Varian or Garrosh, whose Storyline Ended Better?

[RoKPaNda]

Varian's ended better, but Garrosh had the better overall story.

[Deleted]

Garbosh was a villain and he received a villain's end. Varian was a hero and died a hero.

Garbosh's death was an execution, not a duel, he never stood a chance against Thrall. It was Thrall that tried to fight the duel on Garrosh's terms, like a pure warrior, and give Garrosh a fighting chance. But Thrall couldn't best Garrosh with pure martial arts, so he had no choice but to use his full power and execute Garrosh.

[frogger237]

Garrosh's ending was about Thrall realizing he fucked up and "correcting" his mistake which ultimately leads him to losing his faith in himself and losing the elements.


Varian's ending was about a king who eventually realizes the Horde and Alliance conflict needs to stop and whose death ultimately reignites the conflict, basically making his death a waste.

As Garrosh's death actually grows the story, while Varian's is used to continue the H vs A for the sake of pvp and at the cost of good storytelling, Garrosh's storyline ended better.

[Deleted]

Garrosh' story isn't finished, he needs to get ressed. Blizzard has admitted that Garrosh' character was only meant to bring depth to Thrall's storyline. So he's not given the recognition he deserves.

Varian's storyline is very much finished though.

[Deleted]

Garrosh had the worst ending ever.
They ruined him in the last patches of MoP.

In Cata he was a true warchief the best we had since Thrall got his green jezus vibe.

[Derpleton]

Garrosh's story was shit, the complete 180 in his personality between MoP and Cata really ruined it. Then to top off the shit sunday Garrosh died to Thrall and his plot armor which allowed him to straight up cheat in their duel. At least Varian died honorably, not that Garrosh was honorable but the story line should have been ended in a way which wasn't shit like having Grom kill him or the Legion or somebody other than cheating Green Jesus.

[Matthias]

Garrosh's story was shit, the complete 180 in his personality between MoP and Cata really ruined it. Then to top off the shit sunday Garrosh died to Thrall and his plot armor which allowed him to straight up cheat in their duel. At least Varian died honorably, not that Garrosh was honorable but the story line should have been ended in a way which wasn't shit like having Grom kill him or the Legion or somebody other than cheating Green Jesus.

I wouldn't say Garrosh did a 180, that's more of Jaina. Garrosh always wanted to wipe out the Alliance, at some point he just decided to disregard honor.

[Syegfryed]

is this even a fair question? the devs fucked up the Garrosh lore so badly, they turned him into a bizzare warmongering head of only orcs matter, but only the orcs i chose

and let thrall kill him, while Garrosh say all the truth about thrall and what happened, to thrall cheat in the mak'gora with the elements and say "lmao your fault bye"

they dont even had the decency to make thrall kill him wit the doomhammer

[Aleksej89]

One is a nazi with daddy+inferiority complex issues that betrayed everyone and killed children.

The other died defending the entire world from a massive demonic invasion, sacrificing his life so that his friends and family can escape.

I would not even consider garrosh a character worth mentioning.

[Derpleton]

I wouldn't say Garrosh did a 180, that's more of Jaina. Garrosh always wanted to wipe out the Alliance, at some point he just decided to disregard honor.

And the issue is that we never saw this "disregard for honor" transition. He just got up one day and said "Ima kill some innocents, that guy I dropped off a cliff in Stonetalon was right all along". Prior to this I actually really liked Garrosh's character, he was a strong Warchief of the Horde who was honorable but wanted to get the job done and destroy our enemies. The problem is that Blizzard decided he should become orc hitler.

[Matthias]

And the issue is that we never saw this "disregard for honor" transition. He just got up one day and said "Ima kill some innocents, that guy I dropped off a cliff in Stonetalon was right all along". Prior to this I actually really liked Garrosh's character, he was a strong Warchief of the Horde who was honorable but wanted to get the job done and destroy our enemies. The problem is that Blizzard decided he should become orc hitler.

Garrosh held up the missive on the Broken Front. “Here you detail how one of your patrols prevented the Alliance from taking a strategic point against the Scourge.”

Blackscar broke into a wide grin. “That was a piece of work on their part! Is it not glorious?”

Garrosh looked at the report, then back to Blackscar. “No.”

Blackscar’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“An ambush on open troops waiting to fight is one thing. To attack a regiment already engaged in battle with another from behind? What would you do next?” Garrosh demanded. “Would you sneak into their camp and poison their water? Would you enslave one of their commanders with magic and force him to murder his troops while they sleep? Would you rain disease upon your enemies, like the Forsaken? Would you fight the way they do?”

Blackscar stuttered, at a loss for words.

“There is no combat but honorable combat, Blackscar.” Garrosh held up the report in front of his face and crumpled it in his hand. “This? This is coward’s work! I will not have cowards among my ranks!”

“Overlord,” Blackscar stammered, “if I have brought shame to our cause, I will leave my post.”

“Do you admit to being a coward? Again: I will not have cowards among my ranks. Prove that you are not one, Blackscar. Go back to Orgrim’s Hammer and lead your soldiers in a manner worthy of the Horde. Should you fail, it is not your resignation I will seek, but your head upon a pike. Now get out of my sight.”

Garrosh despite his squabbles with Saurfang took his words seriously, "Honor, No matter how dire the battle never forsake it!" Yea they never explain why he lost it. But like I said his seething contempt for the Alliance was always dumb to me regardless.
BTW I did that quest as Horde....felt so dirty doing it.

