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Wrathion's Journal and His Plan to Defeat N'Zoth (Spoilers)
Wowhead
Geposted
07.08.2019 um 09:11
von
perculia
Wrathion, the enigmatic Black Dragon behind Garrosh Hellscream's escape from imprisonment and architect of
Warlords of Draenor
, has been lurking in the shadows throughout
Battle for Azeroth
, using his agents to spy on us during the events of the expansion. In Patch 8.2.5, scattered journal pages in the Catacombs of Karazhan offer insights into his mysterious absence over the past few years, newfound maturity, and his current schemes. Will Wrathion help us fight N'Zoth in the true Battle for Azeroth, or or will his plans prove to be just as disastrous for us as the Old God?
Patch 8.2.5 discussion and spoilers.
Learn more about Wrathion in our
Finding Wrathion 8.2.5 Preview
and
Lore of Wrathion Biography
.
Where's Wrathion?
Throughout
Battle for Azeroth
, Wrathion has sent his
Blacktalon Agents to spy on us
, stationing them in Blackrock Mountain, Nazjatar, and Highmountain. Yet, Wrathion himself has been suspiciously absent since the lead up to
Warlords of Draenor
, save for a brief appearance at the Black Dragonshrine in the Deaths of Chromie scenario toward the end of
Legion
.
With his
new journal
, we learn a bit more about his travels - it seems he's traversed quite a bit of Azeroth:
Düsterbruch
, Kalimdor
: Wrathion visits the library of the Shen'dralar, perhaps the only holdout of Queen Azshara's highborne who survived the Sundering but remained isolated from Night Elf society, ultimately trying to harness the power of a demon to slake their addiction to magic. He pursues the remains of the Shen'dralar library, mostly destroyed by the Horde in vanilla WoW, learning how they tried to harness the power of the Void - which could be promising if the Void was used against itself. Seems like a job for the Void Elves!
Die Lehrensucher
and
Shado-Pan
, Pandaria
: While Wrathion played a large role in
Mists of Pandaria
, he didn't familiarize himself with the Lorewalkers until recently. Here Lorewalker Cho teaches him about the history of Pandaria, the Old God's Black Empire, and the impact that the essence of Y'Shaarj has had on the world. Surprisingly, he grows to respect the stalwart Shado-Pan, sensing an affinity between their mission and his - to stand in the dark protecting the world so others may remain in the light.
Archavons Kammer
, Northrend
: Wrathion hoped to learn more about the secrets of the Titans, but in a humorous nod to our constant farming of the loot pinatas in
Wrath of the Lich King
, cannot progress far because all the NPCs are hostile.
Karazhan
, Eastern Kingdoms
: Wrathion finally makes his way to Karazhan, using the tomes from its great library in order to concoct a potion to cleanse Old God influence. He also communicates with the spirit of Medivh, learning about his own struggle with Sargeras, leaving Wrathion with a greater sense of responsibility and purpose.
It's impressive that Wrathion has managed to travel across four continents without anyone noticing, and his journey thematically ties older locations to the current plot of
Battle for Azeroth
. While we recently revisited Karazhan in
Legion
, Dire Maul, the Lorewalkers, and Vault of Archavon have been overlooked thus far, so it's interesting to think that that some older areas could potentially become major plot points of future patches.
Emotional Maturity and Past Mistakes
Besides learning about Wrathion's whereabouts over the past few years, a striking part of the journal is his apparent emotional maturity.
When we first met him in
Cataclysm
, it was to help him ruthlessly rid Azeroth of the remaining Black Dragons. He expresses little regret for murdering his kin, disgusted at their corruption, in the
Rogue Legendary Questline
for
Fänge des Urvaters
.
But in his journal, he seemingly sympathizes with Neltharion, wondering if he might have struggled to resist instead of embracing the madness which damned the Black Dragonflight. At the conclusion of the Patch 8.2.5 questline, Ebonhorn, one of the very few friendly Black Dragons, is purified by the potion Wrathion made. If Wrathion still harbored his same beliefs from
Cataclysm
, he would have instead tried to kill Ebonhorn instead of brewing a potion and leaving a note calling him "Brother."
He recounted his struggles under Sargeras's influence as the dark titan twisted his soul from within, and I was left to wonder if similar thoughts plagued Neltharion as he descended into madness himself.
