Why are people so protective of Sylvanas?

[Deleted]

Well, I like her in the sense that I enjoy that she's an evil unpleasant bastard. Just because a character isn't someone you would like in real life doesn't mean you can't appreciate them being in fiction, hence why people have stuff like "favorite villains" in the first place. I don't think just because a character in a fictious universe is cold, evil and unpleasant you automatically have to dislike her as an out-of-universe consumer of the media.

--
As for why people rush to defend her, I'd say it's because her descent to the point beyond redemption was so gradual and subtle. Most "good gone evil" characters in Warcraft have a fairly quick heel face turn, where as she didn't.

All the way up until Wrath, you could honestly argue she was a well-intentioned extremist, because her (supposed) motives were sympathetic and she didn't commit so many more war crimes than anyone else in power. That's not to say she was unambigiously good or anything along those lines, but she was relatively easy to sympathize with. Come Cata, she started crossing a few more lines, but her motives were still ambiguous and you could still read into it as doing the best for her people. It wasn't until her faction leader short story that we as players were able to know that she had undeniably gone beyond the moral event horizon. Up until that point both sides of the debate had reasonable arguments, and this debate has been going on since Frozen Throne in 2001.

Basically what I'm trying to say is, Sylvanas has been one of the most debated Warcraft characters for so many years because she's always been morally ambiguous up until recently. People still defending her motives is just the aftermath of that.

[Alwek]

I'm not personally a fan or someone who could consider putting her in the list of favourite characters, due to her personality and "ideology" is against my other favoured heroes, but I can understand why people would like Sylvanas, and there are several reasons for it.

Firstly, Sylvanas is the only character with an evil based story and progress that makes sence. And she is also a faction leader for a people who have been going through much bad things, so she wouldn't be killed of just like other evil characters in this story of wow. Litteraly, there are like none I can think of that has done things like Sylvanas and has gone away with it (if we ignore major evilness like Kiljeaden and Co), they all end up facing their punishment. Sylvanas will probably face justice too, but not in a long time. So people who enjoys stories of evil and badass heroes will probably stand up for her.

Secondly, she has become the only female character that is strong and can stand for herself. In warcraft 3 she shared that role with Tyrande but in wow she is the sole female. That might change in MoP as they're building up Jaina and I hope for some stuffs for Tyrande and Maiev too. And she is not like the other undead people, her body is in a better shape than the rest, making her available for "sexy images" which turns on people. Personally I think that's sick but i won't argue.

Thirdly, she has indeed a good story and is a fitting leader for the undead Forsaken. She is very important to the forsaken and if you love undead lore you will ofcourse love Sylvanas.

People defend her cause she is cared. Wouldn't you do the same if people argued over yours?

[leaks]

If you don't understand the glory of the Dark Lady by now then you never will.

[namelessone]

Because she has boobs and because emo teenage boys relate to her really well. Its really the only reason I can think of. Shes so poorly written and played out...

As opposed to... ?

[Duito]

I want her dead...please kill her Blizzard

[leaks]

I want her dead...please kill her Blizzard

She's already been killed 3 times. Isn't that enough?

[Linry]

I like her because she represents the forsaken perfectly.

^ this, I love her story and the undead lore. I've never been felt so compelled to make a toon on lore alone, as i do with the undead. whenever level a horde, it's always undead.

[Woceip]

Isn't "My life for Sylvanas" what undead NPCs say? I doubt he means it literally.

Victory, actually. Victory for Sylvannas. Thinking on all the interactions of undead NPCs, they really do revere her, more so than any faction's representatives do their leader. People probably pick up on that whether they realize it or not.

[Zaelsino]

Some people enjoy villainous characters.

Some people prefer a leader with a little relevance, lest they be cursed with a stagnating regent whom Blizzard won't touch with a barge pole.

The amount of parrots chirping on about "lol its coz of boobs " is really depressing, by the way. >.<

[Deleted]

Who is this silvanaz?

.........

After days of searching for a sign of this unknown character i .. i think i found it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QjrB...feature=relmfu .

Doesnt look too interesting to me sorry.

