Neither of these characters have been given nearly enough spotlight to have any significant emotional investment, but they’ll get that and more in Midnight. It’s going to be
so beautiful.
When Midnight rolls around, I don’t even want to know that Ms. Alleria with her Karen-in-the-front, party in the back hairstyle even exists. Same goes for Anduin. Fall back, take a shower, and moisturize, sir.
Lor’themar really started to appeal to the playerbase after MoP, and Thalyssra was the star of the Suramar questlines. They’ve both become the face of the Horde since the Council became a thing. Psuedo Warchiefs, if you will.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Kael’thas coming back due to a pact with Al’ar in which the Phoenix God resurrects Kael’thas when he’s dead so long as he’s worthy of being the ruler of his people. He can cleanse the void-tainted Sunwell in phoenix-fire and open up some fiery themed customizations for Blood Elves.
Don’t get my wrong. I’m sure Alleria will be involved in Midnight. I’d just prefer if her involvement were… more blue-side oriented, and that the Horde had one of their own characters front and center for their experience.
Alleria and Anduin are key heroes of the story, will find hope and redemption
… redemption for what? Alleria’s dark turn in Beyond the Dark Portal was just quietly forgotten about in Legion, and we the players have greater claim to Shadowlands trauma than Anduin Wrynn.
Having Alleria pal around with Azeroth’s premier orc is actually a pretty good setup to address her inconclusive WC2 arc, but the Horde is such an afterthought in this Worldsoul Saga the notion probably never even entered their heads. This thing is going to be a real dud if that continues into Midnight.
It’s a black and white fallacy people’re being tricked into accepting.
“Can’t have the Horde have any focus or they’re evil and trying to kill the Alliance! It’s good we serve only Alliance characters!!”
I suspect that Thrall will be back when we reach the bottom level of the fissure. Azj-Kahet has been described in terms akin to Suramar, so it might be a rather protracted campaign to get Xal’atath to budge.
Thrall is probably simply playing the role as a mentor figure like Obi Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars trilogy. There’s probably a pretty good chance that Thrall is going to die as well.