Not really. It was him standing toe to toe with her and Malfurion. There were lots of ways they could have had him escape that didn’t involve him being the badass that takes on two of the most powerful leaders. Blizzard just used Malf and Tyrande to make him look cooler in the Horde’s eyes. And that is what didn’t sit well with most of the Night elf (and Alliance in general) players.
The body was specifically chosen because it his cousin looked a lot like him. So, the same model is not really a problem.
This is probably a dumb and tiny nitpick, but after rewatching the cinematic, it kinda feels like even Nathanos saying “your power has grown” without it being some sort of backhanded comment almost feels out of character.
I guess… “Winning” implies a setback. It’s weird because usually physical defeat and tactical defeat are one-in-the-same, but Blizzard have managed to construct a situation where they aren’t, so there is a discrepancy.
Again, I liked the cinematic, because I went in expecting this not to be the last time we see Nathanos. Once I got past that hurdle, then it seemed very flattering to Tyrande.
However, I get what others are saying. That it feels like a half victory, because of how it splits physical and tactical defeat. Like I said, I loved the cinematic as presented. However, with the caveat that, “I hope Shadowlands doesn’t retroactively change my opinion.”
If When we meet up with Nathanos again, if he’s cackling, “Haha! All part of my plan, you foolish elf!”, and we don’t get to kick his butt again? Yup, gonna be sour. With any luck, he’ll be locked up in the Maw and realize simping is a character flaw. Regardless, as of now I like the cinematic, but I’m reserving total judgment until after we see how Shadowlands plays out.
I don’t think I’d go so far as to describe it as out of character but it does feel like a weird line they just kinda shoved in there cause they needed to communicate it somehow so they just had him say it.
Yay…yet another Alliance leader with God-mode. So far, we’ve had Anduin Christ with his PW:Barrier and Mass Battle Rez, Jaina with her 20-km wide Frost Nova and flying-gunship broadside that dropped the walls of Lordaeron, and now Tyrande one-shotting a Valkyr and making Nathanos look like a lvl 2 hunter…all because, reasons.
Please Blizzard…piss on the Horde a little more. You’ve only been doing it for an entire expansion.
I started with that same opinion. But, as I think about it, there is a problem with it. If his best case situation was death, he could have taken care of that himself. He didn’t need to be killed by Tyrande to die. He could have done something as simple as jumping off a cliff.
So, just dying was not his ultimate goal. He was out of favor with Sylvanas because of his failures. He needed to do something to get back in her good graces. The logical answer would be to kill someone important, like say Tyrande. His smile when she showed up is telling. And if you watch the facial expressions Blizzard put in, there is a story there. He started out happy and confident. He was shocked with her power and started to look desperate. The whole speech at the end just screamed bluster.
My theory would be he was desperate for a win. He thought he might be able to bait out Tyrande and kill her. Then he could join Sylvanas having given her Tyrande’s soul. That would make up for his failures and put him back in favor. It might have been a Hail Mary pass, but it may have been his only chance.
So now, sure he is going to his lady. But he is going there still out of favor and with another failure. In the end, he still lost in every sense. He is not completely gone, but I don’t think this comes as a win for him in any way.
You miss the point. He achieved his goal and stood against her for quite some time. And this was after the her ritual and even with Malfurion showing up. It presented him as on par with them. Which is not really a good look. Again, it was a clear ‘give Nathanos a badass moment to make him cool.’ And it was at the expense of making Tyrande and Malfurion look bad.
Again, all I was saying is that there are a LOT of ways it could have been handled better. I do think this cinematic was better. But the previous fail and the time it took to get her does understandably sour it for some.
Proud of Nathanos, he went out like a champ. I’m boycotting this quest because I’m not happy about Blizzard catering to the whiners.
All of that said I feel like the quality of the last few cinematics has slipped, not sure what’s going on, probably Covid/ work-from-home related if I had to guess.
Also when are we getting the CG Jailer cinematic? We really waiting for launch day? Will they drop it randomly like Old Soldier?
Lore wise the Night Warrior was always supposed to have sway over the souls of the dead:
Elune is the primary goddess of the night elves. She is associated with the larger of the two moons, the White Lady. While she is a goddess of peace, she is not a pacifist. One of her aspects is the Night Warrior, who takes the valiant among the dead and sets them riding across the sky as stars.
Whether or not this would extend to destroying evil souls as well would be a matter of speculation.
However, much like not being able to save the souls that the Horde was trying to raise into undeath at Darkshore as the above lore indicates she should have been able to do, a more significant reason why Nathanos’ death is unsatisfying even now isn’t because he wasn’t whimpering or dismayed, but because his “You’ll send me right to my lady” is no different from Sylvanas’ “You’ve won nothing” and Tyrande’s actions once again remain to be of no consequence.
