Is anyone going to tell Anduin or even the rest of the cast to grow up and pull themselves out of their self-loathing complex? The whole crew feels like a bunch of self-pitying babies who think they’re the only ones suffering. They couldn’t even mourn Khadgar’s death properly because they were too busy wallowing in their own misery. So, here’s a message for everyone: “GROW UP! You all act like you’re the only ones who have ever suffered."
Thrall is haunted by a past riddled with bad decisions that cost thousands of lives, and when it came time for him to own up, he just handed his responsibilities to someone else. Jaina is a walking monument to xenophobia and self-victimization, with no lore or development that even suggests she’s learned or grown from her actions. Has she ever even apologized? Instead, we get people bending over backward to say, “I’m sorry you suffered, Jaina.” And then there’s Alleria, why does she get a pass for being a deadbeat mom? Blame it on the void? Sure, but I haven’t seen any explanation that convinces me.
It feels like these characters are just mirrors for the developers’ own power fantasies, where suffering becomes a shortcut to being overpowered. And when they come back after a hiatus, they’re suddenly wielding god-like abilities. What is this, a workout montage we missed? It’s like we’re supposed to believe these characters have been doing push-ups and soul-searching for entire expansions.
And then there’s Anduin. Mark my words, he’ll be the next in line for this lazy storytelling cycle. I’m fine with him coming back overpowered—I get it, it’s part of the fantasy, but can someone, anyone, tell him to grow up? He’s not better than everyone else just because he’s suffered in silence. Standing still because you think you’re the ‘good man who does nothing’ doesn’t make you noble, it makes you a coward. Evil thrived while Anduin stuck to his rigid pacifism, doing nothing as the world fell apart.
Gandhi once said, “Fear not that your life will end; fear that it may never have begun in the sense of living for others.” These words of Mahatma Gandhi ring especially true here. Anduin’s values feel like a hollow echo of this sentiment. He’s not protecting anyone by hiding behind pacifism and self-righteousness; he’s just holding back. What Anduin needs to understand is that the real fear isn’t dying or suffering, it’s failing the people and the world that he loves because of his inaction. With Azeroth literally bleeding out, we need someone who can face reality, not another sob story.
Blizzard’s self-entitled wisdom could use a dose of humility. You’re not wiser than history’s greatest figures, and maybe it’s time to reflect on that. So here’s hoping that the next time we see Anduin, he’s not just another overpowered comeback kid, but someone who’s grown up, faced his fears, and learned that living means more than just standing still.