It would be safe to assume the latter. For years Arthas’s actions were treated as normal acts of violence, but considering the company’s insidious nature it’s hard not to think that played a role in this being normalized or downplayed.
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Just so we are in the same boat, I know exactly what the authors wrote. At face value, it’s easy to see that, it’s easy to understand that.
On the other hand, when an author writes about a male with misogynist tendencies who has a creepy fetish for violating strong proud women and makes his victim skin crawl at the thought of the violation………well that’s when it becomes a sexual assault allegory. Again, I’m not trying to convince you or anyone else that it is, either you see it or don’t. There is no right or wrong answer.
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Honestly its not far off of an abusive controlling relationship either.
If we wanted to make real life comparisons. A relationship where she has to quit her job, drop friends, give up on goals or dreams, put up with mental and physical abuse. You can have all that without the explicit act of sexual violence.
I read the passage you quoted in Rise of Arthas and the Dave Kosak short. Thats the impression I got. If Blizzard wanted they could have written a story like Alextrasza’s. Her ordeal was undeniably sexual in nature so if thats what Blizzard wanted to do that would be something they can do.
Last point. We also have to consider the author who put out the Arthas book which was Christy Golden. Did she know about the abuse at Blizzard? Was this a some subconcious slip up? Was Golden for once being subtle with her writing?
To all of the above I say no… and I don’t really like Golden as a writer. Her world building is the worst I have ever seen and all the women are depicted as crazy for very valid grievences. If this was written by Alex Afrisiabi then I don’t think his intentions could be denied.
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I find this debate curious, and it seems to be part of the controversy surrounding Sylvanas. The lines are almost drawn by how you feel about her. Which is a common reason victims of SA don’t come forth - the character judgements they face.
Those who constantly express their ire towards her are adamant that there is no SA allegory, and that her torture is just run of the mill villainous cruelty from Arthas. Then there are those who see an SA allegory distinctly - they usually seem to be Sylvanas fans.
Personally, I think the SA allegory is there, and that the Devs had that in mind. They used allusion and allegory to represent SA in the confrontation between Arthas and Sylvanas. I always have felt that way, from my first play through of WC 3 in High School. Even before I read the Arthas book, or played World of Warcraft.
When I was in High School, and I played WC 3 - prior to WoW being a thing - I remember getting that vibe just from WC 3. When Arthas says she “vexed” him, and then he had his way with her - that was enough for me to see an obvious comparison. Later, the Arthas book, WoW, and Dev statements have built on that.
Now - I will agree that it is in the eye of the beholder. There is no actual SA being described. To me it seemed plainly intended as a frame of reference in how we view what Arthas did to her, even way back then.
Fans can sometimes see things that are not there, and relate in ways the producers of fiction did not intend. I can’t say for certain it was originally intended that way. I don’t say it is definitive, and to disagree is wrong. But I definitely thought that was being portrayed from the first moment I played through it. And Blizzard has leaned into it.
In a strict lore sense, she wasn’t exactly SA’d. That is true. So I don’t think there is much malice on either side of the debate.
You either see it as such, or not. And we don’t know what Blizzard intended, other than what they have said about it, and the way they frame it with terms like “vexed” and " violate" and Arthas mentioning he won’t be denied in the novel.
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At the very least, technically he only violated her consent to be raised as a banshee, she wanted a clean death. There was a breach of consent there, and I respect Finge’s POV on that, he’s not wrong that it is all that was. The allegory is entirely based on feelings and implied subtext.
There’s a lot to be said about “rape culture” too that Finge touched on and I agree, but that’s not something we, as a society, collectively accept. There are people who will deny rape culture exists as nuance in the media we consume, to them there is no changing thier mind.
That was one of the things I was initially hesitant about continuing this discorse with Finge was because I was not sure if he would outright reject it, but he doesn’t and I respect that completely.
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Dave has also contributed to this depiction and iirc, he’s named as one of the developers that was involved in the infamous “Cosby Suite” part of the lawsuit.
Edit:
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The reason why I singled out Golden was because her work concerning Sylvanas and Arthas was much more indepth than that single short paragraph Dave wrote.
Her work regarding the person directly did the action and first hand account of what happened to Sylvanas from her own eyes are much more powerful testimony.
Regarding Dave though honestly that guy is probably the type who thinks as long as there is no unpermitted touching its in the clear.
With the new Sylvanas book coming out though I think Christie Golden is going to make the allegory to SA much more explicit to make commentary about blizzard’s serious intentions of taking this very serious.
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I would expect that too tbh.
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No matter what was intended before; I don’t think anyone is going anywhere this allegory with a 10 foot pole at this point.
Maybe it’s for the best Arthas is just a minor footnote in Shadowlands then.
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Considering Blizzard they are going to mess it up.
Its why I find this whole thing about the renewal storyline so unbelievably disgusting.
Its so tone deaf to what actually happened at Blizzard…
Here you have a situation that is undeniably horrible and a crime.
And you are given a choice.
Renewal or Vengeance.
Its like being handed an NDA contract with some blood money to swallow it down.
Like… hey… hey… here is some money. You could renew your life, just don’t come after Mr. X and Mr. Y ok? This money will change your life! You could move anywhere you want!
But don’t ever come after these men and our company. Just sign this and your new life begins.
This is what I picture when Tyrande is presented with the Renewal versus Vengeance route. Like they even contrived this whole situation that this power can kill you… but she never does anything with it to force us to agree with them.
I am sorry but I am a sucker for a good revenge story and the bad guy getting his just deserts in the end. Or her deserts in this case…
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if only the entirely of Shadowlands was nothing but a minor footnote in this expansion
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Jailer being behind everything and the Dreadlords his minions should be a jailable offense.
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(Doness screams “I will never be deleted!” at author and restores his post)
(Doness says “I will accept the forums judgement” and then jumps into the Maw)
Maybe we can find DOUBLE Super Hell to throw him into.
For the love of God, either learn some post control, or nut up and leave the post.
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Why do you, of all people, care?
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Does it somehow make more sense that others should care more than me?
Yeah, cause you don’t like me, LOL.