You can find all kinds of things on the forums. For instance, you can find a forum thread about Illidan. Back and forth the debate goes: does killing Illidan free him from his demonic taint or, well, just kill him? Will he come back or not? Is Maiev kind of a jerk? Bornakk weighs in on page two and continues to post throughout, which to be honest is what I like to see in a blue poster.The debate on whether Illidan was a hero to his people, a misguided power-hungry ambitious sort, or even out and out evil is interesting on its own, but what really interests me is to see this level of back and forth, even if Bornakk doesn't really say a lot in his replies. It may just be the lore geek in me talking, but I'd really like to take Chris Metzen out for a beer and talk turkey about Illidan, Arthas and the storyline in WCIII. How is it going to manifest in WotLK, did it work out in TBC the way they wanted? Might we see Illidan again or is he definitively dead on the floor of Karabor? Does Maiev have any purpose to her life now? This kind of stuff fascinates me, and clearly it does some other folks as well given the back and forth of this thread.
What about you? Could you care less about lore? Do you want to see Illidan again? Was he a basically good but flawed hero or an out and out villain or both?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
1-11-2008 @ 8:02PM
SaintStryfe said...
No, Illidan's bad.
He has hooked up with Kel'thas and Vashji, both definiately evil characters, and he does look to kill anyone who tries to stop him. He's trying to make the world/save the world as he sees fit, but he's doing it in definitely evil ways. Tragic figure? Yes. Evil? Also yes.
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1-11-2008 @ 8:36PM
Alan said...
Well, Kael'thas and Vashj aren't really evil or bad per se, either. The Naga are the more sinister of the outland baddies, with Aszhara's vanity and association with Sargeras, but rememeber, Sargeras used deceit and trickery. Think of him as the WoW version of Satan, the Father of Lies. As for the Blood Elves and Kael'thas, if you remember correctly, the once fought with the Alliance, and valiantly so. However, when Kael accepted help from the Naga, who were genuinely trying to help, a Human general, and all around paranoid psychopath named Grand Marshall Garithos arrested Kael and his people and imprisoned them in the dungeons of Dalaran. Illidan did what he felt was necessary to save his people, and he did actually save the Night Elves from certain destruction, as Tichondrius was just hanging out in what is now Felwood, decimating everything in his path. Illidan really didn't start to lose it until Malfurion banished him from the land and people he just saved. That's what triggered his drive for revenge. So, are all three evil? no. Persecution tends to make people a little nutty.
1-11-2008 @ 8:22PM
Anteia said...
But Kael'Thas definitely wasn't intrinsically 'evil'. He was driven to join Vashj and Illidan because of the actions of the elf-hating human. I think both he and Illidan have gone insane in their own different ways, which have resulted in them becoming evil, but it's definitely evil for reason, not simple glee in killing.
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1-11-2008 @ 8:24PM
drunkmime said...
A lot of good intentions gone horribly wrong.
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1-11-2008 @ 8:27PM
the3nd said...
Keal'thas wasent that evil when he hooked up with Illidan, and I dont really think of Vashj as evil, I mean shes an enemy (all nagas are..) but thats all. Illidan is kind of do bad/do gooder. It goes back and forth. But I mean come on, he saved Tyrande and then freed Outland from its evil emperor thats to take in mind.
Yeah so he made a deal with Kil'jeaden, hes selfish.
And Maiev is a jerk, he was held in a fricking cell for 10'000years and then officaly freed from his crimes by Malfurion. But that bitch is still after him. She is a pretty big Bitch, shes an interessting character, but not someone I would ally up with my self :p
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1-11-2008 @ 8:36PM
the3nd said...
Its Outland, you eigther Play rough or dont play at all ;D
He doesnt "enslave" Broken per say, in tft they plegde alligance to him, its not really his fault that they are to lazy to do some heavy lifting, they owe him that much.
and he dosent really have any time to think of "morals" he and his Illidari force is the only thing between the Legion and Outland, And if the legion got outland, they've would also get the dark portal, witch means another invasion.
I really belived that Maiev would understand that during the Boss fight and then like go off to tell Malfurion to close the Dark Portal, but when Nirthium came and killed my dreams :(
1-11-2008 @ 9:23PM
SaintStryfe said...
Broken, though, are not of their right minds often. They've been cursed by some god awful plague, and twisted, and even their brethren (the Draenei) say they've been cut off from the light (this is an attitude that is slowly changing amung the Azerothian Draenei especially). It's like limiting morphine to a person in pain, unless they follow you.
