Hi!
I'm fresh here as a member but been into MMO champion for ages as a guest, so I thought I'd make an account because why not?
I see there's been a lot of discussion going on about Vol'jin and I thought I'd make a thread about him.
Warning: It is very long, so sorry about that! Please bear with me!
Since there are many questioning the competence of our current warchief, Vol’jin, I thought I’d write a few facts about him to end some doubts.
Please Note that:
- English is not my first language, there will be mistakes – I trust you are better than to use it against any of my arguments, because it is incredibly immature. If you have a point to make, please make one actually in agreement with the content of this thread.
- Be polite. If you disagree, it IS okay, but DO NOT use your preferences as an excuse to be rude to others. Either you are a Vol’jin fan or not, NOTHING gives you the right to think of yourself as superior or that others are wrong because of your opinion. (Justifying bad behaviors with stuff such as “But this is MMO Champion” is not valid. The actions of a few do not determine the quality of a community.)
- Some actions are not explained in Lore and work merely based on game mechanics to benefit the insertion of Player characters, Either you like it or not, this is an actual point that can be used to justify a character’s action, or even lack of it.
- If you have any questions or need to have a specific answer about a particular topic within this thread, I will do my best to clarify. And others willing to help are incredibly welcome as well! But again, be polite and respectful.
Vol’jin was born in Darkspear Isle, son of the Darkspear trolls leader, Sen’jin. The Tribe had been exiled from the Gurubashi empire, for Sen’jin had a dream of peace for his people. He was a wise, contained chieftain, that despite the hardships, fought to always keep his people together, and such principles were passed on to his son.
He grew up with his best friend, Zalazane. The two were like brothers, they would do almost everything together. Despite others thinking of Zalazane as Vol’jin’s “sidekick”, Vol’jin has ever seen his friend as an equal, dismissing such statements.
Vol’jin wished to become a Shadow Hunter, while Zalazane studied under Sen’jin to become a Witch Doctor. When Sen’jin had a vision of his demise, he quickly sent Vol’jin to first home, a place inhabbited by mysterious Loa, in which trolls would be judged and empowered, or driven insane if deemed unworthy.
Feeling like he could not do it alone, he brought Zalazane along. The two would look after each other. Together they faced powerful beasts, had terrible visions of their future, in which both learned of how their friendship would come to an end in a most hideous way. Both survived their trial, but they had become different people, and the worst was yet to come. Darkspear Isle was under attack!
“But Vol’jin lost his isle to Murlocs!”
Let’s talk about this. Vol’jin was a teenager, struggling to remember information he gathered in first home, recently empowered with abilities he was not familiar with, freshly thrown into his village cast down into chaos, where strange new beings he recognized from visions he had seemed to struggle along his own kind.
It had been months since his and Zalazane’s departure to first home. There is NOTHING he could have possibly done to stop this Naga and Murloc uprising.
The strange new beings were the Orcs led by Thrall, on their way to Kalindor. While he escaped the attack, Sen’jin did not, but the dying troll leader wished that the Orc would help save his people. And so, having found their new troll allies, all escaped together to Kalimdor, the Darkspear now led by Sen’jin’s young son.
“How is it possible that Vol’jin took so long to release the Echo isles from Zalazane?”
Honestly this one hurts to see everytime, because an important factor seems to always be cast aside. It seems like people are not aware, at all, of Zalazane’s true power.
People tend to make it look like a measly novice expelled an entire tribe away from their land. Zalazane was no Lich King but he was non the less an incredible threat. Trolls bear knowledge unknown to most races of the planet, they are masters of dark magics, empowered by powerful Gods. Many Trolls have even been able to transcend death itself.
There are great examples:
Zanzil could revive the dead with ease. Indeed the “New” Zul’gurub would have been nothing without him.
Jin’do. Aah, the Godbreaker! A Troll so powerful he could bend the Blood God Hakkar to his will.
Gara’jal, the Spiritbinder, This Zandalari lived on as a spirit after his defeat in Mogu’shan Vaults, only to empower every Troll leader in the throne of thunder through posession.
