Shadowlands Ending

[MrLachyG]

Given the last 2 expansions ending with such a big event how do you think Shadowlands will end?

I personally would like to see us become trapped there through the machinations of the Jailer or perhaps something else and the denizens of Azeroth might have to rescue us this time

[deenman]

Given the last 2 expansions ending with such a big event how do you think Shadowlands will end?

I personally would like to see us become trapped there through the machinations of the Jailer or perhaps something else and the denizens of Azeroth might have to rescue us this time

unlikely that agency would be taken away from us like that,what i would like to see is a timeskip,but it would be taxing on development kinda like with cata

[Varodoc]

Probably something that involves the Light or the Void. Blizzard said they're interested in Light and Void expansion, and that seems the natural destination after Shadowlands. What's left when Sylvanas and the Jailer are defeated?

We have Yrel and the Lightbound. We have Xal'atath. The whispers in Alleria worsened after N'Zoth's defeat, with new voices joining the chorus. Blizzard tells us to be careful about N'Zoth "death" (hint hint). The Void claims that the Light made a deal with the enemy of all (Death). The elements are all there. It's a matter of how at this point, not if.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

One of two ways of which they all end.

1. A new big bad shows up and the horde and alliance need to team up to save the world! Again...

or

2. A big bad has died and together we saved the world! Now lets faction war again.. and play.. who is going to be new leader of either faction (or both) if a leader falls! All... again..

[matrix123mko]

Probably something that involves the Light or the Void. Blizzard said they're interested in Light and Void expansion, and that seems the natural destination after Shadowlands. What's left when Sylvanas and the Jailer are defeated?

We have Yrel and the Lightbound. We have Xal'atath. The whispers in Alleria worsened after N'Zoth's defeat, with new voices joining the chorus. Blizzard tells us to be careful about N'Zoth "death" (hint hint). The Void claims that the Light made a deal with the enemy of all (Death). The elements are all there. It's a matter of how at this point, not if.

I can see Xe'ra and Void Lords invading Shadowlands to claim all the infinite souls. One could argue that this is superior prize to world soul of Azeroth.

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unlikely that agency would be taken away from us like that,what i would like to see is a timeskip,but it would be taxing on development kinda like with cata

Timeskip would also make it feel more natural. Why did the universe exist for millenia if everything resolves in 20 years?

[Crysis]

unlikely that agency would be taken away from us like that,what i would like to see is a timeskip,but it would be taxing on development kinda like with cata

timeskip would be kinda interesting, us maybe starting a few years later during the peacetime, simply farming somewhere (player housing!) when suddenly void/light attacks azeroth and we need to pick up our shit (just like thrall did) and get back at it again.

or maybe azeroth wouldnt need to be attacked (again), but major characters like anduin etc. could start to go missing, and we would have to investigate whats happening.

theres so much good stuff, so I'll bet it will be something dumb with no new class, no new races and even less crap to do than now

[Varodoc]

Basically anything is left. See below the full list of WoW expansions, with the ones that were made up on the spot bolded.

World of Warcraft (2004)
Burning Crusade (2007)
Wrath of the Lich King (2008)
Cataclysm (2010)
Mists of Pandaria (2012)
Warlords of Draenor (2014)
Legion (2016)
Battle for Azeroth (2018)
Shadowlands (2020)

It's half of them. BfA could be bolded too, with the crazy retcon of enlarging two islands into continents, but let's skip this for the sake of argument

MoP was the only one that really qualifies, because Cataclysm, WoD, and Shadowlands all tie loose ends. Deathwing, Garrosh, and Sylvanas/Death respectively (there have been hints at greater Death entities since Helya in Legion).

MoP was the start of a new chapter, true, but a "reset" can only happen so many times before it becomes repetitive. There will likely be one after the Light and Void expansion. But not after Shadowlands. There are still big players left out there (Lightbound, Void Lords).

[Kyphael]

Sylvanas proclaiming Shadowlands is free?

[Nagawithlegs]

Sylvanas will not be present at the ending.

Jailer will have been freed by then. I assume he will do something with the Infinite and/or Galakrond that segues into the next expansion.

[AcidicSyn]

unlikely that agency would be taken away from us like that,what i would like to see is a timeskip,but it would be taxing on development kinda like with cata

I'd like to see something sort of a mix between this here and what OP said.

Essentially I'd like to see us lose or rather be lost in the final fight in some moment of sacrifice. Then a cinematic showing us being freed from <wherever> after said time skip. Not a very large amount of time, 10 years, something like that, enough to justify a full world revamp and lots of time without heroes for new local threats to pop up.

