wasnt velen fed of the naaru’s crap and heartbroken since he killed his son? it really was an amusing reaction since it looked like he didnt give a frick, he says something along the lines of him also doing things he didnt wanted for the light.
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I’ll be honest, when he told me to pick up shards of Xe’ra, mentally I was picturing him shoving a broom into my hands and then, in the voice of Rick from Rick and Morty, “sweep this up, I’m going to go take a sh*t.”
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You could go one step further. The “excuse” for the Lightbound’s crusade was that the Mag’har were responsible for the crystallization of Draenor. Which seems very unlikely, especially after reading that in-game Light Mother book. The Horde is now shielding and fostering the survivors of the AU Mag’har, so should “crystallization” start happening on Azeroth … well the Lightbound have an easy group to blame. And by extension … the Horde who’s protecting them.
Which means the Lightbound have Means, Motives, and Opportunity to get in good with the Heroic Alliance. And with all the peaceniks gone, I’d wager that communication between the Faction Members left behind has become very limited. Which means, the Alliance has NO windows into what the Lightbound and Yrel have become. ONLY the Horde does. So, the Lightbound give their new “friends” the Alliance the power and incentive they need to act on decades of grudges; and we PCs and Peaceniks all return right around the time the Horde is on its breaking point (on both sides) … but things are getting SUPER shifty with the Alliance’s new Ally. With the Lightbound themselves having became a massive force, bolstered and complicated by converted (forced or voluntary) members from our own factions.
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Call me crazy, but I see Turalyon as the biggest impediment to Yrel and AU Xe’ra manipulating the Alliance into a Holy Crusade.
He knows first hand what Xe’ra was, he experienced it, and if she suddenly appeared with an army of Lightforged, he’d be extremely wary. I imagine he’d be targeted immediately and made into one of the Lightbound and used as a puppet.
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So specifically, Velen’s comments on Xe’ra and Illidan:
I did not expect this of Xe’ra. Nor could I have foreseen Illidan’s reaction.
and
The loss of Xe’ra is a blow, especially to Turalyon. But even the Light Mother could not be allowed to force destiny upon us.
I wish Illidan had found another way to refuse her… but I too have had choices imposed upon me by the naaru.
So there’s definitely a sense of, “I may not agree with Illidan, but I get why he did it.” This is literally the Light Prophet of the Draenei saying, “even the naaru can’t be allowed to violate our free will.”
Which is pretty open-minded of Velen, to be honest.
I mean, I would say that’s fair, but I would argue that Turalyon is definitely more zealous than Velen, especially given the quotes above.
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Is there some evidence that Turalyon disavowed Xe’ra? He literally attacked Illidan for defending himself against her. Just because he was was willing to put retribution aside for the sake of the war doesn’t mean he wouldn’t jump back on-board if given the opportunity.
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Why? People do understand he’s been gone from Azeroth (from his own perspective) for like 1000 years right? He doesn’t know who the Lightbound are, and the Alliance’s last interactions with the AU Draenei were very positive. I also very much question just how much Turalyon really understands how questionable what Xe’ra was doing to Illidan really was. Just that he understands it was extreme to some extent.
He is one of the only remaining members of the Alliance who might truly want to see the rebuilding of every Alliance kingdom. He is very devout to the Light. He’s backed by both the House of Nobles AND a Dreadlord. And nothing about the Lightbound is outwardly antagonistic. Their own dogma is built around the idea of “saving these evil monsters from themselves”. So, all you really need is for them to come as a friend, and then orchestrate a reason for Turalyon’s impression that the Horde is evil is right. Then, “saving us from ourselves” seems perfectly acceptable compared to the alternative right? Kill Genn, Velen, or Faol (who got too close to the truth) and pin it on the Horde.
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Ah, but “crystallization” has already begun on Azeroth!
With AZERITE. 
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His words to Anduin suggest as much.
https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/the-userper-spoilers/575200/6?u=crowngarde-wyrmrest-accord
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Hmmm. That’s something, but still…
If I had to put money on it, I’d bet on him joining up with the Crusade at first, then having an moment of realization down the line and leaving.
But what about situations where “Their Minds and Hearts” are evil or monstrous? In the same story he was about to smite Faol the moment he saw him, until Faol took an absurd risk and changed his mind. Making sure to use a Good Heart and a Good Mind is an obvious, but how does he feel about the Light Commanding those less picturesque? And no one is saying Villain Bat Turalyon. Simply make him an antagonist for a time. Have him have his faith and virtue used against him, by a force he has no reason to really question (considering his circumstances). Blizz has never had an issue doing that with HORDE characters. So, when it makes relative sense in the right situation, why not the Alliance?
Have him be used by Yrel and the Lightbound, using the assassination of one of those he considers good to convince him a more active Will is needed to save these evil Horde from themselves. That added power allows the Alliance to tip the scales of power drastically in their favor on both continents, and deal some real damage to the Horde before they realize their horrific mistake. Trusting someone they should not have trusted, who they had no reason not to trust at the time. Then we PCs and Peaceniks all come back at that breaking point to help clean up that mess. With the Alliance pushing the Horde near its breaking point, but things starting to go really sideways with the LB.
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The biggest problem here is that until the next big conflict happens, all we have are words—there hasn’t been a real “stress test” yet for us to see how far someone like Turalyon will go in differentiating “Duty to the Light” vs. “Respecting living creatures’ free will.”
