You know, I originally hated this idea. “The light has been a righteous thing since WOWs conception!” I would say.
After discovering the Elder Scrolls Franchise I’ve realized I should cast aside all preconceived notions. But, I would’ve if not for the clear influence the Light has worked with for decades now, that is only now being changed.
One cannot blame me for resistance in some capacity, since this is not a premeditated thing. Sure, Legion was Six Years ago when they began to villainize, Sure the novels mean very little to Blizzard as it is now, unless it’s something Christie Golden made in the last 5 years.
But, I have to admit, my Lady here still opens portals to the Nether, which should be destroyed as Argus, the Titan who kept open the nether and made demons immortal in a way is dead. The Light may be evil now, that doesn’t mean it will take away our Tirion and our Ashbringer.
But, beyond that, I have always loved the Scarlet Crusade concept, it is extremism, and it’s horrifyingly depicted as it should be! Yrel is just the new form of that. If the Draenei grew all powerful for decades, and resistance was made of course they’d feel threatened. What happened to their world in the hands of the Orcs? What happened to their homeworld when “New Ideas” entered frame. While we could blame the light, we must understand as well zealotry is not something wished for, it’s something self-imposed most of the time.
Sure, there’s crystal floaty lady in Legion. But, look at her and how different our bros in the Sha’tar are. For Icons of the Light, they seem to be more organisms made up of it. Organisms with their own mind and interpretations.
The Light is not evil, but the beholder, but the wielder may be, like how a Warlock may instead choose to help others, may take care of his/her demons. Or how Alleria embraced the void, yet with caution.
While I may’ve believed Blizzard was attempting to villainize, and while it may be quite presumptuous to suspect them of good writing. Perhaps this is there way of exemplifying understandings, subjectivity. Which is interesting indeed.
EDIT:
Deeper though is Anduin, I’m taking it he merely abandoned the light or distanced himself because what happened to him in Shadowlands. Or perhaps the Light, having felt him touched by such Dark Magic cannot so easily return. One can think of the Light in a deity sort of way. But, that might make the Naaru Gods, which they are not. The Naaru are the byproduct of the clash of the Light and Void, Collected Shatterings of Light Energy which would then gain sentience by some miracle and guide beings.
We have yet to see a Light God, or the Light, as we have yet to see the True Void, save in TBC when we aided the Consortium in fighting a Void Lord.
But, glare carefully, The Shatterings of Light became the Naaru. Thrall though having disgraced tradition and thus the elements of his homeland, was forgiven. Anduin is a muddled mess, he’s having a crisis of faith, yet the light will find him again. It’s destined to be so. He need only redeem himself.
Of course, he could argue “Oh, it didn’t save me”, it wasn’t supposed to. The Light is not a God, the Light is an Energy which can be overpowered. It’s something, a concept I think many denizens of Azeroth are not ready to understand.
Glare upon it deeper, we’re going to villainize the Titans soon, Shadowlands laid bare death, souls become fuel, becoming contorted and shaped, assimilated into sects, abandoning all former character save what makes them fighty, righteous, gothic, or… Fae? And worst of all, if you’re Fae you have a 50% chance of being made into the shubbery of some goddess who’ll definitely water you, for sure.
The World of Azeroth has no Gods, just beings using one another.
