Sylvanas, Anduin and the cinematic

[Deleted]

Anybody else noticed the way Sylvanas looked Anduin after the massress and the warcry? Am I the only one to see she kinda looked Anduin with acceptance and maybe even relieved little smile..

My thoughts on this are that she finally recognizes Anduin the true king of Alliance and with some relief. She now knows the Alliance is in good hands and worthy allies if needed.

We will have great stories with these two, mark my words.
Just my 2 cents.

[Splenda]

I think it was more "I'm strong and I like killing you, bring it on."

[Wyrt]

Anduin the true king of Alliance

I just threw up in my mouth a little.

[Felfaadaern Darkterror]

I just threw up in my mouth a little.

Sucks to be you then, I guess. The boy has grown up and he is ready.

[Wyrt]

Sucks to be you then, I guess. The boy has grown up and he is ready.

Yeah, sucks to be me. Someone that wants the Alliance to be an alliance and likes Alliance races that aren't human. I don't want the Alliance to turn into the Human Empire. A shame Blizzard's writers are morons. The least they could do is rename the faction if it's not going to be an alliance anymore.

[GreenJesus]

I think it was more of a "He could be useful in death" look. which means "would smash". Her reproductive system all of a sudden turned back on.

[Felfaadaern Darkterror]

Yeah, sucks to be me. Someone that wants the Alliance to be an alliance and likes Alliance races that aren't human. I don't want the Alliance to turn into the Human Empire. A shame Blizzard's writers are morons. The least they could do is rename the faction if it's not going to be an alliance anymore.

It's clearly still an alliance - we saw Night Elves, Worgen, Dwarves, and Draenei in the cinematic. I don't remember seeing Gnomes, but they're tiny and could have been standing in back. How the factions choose their War Chief/High King is an interesting topic for discussion.

The Horde apparently lets the outgoing War Chief name his successor, without needing input/approval from the others. Vol'jin named Sylvanas, even though she never would have been elected if the others were polled. After Garrosh died, they let his predecessor Thrall name Vol'jin. So unless Vol'jin comes back to have a say, I guess Sylvanas names the next one.

The Alliance was originally led from Stormwind because they were closest to the Black Gate, and first to face the Horde. After King Wrynn's death, Anduin Lothar was looked to as the military leader who could best lead them to victory. According to Wowpedia (for what that's worth), humans are "the primary race of the Alliance that makes up the majority of their forces". Maybe it's like western military coalitions in real life: the US winds up leading most of them simply because the US has the most men and equipment invested. Another possibility is that the various racial leaders - Anduin, Gelbin, Velen, Genn, Tyrande & Malfurion, Muradin, Falstad, & Moira - held a meeting and decided Anduin should lead? Which begs how they arrived at that choice: was he a compromise candidate because he was the only one they could agree on? I might have gone with Muradin, but perhaps choosing one of the Dwarves would have created dissension in Ironforge. Perhaps some of the others didn't trust Greymane to lead with a level head. Malfurion has his hands full with the Cenarion Circle and is far more worried about the dark armies than he is about the Horde - after all, he works with Tauren and Trolls every day. We could go on, but point is maybe Anduin represents the best choice for faction unity, even if he does lack experience. One other fun possibility to consider is that they voted, and the only one not to vote for themselves (a la Pirates of the Caribbean III) was Velen, who supported Anduin to help him on his path to leading the Army of the Light. While that's a fun option, I really don't think Anduin would have voted for himself (he probably would have voted for Velen), so idk. Honestly, I think it's just because humans are numerically the largest faction.

[cparle87]

I kinda got a “you’re a worthy opponent now” vibe from it. Like, some respect was given.

Yeah, I seriously got that vibe between Varian and Sylvanas at the Broken Shore. It's good to know there's at least some respect, if not civility, between the leaders of the two major factions. It's not frothing at the mouth imma gunna keel you like Genn lets off a lot.

[Felfaadaern Darkterror]

As for the smile, I think it was a mix of emotions: equal parts newfound respect + relief. She'd just been knocked back by some huge glowing energy; she looked very concerned when that happened and maybe she was afraid the Alliance was unleashing some super weapon. Then she realizes King Anduin has mass healed all his troops. This impresses her, but it's still something she can fight. So she smiles as she realizes it's still anyone's battle and she leads her troops back into the fray.

[Wyrt]

It's clearly still an alliance - we saw Night Elves, Worgen, Dwarves, and Draenei in the cinematic. I don't remember seeing Gnomes, but they're tiny and could have been standing in back. How the factions choose their War Chief/High King is an interesting topic for discussion.

The Horde apparently lets the outgoing War Chief name his successor, without needing input/approval from the others. Vol'jin named Sylvanas, even though she never would have been elected if the others were polled. After Garrosh died, they let his predecessor Thrall name Vol'jin. So unless Vol'jin comes back to have a say, I guess Sylvanas names the next one.

