He said they have evolved but did not give context. He could of meant in terms of story, which is what I had taken it to mean. Honestly, the entire line of inquiry likely should be its own thread.
Yes, this is a good example. Blizzard is using the word “evolved” in a colloquial sense to mean “mutated.” There are no instances in the real world of a species mutating into another species without generations of evolution; it’s quite impossible. Biological evolution, by definition, requires procreation. That’s just a fact.
Now, for Blood Elves to have become a new “species” from High Elves would have specific implications, as well. It would mean, specifically, that they could no longer procreate together (more or less; I am aware that this can get technical).
If you are suggesting that Blood Elves are a separate species from High Elves…well, that strikes me as absurd.
Given that Blizzard, again, have declared that “Blood Elves are High Elves,” I don’t see what the controversy is. Blood Elves are High Elves.
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(Exasperation): There are no instances in the real world of magic, so how could there possibly be instances in the real world of magic as a catalyst to fuel evolution? You are ignoring that Warcraft is a fantasy world where the rules of the Real World are a basis for it, but not a restriction.
(Commentary): I don’t even want to touch on this one since two completely unrelated species, even from entirely different worlds, can procreate (Draenei and Orcs). Suffice to say, this is just further evidence that real world applications of biological terms and concepts do not restrict what is possible within the setting.
(Commentary): Simply that Blood Elves have evolved from High Elves. Blood Elves are, in other words, unique on a biological level, even if the degree of uniqueness remains relatively insignificant. In short, a Blood Elf is no longer a High Elf on a biological level. They have evolved into something different. This is the last word we have from Blizzard, unless you disagree with Ion. I wouldn’t blame you if you did.
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Evolution might have a definitive definition in the real world, but in WoW, the Colloquial meaning of the word has very manifest implications.
In the context of WoW, Race and Species are somewhat blended into the same meaning to the point that even small changes can and do result in drastic differences.
Bronzebeard, Wildhammer and Dark Iron Dwarves are all different Races yet all the same Species. But in the game, it’s basically the same thing. They are as different from one another as Dwarves are from Draenei. And Draenei and Lightforged Draenei are the same species but still a different Race.
Blood Elves are as Different from High Elves as Wildhammer are from Bronzebeard. Wildhammer are still Dwarves like Blood Elves are still Elves, but they’ve moved away from each other just enough to the point they can see each other as a different race.
I agree that this is probably what Ion meant.
This is also the point, though. Blood Elves are not High Elves, and the eyes are an important enough distinction to this that Ion does not want to give blue eye customization to the playable Blood Elves.
Interestingly, though, we do have plenty of green eyed Blood Elf children models in the game, but no blue eyed ones.
A) Ion did NOT say that. That is you interpreting his words. He did not mention High Elves at all.
B) You keep using terms that you don’t understand, so your claims about what it means to evolve, about being “unique on a biological level”…these are nonsensical. You aren’t actually saying anything.
I mean…I’m unique on a biological level. So are you. That doesn’t mean I’m not a human, I’m some kind of new species.
At the end of the day, you are trying to justify giving a playable Horde race to the Alliance based on eye colour. Different eye colour is not a significant trait. Humans, for example, have a much wider range of variation than just eye colour amongst us, and we are an extremely homogenous species.
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Canon, per Blizzard, says otherwise.
So, if it were the case that exposure to some sort of radiation caused an eye colour mutation in every member of a population at the genetic level so that this was henceforth continued in all of their offspring…I’m not sure what to call that. I mean, the idea is so outlandish that it’s not something a biologist would ever consider.
It certainly wouldn’t be evolution in anything like the regular sense of the term, as there is no natural selection involved. Magical transmutation, I suppose? Like the naga, but much less extreme.
However, I don’t think this is what is in fact happening, because Blood Elf eye colours are continuing to change (to evolve, if you will, in the colloquial sense of the term). So it seems that what is in fact happening is that their eyes are particularly sensitive to some sort of magical radiant energy that causes them to change colour to match.
But Blizzard has been completely inconsistent about this, anyway. The reality is that they decided that eye colour would be the one visual signifier between Blood Elves and High Elves (with rare exceptions,; there is at least one blue-eyed blood elf) , so in reality eye colour actually just reflects political allegiance. Otherwise Alleria and all the High Elves who accompanied her to Outland would have green eyes.
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None of those are from allied races, and none of those character even got close to the amount of development in legion as the characters in the allied races. Void elves had no one and were a race with zero lore, and you are complaining about one void elf getting development? Now that is insane even for you, I have to assume you are trolling here.
But they are an alliance race given to horde. Why is it ok for it to work one way and not the other
You’ve very well covered the core of my point for me, as you just described the part of my post you omitted from quoting in much finer detail:
Yeah, I don’t think the Blood elves were an “alliance race” after the Alliance tried exterminating them.
The argument that the Blood elves should just walk back to the people who were willing to execute them is asinine.
And Frankly, it’s been over a decade since TBC launched. Y’all need to deal with it.
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That does seem to be a theme for a few of the people demandin’ High Elves for the Alliance - just ignore that Warcraft 3 ever happened.
Of course, Warcraft 3 DID happen and Blizz spun that as a way to give the Horde a “pretty race” and convince the Asian markets to roll Horde.
This is Blizz, though, and they’ve proven time and again that if they think somethin’ is “cool”, then they’ll butcher the story with plot holes and retcons to make it work. So, I stopped arguin’ over it. Better to spend my time and energy askin’ for things I want and just let the High Elf crowd do their thing in their own threads.
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Umbric is a beacon to the alliance. Many should follow his lead and embrace the void. It is the only way for us to become strong again.