What Was The Point of Putting Bolvar On the Cover of Shadowlands?

[Edward Wu]

Really, what was it?

This character is truly a pathetic loser and nothing else. He exists to job to Sylvanas or the Jailer. That's been his entire role in Shadowlands and soon enough he'll likely be supplanted by Arthas in the later patches and tossed aside.

In the latest raid, one of the cutscenes has him getting punked by Sylvanas again. Effortlessly:
https://streamable.com/poc4mn

What is the payoff for this character? Literally why does he continue to exist? Just kill him. The only interesting thing for this character would have to been to have him go evil and do a Scourge 2.0 theme with a twist, but that did not happen. This character needs no redemption morally, he's not tied to any important lore characters. Why is he the main quest-giver character a la Khadgar?

He's just so pointless.

[Varodoc]

They couldn't put any of the Eternal Ones because literally no one knows who they are or cares (I mean Denathrius is cool I guess but he is not cover art material), and they couldn't put Sylvanas because they already put her on the cover art of BfA. I know maybe Forsaken players don't pay attention to this but this is the World of Warcraft, not Sylvanas' Little Adventures. No character should ever be poster character not once but twice, and straight back to back.

So they went with Bolvar because, really, the cast of this expansion is full of nobodies. I mean I guess they could have put Baine or something if they really didn't want Bolvar.

[Edward Wu]

They couldn't put any of the Eternal Ones because literally no one knows who they are or cares (I mean Denathrius is cool I guess but he is not cover art material), and they couldn't put Sylvanas because they already put her on the cover art of BfA. I know maybe Forsaken players don't pay attention to this but this is the World of Warcraft, not Sylvanas' Little Adventures. No character should ever be poster character not once but twice, and straight back to back.

So they went with Bolvar because, really, the cast of this expansion is full of nobodies. I mean I guess they could have put Baine or something if they really didn't want Bolvar.

Could have put the Jailer on the cover. They'd had a villain as the cover before.

[guisadop]

Really, what was it?

This character is truly a pathetic loser and nothing else. He exists to job to Sylvanas or the Jailer. That's been his entire role in Shadowlands and soon enough he'll likely be supplanted by Arthas in the later patches and tossed aside.

In the latest raid, one of the cutscenes has him getting punked by Sylvanas again. Effortlessly.

What is the payoff for this character? Literally why does he continue to exist? Just kill him. The only interesting thing for this character would have to been to have him go evil and do a Scourge 2.0 theme with a twist, but that did not happen. This character needs no redemption morally, he's not tied to any important lore characters. Why is he the main quest-giver character a la Khadgar?

He's just so pointless.

What, really? I haven't seen this yet.

[thefinalwarden]

I would say they could have but.... well he does have some rule of cool too him, he looks pretty generic and standard for a cover, and people would wonder what a dungeon mob was doing on the cover of the game.

[Edward Wu]

What, really? I haven't seen this yet.

Here:
https://streamable.com/poc4mn

[Varodoc]

Could have put the Jailer on the cover. They'd had a villain as the cover before.

This is a completely different scenario, you cannot compare Jailer to those villains.

Illidan: Everyone knows who he is.
Arthas: Everyone knows who he is.
Deathwing: Everyone knows who he is.
Grommash: Everyone knows who he is.

Jailer? Literally no one knows who he is, since he was literally created and revealed post-Shadowlands trailer, he didn't even appear in the CGI trailer, unlike the aforementioned villains.

Bolvar might be a sad nerd but at least he is a famous character, Jailer is literally a nobody, and no amount of "ZOMG TITAN POWER LEVEL!!" will ever make up for his complete lack of a character or personality.

[guisadop]

Here:
https://streamable.com/poc4mn

Oh. That's shameful. Poor Bolvar, when he got the crown at the end of WoTLK I really thought he would be handled better than this.

On topic, though, it really is because all the characters in this expansion are new and, frankly, we don't have much reason to care about them yet.

[Saltysquidoon]

Here:
https://streamable.com/poc4mn

You honestly cannot make this shit up.

[Tyrathius]

Marketability. Recognizable character from WoW's most popular era, that shadowlands is attempting to cash in on by pretending to be a sequel to.

The fact that the story treats him like trash isn't super relevant. WoW's story treats everyone like trash. Sylvanas was the face of BFA even though BFA is all about how horrible Sylvanas is.

[Edward Wu]

Marketability. Recognizable character from WoW's most popular era, that shadowlands is attempting to cash in on by pretending to be a sequel to.

The fact that the story treats him like trash isn't super relevant. WoW's story treats everyone like trash. Sylvanas was the face of BFA even though BFA is all about how horrible Sylvanas is.

No, she wasn't. She isn't on the cover of BfA and the key art of BfA has her with Anduin sharing the picture.

[Icelin]

I believe Bolvar will have a bigger role. He's also been this expansions Khadgar, Magni etc. So it's not like he has been completely absent.

This is a completely different scenario, you cannot compare Jailer to those villains.

