This weekend, my SO and I got ourselves through the Wrathgate chain. Although this is my fourth time completing it (second time horde-side), I still sit through the entire video, eyes glued to the screen. Yes, I know what’s going to happen, but it doesn’t make the cinematic any less engrossing.
If somehow you haven’t actually made it through the Wrathgate chain and are reading this, stop reading now lest it be spoiled for you.
It is such a great moment watching Saurfang the younger lead the horde in to join the battle with the Alliance forces. Lok’tar ogar! United and fearless, they challenge Arthas together, but are no match for the Lich. Arthas, who sucks out Saurfang Jr.’s soul with Frostmourne after slaying him. But that’s not the moment that gets to me the most. It’s the plight of the Foresaken.
My first time through on my undead, when Putress showed up on the hill and said “Did you think we had forgotten? Did you think we had forgiven?” I have to admit I empathized with him some. As a group, could the Foresaken hate anyone more than Arthas? And didn’t we all have an inkling as we ran errands for the Royal Apothecary Society that it was quite probably not going to be used for humanitarian purposes? Like that cat we changed into a radioactive wildcat for them in Felwood?
“Behold, now, the terrible vengeance of the Forsaken! Death to the Scourge! And death to the living!”
But that’s where the sympathy ends. My Forsaken ladies don’t want to cull the earth of the living and the scourge. They mostly want to be left alone. As Bolvar is overcome with the plague, falling to his knees, I am sad that the Horde and the Alliance will both come to mistrust the Forsaken as a result of Putris’ treachery. Sure, we grab Thrall and Lady Sylvanas (Now! With not improved! More emo! Voice acting!) and help take back Undercity, but it’s the Alliance who goes after Putress. And Varian Wrynn wants more than ever to purge the earth of all horde. Can a man who insults Thrall and Sylvanas with “Trash like you and this evil witch were allowed to roam free — unchecked.” ever ally with us?
The Cinematic and the Battle for the Undercity event pulled us into Wrath of the Lich King like no other quest chain had before. The closest event that comes to mind would be the completion of the Alliance Onyxia keying chain wherein you escorted Marshall Windsor into Stormwind. Unmasking the treachery of Lady Katrina Prestor who then murders Windsor in cold blood, summoning her dragons and beating a hasty retreat. Incidentally that s where many Alliance meet Bolvar Fordragon the first time — as he single-handedly fought back her dragon guards, avenging his friend’s death. I had hoped we’d cross paths with Bolvar again and am alwaays sad that we do, only to see him cut down. Could he have helped unite the horde and alliance forces? We’ll never know now.
Thank you Blizzard for this gift to the players. It makes slogging through the leveling worth it each time.