[Spoilers] Sylvanas just tried to kill...

[Malkiah]

You mean Knifu as in Xalath we released her, well Nzoth did after bringing us to him.

early data mining of the next patch indicates sylv had something to do with xal, and that's what lead her to send horde forces to where azshara ends up being.

Nathanos is merely a devoted cultist, it's all sylvanas how come you think she wouldn't do that? Nothing currently indicates she has any sense of respect towards others, everyone is merely a puppet in her grand scheme.

i don't think it's about respect, merely pragmatism - sylvanas is and always has been portrayed as being largely reactionary, almost everything she does is in response to something. even when she's scheming, it's because something else triggered her into doing so, she hasn't ever really thought up anything on her own.
so pre-emptively sending out assassins after thrall for "reasons" doesn't terribly fit her character, but it certainly fits that of nathanos.

not arguing it's the case, but it's a random fan theory that could possibly explain things.

[Acidbaron]

early data mining of the next patch indicates sylv had something to do with xal, and that's what lead her to send horde forces to where azshara ends up being.


i don't think it's about respect, merely pragmatism - sylvanas is and always has been portrayed as being largely reactionary, almost everything she does is in response to something. even when she's scheming, it's because something else triggered her into doing so, she hasn't ever really thought up anything on her own.
so pre-emptively sending out assassins after thrall for "reasons" doesn't terribly fit her character, but it certainly fits that of nathanos.

not arguing it's the case, but it's a random fan theory that could possibly explain things.

Could be, i simply don't see nathanos in that light as he has been around for a while and her following has become more fanatic, what is shown in the latest video also the undead assasins attacking both Saurfang and Thrall knowing their success chances are limited but most likely fearing death by sylvanas through failure more or simply brain dead devoted. I do agree with Sylvanas being led down a certain path as the Vol'Jin spirit storyline has led us to now know there's a new dark power in play.

Why i also believe it is her and not him is looking at her actions, dialogue and sensing the betrayal coming, even from the player character and this is a scenario that has happened before where she was present. Another reason why i find that to be untrue is that a lot of fans at this stage are still trying to absolve Sylvanas of all her actions because of a bias towards her, "she can't do anything wrong" while for me this is direct contradiction with how Blizzard has been writing her for a while, driven by a purpose, a sense of survival that's true, but always, always without mercy where the means justify the ends. So where people are biased towards her for waifu or other fandom reasons, i am biased and dismissing any theory that revolves around her being redeemable at this stage.

We know it's not Bwonsamdi, Eyir or the lichking that influenced the naming of the new warchief durings Vol'jin final moment and while N'zoth is still on that list and the old gods are rivals and so even knowing alleria was called out from the void to kill her, i believe a new "super villian" is being introduced as generally that's how things go in WoW, seeds subtle ones are planted during a current conflict that will take shape during the upcoming expansion.

[Nerevar]

I, the player, would also try to kill Thrall if given the chance. Saurfang and Baine as well.

[Snorri]

I suggest you watch the Cinematic again, the Rogues have little interest in Thrall until he attempts to help Saurfang. The one had a direct jump onto Thrall, but didn't go for him, Thrall didn't even dodge, he kinda just threw some ash towards her and the direction she was aiming wasn't for Thrall even prior to the ash.

I suggest YOU watch the cinematic again. Saurfang said "You and I don't get to hide." Neither of them can hide because they are wanted dead by Sylvanas because they can cause and stir an uprising against her. A Horde civil war would not only weaken the Horde severely, especially since they are at war with the Alliance, but it would also slow and potentially hinder her unknown plans. As long as Sylvanas is in power, she will want both Thrall and Saurfang dead. As for the rogues being incompetent, that's a question of cinematic directing. They were stupid for the sake of the plot.

