[Night Elf Thread] Don't tell me to wait and see ever again

I’m aware that there are some Night Elf purists out there who regard the Night Elves’ inclusion in the Alliance as the moment that the concept started to go downhill, but I’ve always disagreed and still do - the trouble for the Night Elves, and where you really start to see the emergence of the “Night Elf fan” was with the 2010 launch of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. This was when the Horde had itself a big old party and along with some zone rebalancing (which was needed), Blizzard also modified a number of zones to show the Horde on the offensive, and large and in-charge everywhere, including in Ashenvale forest. Technically it was a victory, but onscreen it looked like the Horde had simply conquered the area (an impression that would be with us right up until BFA among some posters). But at the time there was this growing narrative, talking about the new phasing technology.

“They’re still working things out. Future patches will reflect the victory as well as new stories. The story isn’t over yet. Just wait and see.”

So I waited, and I saw.

Over the next few years, I recall asking and wondering why there wasn’t a questline, a spot in a new update patch, a scenario, or a dungeon or something that would update some of these zones. They weren’t supposed to be like this forever, were they? Well, yes it would seem. They’re still like that. That entire experience is still in retail, and until recently WAS the leveling experience that was a part of what every character had to see.

I was given this same line every time there was some new piece of content that portrayed the Night Elves as weak, or ineffective, or stupid. “The story isn’t over yet!” Surely Blizzard has this all planned out! They wouldn’t do something this awful or insulting to a concept this popular and a playerbase this big if they didn’t have something planned for it. We’ll hit back “someday”, we’ll get our resolution “sometime” - even as the story was leaning its moral in the direction of describing pride - that thing that they had destroyed on the Alliance side - as the root of all evil.

5.1 portrayed the Night Elves in an incredibly bad light - but the expansion just started! But wait and see!"
5.3 was an intermediary patch! The Siege of Orgrimmar is coming up! “Wait and see!”
The siege of Orgrimmar may have been unsatisfying for everyone, but… there’s a book! Wait and see!

So I waited, and I saw.

Now there’s a new expansion in Draenor. … Well the story is over now, it’s too late to complain about it!

I didn’t stick around for Legion - I didn’t trust Dave Kosak with an entire expansion of Night Elf lore (and I was half-vindicated about that I’d say, especially considering that I think what happens to the playable race matters). But I probably shouldn’t have been surprised when I rejoined the commentary space at least during Battle for Azeroth - and saw those hated three words waiting for me.

This is how all heroes’ stories begin! You’ll get your revenge! Wait and see!
Blizzard wouldn’t destroy Teldrassil if they didn’t have a plan! Wait and see!
We don’t know how they’ll even get to Teldrassil! Wait and see!
We don’t know how Teldrassil is destroyed yet! Wait and see!
This is to motivate you to fight the Horde! It’s part of the story! Wait and see!
They’ll have to have fighting in Ashenvale! Wait and see!
This Night Warrior thing is a super serious power up! Wait and see!
Darkshore certainly isn’t the end of them getting revenge on the Horde! Wait and see!
Azshara is coming! This has to be relevant! Wait and see!
They’ll have to address this in a satisfactory way in the epilogue! Wait and see!
The story moves at a glacial pace, but you’ll get your due eventually! Wait and see!

So I waited, and I saw.

I remember having one person out on the discord who shall remain unnamed (but you know who you are) calling everyone in spitting distance an idiot because they CLEARLY didn’t see that Sylvanas was totally going to die because she was totally the villain. This was the answer that she went to after we learned that no, the Night Elves weren’t going to meaningfully hit back against the Horde and were now being asked to deal with it and save it for Sylvanas. Now, who could have predicted that Sylvanas could possibly escape her role as a jet-black villain and potentially… be redeemed?

Well, this forum doesn’t like to talk about her because they’re usually raking her over the coals for making yet another thread predicting it. But she of course was right - the pessimists have been right. From early on, we reacted to developments like these with the understanding that Blizzard would likely build in no resolution - that Teldrassil was going to go unavenged. The people who said that we would get our due against the Horde quickly pivoted to Sylvanas - and as the warning signs piled up we got the same tired refrain:

“Wait and see”

So I waited, and I saw…

Don’t tell me to wait and see ever again.

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I mean it was obvious from the very beginning.

From time to time again they kept trying to tell us that this is your revenge, there is your resolution, all while giving us nothing and trying to sweep Teldrassil under the rug.

The fanbase resisted, yet it was still inevitably going to happen. Now we have an absolved Sylvanas, a depowered Tyrande that forgave her, the Night Elf souls obliterated in the maw and their zones still gone.

Damn, waiting has really been worth it! It’s almost like you can read these writers like a book. They hate Night Elves, everything they did since Teldrassil suggests that, now they’re doubling down on the glorification of their genocide. Colour me surprised!

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To be frank I donno how you guys haven’t figured it out yet and were still hoping for something.

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literally theres a encrypted campaign lol you realize that now tyrande is involved with wahtever happens to sylvanas KEK

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You know that people played it on the PTR, correct? And that Tyrande said that she doesn’t even want to bring Sylvanas or anyone else to justice anymore… ?

How could you miss that lol

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That’s the point…

People have tried to tell us that bad developments aren’t bad because they would set up good developments, and they’ve done this for years.

They have nearly always been wrong, and Teldrassil was no exception.

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Yes and my point is why are you surprised the thing that’s always happened has happened again.

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Psst…if you want Nature-based Elves with teeth I would highly recommend looking into the Wood Elves of Warhammer Fantasy. Optimus Pine (Durthu) doesn’t take anyone’s crap. Stop giving Blizzard your money to just make a fool of you.

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Hey Kat,

Maybe this will be the time Sylvanas dies, right?

(Just kidding, all in good fun).

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I genuinely do not know what the future of the night elf complaint threads will be.
There is no more opportunity to get any resolution.

Not through justice. Not through vengeance.
Sylvanas will help us againts Lichy Lich King, become the new arbitor or whatever and her eternal servitude in the afterlife will be her reward and punishment if Bolvar doesn’t take the job.

The Horde will pay? Doubtful. Sylvanas is gone and Nathanos with her.
Thats it folks gg. lol

But hey at least we got some nice animations for the Sylvanas vs tyrande fight right?

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Burned down alive thousands of children with their mothers, and then took their souls directly to the “Hell” where they will serve Jailors army?

Pffff, just get your self a fan base, and with such a plot armor you will get redemption, easy…

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i have idea

keep giving blizzard money

it helps rofl lmao

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The extremely loud and annoying Night Elf fans being vindicated should be enough for even people who like Sylvanas to be unhappy with this.

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Delusion. Con-vince your self.

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At this point, if Blizzard doesn’t fire their entire story Dev team and replace them, Warcraft as a franchise will crash and burn, assuming that it hasn’t already hit the ground.

I am Downloading FFXIV as we speak. As a Warcraft fan since 1995, this is finally the hammer blow that sunk the last nail in this coffin.

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I’m hoping that Sylvanas, if she’s turned good again, has completely lost her quip abilities and is just bullied by Tyrande the entire time, unable to properly counter with her old snark.

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It’s tiring being correct literally all the time only to get more “oh no wait and see!”

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Funny fact, but Sylvanas started to doubt in Jailor because of Anduins and Tyrandes words. So it turns out that Tyrande is one of those who have helped to save Sylvanas…

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I can’t believe I actually feel bad for Night Elves. First time for everything.

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The wait-and-see argument - beyond even just Night Elves - always comes across as a bad faith argument or something to mollify people into shutting up.

It’s also dumb to imply that something incomplete is beyond criticism.

Don’t be stifled by empty assurances.

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