Regarding a similar topic I found at the American forums. I now start something similar here. Let me hear some names. What names is it that you guys believe got wasted by the story in some ways or had far too less development and time to be around and grow. Maybe even some butchered characters too. Alright let’s roll it. Have fun.
Fandral Staghelm.
5 Likes
Thomas Zelling was like the first forsaken character which was butchered, even if he was the first forsaken which was not just one dimensional.
Garrosh Hellscream had a lot of potential how we saw in Stonetalon. He would probably be the best Orc leader the Orcs could ever had.
Vol’jin as warchief. Sacrificed for Sylvanas fanservice, sad.
Varok Saurfang, damn, why they had to ruin him in BfA? His death was even welcome in the end.
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The player character. Totally butchered.
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Anduin Wrynn - Many will be surprised that I mention this character here. But the potential of the youngster trying to teach the world a better one, but the world doesn’t listen has really been wasted here. One could have given Anduin more dimensions by the world reacting appropriately to a 14-18 year old young prince and not blindly agreeing in everything. He couldn’t grow at all because most of the time everybody agreed with him, even if he wasn’t right.
Muradin Bronzebeard - For me still one of the best warriors there is, and yet so rare and rarely used. He would have the show of a true warrior icon, which unfortunately gets far too little spotlight. Muradin’s potential is simply wasted here, unnecessary.
Kael’Thas - Yes, the good Kael’Thas, sacrificed on the altar of the raid and raped in a dungeon. One of the most popular characters of all characters in WC3.
Sons of Lothar - Once the greatest heroes of the alliance, the flair they once had is now completely lacking. Little used, but they would be really great from the potential. Some even ruined, unnecessarily.
The World - Warcraft is unfortunately very weak in terms of world building, which I would consider to be the biggest wasted potential. I like to write stories for myself that represent the Azeroth world with exhausted potential. And again and again I think to myself…the writers don’t use what they have at their disposal. Really a pity.
Night elves - the night elf people were really wasted in WOW because of their potential. Instead of emphasizing the differences - if you have to give them to the Alliance - between the cultural aspects of Alliance-typical races and the night elves, and slowly getting a cooperation, you simply robbed the night elves of their peculiarities and adapted them to the Alliance. What a shame.
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Okay, Going to the gym so I’ll keep it short for now and very narrow.
Tauren;
Baine Bloodhoof, I don’t think I need to explain it to you, right? I had such hopes for him after Cairne died…but sadly the Cataclysm that was his rise to the spotlight was also his sinking as a High Chieftain.
Cairne BloodHoof, got wasted in a book before he ever got to do anything or get any further development in WoW, Sad!
Hamuul Runetotem, although I did love his story in Cataclysm, at that time he struck me as a very strong character, not much more,sadly, little after that, untill Legion - where he was just a Roster Champion really.
Aponi Brightmane and Tahu, they were respectively the Sunwalker and Seer forebearers for their introduction as tauren classes, I think they should have done more with them both, as, especially the Seers, barely have any lore development going for them, and a very poor introduction to two of the most contested(and even reviled by some) class/race combinations since Cataclysm. Also because the Tauren really don’t have a large number of notable characters.
Magatha Grimtotem, she was like the Fandral Staghelm for the Tauren, in a way, before any dumb retcons, unfortunatly, we didn’t get to experience that much of her outside of her villain role, untill Cataclysm. Where I found her more of an Anti-hero(the kind of stuff I personnaly have a favor for), although the lack of screentime adds to the mystery around this character, so it’s not to bad, at this time.
Highmountain Tauren;
Lasan Skyhorn, I think he’s a badass, at first glance, I like that for a change of Tauren character cast. But we really haven’t seen all that much of the Skyhorn chief, wich I suppose is understandable, but for me, a bit of a shame.
Jale Rivermane, the old coot leader of the Rivermane, Allot of people found her voice acting annoying, I personnaly found it hilarious and I liked what I saw of her personality, she seems to be a wise Shaman(wich the Horde is lacking atm) with a strong personality, I just like what I saw, would like to see more.
Mayla Highmountain, same as Baine, except she started of as genuine and interresting, a young tauren thrust into the role of leadership after her father died, but now in BFA what I saw was just a femBaine…however, since she hasn’t had much of any development yet outside of Highmountain itself, I still have some hopes she could be a respectable Tauren leader figure.
Mellok Bloodtotem, This will probably seem random to most…but Mellok was the son of Torok, the Bloodtotem chief who gave his people to the Burning Legion and became Feltotem…I found him being a copy of his father a waste, in one glance, it’s understandable for a son to take his father’s side, but as he must have seen what it did to his tribe, I just found it a waste to have him become the second Torok. He could have led the leftover Bloodtotem tribe and had some form of redemption, making sure his people still had a future in Highmountain.
Disclaimer, I’m fully aware that more spotlight for these characters might actually do more harm these days then make them more interresting.
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Did I miss something? Apart from Khadgar they still do the job they originally went out for. Fighting for the alliance. As commanders. Not rulers. These big guns are for characters like Anduin, Genn or Velen.
Exist and say they fight and really use characters are two different pair of boots.