Hex Lord Malacrass. This powerful Amani Troll, allied with Zul’jin, imprisoned the spirits of powerful Loa into four carefully picked Amani warriors, giving them incredible power.
There is absolutely no reason to believe Zalazane was not an incredible force to be reckoned with. Had his story been more developed we would have known more about the overwhelming nature of his powers. Mind control, necromancy, the ability to make himself immune to attacks are merely a few of his powers.
The fact it took a Loa to defeat him does not prove Vol’jin’s weakness. It proves Zalazane’s actual strength.
And let us not forget Bwonsamdi only helped Vol’jin and his tribe because they were worthy. To convince a powerful death god to aid you in battle is not a small feat.
The rest of the Horde was also involved in the retaking of the isles. Well, against this sort of menace to a race BELONGING to the Horde, my only question is Why WOULDN’T the Horde help.
Around this time so did the mysterious troll shape shifters reveal themselves further into the world. Zen’tabra saw a leader worth following in Vol’jin. It had come at last the time to retake their home.
It took a while, it was no simple foe, Vol’jin needed time, to assemble troups, to make a strategy that would bring victory.
If you take a time to think about Zalazane’s actual level of threat, you will easily realize this was never meant to be a one run win.
“What has Vol’jin done since he joined the Horde?”
As many are aware, Vol’jin used to be close to Thrall in Orgrimmar. It is impossible to think he has done nothing for the Horde. Cunning as he was, he’d be present whenever Thrall needed advice, regularly displaying his tactical prowess.
While it is not present in the game, there must be countless Horde operations in which he was involved. One example that does exist is the retaking of Undercity after the events at the Wrath gate, as you can even read in the WoW website:
“Vol'jin became one of the warchief's most trusted advisors. Vol'jin collaborated with Thrall to resolve crisis after crisis: he stabilized the Undercity after a coup orchestrated by Grand Apothecary Putress and the dreadlord Varimathras, and ousted the witch doctor Zalazane from the Echo Isles, the home of the Darkspear trolls.”
Vol’jin’s devotion to the Horde cannot even be questioned, many horde victories were achieved thanks to his wisdom, and heroic actions are not always measured by the amount of skulls you crack in a battlefield.
After the cataclysm he helped dismantle the Zandalari operations in Zul’Aman and Zul’gurub, having gone personally to solve the problem.
Seeing that the Darkspear had been left out of the Pandaren campaign, Vol’jin thought it would be wise to sail to the new continent to see what Garrosh’s recent erratic actions were taking him, for his increasing violence could cause issues between the Pandaren and the Horde. It is very likely the locals would not appreciate his actions.
Everything he has done, he did thinking about the Horde’s best interests. For more than once he received the oportunity to join forces with the Zandalari, and every time he turned them down. Notice that in “Shadows of the Horde” He thinks about how attractive such an offer would be considering the attempt to have him killed, but he never thinks about accepting it. There is a difference.
He is guilty of threatening Garrosh, altough, it was the orc who first was disrespectful to him, saying he took no part in the Northrend campaign, when many good Troll soldiers were involved in the struggle, when many fought within the Kor’kron ranks, and completely dismissed the threat represented by Zalazane, showing how low the ever loyal Darkspear tribe was in his consideration.
While this does not fully justify Vol’jin’s action, it is the only time you can consider Vol’jin acted close to how Garrosh would, and he does admit he was far too rash, for he let his temper get the best of him. It was a bad moment, and he does recognize it was not the most correct action.
“But he contacted the Alliance more than once.”
He did contact the alliance during the rise of the Zandalari. It was never out of immediate need, it was about warning people about a common threat. It is merely a honorable action. With the awareness and counter attack from both factions, the threat was even more easily contained. This is not even in question, for the good and the bad, both factions always end up joining forces against a common enemy.
