The plot of BFA so far is making no fucking sense. Or at least, the justifications for why certain plot elements are happening is bullshit.
I was luke warm about this expansion and eye-rolling about the plot taking the Horde into yet another “They are the villains because their leader is cray” characterization. But after watching the Sylvanas’ short, I’m actually angry. Like. Really angry. I’ve been playing Warcraft since ‘04 and have been Horde most of that. I’ve been on sabbatical for a while but, as always, I eventually end up coming back for an expansion.
I give zero shits about the overarching plot of BFA. While I’m not against the Horde v. Alliance storyline and actually think it should carried through the games, the set up for this conflict in BFA is so bad. After defeating an ancient, universe-destroying evil that is literally the reason why Horde and Alliance are even fighting at all in the first place…they just go back to fighting? Over a mineral? Really?
I have so many grievances. And I’m just gonna rant about them here. I haven’t finished the first part of the prologue stuff in-game, nor the content they released today, so maybe some of these will be answered. But even if they are, it’s still indicative of shitty writing and a terrible characterization of the Horde (again.)
tl;dr: BFA should be about the Horde in a Civil War against Syvalanas and maybe it eventually will be but so far the set up is bullshit and they don’t seem to be exploring all of the glaring inconsistencies and issues with it.
– Where are the Horde leaders? Why are people like Baine, Saurfang, and Lor’themar just sitting back being complicit in this? In Before the Storm, Baine is definitely not on board with what Sylvanas is doing and (much like with Garrosh in MoP) he’s slipping into Anduin’s DMs to tell him “I ain’t apart of that”. But as a leader of a druidic and shamanistic people, how could he just stand by and let the burning of Teldrassil happen without challenging Sylvanas if not flat out fighting her.
– Where does Vol’jin’s spirit-prophecized destiny for Sylvanas come into play? Sylvanas being mostly absent and useless in Legion besides getting in a slappy fight with Genn was pretty much the indication that was a McGuffin to make her the next character of focus. While the Loa probably don’t have stringently good “alignments”, they’re pretty much dicks if they were actually invested in this not-a-troll person becoming warchief so she could be a destructive warmongerer.
– Why would the Nightborne be okay with this? Thalyrssa doesn’t like Tyrande because she was rude and the blood elves were so welcoming. So the Nightborne become Horde. Okay. Sure. But why would they be complicit in destroying a World Tree, something that is a significant cultural symbol for their people? They’ve been divided from the Shal’dorei for a while, yes, and maybe their connection to druidism/shamanism isn’t strong anymore…but now I just don’t buy them being like “Yeah we’re totally okay with this and we made a great decision in joining this organization.”
– After what happened to them with Garrosh, why would the trolls stand with Sylvanas? I don’t feel like “Because the loa said” is a strong enough justification. At this point, all of my trolls are like yeah no Vol’jin was probably high af from that fel poisoning. As a people who have experienced losing their home more than a few times, who walked away from a collective of their own kind trying to find power and establish a new home through conquering others, why would they side with this?
– After Garrosh (and the Legion) why would anyone side with this?!?! ¯_(ツ)_/¯
What bad Horde players try to tell you: “She’s the Warchief so you can’t question her. You have to follow her orders on your honor to your faction.”
What real Horde players tell you: “We literally had an entire expansion and an end-of-expansion raid dedicated to a tyrannical Warchief and what happens when you obey authority without considering morality. If you think the Horde would allow another tyrant to rise so easily, you’re an idiot.”
What Blizzard tells you: “BoTH sIdES aRe MOraLly GrAY!!!!111!!!”
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Moonglade Poetess 