Anyone else sick of insanity/corruption creating evil characters?

[Landin55]

True, but Illidan started his grab for power long before he went insane.

Yup for the greater good, then for killing.

[shadowmatrix]

Arthas is corrupted by Frostmourne.
Illidan goes mad in TBC.
Kael'thas goes mad in TBC.
Garrosh will be corrupted in MoP.
Deathwing is made insane by the Old Gods.
Malygos is driven insane by Deathwing.
The Eredar are corrupted by Sargeras.


Anyone else tired of the "Oh, he/she is insane/mad/corrupt and therefore evil" routine over and over again?

Arthas wasn't corrupted by Frostmourne, it was his ego and pride that did him in. The massacre of Stratholme had nothing to do with Frostmourne. It was purely Arthas' plan to kill everyone rather then look for a cure.

Illidan was corrupted long ago. He was the one responsible for the creation of the second Well of Eternity. He wanted power long before TBC.

Keal'thas was corrupted, he was just pissed off. He suffered at the hands of a racist asshole and was branded a traitor. He sided with Kil'Jaedan to gain the power to never go through that again.

We still don't know what Garrosh's deal is. He has shown enough bloodthirst and rage already.

Malygos was driven mad by the death of almost all of his species of dragon. Grief and rage drove him mad, not Deathwing.

The Eredar decided to accept Sargeras' offer of their own free will. They were not corrupted since they choose that road for themselves. The broken are corrupted.

[Darkhallows]

I'd like to point out that the Mogu seem evil for evil's sake, at least in the way that they want to conquer ALL the things. The Mantid are being sha-ified, and the Sha are generally evil for evil's sake as well. Such is the nature of negativity. MoP to the rescue!

[Landin55]

I'd like to point out that the Mogu seem evil for evil's sake, at least in the way that they want to conquer ALL the things. The Mantid are being sha-ified, and the Sha are generally evil for evil's sake as well. Such is the nature of negativity. MoP to the rescue!

All Mantid are evil anyhow just like with all the bug empires they willingly worship old gods.

[Gron]

Its very hard to create so many quests, stories, so much fun without repetition. Imagine how much you played with this game already - compare that to a movie plot.

[unholytestament]

Still don't think he is (was) "better". Instead of psychobabble he just went genocidal.

It doesn't matter what you want to think. His entire demeanor was completely different. He may as well have been a different character.

Yup for the greater good, then for killing.

HA!

Illidan was always in it for personal gain. Always.

[cywang86]

so we're branding bosses as evil because we've proven them 'wrong' by defeating them?

Arthus didn't become courrupted until he pulled out frostmorne. Until then he was just a prince trying to avenge his people and prove to his loved ones that what he's doing is right.

Kael'thas was also backed into a corner, fighting for the survival of his race due to magic addiction withdrawal after the destruction of Sunwell by Arthus. First betrayed by Garithos, the alliance that he believed were his allies, so he turned to Illidan, who did delivered the magical energies his people desperately needed. When Illidan has truely gone mad after Arthus defeated him in Icecrown, he had to find another way to gather the needed energies for his people. Seeing as the demonic energy is already being used, why not go to Illidan's master himself? It probably was a temporarily solution, but as soon as the Scryers, who he thought were his most trusted magisters, turned on him (I mean, seriously!?! You'd bring your entire team to your enemy corporation just to tell your boss that he's doing it wrong!?!?), there's no turning back then. He had to defeat his enemies and prove to his people that he's the only one who's truly trying and will succeed in saving his people. It just so happens that he's on the losing side. If this is called insanity, I'd say the same to whoever invented communism. Oh wait, it's already taken China.

As for Malygos, the others already pointed out that he just wants to wipe out all magic wielding humans as to prevent them from causing more problems. Seeing as how it's magic that brought the burning legion into this world, and the deaths of many dragons who were trying to clean up OUR mess, he's not completely in the wrong here. (not to mention the death of Arcanagos, who were right about the corruption on Medivh, and Azuregos, the bearer of the blue scepter shard)

Besides, these guys have lived for countless ages and have seen so much deaths, betrayals, and battles. One has got to go insane (post war syndrome anyone?). It just so happens that we have to clean it up.