For example, men like Daelin Proudmoore and Terenas Menethil considered themselves “good.” They had families, they were respected leaders of their people (Kul Tiras, Lordaeron), they loved their children (Jaina, Arthas), etc.
But then the Second War and the internment camps happened, and we got to see different sides to these formerly-righteous human (heroes), in Day of the Dragon, Of Blood and Honor, “Old Hatreds” in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, etc.
And that’s the thing about prejudice: you never actually get to see it without that “stress test situation.” You could think a person is the greatest human being who ever lived (like Jaina probably did with her father), and never see the worst/most biased side of them until they’re in that kind of situation (like with Daelin at Theramore vs. Rexxar).
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Something to ask though, is why?
Turalyon joined the Army of the Light to defend and protect Azeroth, to defeat the Burning Legion. Both missions have been accomplished. There is peace with the Horde. Why would he join Xe’ra/Yrel’s crusade now? It wouldn’t be the same thing anymore. It couldn’t be.
It wouldn’t be the same thing anymore, but the current armistice is still tentative.
Which is where we have Alternate Yrel vs. the Mag’har orcs.
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I mean, we literally just had a War. Not only that but the Lightforged Draenei and Void Elves are seen working together in Shadow’s Rising. There hasn’t been any hint from Turalyon or the Lightforged that the Void Elves need to be saved from themselves or anything. The one instance I recall of a Lightforged commenting on the Void Elves was something along the lines of the Horde seeing the power at the command of the Alliance or something, so it seems the Lightforged respect what the Void Elves can do.
I’d argue under Xe’ra, Turalyon and the Lightforged would be Yrel and the Lightbound. But without Xe’ra, they’re coming off more idealist, more open to working with other powers, to other ideas, etc…
They’re not the Argent Crusade, but they’re not the Scarlet Crusade either.
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Turalyon doesn’t know the Horde. He wasn’t around when it formed. He has had no positive interactions with any of them, outside of on Argus (where frankly, we barely existed outside of the Horde PC). He doesn’t know the Iron Horde, he doesn’t have reason to mistrust the AU Draenei (neither do the Alliance).
Its all surface level for him at best. As I stated above. Give Turalyon the catalyst he needs to act on his desire to “protect Azeroth” … and as far as I can tell the current Horde has done plenty to suggest we’re a danger to it. Have one of the Alliance reps he’s reasonably close to (or who is shifting opinions about the Horde/Forsaken) get a little too close to the truth while Yrel and her Lightbound are being friendly, and have them killed. Pinning that death on the Horde, and convincing Turalyon that we are the monsters and dangers we appear to be. Using the Power of the Lightbound to offset the costs that many Alliance reps implied kept them from investing in destroying the Horde. And thus, the Lightbound “saving us” seems perfectly reasonable if the alternative is “destroying us as the evil monsters we are”. Which means he’s being the Hero trying to Save Azeroth from Destruction like always.
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The modern Horde? You’re right, he doesn’t know them personally, but he’s willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, to give them a chance. I already pointed out the Shadow’s Rising excerpt where Genn is ready to invade Zandalar, but Turalyon believes the Horde should be trusted to give them that intelligence.
I’m not against Turalyon becoming a raid boss. I just don’t think him going that route for any reason less than Xe’ra making him into a literal puppet works.
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That’s true, but we haven’t had a leader of the Light directly calling on Turalyon to help them “save” the Horde.
Because again, a lot of this goes back to the imbalance of faction morality; we still have yet to see the Alliance being the initial aggressor in the faction conflict.
I mean, that’s fair; the most “overly-zealous” moment we have of Turalyon is in direct response to Xe’ra herself—you could almost argue his reaction was a “fail-safe” she implanted in case she ever came to harm.
But we also do know that Yrel is following a “Light Mother,” which—even if it’s not Xe’ra—is more than likely a Naaru, if not another Naaru Prime.
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Look, if people want the Alliance to be the aggressor, and also lose some moral clout, I am all for that, but let’s use characters who make sense doing it.
Give me Maeiv going all out, imprisoning Horde leaders, etc…
Give me the Dark Irons burning Horde by the hundreds.
Give me Void Elves waging psychological warfare.
But Turalyon of all people going Deus Vult just because? Lame. But I do expect it go to that way because Blizzard cannot write nuance or keep characters consistent.
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And you misunderstand my intent. I wanted something a bit more nuanced. Turalyon is tricked into being an ANTAGONIST (not a villain) for the Horde while we are gone. The Alliance, using the power of the AU Lightbound to offset the costs, hammer the Horde like crazy in response to a catalyst. As the Alliance overwhelmes the Horde, that’s when things start getting shifty … and we PCs and Peaceniks return right around the time the Horde is near the breaking point BUT the Alliance’s new Ally is really going sideways.
Thus, simply have the moment of Turalyon’s realization of his horrific mistake in trusting a group he had no reason not to trust be the moment that he is Forcibly Lightbound. If that happens before we return from the SLs or after is irrelevant, as long as he was convinced into the War while still himself. Then, saving him can be an objective for the Alliance part of the story. And maybe saving AU Grom and some of her people can be an objective for the AU Mag’har, Geya’rah, and the Horde. Since I doubt he’s dead tbh.
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