Does Illidan feel any form of Compassion?

[Candy Cough]

I mean, does he like have any love for (Anyone that isn't power of Tyrande) his demon hunters, does he like look out for them? Or does he just look at them as weapons.

This is a deciding factor for my views on playing a demon hunter. If he actually cares for us, I'd stay loyal and go with Kayn, if he just considers us weapons I'll go with Altruis

[Deleted]

I mean, does he like have any love for (Anyone that isn't power of Tyrande) his demon hunters, does he like look out for them? Or does he just look at them as weapons.

This is a deciding factor for my views on playing a demon hunter. If he actually cares for us, I'd stay loyal and go with Kayn, if he just considers us weapons I'll go with Altruis

Demon Hunters do something that is ultimately out of compassion, they sacrifice so that they may fight the Legion for the sake of others.

Illidans motivations have always been good, though his methods have some times been bad. In the Demon Hunter starting experience this gets brought up a lot and you get to see that they're all about self-sacrifice.

[Bathory]

Absolutely he does. I think the end of the Illidan novel does a good job of showing this, as Illidan begins to doubt. He doubts his mission, he doubts his methods, he wonders if he just ended up sending all of his DH to their deaths.

While Illidan is definitely one who focuses on the greater good no matter the cost, to say he's numb to everything/everyone around him would be incorrect imo.

[Deleted]

you know mate, life is though. sometimes you need to harvest billion of em bone marrows from kindergarden participants to save em nine jumbojillions. Illidan for sure is managing his compassion purrty nicely.

[UnluckyAmateur]

He became a lot more colder and questionable but I'd say he feels compassion for us since he gave up everything in order to fight the legion.

Slightly off topic but honestly he is a far more compassionate character than arthas imo.

[Ethenil]

I'm choosing Altruis because I care for Akama :/

[Deleted]

Yeah, but it's overshadowed by his selfishness.

[KrazyK923]

The new Illidan novel completely whitewashes away all the horrible shit Illidan did in favor of some "don't worry he's going to totally save everyone" bullshit that they pulled with Kerrigan in Starcraft 2.

Especially his treatment of Akama. Illidan is a giant piece of shit. That is why he was interesting before, since he was somebody who knew how to stop the Legion (or we thought he did).

But now it's just moronic. He basically will become a Xel'Naga---errr Demon Hunter of Light and will stop Amon---err---the Void Lords.

Altruis all the way. Especially with how the recruitment of Akama goes if you pick him over Kayn. Seriously. After seeing how you get Akama's help as Kayn, I just stopped playing my DH on the Alpha. I really hope the Warlocks or some other class steamroll over them after this is all over and wipe them out. They won't, but I can dream.

[Stormdash]

Illidan is anti-hero, not villain. In the novel, he indicates a genuine wish for Akama to believe that he really will return Karabor to the Broken after he's done. But thereafter he does nothing but convince Akama that won't happen all while treating it as harshly as the Legion did.

[KrazyK923]

Illidan is anti-hero, not villain. In the novel, he indicates a genuine wish for Akama to believe that he really will return Karabor to the Broken after he's done. But thereafter he does nothing but convince Akama that won't happen all while treating it as harshly as the Legion did.

He still treats Akama like absolute dogshit. Eventually basically regarding him as a slave. Which, for all intents and purposes, he becomes.

It doesn't really matter to me, imo, that there's one (or two, I can't remember) throwaway lines in the novel that go, "No he really was going to give Black Temple to him."

That coupled with shit like sacrificing the Broken's souls alongside Maiev's forces at the end just convinced me Illidan is a giant douchebag, but it gets forgiven now because of this stupid prophecy bullcrap that the novel introduced.

[Deleted]

Yeah this whole Illidan paladin prophecy bullshit seriously stinks.

Just let him be the guy he's always been, fighting fire with fire.

[Deleted]

Any emotions he has will be locked away deep inside him, as they could be used against him by the Legion.

[Enthralled]

The new Illidan novel completely whitewashes away all the horrible shit Illidan did in favor of some "don't worry he's going to totally save everyone" bullshit that they pulled with Kerrigan in Starcraft 2.

Especially his treatment of Akama. Illidan is a giant piece of shit. That is why he was interesting before, since he was somebody who knew how to stop the Legion (or we thought he did).

But now it's just moronic. He basically will become a Xel'Naga---errr Demon Hunter of Light and will stop Amon---err---the Void Lords.

