N'Zoth is being underestimated

[Varodoc]

This is all I'm going to say. Rethinking about it, it's so obvious that N'Zoth is still alive. N'Zoth is a master manipulator and an illusion genius. He would NEVER confront his enemies directly in a brawl fight, he's too smart and conniving for that. He's smart and has been planning his return for eons and eons, so he must have developed layers upon layers of contingencies and backup plans in case something happened to him.

There's also the fact that the fight happened in Ny'alotha, which is just an alternate dimension showing a future where the Old God is successful. Alleria went mad in Ny'alotha but is still sane on Azeroth. Thrall went mad in Ny'alotha but is still sane on Azeroth. N'Zoth was destroyed in Ny'alotha... you guess how to end this sentence.

Or if Blizzard doesn't want to use the alternate dimension justification, they can just say that a fraction of N'Zoth's being transferred into the empty Blade of the Fallen Empire upon impact, providing N'Zoth with a backup plan in case his body was destroyed. Then within the Blade he can reform his essence and body and return.

Either way, it is clear that N'Zoth was not defeated in patch 8.3, he is still around and will most likely usher in the inevitable Void expansion, where reality itself will unravel.

A lot of people in the past complained about how "easy" it was to defeat N'Zoth, how "underwhelming" he turned out to be, but that was precisely the point, it was all intentional. You're meant to find it weird how a master manipulator could be defeated so easily, and you're meant to be lured into a false sense of security. That's what happened to the denizens of Azeroth and also to the fanbase of World of Warcraft. It is all planned.

It was here in ages past that the God of the Deep lost a great battle to the God of Seven Heads. But as was so often the case even defeat ultimately worked in N'zoth's favor.

N'Zoth is incredibly smart, to the point that defeat often works in his favour. He's not like the other Old Gods. He might be weaker, but he's far smarter and more cautious. This isn't the last we've seen of him, mark my words.

In fact N'Zoth is probably grateful to the foolish Jailer. Grateful, because he's luring the pesky heroes away from Azeroth, making his job much easier. Thankfully the Ren'dorei and Wrathion have elected to stay behind, so at least the world has some degree of protection against N'Zoth's return.

[Dagul]

As an old gold supporter, I am all agree with you, N'Zoth design philosophy is so be planner and to win even in defeat, I am pretty sure Blizzard have set up the background for a powerful return with the other 2 old god

They were all released from their prison and killed ASAP, and I think that's the plan, they needed to die out of cell, so they rebirth can work, N'Zoth will be back, with his powerful magician Yogg, and army leader Cthun !!

[Hellobolis]

i don't care if hes still alive or not (when was the last time someone actually died anyways?)

i care that the whole 4 years of building up the storyline didn't get a proper finale, and blizz cutting content because they are behind schedule is not a reason i can sympathize with.

spinning it as "just according to plan" after the fact also doesn't make the 8.3 in game story content any better.

[Razion]

Being able to see infinite possible victories is a powerful ability of the Void in general, it is probably safe to say we're underestimating them. But I think we're also not giving enough credit to the rest of the cosmos as well. There's a lot of strategy in this giant cosmic war and it'd be disengenuous to say the others aren't at least equally dangerous in their own ways.

[Eazy]

It was Xavius who made Arbiter going into coma. N'zoth infected his soul with the void virus, he wanted us to go there, to the Shadowlands, so he could work freely in Azeroth.

[Pebrocks The Warlock]

He's dead, Azeroth is officially "free" of Old God corruption. Not to say he can't come back from the Void but currently he's gone.

[Varodoc]

It was Xavius who made Arbiter going into coma. N'zoth infected his soul with the void virus, he wanted us to go there, to the Shadowlands, so he could work freely in Azeroth.

Yes, it's all interconnected.

Via Xavius, N'Zoth corrupted the Arbiter with Void/Nightmare energy, thus indirectly starting the events of Shadowlands. This benefits the master manipulator in two ways: 1) The heroes are lured away from Azeroth 2) The heroes destroy the Jailer and his forces while fighting to protect the Shadowlands, thus removing the Jailer, whom N'Zoth knew about and acknowledged as his greatest enemy.

Then N'Zoth swoops in for the kill against the defenceless Azeroth, while the heroes are too battered and weakened from their fight with the Jailer to reclaim Azeroth.

N'Zoth was watching the events of the Emerald Nightmare raid unfold all along, via the remnant of the Void found in the Dream. It was all part of his plan.

[Morae]

I was under impressions that these old gods we have fought are merely small portions of their bodies. Basically just some pimples we burst. By defeating them, we merely pushed them back into their prisons.

