Read more about Shadowlands ➜ https://worldofwarcraft.mgn.gg
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands Patch 9.2 Sepulcher of the FIrst Ones Raid Anduin boss raid finale cinematic analysis
With the defeat and rescue of Anduin Wrynn in Eternity’s End, we are treated to a new cinematic depicting Anduin draw on the strength of Varian and Saurfang to break free of the Jailer’s power, and the final EVER ™ appearance of… ARTHAS MENETHIL! What does our final goodbye to the Lich King tell us about Shadowlands and World of Warcraft in 2022? How do Jaina and Uther reconcile their pasts with the prince of Lordaeron? And where doe the redemption or judment of Syvanas stand after these events?
Join Taliesin for a cinematic deep-dive analysis!
► Taliesin & Evitel Website: https://www.TaliesinAndEvitel.com
► Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/taliesinandevitel
► Taliesin & Evitel Twitter: https://twitter.com/TaliesinEvitel
► Taliesin & Evitel Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TaliesinandEvitel
► T&E Merchandise: https://taliesin-evitel.creator-spring.com/
Theme Music by Jay the Bard: @Jaythebard
“This cinematic is like if your wife and best friend came to your funeral but the only person that ended up speaking was your accountant”
source
The Arthas anima part is a spit on original WoW legacy. They just want us to forget all that. Everything came out of Slyvanas mouth is what dev team trying to say to us.
Good video, im not a Saurfang fan (Sylvanas loyalist in BFA) but i most admit that the first half of the cinematic was awesome, and i love Varian, he's a badass and see him there having a final moment and hopefully getting moew character to Anduin in the future was nice. And for the second half… yeah i completely disagree, i hate it.. every second of it especially the Sylvanas monologue there, but just like you said, everyone have their own opinions, and im glad that you like it cause for me the cinematic should have ended with anduin.
I think the real reason people wanted arthas wasn't to have him take over the expansion. But to have closure for the players and the characters. For the big monologue to come from jaina (his lover) and Uther ( his mentor). For them to have the reflection on his life and acknowledge their causes for his downfall. People absolutely did not want sylvanas to come into the picture and say "i really hated you so i became you and now i have to live with the consequences that you didnt get (you know because you were "justifiably" killed, i got off fairly good don'tcha think)". It sours the whole experience with arthas to have the least liked and least interesting character give the monologue when the people with actual relationships with Arthas said a grand total of 6 words between them.
Haven't played for over a year but honestly I hope the next major villain is not a gigachad, beefy, booming voiced villain spouting lines about "puny/foolish mortals" and shit. Really got old. Arthas being a prime example of this.
So much going on in this one.
– Plunging Kingsmourne into the ground like Arthas resurrecting Sindragosa.
– The powering central focus of Kingsmourne (Arthas), reminiscent of the Ashbringer (The Light), Gorshalach (Titan), Thunderfury (Elemental), and plenty of others.
– Arthas's father speaking to him as he contemplates Frostmourne (Patch 3.3 opening cinematic) vs Anduin's father speaking to him as he contemplates Kingsmourne.
– "You will be called to account." – Terenas's words as they might pertain to Sylvannas now as she acknowledges.
– "My son." – Terenas in the Wrath of the Lich King cinematic, Varian in the Legion cinematic.
– The Lordaeron Throne Room parallels. "Is that…his?" and Jaina's shield which worked better last time being broken so easily…not to mention the Arthas entrance parallels you've mentioned already in other cinematic analyses.
Love these videos.
I’m reminded of the Legion story of Strom’kar in the halls of Valor where they said the ancient tribes of Arathi believe the spirits of their ancestors live on in their blades.
Thanks for taking the time to walk through this mate, lots more perspective giving me more love for the story. Steve Danuser and team: A++ please let's have more endings instead of shitty teaser stories.
I just wish the writers didn't try to redeem Sylvanas. As a night elf main, it feels awful that they are trying to redeem her and that she has so much agency when she acknowledges that she was in control of herself during teldrassil. Who else can commit genocide and be redeemed? You can say that teldrassil was a mistake and that the writers wanted to try to fix it but IMO you have to roll with what you have, and playing the redemption card was the wrong choice.
What you saw is exactly what I saw but that doesn't keep me from feeling sad and with a feeling of lost potential. I literally had chills watching the cinematic but that "ending" for Arthas was sad as fuck and maybe that is the way it had to be but I wish we could have had a bit more. Had that been the case this would have probably been one of the best cinematics in WoW history.
Its funny because your cinematic reviews and deep dives are more well researched and thought out than most people on Youtube and yet you have the most positive view of them. I think that says a lot. People are so reactionary when it comes to opinions about the game, or actively shit on it just cause. There is a lot more thought that goes into them than people think
so uther…..jayna….neither have anything to say , and we get a fucking speach from one of the worst characters in warcraft lore ,, that gets redemption after being used , conveniently forgeting that arthas himself was just as much a victim as she was?
