Bwonsamdi & Vol'jin Theory (Spoilers)

[Malacrass]

That would be awesome, but Blizzard has already said they are not interested in redoing the DK starter experience if memory serves, and there's no way they will do something special just for Zandalari.

Also, we're in the first week of the expansion. Nothing says the deal with Bwonsamdi will actually last forever, especially given some of the spoilers we've seen.

What spoilers?

[Jastall]

What spoilers?

Vol'jin apparently becoming Talanji's spirit advisor and/or Loa while Rastakhan is nowhere to be seen in the beta cutscene. Nothing is set in stone yet obviously but to me this indicate that Bwonsamdi won't eternally have the Zandalari royal line bound to him.

[Zulkhan]

Fucking Illidan managed to become the savior of the universe and Maiev is still alive and breathing despite all the bullshit she did. Bwonsamdi will do fine.

[Sinistrem]

Fucking Illidan managed to become the savior of the universe and Maiev is still alive and breathing despite all the bullshit she did. Bwonsamdi will do fine.

I really hope so. He isn't even evil for a god of death. All he does is makes deals with those who come willingly. It's not like there is a fine print or anything. It's not like he is Helya who scrounged the world for souls to enslave.

[Firefall]

I get more Dr. Facilier vibes myself.
The whole way he moves around in the cinematics felt just like Dr. Facilier did to the prince and his assistant.
His speech was similar, the friendly but threatening/dangerous.
And the "magic" deal-making handshake he does is like what happened in the cinematic too.

Along with the bargains and deals. The emphasis on The Other Side.

Their only major difference (to me) is Bwonsamdi is THE friend on the Other Side.
And Dr. Facilier is a servant who made a deal.

Oh good I'm not the only one who was thinking of them!

[Combatbutler]

I really hope so. He isn't even evil for a god of death. All he does is makes deals with those who come willingly. It's not like there is a fine print or anything. It's not like he is Helya who scrounged the world for souls to enslave.

Well he kinda does but more subtle, he gives blessings and those who receive the blessings have to give him souls in return.

[Radaney]

That would be awesome, but Blizzard has already said they are not interested in redoing the DK starter experience if memory serves, and there's no way they will do something special just for Zandalari.

They said they'll do it in the future.

[Kufell]

I get more Dr. Facilier vibes myself.
The whole way he moves around in the cinematics felt just like Dr. Facilier did to the prince and his assistant.
His speech was similar, the friendly but threatening/dangerous.
And the "magic" deal-making handshake he does is like what happened in the cinematic too.

Along with the bargains and deals. The emphasis on The Other Side.

Their only major difference (to me) is Bwonsamdi is THE friend on the Other Side.
And Dr. Facilier is a servant who made a deal.

Makes sense you would get that sort of vibe, as the inspiration for both Facilier and Bwonsamdi is Baron Samedi.

Oh, an he is obviously based on Papa Legba.

Close. Baron Samedi.

[Topornic]

Bwonsamdi definitely seems to be leaning towards villainy in the cinematic with him and Rastakhan. I've been speculating and I can't tell if Sylvanas is being played by Bwonsamdi, or if it's the other way around. Right now, the timeline is starting to look like this:

1) Bwonsamdi convinces Vol'jin to appoint Sylvanas as Warchief
2) Warchief Sylvanas rescues Prophet Zul from the Stormwind Stockades and brings him to Zandalar
3) Zul, in service of G'huun, triggers a coup to usurp King Rastakhan
4) King Rastakhan bargains with Bwonsamdi for the power to stop Zul in exchange for the eternal service of his bloodline

Bwonsamdi wins:
- the Kingdom of Zandalari forever through the bloodline of Rastakhan
- and stops G'huun from devouring Zandalari souls that belong to Bwonsamdi

Maybe Sylvanas didn't bring Zul to Zandalar just because Bwonsamdi wanted it, maybe she has an ulterior motive here as well, and will eventually help usurp him as the Loa of Death (with Vol'jin ascending in his place)

I’d say that Princess Talanji was the main reason for whole extraction and Zul just happened to be there.
The thing that bothers me is if Bwonsamdi is in fact corrupted by the void as he didn’t really help Rastakhan to defend the seal or if he just did as little as he had to to secure the deal with the zandalari king.