I really think Blizz is being unfair to the forsaken though , i like their race but when will they get a leader ?

Give them either Arthas or Uther reborn as forsaken !

[ijffdrie]

Mostly because people keep making constant threads asking to get her killed off. And then when people reply to those threads they get the answer that they only like her because of

bewbz

This in turn causes the fans to be annoyed, and appear overly protective to those who don't like the character.

Plus, she is the only major female character to actually do something lately. Sure, it was killing the crap out of some englishmen, but at least there was a story to move along, which is more than I can say for either Tyrande, Alleria or Jaina. Political correctness is also likely to play a role in it, as world of warcraft is just balancing on the edge of the abyss of 'sausage fest' (seriously, half the races don't even have females) and no one wants to be seen defending that. Plus, since blizzard is at least partially aware of that, killing the horde female major leader would lead to her being replaced. Do we really want to see warchief Aggra?

[Trassk]

Speaking as a gay guy, I can honestly say I look at sylvanas with a completely unbias look, without a sexual concept, and as much as you want to think people don't judge her on the size of her breasts, yeah, thats just not true, so many people only like a character because of aesthetic qualities, why else do you think people roll the race they think is hottest to play in wow?

Sylvanas use to be intresting, I liked her when she was this lady vengeance type character who sort of make the monster who made her into an undead pay for what he did. It felt right, despite what her own people sometimes did, her pursuit was justified and that made any bad thing the other forsaken did not count to much.

Now though, she doesn't have that character appeal anymore, her vengeance against Arthas is over, and now she just wants to do to the world what Arthas started, so I've lost any respect for her. It is also that she only see's her people as a shield to protect her from death which she fears, this is sickening, since well other leaders do what they do for there own people, she's doing it for herself, just so she can feel protected.

[Albert the fish]

people have always thought that darker characters are better written, it's a strange illusion and i'm not entirely sure what causes it. maybe it's the assumption that dark=flaw and flaw=good writing.
others love her because she's a strong female and thus assume she can do no wrong, or we're not allowed to call her out when she's doing terribly for fear of being sexist.
others just love that she dresses like a tramp.

people tend to start from one of these three places i find, and extrapolate from there, seeing reasons and methods and character where there is none. warping reality to fit their vision.

her character was well written, in Warcraft3. in WoW her character is flat as a board(with the notable exception of her chest, for the fans) and there is little excuse for that. she's not only evil, but utterly defined by that evil. it's hollow and boring. blizzard occasionally throws her a bone of character development through things like her amulet quest and the taking of undercity, but most of these are minimal development at best or don't even relate to her specifically much. (was the ToU really developing her character? really? more about Putress and his allies than her. shit even Vol'jin by commanding the strategic recapture of Undercity and Varian by his blowing o' the stack showed more character development than she did.)

[Warcrafter]

I have liked Sylvanas's lore ever since W3 and thats the main reason, I feel sorry for her and her people etc... nothing to do with her being female

[Deleted]

I believe her and my main's motivations are the same. Secure Northern Lordaeron for the Eastern Horde and allow the member races to thrive.

She has ambitions worth defending (for now), in my opinion.

[Ghul]

because shes fucking badass!

thats why!

and now go cry in your corner!

[Albert the fish]

I have liked Sylvanas's lore ever since W3 and thats the main reason, I feel sorry for her and her people etc... nothing to do with her being female

fair point, i missed that.
some people still cling to the Sylvanas who was an interesting character. imo it's the most valid reason to like her, because she was at one point a great character.

[stomination]

Look I follow thrall because of he balls. Screw boobs.

One thing is everyone is blaming Sylvanas on destroying Gilneas. Quite frankly Garrosh was already going to mount the assault if she did not show up to stop him from wasting Forsaken troops.

[Verdugo]

Look I follow thrall because of he balls. Screw boobs.

Then you should follow Aggra, she has Thrall`s balls now.

[Ethas]

If we delete all alliance people from this thread I bet it would be empty.
Yes Horde always had the most badass characters in Warcraft universe. Deal with it. Prise your noname king.