[Zulkhan]

Garrosh got the ending he deserved, which doesn't make it excellent but fitting nonetheless. Varian's demise is by default better for been way less bitter, devoid of shame and actually heroic.

- - - Updated - - -

Garrosh held up the missive on the Broken Front. “Here you detail how one of your patrols prevented the Alliance from taking a strategic point against the Scourge.”

Blackscar broke into a wide grin. “That was a piece of work on their part! Is it not glorious?”

Garrosh looked at the report, then back to Blackscar. “No.”

Blackscar’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“An ambush on open troops waiting to fight is one thing. To attack a regiment already engaged in battle with another from behind? What would you do next?” Garrosh demanded. “Would you sneak into their camp and poison their water? Would you enslave one of their commanders with magic and force him to murder his troops while they sleep? Would you rain disease upon your enemies, like the Forsaken? Would you fight the way they do?”

Blackscar stuttered, at a loss for words.

“There is no combat but honorable combat, Blackscar.” Garrosh held up the report in front of his face and crumpled it in his hand. “This? This is coward’s work! I will not have cowards among my ranks!”

“Overlord,” Blackscar stammered, “if I have brought shame to our cause, I will leave my post.”

“Do you admit to being a coward? Again: I will not have cowards among my ranks. Prove that you are not one, Blackscar. Go back to Orgrim’s Hammer and lead your soldiers in a manner worthy of the Horde. Should you fail, it is not your resignation I will seek, but your head upon a pike. Now get out of my sight.”

Garrosh despite his squabbles with Saurfang took his words seriously, "Honor, No matter how dire the battle never forsake it!" Yea they never explain why he lost it. But like I said his seething contempt for the Alliance was always dumb to me regardless.
BTW I did that quest as Horde....felt so dirty doing it.

If you also read the part leading to that meeting it looks pretty clear that Garrosh felt a lot of pressure from Thrall and Saurfang, a pressure he gave up to because of his need of getting Thrall's acknowledgement again, especially after the questionable behavior displayed in the Violet Hold. It looks pretty clear, comparing his words to his inner thoughts, that he rather spoke the words everyone wanted to hear rather than what he genuinely believed.

What I mean is, Garrosh was never truly honorable to begin with. He kind of tried, but when he had to choose between getting what he wanted and be "honorable" he always and I say ALWAYS chose the first option.

[pateuvasiliu]

Varian. Blizzard ruined Garrosh. In Cataclysm he was great.

[Zandalariprelate]

Varian because he actually receive progression as a character while Garrosh was turned into a boss raid because he didn't like the others races of the horde and wanted to conquer the world for just expansionism

[Toppy]

Ultimatly Garrosh was right. A lot of people like to spit on Garrosh for being "Big bad man " without looking at any of the circumstances.

We learn from his leader story that the Alliance had been aggressing into Horde lands for years (this was before wotlk). This instills in Garrosh a distrust of the Alliance which is entirely justified.

With Cata, he comes back from Northrend as a succesful campaigner who had at this point proven himself a competent and beloved leader. Thrall then puts him in charge of the Horde. Whats the first thing to happen when Thrall leaves?

• Cairne, who was left to advise Garrosh, challenges him to a duel to the death for no other reason than "Some Orcs killed some Druids and I dont believe you when you say you didn't order it".
• Vol'Jin, who was left to advise Garrosh, proceeds to threaten to end Garrosh's life, for no reason.
• Sylvaanas generally is insubordinate and disrespectful, for no reason.

So what horrible thing does Garrosh do in Cata? He aggresses against the Alliance who had been aggressing on the Horde for years. He also allows the Goblins to stay in Orgrimmar which ends up running into the Troll living area, turning it into a slum. Then again, at this point the Trolls have flat out said they're going to kill Garrosh (for no reason) and are stealing from the Horde as a whole (cooking quests).

From Cata on, Garrosh is time and time again given reason to not trust his allies, save for, ironically, the Goblins who have been proving themselves very trustworthy. Even Lor'themar turned his back on Garrosh, and why? Because Garrosh expected the Blood Elves to be able to handle themselves in Kun'lai, something they themselves said they could do. What was the root of it all? Thrall giving Garrosh bad advisors, ignoring the alliance threat, and generally dumping a terrible situation on him with no real aid.

When it comes down to it, Garrosh reacted harshly to his "allies" going treasonous on him, and they justify their treason with his reaction.

[Zulkhan]

Ultimatly Garrosh was right.

The word "wrong" fits quite better his entire existence. As "wrong" was the whole idea to bring on Azeroth that worthless whiny bitch.

We should have brought Jorin Deadeye with us. That's a dude I would follow.

[Charge me Doctor]

Garrosh, because death finally catch up with him. This should happen after his fight with Cairne. He was evading death for too long at this point, and his joke-of-a-trial didn't helped to relieve any anger about his character

[Wyrt]

Varian's story ended because he was too stupid to just have the ship's cannons shoot the fel reaver.

[Zulkhan]

Varian's story ended because he was too stupid to just have the ship's cannons shoot the fel reaver.

I doubt the cannons had any aim worthy of consideration once the reaver grabbed and shaked the ship.

[Hotmail]

I think that watching a 'good' character get killed off in a cinematic makes for a far more powerful spectacle than killing a bad guy in a boss fight, which was something that we had already done a gazillion times before. Varian's storyline ended better because it will remain memorable as a testament to Gul'dan's wickedness -- and the Alliance's willingness to sacrifice for the greater good -- while Garrosh's storyline was only good for Hitler memes, if that.