[Zyky]

I suggest YOU watch the cinematic again. Saurfang said "You and I don't get to hide." Neither of them can hide because they are wanted dead by Sylvanas because they can cause and stir an uprising against her. A Horde civil war would not only weaken the Horde severely, especially since they are at war with the Alliance, but it would also slow and potentially hinder her unknown plans. As long as Sylvanas is in power, she will want both Thrall and Saurfang dead. As for the rogues being incompetent, that's a question of cinematic directing. They were stupid for the sake of the plot.

Saurfang said that to make him come, just like he said he followed the rogues. The actions of the rogues speak far louder than Saurfang spouting bullshit to make him come back.

[rowaasr13]

Blizzard listens to player feedback about lack of Alliance action in movies and responds to it and clueless can't even appreciate that.

Who can control undead? Who was their original commanders and then shown this skill again in Stratholme?
Who can assume any form?
Who holds grudge against Sylvanas?
Who already tried to strike her in the back in the past?
Who is called "the master of lies"?
Who have personal relationship with Thrall (and rumors that it is not simply... personal)?

It is pretty obvious who this "Saurfang" is really is.

[Thorbalt]

I suggest YOU watch the cinematic again. Saurfang said "You and I don't get to hide." Neither of them can hide because they are wanted dead by Sylvanas because they can cause and stir an uprising against her. A Horde civil war would not only weaken the Horde severely, especially since they are at war with the Alliance, but it would also slow and potentially hinder her unknown plans. As long as Sylvanas is in power, she will want both Thrall and Saurfang dead. As for the rogues being incompetent, that's a question of cinematic directing. They were stupid for the sake of the plot.

Its because the traitor means that leaders never get to retire, they are always to be on call. Which is a load of crap. He basically knows at this point hes a cowardly dog who should have died in the siege and he cant live with being spared by, what is in his eyes, a child. So he lashed the concept of honor onto any idea (no matter how poorly thought out) go have yet another civil war in the horde when they are already in the middle of the war. N'zoth has a puppet with Baine already, so guess he got another one in Saurfang

[iamthedevil]

I'm pretty sure it was stated in the questline that Sylvanas wants everyone to be together for some unknown reason.

[Tumile]

To my knowledge (Alliance player here, so maybe missed something) Thrall has had practically no involvement or affiliation with Horde affairs in quite some time. In fact he's even on a different world to further disconnect himself from his past life.

Horde players who saw this, what were your thoughts? I don't think she's Garrosh or Lich King 2.0, but I definitely see parallels.

Not looking to cause arguments or say one side is better. Simply interested in opinions from the others side.

Sylvanas did nothing wrong, and has not gone mad, she is making cold calculated moves that make logical sense. War is War, and terrible things happen, she is making sure it happens to the alliance instead of members of her Horde, these are traits of a great leader, and they will pull a GoT Season 8 and slowly make her seem more and more mad, and soon she'll randomly forget everything about her own character and start flying a dragon into stormwind and focus on BBQ'ing civilians.

[Vynestra]

Sylvanas did nothing wrong, and has not gone mad, she is making cold calculated moves that make logical sense. War is War, and terrible things happen, she is making sure it happens to the alliance instead of members of her Horde, these are traits of a great leader, and they will pull a GoT Season 8 and slowly make her seem more and more mad, and soon she'll randomly forget everything about her own character and start flying a dragon into stormwind and focus on BBQ'ing civilians.

i can't with the sylvannas fan bois, yall take the whole "thanos did nothing wrong" meme too far and pretend its reality.

[Mayia]

To my knowledge (Alliance player here, so maybe missed something) Thrall has had practically no involvement or affiliation with Horde affairs in quite some time. In fact he's even on a different world to further disconnect himself from his past life.

Horde players who saw this, what were your thoughts? I don't think she's Garrosh or Lich King 2.0, but I definitely see parallels.

Not looking to cause arguments or say one side is better. Simply interested in opinions from the others side.

i almost think it wasn't to kill him, clearly they saw the two orcs together and knew they couldn't beat both, why not withdraw and get help? i think she's leading the pawns to the board.