Wrathion also revises his opinion on warfare, wondering if the carnage caused is worth the resulting devastation. In
Mists of Pandaria
, he encouraged the Alliance and the Horde to fight one another, intending for one faction to wipe the out the other in order to unify and strengthen the survivors so that they could stand against a much greater threat down the road. When Varian proclaimed a truce with the Horde after the Siege of Orgrimmar, Wrathion flew into a rage (
Urteil des Schwarzen Prinzen
) and disappeared.
Seldom does it accomplish the intentions of its architects, and never without leaving immeasurable devastation in its wake... especially when the Horde and the Alliance are the forces in conflict. Can one ultimately say that victory is worth the price that must be paid to achieve it?
Perhaps it is, in some cases. But the verdict is not as easily reached as I once thought.
During Wrathion's time in Pandaria, he was impatient and puzzled by Pandaren culture. For example, upon completing
Ich brauche einen Champion
, Wrathion is baffled why Anduin is playing a game that requires both sides to win. Yet in his journal, he expresses a newfound respect for the Pandaren - respect which he never expected to find. He also speaks of a balance between Light and Darkness - a duality increasing referenced in
Shadows of Argus
and
Battle for Azeroth
with the addition of Lightbound and Void Elves to the Alliance, Alleria's struggles with the Void, and Yrel's tyranny of the Light in the
Mag'har Orc scenario
.
I must admit, I felt a certain kinship with the Shado-Pan that I did not anticipate The Pandaren do not maintain a standing army, and so the Shado-Pan serve as their sole defense against both the mantid and the sha.
Though they have trained themselves to seal away their emotions, there is an air of solitude about them that I recognize all too well. It is no easy task to stand alone against the darkness so that others may bask in the light.
Wrathion closes the journal by admitting his failings in a rare moment of vulnerability. Mysterious and charismatic, Wrathion usually hatches daring plans with dramatic consequences, irreverent and without reflecting on the ramifications. This newfound maturity shows a new side of the Dragon Prince, and may serve to temper his future machinations.
A new legacy. In the end, perhaps that is what I am truly after. A way to make amends for my father's failings... as well as my own. A legacy worthy of the black dragonflight's original sacred charge: the defense of Azeroth. The end of the Old Gods.
I do hope these pages have proven to be of use to you, <name>. I would hate to think my agents wasted their time delivering them to you as instructed. Rest assured that when the time is right, you will have my aid in the fight against N'Zoth. In the true battle for Azeroth.
Wrathion's journal ends on an uplifting, even heroic note - a welcome one after all the turmoil throughout
Battle for Azeroth
. Here he stands as a powerful and important character who expresses regret for his past actions, distaste for the constant warfare, and wants to focus on facing the Old Gods... but does he really? We've been starved for charismatic leadership that rises above the faction conflict, but it's always possible that Wrathion may simply be telling us what we want to hear... as he's done before.
"I can never change the actions of my past," he told me, "but I can forge a new legacy to leave behind.
Is Wrathion Trustworthy?
While Wrathion sounds repentant in his journal, it may be too good to be true. Wrathion does not have a strong track record when it comes to making good decisions to ensure the stability of Azeroth.
To review, Wrathion launched a campaign to murder all remaining Black Dragons, encouraged one faction would wipe the other out in Mists of Pandaria, eats the heart of Lei Shen, and freed Garrosh from prison in order to set the events of
Warlords of Draenor
into motion, claiming it was for the greater good of fighting the Legion.
The no-longer-available
Mists of Pandaria
legendary questline gave players many glimpses into Wrathion's personality as most quests ended with an exchange of dialogue between the Black Prince and the "White Pawn" Anduin Wrynn. Some of these are humorous, seemingly casual exchanges, but others appear dark when viewed in the context of
Battle for Azeroth
.
In the quest
Herz des Donnerkönigs
, Wrathion eats the heart of Lei Shen without hesitation, intent on claiming the Titan magic and the God-like power for himself, very similar to Sylvanas's actions upon first encountering Azerite. In spite of Wrathion's talk about his free will and disdain for the Old God corruption that drove his dragonflight to madness, when he eats the heart he is temporarily possessed and cannot remember anything that follows.
Wrathion: Ahh - the heart of a King. The powers of a God.