[leggomydairy]

I was under impressions that these old gods we have fought are merely small portions of their bodies. Basically just some pimples we burst. By defeating them, we merely pushed them back into their prisons.

They retconned that

They used to say we only defeated a portion, or they can never be killed so they were only put down, but they have since said I believe in Chronicles that we did kill C’thun in vanilla and therefore that we can kill the old gods.

[Zorgulon]

I really hope so. Ny'alotha should have been a xpac in and of itself with the whole world basically being turned into the black empire.
So what I'm hoping for is that there is a time jump or gap from when we entered the Shadowlands and to when we were done and left, and in our absence N'zoth has awoken, taken over everything (except hubs like Org and SW) and even ressed his brothers to be commanders of their own territories.

The problem with this is the visuals. Ppl are probably tired of the Ny'alotha visuals that would have to be present kinda...everywhere, with N'zoth having been able to turn HUGE (like the backgrounds of Ny'alotha) because of all the sacrifices and magic n shit. I think players would be mad and tired of that graphic, so I doubt it will happen...

[Hobbidaggy]

I really hope so. Ny'alotha should have been a xpac in and of itself with the whole world basically being turned into the black empire.
So what I'm hoping for is that there is a time jump or gap from when we entered the Shadowlands and to when we were done and left, and in our absence N'zoth has awoken, taken over everything (except hubs like Org and SW) and even ressed his brothers to be commanders of their own territories.

The problem with this is the visuals. Ppl are probably tired of the Ny'alotha visuals that would have to be present kinda...everywhere, with N'zoth having been able to turn HUGE (like the backgrounds of Ny'alotha) because of all the sacrifices and magic n shit. I think players would be mad and tired of that graphic, so I doubt it will happen...

Could easily be achieved by having void tears appear and the zones we go to are nyalotha versions of that zone and our questing experience is us severing and cutting the anchors that nzoth has embedded to bring the zone into the real world more fully.

We could have a zone for each old god including a zone with the essence of yshaarj even which would let us actually see a properly rendered model of the old god.

Each old god zone will have a proper raid fight against the remaining essence of each old god which nzoth is trying to use and consume to power himself. We already know they consume each other as that’s what happened to one of them already.

This would allow a great use of the nerubian zone under northrend for yoga, a great aquir zone for cthun, pandaren land for yshaa and a newly raised zone later on for nzoth after we kill the essences of his brothers/other gods.

They could bring xalatath back and we could bring the full might of the dragons back into play. Crowning the aspects back into their power and using their energies to save the world.

The aspects could be the new ‘system’ we have to empower and our expansion AP system could be to gather and strengthen a titan machine to progress their accession into aspect-hood again.

[Zorgulon]

The aspects could be the new ‘system’ we have to empower and our expansion AP system could be to gather and strengthen a titan machine to progress their accession into aspect-hood again

.

I like that idea.
My gripe is I don't really like the "alternate dimension" thingie, I feel it makes the threat intangible, so for me it would be better if he had actually corrupted the zones, that the black empire had appeared there and we have to destroy it again, fight it to cleanse the corruption.

I also didn't know the Old Gods consumed each other, but it does makes sense and I knew they weren't really friends. It would be awesome tho to see them cooperate, actually unite to try and take over, and N'zoth can consume them AFTER we kill them as a last boss in each respective raid :P
That would be my take on it at least.

I really like the aspect stuff tho. Could be kinda like covenants only less restrictive. We pledge to a flight and they lend us power, and we empower them in turn. Could for example go the route of: Red flight: Healers. Black Flight: Tank. Blue: Ranged DPS. etc, but would be more fun if each gave a tank/healer/dps power or even class powers like we have now. Damn, now I am excited for an idea that doesn't exist xD

[Varodoc]

.

I like that idea.
My gripe is I don't really like the "alternate dimension" thingie, I feel it makes the threat intangible, so for me it would be better if he had actually corrupted the zones, that the black empire had appeared there and we have to destroy it again, fight it to cleanse the corruption.

I also didn't know the Old Gods consumed each other, but it does makes sense and I knew they weren't really friends. It would be awesome tho to see them cooperate, actually unite to try and take over, and N'zoth can consume them AFTER we kill them as a last boss in each respective raid :P
That would be my take on it at least.

I really like the aspect stuff tho. Could be kinda like covenants only less restrictive. We pledge to a flight and they lend us power, and we empower them in turn. Could for example go the route of: Red flight: Healers. Black Flight: Tank. Blue: Ranged DPS. etc, but would be more fun if each gave a tank/healer/dps power or even class powers like we have now. Damn, now I am excited for an idea that doesn't exist xD

A very popular theory is that the entity known as Xal'atath is actually a fifth Old God who was devoured by her brethren long ago.