[Gnarles Malarkey]

You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

The basis for all lore surrounding major Alliance characters.

Cynicism aside, Blizzard have done a fairly good job of crafting Wrathion as a neutral-evil character. Being free of corruption and outside influences, after all, was the pillar of his introduction during Cataclysm. Here's to hoping his story plays out in a satisfying way across Mists.

[Landin55]

It doesn't matter what you want to think. His entire demeanor was completely different. He may as well have been a different character.

HA!

Illidan was always in it for personal gain. Always.

So becoming a totally different person (dragon) isn't something a crazy person (dragon) does? Maybe, maybe not, my personal theory is that Maly was permanently damaged mentally, he awoke from his crazy depressed state to a (some what less crazy) crazy genocidal state lol.
Also some of Illidan wanted to do good maybe not for his race or brother but for his own ego and his love, but later on he fully admits he was doing it for himself and there is a huge difference between subconsciously helping yourself for personal gain (love, power) and then straight up saying "This is for me, not you, not my brother, not our people.". Just my 2 cents.

[Littleraven]

Arthas is corrupted by Frostmourne.
Illidan goes mad in TBC.
Kael'thas goes mad in TBC.
Garrosh will be corrupted in MoP.
Deathwing is made insane by the Old Gods.
Malygos is driven insane by Deathwing.
The Eredar are corrupted by Sargeras.


Anyone else tired of the "Oh, he/she is insane/mad/corrupt and therefore evil" routine over and over again?

honestly its more interesting for people to get corrupted than to just be evil. sure some people just want to see the world burn but why? id rather see a character get twisted by something that turns them into something totally different than they started as. characters that are just evil for the sake of being evil are boring and unrelatable

[BirdLady68]

Malygos recovered from his insanity long before he ever declared war. It was in his clear mind he saw magic being used AGAIN (just like the elves did) and wanted to stop them before it brought the Burning Legion back. That's just practical.

So, one might say that Evil is completely Subjective in terms of WoW. What the Mortals view as being good vs an Aspect that saw danger in what mortal were doing. I wonder how the Titans would perceive us killing what they appointed to protect their creation? Perhaps the Titans will view us as corrupted evil.

[Landin55]

So, one might say that Evil is completely Subjective in terms of WoW. What the Mortals view as being good vs an Aspect that saw danger in what mortal were doing. I wonder how the Titans would perceive us killing what they appointed to protect their creation? Perhaps the Titans will view us as corrupted evil.

They do. Were failures in a way, Remember Algalon?

[TEHPALLYTANK]

Arthus didn't become courrupted until he pulled out frostmorne. Until then he was just a prince trying to avenge his people and prove to his loved ones that what he's doing is right.

You're kidding right? He massacred the citizens of stratholme quite a while before he got frostmourne, he traded his soul AND muradin's life for frostmourne. Frostmourne didn't start speaking to him until after he was wielding it.

[leaks]

They do. Were failures in a way, Remember Algalon?

Algalon was going to destroy the planet because the defense system created to keep the Yogg imprisoned (the watchers) was corrupted. It had nothing to do with mortal's failure, it was because the Titan's own plan failed. Algalon being plan B. Mortals and all life were seen as irrelevant to the main priority of keeping the old gods at bay. His impression of mortals was actually the reason he chose not to kill us not the other way around.

[unholytestament]

So becoming a totally different person (dragon) isn't something a crazy person (dragon) does?

When they get better, yes.

How is this a question?

Also some of Illidan wanted to do good maybe not for his race or brother but for his own ego and his love, but later on he fully admits he was doing it for himself and there is a huge difference between subconsciously helping yourself for personal gain (love, power) and then straight up saying "This is for me, not you, not my brother, not our people.". Just my 2 cents.

I have this odd feeling you just played Warcraft 3 and think you know all there is to know about Illidan.