He contacted the Alliance again during Escalation. While some believe it was only a cry for help, it was not an actual “Vol’jin kissed King Varian’s boots until he agreed.” Garrosh’s threat had become real and personal to the Alliance too, and both sides believed this cooperation would be particularly uncomfortable based on recent events. Garrosh architectured the fall of Theramore, planned to conquer Kalimdor for the Horde, nearly caused the death of prince Anduin, held Theramore survivors captive, forcing them to fight under the threat their children would be slaughtered if they did not.
I can agree Garrosh did have moments of glory, and personally I did appreciate some of his actions as Warchief, but anything of the above trancends comprehension. Any reasonable person can see it. Trying to justify any of this because you like the character is not even reasonable. For as much as I appreciate Vol’jin I would definitely be highly disappointed and unable to defend such actions should he do something similar.
“What did Vol’jin do during the Siege?”
First of all he managed to bring the races together, working in sync, more than Garrosh had managed so far. To be a great leader is not merely measured by the conquests achieved, but also by the respect you have towards those who follow you and viceversa. Vol’jin’s horde promotes equality of the races. None is better or more important than the other. The Horde is a family.
As you can imagine there is a ton of backstage actions. Operations have been carefully planned, not only by Vol’jin but by other leaders as well.
The rebellion’s full force was not available by the time Sen’jin village and Razor Hill were taken. It was the first success.
Later on, despite people believing Vol’jin failed to hold the front at the gates of Orgrimmar, despite the heavy casualties, it was ultimately a success, as it succeed in holding the “True” Horde enough time so that the ship forces could make landfall and successfully take the shore.
Inside the Underhold it is questioned why Vol’jin did not follow the forces further in. The answer is he went back to the surface to ensure the chaotic battle still going on in the city would be contained. Just because it is not seen, does not erase its’ existence and effort. It would be highly unwise to think the only way Vol’jin’s actions would have been great was if he had stormed the city on his own slaying one hundred orcs with every single swing of his glaive.
“And what has he done in WoD?”
While not active in the events in Draenor, it is ridiculous to think Vol’jin is comfotable sitting in Grommash Hold having a cuppa tea.
His actions right now are not based on action in a battlefront, but there is a heavy battle still going on in Orgrimmar. The Siege has brought ruin, and the city is devastated. There is rebuilding to be made, probably a huge lack of funds to do so thanks to all the gold drained to support much of Garrosh’s war machines. There is still a long way to go for Warchief Vol’jin and the other leaders left to pick up the pieces.
This, to not mention Vol’jin was until a certain point, much like King Varian, most certainly unaware of everything going on in Draenor, for there was little to no contact.
Some extras!
The Vol'jin's pride manabomb
I think this is an argument that will hardly go anywhere. There is no mention of the use of such weapon, for all we believe it could simply be an object used to decoration, a bit like there's skulls and spikes all over the game, when in doubt, put a skull! When in doubt, put a mini manabomb filler model! Though it is a pretty unique model it might not even be one, who knows, seeing as Thalen Songweaver was contacted in Warcrimes, assuming it is a real mana bomb it could have even been snatched from some Iron Horde engineers in their attempt to replicate them! Everything is mere speculation at this point! So going on with a full "Vol'jin is just like Garrosh, he has mana bombs!" seems like a poor argument.
Ashran: A story of paranoia
Well, by this time it is highly unlikely many of the PvP related events are even Lore relevant anymore. The Horde and Alliance have agreed to sease the aggressions. To bring another just immediately after is ridiculous. It is most about keeping a factor in game that justifies the faction conflicts in new areas in a game where it is gradually becoming less and less relevant.
Shipyard missions
Horde attacks Draenei, Alliance attacks Frostwolves. This is again another excuse for game mechanics and just, I don't know, having something more to do around it. Tanaan jungle seems to disprove everything considering in the Iron front, both Alliance, Horde and their allies are merely focused on fighting the Fel Iron Horde together. I honestly do not see how these missions make any sense to begin with.
Okay I think this is pretty much the greatest questions answered for now! Thanks for reading!
May our new Warchief start a new era of prosperity for our beloved Horde. May his power and wisdom guide us to a great future!
For the Horde!