[9.2 Spoiler] Arbiter

Lore Story
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Picking Pelagos for new arbiter is another bad story writing here are my reasons.

First reason is subverting expectations for the sake of subverting expectations, such as making a random character with not much story basically a god. In recent years because of a few successful plot twists modern writers began to spam this method but it usually doesn’t work because they force it and it doesn’t make sense in the narrative. Got season 1 got people hooked because narrative made sense actions had consequences.

Speaking of consequences, Pelagos basically has his cake and eats it too. In first cinematic we see him as making a sacrifice and saying goodbyes to Kleia as if he is going to lose his consciences however in next cinematic, we see himself as empowered self with no real change, he keeps his conscience becames god, and it is not even like Kleia can’t see him whenever she wants to this alone takes all the emotion away.

Another problem is, this is unearned character development if you can even call that, basically this is like promoting a new intern to CEO status. Not only Pelagos has no real relevant story and background for us to care about he, he is the opposite of what Arbiter should have been, a worthy being that judges souls without any prejudice, instead what we got is cartoonish morally good guy. The he didn’t ascend for a purpose story would work if we actually spend time with him and he had character arc but neither of these things happen. He is basically Mary Sue that gets the god status without real hardship, sacrifice, or merit.

Speaking of unearned status, I will get hate for this, but I must point out the elephant in the room, Pelagos belongs to certain group, how do I know this because devs had to brag about it with blue posts because most people didn’t care or recognize that all. So, to cater certain social agendas they basically give this guy god status. Don’t believe me? Wait until they remind us all with their blue posts and tweets next patch and see yourself. Personally, i wouldn’t care what group he belongs as long as he is well written character with good arc but sadly, he is just another tokenized character.

For my final opinion on the arbiter, I think arbiter should have been new construct because it makes the most sense, no being with ordinary conscience can do such a job, it is impossible.

This arbiter thing is not the main issue with shadowlands narrative but it really summarizes everything wrong with it, in that way it is worthy ending. Thankfully it will all be forgotten quickly and most people will not even remember or care.

Shame shadowlands could have been the most epic story wow told but it looks like Arthas still reigns supreme.

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Considering we will probably never revisit the concept of the judge of souls again, after the failure that was Shadowlands, I really find it hard to care at all who becomes Arbiter. I don’t want to see any of these characters again, and whatever they do, I’m fine with it, as long as they do it in their own little world, where I don’t have to be anymore.

Apart from that, I guess the Pelagos+Kleia-team was actually a better part of the story experience for me. I just liked their simple friendship. We actually don’t get to see much in the way of positive bonds between characters in WoW, way too often it’s all just drama. I mean, no one of the main cast seems to have any friends left, just allies. There is no childhood friend for Anduin, there is no friend from Dalaran for Jaina, and there is no drinking buddy for Thrall, it’s all self-pity and anger. So seeing the two Kyrians supporting each other was quite nice at times.

I guess Pelagos’ “sacrifice” turned that one into drama, too, though… So maybe I should feel a bit bad about that.

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I’ve tried to follow the story of Shadowlands (even though I’m not playing) but I have to ask: is being the arbiter some sort of honour? Seems like the worst job imaginable.

"Have fun sorting the souls of every god damned dimension out there! If you need any additional pens you contact your local Zen-something Mortis. There’s a new never-before-seen race of sentient zebracentaurs who worship the god of stripes and in order to cater to their beliefs you should order the construction of a new afterlife reality just for them. Is this how it works? Is this still part of my imaginary quote or am I genuinely asking these questions? If I never end the quote will it eventually make sense?

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Why is there even a need for Judge of souls? Gods /architects of creation such as First ones are beyound good and evil/morality. They do not care if someone murders bilions or saves them etc. If they truly did care, they would have intervened at any point in our reality. But no, you see to such beings it is nothing more than work of art, experiment long forgotten in their workshop. It is like this, do you care about ants? bacteria? They kill each other and commit atrocities yes, but it does not matter, you are so above such a limited organisms that it makes no sense to care about them, you with your understanding are vastly superior and therefore you barely notice them if even that.

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To be entirely frank i don’t think there should have been a new Arbiter, for the sake of the stakes. At the very least not without posessing Zovaal’s Sigil.

As it is it’s an arbitrary role, in a meaningless expansions people will actively try to forget so it ultimately really doesn’t matter so long as one of the characters people actually care about din’t get saddled with it.