The Alliance was originally led from Stormwind because they were closest to the Black Gate, and first to face the Horde. After King Wrynn's death, Anduin Lothar was looked to as the military leader who could best lead them to victory. According to Wowpedia (for what that's worth), humans are "the primary race of the Alliance that makes up the majority of their forces". Maybe it's like western military coalitions in real life: the US winds up leading most of them simply because the US has the most men and equipment invested. Another possibility is that the various racial leaders - Anduin, Gelbin, Velen, Genn, Tyrande & Malfurion, Muradin, Falstad, & Moira - held a meeting and decided Anduin should lead? Which begs how they arrived at that choice: was he a compromise candidate because he was the only one they could agree on? I might have gone with Muradin, but perhaps choosing one of the Dwarves would have created dissension in Ironforge. Perhaps some of the others didn't trust Greymane to lead with a level head. Malfurion has his hands full with the Cenarion Circle and is far more worried about the dark armies than he is about the Horde - after all, he works with Tauren and Trolls every day. We could go on, but point is maybe Anduin represents the best choice for faction unity, even if he does lack experience. One other fun possibility to consider is that they voted, and the only one not to vote for themselves (a la Pirates of the Caribbean III) was Velen, who supported Anduin to help him on his path to leading the Army of the Light. While that's a fun option, I really don't think Anduin would have voted for himself (he probably would have voted for Velen), so idk. Honestly, I think it's just because humans are numerically the largest faction.

It's not an alliance if it's ruled by a hereditary monarch. That would be an empire.

Stormwind didn't lead the original Alliance. Lothar did because he was a noble of Arathor's bloodline and well respected by every nation. When he died it did not get passed down to the leader of Stormwind, it went to Turalyon, a noble from Lordaeron, who was Lothar's second in command. High King is fundamentally different from the Supreme Allied Commander position that Lothar held.

[Felfaadaern Darkterror]

It's not an alliance if it's ruled by a hereditary monarch. That would be an empire.

Members of an Alliance can leave anytime. Parts of an empire not so much.

[Wyrt]

Members of an Alliance can leave anytime. Parts of an empire not so much.

Can they still? No one has tried leaving since Varian declared himself High King.

[Felfaadaern Darkterror]

Can they still? No one has tried leaving since Varian declared himself High King.

Did Varian declare himself High King? When did that happen? How did the others react? I don't remember ever hearing how the High Kingship began.

- - - Updated - - -

I feel fairly certain, though, that should the Gnomes ever decide to leave the Alliance, Anduin would not send troops to force them back in.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Just a cocky smile nodding that the fight just got interesting to her.

Given the situation and how this is supposed to be the introduction to a new serious time of war and all the garbage, I found it utterly goofy and not befitting of the situation.

[madokbro]

I still don't see how the title of High King is hereditary. It's ridiculous that 10k + years old Night Elves are okay with being ruled by a brat.

There's some potential for juicy drama here, I hope they explore it.

Tyrande, hush.

[Cosmic Janitor]

I still don't see how the title of High King is hereditary. It's ridiculous that 10k + years old Night Elves are okay with being ruled by a brat.

There's some potential for juicy drama here, I hope they explore it.

Tyrande, hush.

Seeing how the guy all but went super sayan in the cinematic and the elf no longer has a private moonwell to squat in, I think she has bigger problems than a titel atm .

[Wyrt]

Did Varian declare himself High King? When did that happen? How did the others react? I don't remember ever hearing how the High Kingship began.

- - - Updated - - -

I feel fairly certain, though, that should the Gnomes ever decide to leave the Alliance, Anduin would not send troops to force them back in.

Anduin probably wouldn't. But what about Anduin's heir? Or the heir after that? That's the problem with hereditary rule, just because the current one is good doesn't mean they'll always be good. It's not something anyone would willingly sign up for, which makes it incredibly poor writing on Blizzard's part for the other races to just bend over and take it.

[TriHard]

She looked quite amused after the mass heal. He is after all, growing up in front of her as well even though they've been on enemy factions.

[Wyrt]

I still don't see how the title of High King is hereditary. It's ridiculous that 10k + years old Night Elves are okay with being ruled by a brat.

There's some potential for juicy drama here, I hope they explore it.

Tyrande, hush.

Especially since Tyrande knows the pitfalls of royalty incredibly well.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Anduin probably wouldn't. But what about Anduin's heir? Or the heir after that? That's the problem with hereditary rule, just because the current one is good doesn't mean they'll always be good. It's not something anyone would willingly sign up for, which makes it incredibly poor writing on Blizzard's part for the other races to just bend over and take it.

Let's take a close look at who would dispute it:

Tyrande: Currently an army with anduin at the helm is retaliating against the undercity on her and her people's behalf. Even if she were to question it in any other circumstance, doing so now? Not exactly classy. Not serving her or her people at all.

Genn Greymane: He is currently mentoring Anduin and has already fallen into his role as a subservient Kingdom (or the remanants of that) and has no real reason to dispute him at all.

Former Prophet Velen: His and his people's arc are all but over, their home forever tainted. He mentored Anduin and knows his destiny, why would he dispute him at the moment? He is going to lead the army of the light one day, that much is clear.

Moira: She swore to earn her place to Varian and frankly the dwarves are still weakened politcally. They gain nothing by refusing Anduin.

The female Panda: Are they even still technically part of the Alliance (and Ji for the Horde?). They serve no role in the politics of the lore at all and frankly I doubt there are even enough pandaren around in lore to even care about them in the first place.

Mechatorque: Let's be real, gnomes don't really exist in any meaningful capacity in lore because they are more hillarious and pointless than Pandaren. They mostly are an accessoiry to the dwarfes and I doubt they care much at all who pretends to lead the alliance.

I see no one currently profiting from abandoning the strongest fraction within the alliance. They can always dispute this high king rubbish later on when it no longer serves them.