Anduin: What are you doing? You're not seriously going to eat that-
Wrathion: It is filled with Titan magic, the very language of creation....
Wrathion: Oh, I see them - a million, million worlds - glittering in their perfection - but one above all others - oh
Wrathion: WE HAVE FALLEN. WE MUST REBUILD THE FINAL TITAN. DO NOT FORGET.
Anduin: What are you trying to pull?
Wrathion: It is gone. I don't remember any of it. Oh! None of them remembered. The irony!
Anduin: What are you talking about? I don't trust you.
Wrathion: You are wise not to.
Even if Wrathion is truly apologetic for his rash actions in the past, he could still be under the influence of that Titan magic. Wrathion claims he is free from the corruption which plagued the other members of the Black Dragonflight, but time and time again we see heroes struggle to avoid their past, turning into that which they despise - such as
Warbringers
drawing parallels between Arthas tormenting Ranger-General Sylvanas, and Warchief Sylvanas tormenting Delaryn.
As part of the Thunder King questline, Wrathion rewarded us with a special legendary meta gem in
Die Krone des Himmels
, which was placed within our helmets.
Wrathion: It will also act as a third eye - I will be able to follow your progress as we embark on the next stage of our journey.
Wrathion: They built an empire, when they could have built a new world.
Wrathion: We will do better, champion. Behold! The Crown of Heaven! My gift to you.
Wrathion: You are the ember. You are the spark! You are the fire that will spread across the world. You will awaken Azeroth's potential!
In this dialogue, we're see parallels to both the Gift of N'Zoth, the third eye sitting upon our heads and watching our progress, as well as the Heart of Azeroth, designed to absorb and unlock great power. His line about the fire is also reminiscent of the flavor text on
Schmelztiegel der Flammen
, rewarded from powering up the Heart of Azeroth and aiding the dragon flights: "A raging fire is a force of massive destruction, and the bringer of new life."
Wrathion sounds confident in his current plan to look beyond the factions and face N'Zoth, but reviewing his attitude in Pandaria - but then he sounded just as confident in his plans to have one faction destroy the other. There's also the troubling matter of his questionable allegiances, as he started off backing the Horde, then switched his support to the Alliance at the blink of an eye. Could Wrathion change his mind about fighting against N'Zoth just as easily?
Wrathion: What? Yes, I was backing the Alliance.
Wrathion: I thought Hellscream's victory was assured before he turned half his Horde against him. So I changed my allegiance.
Wrathion: Oh, don't look so surprised! I am a black dragon. My loyalties are my own.
Wrathion: But that idiot, IDIOT Wrynn! "High King" indeed!
Wrathion: Why did he allow another warchief? He could've united the world under the Alliance banner. What a fool I was to trust his ambition!
Wrathion: Should've taken the throne room myself. Like Auntie Onyxia. Get things DONE.
Back in 2012, former Lead Quest Designer Dave Kosak (now Game Designer on Hearthstone), had this to say about Wrathion to
WoW Insider
:
His value to the franchise is he really can kind of stand above Alliance and Horde, and really try and be a good guy, but without all the moral reservations that most good guys have. He really does have the best interests of Azeroth in mind, but his interests may not necessarily line up with our interests. His plan may not be the way that we would think of planning it. That kind of gray area between hero and villain is so cool for us, very cool to explore.
Since that interview, Wrathion has repeatedly demonstrated his flair for unconventional plans.
Forge of Origination
So what is Wrathion's plan to face N'Zoth? Like many of his other plans, they're maddeningly light on details.
Throughout his past travels, he's sought out other groups that have studied the Black Empire. From the Shen'dralar, he hopes that the Void can be used to fight the Old Gods. From the Shado-Pan, his research takes a preventative direction, and he learns to resist the whispers of the Old Gods. With the knowledge contained in the libraries of Karazhan, he's able to distill those learnings, crafting a potion with which to cleanse Old God corruption.
One detail that seems potentially dangerous is the Forge of Origination, originally created by Archaedas and Mimiron to (among other things) destroy all life on Azeroth should the planet succumb to Old God corruption. With Wrathion's talk in
Mists of Pandaria
about new worlds, could he want to press the reset button, destroying all life on Azeroth in order to save it? It would be a very Sargeras-esqe move, though Magni and MOTHER both agree that Azeroth is dying, and corruption is everywhere you look in
Battle for Azeroth
.
