Deathwing(Speculation)

[wanax]

We’ve had several bosses get killed and return in some manner, Rag(elemental don’t die unless in their own plane), Naxx(undead), Ony(put back together), Kael(a setback), Illidan(retcon), the list can go on. Now some have died and are gone saw the light etc., Arthas isn’t coming back unless part of his spirit is trapped in the Helm or something, Garrosh was consumed by Draenor I think or given a proper funeral.

Deathwing, however, was in an elemental state when we “killed” him. He was blasted with the Dragonsoul and sucked into the Maelstrom.

He’s returned from near death before and reassembled.

He was in service to an Old God and essentially in an Old God raid.

There was NO collecting his head or his heart for a quest. Just the piece of his jaw left.

On top of all of that the Twilight Dragons were thought wiped out but appear in island expeditions.

So my question is... It looks like his master is getting out. His minions are showing up again. He has two children allied with the mortals. Will we see him again in some form or state?

SN: yes I know he will probably be part of the 15th anniversary raid if he is the mount.

[sociald1077]

He was atomized by the combined might of the other Aspects and the Dragon.

To paraphrase a great: "This dragon is DEAD!"

[wanax]

If we're getting Dragon Isles as the new continent in 9.0 with dragons and shit, there are chances we might get at least his cameo. I wouldn't mind that tbh, he was wasted in Cata.

Very wasted other than him toasting zones. That was cool and annoying at the same time but it made it feel like he was a big bad.

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He was atomized by the combined might of the other Aspects and the Dragon.

To paraphrase a great: "This dragon is DEAD!"

Removed incorrect statement.

[rogoth]

first off, while he was in a bit of a bad shape he was in no way 'elemental' in nature, those terms were simply given to the adds and such in game for mechanics reasons, neltharion turned deathwing is dead, done, gone, never coming back short of time travel alternate versions showing up ala gul'dan etc, his first 'defeat' was at his own hands due to being brought to madness due to the whispers of n'zoth and the power of the dragon soul literally tearing his body apart, and the reason he had a load of metal plates keeping him together/metal jaw to replace his old one that had fallen off.

the twilight flight in lore have no progenitor and no way to reproduce as they were born from corrupted black dragon eggs laid by sintharia and messed with by twilights hammer cult members, so unless someone else (wrathion) has found a way to reproduce the twilight flight without the methods pioneered by sinestra and the gang then their numbers are limited and shrinking.

his 'children' are both from eggs that were not fouled by his corruption and as such are not in any way an issue, so no that's not a plot device to bring him back in any way and outside of a special 'LFR' type version of dragon soul raid for the anniversary to give ppl the mount i don't see it being something they go back on.

[Wries]

If marketing thinks he's an IP whose presence will make the game sell more copies and subs, then yes, he will be back.

[Ielenia]

But he didn’t really get atomized. He collapses and slides into the rift like getting flushed down a toilet.

He was "atomized". The Dragon Soul makes him explode into glowy particles.

Also: being "in an elemental state" does not mean Deathwing became an actual elemental.

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the twilight flight in lore have no progenitor and no way to reproduce as they were born from corrupted black dragon eggs laid by sintharia and messed with by twilights hammer cult members, so unless someone else (wrathion) has found a way to reproduce the twilight flight without the methods pioneered by sinestra and the gang then their numbers are limited and shrinking.

You're half-right. The twilight dragonflight were also "born" from corrupted red dragon eggs. Remember the lil' rp between Deathwing and Alexstraza before the Ultraxion fight? Alexstraza ends by saying "they are my clutch... no longer".

Technically the Twilight Dragonflight can be born out of any dragonflight egg, regardless of color. Just add a dash of corruption.

[snackfeat]

Very wasted other than him toasting zones. That was cool and annoying at the same time but it made it feel like he was a big bad.

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But he didn’t really get atomized. He collapses and slides into the rift like getting flushed down a toilet.