One such threat I'd like is for Alterac to be rebuilt and reclaimed.
Ghostlands reclaimed and healed by Silvermoon.
Draenei living in a proper city on Azuremyst rather than a crashed ship.
some other stuff.

[shoc]

I think a timeskip is really the best way forward. With Sylvanas opening the way to the Shadowlands, and the heroes going after her, Azeroth didn't see or hear from any of them. One month fighting an invisible war in the afterlife translated into 40 years passing on Azeroth and we return to a dramatically different world. Many of the heroes and villains we loved and hated have long since passed on and the world is transformed in the long years by their legacies. For all intents and purposes its a clean slate for the story after years of pointless power bloat and stagnant politics.

They don't have to change the world. Just touch up the trees , structures, texture quality and skybox and call it a day. There's no reason for the geography to change, what's important is the story.

[Maljinwo]

I think a timeskip is really the best way forward. With Sylvanas opening the way to the Shadowlands, and the heroes going after her, Azeroth didn't see or hear from any of them. One month fighting an invisible war in the afterlife translated into 40 years passing on Azeroth and we return to a dramatically different world. Many of the heroes and villains we loved and hated have long since passed on and the world is transformed in the long years by their legacies. For all intents and purposes its a clean slate for the story after years of pointless power bloat and stagnant politics.

They don't have to change the world. Just touch up the trees , structures, texture quality and skybox and call it a day. There's no reason for the geography to change, what's important is the story.

I think it'd be a good idea, but since the player characters are called "Maw-Walkers", meaning they have the ability to go in and out of the Shadowlands at will, I'm afraid Blizzard won't do it

[Aleksej89]

Since that goat of a writer is making wow stories sylvanas and his plugin nathanos will get married.
Next expansion is 50 shades of sylvanas and its even worse than you can imagine.

[dreamdaddy]

Given the last 2 expansions ending with such a big event how do you think Shadowlands will end?

I personally would like to see us become trapped there through the machinations of the Jailer or perhaps something else and the denizens of Azeroth might have to rescue us this time

I think we'll emerge from Shadowlands in 9.3, and there will be some new crisis in Icecrown while we were gone and it'll be the Argus/Uldum/Vale style patch zone. I like the idea of time passing much quicker while in the Shadowlands and next expac redoing Azeroth with new enemies (Dragons, Ethereals, new leaders/factions since nations were left leaderless during Shadowlands).

[Varodoc]

Since that goat of a writer is making wow stories sylvanas and his plugin nathanos will get married.
Next expansion is 50 shades of sylvanas and its even worse than you can imagine.

Already done with BfA. 50 shades of Morally Grey is an old concept.

[Nyel]

Sylvanas will become the Jailer.

[Cosmic Janitor]

We will off the Jailor (probably with the help of Aman'thul), Sylvanas will swoop in and take his mojo, gobble it up and become the new super-ultra-mega-deity of death, potentially kill/absorb the Arbiter, and boot us out of the shadowlands. This was obviously her plan all along, even back when Arthas stabbed her the first time after her mid-riff free power slide into the arms of a deathknight. Danu.. I mean Nathanaos will probably sprout wings and will be the most fabulous of her pets and the only being in the shadowlands with even 1/10th of her power. Bwonsamdi will sing us a rapp-medley and afterwards lament that his workload just doubled.

Edit: As for the after effects, a tabula rasa via timeskip is by far my favorite. I want them to go all out with the world and the setting in 10.0.

[Nyel]

Edit: As for the after effects, a tabula rasa via timeskip is by far my favorite. I want them to go all out with the world and the setting in 10.0.

You know what's funny? I would like to go back to "lesser evils". We're fighting Titans, we're fighting Old Gods, we're fighting Death itself... I'm sick and tired of it.

I am playing Classic at the moment and it's so refreshing when the Defias that kidnapped the king and work for Onyxia or when you battle dwarfs that work for Ragnaros. That's why I really like the Awakenings "leak". It's back to basics.

[LemonDemonGirl]

Bwonsamdi will sing us a rapp-medley and afterwards lament that his workload just doubled.

Nah, he's more of a Reggae guy/troll to me. I guess he could do a Reggae/Rap mix though?

[MrLachyG]

You know what's funny? I would like to go back to "lesser evils". We're fighting Titans, we're fighting Old Gods, we're fighting Death itself... I'm sick and tired of it.

I am playing Classic at the moment and it's so refreshing when the Defias that kidnapped the king and work for Onyxia or when you battle dwarfs that work for Ragnaros. That's why I really like the Awakenings "leak". It's back to basics.

Ragnaros is a lesser evil? C'Thun? Kel'thuzad and the Scourge?