Greetings, everyone!
I decided to open this thread to share with you an analysis of the cinematic from the new expansion Midnight, which is the second chapter of the Worldsoul Saga. This cinematic directly connects the conclusion of K’aresh to the beginning of the new expansion, continuing the story of Xal’atath.
The video begins not with a blade, but with a prayer. We see Lady Liadrin before the Sunwell, praying for strength and purpose, while Lor’themar Theron calls her to repel Xal’atath and her invasion. This visual choice already reinforces the title of the cinematic: “Intercession.”
Liadrin repeats the following prayer:
“The Light guides my every step and illuminates my path. The Light flows through me, and by its grace I unite with all that is holy.”
This reflects the central creed of the Light, not just as an external force, but as something that permeates all creation, bringing hope, courage, and unity. This echoes earlier moments in the story, such as Maraad’s words in Warlords of Draenor: “In the Light, we are one.”
This is not a display of weakness, but the very essence of what it means to be a paladin: to trust in the Light, to intercede, and to channel faith into tangible power. The contrast between Liadrin and Lor’themar (faith versus pragmatism) sets the stage for the true manifestation of the Light.
Then Xal’atath appears, instructing them to flee. Her goal is not the elves, but the Sunwell itself. At that moment, Liadrin decides to step back from the fight to pray before the Sunwell, not as an act of abandonment, but as a coherent expression of her spiritual leadership as the head of the Blood Knights. Liadrin sets aside the sword and chooses to intercede through faith.
She repeats the initial prayer, but in the urgency of the moment, she takes a deep breath, kneels, extends her hands, and makes a spontaneous plea. As her words echo, we see Lor’themar confronting Xal’atath with great courage. Visually, this can be interpreted as the concrete manifestation of the Light granting strength to those connected to it. Liadrin’s faith and Lor’themar’s courage converge into action, empowering the people of Quel’Thalas and defending the Sunwell.
The history of the Sunwell reinforces this moment. After the exile of the Highborne, Dath’Remar Sunstrider carried a vial from the Well of Eternity and poured its waters into a lake situated on powerful ley lines, giving birth to the Sunwell, a font of arcane energy that sustained Quel’Thalas for generations.
However, the Sunwell has faced many tragedies. During the Third War, Arthas corrupted it, forcing Kael’thas to destroy it, with its essence preserved within Anveena, who became the avatar of the Sunwell. Later, Kael’thas attempted once more to use its power against Azeroth, only to be stopped by Anveena’s sacrifice. Finally, Velen restored the Sunwell with the spark of M’uru, blending arcane and holy power. Since then, its energies can be accessed from anywhere, even across alternate realities.
As Liadrin prays, the Sunwell’s energy responds. An army of warriors of the Light emerges, charging against the forces of Shadow. At this instant, the cinematic gives life to the paladin’s very faith: prayer becomes action, intercession becomes a concrete response. This army can be understood as the manifestation of the spiritual connection shared by all followers of the Light, with it allowing its practitioners to feel and respond to each other, even across distances. In other words, collective faith reinforces and materializes the power of the Light on the battlefield.
Lor’themar confronting Xal’atath as the Light spreads visually reinforces this link: the strength of the Light amplifies the deeds of those who fight in its name, turning every strike and every act of resistance into an extension of the very faith Liadrin invokes.
The scene also establishes a narrative of hope and continuity: even in the face of overwhelming darkness, when all seems lost, collective faith can alter destiny. It is a literal representation of intercession, where prayer itself is capable of protecting Quel’Thalas and potentially, all of Azeroth.
Finally, this army may be the Army of the Light, a more general interpretation involving the collective presence of paladins, or, what I believe to be more likely, this army is the Arathi, and their arrival is not merely a military intervention, but the fulfillment of prophecy.
The original Arathor Empire was the first human civilization in the Eastern Kingdoms. At some unknown point before the Empire’s fragmentation, some humans of Arathor and elves of Quel’Thalas traveled westward, founding what we now know as the Arathi Empire. The modern Arathi descend from these peoples, worship the Light in the form of the Sacred Flame, and follow the prophecies interpreted by their emperor.
In Hallowfall, one of the regions of Khaz Algar, we encounter a book called The Song of Renilace, which prophesies the following:
The Arathi, guardians of the Sacred Flame, formed the Aegis shield, a constellation of courage against the encroaching darkness. Their resolve, a beacon in the night, as stars began to fade into shadow. The Harbinger’s forces, nightmares of legs and claws, spun from the loom of oblivion, skittered across the battlefield. Their movements, a grotesque dance, echoed the discordant rhythm of a world teetering on the brink. The wall, built with the living rock of titans, bore the weight of the conflict. Each stone, a silent witness to the struggle, whispering tales of valor to the wind, stirring the spirits of warriors long gone. The remains of gods, scattered across the battlefield, pulsed with an unseen light. Their echoes, a clarion call, stirred the Arathi, compelling them to fight, to kill for the world’s dawn. Amidst the chaos, the forgotten one cried, “When the last star fades, the emperor’s crown will weigh heavy with the sins of a thousand years.” The stalwart soldiers threw down their spears and wept tears of blood and burning anger.
https://www.wowhead.com/item=225215/the-song-of-renilash
This prophecy, known as the Renilace, comes to fruition in the film. We see the Arathi emerge as guardians of the Sacred Flame against the Emissary and her forces, becoming a beacon against the approaching darkness, and the prophesied war finally unfolding before our eyes.
This story directly ties back to The War Within, when we visited Hallowfall and first encountered the Arathi Empire, showing that the events of Midnight do not arise out of nowhere but are deeply rooted in Azeroth’s history and prophecies.
So that’s it. I decided to create this thread instead of commenting on another one because I realized what I wanted to write was a bit too long. I hope you enjoyed it, and I thank everyone who followed me this far. And, echoing Liadrin’s prayer: may the Light guide each of your paths!