The nature of Light and Void (audio drama spoilers)

[Deleted]

"She saw the Light moving through the cosmos like a ravenous predator. She saw it touch the minds of Azeroth's mortals—a touch that corrupted them forever. She saw generations live and die in invisible chains, bound to a force that granted them fleeting moments of peace in exchange for absolute obedience.

She saw war. She saw the forces of the Light striking back against the Void. She saw darkened worlds burning in holy fire. She saw millions of creatures encased in luminous crystals the size of mountains, sustained by the Light and unable to die. Warriors of the Light were monsters, corrupting and consuming everything they touched."


Sure, Alleria is having a Shadow Vision, but it is close to truth. The Light and the Void aren't good nor evil, they are primal cosmic forces fighting each other and using every tool they can. For example, Xe'ra. We all know what she tried to do with Illidan, but she does the same to Turalyon and Alleria in the audio drama (although these two accepted with no problem). She lied to them about the future, showing a Stormwind-Quel'thalas Alliance, with a high elf Sylvanas.

So, Blizzard is clearly moving to "Babylon 5" look about the Light and the Void.

[KrakHed]

Sure, Alleria is having a Shadow Vision, but it is close to truth.

I don't think it's just close to the truth, it is the truth. Well, at least as the Void sees it. Those darkened worlds burning in holy fire and those crystals where millions of creatures are kept trapped and preserved by the Light? Those have probably happened before on multiple occasions. The Light and Void have been at war since before time began. The goal of Light to protect and preserve Life, and to combat darkness, may not always turn out as pretty as you'd like. Unless you think crystal mountains are pretty.

[ls-]

Well, that's a welcome change, obv it won't sit right w/ a certain crowd among roleplayers and lore fans, but it's kinda obvious that Blizz were going in this direction since Chronicles book release.

The goal of Light to protect and preserve Life, and to combat darkness, may not always turn out as pretty as you'd like. Unless you think crystal mountains are pretty.

Hm, I don't think so, IMHO, its goal is not to protect and preserve any life in universe, but is to simply become dominant force in the universe by having more followers, e.g., species, civilisations, etc aligned/infused w/ Light. And basically the same goes for Void, but Void has a bit harder time manifesting in physical universe

[Dagoth Ur]

She saw generations live and die in invisible chains, bound to a force that granted them fleeting moments of peace in exchange for absolute obedience.

This line perfectly describes why it's so hard to see the Light for what it is and why everybody think it's ultimate good in Void/Light conflict.
It just utilizes feelings/concepts that are far more desirable for mortals that basically "sway" that you want to unquestionably serve the Light if that makes sense xD.
If you wanna go philosophycal that can still be considered good for some people, which is how it should be.

Really glad they're going this way instead of shoving "Light is ultimate good" up to everybody's throats.

I choose neither Light nor Void!! Break the cycle!!!

[Keydiam]

Sure, Alleria is having a Shadow Vision

That's exactly the reason, why I don't put much weight into this. Obviously the void wants to portray the Light as the evil and vice versa. The fact still stands that, until now, there were no sane shadow users, while most of the Light users tended towards noble goals (Argent Crusade, Silver Hand). And no the shadow priests don't count. Natalie Seline, the founder of the Cult, searches for a balance between Light and Shadow, she simply prefers using the shadow in combat situations.

[Wilfire]

The Void pursues all possible paths and sees them as truth, the Light pursues only one path and ignores all others. The true path is shown only when the Light and the Void are combined.

The question is, who is the true enemy? That quote from the pre-expansion event, "and even the Shadow howls for the Light it once despised". What could be so bad that the Light and the Void unite?

[Schattenlied]

She lied to them about the future, showing a Stormwind-Quel'thalas Alliance, with a high elf Sylvanas.

No, she didn't... She showed them a vision of what was happening only a short time after the second war and the closing of the dark portal. Arator was still a very young child, the statues had only just been built outside Stormwind, Stormwind itself was only just being rebuilt. The third war had not happened yet and as such Stormwind and Quel'thalas were still very much allies, and Sylvanas was still very much alive.

[KrakHed]

Natalie Seline, the founder of the Cult, searches for a balance between Light and Shadow, she simply prefers the shadow in combat.

You're misunderstanding the Cult. Even back in the RPG days, when the Cult of Forgotten Shadow was a Forsaken organization and literally unable to wield the Light, they still believed in balance. Alleria herself believes in the balance of Light and Shadow. However, the power she wields and focuses on is Void.

Natalie Seline is similar. She's a shadow priest through and through, but she believes in balance. Even Locus-Walker believes in balance if you listen to what he's saying. The world is both Light and Void.

- - - Updated - - -

The Void pursues all possible paths and sees them as truth, the Light pursues only one path and ignores all others. The true path is shown only when the Light and the Void are combined.

The question is, who is the true enemy? That quote from the pre-expansion event, "and even the Shadow howls for the Light it once despised". What could be so bad that the Light and the Void unite?

Well, who would have ever thought that the truth could be found between the way things should and all the ways they could be?

[Deleted]

That's exactly the reason, why I don't put much weight into this. Obviously the void wants to portray the Light as the evil and vice versa. The fact still stands that, until now, there were no sane shadow users, while most of the Light users tended towards noble goals (Argent Crusade, Silver Hand). And no the shadow priests don't count. Natalie Seline, the founder of the Cult, searches for a balance between Light and Shadow, she simply prefers using the shadow in combat situations.

And yet, it's not wrong. The first phrase is the perfect description of Xe'ra, she chains mortals with lies and/or force them and expects absolute obedience.

