Ardenweald Assault [Massive Spoilers]

[Nyel]

Anduin might still end up being a raid tier end boss.

I actually think that we'll defeat the Jailer in 9.2 and as final boss in 9.3, Anduin will be the key leading into the next expansion, possibly Light/Void themed.

I think Anduin will be the boss fight right before the Jailer.

[OwenBurton]

The Ardenweald Assault is the first series of quest that leads you to Korthia/The Maw. The Winter Queen's sigil is inside of the Heart of the Forest. Sylvanas leads the assault but is thwarted by Tyrande who almost dies. The sigil has been taken. The Primus and Revendreth's sigil remain.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding...but how was Sylvanas "thwarted" when all the Wildseeds and the Ardenweald sigil were "taken", and Tyrande is almost killed?

[UndedoKoleda]

I think Anduin will be the boss fight right before the Jailer.

I highly doubt that. Anduin has been a big deal in WoW since Vanilla, no way will they give him the no-name 2nd in command treatment for a villain that we've only known for an expansion. Either Anduin has his own raid, or he won't be raid boss at all.

[Sondrelk]

Anduin might still end up being a raid tier end boss.

I actually think that we'll defeat the Jailer in 9.2 and as final boss in 9.3, Anduin will be the key leading into the next expansion, possibly Light/Void themed.

There is definitely more than enough content for a final raid, the bigger question is what we will have for a midpoint raid. What counc concievably be both important enough that we can blow off directly fighting the Jailer?

Even odder is the fact that the X.2 patches usually go for something off-theme, or at least definitely its own thing. The only outliers I can think of for this off the top of my head is Legion.
Drust would have been perfect, but they don't seem important enough to actually stop directly fightign the Jailer for.


Of course much of this depends on how the raid ends. Could be that the Jailer disappears and we have to look for him, though I think that is unlikely. And if he "wins" then it might be a decent twist, but then the question becomes what we need to find to make a new attack viable.

[Nyel]

I highly doubt that. Anduin has been a big deal in WoW since Vanilla, no way will they give him the no-name 2nd in command treatment for a villain that we've only known for an expansion. Either Anduin has his own raid, or he won't be raid boss at all.

Hugh? Anduin in this story is pretty pointless. He'll be a raid boss, we defeat him and he's free from the Jailer's control. Neither will we kill Anduin nor will be stay an antagonist (due to exactly the reason you've mentioned).

The boss right before the final boss of a raid is mostly a very prominent character and not just a simple pawn. Anduin as a last boss in a raid makes no sense.

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There is definitely more than enough content for a final raid, the bigger question is what we will have for a midpoint raid. What counc concievably be both important enough that we can blow off directly fighting the Jailer?

It's not about if there is enough content. It's about if it makes sense and with all the stuff happening in 9.1, us finishing all Shadowlands' zones storylines and the imminent threat to Oribos, it just makes no sense to completely leave the scenery and head towards another plane or whatever when the threat is right there above Oribos.

[Varodoc]

As always in WoW it is the money that comes before the story, if there's a 9.3 then the next expansion will come out very late, it might come out in 2023 even (since 9.1 is already so late). And Activision Blizzard likely won't do that, it's a huge waste of money to release an expansion so late. Hence why it's looking very likely that this stuff will end in 9.2, and frankly I don't know why that should surprise anyone. There's already a precedent with WoD, the funny thing is that at least Shadowlands would have had more story content than WoD because at least x.1 was an actual patch and not a selfie fiasco.

There might be a mini-raid after the Jailer raid though, similar to the Crucible of Storm raid in BfA, if anything to set up the next expansion. But how can you expect some other threat between Sylvanas and Jailer when 9.1 literally ends (or culminates) in the Jailer's forces marching on Oribos? You know, like the Primus said... "The Arbiter is the F I N A L key, protect her at all costs!"

[TheFirstOnes]

I'll take the infraction and post it. One thousand hours in photoshop to turn it purple in your honor.



Also apparently she wins but cooks herself up with her powers and is put to sleep by Ysera and also Sylvanas still achieves her goal. The sad part is that this is still the best showing of the Night Warrior thus far. In another few expansions she might actually win a straight fight. Keep at it, Blizzard, you're making progress.

Tyrande cooking herself up with her power, even after winning the fight reminds me a lot of UI Goku from Dragon Ball Super.

[Wedny22]

This is not giving me any hope....to be honest, fck the whole Sylvanas story Line. I would be fine with her Just magical disapearing, Just fck off and die. Tyrnade same..what a mess.
I love WoW, really really do, the game, the Lore everything about it, but this is Just not for me in affraid.

[Nyel]

1. Players battle against Sylvanas atop Torghast while the Jailer remains elusive.

2. Upon reaching 80% health, Sylvanas chains all players with Domination Chains, then casts Rive, destroying the tower itself.

3. Sylvanas enters Banshee Form, taking to the skies to waylay players' persuit of the Jailer as he ascends. Thrall and Jaina lend their aid by casting Call Earth and Channel Ice, respectively, but must be kept free from interruptions while doing so.

4. Sylvanas follows the players' traversal, greeting them for the final showdown between Death and inevitability in the Jailer's master plan.

I mean all of this sounds pretty final. Jailer ascends (to Oribos?) and after we defeat Sylvanas, he's our last / next target.

[jpch]

Perhaps I am misunderstanding...but how was Sylvanas "thwarted" when all the Wildseeds and the Ardenweald sigil were "taken", and Tyrande is almost killed?