1-11-2008 @ 8:44PM
spootym said...
Illidan isn't all bad as evidenced by http://www.wowhead.com/?item=32496
A fully demonic evil being would carry a memento of someone he loved
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1-11-2008 @ 8:45PM
spootym said...
i meant wouldn't ;_;
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1-11-2008 @ 8:54PM
kmo said...
I dont think Illidan is bad, everything he did in Warcraft 3 was for the good of Azeroth, sure he was/is power hungry, but he only ever used the power he had for good. In WoW he might have gone a bit insane, but before that he was good imo.
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1-11-2008 @ 8:55PM
kmo said...
Illidan will always be the best character in WoW by the way, always my favourite, so i may be bias.
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1-11-2008 @ 10:22PM
PeeWee said...
The only true evil in Azeroth is the lollertrons in Goldshire.
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1-11-2008 @ 10:33PM
3amonsaturedayineedalife-gieflife said...
def the coolest character in the game - granted he has lost his way, but i agree that he was trying to good with an "end justifies the means" kinda attitude. Vashj is still mental like when she was a nelf, an kael, i think he is just looking somewhere to let his blood elves hang. after all there is only about 10 of them left, they can have there own rooms in the black temple.
As for him working for the Legion, if you view the cut scene its not like he had that much of a choice - kill a common enemy or die right now. "OK Mr Kil'jaeden, u got a deal, ill kill our common enemy (lich king) in exchange for you not killing me, and u offered me lots of power. w00t!"
I would love to see Illidan return some future expansion, eg the emerald dream, where him n his bro can get back on good terms, and the love triangle can return.
PS. anyone else think he got an awfully hard deal with the old 10,000 years in jail for just a few lil vials of water?
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1-11-2008 @ 10:42PM
theRaptor said...
No, he got an awfully light sentence for creating a possible entry point for the Legion and Sargeras. If Malfurion had any brains he would have tortured Illidan for the other vials and then had him killed.
You can probably blame the nepotic nature of the Night Elf justice system for the entire Orc, Scourge and Legion invasions.
1-11-2008 @ 10:36PM
theRaptor said...
He was an anti-hero, who ended up just trying to save his own hide, and then went nuts after Arthas bitch slapped him.
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1-11-2008 @ 10:42PM
Kikr said...
Meh, started off as being a good guy, then went off the deep end :P
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1-11-2008 @ 10:44PM
Rashi said...
Illidan is goovil.
Good and evil combined.
Why?
Well, to do good he did evil.
Examples, (spoilers for those who haven't read the Well of Eternity Books)
He bargains with Sargeras to receive his eyes, but the intention was to steal the power and destroy the Legion.
Stealing the Eye of Sargeras and using it to destroy the world. But it was only part of the world, and that part was the Frozen Throne.
And these are just good reasons.
He goes to Outland to hide from Kil'Jadin(spelling) and kills the demons in control there. Thats good. And his purpose of killing the demons was to take control to protect from Kil'Jadin. Also Good.
The Blood Elves were seeking a new source of energy because they lost the Sunwell, and Illidan provided. Good.
This I'm not sure where it goes.
His dual weapons are the Blades of Azzinoth. He killed the doom guard commander Azzinoth, stole the blades trained with them and went on to kick serious arse.
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1-12-2008 @ 3:07AM
jumb said...
Before I played WoW, I had only played W3 and hadn't played TFT until well into TBC. After playing the TFT, I had a soft spot for illidan.
Although I doubt I will ever be able to meet with Illidan, it will be a hollow victory to beat him.
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1-12-2008 @ 5:46AM
JrSlacker said...
I honestly think Illidan always had good intentions, but they always seemed to back fire, by both sides.....The funny thing is, I truly think the "good guys" are the ones that end up doing bad things.....
Dreanei = Bringing the Legion to Dreanor (hence making Orcs under control of Legion)
Night Elves = Brought the Legion to Azeroth (well, we all know what happened there)
Humans = Medivh, Arthas, Kel'Thuzad.....
So...In a nut shell, I think the "greater good" aspect of the "heroes" makes them blind in their decisions and quickly judge the ones who are doing good, but in the way the "hero" doesn't like....So we have Illidan and his brother Malfurian.....
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1-12-2008 @ 1:51PM
haust said...
No Kel'Thuzad was not a "good guy" that ended doing bad things.
Kel'Thuzad was seeking for power no matter what. It was not to serve and help his people but for him and his hunger for power.
So I guess by becoming a lich he had what he was looking for.