I’ve been thinking on the aspect of Sylvanas and Tyrande as representation of female roles in societies. While Tyrande certainly has set up a matriarchal society, Sylvanas really hasn’t, nor even came from one.
Quel’Thalas was not and is not a matriarchal society. We have never even heard of a Sunstider queen, only the kings and prince. And even without royalty, Quel’Thalas is being run be a lord and his two male friends. Reflectively, while Sylvanas took the mantle of the Banshee Queen, Sylvanas did not set up the Forsaken as a matriarchal society. Sylvanas’ government structure is basically comprised of men. Her right hand men were Varimathras and Nathanos. The Royal Apothecary Society is overwhelmingly men. Where there certainly the Dark Rangers, Dark Ranger Velonara that seemingly now leads the Dark Rangers that stayed with the Horde after Sylvanas abandoned them had stated that Sylvanas had damned the Dark Ranger’s souls into her service when she brought them back from the dead.
While Tyrande does not want to be queen, and even fears becoming the way Azshara ruled the Kaldorei Empire, Tyrande did reform the Sisterhood of Elune to help lead the Night Elves after the Sundering, and established the Sentinels as their military force. And some of Tyrande’s closest allies in leadership are women, whether lifelong like Ysera or most recently in Queen Mia. Even after all their history of violence and conflict, Tyrande still even appointed Maiev to lead the Army of the Black Moon and in doing so brought the Wardens back in among the Night Elves’ people.
Whereas Tyrande pushed Malfurion to help her co-lead the Night Elves again once they were married, Tyrande was the one that shared her position of strength with far more women in her society, while Sylvanas back in her pursuit of her blight allowed men to lobotomize and dominate a woman, poison another woman looking for help, and even test the final blight on a young girl.