[Schattenlied]

The Void pursues all possible paths and sees them as truth, the Light pursues only one path and ignores all others. The true path is shown only when the Light and the Void are combined.

The question is, who is the true enemy? That quote from the pre-expansion event, "and even the Shadow howls for the Light it once despised". What could be so bad that the Light and the Void unite?

I believe that might be more of a realization that the Shadow cannot exist without the Light, shadows do not exist unless there is a source of light for them to be cast from... While the shadow may hate the Light now, if it ever realizes it needs the light to even exist it will want it around.

[Deleted]

No, she didn't... She showed them a vision of what was happening only a short time after the second war and the closing of the dark portal. Arator was still a very young child, the statues had only just been built outside Stormwind, Stormwind itself was only just being rebuilt. The third war had not happened yet and as such Stormwind and Quel'thalas were still very much allies, and Sylvanas was still very much alive.

Which is a lie. Xe'ra convinced them with wrong future (not vision), passing it as an absolute true.

"Images filled her mind. Not a vision—no, this was not a glimpse of what had happened or what might happen. This was happening right now. She was sure of it.

Alleria gazed upon a city, half-built, the rubble of wars past not entirely cleared away. Stormwind. It had to be Stormwind. The humans had begun to rebuild it. It was a bright, sunny day, and the path to the city walls was filled with throngs of people, soldiers and
civilians and nobility. Standing before them was a number of dignitaries. She saw banners from Stormwind, Lordaeron… and Quel'Thalas. In front of that banner was her sister Sylvanas.

Alleria's heart soared. Most of the Windrunner lineage had died when the Horde invaded. Sylvanas was one of the few who hadn't. She still bore the insignia of a leader. Ranger General of Silvermoon. Pride beat in Alleria's soul like a drum."

[Schattenlied]

no, it wasn't a lie, the third war had not happened yet, that point of time literally had not come yet... X'era was not showing her a vision of the future, she was showing her a vision of Azeroth's present time during that part of the story, and that present time was between the second and third wars. It was not a lie, it was not a vision of the future, it was a vision of the present. X'era just wanted Alleria to be able to see her son.

[zlygork]

I am keenly awaiting the light is bad expansion pack

[Schattenlied]

Which is a lie. Xe'ra convinced them with wrong future (not vision), passing it as an absolute true.

"Images filled her mind. Not a vision—no, this was not a glimpse of what had happened or what might happen. This was happening right now. She was sure of it.

Alleria gazed upon a city, half-built, the rubble of wars past not entirely cleared away. Stormwind. It had to be Stormwind. The humans had begun to rebuild it. It was a bright, sunny day, and the path to the city walls was filled with throngs of people, soldiers and
civilians and nobility. Standing before them was a number of dignitaries. She saw banners from Stormwind, Lordaeron… and Quel'Thalas. In front of that banner was her sister Sylvanas.

Alleria's heart soared. Most of the Windrunner lineage had died when the Horde invaded. Sylvanas was one of the few who hadn't. She still bore the insignia of a leader. Ranger General of Silvermoon. Pride beat in Alleria's soul like a drum."

yes, you said it yourself in the underlined part, "this was NOT a glimpse of what had happened or what might happen. This was happening RIGHT NOW." It was not the future, it was the present, and the present was a time before the third war.

[Deleted]

no, it wasn't a lie, the third war had not happened yet, that point of time literally had not come yet... X'era was not showing her a vision of the future, she was showing her a vision of Azeroth's present time, and that present time was between the second and third wars.

Except it shows an older kid Arator in Stormwind to Alleria. Something completely impossible if time is slower in the Nether.

Therefore, even being present time, Stormwind was already rebuilt by the time of Beyond the Dark Portal, so it doesn't fit.

EDIT: I was wrong about the Arator part.

[Combatbutler]

Except it shows an older kid Arator in Stormwind to Alleria. Something completely impossible if time is slower in the Nether and for the simple fact that Arator was stuck on Draenor at the time.

Arator was born on Azeroth and remained there, she even remembers leaving him behind before going of to wage war. That specific vision doesn't seem to be a lie, but it was used to coax her along the path, though that x'era never showed them anything afterwards is quite telling, since everything on Azeroth went to hell.

[KrakHed]

I am keenly awaiting the light is bad expansion pack

Right now, I'm getting a sort of comicbook vibe from this. Xal'atath's comments about what came before the Draenei will probably turn out to be extremely relevant. There has to be a reason why the Burning Legion believes it's already defeated the Light, and its presence has probably prevented the Light from becoming a major power once again. With the Legion gone, the powers of the Light may begin to revive earlier iterations of the Army of the Light. Ones who would bathe darkened worlds in holy fire and freeze their inhabitants in crystals.

[Schattenlied]

Except it shows an older kid Arator in Stormwind to Alleria. Something completely impossible if time is slower in the Nether and for the simple fact that Arator was stuck on Draenor at the time.

Therefore, even being present time (Stormwind was already rebuilt by the time of Beyond the Dark Portal, so it doesn't fit), Arator couldn't be there.

Arator was born on and lived on Azeroth until the events of the Burning Crusade expansion. Arator was also very, very specifically described as "a little boy"... It took place between the third and second wars.

It was not a lie.

[Maljinwo]

All I can say is that I'll never trust a Paladin or Priest ever again.
I'll stick to my Arcane magic

[Deleted]

Arator was born on and lived on Azeroth until the events of the Burning Crusade expansion. Arator was also very, very specifically described as "a little boy"... It took place between the third and second wars.

It was not a lie.

Yeah, I was wrong about Arator, but Stormwind was already fully repaired by the time of Beyond the Dark Portal.