Illidan was the kind of guy who threw around spells he could barely control which resulted in the deaths of his allies. When he was called out on this he though it was because the commander had something against him.

THE THOUGHT THAT CAUSING THE DEATHS OF HIS ALLIES WAS A BAD THING NEVER CROSSED HIS MIND.

And this was before he decided it was an excellent idea to recreate the Well of Eternity.

[Banzhe]

He wants to villains to love us to death...snu snu style.

Well that would fit perfectly with the MoP design so far, the amount of bunnies is enough to make even the most loving person hurl.

[Hitei]

You're kidding right? He massacred the citizens of stratholme quite a while before he got frostmourne, he traded his soul AND muradin's life for frostmourne. Frostmourne didn't start speaking to him until after he was wielding it.

Culling Stratholme was the right thing to do.
Jaina and Uther were morons for not assisting Arthas.

We see in Icecrown that the Dragon Aspect of Life, Remulos, and the Naaru are not able to save a single crusader from the plague.

The people of Stratholme were already dead.

[ElfinHilon10]

I like it, the theme is that nothing is inherently evil.

This exactly. I am one to believe that we are not inherently evil, rather our experiences in the world and events around us shape us who we are. That being said, we are ever evolving as humans, both biologically as well as physiology.

To evolve is to be human.

[Kaleredar]

Arthas, as has been stated, wasn't a goody two-shoes until he took up frostmourne. He was an arrogant, prideful person. He ordered the purging of Stratholme, and he took up Frostmourne willingly. He didn't do anything he didn't want to. All of Arthas' hatred and rage are what eventually became the Lich King, after all. He defeated Ner'zhul in his mind, and only the last, remaining faint sliver of his humanity stopped him from completely destroying the world with the scourge. See, also, that he kept Jaina's locket.

As for Illidan and Kael'thas, I'd say they were more desperate than anything. Malygos wasn't corrupted by the old gods, he was just doing what he thought was right and taking it to the extreme.

Deathwing is one of the few main villains that were genuinely turned from being a complete saint into a lunatic by corruption that wasn't remotely his fault.

[xChurch]

I have this odd feeling you just played Warcraft 3 and think you know all there is to know about Illidan.

Illidan was the kind of guy who threw around spells he could barely control which resulted in the deaths of his allies. When he was called out on this he though it was because the commander had something against him.

THE THOUGHT THAT CAUSING THE DEATHS OF HIS ALLIES WAS A BAD THING NEVER CROSSED HIS MIND.

And this was before he decided it was an excellent idea to recreate the Well of Eternity.

Just have to point out, he never killed any of people/allies until he was creating the second well. Rohnin got mad at him for channeling to much of the night elf mages power into him for him to weild, he was doing it almost to the point of killing them however. He was scolded for doing it though, but he felt only he was capable of wielding that kind of power. But arrogance has always been Illidans driving personality trait.

There are a lot of villians that get corrupted that is true, as for the insanity part...honestly that is a matter of perspective. The characters of the game may have considered Malygos insane as a good example, but he was cured of his insanity and simply believed he was fulfilling his duty as Aspect of Magic by restricting magic use, albeit by extreme methods, but I doubt its a stretch for a Immortal as powerful as an Aspect to consider mortals like we consider ants.

I found Arthas' story to be one of the most compelling. Corruption did play a part in his downfall, but he started on the path to becoming the Lich King long before he took up the sword. And even the sword was not the final straw. In the book "Arthas" he has many second thoughts about his actions but continues to drive on until he finally ends all the external influences on him and becomes the sole Lich King. They really need more stories like that, where the corruption is really just a way for the character to follow what they truely wish to do. It would be nice to have Garrosh's story done in this way, we already know he is a bloodthirsty warmonger, and I doubt it will be the "Sha" or "Old Gods" or what have you that need to make him do nasty stuff. He is already a villian to most people, he will drive himself to become something that has to be dealth with, and though outside forces may play a part, it won't be what really drives it....I hope anyhow.