The Forge of Origination also has ties to Lei Shen, the Mogu Emperor whose heart Wrathion consumed for power. Lei Shen wanted to seize control of the Forge of Origination, and was only thwarted by the Tol'vir guardians who activated the forge, destroyed all life in Uldum in the process.
Wrathion's desire to use the Forge of Origination may be influenced by the Heart of the Thunder King... or it could be another one of his "well-intentioned" schemes. At this time, he does not exactly know how to use the Forge, which could prove disastrous, considering its potential to obliterate all life on Azeroth. We also can't forget that the Island Expedition quest
Schillernder Skarabäus
revealed that the Amathet have constructed new keepers, and likely their own Forge--which could complicate Wrathion's plans.
Few mysteries intrigue me more than the lost knowledge and technology left behind by the titans. The zeal with which I pursued their secrets in the past may have bordered on excess, but the quest in and of itself is one that must be continued. I know for certain that the Forge of Origination is the key to dealing the Old Gods their ultimate defeat, though I have not yet been able to discern the exact manner in which it is meant to be used.
Return to Karazhan
Wrathion ultimately returns to Karazhan, finding not only knowledge but inspiration and renewed purpose after communing with the spirit of Medivh. He's now committed to forging a new legacy for the Black Dragonflight, returning to their original role as the Earth-Warders, guardians of Azeroth. However,
Battle for Azeroth
has a recurring theme of good intentions leading to bad results, and Medivh's pep talk to Wrathion may mask sinister intent.
At the end of
Karazhan
, Medivh appoints Khadgar as his successor as Guardian of Azeroth, gives him an inspirational talk in the process - but refuses to stick around to help fight the Legion:
Khadgar: The demons have been purged from Karazhan! Thank you, champions. Medivh, you would be a welcome ally in our war against the Legion.
Medivh: My path leads... elsewhere. Besides, Azeroth has found her Guardian in you, Young Trust.
Khadgar: I have made it clear before... I do not want such power!
Medivh: You have all the power you will ever need, Khadgar. It is your heart, your courage, that makes you this world's Guardian. And a better one than I ever was.
Khadgar: I... I don't know what to say, Medivh.
Medivh: Enough sentiment! Hear these words before I depart.
Medivh: It may be simpler to shut a door than to pass through it. But sometimes a step into the unknown is required to break the bonds of fate.
Medivh: There is much that lies ahead for all of us. Farewell.
Khadgar: The bonds of fate... I must consider those words. Until next time, champions.
Il'gynoth's whispers made a resurgence in Patch 8.2 at the
conclusion of the Azshara encounter
, and another whisper, "The Lord of Ravens will turn the key," may now be profound as it would seem to refer to either Medivh or Khadgar due to their common raven iconography. Earlier, it was assumed to refer to Khadgar when interpreted with the whisper "Five keys to open our way. Five torches light our path" referring to the five Pillars of Creation which Khadgar helped to retrieve during the events of
Legion
. By retrieving the Pillars of Creation in order to seal the Tomb of Sargeras, something we thought to be a major victory at the time, we set in motion a sequence of events that led to Sargeras stabbing Azeroth, placing the world in just as much peril, if not more. But could this line could also refer to Medivh, flying off to pursue another path in (hopefully) unwitting service of the Old Gods.
While Medivh entrusted Khadgar with saving Azeroth,
Legion
ended in failure, as both factions were left warring and Azeroth in dire condition. Khadgar returns to Karazhan in
Die Perspektive des Sprechers
to speak to Medivh in order to find a solution to the bleeding Azerite, coming up with a plan to use our artifacts to absorb the corruption of the Wound in the World - an act which results in destabilizing and burning out the weapons' powers.
Khadgar: But I will not take up arms against heroes on either side. Not after all we've been through.
Khadgar: Instead, I will go to Karazhan and confer with my old mentor, Medivh. Perhaps somewhere in his ancient texts lies the knowledge needed to heal this world.
Is Medivh giving Khadgar good advice? The "Last Guardian" failed once before. Is the knowledge present in Karazhan powerful enough to fight the Old Gods? And what exactly has Khadgar been up to if both he and Wrathion were around Karazhan at the same time?
