[Spoilers!] Illidan Novel

[The Prince]

Light is a form of power, something Illidan will take in any form should he have the opportunity. If he is offered a big Naaru buff, he would take it in a heartbeat.

Yes, that's definitive in his character to do such a thing.

Hopefully reality won't turn out like what the vision described (I'm hoping it's meant as something more symbolic than literal), the "holy halo" detail is a tad bit too much, imo.

[Aucald]

Light is a form of power, something Illidan will take in any form should he have the opportunity. If he is offered a big Naaru buff, he would take it in a heartbeat.

Light-based energy is typically painful to users of Fel energy, something Illidan himself braces for when the elder naaru reaches out to touch him with its power. He also knows, following the prophecy, that becoming a "champion of the Light" is going to involve a hefty price on his part - a price that he may opt not to pay when and if it ever comes due.

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"Anti-hero" is a grey area, and Illidan went way past that grey area with the spells cast using souls, warping orcs into even worse monstrosities, ripping the soul out of Akama to keep him under control, his little "many go in, few come out" demon hunter training programme, as the saying goes: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions", and Illidan raced down that road and passed "anti hero"-town ages ago...

Only a matter of scale, really. What are a few souls or lives consumed, and the imprisonment of a single Broken's soul, next to stopping the entire multiverse of Warcraft from being annihilated by the Burning Legion? Accord to Illidan only Illidan and his Illidari Demon Hunters actually know the full breadth and scope of the Legion's agenda - so he and his Demon Hunters are the only individuals in-universe who can truly put his actions in their proper context.

[Zulkhan]

The book takes great pains to show that he did not succumb to becoming fully demonic after consuming the Skull of Gul'dan, but it did make him into a seriously cruel bastard.

Well, that's definitely better of the previous assumption "Illidan retained much of his personality despite the demonic transformation 'cuz he's a special snowflake". Retaining good chunks of his personality and morals because he controlled himself and didn't become fully demonic makes much more sense.

[Selastan]

Light-based energy is typically painful to users of Fel energy, something Illidan himself braces for when the elder naaru reaches out to touch him with its power. He also knows, following the prophecy, that becoming a "champion of the Light" is going to involve a hefty price on his part - a price that he may opt not to pay when and if it ever comes due.

I think that price was his death in Black Temple. As for the pain of using Light, well it can't be more painful than what he and his other demon hunters already went through. Like spilling hot tea on your lap while you're already on fire.

[Deleted]

"Anti-hero" is a grey area, and Illidan went way past that grey area with the spells cast using souls, warping orcs into even worse monstrosities, ripping the soul out of Akama to keep him under control, his little "many go in, few come out" demon hunter training programme, as the saying goes: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions", and Illidan raced down that road and passed "anti hero"-town ages ago...

Considering that his enemy is infinite, that already destroyed several Azeroth, and Illidan has that vision present on his mind all the time, it is actually very soft. Heck, he could strap a mana bomb on every single inhabitant of Outland and send them through the portals as kamikaze bombers and wouldn't still be enough.

This makes me wonder how the hell are we going to stop the Legion once and for all...

Well, that's definitely better of the previous assumption "Illidan retained much of his personality despite the demonic transformation 'cuz he's a special snowflake". Retaining good chunks of his personality and morals because he controlled himself and didn't become fully demonic makes much more sense.

Or the "he went insane after being defeated by Arthas and bunkered down in Outland afraid of Kil'jaeden". Illidan is a complete pragmatic powermonger bastard, thankfully for the good of Azeroth he is obsessed with the destruction of the Legion.

Ironically, the book reworked masterfully Illidan into Gul'dan 2.0 and it makes absolute sense.

[Deleted]

So Illidan is kerrigan basically.

[Deleted]

So Illidan is kerrigan basically.

Basically no. Kerrigan was a tool all the way. Illidan crafted his own path and made his own decisions.

