If there was one thing I absolutely hated with Dragonflight, it was how Merithra and Ysera were handled, and it seemed to me that their story was shoe’d in and little to no thought was put in. Ysera came back, and added nothing to the story, when it seemed to me that she was supposed to be the Aspect, she’s on the screen, the expansion goodies, etc.
Merithra should have died, and Ysera regretfully would take her place as the Aspect, and not only that, it would have made Malfurion’s so-called “Sacrifice” be tragic. It would of made the story a lot more interesting, instead of this care-bear family crap.
Plus I think Fyrakk actually killing Merithria would make him a bigger threat, and more satisfying to kill at the end of the expansion.
Technically Ysera couldn’t retake her place as the Aspect. The deal between her and Ms. Manhands was specifically so Ysera could help the emerald dream while leveraging narcolepsy incarnate as collateral.
Ysera is permanently tied to Furry Emerald Island in the Shadowlands.
The story was all about her coming back to give her daughter help with stepping into the role of Aspect. Also if she had stayed on Azeroth Malfurion would have had to stay in Ardenweald in her place.
She shouldn’t have been brought back at all. As you say, it added nothing to the story. But it did subtract. It undermined Merithra’s character development by having this helicopter parent overseeing all her actions. It took Malfurion out of the story right when we finally visit the emerald dream. And frankly it retroactively weakened the impact of Ysera’s death in Legion and her rebirth in SL.
Actually spelling it all out I think bringing her into dragonflight is my least favourite thing about the expansion.
Warcraft loves killing characters off, that’s how the game about war goes. Hard to have conflict feel like it matters if the good guys come out perfectly fine.
Like, we already killed Malygos, Neltharion, Norzdormu. What adding another aspect to the list some sudden surprise in writing direction?
Killing off popular characters has been common in successful ensemble cast shows for a while. And it actually comes back to a business decision. Problem is, contracts end and if a show us suddenly very popular, everyone wants a big number on their next contract.
Killing off characters is a way for show runners to stay within their budget.
It just bothers me a lot that she was there on the expansion goodies, the screen, etc instead of Merithra, plus Ysera got a whole new model
It just seems like it all lead up to her being an aspect then it got changed last second, Its been a good minute since I did the quests but it all felt rushed.
I thought it was goofy at the time but I didn’t think much about it afterward. Not after Tyrande & Malf love story nonsense which, while extremely irritating during the expac is now pretty funny in hindsight.
Writing can be hard, especially if you have a bunch of people doing it and putting in their direction as to where the story goes and you have to do that and have it make sense.
Merithra/Ysera story was just the passing of the torch (due to Ysera being dead).
I am a little surprised that Alexstrasza come through unscathed though. Given how often she got her tail kicked (including being struck with Shadowflame by Fyrrak) I would have thought she’d have taken some injury.