[crakerjack]

The whole thing makes no sense. So he KNEW they were there and let them attack him? Sorry, but he lied and they did follow him. It's the only logical explanation unless he wanted them to possibly kill Thrall to make him a martyr to rally around.

He could have just been following them in the sense that he saw them go to outlands. Then from there he made a b-line to thrall assuming that's where the assassins were headed. It's not like he saw them the whole time and had stealth detection. Maybe they were on a different mission for all he knows, but i'd suggest not trying to over think it.

[Phuongvi]

The whole thing makes no sense. So he KNEW they were there and let them attack him? Sorry, but he lied and they did follow him. It's the only logical explanation unless he wanted them to possibly kill Thrall to make him a martyr to rally around.

You have a logical explanation but
I just think she want to kill him and for the rest its just a shitty story

[Isilrien]

If she sent those rogues to kill Thrall and his family, they were there before Saurfang arrived and yet hadn't killed him yet. I think their objective was to report back to Sylvanas as to what Thrall was doing (if he had any involvement with what was happening on Azeroth with the Horde). They then took the opportunity to kill Saurfang and perhaps Thrall after they got the information.

[kappalol]

Do you really think she would send 2 unnamed common rogues to kill a fucking raid boss? They were there to make a push and not to kill him.

[Snorri]

Saurfang said that to make him come, just like he said he followed the rogues. The actions of the rogues speak far louder than Saurfang spouting bullshit to make him come back.

Saurfang is a very honorable orc. He wouldn't lie to an old friend, former warchief and brother in arms. Blame the actions of the rogues on Blizzard. There were many different and better options for them to kill Thrall and Saurfang than a direct assault.

[The Stormbringer]

Saurfang played Thrall, he forced the rogues onto him to force him to join the conflict

This is the same sort of reaching as, "WELL SYLVANAS MUST'VE HAD A GOOD REASON TO BURN DOWN THE TREE!! I BET SHE KNEW IT WAS CORRUPTED AND IS JUST TRYING TO HELP!!!"

- - - Updated - - -

Blizzard listens to player feedback about lack of Alliance action in movies and responds to it and clueless can't even appreciate that.

Who can control undead? Who was their original commanders and then shown this skill again in Stratholme?
Who can assume any form?
Who holds grudge against Sylvanas?
Who already tried to strike her in the back in the past?
Who is called "the master of lies"?
Who have personal relationship with Thrall (and rumors that it is not simply... personal)?

It is pretty obvious who this "Saurfang" is really is.

I really doubt Saurfang is a Dreadlord, if that's what you're indicating?

[ChairmanKaga]

It's playing out like they are insulating Sylvanas so they can try to "surprise" everyone with some kind of twist unfortunately it's really sloppy so it's not going to work and leave everyone with a bad taste.

[RyanEX]

When Thrall realized he could no longer control the powers of the Doomhammer, and it headed the call of another shaman, he left for Outlands to live in peace with his family.

Right now there are similarities between her and Garrosh. But I'm gonna wait to see where it goes before yelling at Blizzard.



Seriously. No reason to send assassins to kill the Hordes former and greatest Warchief, knowing Saurfang would go talk to him about it, who can rally the Horde against her when she has everyone subservient and following her out of fear.

Really? What happened to Garrosh?

Thrall and Saurfang joined forces to go against him. She just did the math.

[Kallisto]

And as someone mentioned in the Lore topic, the Rogue assaulting Saurfang has poisoned-imbued daggers, while the second one didn't. Thrall was probably not the target here.

Ironically I'm trying to see some parallels with Endgame here, let's just hope their ""twist"" is not already spoiled by another franchise. :P

Considering a lot of the cinematics were started well before Metzen retired (Metzen own quote stated they were showing him the Battle for Lordaeron ones before he left and he left back when Legion was released.) all of this stuff has been set in stone during Legion at the latest.