We can ally with genocidal demons...but not forgive Arthas?

The man’ari made the choice to seek redemption and put themselves at risk to get it.

Arthas did neither. F that guy.

3 Likes

And if you wanna get right down to it we have Kil’jaeden to thank for there being a Lich King at all. It all comes back to the Man’ari eredar.

1 Like

The issue here is that the final cutscene between Sylvanas and Anduin explains that it happened and that the consequences of it would’ve to be felt and dealt with by those who did it
Anduin wasn’t controlled for long but if he had been controlled for a few years he and Sylvanas would’ve been extremely similar as Anduin’s whole role would’ve been to destroy people’s trust and hope in him and kill their fighting spirit

Sylvanas got decades to do this where she was controlled by her own emotions and betrayed by those around her; the point is this, that makes her responsible for herself whilst Anduin feel like he was in a similar situation to that of Sylvanas except he wasn’t responsible for his actions … just his feelings

The final cutscene essentially provides an explanation to all of this as best as one can to the mess Shadowlands was to design and deal with as a game rather than just as a story

BFA and SL definitely did happen - but the three year gap was implemented to minimize the impact of Shadowlands but BFA 100% happened and was good for the game overall … it just wasn’t the best gameplay experience but, here’s a paradoxical relationship:
Something which is good or bad for the game can respectively actually make the game worse or better in reverse to whether it being good or bad for the game itself

This is similar to when they said “Don’t worry about affecting the timeline” when we went to alternate Draenor - this was an opportunity to see characters again that we haven’t seen before and make references and to either create or tie up old stories

The reason why Shadowlands failed is partially because the zone design influenced the world building making the place more tedious than mystical, and and this was seen and felt in the stories they built as well
But we got to see characters again essentially because of the “rule of cool” design-philosophy, but again this doesn’t necessarily make it a good or a bad thing it just meant we got to see some characters and see how they developed or felt previously

Kael’Thas became a fanfavourite for a reason beyond just his updated model but because one saw the same arrogance but also a greater understanding both of his character but also him understanding that his reasons worked against him rather than to favour what he wanted to achieve

Other way around
Arthas chose his actions, whilst some races that we view as intrinsically “evil” in terms of the lore have absolutely no normative value like that in reality

The Man’ari were the original “Draenei” (its worth noting its actually the opposite, as the Man’ari is closer to the Draenei’s original race name) and followed their cultural leaders
Its worth remembering that Velen was, essentially, the only leader who went against Sargeras making him the odd-ball rather than the norm

The Man’ari were the Eredar who chose to stay and joined Kil’Jaeden and Archimonde as they served Sargeras, which then broke off into the Argussian Reach or … the Krokul aka. a “Broken” faction

Simply put … the Man’ari are normal OG draenei aka. eredars, which is the same thing that the draenei we are used to are as well - the difference is how closely they were associated with Sargeras thus’ fel-infusing their branch of the race turning them into demons
And its worth “demons” in a World of Warcraft setting essentially just means “denizens of the Twisting Nether with an association with fel-magic” so… our normal draenei and Man’ari the biggest difference should be the fel-infused aspect, whilst the rest of their physiology remains intact which would make them more closely associated to Blood Elves pre-“restoration of the Sunwell”
So… can’t say that comparing the Man’ari are similar at all with Sylvanas and are far more sensibly compared to when the blood elves were seeking redemption and a new power source

Again though I haven’t done the quest so I can’t speak with 100% certainty but from what others have mentioned here, I’m inclined to make that estimated guess

Good I don’t want my Orcs in the Alliance. They are quite happy where they are with the Horde.

On the subject of other races, it’s time for the nathrezim to be playable. They aren’t actually evil, just misunderstood. Now with Denathrius out of the way they can be added to the alliance easily.

And besides, Jaina is already a member.

Arthas never asked for redemption. His last words were asking his father if it was over (IIRC).

Then Blizzard and their infinite wisdom decided to turn a perfect ending into an anima fart cloud.

So what is there to redeem?

