Wolfheart: Major spoilers (read at your own risk 2.0)

[Zaelsino]

Original thread found here, though you'll have to sift through the usual faction wank to find the good stuff. I'll outline the major points and interesting details here. Same story as with Thrall - people have received their copies by now, and since there was no NDA, things are starting to circulate.

Massive spoilers aplenty. You were warned:

- Garrosh has some big ambitions. He plans to create a new city to rival Orgrimmar in Ashenvale, and launches a large-scale invasion to make this happen. He's acquired some sort of special weapon to turn the tide here. The "weapon" in question is actually proto-drakes and magnataurs from Northrend, and Garrosh has shipped them to Ashenvale.

- I'll come out and say it: Garrosh is handled quite well, from what I've seen. He comes off as somewhat antagonistic, naturally, but he's portrayed as both cunning and quite competent.

- Varian doesn't like the Gilneans. He spits at Genn Greymane's feet, and is the only Alliance leader to deny them entry into it. He blames Genn for sealing off his nation, reasoning that Lordaeron may not have fallen and the Horde could've been nipped in the bud, if egotistical pricks like him and Anasterian hadn't abandoned the Alliance of Lordaeron. Varian is almost attacked by a worgen for this, though Genn calls them off. Varian (rightfully) mocks an apologetic Greymane relentlessly, despite all of the other Alliance leaders vouching for him.

- Malfurion feels responsible for the worgen curse, looking back to that Ralaar stuff covered in some comic that I didn't read. This is why he feels obligated to give them a home.

- There are male sentinels now.

- The Alliance leaders meet in Darnassus: Varian, Genn, Tyrande, Malfurion, Archmage Tervosh from Theramore, Falstad and two random dwarves from the Dark Iron/Wildhammer clans, Gelbin, and Velen. Apparently that night elf called Pained in Theramore got smashed up fighting a "dark magi," and Gelbin nearly kills one of the dwarves in his mechanostrider.

- Malfurion tries to talk some sense into Varian, though fails to get through to him.

- All of the Watchers were killed during Maiev's hunt for Illidan, and Maiev herself came back to live in Teldrassil, despite some harsh arguments with Tyrande. She's training a new generation of Watchers now.

- Anduin and Varian's relationship is as rocky as ever. Varian almost breaks Anduin's arms after a ragefit, though slinks off afterwards. Velen takes Anduin under his wing for a while - and also hints that Anduin has a great destiny ahead of him with the light. A nod to him being a priest, I took it.

- Anduin makes reference to feeling "something not quite right" about Archbishop Benedictus. You should know why.

- Jarod Shadowsong is a major player. Turns out he disappeared after the WotA, citing Malfurion's interests being more in helping nature than his own people. He got married around this time, to a (now deceased) priestess called Shalasyr Shadowsong. There's a slightly awkward reunion between him and a somewhat jealous Shandris, who reflects on how different their roads have been.

- Maiev is... alright, fuck it, I'll tell you: Maiev is a villain now. You know that murdered highborne mentioned in the preview? Maiev is the one hired to solve the mystery... but, of course, it turns out Maiev is the killer. She's plotting to kill Malfurion and take the night elves out of the Alliance, viewing the other races as a pestilential blight infecting their people. She fails, though, and escapes death towards the end. Possible raid boss in the future, sadly... What a waste.

One of her Watchers, to Jarod: "Figured it out, did you? You are not just pretty but smart too! Your sister is going to cleanse our people of all their taint! No Highborne, no mutts, no humans...no Alliance! We need nothing from them, and all they do is bring their foul ways to us!"

I'd have worded that a little differently, but hey...

- The Watchers have a bit of a superiority complex, though without Maiev is seems the loyal ones need a new leader.

- Needless to say, Jarod confronts Maiev and frees Malfurion; they fight for a bit, and then Maiev escapes.

- The Horde zerg Silverwing Refuge. Garrosh has some fun, cutting down Alliance here and there. He has some inner thoughts about how they fought well and honourably, deserved the clean death that Gorehowl gave them, etc. He goes on to think about Grom, about how Thrall and his father will respect him as a hero after he's conquered Azeroth, about how he's the future, and all that.

- Garrosh had planned that attack with a goal in mind - to lure out Tyrande. He's right, and Tyrande personally shows up to fight off the Horde. Though, the Horde release the magnataur who in turn rush the Alliance, and Tyrande herself is shot twice with arrows. One of her commanders signals a retreat. Here's his thought process:

"Ashenvale falls!" Garrosh Hellscream thought with growing anticipation. "Ashenvale falls, Father!"