[Enthralled]

So Illidan is kerrigan basically.

So basically we're doomed to go over this ad infinitum because people can't be arsed to go back a few pages and read what's already been discussed.

[Deleted]

He was able to rally a small number of Eredar-now-Draenei thanks to his prophetic abilities and that feeling that he knew most than any other, so those few lost souls indeed flocked around him. But the very first moment in which he proved to be clueless like any other (as occurred in AU Draenor) the Sargerei problem exploded.

Not exactly.

The "number" is a complete mistake of the author. Blizzard doesn't care to inform anyone with population numbers, so... They were far more than that, and surely not small.

The Sargerei was a small secret society of infiltrators and renegades which long predates the arrival of Garrosh, nothing to do with Velen's failing prophecies. Sargerei just love "power," foremost, for a variety of reasons and they don't care at all about morals nor anything else. A bunch of psychopath.

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The novel anyway is a bad attempt to "reedem" Illidan, depicting his monstrous actions as excusable for "the greater good". He's a evil jerk, nonethless. At least before he was coherent with himself.

[Qualia]

The novel anyway is a bad attempt to "reedem" Illidan, depicting his monstrous actions as excusable for "the greater good". He's a evil jerk, nonethless. At least before he was coherent with himself.

Even in RoC, then TFT, he wasn't entirely evil. It's true that he was a self-centered power-hungry, but he wasn't evil per se. In fact, in both RoC and TFT, Malfurion was portrayed quite a bit more unreasonable than Illidan was. The WoTA triology gave us some insight in Illidan's thought during the first war with the Legion and further established his role as an anti-hero. Hence, I'm not too sure how you find him "an evil jerk" other than your own flawed impression of him. At least until TBC, he hasn't done anything bad for an evil purpose - in fact, if he wasn't hindered, his actions would've turned out well for us.

TBC story was weird and when people questioned it, even Blizzard admitted that and used the "Illidan-went-mad-after-his-fight-with-Arthas" excuse to explain all the questionable events so I hope you don't find that "coherent with himself".

[Deleted]

Even in RoC, then TFT, he wasn't entirely evil. It's true that he was a self-centered power-hungry, but he wasn't evil per se. In fact, in both RoC and TFT, Malfurion was portrayed quite a bit more unreasonable than Illidan was. The WoTA triology gave us some insight in Illidan's thought during the first war with the Legion and further established his role as an anti-hero. Hence, I'm not too sure how you find him "an evil jerk" other than your own flawed impression of him. At least until TBC, he hasn't done anything bad for an evil purpose - in fact, if he wasn't hindered, his actions would've turned out well for us.

TBC story was weird and when people questioned it, even Blizzard admitted that and used the "Illidan-went-mad-after-his-fight-with-Arthas" excuse to explain all the questionable events so I hope you don't find that "coherent with himself".

And this is merely your own flawed impression of him since i'm talking about TBC and about this novel, directly related with it. The "went-mad-thing" is pathetic, yes. Basically his evilness - plenty of it - and hardly prone to "turn good for us" should have had another explaination. Point is the his char, in TBC, has a decent evolution (evil jerk from being an Anti-hero, explainable with a simple reasoning: he suffered demonic taint) which has also a bad outcome. In TBC his true intentions have been made clear: fighting the Legion with unacceptable methods. No wonder he has been attacked.

That said his redemption, in this novel, is hastily forced on him as well the "madness after the battle against Arthas".

[Kallisto]

The novel anyway is a bad attempt to "reedem" Illidan, depicting his monstrous actions as excusable for "the greater good". He's a evil jerk, nonethless. At least before he was coherent with himself.

Thing is when it comes to defeating the legion the most evil acts ARE Justified. Even if it means a few unfortunate souls have to be destroyed to do so. The needs of the universe outweighs the needs of a few redshirt souls.

