Lich Anduin doesn't feel as horrifying as Arthas

[Nerovar]

That's a pretty limiting context that would seemingly disallow anything new or unique in WoW's narrative - including things like the Old Gods, the Naaru, Worgen, and a host of other things introduced to WoW without antecedent.

Well, the problem only really exists when you start to self-plagiarize and fill in spaces that were already previously occupied. It's the Lich King but not really the Lich King, it's the Scourge but not really the Scourge, it's a Death Knight but not really a Death Knight, it's Frostmourne but not really Frostmourne etc.
These things were established in the past and they were well liked. All they do now is leech off of the aesthetics of these things while disassociating them from their meaning within the setting.

[huth]

Whats to say Arthas was not a puppet?

The Jailer straight-up told us. None of the Lich Kings did what he wanted them to. Anduin on the other hand has next to no agency.

- - - Updated - - -

Well, the problem only really exists when you start to self-plagiarize and fill in spaces that were already previously occupied. It's the Lich King but not really the Lich King, it's the Scourge but not really the Scourge, it's a Death Knight but not really a Death Knight, it's Frostmourne but it's not really Frostmourne etc.

The problem is that you don't get that the whole setup is to show how the two differ, not to pretend they're the same. They're put in the same situation but Anduin reacts to them completely differently.

[Kellorion]

He needs a helm.
Either he's lion helm reformed, or the helm of domination reforged.

[Aucald]

Well, the problem only really exists when you start to self-plagiarize and fill in spaces that were already previously occupied. It's the Lich King but not really the Lich King, it's the Scourge but not really the Scourge, it's a Death Knight but not really a Death Knight, it's Frostmourne but not really Frostmourne etc.
These things were established in the past and they were well liked. All they do now is leech off of the aesthetics of these things while disassociating them from their meaning within the setting.

Not really sure I agree with your takeaway, but at least I more readily understand the distinction you're making. You're less against new content and more against new content riding on the coattails of what came before, insofar as you see it.

[Jessicka]

Jailer controls him through the armour, he is a puppet who's nobility is being used to get past the defences of Oribos/Bastion.

[Jamais]

No shit, dude. Arthas had strong portrayal, went through slow development and was built up to be a Lich King through numerous tragic events and decisions.
Anduin was literally yeeted by flying girls, caged and then poked with the sword to undeath. Voila, he is a bad guy now.
What a cheap and lazy way to create some drama and character development.

You people are either intentionally trolling or are just so dense, that i have a hard time believing this forums are for real.

Anduin is literally being MIND CONTROLLED, he is not a bad guy. Even during the patch trailer, Jailer allows him a brief moment of self control, just so he can witness stabbing the Archon, which for Anduin would surely be a torment. Also, no development? He has been around since MoP, from the Garrosh storyline, losing his father in Legion and trough out all of BfA....

He is constantly being trashed by players as boring and bland, as if every second char in WoW is like him...Why can't there be a place for ONE prominent figure who values kindness, justice, honor, selflessness and idealism? He is a young king with a lot of burdens upon his shoulders, naive and altruistic.

The whole parallel with Arthas is not there so you can compare their char development going into the same direction...it is there because Andin IS what Arthas would have been if he hasn't descended into madness starting with Culling of Stratholme.

[LionSinMaikeru]

I don't know why people are complaining about this. This is probably one of the most interesting storylines for Anduin they could have done. Everything about him before was so predictable and this is like taking his character development and spinning it completely.

Sylvanas looked as though she felt guilty about what was being done to Anduin...so maybe she'll be the one to save him in the end? I don't think for a second she's the Jailer's obedient little soldier. IMO she's waiting until the time is right for her to gain all of his power so she can be in control of everything in the afterlife.

[Oneirophobia]

I don't think he's meant to be Arthas, he's meant to remind us of Arthas and to remind Sylvanas of herself while she was controlled by Arthas. While we as the audience all realized she had basically become Arthas when she burnt down Teldrassil with Delaryn Summermoon in BFA, I don't think Sylvanas herself actually had that sink in until just now as she watched Andy give "the key" of the Kyrians over to Zovaal. I think the general point Blizz is trying to arrive at (how successful at this they've been is up to you) is that Sylvanas has spent her entire un-life chasing after a monster only to end up becoming him in the end. They kinda already tried to do this with Maiev in BC but the story telling was shite and they went in a totally different direction for her, but I guess they wanted to attempt this arc again with another elf.

