Why did no one understand why we fought Illidan in TBC?

[Skytotem]

I'm always surprised when people talk about not understanding why we attacked him

He and Vashj were enslaving broken and Lost ones

That on its own is enough reason. Did people just nor read quest text?

[George Lucas]

The Horde practices slavery and the Alliance, while seemingly not having slaves themselves, never expressed any disdain for slavery, as long as their own members weren't enslaved.

[mickybrighteyes]

The broken as a whole don't seem all that big on what's going on and both horde and alliance have no actual reason to care about the broken. Alliance might have a slight level of care due to Draenei relations to karabor but that's about it.

We ran into Outland because of apparent Legion threat. Find Illidan who is also fighting Legion forces and we decide to go put his head on a stick because.... some broken aren't happy? Yeah makes SO much sense.

[Aucald]

I don't think people misunderstood why we were against Illidan - it was related pretty clearly in both WC3: TFT and TBC, although it was definitely subtextual (which to be honest most of the story was until WotLK). The hard body-swerve from Illidan, who had been billed as the "big bad" of TBC to the rise of Kil'jaeden at Quel'Danas was really the strangest part of TBC, and showed that the expansion had some pretty severe pacing issues.

[Yadryonych]

The only reason is being manipulated into doing so by Akama, it's in the quests indeed if you read these carefully

[MatthiasVonTzeskagrad]

The only reason is being manipulated into doing so by Akama, it's in the quests indeed if you read these carefully

Which is funny enough, as Akama, previously leader of the Ashtongues, becomes the leader of the same group of Broken to do jackshit for the rest of the time.
I'm yet to see those holy Karabor halls rebuilt, man!

[Super Dickmann]

We also practiced slavery, so we weren't motivated by any high-minded principle so much as the fact that he was going full retard and attacking us.

He also had some sick legendaries.

[Eucep]

We knew he was an insane tyrant on the planet, that is why we fought him. What is the weird part to people is to find him as that, an insane tyrant. At the end of the RTS campaign we knew he was somewhat... unhinged. But there was no clue he would enslave Akama and his draenei/broken.

But it was not just that which feeled off, it was hellfire peninsula where apparently he kept Magtheridon and was creating new orcs that were more insane then ever. But also the first signs of blood elf servants of him creating nature abominations with the crystal giants there.

Zangarmarch where Vashj was draining the waters for at that time, very unclear reasons. Netherstorm we saw more of the insanity of the blood elves draining the remains of outland of energy to sate their mana adiction which again made not much sense. With at the end of it all, Kael having gone bananas too.

Then we get to see what he had done to the broken temple, where stuff really looked like he was amassing an army of his own. We had Akama telling of the enslavement etc.

And all that time, we had no info on what had changed Illidan into the 'apparent nutcase' he had become. All we had to speculate was him having gone insane losing to Arthas. And then major retcons happened for Legion to 'explain the lore gaps'.

[Pua]

That on its own is enough reason. Did people just nor read quest text?

A lot of people played Warcraft III and its expansion; that built a character that doesn't just evilly enslave or murder anyone, therefore needing downed.

[Akka]

I'm always surprised when people talk about not understanding why we attacked him

He and Vashj were enslaving broken and Lost ones

That on its own is enough reason. Did people just nor read quest text?

Did you not read the context ?
The absurdity of TBC plotline was that everything was extremely contrived and illogical coming from WC3, with the sole objective of making Illidan the big bad. The problem being, Illidan actions make absolutely no sense :

- Why would Illidan attack Shattrath ? The main danger for Illidan was the Legion, and KJ coming back to punish him. So WTF would he attack foes of the Legion who had nothing against him ? THAT is absurd.

- Why would Illidan enslave the Broken ? They were ALREADY following him, duh. What's the point ?

- Why would we bother to attack him instead of just defending ? Again, his main foe was the Legion. Why not let them fight it out ? (same thing as in Zul'Drak, with the Argent Dawn somehow... putting itself BETWEEN two foes it wants to kill instead of letting them have at it at each others ? Wut ?)

The problem with TBC is that the entire main plot is nonsensical. The local stories are great, but the overarching one just makes absolutely no sense.

[Zandalariprelate]

Akama hired us to kill him, also Kael'thas attack on Shattran didn't help in Illidan PR since he was still associate with Kael even though he went rogue for some time. Also a lot of people though he went mad during BC so that is another reason.

