I’ve not really read the quests closely enough to actually get a satisfactory answer to that question, but still I am a bit curious to the answer. Going into the addon with the spoilers going around, I was pretty sure that they were (among other things) going for an “evil Light” arc, with the Light basically mind controlling/altering those that go in to deep. That’s the superficial impression Lightblindedness seems to give.
But the Arathor-quests did not really support that, I feel. Instead they basically reiterated old lore that said that the Light reacts to the wielder’s preception of what is right, whatever that may be. A power not of “good”, but of “good intention”. The quests also pointed towards paladins having a bit of a problem there, considering they were explicitly asked to do violence against others, and had to be certain of the righteousness of that violence to enact it. That doesn’t so much make you a fanatic, as it requires a certain kind of fanatism or dehumanisation of the other. Being certain that your brother in arms deserves healing and protection is quite different from being certain that the good of the world requires that random orc’s head carved in.
I cannot really explain why they would make that a central feature of the expansion leveling, if Lightblindedness was just supposed to be mind control by an outside force. I hesitate to ascribe subtlety to Blizzard’s writing, but might this be a case of it? Could Lightblindedness be more a psychological problem than a magical one, with desperate, PTSD-ridden warriors grasping for the feeling of certainty that always is strongest when they reach for the Light?
Is the Light acting at all here, or is it just working mechanically as intended, but giving garbage output when there is human garbage input? As I said, I haven’t read the quest texts very closely this addon, so I’m sure there are sources I overlooked, so it would be nice if someone could settle that issue for me. Warcraft lore mostly passes me by these days, but that was an important topic for my RP at one point, so I maintain a bit of an interest.
Don’t get too deep into that my man. The writing is garbage and even the fanatic Blizzard defenders that are lurking here and trying to gaslight everyone daring to challenge this know it.
Just move along and try to enjoy the rest of the new stuff that the new expansion has to offer.
Nah, I’m not trying to get deep into it, more like trying to get the basic gist here. I fully expected them to leave it at “Light is just as bad as everyone else”, and was fully resigned to that. I’m just not sure that’s what I actually got here.
Well I think you are right saying that . They seem to be trying to put in a neutral state saying it reacts to the intense (belief?) of the person , or like you frame it intentions .
But for me it does not mesh with how it seems to affect things that by definition have no intentions or beliefs , like animals and plants . Feels like it is making everything that gets too much of it just angry and mutated . This feels far too close to fel magic for me .
I would have expected the light to make everyone calm , happy , docile and zombie like , if there is too much of it , not make everyone angry .
I am still questing , but that is my impression : huge mutant light infused monsters attacking everyone and angry light users all over the place .
At this point I had an interesting idea . Probably blizzard does not intend it this way , but for me it looks like that .
Basically all magic is evil / dangerous .
And the different colors are basically the 7 deadly sins , kinda thing .
We have :
Light = Wrath
Order = Pride
Void = Lust
Nature = Sloth ( all those sleeping druids 24/7)
Death = Greed / Envy
Fel = Gluttony ( seeking to devour the whole universe )
I’d swap Void and Fel in that list, Void is about devouring everything (Just look at Dimensius or the dark heart), and Fel about Lust, not literal carnal lust (Sayaad aside ), more like destruction and corruption for the heck of it.
For me it looks like that the lightblindness is some light based force that manifests when you have extreme conviction about it. I personally wish it was more subtle thing cause it isnt
The idea of PTSD on long time warriors and fighters making em go extreme isnt unheard of and is good writing but adding this kind of element to it cheapens it a lot
Lightblindness is the same as a ren’dorei falling into the temptation of consuming, we have some of them in Voidstorm.
It’s a side effect of light. Given it sees ONE path it can make it zealous, tldr it sees world as black and white, if you are not friend, you are enemy kinda deal.
It’s not light directly controlling the people but rather a side effect that someone fails to ressist against. You could compare it to demon hunters and demons in general having a hunger for magic passively, or void elves wanting to devourer stuff.
Frankly, I expect it’s mostly a case of different devs trying to put different spins on what’s happening, and no one aligning the different narratives.
But looking at the Arathor questline, I do think the psychological angle could have been intended. I’ll give it my most charitable reading here:
The Light doesn’t so much be the cause extremism, as it is something that provides a destructive feedback loop. The Light reacts to moral certainty, so the feeling of wielding the Light becomes connected to certainty (or might even strengthen it), so if the warrior is uncertain and angry he reaches for the Light, which overshadows his doubts, strengthening the connection to certainty further. A “if the Light is still with me, I have to be right” kind of thing. Wielding the power of good intention gets confused with actually doing good. And while that’s not as much of a problem for a healer and helper that doesn’t do much with the Light that could cause harm, with a palading wielding the holy flames of retribution we’re suddenly in war crime or witch hunt territory. That’s why the Sunwalkers healing and building things were in the quesline as a positive example. Not because they used less Light,
Now, that explanation basically treats the effects of the Light like a bit of a drug, not as an actor, which is what I would very much prefer… But I do feel around the Lightbloom and around Alleria, we have much more of the “comic powers in dominance are always bad” vibe, which is why I’m asking if I overlooked something to bridge the differen conceptions here - or at least to have a bit more clarity on the logical incompabilities.
Hm, what’s that based on, though? Do you have any specific situations in mind? “Resisting” the Light certainly wasn’t a thing before Midnight, and it was definitely not in the Arathor quests that were very likely meant to develop the future vision for the light-wielders that stay “good guys”.
As i see it that yeah light itself doesnt cause the extremism is the belief system behind it, and when youre an soldier or an worshipper and you have fought years with the power at your side. And its rules what it gives you, it might blind you not to see full picture
And when you have PTSD of war added to the mix it will definetly screw your perspection and its harder to see what is wrong and what is right and youre automically following the doctrine thats been teached to you cause it gives you comfort though it might lead into rage towards anything that doesnt represent the same
I’m not that big of a lore expert but my theory is that the Light is not inherently evil or good, none of the cosmic forces are.
But I think certain elements that deal with the Light can be good or bad. Essentially it is up to the wielder’s intention.
This seems to be the answer, in my humble opinion. There is a wide range of Light wielders that use it in different ways and have a certain level of attachment to it.
But if the Light has motives of its own that are selfish or downright evil, there is some evidence to support such a plot.
), more like destruction and corruption for the heck of it.