They are from warcraft 2. And the faction war is over. What other purpose would they serve? The big show on the alliance is for the leaders. The commanders fight elsewhere. Example Turalyon and Danath at Stromgarde.
What’s it about? It’s about wasted potential, and the five of them are definitely there.
Oh, also, Magni Bronzebeard once he was turned into a diamond statue. This is why I love Classic. He and the dwarves are still awesome there.
The player character. No choice or agency means that we’re railroaded down a path to stupidity.
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Shandris Feathermoon
Started becoming a really interesting character in the war campaign and then they threw everything away in 8.3 when they made her Anduin’s puppet.
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Lyalia, Sentinel Commander.
Night Elves commander in MoP. She came there to find immortality pool that was shown by Elune. She died, but was resurrected, when her father sacrifice his life.
Later, she lead soldiers, to help in defenses of the broken wall, when Alliance and Horde heroes were trying to save Pandarians.
Later she was a leader of Night Elves sentinels, defending Shrine of Seven Stars.
She also was helping on the Isle of Thunder, and also present on Timeless Isle. She also played some role in the Novel.
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Lyalia
-in other words, she was playing a pretty big role during MoP. Like Shandris Feathermoon playing in BfA. Or like Cordana was in WoD.
But after MoP, Blizzard just forgot about her. She left in MoP, even now, when all Night Elves heroes came, to fight on Darkshores.
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Lillian Voss - Great potential. Her unusual introduction and backstory was interesting. Her beliefs about undeath because of her ties to SC and her personal struggle to re establish herself into the world when her perseption on world changes.
Loved her self righteous story fighting Scarlets for personal vengeance and scholomance necromancers.
Sadly soon after these introduction she never got a proper or interesting moments in later expansions. For me it felt like she was “another cool rogue” more then unique character in Legion. Same can be said in WoD and in BFA she got butchered for the dake of plot.
Shandris Feathermoon - great character with no screentime or mainly usedtas a support character used to develop other characters, especially Tyrande. Her character representation in game is poor. If you havent read the novels youd think she has not done much. Also BFA left me feeling that her and Tyrande relation has not been too strong. Or Tyrande has done bad job in upbringing her. Personally, it was weird to even talk back/suggest for peace (even if you believe its right course) after the tantrum in Stormwind and boy king, clearly seeing your mother is pretty pissed to how betrayed she feels from her allies and driven with vengeance.
Maiev Shadowsong - mainly quite happy with her story, but wolfheart has to be mentioned and its later swipping under the rug attempt, put a permanent toll on the character.
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Trag Highmountain.
He’s depicted as a pretty unique kind of undead and one of the most OP, if not THE most OP DK in the setting. And yet all he got in the game were two brief appearances. In Legion he just AFKed in the class hall. Such a waste. I think he’s a really cool and underrated character.
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Relara Whitemoon!!! Even after all these years i consider this quest realy touching. I want to know what happened to this child!
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Varian was clearly killed because with him in charge there wouldn’t be any Battle for Azeroth. As touching as his heroic sacrifice was, he was killed prematurely.
The members of the House of Nobles could add an interesting element to the nation, serving Anduin while at the same time being a factor he has to take into account, but they are not doing anything so far.
We still don’t have a new Archbishop of the Light either (and that guy’s basically the Pope, so a very important figure).
As for Kul Tiras, I am sad that we didn’t get to see more of Katherine in BfA. Her last appearance dates back to 8.1, if I am not mistaken. I would like to see her reaction to her broken son Derek.
^^^ Yep, agree with this. I wish we’d get more stories involving the nobles in SW, it could add some more depth into the city.
Vol’Jin is the winner in the most wasted character imo. The amount of stuff they could do with him, the narration the entire Horde could’ve had, a more balanced faction war that is actually a morally grey… All is gone.
But the list of them is quite long :
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Nazgrim and Taylor (hated that they were killed off like that!)
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Staghelm - I think the shift in nelf leadership toward him would make them more interesting
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Baine - the moment Golden decided to write him he was imo doomed.
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Saurfang - BfA did amazing job to turn this well liked and regarded orc to a stupid hypocrite Sadfang.
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Rastakhan - he had amazing arc and I wanted to see him more as king that he was supposed to be in the younger years after getting a bucket of cold water, very entertaining character.
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Zul - that guy was amazing, a real pity he was reduced to blood slug worshipper instead of being simply supremacist that has different vision. Trolls needed their own agenda shown.
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All the dwarf leaders - entire dwarf faction seems to be AFKing pretty hard, seems like blizzard doesn’t have any idea on how to write them.
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All the tauren respectable factions - they are also in dire need of agency.
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House of the Nobles - I want for them to return to shake up human politics. I’d like for Anduin to be confronted about his politics and forced to exile, as other factions leaders and Stormwind population would give him reality check and show him the door. That his ideals aren’t relly holding up in this violent world.
-Kul’Tiras - not so much slavering nation, those slavers are, they needed much more grim athmosphere but Blizzard once again whitewashed another human faction. Heck even genocide was handwaved.
Honorable mention : Zul’Jin. Still iconic leader after so many years!
6 Likes