Originally Posted by
Devvra
So, well.
As for the literature and culture, the same motiff was played all along. Remember that Sylvanas is undead herself - and being actually dead makes you suffer internally all the time. Look at it as for pattern that was put on yourself. This pattern doesn't belong, it itches, scratches, makes you angry, it's twisting your emotions all the time. It's constantly tormenting you with phantasmal mirrors, emotions, past itself. It burns like hell.
In Sylvanas' case, well, she was holding this for too long and her deeds are abominable, her deeds are monstrous, yet - despite Garrosh - she wasn't herself, there's no "herself" anymore - it died with Ranger-General. She is a monster and she knows it. Glimpses of her past are haunting her, because she's trying to love someone... even if it's her sisters or just Nathanos "Fuck-You-"Champion"" Blightcaller.
At Teldrassil, past filled her with rage.
Here... it's more like sadness of her past, because proto-Sylvanas, classic WoW Sylvanas was more sad than angry. She has everything she could possibly dream of in her state, yet she hesitates, because this sadness went through her undead skin, not twisted.
You guys said Darth Vader, Severus Snape, I will rather say it's Sandor Clegane from A Song of Ice and Fire. Everybody loves Hound, even he's so twisted that we cannot love him fully (he killed many innocent people, but yet, we pitied him).