That's Blizzard's logic and terrible storytelling.
Tyrande wins, she saves Ardenweald, and most of the the Wildseeds, defeats Sylvanas BUT but the sigil is gone. ������������*♀️
You know guys even when Tyrande wins she loses!
No one has ever beaten Sylvanas in her 4D chess since BFA, the entire lore and characters have been dumbed down for her sake.

[Rose the Delinquent]

Update. Tyrande and Sylvanas fight in Ardenweald in a rendered cinematic that isn't available yet. Not sure if cinema rendered or in game engine rendered.

Who wins? 10 bucks says Tyrande jobs (again)

[Aucald]

Oh wait, I just realized. Since we know Sylvanas appears in the raid anyway, that means Tyrande will lose. Not that that's unusual for Tyrande, but I guess this time she gets to lose in a rendered cinematic.

Aucald would it be okay to post a laughing meme to commemorate the event?

I'll take the infraction and post it. One thousand hours in photoshop to turn it purple in your honor.

https://i.imgur.com/oOQVjUQ.jpg

Also apparently she wins but cooks herself up with her powers and is put to sleep by Ysera and also Sylvanas still achieves her goal. The sad part is that this is still the best showing of the Night Warrior thus far. In another few expansions she might actually win a straight fight. Keep at it, Blizzard, you're making progress.

Images, even memes, are okay so long as they're relevant and not the entirety of a post - and the weird laughing elf would be fine in this context, at least insofar as I'm concerned.

[Phuongvi]

Tyrande I need you
Where are you my love ??!!!!!

[Soon-TM]

the Jailer basically has everything he got or is able to get it: the keys, to reach Oribos and the Arbiter.



9.1 is setting the stage for the finale with the Jailer. I mean even the game itself states that. As you said: even the sky around Oribos is indicating that we're heading towards the showdown.

So, Oribos raid for 9.2 then? /thinking

[huth]

It's not about if there is enough content. It's about if it makes sense and with all the stuff happening in 9.1, us finishing all Shadowlands' zones storylines and the imminent threat to Oribos, it just makes no sense to completely leave the scenery and head towards another plane or whatever when the threat is right there above Oribos.

Having to go elsewhere to find something to actually be able to do anything about the current situation is hardly a new concept. Even if the threat in question is close by.

[VladlTutushkin]

Can someone explain to me what motivates Blizz to keep beating night elfs even when there is nothing left to take away from them? Whats the point?

[Tanaria]

"An illusion."

Sylvanas...don't try and Nightborne, your a rotting, stinking corpse.

[UndedoKoleda]

Hugh? Anduin in this story is pretty pointless. He'll be a raid boss, we defeat him and he's free from the Jailer's control. Neither will we kill Anduin nor will be stay an antagonist (due to exactly the reason you've mentioned).

The boss right before the final boss of a raid is mostly a very prominent character and not just a simple pawn. Anduin as a last boss in a raid makes no sense.

How is Anduin pointless in this story? He is the de-facto leader of the Alliance, very prominent Light wielder. Blizzard are doing pretty radical move by turning him into an undead(or whatever he is now), just so he can get access to the force of Death. It seems to me that Blizzard are preparing him to get used as a tool to get the story forward towards the next cosmic force(Light/Void).

He is miles above any 2nd to last boss we've ever seen in the game. From last expansion we have- Mythrax the Unraveler, Stormwall Blockade, Za'qul Harbinger of Ny'alotha, and Carapace of N'zoth(which is part of the last boss itself). None of them is even close to prominency to Anduin.

Plus, I didn't say that we'll kill him. Jaina was a last boss and we only defeated her.

I just can't see him being a Sun King's Salvation kind of encounter.

[TheFirstOnes]

"I actually think that we'll defeat the Jailer in 9.2 and as final boss in 9.3, Anduin will be the key leading into the next expansion, possibly Light/Void themed."

No? Why would the Jailer, the final boss of SL, not be the final boss of SL? This is silly...

Maybe, once we defeat the Jailer and stop him from essentially becoming the ruler of Life and Death itself (Life is also apart of this expansion. Hell, Ardenweald in 9.1 essentially talks about how Nature is fighting back and how that is also essential to stopping the Jailer), the Shadowlands convergence will fail last minute, break, and tear a hole into reality, essentially opening a portal for the Void Lords to enter from?

That way, Lothraxion and Turalyon will make their move, Yrel can make hers, the Infinite Dragon flight will pop in, the Dragon Isles will show, and the Void finally has a way in, therefore making Sargeras' fears realized.

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I still hope we do that Gardens of Life thing. Tho, from the LOOKS of it, it's becoming less likely. But, it can still possibly happen.

[UndedoKoleda]

"I actually think that we'll defeat the Jailer in 9.2 and as final boss in 9.3, Anduin will be the key leading into the next expansion, possibly Light/Void themed."

No? Why would the Jailer, the final boss of SL, not be the final boss of SL? This is silly...

Maybe, once we defeat the Jailer and stop him from essentially becoming the ruler of Life and Death itself (Life is also apart of this expansion. Hell, Ardenweald in 9.1 essentially talks about how Nature is fighting back and how that is also essential to stopping the Jailer), the Shadowlands convergence will fail last minute, break, and tear a hole into reality, essentially opening a portal for the Void Lords to enter from?

That way, Lothraxion and Turalyon will make their move, Yrel can make hers, the Infinite Dragon flight will pop in, the Dragon Isles will show, and the Void finally has a way in, therefore making Sargeras' fears realized.

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I still hope we do that Gardens of Life thing. Tho, from the LOOKS of it, it's becoming less likely. But, it can still possibly happen.

Why was Grom Hellscream, the Final Boss of WoD, not the final boss of WoD?

Why was the Jailer they showed us at Blizzcon, not the Jailer we see in the game?