He didn't collapse or slide anywhere, he literally turned into sparkles.

https://youtu.be/VMK_huoSnVQ?t=946

[Mardux]

We’ve had several bosses get killed and return in some manner, Rag(elemental don’t die unless in their own plane), Naxx(undead), Ony(put back together), Kael(a setback), Illidan(retcon), the list can go on. Now some have died and are gone saw the light etc., Arthas isn’t coming back unless part of his spirit is trapped in the Helm or something, Garrosh was consumed by Draenor I think or given a proper funeral.

Deathwing, however, was in an elemental state when we “killed” him. He was blasted with the Dragonsoul and sucked into the Maelstrom.

He’s returned from near death before and reassembled.

He was in service to an Old God and essentially in an Old God raid.

There was NO collecting his head or his heart for a quest. Just the piece of his jaw left.

On top of all of that the Twilight Dragons were thought wiped out but appear in island expeditions.

So my question is... It looks like his master is getting out. His minions are showing up again. He has two children allied with the mortals. Will we see him again in some form or state?

SN: yes I know he will probably be part of the 15th anniversary raid if he is the mount.

When did they retcon illidan's death? He's a (powerful) demon, their soul can't be killed outside of the twisting nether.

[Rivex]

Your only bet is Shadowlands, being corrupted by N'zoth he may have ended up there

[WurstKaeseSzenario]

I don't think a "15th anniversary celebration LFR" is 100% canon.

[wanax]

He was "atomized". The Dragon Soul makes him explode into glowy particles.

Also: being "in an elemental state" does not mean Deathwing became an actual elemental.

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You're half-right. The twilight dragonflight were also "born" from corrupted red dragon eggs. Remember the lil' rp between Deathwing and Alexstraza before the Ultraxion fight? Alexstraza ends by saying "they are my clutch... no longer".

Technically the Twilight Dragonflight can be born out of any dragonflight egg, regardless of color. Just add a dash of corruption.

I didn’t mean he became an elemental. Sorry if it came off that way

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He didn't collapse or slide anywhere, he literally turned into sparkles.

https://youtu.be/VMK_huoSnVQ?t=946

My bad. Guess I haven’t killed him in a while.

[socialmaker]

Hopefully the Night King from Game of Thrones doesn't find him.

[wanax]

I don't think a "15th anniversary celebration LFR" is 100% canon.

Didn’t say it was just that he’d probably be in it

[formerShandalay]

If anything made me think that the Prepfoot may be right in at least one thing and that Deathwing may be back in one form or another it's this guy: https://wow.gamepedia.com/Obsidian_Deathwarder, who was already kind of stealthily added in Legion. ^^

[draynay]

I don't think he was popular enough to merit a return.

[Directionalk9]

huh, I’m kind of excited for a mini raid, hopefully it’s a black dragonflight all-stars raid.

[Nefastus]

They will retcon or find a way to bend lore in any possible way to bring characters back if it suits then. They did it several times anyways. You gave a lot of good examples (and there are a lot of smaller chars that were retconed alive or brought back, Rivendare for instance and most bosses in Naxx). I guess he will be back eventually.

[Kyphael]

He was atomized by the combined might of the other Aspects and the Dragon.

To paraphrase a great: "This dragon is DEAD!"

Yeah, short of some alternate timeline shenanigans like they did with Warlords, no way to bring him back. He's stardust.

[Eapoe]

Sure, he can be retconned; but, as of now he was ripped apart both by the Maelstrom and the energy he absorbed in his body, hence all the metal plates nailed into him to keep him together and all the tears you see in his skin.
Right now, there’s no way he should come back.

[Trollokdamus]

But he didn’t really get atomized. He collapses and slides into the rift like getting flushed down a toilet.

You might want to re-watch the fight, he did get atomized. When we kill him, the game says: Thrall uses the Dragon Soul, empowered by the Aspects, to unleash one last massive burst of power. Unable to withstand it, Deathwing's corrupted body is obliterated, his armor shattered; a portion of his jaw lands on the platform, all that remains of the Destroyer.

Also, Nozdormu made sure that the past cannot be reverted: It is time. I will expend everything to bind every thread here, now, around the Dragon Soul. What comes to pass will NEVER be undone.

So, unless a major retcon happens, there is no way for Deathwing to be brought back.