With the release of
Warcraft III: Reforged
later this year, it's also insightful to review Medivh's involvement in Warcraft's earlier history. He was instrumental in forming an alliance between the Alliance, Horde, and Night Elf factions leading up to the Battle for Mount Hyjal, revealing himself to Jaina, Tyrande, and Thrall. With the faction war escalating once more, perhaps Medivh was looking beyond the threat of the Burning Legion in order to try to reunite the factions of the future.
Now, at long last, I have returned to set things right. I...am Medivh, the Last Guardian. I tell you now, the only chance for this world is to unite in arms against the enemies of all who live!”
Did Medivh give Wrathion an inspirational talk, based upon years of wisdom and tragedy, hoping the black dragon would turn the tide against N'Zoth? Or will his involvement follow similar trajectory to the past, ultimately ending in disappointment and failure?
Dragon Isles
No discussion of Wrathion is complete without a look at the Dragon Isles, an elusive land he's been searching for in
Battle for Azeroth
. Fortunately, a few months ago, we wrote
Dragonflights of the Old Gods and Mystery of the Dragon Isles (Speculation)
, recapping the fate of all the Dragonflights in early Battle for Azeroth and how the Dragon Isles could be introduced! The full article is worth a read, but this section is particularly relevant:
Could the Dragon Isles and its ties to the Old Gods be the key to the sudden reappearance of several Dragonflights? While the primary Dragonflights are severely weakened and even left unable to reproduce after the events of Dragon Soul, the allies of the Old Gods are suddenly growing in numbers with evidence of several young dragons and a large number of Twilight eggs in Grim Batol. The Old Gods had a hand in shaping the Infinite, Black, and Twilight Dragonflights, while Nefarian created the Chromatic Dragonflight, so it stands to reason that with the current Old God emphasis, they may have found a way to aid the dragons and swell their numbers or restore some of their power. In contrast, the Red, Green, Blue, and Bronze dragonflights continue to suffer as their population dwindles.
Of course, many things could have changed since Staats worked on Warcraft, and the Dragon Isles could serve an entirely different purpose for the current dev team. Perhaps Wrathion investigates the Dragon Isles because he's concerned about the resurgence of Black Dragons after he sought to wipe them out. That said, Wrathion has been an exceptionally enigmatic character thus far, so just because he is said to be searching for the Dragon Isles doesn't mean that players will necessarily see him or them.
The power of the Dragon Isles could also be harnessed to rejuvenate the ailing Dragon Aspects and their flights. This would be a convenient way to extend the life of the Dragonflights and pave the way for creative new stories - they've been an integral part of Warcraft's plot for a while, but so many are on the verge of extension. Jesse Cox and WoWCrendor, keenly interested if the story of the Dragonflights, interviewed Ion Hazzikostas back in Legion and asked him if their story would continue. Ion responded by first talking about the development of Illidan, a character whose story arc initially seemed complete in Burning Crusade, but was given a fresh breath of life in Legion after some retconning tweaks. He then pivoted to the Dragonflights around 12:53 in the interview, hinting that Dragon Soul was not their final chapter.
It's curious that Wrathion
did
seem interested in the Dragon Isles earlier, but his journal doesn't mention them at all. Is he trying to keep their existence a secret, or has Medivh's speech impacted him so much that he's more intent on defeating N'Zoth than trying to find more dragons? It could also be possible that Wrathion, after traveling all around old areas of Azeroth, has now journeyed to the Dragon Isles. If Magni cannot track Wrathion down himself, perhaps that is a convenient lead-in for the players to visit the Dragon Isles in an upcoming patch or expansion.
Magni Bronzebeard: I suppose Wrathtion doesn't want tae be found. But the knowledge he's accrued could be critical in the fight against N'Zoth.
Magni Bronzebeard: Thank ye, champion. I'll get tae trackin' down the Black Prince. Not too many place ye can hide when Azeroth's own speaker is lookin' fer ye.
Although Wrathion left his journal behind in Patch 8.2.5, the Black Prince himself is still unaccounted for, and hasn't been seen face-to-face since
Mists of Pandaria
, so there are sure to be more mysteries in store. His presence has been teased throughout
Battle for Azeroth
, so it's exciting to finally learn more about his whereabouts and machinations, and what they could mean for both his enemies and erstwhile friends.
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