He used to be the most pivotal character in the Horde. An absolute powerhouse politically and a spiritual guide to nearly the entire Horde. Someone even Sylvanas and Lor’themar looked up to and respected. Someone the Horde looked to for guidance and answers.
Now he’s been reduced to just another background character. He’s there. He just doesn’t really matter. Honestly, what even are their plans for him anymore? I’ve hated Thrall’s character progression ever since Cataclysm, and now I have no idea what they intend to do with him.
Even if he became Warchief now, it would just feel cheap.
Like a “Eh, Good enough I guess” moment rather than something really inspiring and exciting.
Like, we get it. He failed with Garrosh. Okay. Can we get past that? I was tired of Sadfang and I’m tired of a melancholic Thrall. He’s such a wet noodle.
Looks at Thrall getting two fully rendered cinematics, with a heavy emphasis on him in the last shot. Hell, Metzen outright teased last Blizzcon that the Horde might get its “True Warchief Back”.
Thrall has had a rough go of it. His failures with Garrosh resulted in so many problems, that the guy sort of up an hid from them. Sure, he killed Garrosh down the road … but his adamant refusal to take any sort of responsibility beyond “the easy method” is what really bit him hard.
Long story short, he needed some time-out time … and another mentor figure to slap him back into action. Honestly, his development the last couple of patches is fairly nice. If he continues on his “we don’t get to hide” route, I would not mind him taking up the Warchief mantel again.
It is also nice to see that Green Jesus apparently died on AU Draenor.
Saurfang’s character arc was a beat-for-beat repeat of Doomhammer’s character arc; just on fast-forward. It even ends with him making (IMO a far more impactful) sacrifice and message to Thrall. He expectation of Thrall was that he “Fight for the Horde” … he never stated in WHAT WAY. So, if that means Thrall has to take the reigns again to properly FIGHT for his faction … he will be living up to Saurfang’s expectation of him in that regards.
Thrall’s humility, acknowledgement of his failures, and the failures of the Horde makes him a great candidate for Warchief. Maybe he’d consider his actions and act differently this time around. And when he’s finished being Warchief he could create a counsel.
The problem with Thrall is two fold. The first part is one of the bubbles Blizz tends to put themselves in. They thought of Thrall as a “world hero” not warchief of the Horde. That wasn’t how the players saw him.
The second part is when they wanted to switch gears on him moving from being warchief of the Horde to world hero, they didn’t put the necessary work into it. Which was caused by the first part of the problem. So it failed.
Now they have to decide a path for Thrall’s future as a character. Is he a world hero, like Khadgar and Fordring? Or is he the warchief of the Horde?
He can’t be both. And each path has its problems to solve for going forward.
I think everyone would be happy (or tolerant) if he were Warchief of the Horde.
Is was the role everyone (both sides) preferred him in. Its the route his current characterization seems to be building to. The Horde roster is lookin REALLY depleted atm, so his presence would be generally beneficial (as would Rexxar, Voss, and Gazlowe’s). He also remains a FAR less contentious choice than the current remaining alternative … Baine.
Didn’t Metzen have to get surgery which took him out of the VA game for a while and he was only recently able to come back and voice Thrall again? I thought that was why he disappeared for a while.
Well with Thrall we won’t have either Garrosh antics or Sylvanas antics out of the warchief position.
And yes the Horde roster needs some work. And this should be done through building up existing little used characters or creating new ones with stories aimed at establishing them.
Not through tearing down the Alliance roster to the point it matches the Horde’s depleted roster.
On THIS we are agreed. However, I am still of the mind that Genn will likely die at some point soon here. The very fact that he has THREE fairly well developed replacements just waiting to take over (Tess and TWO Crowleys) does weaken his plot armor significantly. Haven’t made my mind up on what they plan for Tyrande, but I really doubt she’ll die.
Thrall made the right decision in returning to Outland Draenor, home of the orcs. Hopefully he’ll do that again, leading the rest of the orcs with him.
Genn’s story is Sylvanas. When she goes down He should as well as his story would be done. (Or abdicate leadership of the Worgen and retire somewhere with Mia.)
I would rather them not fumble about trying to find something new for him like they did with Sylvanas after Arthas was taken down.
Kind of undermines the, ‘We don’t get to hide,’ line from Saurfang to Thrall though. Also, I’m not sure if I would like Genn dying before his replacement got some serious screentime. His replacement should be Tess, but she’s not a Worgen so she hardly qualifies for a proper racial leader for the Worgen (insert human potential jokes here).
I’d like Darius Crowley to be the next leader of the Worgen, but the issue is we haven’t seen him do much since Silverpine questing. It was actually a shock to see him at the battle for Orgrimmar.
Dude, did you see that final shot of Thrall at the end of cinematic. His eyes burning with anger and fierce determination. That look just screams “I’M BACK.”, and that he means business. He’s failed so many of his closest friends due to trying to hide from the problems rather than fight to solve then; Cairne, Garrosh, Vol’jin, and now Varok.
I think this time, Thrall has finally learned his lesson and is going to take the final words imparted to him by his fallen mentor figure seriously.
“You and I. We don’t get to hide.”
Thrall can’t just run away from all his problems anymore, he needs to step up and face it to not only be able to protect his family and loved ones, but the world itself. He may no longer be the “world shaman”, but that doesn’t make it any less his duty to protect Azeroth and the Horde from those who would bring them harm.
If the death of yet ANOTHER long-time mentor and trusted friend isn’t enough to whip Thrall back into action, nothing will.
No. It makes us generic and doesn’t solve the problem. Thrall does not exist. Sylvanas does not exist. If Blizzard wants to make the Horde do crazy insane actions, it doesn’t matter if there’s a Warchief or a Council: It will happen.
Well, the Warchief title doesn’t need to go; but its authority DOES need to be addressed. It wields too much power on its own. But, you are right … it really doesn’t matter what sort of Government the Horde has; if Blizz wants to villain bat us … they will.
The only thing that MIGHT at least make it more difficult is having enough of the right characters in leadership positions. Thrall as Warchief. Eitrigg as MU Orc Rep. Rokhan as Darkspear Rep. Gazlowe as the Bilgewater Rep. Voss as the Forsaken Rep. These sort of characters COULD bring stability and unity (while also not trampling on their own Racial Fantasies).