Illidan: Everyone knows who he is.
Arthas: Everyone knows who he is.
Deathwing: Everyone knows who he is.
Grommash: Everyone knows who he is.

Jailer? Literally no one knows who he is, since he was literally created and revealed post-Shadowlands trailer, he didn't even appear in the CGI trailer, unlike the aforementioned villains.

*Kael'thas waves in the backround with meme of setback in hand. Kel Thuzad lowers head in embrassment*

This expansion actually recycled quite a bit of villains. I am in the boat I don't want to kill the same character over three times. Kinda like how people want Sylvana's saga to end? I prefer they actually move along with the story.

On topic, though, it really is because all the characters in this expansion are new and, frankly, we don't have much reason to care about them yet.

A slew of a whole new cast? Leading the charge? We talking about the same expansion right? All I seen was old noticeable characters. Thrall, Jaina (who I feel has had way too much screentime. Even more than Sylavans. With actual proper development. I feel like I am the only player that calls this out too. Character doesn't need to die, just backburn please. More so when the equivalent of all Alliance content the previous expansion was about her development.) Tyrande, Golden boy and having to save Baine twice. Wait even OG Uther. I feel like I am missing some, but these are characters that are well known in this franchise. Some I prefer over others...

This was all digression.. back on topic I think Blizzard will show it has listened to the playerbase and give Bolvar some type of redemption. Hence he is the poster boy. As the outcry was real. I could be totally mistaken tho, I just don't see any other reason they would showcase him.

[Varodoc]

I believe Bolvar will have a bigger role. He's also been this expansions Khadgar, Magni etc. So it's not like he has been completely absent.

*Kael'thas waves in the backround with meme of setback in hand. Kel Thuzad lowers head in embrassment*

This expansion actually recycled quite a bit of villains. I am in the boat I don't want to kill the same character over three times. Kinda like how people want Sylvana's saga to end? I prefer they actually move along with the story.
A slew of a whole new cast? Leading the charge? We talking about the same expansion right? All I seen was old noticeable characters. Thrall, Jaina (who I feel has had way too much screentime. Even more than Sylavans. With actual proper development. I feel like I am the only player that calls this out too. Character doesn't need to die, just backburn please. More so when the equivalent of all Alliance content the previous expansion was about her development.) Tyrande, Golden boy and having to save Baine twice. Wait even OG Uther. I feel like I am missing some, but these are characters that are well known in this franchise. Some I prefer over others...

This was all digression.. back on topic I think Blizzard will show it has listened to the playerbase and give Bolvar some type of redemption. Hence he is the poster boy. As the outcry was real. I could be totally mistaken tho, I just don't see any other reason they would showcase him.

Kael'thas and Kel'thuzad are not important enough to be featured on the cover art lol. They are both pretty niche characters who appear only mid/late covenant questlines and only for some covenants. The Kyrian player for example never interacts with either of them in the covenant questline.

[Jackstraw]

You honestly cannot make this shit up.

Everything in this scene is so ass backwards.

[voidox]

don't worry folks, danuser will have the bolvar and talia scene and that'll tooootally make it worth why he's around and being utterly useless.

[Nnyco]

After what he done in legion its a suprise ebon blade didnt kick him off icc.

[guisadop]

A slew of a whole new cast? Leading the charge? We talking about the same expansion right? All I seen was old noticeable characters. Thrall, Jaina (who I feel has had way too much screentime. Even more than Sylavans. With actual proper development. I feel like I am the only player that calls this out too. Character doesn't need to die, just backburn please. More so when the equivalent of all Alliance content the previous expansion was about her development.) Tyrande, Golden boy and having to save Baine twice. Wait even OG Uther. I feel like I am missing some, but these are characters that are well known in this franchise. Some I prefer over others...

Well, none of these are actually "central" to the idea of the Shadowlands, at least from a recognizability/marketing perspective. I know I would scratch my head if I saw Tyrande, for example, on the cover of an expansion named Shadowlands. Obviously her involvement is undeniable, but the link between her and the realm of the dead isn't immediately obvious.

[Soon-TM]

After what he done in legion its a suprise ebon blade didnt kick him off icc.

It would have been quite in-character for nu-Bolvar, first getting his ass kicked by Suevanas and then by his own associates/subordinates. Or vice-versa, it's pretty much the same thing

[Shigma]

I find it quite sad because legion dk class order made him look promising, i really liked that campaign. It just flopped this hard in the end.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Marketing and nostalgia milking.

Grommash, Illidan, and Sylvanas were pushed as the main characters of their expansions to capitalize on marketing, since they were both WC3 characters and pretty popular at the time. Trying to appeal to old Warcraft fans, I suppose. So if the pattern holds true, I'm guessing the main character of the next expansion is also going to be another WC3 character (or a popular early Vanilla-Wrath character, since Saurfang was also pushed as a main in BFA and he was just a meme in vanilla, and Bolvar from Wrath in Shadowlands). So I'm guessing... Vol'jin, perhaps? Or maybe it'll be Medivh. Wouldn't be surprised if Deathwing was brought back.