The idea of "timelines" and the "shadowlands" has really killed my enjoyment of the lore

I’ve been a long-time WoW player, and one of the things that always drew me into the game’s world was the sense of permanence in the story. Death had weight. Major events were impactful because they felt like they couldn’t be undone. But with recent expansions, especially with the introduction of the Shadowlands and alternative timelines, I’ve found my connection to the lore weakening—and I think I’ve finally pinned down why.

Before the Shadowlands expansion, death was a significant part of WoW’s world. When a character died—whether it was a major lore figure or even your own player character—there was a sense of finality. Even if resurrection magic existed, there was still a cost, and the afterlife was this mysterious, unknowable realm. But the Shadowlands changed that. Now we know that death is just another phase of existence, with its own set of bureaucracies, politics, and possibilities for return.For me, this robbed death of its meaning. When nothing truly “ends” and you can just pop into the afterlife for a chat (or worse, potentially bring someone back), it’s hard to feel the same weight when someone dies. Consequences that once felt permanent are now easily reversible, which takes away from the emotional impact of the story.

Chromie and the alternative timeline plotlines have had a similar effect for me. The idea that there are infinite versions of Azeroth, and that Chromie (or any powerful figure) can hop between them and make changes, reduces the significance of the choices and events in the main timeline. If any outcome can be altered or undone by tapping into a different timeline, what’s the point of caring about what happens in this one?Major events that used to define WoW’s story—like the fall of Arthas or the destruction of Draenor—feel less meaningful when there’s a version of the story where things went differently, or worse, where they can be reversed. The stakes just don’t feel as high anymore.

In both cases, it feels like WoW has lost the permanence and consequence that made its story so engaging. Without the weight of finality—whether it’s death or the outcome of events—it’s hard to stay emotionally invested. I’d love to know if anyone else feels the same way or if these narrative shifts have affected your connection to the lore too.

I want to enjoy the story in The War Within more than I do. I think it could be a really good story but then I ask myself “well why can’t we move to a different timeline?” “Does death even matter, who cares if the void takes over Azeroth, we will just go be heroes in the afterlife…” and it sucks any enjoyment right out of the story for me.

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Ah yes, the “finality” of waiting for a resurrection or walking back to your corpse. Oh wait, that’s not final…

Alternate timelines existed in Warcraft since The Burning Crusade…

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Since Vanilla*

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I don’t remember any Caverns of Time instances or Infinite Dragonflight in 2004… I might have missed something.

Bronze flight has been around since Vanilla (working off of World of Warcraft’s timeline, not the RTS).

They’ve always manipulated the timeways. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to physically see that ourselves until the introduction of the Caverns of Time.

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I mean yes but actually no.

Once someone is dead dead they’re stuck in the Shadowlands. The only one we’ve seen cross back is Ysera and there were heavy caveats and limitations to her ability to do that.

Technically we might(?) be able to go back and chat with people there, but the lore is shaky on how accessible it actually is.

Actually WoW handles alternate timelines better than most IPs that try and tackle it.

Any alternate timelines that we interact with while messing with Bronze dragons have just been echos and possibilities. The only real alternate universe that we were able to interact with in a significant and permanent way was alt-Draenor from WoD and that was a big deal and took a major artifact and breaking of reality to make happen, and even then that reality is dissolving and impermanent.

Timelines are used for gimmicks like Remix and bronze dragon shenanigan storylines but they aren’t going to have significant impacts on the plot except for rare exceptions.

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But has the presence of multiple timelines always been with them?

Time travel and timelines are not the same; the Infinite Dragonflight was proof of another timeline (one where Nozdormu gave into madness and became Murozond, obsessing over preventing his own death).

No, alternate timelines have NOT existed since Burning Crusade.

Back then you were going back in time in the main timeline, not an alternate one.

Traveling backwards in time in your own timeline is A LOT different than there being entire alternate timelines and universes like in WoD.

They did; the Infinite Dragonflight are from another timeline.

While defending it from the Infinite Dragonflight, who come from another timeline…

I never said “we” went to another timeline in The Burning Crusade, I said other timelines existed back then which is proven by the existence of the Infinite Dragonflight.

Reading is hard…

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The infinite dragonflight comes from our own timeline, not another one. Just because they can time travel like the Bronze doesn’t mean they’re from an alternate timeline.
Nozdormu created them by accident when he was tricked by the Old Gods.
Your lore is completely wrong.

Here’s a source:

https:(slashslash)wowpedia(dot)fandom(dot)com/wiki/Infinite_dragonflight

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So Nozdormu is both himself and Murozond at the same time? It’s obvious to everyone by now that you have no idea what you’re talking about. Cheers.

…the Infinite Dragonflight ARE from another timeline. They’re from a timeline where Nozdormu became Murozond. The fact that Nozdormu is still himself is proof that this isn’t that same timeline. Otherwise, we would be down one Aspect and possibly still dealing with Murozond.

Shadowlands story should have been basically Lich King 2. None of the story made sense and I am glad it will go down as the worst expansion mostly because of the story.

Why is it that someone can have an opinion on the game, or share their experience and want to discuss it…

The first reply is always someone telling them how wrong they are and invalidates their feelings and opinion. Can you just not reply to every post you disagree with and move on? Do you feel better about yourself for shutting down someone else’s opinions and experiences?

Try it some time.

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Weird, that wasn’t what is being stated here by the original poster. I pointed out a fact that complicates his view, and he didn’t take it very nicely as having your view challenged is unpleasant and lashed back.

I never said his feelings or opinions were invalid, just his facts were. Think whatever you want, but don’t tell me the sky is blood red with the blood of innocents on a clear and sunny day.

A mirror would be your worst enemy.

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Great point actually - I hadn’t thought about it this way. They certainly aren’t mutually exclusive.

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I might dig into quest text from 2004 to see if there’s any mention of timelines specifically, but the Caverns of Time instance nor the Infinite Dragonflight didn’t exist in-game until The Burning Crusade.

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It’s a safer bet for investors to bring back a character with proven popularity.

Eh? Uther’s ghost has been talking to us since Vanilla. Dead people came back all the time. Stormwind was rebuilt how many times?

There wasn’t though. Especially for our characters.

Chromie and the Bronze flight have been here since Vanilla.

Because you don’t understand the lore and AUs are not the main timeline.

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Murozond was Nozdormu’s original name in the main timeline, you’re completely mistaken. Look up his lore for yourself it takes 2 seconds with google.