Originally Posted by
Alfryd
You've both assumed that I don't think Blood Elven aesthetics are Horde-like because they aren't tribal. I didn't say that anywhere in my post.
I don't think Blood Elven aesthetics are Horde-like because their similiarities to the core Alliance races cannot be ignored. Their ideology and racial customs simply don't correspond with the Horde. They used to, 100% I'd agree they used to. However, the moment the Sunwell was redeemed into a font of Holy energy, the metaphorical shutters came down on the Blood Elves and a rupture between them and the other Horde races occurred.
Forsaken I think are incredibly Horde like, and they are not tribal. I also don't wish to support a rigid dichotomy that splits the categories into basic principals of 'Horde = Savage' while 'Alliance = civilized'. I do, however, think the Horde and Alliance's distinct attitudes need to be able to be summarized succinctly for the benefit of marketing and appealing to new players. The Horde is pragmatic, almost renegade like and wants results that benefit their races even if they are abit unlawful. Alliance's theme is based entirely on morals and law however. This is most evidently seen in the Pandaren starting zone.
But to reiterate my point, Blood Elves create a disjuncture for the Horde as a faction - with the rebirth of the well, they've been overcome with a fetishization of morals and lawfulness. They're consitently 'outsting' practices that can be seen as forms of extremism, such as void and to some degree fel. They are unwilling to be as pragmatic as the Horde's theme demands of their races. (Tauren also suffer part of this problem, which is why several threads such as 'why would Taurens bomb a world tree?' keep cropping up. However, it is moderately counter acted because they are tribal and their aesthetics are Horde like - unlike Blood Elves). Their disposition wildly contrasts the other Horde races at this point. I just genuinely do not believe anyone that claims to be pro Horde ideals can reasonably suggest that Blood Elves represent the faction - they do not, they represent the Alliance more than ever after all the updates. Their loyalty to the Horde is based on an arbitary narrative that Blizzard coined, rather than ideology.