Garrosh wondered how his father would have viewed this victory. Would he have been proud? Even eight magnataur had proven enough to easily crush the decadent Alliance. They had been all he needed to tilt the balance once and for all.

"This land will help us grow," he thought, as he surged forward with the rest of his loyal force. A Sentinel caught behind the collapse of her linessought to bring more glory to her doom by suddenly leaping up from the dead to attack him. She proved to be a decent adversary, briefly stalling his advance, and so when Gorehowl ripped through both her breastplate and her torso, he wished her spirit well in the afterlife.

This would be a battle of which the young would be taught forever. Every family would have heroes to name in the festivals that would come after the war's triumphant end.

Even the legendary Thrall, Garrosh's predecessor---even Thrall, who had been reluctant to renew the struggle for Azeroth---would surely call Garrosh the champion of the orc race and of all the Horde.

"Ashenvale is ours...and the rest of Azseroth will follow...There is nothing more mighty than the Horde...nothing that the Alliance can do to change what fate demands of this new world..."

One had to be strong in the Azeroth that Deathwing had created. The Alliance had once been so, but it was of the past. The Horde was the future.

Garrosh was the future.

He almost pitied the night elves and their ilk. They fought bravely but without a chance. They acted as if there were hope, when it was obvious that there was not. Garrosh had used the very summit intended to bring his enemies together in order to catch them most off guard. The other factions of the Alliance had provided the night elf force with the handful of supporters that he had calculated. By the time Theramore and the others were able to send greater numbers, the Horde would have Ashenvale secured.

- Varian and Genn make up. After killing some bear with only a skinning knife, they give each other some veiled compliments. Genn then shows Varian the Tal'Doren ritual (the one where worgen regain their humanity), and Varian undertakes it. He comes to realize that "loss" is his biggest issue, and that having lost so much, he simply could not bear to lose much more. Genn also reflects on the sentiment. The two rush the Horde's flank, and down some of the magnataur together.

- Garrosh and Varian duel. They're evenly matched at first, though "something" clicks inside of Varian, to the point where he gains complete and total focus on Garrosh alone, despite all of the slaughter around them. He charges him, and cuts his way through all of the Horde that come at him, and "somehow" (bear with me, this gets dragonballzish) manages to completely fight Garrosh off despite not quite understanding how. Varian then takes the advantage, striking Garrosh's arm and disarming Gorehowl. Some dying magnataur collapses between them, and Garrosh composes himself to rush Varian once more. As he moves, though, some Kor'kron convince him to stop - the fight is lost either way. Garrosh grudgingly sounds the retreat, and swears to kill Varian as the first step to realizing his dream. Varian proclaims the victory, retracts his hatred for Gilneas, and vows to stand against the Horde/Twilight Cult/Deathwing et al.

- There's still some nonsense about Varian's relationship with that wolf god, though our gentle readers have been somewhat coy about spilling the beans on that. Either way, it seems like it's more in the vein of "influence" than "possession," but it still comes off as contrived.

That's the general outline. I'll add any other interesting points, though you can look through the thread I linked for anything I've missed.

[Pebrocks The Warlock]

I need moar before I can give any thoughts.

[Nesingwary-Eliada]

That Maiev thing is VERY lame...

Actually a lot of that sounds kinda lame lol. All just sounds kinda... I dunno, weak?

EDIT: Though getting a closer look into Garrosh's head, whether you like it or not, could be inetersting but even parts of that seem off. I mean I find it kinda of weak Garrosh would even remotely think Thrall would praise what he's striving for.

[Pebrocks The Warlock]

That Maiev thing is VERY lame...

Actually a lot of that sounds kinda lame lol. All just sounds kinda... I dunno, weak?

Maiev was always batshit crazy. Even in WC3 with her "hunt".

[Deleted]

- Maiev is... alright, fuck it, I'll tell you: Maiev is a villain now. You know that murdered highborne mentioned in the preview? Maiev is the one hired to solve the mystery... but, of course, it turns out Maiev is the killer. She's plotting to kill Malfurion and take the night elves out of the Alliance, viewing the other races are a pestilential blight infecting their people. She fails, though, and escapes death towards the end. Possible raid boss in the future, sadly... What a waste.

god damn it knaak.. why...

some nice spoilers anyway, especially the garrosh and varian fight ^^

[Vukey]

Varian wanted to break Anduin's arms? o.O

[Phenomina]

Maiev is... alright, fuck it, I'll tell you: Maiev is a villain now.