At some point in this expac, we're going to end up with LK Anduin, LK Arthas, and LK Bolvar doing something which will be interesting though. Maybe we'll even see Nerzhul, but they keep axing him out of existence and bringing him back hap-hazardly, so who knows.

[StationaryHawk]

He probably feels more like a puppet because he is a puppet.

The Jailer is the antagonist, not Anduin.

[Dellis0991]

He isn't meant to be scary. He is nothing but a puppet right now. There was no build up, Arthas had build up and the forces he commanded was straight horror.

[Makabreska]

I was never even remotely scared by LK Arthas, I actually felt some pity towards the dude. Plus he was a puppet himself in W3 and beyond.

[Cyanu]

there's nothing scary about Anduin himself, if there's a scary part about him is how apparently anyone can be broken by the jailer

[Claymore]

Well, the problem only really exists when you start to self-plagiarize and fill in spaces that were already previously occupied. It's the Lich King but not really the Lich King, it's the Scourge but not really the Scourge, it's a Death Knight but not really a Death Knight, it's Frostmourne but not really Frostmourne etc.
These things were established in the past and they were well liked. All they do now is leech off of the aesthetics of these things while disassociating them from their meaning within the setting.

Well said.

Blizzard knows people loved Arthas, but I think their understanding is only surface-level. I personally had hoped for a last-minute redemption arc for both Arthas and Ner'zhul (that they were amassing the Scourge to combat the Legion's inevitable return, not "just to be bad guys"), but Blizzard has kind of been teasing all these Arthas comparisons for so long, it's honestly kind of starting to unravel.

Plus, in the same cinematic they introduce us to "Baduin", they A) show that he is still resisting the Jailer (so he's still "alive"), and B) show that Sylvanas has doubts now.

This makes it painfully obvious that Sylvanas is going to help Anduin free himself from the Jailer in some capacity, and that Anduin will be just fine.

It does make me curious what will become of Arthas and/or Ner'zhul, though. I fully expected they would've introduced either of them by now, but it doesn't appear so. Perhaps in reforging the Helm of Domination, Ner'zhul's soul will be whole once more, and maybe provide some additional reinforcements against the Jailer?

[borrborr]

Honestly man, we saw 1 pic and 1 cinematic. The patch isnt even out yet. Give it time.

[blankfaced]

Something related to the stories we've seen on screen for the last two decades that wasn't made up with no prior mention or foreshadowing?

You mean like the introduction and immediate transformation into the Lich King of Arthas in the same game? Or does the book that was released 7 years later count as foreshadowing to you?
Also Warcraft history is whatever Blizzard says it is, not the cherry picking you're doing.

[Nerovar]

You mean like the introduction and immediate transformation into the Lich King of Arthas in the same game? Or does the book that was released 7 years later count as foreshadowing to you?
Also Warcraft history is whatever Blizzard says it is, not the cherry picking you're doing.

I'm actually not sure what you're trying to say here since I already elaborated on that post.

[Garybear]

He feels more like a machine or a puppet, whereas Arthas felt like a master of rot and fear.
Maybe it's Shadowlands as a whole changing the whole concept of death, making it less, I dunno, frightening and rotten.
I know that Anduin IS possessedd, rather than corrupted, but still. I don't get the same "deathly" feeling from him, more mechanical.

What do you think?

Anduin is also a pussy

[tromage2]

Still see Anduin for the little weak boy king from MoP.

Find it pretty funny that blizzard is trying to push this weakling into a very powerfull character.
I always saw Anduin as a good king (politics) character that can lead his people and channel the light but suddenly he is skilled in combat what was always his weak point.

[Newname1234567890]

......... He is a puppet......That's the point.

Also it's hard to judge when we've seen DK Andiun stab someone. We saw Arthas bring back a dragon from beneath a glacier as his army of skeletons watch on among others.

Maybe wait until idk he does more then one thing?

[Triceron]

Whats to say Arthas was not a puppet?

Arthas had a power-hunger downfall arch before he even took up Frostmourne. It made him interesting because he was forced into making tough decisions that he came to choose on his own, despite the warnings and advice of those around him.

Some were made out of necessity, some were made out of his pure determination to destroy his enemies. His path was set by his own hand, and the lines are blurred into whether he's being used or whether he was in command. He brought it unto himself willingly, and embraced the power and the curse.

Anduin was simply dominated while actively resisting the power and role he was given. It's no where as nuanced or interesting when we know he's merely a puppet for the sake of furthering the plot.