Altruis all the way. Especially with how the recruitment of Akama goes if you pick him over Kayn. Seriously. After seeing how you get Akama's help as Kayn, I just stopped playing my DH on the Alpha. I really hope the Warlocks or some other class steamroll over them after this is all over and wipe them out. They won't, but I can dream.

First you say that the novel whitewashes everything and then you say that Illidan treated Akama like shit and you're freaking out about how his portrayal is if you pick Kayn as a follower vs. Altruis. I don't get it. Either things are whitewashed and he treated Akama like roses or things aren't whitewashed and he treated Akama like shit. The thing with the followers simply gives you choices: go with the guy who is a blind (lol) supporter of Illidan no matter what; or go with the guy who thinks for himself and goes by his own set of rules.

[Ratyrel]

Much of what Illidan has so far is not horrible imo, but necessary. Illidan is the only one with a cosmic perspective on the threat of the Burning Legion bar Turalyion and Alleria. As a result of his approach, however, I don't think compassion is the right word for his attitude.

[KrazyK923]

First you say that the novel whitewashes everything and then you say that Illidan treated Akama like shit and you're freaking out about how his portrayal is if you pick Kayn as a follower vs. Altruis. I don't get it. Either things are whitewashed and he treated Akama like roses or things aren't whitewashed and he treated Akama like shit.

What? My point is pretty simple. He does all of this horrible shit but the book handwaves it away with this nonsense about him being the ultimate savior. There are several time where Illidan himself comments something to the effect of, "none of this matters, attacking Argus matters."

Even when we get to see the narration of Illidan's death in Black Temple, there's no remorse. Not even in his own thoughts. He acts astounded that Akama is betraying him, even after he was already caught. Illidan does not recognize that he's been a piece of dogshit individual. Maiev is the only one who even bothers to have an agenda for trying to kill him, and she does so out of her own self-interest (Which I like, don't get me wrong), rather than just him being an asshole.

Akama got the rawest end of the stick and nobody gave a shit except him. And it's because Illidan knew how to fight the Legion, therefore it was ok that he was being such a terrible individual.

[Cheapnecrolyte]

Why are you asking? Illidan is a demon and demons don't feel compassion. In fact, I vomited a little at the mental projection of a demon trying to help a nun.

[Combatbutler]

What? My point is pretty simple. He does all of this horrible shit but the book handwaves it away with this nonsense about him being the ultimate savior. There are several time where Illidan himself comments something to the effect of, "none of this matters, attacking Argus matters."

Even when we get to see the narration of Illidan's death in Black Temple, there's no remorse. Not even in his own thoughts. He acts astounded that Akama is betraying him, even after he was already caught. Illidan does not recognize that he's been a piece of dogshit individual. Maiev is the only one who even bothers to have an agenda for trying to kill him, and she does so out of her own self-interest (Which I like, don't get me wrong), rather than just him being an asshole.

Akama got the rawest end of the stick and nobody gave a shit except him. And it's because Illidan knew how to fight the Legion, therefore it was ok that he was being such a terrible individual.

At the end of day Akamas suffering doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, neither does Illidans death and his ambitions, what matters is the legion actually suffered losses. Legion worlds need to be attacked and at best be utterly destroyed with as many demons on them as possible, sure Illidan is a piece of shit, but what he did is more or less necessary to win against the legion.

Fighting with honor and integrity is all nice and dandy, if you can afford it, but to be honest Azeroth can't. As things stand they will lose to attrition eventually, we need more assholes out there who will fight with any means necessary against the legion. Heck if Azeroth had to be destroyed to finish the legion blow the damn planet up.

Yeah this whole Illidan paladin prophecy bullshit seriously stinks.

Just let him be the guy he's always been, fighting fire with fire.

Being empowered by the light doesn't make him a good person, he is still the same vicious bastard.

[KrazyK923]

I think Im not being clear:

I don't care that Demon Hunters or Illidan are pieces of shit. I play a Warlock, who are canonically pieces of shit out for themselves and just getting more power.

My problem is then when the narrative frames the terrible shit he's doing as fine because of this asinine prophecy of him being some Holy Demon Hunter leader of the Army of the Light.

It takes his character away from being a douchebag who has done terrible things but knows how to beat the ultimate enemy (Or...was the ultimate enemy until the lulzworthyVoidLords) to being this guy who is prophesied to save us all because some "Elder Naaru" said so. It's different than say, Illidan himself, pretending what he's doing ok because he's fighting the Legion. It's the narrative himself excusing him.