Of course, Blizzard clearly intends this to be the case, as they also go out of their way to remind us that all the souls of the Night Elves that were burned to death at Teldrassil have also been being tormented in the Maw, and Blizzard wants that to be sad:
Danuser stresses that the Shadowlands has stakes. After seeing Ursoc and other characters die in the Shadowlands, fans have wondered if there’s another destination for souls. The answer is no. “The destruction of the soul is very real,” Danuser explains. “There are real things at stake here. And if these spirits like Ursoc are not protected and nurtured, they’ll be lost forever.”
The innocent souls who have been funneled into the Maw thanks to the schemes of Sylvanas and the Jailer are in great peril as well. “There are many souls that have been funneled into the Maw that the Jailer has forged into weapons or monstrosities, and they’re just gone,” Danuser says.
You could read it as him throwing shade about how he got away with his plans in Darkshore despite her being the Night Warrior. Had a sarcastic ‘isn’t that good for you!’ energy.
You realize that you are never getting a fist pump moment COMPLETELY at the Horde’s expense right? We Horde never get one COMPLETELY at the Alliance’s. Burn tree? Half of our dudes basically defect. Defeat corrupt warchief? High King tells us to watch our butts and be on our best behavior. The complete and utter “Victory” isn’t coming because it CAN’T in a 2 faction game.
When has anything been stated or shown as part of the Night Warrior’s repertoire? She hasn’t done a single thing since getting the power that she couldn’t already do before getting it. Moonfire, shoot arrows, and swing blades. She did all of this in Warcraft 3.
Nobody asked for that, but the fact that they deny us a one sided victory against Sylvanas or Nathanos (that would actually be negative for those characters) is really telling.
And no other race has been completely wrecked like the Night Elves. The existence of the Night Elves depends on them getting an acceptable revenge plot or conclusion nor, or a new home. Things that are all being denied by Blizzard.
And we know that this can’t and will never happen, so there’s that.
This entire thread is full of comments like that, and so are yours that keep implying that people should be pleased now.
What other race got this treatment, what other race’s genocide was ‘not evil’, and what other race was mocked so many times by it too? Even by the devs.
Shadowlands onging story is tyrande dying to her powers and killing night elf souls with the player.
Blizz statements, and the fact that writers love Sylvanas and hate night elves.
No, she apparently got all of it in 8.1, and now they think it’s more than enough as far as revenge goes with this abomination of a cinematic.
Again, sending Nathanos to the maw is not satisfying as revenge Teldrassil, and it’s mindblowing to me that Horde avatars have such a hard time understanding such a simple thing.
Nice troll there, the Night Elves only exist to be a victim of the Horde’s power fantasy, and to be pawns in Sylvanas and Nathanos’ game.
I don’t think it’s unlikely. The writers always want to have their cake and eat it too.
Again I’ll just keep repeating it until you hopefully get it:
This cinematic as a revenge for Teldrassil was not enough.
Tyrande does Nathanos a favor
Horde players: Wtf Night Elves got revenge for Teldrassil why are they still complaining
You should hear yourself.
I guess genociding an Alliance race and taking their zones doesn’t count. Night Elves didn’r get a victory against the Horde, didn’t get one against Sylvanas and also didn’t get any resolution at all
Tyrande kicks butt yay, its nice seeing an alliance character actually beat up a horde one on one.
Those who think Nathanos is going to come out of this being the next big thing in Shadowlands are probably going to be disappointed. He will probably be found crying in the Maw about how Sylvanas abandoned him or turned him into a maw abomination.
lets be fair Nathanos is a character who has always failed, Couldn’t even beat Genn one on one. All hes got is his snark which isn’t worth much if he can’t back it up.
Again both Nathanos and Sylvanas don’t make very compelling villains its just bad writing which has only allowed them to get this far. Garrosh was far more compelling as he didn’t need to be powered up by a mcguffin he just knew how too face each of his opponents like getting the magnutar to target Tyrande when she glowed with power. Or his torturing of the elements so thrall couldn’t use his shaman powers. He simply evened the playing field rather that relying on power ups.
But was she able to subtlely alter the ambience of her surroundings in Warcraft 3? I don’t think so, bucko. Tyrande conjured up some pretty impressive fog in this cutscene that I don’t think you’re giving her credit for.
Also, don’t forget that Tyrande, on her own, defeated the Valkyr Brynja in the initial battle against Nathanos at Darkshore. That’s an impressive feat of strength she probably wouldn’t have been able to accomplish so handily without her newfound abilities.