That’s what I’m discussing. Malfurion objected to Teldrassil being planted, before he was trapped in the Dream. It was that objection that caused Fandral to trap him.
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True, but Malfurion objected to Teldrassil because - according to the original World of Warcraft Night Elves intro - “nature would never bless such a selfish act,” and then further specified in Chronicle Volume III because of what happened with Andrassil/Vordrassil, not because of immortality.
That’s basically what I meant by philosophical grounds. Might not have phrased it properly, but I interpret that the selfishness was because it was in pursuit of immortality.
“Seeking to regain their immortality, a number of wayward druids conspired to plant a special tree that would reestablish a link between their spirits and the eternal world. Despite Malfurion’s warning that nature would never bless such a selfish act.”
“Archdruid Fandral Staghelm believed he had a solution. He proposed planting a new World Tree, one that would restore the night elves’ immortality.”
Malfurion’s philosophical grounds are pretty clearly stated in Chronicle Volume III. On page 108:
- Malfurion rejected his plan. He remembered Fandral's last attempt to plant a World Tree. Corruption had taken hold in Andrassil and spread throughout the land, driving innocent creatures to madness. Malfurion and other druids had been forced to feel the great tree, which they renamed Vordrassil. Its dead stump was a cold reminder of the danger of meddling with powers that only the Dragon Aspects could wield.
Malfurion literally had to personally bring down Fandral’s last attempt. That’s what made Malfurion object. Once again, not because immortality was selfish.
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I think it was for both concerns. It was a threat, clearly, per The Chronicle.
But the intro clearly outlines their goal as ‘seeking to regain their immortality,’ and that’s clearly what he called ‘a selfish act’. The first quote I gave was from the Vanilla intro cinematic for Night Elves. Here it is in full.
For ten thousand years, the immortal night elves cultivated a druidic society within the shadowed recesses of Ashenvale Forest. Yet recently, the catastrophic invasion of the Burning Legion shattered the tranquility of their ancient civilization. Led by the Arch-Druid Malfurion Stormrage and the Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind, the mighty night elves rose to challenge the demonic onslaught. Though victorious, the night elves were forced to sacrifice their cherished immortality and watch their beloved forests burn. Seeking to regain their immortality, a number of wayward druids conspired to plant a special tree that would reestablish a link between their spirits and the eternal world. Despite Malfurion’s warning that nature would never bless such a selfish act. The druids planted the great tree, Teldrassil, off the stormy coasts of northern Kalimdor. Among the twilight boughs of the colossal tree, the wondrous city of Darnassus took root. However, the great tree was not consecrated with nature’s blessing and soon fell prey to the corruption of the Burning Legion. Now the wildlife and even the limbs of the great tree itself are tainted by a growing darkness. It is your sworn duty to defend Darnassus and the wild children of nature against the Legion’s encroaching corruption.
Arguably it wasn’t even seeking immortality, but planting Teldrassil for it.
In the post right above yours I quoted said intro before you did. ![:stuck_out_tongue:](https://d38bqls1q93fod.cloudfront.net/en/wow/images/emoji/twitter/stuck_out_tongue.png?v=6" ":stuck_out_tongue:")
As Chronicles clarified, it was the planting of World Trees at all that was considered dangerous, and something only the Dragon Aspects should have done at the time.
I wanted to clarify because I know WoWpedia has that quote paraphrased for Malfurion. But the full context makes it clear what is being described. That he objected to Teldrassil, at the very least in part, because he saw doing so in pursuit of immortality as selfish.
The Chronicle added extra context, including in the specific origin of the Emerald Nightmare in the first place and Malfurion’s concern related to that danger. It does not retcon his opinion per the Vanilla cinematic that the planting of Teldrassil in pursuit of immortality was a selfish act.
And neither the intro or Chronicle state that Malfurion denied the Night Elves immortality because it was selfish. In fact, in the context of the intro alone, Malfurion is not said to have tried to stop them, only warns them that it wouldn’t be blessed. And then in Chronicle’s added context Malfurion never mentions selfishness.
My original claim was that “he denied the idea of Teldrassil on philosophical grounds.” That seems to stand true. His philosophical grounds being it was a selfish act to plant it in pursuit of immortality - I see no other way to read the cinematic text.
Drahliana was the one indicating he ‘decided that the Night Elves would be better off without immortality.’ I doubt Malfurion is inherently against immortality. It seems more likely, given his Warcraft 3 comments, he just recognizes the risks of it.
I’m just making it clear that Malfurion did not deny the Night Elves immortality, while we wax philosophical.
Thanks for passing that along. I was kind of wondering what Sam might think, since I know she fangirls Maiev.
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Fandral put him under because he was sure that Malfurion would do his best to prevent the seeding of Teldrassil.
I doubt it. Since, for starters, Nozdurmo was missing from Vanilla until Thrall:TofA, so he wasn’t even around in Stormrage to even be consulted, and I don’t recall Malfurion ever even being in a position in which it could be offered.
I do recall Maiev’s mad ramblings including something about Malfurion denying their people immortality, back in Wolfheart, but I think that was supposed to be about Malf sacrificing it to destroy Archimonde.
True that, but turns out Fandral’s real reason for planting Teldrassil per Chronicle is that he somehow thought he could use Teldrassil to bring his dead son back to life. Pretty sure Fandral’s mind had already been long corrupted by the Nightmare by that point to get him to believe that.