No. her speach is trash and blizzzzzzard did arthas dirty. At the very least let the people that loved him make their final goodbyes
I understand your points, you actually made me look at the cinematic rather differently, but I still feel the second half of this is one of the worst cinematics ever. I like the fact that arthas is just a souless ball, it feels like they respect his old end, but other than that, everything feels so forced and cheap 🙁
3/10 cinematic, at absolute best for me. I found it yet another situation with zero feeling of closure on anything, leaving me continuing to feel unsatisfied. And what I dislike about Sylvanas' lines is that she talks as though Arthas had a choice in his horrible actions. He was being controlled that entire time and had no choice in his actions. Also, if I am to read a lot into characters' subtle expression and facial movements in this.. then I'd have to do the same for Sylvanas over the last many years. Those moments when she clearly showed expression of capacity for emotion and guilt/concern, which contradict the idea that she was missing half her soul.
This send off of Arthas was brilliant. I agree with this channel's analysis of what transpired between Sylvannas and what was left of Arthas' soul. Remember it was Uther who cast his soul directly into the Maw bypassing any chance at redemption in Revendreth where Arthas was utterly consumed. As Sylvanas said…"Not even a soul left for judgment…" This makes Arthas' story even more tragic.
I loved this cinematic….I also thought the "tearing apart" of Kingsmourne was symbolic in another way. When Sylvanas Tore apart the Helm of Domination she shattered our hope for survival. When Anduin tears Kingsmourne apart he shatters the jailer's domination and restores our hope for victory. As to Sylvanas' monologue, the key to it ((and one of the reasons I love and adore Patty Mattson)) is not in her words so much as it is her tone of voice. Reflective, sad, understanding. A Masterpiece of a video to be delivered in such a short length of time.
That Labyrinth reference…. 😈
I was almost considering resubbing until we got 35 anima Arthas. Yes, he had his ending. They should have left it at that and not brought him back into the Shadowlands story if they're going to do this shitty writing.
Yes but can you tell me….did Arthas deserve all the stuff that had happaned to him in the afterlife?
And I'm more angry at the arthas scene is that the others did not talk….or that Uther did not apologize at least for throwing him to the in the Maw.
Nerzhul sitting in the corner with Archimonde and Sargeras, wondering in confusion with what is going on.
Now I remember why I stopped watching you
Going to disprove the whole souls of precious wielders stored in sword idea by just stating that Varian dropped the sword before dying.
So thank you for explaining to the shills that Varain and Saurfang are just visions. Which makes more sense, though it is total fan service and leaves the question, where the hell is Varian? unanswered. And we know Saurfang got turned into a trinket.
It's almost poetic that the character who I remember saying "I intend to live forever" flickers away like nothing
You know what I just realized? Not sure why it took me so long, but the WoW characters now have indisputable, undeniable proof of the afterlife, and how it works. You’d think that once we return, the Church of the Holy Light, Loa worshipers, etc. are gonna change quite a bit.
I kind of wanted to see sylvanas just wave arthas away like a little fart wisp at the end
I agree there wasn't much more "closure" or conversation needed in regards to Arthas. He is dead, and the "legacy" he'd left in the arguably 3 most influential people he'd affected was fading. Jaina had moved on in Wrath and come to terms with herself in BfA, Uther resolved in Shadowlands content… Sylvanas was the last one left to come to terms with what Arthas had done to her. Her making the choice to acknowledge that she'd inadvertently carried on the legacy of the Lich King and leaving it behind IS that last remnant of Arthas fading, not the soul fragment.
This is just more proof that, as Pyromancer once stated, Steve Denuser could not write a story even if you outlined it for him.
You have this incredible skill to break down cinematics like this and praise them as they are, but ignore the problems that they cause and what they mean for the greater lore. Too much compartmentalization.
The fact that you had to explain this cinematic of the level of depth that you do; I am concerned about the emotional intelligence of the community. Existentialism and self reflection are not their forte.
Arthas should have gone out like Garrosh
I still think that the Light purposely sacrificed both Arthas and Anduin to Death. Remember it was said somewhere that the Light has made a pact with the enemy of all. This is it. The Light purposely gave death its strongest champions for their own end.
I don't know why, but I see the ending of this raid being Sylvanas sacrificing herself and the judgement questline will probably be reflecting on her final actions to see if her name shall be remembered. 90% sure i am wrong but it would be interesting.
My favorite Tallessin videos are the reaction to cinematic videos. He has brought up details of the video that I would have never seen. He is the best content creator when it comes to explaining cinematic. Thank you!!
I loved wotlk. . but it was time to finally put Arthas / the LK to rest. As good as his story was and how it was central to the older wow lore hes been dead for a long time lore wise and it turned out was just a tool of the jailer. 6 expacs later they are not going to have this grand send off. .
This was so shit that I quit wow and this channel.
I disliked the second part of the cinematic mostly because I had nostalgia goggles on and wanted one last look at Arthas (with updated graphics), but after watching your video my opinion has completely changed. The choices Blizzard made with this cinematic make much more sense to me thanks to your analysis. Great video!
Any cinematic is ruined by the appearance of Forsaken Hitler because it reminds me of the fact that I didn't get to execute her for her crimes.
I love this! And right with ya Tali