Damn, does anyone even remember what 1337 is supposed to mean and why it is a special number, or has it just become an internet meme with no real meaning behind it? Sorry for the offtopic, just in a thoughty mood.
That quest was a tribute to a guy dying of cancer, so canonicity is dubious. It also might be a specific type of Naaru blessing that protects his soul. Time will tell, if we are in fact going into Shadowlands then I'd expect that we'll learn more about the nature of undeath.
(EDIT, sorry, was surpose to answer the other guy)
People always say stuff like that, THIS TIME BLIZZARD REALLY RUINED IT, *ARGHHHH IM MAD*
I dont know about you, but no matter what they pull out of their asses, im gonna check it out and guarantee havin fun (the first months atleast), in the end it's the systems and the time gates of the game that makes it fun and replayable, less than the current theme / art style / their presentation of it, that makes a good wow.
Actually also the community have alot to do with the quality of the experiance, classic is super fun because there's enthusiastic people everywhere 24/7, meanwhile people in my guild on retail just log on to raid