For the first part of a “saga” TWW really only set up one plot point, Dim being trapped in the Dark Heart and Xal using his power.
When you think of a saga there should be multiple plots that start that carry over into part two. Phantom Menace set up Palapatine’s rise to power, the Jedi being made aware of the Sith, the chosen one prophecy with Anakin, and the growing discontent in the universe that gave rise to the CIS.
TWW had Ansurek and the Nerubians who were only the villain of the week. Undermine that was 99% filler, with the only key point being the Shadowguard stealing the Dark Heart. Plus Xal’s plans make no sense if you don’t consider the Shadowguard reviving Dim. If the Shadowguard never stole the Dark Heart Xal would just be using it to absorb more power, but Dim’s revival seemed necessary as she needed him revived in order to trap him. I really hope Blizz isn’t just doing another Jailer and the Shadowguard reviving Dim was “actually” part of Xal’s plan all along
Th first book/movie of a planned trilogy is mostly for starting the overall story and defining the main characters. TWW is fulfilling that role and was defined that way since it was announced.
TWW did that…with the last cutscene. Xal has Dim’s power and is using it to command a host of Void beings. But what about everything prior? The only thing of relevance was the Shadowguard stealing the Dark Heart, but fighting Ansurek, the Nerubians, and Gallywix wasn’t necessary
Nah, I think it was a switch from one story to another that started several different story threads this expansion… next expansion prepare to lose, a lot
TWW lost my interest trying to shoehorn “values” into the plot to the point I got bored and found other things to do. I always come back for Octoberfest/Halloween tho.
So there’s that sure but they’ve also setup a long reaching threat in the Arathi Empire, Light based necromancy being used to make armies, several references to the Titans being far more willing to off anyone in their way, several references to the void being still active beneath the surface in the Unending Sea, plot points with Azeroth not being a baby titan so much as something else entirely, rootlands… Thats all I got so far.
Yeah, and I guess they just assumed everyone would know why he was coughing the entire time lol. I wonder how many people were just sitting there trying to figure out why that dude sounded like he was going to die at any moment.
better that way, cramming in a bunch of big ideas and cutting them down and whittling them into little patch content zones blows. argus, nazjatar, nyalotha had enough meat to be major expansion zones
A first chapter of a trilogy doesn’t need to set up three plots, just one if that one plot is going to overarc. The bigger flop on TWW and why it feels like filler, is that it didn’t really set up the setting well. Dornogal is boring and people went back to IT over K’aresh… the only time the setting really hooked the audience was Undermine and Hallowfall, which is the only zones I see people here praising.
But since this is first chapter, that also means part 2 needs to have a riveting conflict and TLT needs a satisfying continuation of said conflict into a non-anti-climatic conclusion. That’s a HUGE ask given the current rate we’re going. Unless part one was sheared to give 2 and 3 more mass.
I didn’t say it was a good setup. WOW’s stories are often rambling like this with mcguffins tying in elements that don’t really serve much purpose.
However, seasons 1 and 2 showed us that Xal’atath doesn’t care for allies and will discard them when it suits her purpose. Which makes the betrayal of season 3 a foregone conclusion.