[Combatbutler]

Thing is when it comes to defeating the legion the most evil acts ARE Justified. Even if it means a few unfortunate souls have to be destroyed to do so. The needs of the universe outweighs the needs of a few redshirt souls.

Ideed Tirion comes to mind, who was willing to let the world perish because he would not abandon honoarble warfare no matter what and even if they failed the scourge would remember they fought with honor that day.

He was right of course if he had failed the Lich King would have remembered and laughed at tirion until the end of Azeroth.

[Deleted]

Thing is when it comes to defeating the legion the most evil acts ARE Justified. Even if it means a few unfortunate souls have to be destroyed to do so. The needs of the universe outweighs the needs of a few redshirt souls.

The most evil acts aren't justified since there's always another method as it is fully explained in the same novel we are talking about. Not sure about "destruction of the soul", gladly.

According to this logic even Sargeras is plenty justified.

[Qualia]

And this is merely your own flawed impression of him since i'm talking about TBC and about this novel, directly related with it. The "went-mad-thing" is pathetic, yes.

But then, if you aren't talking about original WC3 (RoC / TFT), how can you judge him based on the descriptions of his actions in TBC when Blizzard themselves said that he already went mad? Even assuming this book isn't around and all Illidan's actions in TBC were what they seemed to be - can we really call someone who is mad "evil"? The actions might be evil, but the one who did that in an insane state of mind isn't entirely at fault. A non compos mentis case, as the real life insanity defense goes.

[Deleted]

Enjoyed it a lot tbh. I like how King writes. Enjoyed his warhammer novels as well. x10 better than Knaak for sure.

[Combatbutler]

The most evil acts aren't justified since there's always another method as it is fully explained in the same novel we are talking about. Not sure about "destruction of the soul", gladly.

Considering the scale of the conflict and the potential lives at risk it is a rather small price to pay.

[Deleted]

But then, if you aren't talking about original WC3 (RoC / TFT), how can you judge him based on the descriptions of his actions in TBC when Blizzard themselves said that he already went mad? Even assuming this book isn't around and all Illidan's actions in TBC were what they seemed to be - can we really call someone who is mad "evil"? The actions might be evil, but the one who did that in an insane state of mind isn't entirely at fault. A non compos mentis case, as the real life insanity defense goes.

Explained in other words. I like Illidan the way he has been presented in TBC from the anti-hero he was, which is also likable. That said i agree that the reason for such change is indeed stupid and it's plenty appreciable he hasn't modified his goals, just even more extreme (doesn't mean i agree with him). Once again explainable for the simple reason he is, without questions, an half-demon.
Blizzard "seemingly" loves sudden changes rather than slow reasonable evolutions.

Showing him again as an anti-hero, at all costs, ruining his evolution rather then complete and explain it, it's a bad move.

[Deleted]

MASSIVE SPOILER Do not read unless you are absolutely sure!

Illidan: "So the universe anointed me to slay Kil'jaeden."
The oldest naaru in universes: "No. Your enemy is far greater than Kil'jaeden. Greater even than Sargeras and his Burning Legion."

[DemonHunter18]

The most evil acts aren't justified since there's always another method as it is fully explained in the same novel we are talking about. Not sure about "destruction of the soul", gladly.

According to this logic even Sargeras is plenty justified.

tbh,we are more evil.we are literally waiting for Legion to come at us and when they come there are great loses.Illidan at least is doing a direct approach.

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Explained in other words. I like Illidan the way he has been presented in TBC from the anti-hero he was, which is also likable. That said i agree that the reason for such change is indeed stupid and it's plenty appreciable he hasn't modified his goals, just even more extreme (doesn't mean i agree with him). Once again explainable for the simple reason he is, without questions, an half-demon.
Blizzard "seemingly" loves sudden changes rather than slow reasonable evolutions.

Showing him again as an anti-hero, at all costs, ruining his evolution rather then complete and explain it, it's a bad move.

presentation in TBC was....not a presentation.