Calling it now...

[Selastan]

All these suggestions...what if they are ALL right? What if, while we were distracted in the Shadowlands, a whole BUNCH of villains escaped?

[princeofthawest]

Having Galakrond released from the Maw would be awesome, but at the same time Cataclysm 2.0. So yeah, don't think it's a wise expansion choice due to being similar to previously played one.

[Sondrelk]

I could see Galakrong being released at the end to usher in 10.0
Given the heavy Dragon foreshadowing in BfA it seems like we could have a Dragon expansion to fit in with the usual foreshadowing Blizzard does for expansions.

Heavy Legion foreshadowing in MoP, 2 expansions later Legion.
Faction war foreshadowing in WoD, 2 expansions later BfA.
Heavy death foreshadowing in Legion, 2 expansions later Shadowlands.

[StillMcfuu]

At the end of Shadowlands, we are going to be accidentally releasing a very dark and ancient evil from the maw. Someone who we thought we killed ages ago.

...

...

Welcome to World of Warcraft: Vengeance of Millhouse Manastorm

Isn't his sister the evil one that escaped the mage prison and swore revenge?

[Dakhath]

Isn't his sister the evil one that escaped the mage prison and swore revenge?

That's his wife.

[StillMcfuu]

That's his wife.

Well... I like to put my dick in crazy too, so I guess I can't fault him.

[tru]

All these suggestions...what if they are ALL right? What if, while we were distracted in the Shadowlands, a whole BUNCH of villains escaped?

Yay....I so want to refight same stuff again.

[yogdadoolin]

At the end of shadowlands, everyone is going to love Sylvanas and wants to be her friend. Because she saved us all.

Or does anyone really believe blizzard allows her to be killed?

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All these suggestions...what if they are ALL right? What if, while we were distracted in the Shadowlands, a whole BUNCH of villains escaped?

So the next expac after shadowlands could possibly be

World of Warcraft: Return of Mankriks Wife

?

[Hobbidaggy]

Curses! Well, my point still stands.

We will be releasing someone we thought we killed.

Arthas perhaps?

I know we will meet Arthas. But I don’t think they are standing with “Arthas” was evil....I don’t know I feel the Arthas we see will not be an evil Arthas but a good one trying to help us.

I think you’re onto something though. I feel we will release something and that will cause problems. Just hope it is a good evil not a cheap one

[Selastan]

So the next expac after shadowlands could possibly be

World of Warcraft: Return of Mankriks Wife

?

Plot twist. In the afterlife, she remarried. To the ghost of a quillboar.

[Phuongvi]

Or anything that could involve Illidan so he could be on their front page for a reason

[endorus]

We haven't faced off against Garrosh for a while...

[shise]

I can't wait.

"Magisters Terrace was only a setback!" - Kael'thas in 10.0

"..." only a setback´s setback!"

[Alkizon]

All these suggestions...what if they are ALL right? What if, while we were distracted in the Shadowlands, a whole BUNCH of villains escaped?

Something like...

...Bolvar vs Sylvanas So, the end of SL (players vs Jailer).

[Razion]

Remember how in the Firelands, the druid leaders said they would have to keep an eye on it. Then, recently in BFA, the Dark Irons had a cult in there messing with it and not a single dang druid had sat back to keep an eye on anything. The Firelands are not being watched, so it's kind of likely that we may have another Firelord up and coming in the distant future.

[MrLachyG]

Having Galakrond released from the Maw would be awesome, but at the same time Cataclysm 2.0. So yeah, don't think it's a wise expansion choice due to being similar to previously played one.

I was sure at the start of BfA that at the end we would release an Old God and would need to re-empower the dragonflights to fight it - leading to the Dragon Isles expansion. however, if Galakrond or others were released then we could still do Dragon Isles.

alternatively, I think we will have a time jump since time works differently in the Shadowlands; that would be cool

[Lord Pebbleton]

While I would not mind a scenario of returning villains, the last time Blizz tried to repurpose old villains gave us WoD, so I'd rather not. Also because of the never ending stream of (unanswered) questions that would follow.

Let's say that Arthas and Galakrond escape.
Why not Gul'dan or Kael'thas? Why not Mankrik's wife? Why would not every NPC in Azeroth ask us to take back their beloved? Wouldn't they go back after the rift to Shadowlands is sealed?

Let's say no one escapes. Why is it not in our interest to go retrieve Grom? Or Tirion or Uther? I would imagine SI:7 would just spend the whole expansion trying to do just that. And if not, why? We go there, we know for a fact that the passage is viable.

How do we even close the rift? We do not have the Helm anymore. Come to think of it, it was completely absurd that the Helm had anything to do with it all for a number of reasons, save a perfectly plausible explaination that I am sure we will not get.

I just don't want to see a repeat of WoD with all the old villains crammed back with no logic and an inglorious death in a dungeon.

[Alkizon]

How do we even close the rift?

I had some rumor long ago with druid (talking about people here, whom I often refer on forum) about that warlock, in kind of fan-story, that seems to be written for fun before WoD (in the middle of 2014) for godchildren/for entertainment, for the sake of laughter put some "predictions" through one of own characters (deaf-mute, but communicating with images/thoughts, holy-priestess - oracle). And there it was mentioned about “problems with lady”, about “creepy kind of apocalypse cataclysm”, and then!.. about “rebirth/reinstallation of aspects”, which looks like Azeroth recreation. But story/characters aren't making any answers, just mocking with readers' sense of curiosity (after re-visit of chat history, summary: problems with lady, darkness falls, zones mixing, new plague, child/creation vs parent/creator conflict, aspects' rebirth).
- - -
warlock has repeatedly answered about it as "it's all nonsense" and "you shouldn't assimilate to catdog and his love for conspiracy theories, he is just jester and troll", "it’s so common that you can even hide Matrix plot here", but if maybe suggest for a second that this is possible coincidence, could it be plausible - such method?
- - -
It is unlikely, of course, might think they have kind of "restart button" there somewhere inside the planet. More likely and easier it will probably be manipulation of another somehow powerful, hitherto unknown artifact, but... such a funny strange coincidence

[Loveliest]

I don't find Galakrond a very interesting villain. It's a dragon that ate too much and couldn't stop. He doesn't seem to have any kind of personality or direction.

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We go there, we know for a fact that the passage is viable.

They said that WE can go there. That we are the special ones because we can cross there while not being dead. But that it's not something common, something others can do.

[Monster Hunter]

that is a good point. he could've well died in the events after Legion

I don't think his wife is that merciful. I'm sure she has far worse plans for him than death.