Worst: Velen just being delusional or a group of Manari saying they just did those bad things to not die( bad things in question being genocide countless entire planets)
Best: we learn there’s a 3rd faction of Eredar that isn’t Manari and isn’t Draenei. They broke off from the Legion but were still fel practiors that simply had zero interest in sacking the entire universe.
So they’ve been at war with the Legion ever since( but aren’t inherently good or evil)
worst: it occurs
best: it doesn’t
Worst: Actual literal demons are taken into draenei society.
Best: These red draenei are not Man’ari but draenei front-line fighters who have manifested fel traits due to over-exposure to the fel from their countless battles with warlocks and demons. They have been ostracized from Draenei society and formed a colony in exile, which Velen and the others reach out to.
The very best: The idea is dropped all together and we’re given Broken and Lost One customization options instead.
As cool as they are, it wouldn’t make much sense. No matter the circumstances, these are people that have been infused with fel for thousands of years, bringing death and destruction to countless worlds in attempts to empower themselves. Why would they even want to join the Alliance? “We… we want a home now!” If WoW wasn’t confined to two party mechanics, they’d make an interesting independent faction. Whatever rolls eyes.
I could see them going the kil’jaeden route of, "these mana’ri only joined cause they believed sargearas couldn’t be stopped
There’s arguably another possibility. That rather than straight-up long term man’ari eredar from Argus who’ve been participating in planetary corruption and extermination for the past 25,000 years, they could theoretically be Cabal/Sargerei fel-corrupted draenei defectors from Outland and/or Draenor who’d lost hope and turned coat during the rise of the Horde/Iron Horde, but now seek redemption and a chance to make things right while renewing their faith after witnessing the Burning Legion’s defeat.
For me personally, the best case scenario would be finding civilian Eredar who didn’t realize what Sargeras’ bargain was before it was too late and went into hiding after they were transformed into Man’ari. It’d be preferable if the transformation/demonic influence faded over time and they just retained some of the traits similar to how Orcs have green or red skin.
Worst case would be just a group of militant/demonic Man’ari coming to crawl back with a ‘sorry we didn’t mean to’ spiel knowing that Velen is forgiving and not wanting to languish in the Twisting Nether for being idiots on the wrong side.
Perfect scenario: Velen tells the Man’ari to take a long walk off a short pier and they give us playable Krokul.
Although, I won’t lie. I AM excited for the Man’ari customizations because you can’t deny how cool they look but I have a feeling the story reasoning will be pretty hamfisted.
These should have been our options instead of Lightforged Draenei. The LFD’s customization should have just been added to OG Draenei.
This is the way.
I feel the opposite of most folks here. Imo:
Best Case : Legion remnants are welcomed into the fold.
I think it would be interesting if a bunch of Legion factions turned on the Manari, and started wiping them out. Perhaps because the Legion Remnants are angry about how Sargeras favored the Manari, and how Kiljaeden and Archimonde were cruel leaders that failed. Basically with those top 3 out of the picture, the rest of the Legion decides they don’t want the Manari in their club anymore.
Velen sees the annihilation of the Manari in a vision, goes to save them, and they join him out of gratitude. They realize Velen is their way forward.
Worst Case : a few current Draenei played with some Fel they found in their backyard and oooops, they red.
Worst case: The man’ari are demons from the Legion allowed among the Draenei scot-free (ala WoD’s “Draenor is free!” tripe).
Best case: Like Kaioon said, we get Broken and Lost One customization’s representing the Krokul who survived on Argus for millennia.
Well, we know for a fact we’re getting Man’ari customizations. Question remains about which group these man’ari hail from
Redemption even to the worst peoples should be the goal. Look at Germany after WW2 or Japan. Even the worst nations are not their governments, but their people. Did many Germans and Japanese justify racism and bigotry? Yes. Are all Germans and Japanese people responsible? No.
Same with the Eredar. I’m sure not every Eredar wanted to kill a thousand worlds and many more just remained on Argus or were deployed as regular soldiers. Even after the WW2 we didn’t execute every German soldier for following orders. Though the most complicit in the worst actions did get hanged. The leadership etc.
The Eredar who would be joining would be Man’ari conscripts, soldiers who were forced into the war. Most likely civilians who were made to do atrocious things lest they be tortured or worse. Not justifying their crimes, but redemption of even the worst nations should be on the table even in Warcraft.
If the Man’ari can be redeemed than so can any person or being.
Thanks for giving me this POV
We literally have zero redemption stories in this game lol why would anyone want less?
Who isn’t a sucker for a good redemption story? Just ask Metzen about Illidan. I think the Man’ari should be added and a very good quest line to justify their existence in game as playable characters.
Not sure I would count Illidan TBH, but yeah I agree
Best Case is that Man’ari finally being playable.
Worst Case is Broken Draenei not being playable.
We have a ton of redemption stories they just all are terrible.
Genn / Gilneas redemption story was well done. Can’t think of any other though.
Illidan’s story. Kael’thas and Vashj in Shadowlands.