[SoundOfGuns]

I'm always surprised when people talk about not understanding why we attacked him

He and Vashj were enslaving broken and Lost ones

That on its own is enough reason. Did people just nor read quest text?

Yea, the problem was not like this. When someone says people were not understanding why its more about the sudden change in Illidans behavior. He wasn't a bad guy before TBC. The broken were not enslaved by him. He helped them kill Azzinoth who had taken hold of the black temple and was the lord of the outlands. Akama was his ally not his slave. TBC turned this around weirdly. This is what got people confused.

[horbindr]

And all that time, we had no info on what had changed Illidan into the 'apparent nutcase' he had become. All we had to speculate was him having gone insane losing to Arthas. And then major retcons happened for Legion to 'explain the lore gaps'.

didn't war3 campaigns make it obvious KJ was eventually going to come for him, and thus he had to prepare for that, whatever it took?

[eurojust]

I still found no logical explanation on why Vashj and the nagas were serving Illidan.

[Cronovey]

I still found no logical explanation on why Vashj and the nagas were serving Illidan.

I believe that one has to do with N'zoth telling Aszhara to back Illidan because the Legion wants to stop the Old Gods from corrupting the universe by killing everything in it; this inherently makes the Legion the enemy of the Old Gods because with nothing to rule over, there's no point to their existence. Enemy of my enemy is my friend type situation going on there, especially since at the time they met up Illidan's focus was on destroying the Lich King that was trying to unify all of the people of Azeroth as undead which would make it very difficult for the Old Gods to conquer afterward if all Azeroth's forces moved as a single mind.

[Skytotem]

The Horde practices slavery and the Alliance, while seemingly not having slaves themselves, never expressed any disdain for slavery, as long as their own members weren't enslaved.

Horde slavery is 'supposed' to be illegal but not treated that way because the writing is garbage

Which is funny enough, as Akama, previously leader of the Ashtongues, becomes the leader of the same group of Broken to do jackshit for the rest of the time.
I'm yet to see those holy Karabor halls rebuilt, man!

They popped up In Legion didn't they?

- - - Updated - - -

A lot of people played Warcraft III and its expansion; that built a character that doesn't just evilly enslave or murder anyone, therefore needing downed.

He'd already enslaved fel orcs!

[oplawlz]

The Horde practices slavery and the Alliance, while seemingly not having slaves themselves, never expressed any disdain for slavery, as long as their own members weren't enslaved.

Didn't the Alliance enslave the Orcs?

[Skytotem]

Did you not read the context ?
The absurdity of TBC plotline was that everything was extremely contrived and illogical coming from WC3, with the sole objective of making Illidan the big bad. The problem being, Illidan actions make absolutely no sense :

- Why would Illidan attack Shattrath ? The main danger for Illidan was the Legion, and KJ coming back to punish him. So WTF would he attack foes of the Legion who had nothing against him ? THAT is absurd.

- Why would Illidan enslave the Broken ? They were ALREADY following him, duh. What's the point ?

- Why would we bother to attack him instead of just defending ? Again, his main foe was the Legion. Why not let them fight it out ? (same thing as in Zul'Drak, with the Argent Dawn somehow... putting itself BETWEEN two foes it wants to kill instead of letting them have at it at each others ? Wut ?)

The problem with TBC is that the entire main plot is nonsensical. The local stories are great, but the overarching one just makes absolutely no sense.

1. I read the context of Malf pointing out Illidan was nuts after being hit by a soul-scarring blade by Arthas. Context that'd been around since Vanilla.

2. Because He wanted the city to be used as a base for his forces probably, or wanted to enslave the people in the city, lots of reasons.

3. He had Akama and the Ashtongue, not other Broken. And maybe they didn't all want to continue working for him after Magtheridon was beaten.

4. The plot is disjointed but it's never failed to paint Illidan as someone who should've been attacked.

[Aeula]

And we should care about deformed Draenei because...?

Don’t get me wrong, I like the broken. But if I was a commander or whatnot I wouldn’t go to war to save them.

[Skytotem]

And we should care about deformed Draenei because...?

Don’t get me wrong, I like the broken. But if I was a commander or whatnot I wouldn’t go to war to save them.

So they don't get turned into an army to attack you.

People always act like being apathetic or numb to the suffering of others is somehow pragmatic, when really it generally just comes back to bite you

Case in Point: Sylvanas.