Old Gods are indeed hostile to one another, often competing against each other. It is said that, in ancient times, the armies of C'Thun and Yogg-Saron fought against the armies of N'Zoth, then the whisper I quoted earlier mentions how Y'Shaarj fought the armies of N'Zoth. So they are definitely not friends, and are all very opportunistic.

Which is why I have always predicted that, if N'Zoth ushered in the return of the defeated Old Gods, he'd bind them to his will or merge with them to become a Mega Old God. He'd definitely bring them back with ulterior motives, not out of genuine love or affection for his brethren.

[Zorgulon]

Of he would not bring them back out of the kindness of his heart and family bonds, but would be cool if it were a more "beneficial partnership". He brings them back, they get their own small territories and they take over Azeroth, corrupting the world soul within. He wouldn't shed a tear if any of his brothers were to fall, he would just consume their essence and get on with his day, but also understanding that united they are stronger.
That would be my wish for it anyway :P

[tommyhil622]

The old gods are powerful and have plans up plans but in the end they are very prideful beings. N'Zoth's plan almost worked until it didn't. Right now he's dead/gone w/e until it's said otherwise. Atm there isn't any evidence he survived. Can blizz come one day and say a spore was left behind! and now N'Zoth is back! sure, but until then, he's dead like the others before him.

[Romanthony]

I believe in a Q&A Steve, retconned all previous statements, and said that when we defeated the old gods, they are dead, never to return so Cthun Yoggy and now Nzoth are all perma dead

[loras]

The old gods are powerful and have plans up plans but in the end they are very prideful beings. N'Zoth's plan almost worked until it didn't. Right now he's dead/gone w/e until it's said otherwise. Atm there isn't any evidence he survived. Can blizz come one day and say a spore was left behind! and now N'Zoth is back! sure, but until then, he's dead like the others before him.

Did you forget the part where we conveniently lost the knife-that-can-contain-powerful entities just moments before we kill him?

All old gods are nigh-unkillable to a certain extent, but in N'zoth's case it was just blatantly obvious that his "death" was a misdirection that would either result in his instant victory or simply yet another chance for his plans to reach fruition.

Hell C'thun mutated Cho'gall long after his demise (and is currently soaking in azerite and whatever power is left of the sword of Sargeras...), Yogg-Saron literally started chattering again before the end of Legion and sent his minions against us again... there is a reason the titans and their minions didn't kill them in the way we do, while the titans and titanforged obviously could have done so without too much trouble, even without doing what Aman'thul did to Y'shaarj.

[huth]

Did you forget the part where we conveniently lost the knife-that-can-contain-powerful entities just moments before we kill him?

All old gods are nigh-unkillable to a certain extent, but in N'zoth's case it was just blatantly obvious that his "death" was a misdirection that would either result in his instant victory or simply yet another chance for his plans to reach fruition.

Hell C'thun mutated Cho'gall long after his demise (and is currently soaking in azerite and whatever power is left of the sword of Sargeras...), Yogg-Saron literally started chattering again before the end of Legion and sent his minions against us again... there is a reason the titans and their minions didn't kill them in the way we do, while the titans and titanforged obviously could have done so without too much trouble, even without doing what Aman'thul did to Y'shaarj.

For that matter, he effectively handed us the dagger, and ensured it was even around in the first place. If anything, it would make less sense if he hadn't planned for his defeat.

[KOUNTERPARTS]

“that’s all I’m going to say”


Proceeds to write 7 paragraphs.

[TheFirstOnes]

"Either way, it is clear that N'Zoth was not defeated in patch 8.3, he is still around and will most likely usher in the inevitable Void expansion, where reality itself will unravel." After killing C'Thun and Yogg'Saron, after dealing with the Legion, and after building up N'Zoth and co since Cata, Legion, and throughout ALL of BFA, AND...after Magni confirming it, AND MULTIPLE INTERVIEWS FROM BLIZZARD DIRECTLY STATING IT...

N'Zoth's pretty fucking gone. His presence is still around, and he's likely within the Void with his masters, yes. But...he himself is dead!

- - - Updated - - -

Hell, Steve and Alex have already confirmed that we killed their forms, but we COULD potentially see a second coming of the Old Gods in the future VIA them being launched from the Great Dark. Next Expansion is likely going to be Light and Shadow, and we'll likely face more Old Gods in a patch.