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Baine qualifies as a childhood friend I guess. I also count Wrathion in :woman_shrugging:

Exactly, and the current system of the Shadowlands proved just that. I still think that Sylvanas was right for wanting to dismantle it but that’s not the story Shadowlands wanted to tell in the end. I swear this whole thing could have been so much more than what we were given… :weary:

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Not really what I’m talking about. “We met once, we are friends forever now” isn’t exactly a close friendship. What I meant with Pelagos and Kleia was the actual interaction that showed their friendship. These Anduin relationships don’t have that. Baine is more of a pen pal, and Wrathion is more like that bad inflence that shows up with booze now and then, and leaves as fast as he appears.

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You should read « The Shattering » if you seriously think that the friendship between Anduin and Baine. Let’s not forget that Anduin sent the Alliance player to rescue Baine and sheltered him afterwards when he didn’t have to. Being an ally wasn’t his sole motivation to take this decision.

As for Wrathion, we saw them becoming friends and spend all their time together during MoP, and despite Wrathion’s betrayal, we knew that betraying Anduin after they had grown so close wasn’t something Wrathion was happy to do. « War Crimes » is clear enough about that. They settled their scores during the fight against N’Zoth and nothing suggests that they didn’t stay friends after that :woman_shrugging:

Funny thing about these two, is that they are the only ones who had an influence on Anduin’s mindset, which is funny considering how Anduin has always been the one influencing the people around him. Not being like Pelagos and Kleia doesn’t make these bonds shallow

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I did actually read it. They met ONCE in there. Per accident. They had tea, and Anduin just gave away a Bronzebeard heirloom, because it felt right at the time. No, that has nothing to do with the kind of supportive friendship I was talking about.

You don’t have to be close friends to do that. Yes, Anduin likes him, yes, their politics are aligned, but no, they don’t exactly share their lives and problems with each other.

Really, I am beginning to think we have vaguely different ideas of what an actual friend is, if that counts as any kind of more than casual friendship for you.

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How is trusting a precious weapon given by a father like figure not a proof of support from one friend to another? O.o

Anduin didn’t have to keep Baine with him at Stormwind after he was rescued if he had just been like any other random character to him. He would also not call him a friend if he didn’t mean it.

I guess we don’t

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At his first meeting with him. Yes, that says A LOT about Anduin, and NOTHING about their relationship.

Since that has nothing to do with what I said, sure. Baine isn’t a random character to him. He is a political ally and a pen pal.

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Still not taking into account how Baine and Wrathion are the only two characters who had an impact on Anduin’s vision though. But there’s no need to keep this conversation going since we both know what’s wrong. We don’t have the same definition of what friendship is :woman_shrugging:

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…since I don’t see why that points to friendship in any way… Yes, I’m not taking that into account at all. All kinds of people can have an influence on your worldview, you don’t even need to have strong feelings towards them.

Apart from that, calling them the only characters that impacted Anduin’s worldview is just plain wrong.

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I`m pretty sure they picked Pelagos because of the bellow :

You could pretty much just shoot and point at any other random npc and he would make a good Arbiter . Thats all there is to it . Cant wait for all the lectures he/she is gonna give us about changing his gender from female to male to… ??? Its just part of the whole new propaganda … ahem “policy” they are making .

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So what? Not like it would have been any better with any other character, at least it’s not one people actually care about and would like to see beyond Shadowlands.

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We’re just disappointed because we wanted Emeni the Slaughter Daughter to be the Arbiter. Or Marileth. Or his party slime Kevin. Or that squirrel. There are so many great and worthy characters.

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personally i think Pelagos is the one referred to in

The golden one claims a vacant throne. The crown of light will bring only darkness.

because his new form is gold and you can argue that the crown of wills is a crown of light but you know it was a terrible idea to appoint someone with such confidence problems to such a position in the first place

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Hmm that’s a good thought, I’m still more inclined to think that it is about Turalyon

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doubtful people think we will get a light expansion but i doubt it and if we do it will be another fail expansion from the same guy who gave you BFA and SL so look forward to it

Ion the Lier and Steve “Simp” Daunser Proudly presents World of Failcraft: Light’s Crusade now with even less patches … more retcons and another expansion that is disliked and gets abandoned just like the previous 2

i’m sure looking forward to killing A’dal in a raid because his evil now and always was … and was just using us back in TBC

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Me thinking that it might refer to Turalyon doesn’t mean that I’m excited about an expansion around the Light and Void. I have lost faith in what the devs can come up with after SL

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