing that is generally confined to the Shadowlands. When our characters die, after all, we briefly go to a part of the Shadowlands and then are raised back up to the life and put back into Azeroth. So the Helm allows the LK (and by extension Death Knights) to do what can normally not be done in the world of the living.
It’s an interesting consideration - one might say that a healer who has ability to raise the dead ingame is calling on a power normally only available outside Azeroth. So theoretically a powerful healer (such as a Priest) would also make a good bearer of the Helm.
contemplates a Holy Priest wearing the Helm of Domination…such a neat image…
You guys are all missing the most important question here.
What would have happened if AU Ner’zhul had come to our Azeroth and wore the Helm of Domination? 
I’m pretty sure people have tried to destroy it, lol. You think the “good” people of the Light just sat around while it sat without someone using it? Lol.
Sylvanas’s new powers from the Jailer/Maw allowed her the strength to destroy it.
As for why it shattered the veil, they retconned the fact the helm and frostmourne were crafted inside the Shadowlands. Somehow, for that reason, it breaking shattered the veil.
But by their logic, when Frostmourne shattered, that should have shattered the veil as well since it released much more than just Ner’zhul’s soul. Hell, Chronicle literally says Bolvar had managed to push Ner’zhul into the deepest crevices of the helm, so there wasn’t much left of him.
I’m talking about the evil people who have been powerful enough to do it and had the motive and control over the item. Like Kel’thuzad and Arthas.
I guess Sylvanas truly is a genius.