Could Silithids be made into a major villain?

[Triceron]

Just wanted to get a gauge on how people think of Silithids and if there's potential to make new content around them.

Silithids were a big and major threat in Vanilla WoW. War of the Shifting Sands was hyped up to be a huge thing. They're also closely tied to Old Gods, and seen as their minions and pawns; just another tool to use to dominate and corrupt Azeroth.They were practically unstoppable if not for the ancient Trolls too. Since Ahn'qiraj, they've mostly been dormant and out of the picture.

I kind of wish they would do more with them, since I really found them to be an interesting 'world threat'. Right now, they're still directly associated to being Old God minions, but I think they could expand the lore of them since then and maybe even detach them from being direct minions of Old Gods; especially since we've now slain/banished 3(.5) major Old Gods. They could sever the Master/Pawn connection similar to how Forsaken gained freedom from the Lich King, or how Orcs gained their independence from Demonic slavery. I just think the Silithid deserve some lore building of their own rather than just be a very 1-dimensional 'Old God' threat.

What I'm thinking is exploring Silithids the way we learned about the autonomy the Mantid gained when Y'shaarj was dormant, and how they were a potential threat to Pandaria. And with the swarms of Silithids, it'd make for really cool 'Starship Troopers' style invasion scenarios that might not have been possible back in Vanilla. Giant bugs invading the big cities, sending our own task forces deep underground to take out the 'queens', and no direct need to tie it in with Old God shenanigans. Just some good ol' fashioned bug extermination.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

They had their chance to be something when Azerite was relevant and well Sargeras's sword basically striking Silithus(And well its hard to believe C'thun's corpse was not hit). If Blizzard wills it, then it will happen but I think the Silithid will stay in history....I hope not but they didn't get used during BFA that much so....

[Raugnaut]

No. It basically states multiple times throughout the various expansions since Vanilla (Cata, end of Legion, BfA) that the Silithid empire was more or less exterminated during the Opening of Ahn'Qiraj. The only thing left are a few remnant hives that have gone more or less feral with the extermination of C'Thun and the Royal's (The more humanoid Silithid).

It's why during the Vision's of N'Zoth patch we didn't even see a single Silithid despite seeing many Mantid and Aqir - What remains of the Silithid now are little more then giant, overgrown, aggressive insects without any higher reason at all.

To attempt to bring back the Silithid would require a retcon of previously existing lore.

However, the Aqir and the Mantid, while beaten in 8.3, were NOT exterminated outright, so both of them can become a recurring villian for future expansions.

[Kralljin]

Considering the Proto Silithid (Aqir) were just a sidegag in the travesty that was 8.3, i doubt it.

I'd love to see the Silithid / Qiraji make a comeback, but i don't think it will happen in the near future.

[Varodoc]

Possibly. Don't forget that there are COUNTLESS Old Gods out there. And I think that eventually they will find and invade Azeroth to avenge their fallen brothers.

Alleria after N'Zoth's defeat said that the whispers have actually worsened, with new voices joining the chorus. Perhaps N'Zoth's fall alerted the other Old Gods spread throughout the cosmos of Azeroth's location. They will come bringing their vast armies, among which there might be silithids.

[Triceron]

To attempt to bring back the Silithid would require a retcon of previously existing lore.

However, the Aqir and the Mantid, while beaten in 8.3, were NOT exterminated outright, so both of them can become a recurring villian for future expansions.

Not quite sure that it would have to be a retcon though. I think there's potential to expand given certain circumstances.

Like look at how the Zerg story worked between Starcraft vanilla and Brood War. The Overmind was killed, and Zerg were left leaderless. Over time, remaining cerebrates tried to create a new Overmind, all while Kerrigan sought to take up power as well. While the Silithid were practically left dormant and feral, that's just what we observe and see. There could be more going on underground that we don't know of, and I think there's plenty of potential to explore there.

I agree with Aeluron though that Azerite would have been a perfect macguffin for this that was left unused. Silithid eating the Azerite crystals, getting empowered and rising up could have been a cool twist.

And Mantid and Aqir are definitely cool too, but I'd directly associate them with being Old God minions since that's what they are meant to be. Silithid seem like they're in a perfect spot to be disconnected from direct Old God influence, even if the lore right now isn't doing anything with them. Still, I see your point

[Headayke]

I think should we return to deal with more Azerothian threats after Shadowlands, all the major bug armies(Aqir, Nerubians, Silithid and Mantid) are either fighting against the corruption that has plagued their kind since creation while one of the others descend into a full swarm ready to spill blood in the name of the deceased old gods.