Edit: I stg I’m sick of my iPad autocorrecting “anima” into “anime.”

we can forgive orcs like saurfang who killed countless humans and alliance in the thousands yet we cannot forgive sylvanas or any former scourge leaders despite the fact the orcs and the hordes actions on draenor lead to the destruction of their world the genocide of most of the races on their world but hey they were on demon blood it wasnt their fault, oh and being corrupted by evil cosmic beings like zovaal was any differnt .

1 Like

Arthas would have been an easily redeemable character. Under the original writing, his soul was stolen the moment he picked up Frostmourne. I actually wonder if the Metzen team, when they did ICC originally, wanted to imply that us BREAKING Frostmourne (releasing all those souls) also restored his soul to him. And that those last tormented dying words of his were also meant to be the FIRST words Arthas had spoken with his soul restored since picking it up.

2 Likes

If they wanted to get rid of his character to make room for new ones, they didn’t do a very good job.

In a world of so many weird magics we can just collect the doodad of eternity and stick it in the doohicky of memories, then throw it in the cauldron of creation while khadgar “channels” into it and voila, Arthas rises up from the glittering vapours, in a fabulous new body.

I’m not sure what we actually do with him at this point though. :thinking:

No. He wasn’t. Bolvar and Arthas were the two who the Jailer called failures, because Bolvar was able to ignore him and Arthas buried his voice and took control.

2 Likes

Frostmourne was shattered right before Bolvar took the Crown of Dominion. Even with that, he knew if he stepped into the maw he would be lost. Arthas also had to contend with Frostmourne.

I don’t believe he was in control, although he may have believed he was. There’s no way he heads on over and kills dad if he’s in any sort of real control

The answer is very simple if one pays even the slightest attention to the lore.

It amounts to contrition.

Azrael and Sylvanas acknowledge they have done wrong and want to work to make things better, even if they can’t make it right.

Arthas never regretted what he did and stuck to his position until the end.

Also - Sylvanas did not choose to be killed and turned into a Banshee. Azrael did not choose for the Legion to come to his world. But Arthas did choose to pick up the sword, all on his own.

2 Likes

He absolutely was. Frostmourne didn’t control anyone. The helm did. And Arthas spent time while the Citadel was being built to destroy what was left of Ner’zhul and bury the Jailer so that he was in control.

This isn’t an opinion. It’s factual lore.

3 Likes

I mean, as we saw in SLs great writing

There really wasn’t anything left of Arthas yo really forgive

He was tossed in the maw and the remains of his soul was basically just used up by the jailer as we saw in the Anduin fight where it just whisps away into nothing at the end

1 Like

Why do people keep forgetting that Arthas committed his irredeemable acts before he even saw Frostmourne? His choices led him to Frostmourne. He betrayed his Order (The Silver Hand), betrayed his friends (Jaina, Uther, and Muradin), betrayed his people he was sworn to protect (Stratholme (he didn’t know there was no cure so his actions aren’t justified) and betrayed The Light.

By the point he killed his father he had already gone full dark side due to his own pride and hubris. Killing his father was just a “thing” at that point. He was consumed by his own Pride and hubris long before the actions at Stratholme… it was just undeniable to those closest to him at that point.

1 Like

Well, Sylvanas died several times actually. Once dead by Arthas, killed a second time by throwing herself off of Icecrown Citadel after Arthas was killed, and again after Lord Godfrey shot her in the head.

2 Likes

And it wasn’t about saving Lordaeron or some such. Stratholme, burning the ships, lying to his troops, killing the mercenaries, ignoring Muradin’s reading of the runes on the sword…all choices made in the name of vengeance.

4 Likes

Yep. And after that, he destroyed Ner’zhul and buried the Jailer to take over the helm.

2 Likes

It’s like people only half paid attention in WC3.
And then equipped the rose tinted blinders and declared Arthas the true victim.
Dude was rotting long before Strat. It just became obvious to Jaina and Uther when he went full Prince Toddler Temper Tantrum (Uther should have put boot to royal backside at that moment).

2 Likes