Blood relations can be interesting but there does need to be a push and shove. Families don’t often see eye to eye and there can be disagreements etc. Which is something the old guard would do. Let’s use an example that has recently been in the spotlight but one that was well received (for the most part).
Magni and Moira.
Magni was not a good father, that is self evident and he himself has admitted it on occasion. He did love Moira but he failed to understand who she was. This caused a rift to forge between the two of them, one that turned into hatred on Moira’s end. To the point that after being captured by the Dark Irons, she willingly sided with them and wanted the Dark Irons to conquer Ironforge, but on their terms, not Ragnaros’. All because Dagran I saw Moira for who she was, a skilled politician with a silver tongue. A breathe of fresh air compared to the yes men in the imperial senate.
When Magni sent adventurers to rescue his daughter from what he believed was a marriage born from mind control, he was devastated to learn that it was anything but. And that Moira is also expecting. His failure to be a father to Moira ultimately led to the Dark Irons ‘winning’ the war.
This is why I see Magni’s efforts during Legion and BFA to try and help Azeroth (the world soul) as a second chance to be a father. This is probably why he felt angry and betrayed when Azeroth stopped speaking to him following BFA. Another ‘daughter’ who didn’t want anything to do with him. Which is why I loved his dynamic with Dagran II.
Dagran II is a constant reminder of his short coming as a father to Moira but he refuses to let that get the better of him. He loves his grandson and hopes that he can be a grandfather worthy of his grandson. There are still tensions between Magni and Moira, it didn’t go away just because Magni apologized shortly after waking up prior to Legion as evidenced by TWW’s intro quests but for Dagran’s sake, they are willing to mend the rift between them.
In this example Magni and Moira do start to rebuild their fractured relationship not solely because they are blood related, but because of their grandson & son respectively. It still has the theme of ‘blood relations’ but only through Dagran II.
I think the issue with the Windrunners is that there doesn’t really seem to be a Dagran II for Sylvanas, Alleria and Veressa. It is clear Blizzard is trying to make Arator that character but the problem is, we rarely see Arator interact with his family, whether they be his mother or his two aunts.
I do agree though that WoW should have more stories where just because you are blood related, does not mean you will see eye to eye. I know I tend to bring up Destiny 2 lately and it did have its fair share of writing problems as well, but it does feel like WoW needs more Calus & Caiatl, or Oryx, Xivu Arath and Savathun dynamics.
For the former you have a father and daughter that never saw eye to eye, to the point that Caiatl actively took part in a coup against her father. But because Calus is her father, she only agreed to take part in the coup if he was exiled. A decision she would regret and one she has admitted to (Presage exotic mission from Season of the Chosen). Hell Calus’ main nightmare that plagued him all the way until his death was his daughters betrayal. As seen in the Duality dungeon from Season of the Haunted. And yet when Calus was on the verge of winning, he didn’t kill his daughter, even though he very easily could have given his new powers as a disciple of the Witness. And when Calus died, Caiatl, in her own way still mourned for him, saying he no longer needs to run away anymore. Shame the actual moment is interrupted too soon by a very unnecessary joke.
Oryx, Xivu Arath and Savathun are siblings and their relationships was a major focus of the Heresy episode following The Final Shape. In this, Oryx ‘returns’ as the Echo of Navigation, a framed memory from The Witness of how they would’ve preserved Oryx in The Final Shape. This echo of the taken king is just after his victory over the Worm God Akka and thus has no memories of any of his children, the main two being Crota and Nokris. The former he same to Sol seeking to avenge and the latter he disowned for practicing necromancy without tribute.
Both Savathun and Xivu Arath seek to claim their ‘brother’ but for different reasons. Savathun has no proper memories of her brother because of how she was reborn as a lightbearer. Therefore if she desires to claim her brother to rebuild their relationship. But to also give her brood legitimacy. If Oryx can be convinced to abandon the sword (darkness) and embrace the bomb (light), then the Lucent Hive will stop being seen as heretics. And maybe, Xivu Arath might also abandon the sword as well. Reuniting the three of them once more. There is also a sense of guilt on Savathuns end here. It was her that led her siblings down to the deep where they accepted the Worm Gods offers. She feels responsible for everything that has happened since. Being used as pawns of The Witness.
Xivu Arath however wants Oryx so she can once again be a knight in service of her one true king. And by this destroy her enemies, including Savathun. Xivu Arath did not hesitate to try and kill Savathun during Season of the Lost when The Witness ordered her to. To Xivu, Savathun is no longer her sister, no longer family. During the Ghosts of the Deep dungeon from Season of the Deep, you can find memories of Xivu Arath throughout the dungeon. They are a great insight into her character as she finds the corpse of her brother and has to process her grief. And why she would ultimately be fully devoted to The Final Shape. As at least through that she might be reunited with her siblings in death. But now with the Echo, she can find a way to restore her brother back without turning to heresy.
And the sad thing is for both Savathun and Xivu Arath, this echo of Oryx remained true to the Sword Logic and therefore asked us, his slayers, his successors to kill him. As if Oryx is truly dead, so should the echo. His existence itself is heresy to the Sword and thus he must die to the Sword. And we do this with his own sword. Imagine that, your dead brother has come back and he would rather die all over again due to his devotion to a flawed logic instead of forging a new future with you. For Savathun, no new memories, no legitimacy and no reunited family in the light, as they should’ve always been. For Xivu Arath, no purpose, no King to serve. You are just a knight without a oath, without a liege, without a banner.
‘Oryx upon seeing Savathun a lightbearer and Xivu Arath a depressed mess… dies of cringe’.
The only major blood relation that does get a happy ending is Mara and Uldren / Crow. And even then, that took a long time, Uldren dying and reborn as a lightbearer and Mara throwing a tantrum trying to blame everyone but the one truly responsible for her brothers death. With was herself, as she was emotionally manipulating him ever since they were born again as Awoken. Riven might have used Uldren as a tool, the player might have been the one to pull the trigger, Ikora might have been the one who sent the player on that manhunt, as Uldren had killed Cayde 6 but none of that would’ve happened if Mara treated Uldren as a brother and not an asset that could be disposed of.