Dissapointing.

Looks like I'll be cheering for one villian now.

I look forward to reading the fight between Garrosh and Varian, can't wait for Varian to kill him in the future.... however I suspect Thrall will be the one to return to the Horde and kill Garrosh

[Asur]

I really hope she says evil in book canon and doesn't make an appearance in game, I think it be a stupid boss to put in just for the sake of HEY GUIZ, I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE HER, KILL LAND GET PERPS NOW LOLOLOLOL

[orcshaman24]

It seems Garrosh's delusions of grandeur has become part of his character. He actully now thinks Thrall would want this what he's doing. He's set on now looking to conquer the world like a true tyrent.
Seems Garrosh is setup for a major fall, just like I hoped.

As I've said before, Garrosh is basicly there means to raising Grom from the grave.

[Deleted]

Sounds quite decent, up to the point where Varian super saiyan and Genn defeat a Horde army while Tyrande and a Nelf army failed.

[Tarazai]

Sounds like crap and like he's found a new mary sue. Nice to see he's still bashing tyrande's status down...

[orcshaman24]

Dissapointing.

Looks like I'll be cheering for one villian now.

I look forward to reading the fight between Garrosh and Varian, can't wait for Varian to kill him in the future.... however I suspect Thrall will be the one to return to the Horde and kill Garrosh

I'm glad people are seeing this now. Its obvious from that text alone, that Garrosh actully thinks he's doing something rightous. He's now a character on the same lines as Admiral proudmoore and Garithos, believeing in what they do to be rightous, but ultimately set themselves up for a major fall when they realise others don't follow there example.

[Bombkirby]

What do you mean Gelbin kills some one IN his mechanoc strider? How'd they get inside it? It's a giant mecha-chicken! It sounds really painful! XD

Pained? So Pained was just a random Nelf? And not some one in disguise? Eh oh well. That speculation was fun while it lasted....

Maybe Maiev might come back in the middle of a big fight and help turn the tide of battle because the thing we're fighting is something Maiev shares a common hatred for? Who says she neeeeeds to become a raid boss in the future? Just because some one runs off doesn't mean they HAVE to become a huge big-time villain.

[Sesto]

God, that varian part sounds really retarded. Super Sayian Varian FTL.

[Darkdruidelf]

Sounds like crap and like he's found a new mary sue. Nice to see he's still bashing tyrande's status down...

Yup, Im giving him 2 books before she gets kidnapped by bowser, I mean Garrosh, and has to be rescued by Mari-oh wait, I mean Malfurion because she cant fight because of her womanli-ness.

[Grizzly Willy]

It seems Garrosh's delusions of grandeur has become part of his character. He actully now thinks Thrall would want this what he's doing. He's set on now looking to conquer the world like a true tyrent.
Seems Garrosh is setup for a major fall, just like I hoped.

As I've said before, Garrosh is basicly there means to raising Grom from the grave.

Inclined to agree with you there. No way in hell is the Horde getting another Orgrimmar size city, and definitely not in a territory so close to the Alliance. There will be something that shuts him down.

[Lothaeryn]

It seems Garrosh and Varian(before the super saiyan thing) were the only two characters that actually had some decency about them in the writing, but why the fuck did he just kill off Maiev( because you KNOW we are gonna kill her now, dont lie to yourself) why take the only character that could have had a decent epilogue storyline after Illidan and make her another badguy? I hope that was an intended plot by Metzen and not Knaak's crappy M. Knight Shamalan plot twisting...

[orcshaman24]

What do you mean Gelbin kills some one IN his mechanoc strider? How'd they get inside it? It's a giant mecha-chicken! It sounds really painful! XD

Pained? So Pained was just a random Nelf? And not some one in disguise? Eh oh well. That speculation was fun while it lasted....

Maybe Maiev might come back in the middle of a big fight and help turn the tide of battle? Who says she neeeeeds to become a raid boss in the future?

Because dear... urm.. pink ball... Maiev has now set on trying to kill Malfurion and possesses a distain for the other alliance members, seeing them as scum. She's now set up as a badie, just like Staghelm was.

[Deleted]

And once again, another group of elves get supiriority complex. I mean come on. =(
As if Highborne, naga and high elves weren't enough, now the Watchers as well?

[Lothaeryn]

Inclined to agree with you there. No way in hell is the Horde getting another Orgrimmar size city, and definitely not in a territory so close to the Alliance. There will be something that shuts him down.

They already did, in the end they repelled the Horde invasion, Garrosh called the retreat, didnt he?