It honestly very nearly ruins his entire character for me. I liked him as the asshole anti-hero, and straight up villain in some cases, who knew how to get things done. That was basically his entire schtick existing as a character. And introducing this absolutely fucking stupid storyline of him being blessed by the Light and being essentially a copy of Kerrigan-becoming-a-Xel'Naga from LotV, justifies this when it shouldn't have been justified.

[Combatbutler]

I think Im not being clear:

I don't care that Demon Hunters or Illidan are pieces of shit. I play a Warlock, who are canonically pieces of shit out for themselves and just getting more power.

My problem is then when the narrative frames the terrible shit he's doing as fine because of this asinine prophecy of him being some Holy Demon Hunter leader of the Army of the Light.

It takes his character away from being a douchebag who has done terrible things but knows how to beat the ultimate enemy (Or...was the ultimate enemy until the lulzworthyVoidLords) to being this guy who is prophesied to save us all because some "Elder Naaru" said so. It's different than say, Illidan himself, pretending what he's doing ok because he's fighting the Legion. It's the narrative himself excusing him.

Lets be honest here for a moment, beating the legion with conventional means is ridiculous. Azeroth has bled too much to be able to take over legion worlds so tactics like the ones Illidan used become a necessity in order to cause severe damage to the legion, though instead of using ordinary souls they should try to take demons prisoners and use them as fuel for portals to blow up legion worlds, if it isn't possible grab some unlucky enemies and cast away.

Even if he becomes an empowered champion of the light, does it change the fact that he is manipulative bastard, who will do anything to achieve his personal goals? As I said what matters are the results in a conflict of this potential scale, the fate of the universe is at stake the lines between good and evil blur or become nonexistent, ruthless calculus takes precedent. The legion needs to be stopped no matter the cost. Illidan could have done a far better job at managing his little staging ground, but he had the right idea.

At the end of day even if he becomes light incarnate, he would still have all that blood on his hands, because of his decisions tens of thousands of innocents died, the question at the end of it all will be if it was worth it or not. Same dilemma with Arthas purging stratholme, it was the right course of action and still he screwed up shortly afterwards.

It honestly very nearly ruins his entire character for me. I liked him as the asshole anti-hero, and straight up villain in some cases, who knew how to get things done. That was basically his entire schtick existing as a character. And introducing this absolutely fucking stupid storyline of him being blessed by the Light and being essentially a copy of Kerrigan-becoming-a-Xel'Naga from LotV, justifies this when it shouldn't have been justified.

Even if he had not been set on that rail of becoming light infused, his actions were still justified, he blew up a legion core world at the cost of what? A thousand souls, heck all of Outland would have been a fine trade off for something like that. The only problem here is they intend to redeem him, which is not necessary.

[KrazyK923]

Does it change the fact that he is a manipulative bastard? I say so, yes. Because it diminishes what should be the consequences for his actions. To the point that the only groups trying to kill him are for either false or selfish reasons:

a.) Akama just wants Black Temple
b.) Maiev just has a lady hatred boner for him.
c.) Horde and Alliance get tricked into thinking he's invading Azeroth.

I'm glad you brought up Arthas, because they actually did him correctly. Arthas' actions at Stratholme are still remembered during the events of Wrath of the Lich King. And when we finally take him down, it's for a BUNCH of different reasons. But the core of them is the threat to the world and all the terrible stuff he's done.

It would be if Arthas came back now and nobody had a problem with him because he'd help us try to fight the Legion. It would be if Sylvanas wouldn't even mention it. That's the level of Tyrande/Malfurion's level of reaction to Illidan's shenanigans and the Demon Hunters. Malfurion has a single throwaway line at the very beginning in Stormrwind about the Demon Hunters. But after that there is nothing suggesting there would be a past between them and the Demon Hunters.

Even the Wardens are fine with it. Maiev fucking Shadowsong has, what, one line during the Vault of the Wardens part of the DH intro where she's all "I had to let you out to help us." And then makes no other comment about how her LITERAL ENTIRE CHARACTER has been about them and Illidan.

Now, whenever Illidan inevitably comes back, if Maiev is all "RAWR GET HIM," I'll change my tune. But the fact that we've seen her so little and what we do see is really not this.

I get that the Legion is attacking and we should be banding together, but having literally 100% of people except Jaina and Genn being fine with this is just wholly unrealistic. That's part of the reason why I really like ME2 and ME3, despite the controversy of the ending, so much. Because even with this universe-ending threat, there are still large groups of people who are out for themselves and will take advantage of the chaos to further their own goals.