We should finally get Azjol'Nerub as a zone to help aid The Nerubians from Yog's corruption while the Aqir or the Silithid have gone full batshit insane to resurrect Cthun and are ready to swarm.

The Mantid could really be used for good or bad guys depending on how they want to go, they have a new empress and the army is only growing larger so maybe they are preparing for an attack but I really did enjoy saving some of those dudes even if we ended up killing them in SoO so if we meet a whole new roster of klaxi and ally with them again I wouldn't complain.

Thing is I could actually see something like Azjol'Nerub finally get it's due, throw Maldraxxus Underground, swap Plague with Spiderwebs, add more blue to the color pallets and boom Azjol'Nerub architecture.

[Fistfighter]

They could.

if Blizzard haven't had forgotten about the GIANT sword protruding from silithus for the past two expansions

I can't possibly tell wheter blizzard FORGOT to make a C'thun based raid after 7.3, or if they are genuinly storing him for the next expansion.

[Dalheim]

They could.

if Blizzard haven't had forgotten about the GIANT sword protruding from silithus for the past two expansions

I can't possibly tell wheter blizzard FORGOT to make a C'thun based raid after 7.3, or if they are genuinly storing him for the next expansion.

C'thun is fucking dead.

[DarkTZeratul]

They had their chance to be something when Azerite was relevant and well Sargeras's sword basically striking Silithus(And well its hard to believe C'thun's corpse was not hit).

C'Thun is south of Silithus, not under it. He's about as far from the sword as the Un'Goro volcano is.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

C'Thun is south of Silithus, not under it. He's about as far from the sword as the Un'Goro volcano is.

Old Gods are massive in size he's bigger then AQ don't give me BS

C'thun is fucking dead.

Thats not an issue to an Old God.

[Felrane]

If we ever get an underground expansion or even a patch we might see them return. There is supposedly a Blingtron ongoing war that has been raging underground for 3 or 4 expansions now. Undermine the goblins home city. Nerubian empire still exists but not many remain alive. Silithids could have dug a huge underground city like the Nerbuians since the armies had to come from somewhere. Faceless seem to be sleeping underground all over Azeroth as well so having a underground black empire could make sense. Could easily do a Demi-human kingdom made up of all the lesser races like Gnolls/troggs/fublogs/centaur ect...

[Fistfighter]

C'thun is fucking dead.

ok

like that has ever stopped a villain from appearing again in WoW

[Dalheim]

ok

like that has ever stopped a villain from appearing again in WoW

No, but it should.

[Queen of Hamsters]

The more I see of that sword in Silithus, the more I wish they'd saved it for a more extinction-like event that would've led into a revamp...

Such a huge event, and exactly one zone got smooshed. ������

[Fistfighter]

No, but it should.

I literaly just defeated Kael'thas for the third time last week

are we even playing the same game?

[AngerFork]

Absolutely! I could totally see new lore coming out about Silithids, especially with Xal'atath out there somewhere post Crucible. 8.3 would have been a good time to bring them back, but I kind of agree with the decision not to. The Old Gods were fighting for years after all and C'Thun was the one who worked with the Silithid, not N'Zoth. It makes sense that he'd have his own bug army in the Aqir.

As for where they go, there are a lot of different options. They could serve under a different Old God, especially if Xal'atath comes back to Azeroth. Perhaps without the voices of C'Thun corrupting them, they might become friendlier...or like the Mantid, they may hold to their former master and work to bring forth his return. If Undermine comes into being as a zone/city in a future expansion, I could totally see the Silithid being a major enemy there as well.

The more I see of that sword in Silithus, the more I wish they'd saved it for a more extinction-like event that would've led into a revamp...

Such a huge event, and exactly one zone got smooshed. ������

I'm not convinced that the sword's role is done just yet. Given how close it is to Uldum and how it gave us access to the Heart Chamber, I could totally see something or someone supercharging that sword and bringing forth a ton more destruction in the days to come.

[Utrrabbit]

I literaly just defeated Kael'thas for the third time last week

are we even playing the same game?

I mean your example is a stretch. We are in the realm of the dead so technically he is already dead in CN. Also we are not fighting him, we are saving him.

[draugril]

They were set up as a threat in classic, and in my opinion, that set up paid off incredibly well with the gates event and subsequent raids.

I see no reason to milk that concept further for the sake of it.

[A Chozo]

Anything could be made into a major villain with effort and creativity from the writers.

So no, but not because they are Silithids, but because WoW writers - especially those responsible for the main story of the expansions - lack the actual dexterity to do so.