Before I completed the second part, twitter was filled with hatred for Sylvanas and what she does.
I have read so many posts/questions/statements about not wanting to be horde anymore, or how Sylvanas is crazy, thinking she has gone to far etc etc.
I was amazed at the freak out of the player base. To be fair – I generally don’t follow alliance players – not deliberately; I search for people by tags which means I use horde ones more often. My “research” is therefore skewed towards the horde player base.
But I have some points which I feel are relevant to this entire affair:
Banshees in old Scottish/Irish lore hung around a location as a pre-warning of death to come to someone. However more recent pop culture references shows them as malevolent spirits who have massive emotional pain which allows for their scream to cause people to either die/commit suicide.
Let’s remember that doesn’t sound like a nice, well rounded supernatural being we are dealing with, hence my tweet yesterday.
I am yet to play through the second part but I feel like all @Warcraft players have forgotten that Banshees are not known for being the most calm, sane and relaxed of the supernatural beings in the world #forthehorde #Sylvanas
— Dragonray (@dragonray) August 1, 2018
If you read through “The Well of Eternity” you find this explanation as referenced by WoWWiki.
Sylvanas was not killed, but captured. Barely clinging to life, she was brought before Arthas. She struggled, saying she deserved a clean death, but Arthas, having had to fight her every step of the way, responded by telling her after what she had put him through, the last thing he would give her was that peace. He desecrated her spirit, corrupting her body and soul, and brought her back as a whirlwind of torment and hatred. Thus, she became the first of the high elven banshees. Sylvanas, now undead, was a complete and total slave to the Lich King. She aided him in assaulting Silvermoon in order to secure the legendary Sunwell for the Scourge. Her mangled body was sealed in an iron coffin by Arthas as a way to further torture the ranger.
This doesn’t sound like someone who has a reason to be nice to anyone. She has been tormented for aeons.
Then I read this twitter thread this morning which sums up beautifully another aspect. Read it 😀
Sylvanas: my take
1. This is The War of the Thorns. There is huge symbolism in thorns. Thorns represent hardship, trials, a danger in your path. Sylvanas' thorns are memory, pain, loss.
— Paryah (@One_Rogue) August 2, 2018
I think if you consider who Sylvanas is. Her story. Her life. Her actions are understandable. Do I personally think she went to far with the burning of Teldrassil – possibly. But she is crazed – wars are not really started by sane people….imho. Is she justified, who knows but that is another argument entirely.
I don’t mind the faction hatred – the game has never strayed from being Horde vs Alliance – I don’t really pay much attention to the mentality of it. I always chose sides because of the races my friends played.
Which ever way you swing, I just want o ensure we don’t kill Azeroth. We should focus on saving her heart. If this ugly arse mount will help us do it I am all for it.