[nerv234]

I’d say that Princess Talanji was the main reason for whole extraction and Zul just happened to be there.
The thing that bothers me is if Bwonsamdi is in fact corrupted by the void as he didn’t really help Rastakhan to defend the seal or if he just did as little as he had to to secure the deal with the zandalari king.

The deal was to give the power to protect the kingdom, seal was not part of the deal.

[Ophenia]

The deal was to give the power to protect the kingdom, seal was not part of the deal.

Without the seal, the kingdom is kinda doomed. Hopefully we will Deus Ex Machina the whole thing to save Zandalar, but still, letting Mythrax destroy the Seal is exactly the description of "failing to protect the kingdom"

[Topornic]

The deal was to give the power to protect the kingdom, seal was not part of the deal.

But as @Ophenia mentioned with the seal broken not only Zandalari empire is probably doomed but whole Azeroth is endangered. Question is if he could have helped to defend it or purposedly let it happen because he is played by the void.

[Lane]

Can you imagine how many Horde Bias threads would open if 2 Horde races got Paladin at the same time?

More would open up if they bring back Vol'jin as a loa since I don't see Varian returning in any capacity.

[bison91]

for sylv or thrall ?

for thrall, voice acting is not good enough reason not to appear at all. thats just stupid. come on thrall fight for the horde.

[Maljinwo]

More would open up if they bring back Vol'jin as a loa since I don't see Varian returning in any capacity.

Well, I didnt see Vol'jin dying a glorious warrior's death.
Or Cairne coming back as Magni.

Not everything must be balanced between factions.

[Zulkhan]

Well he kinda does but more subtle, he gives blessings and those who receive the blessings have to give him souls in return.

The main difference is that Bwonsamdi is acknowledged and revered for his role as "keeper of the dead" by troll culture, Helya...not so much.

[Malikath]

Sick in the good way. Metzen's melodious tones are always welcome.

not when it comes to him talking to himself about himself attacking himself because he is threatening to destroy azeroth again.

[Kwento]

The main difference is that Bwonsamdi is acknowledged and revered for his role as "keeper of the dead" by troll culture, Helya...not so much.

There’s a little nice poke to the similarity in Darkspear and Zandalari beliefs in Bwonsamdi on the forsaken ship at the Zandalari harbor. I’m glad that they aren’t just tossing Bwonsamdi into a villain train, but actually acknowledge his influence not only in Zandalar, but also with the main troll tribe in the Horde.

[Zulkhan]

There’s a little nice poke to the similarity in Darkspear and Zandalari beliefs in Bwonsamdi on the forsaken ship at the Zandalari harbor. I’m glad that they aren’t just tossing Bwonsamdi into a villain train, but actually acknowledge his influence not only in Zandalar, but also with the main troll tribe in the Horde.

It's a cool touch but surely not a surprise, given how close Vol'jin has been to the Loa of Death, in fact he's arguably the Loa he dealt the most with, be it back when he retook the Echo Isles from Zalazane or the entirety of the Shadows of the Horde novel. In fact it seemed Vol'jin understood very well the sketchy nature of Bwonsamdi and somehow learned to work around it, developing a wary yet almost amicable relationship.

[Kwento]

It's a cool touch but surely not a surprise, given how close Vol'jin has been to the Loa of Death, in fact he's arguably the Loa he dealt the most with, be it back when he retook the Echo Isles from Zalazane or the entirety of the Shadows of the Horde novel. In fact it seemed Vol'jin understood very well the sketchy nature of Bwonsamdi and somehow learned to work around it, developing a wary yet almost amicable relationship.

When Blizzard just forget someone’s personality and change it completely (like Vol’Jin’s personality being changed in every book and almost every appearance in the game), they don’t toss any remarks on the previous incarnations of the character before someone calls out their mistake and they are forced to do something with it.
I just see this small mention of Darkspear following Bwonsamdi as a reassurance that Bwonsamdi isn’t just suddenly evil and we have to deal with it, but that they remember that he *is* one of the gods of the Darkspears, who helped them before and perhaps would
help again