World of Warcraft: Legion - plot and events of the add-on. How will the story of Illidan, Tyrande and Malfurion end? (spoilers) What happened to Illidan in the Legion

In this issue we will look at the continuation of the story that began with the acquisition of an artifact called the “Heart of Light” during the battle for the Exodar. You can read this part of the story in the Archive issue . And you can see Illidan’s vision of the future, which is hinted at in this chain of quests, in a fragment of the novel of the same name about our hero already (reminder: some of the spoilers from English-speaking readers turned out to be not perfectly correct, but in our case, only the translation of that vision is important). Previous news releases from the Legion series are available .

We sincerely thank the community for their help in providing material on dialogues in Russian History of Warcraft . True, I still replaced some of the localized dialogue with my own translation options: it is still raw in places, and pleases with Broxigar Red. Everything else was, as usual, translated by me from the English original.

Now the Heart of Light was under reliable guard inside one of the class strongholds. And after a while, Ze’ra fulfilled her promise and contacted the leader of the stronghold.

“The Heart of the Light must serve as the vessel for the rebirth of Illidan Stormrage: this is my final act of service to the Light. But Illidan is dead, and his soul is lost in the Void. Before we attempt to return his soul, we must prepare the vessel for his return. Echoes of Illidan's past exist between the two worlds. You must go out and find them. Start where all life begins - from birth. Find Illidan's birthplace in Val'sharah. Awaken the memory.”

The hero went to the ancient city of the night elves in the forests of Val'sharah called Lor'latir. There he heard Ze'ra's voice again:“The memory of centuries is awakening. Whenever you want, come to me and I will show you fragments of Illidan’s past.”When the hero heard the voice of the naaru, his body was enveloped in a golden glow, the sign of the naaru shone in front of him, and he grabbed his head with his hands, as if experiencing pain from such communication (this effect occurred before each of the subsequent visions). Calling upon Ze'ra at the moonwell in the heart of the settlement, the hero saw his first vision - the priestesses of the moon standing in front of a group of townspeople and telling them about a pair of newborn twins.

Moon Priestess: Praise be to the goddess. Today she gave us new life. And not just one - two healthy boys at once.
Wanderer: Two?
Moon Priestess: Twin Brothers.
Resident Lor'latil: They are almost the same, only...
Wanderer: This one has golden eyes!
Moon Priestess: Exactly. This child is destined for a great future. His name is Illidan.

The vision came to an end, and the naaru spoke again:“Illidan was born for greatness. His destiny was forged in the crucible of creation and tempered among the stars until it found refuge on Azeroth. And in this tiny vessel a new great cycle began.”

The hero returned to the Heart of Light and received new instructions from Ze'ra:

“An auspicious start to a tragic life. Perhaps one of the few happy memories of Illidan's entire life. Although the years that followed tested the child of the prophecy, they never broke him. You must remember this no matter what you may see as we continue our journey. There is still a lot to do, but I am not ready yet. I will call you when the time comes.”

Time passed, and the naaru again turned to the ruler of the stronghold through the Heart of Light:“Illidan spent many of his formative years in Val'sharah with his twin brother, Malfurion. As young night elves, the twins vied with each other for the affections of the young priestess, Tyrande, while also undergoing the trials of the demigod Cenarius. We must travel to the Grove of Dreams, where Illidan's true path was forged."

The vision awaited the hero in one of the enchanted groves of the demigod Cenarius.

Cenarius: Illidan, you needn't be angry. I didn't insult you.
Illidan Stormrage: You banished me, Cenarius!
Cenarius: No. You can stay, but I won't teach you. If you want to continue studying nature, contact your brother.
Illidan Stormrage: What? Should I learn from a novice instead of a master?!
Cenarius: Learn respect. Malfurion will become the first Druid because he is a diligent student. But you don’t. The path of the druid requires sacrifice, Illidan. You have yet to understand this.
Malfurion Stormrage: Brother...

Illidan, Tyrande and Malfurion listen to Cenarius

This is what the naaru said after this vision:“Few have experienced such failure and defeat. Most people in his place would have given up, but not Illidan! He is led by the invisible hand of fate.”And already in the stronghold of the order:

"Failure. Refusal. From that day on, they pursued Illidan. Undaunted as always, he continued to seek his destiny. Another way had to be found.

Years later, as the War of the Ancients raged and the Burning Legion took the world into its grip, Illidan met with a war leader named Kur'talos Ravencrest. He too saw potential in Illidan, eventually promoting him to captain of the Moon Guard, a powerful group of night elf spellcasters. We must witness this memory in the Black Rook Fortress, located on the western shore of Val’sharah.”

In the Black Rook Fortress, the adventurer was visited by a new vision: now he himself was in the body of Illidan. In front of him, Lord Kur'talos sat astride his saber, and behind him, a detachment of the Moon Guard soon teleported to their aid. Also with them was a detachment of priestesses of the moon, guards of the fortress and several glaive throwers. From here there was a view of the inner courtyard of the fortress.

Kur"talos Ravencrest: Warriors, send the demons back to their masters! For Azshara! For Kalimdor!
Illidan Stormrage: Demons are blocking the transport network. We have problems with teleportation over long distances.
Kur "talos Raven Crest: Better late than never! Who else can hold a weapon - fight! You are ready...

A portal of fel energies opened in the sky. From it a giant infernal fell to the ground and began to burn the fortress courtyard with green flame.

Illidan Stormrage: Behind you, sire! Another portal has opened!
Illidan Stormrage: Moon Guardians, channel your energy towards me! Let's show these monsters the power of arcane magic!
Kur "talos Raven Crest: What have the demons prepared for us this time?! Mother Moon, help us!

The Guardians channeled their power into Illidan, and they were all enveloped in a glow of arcane magic. Illidan soared into the air and created a large magical shield over a squad of elves. The fel bats flying towards them from the portal were incinerated just by touching this shield. The attack was repulsed. The exhausted guards fell to their knees.

Lunar Guardian Acolyte: Our strength is running out.

Kur'talos called Illidan to him. In the distance, Ronin could be seen in the sky, riding a red dragon, destroying Fel bats with his spells. The Infernal continued to terrorize the courtyard of the fortress, and on its dungeons the resistance forces fought with the fel guards.

Kur"talos Ravencrest: Well done, Illidan. But the battle has only just begun. The Legion destroyed half of our troops. Those that survived fled. Before you is all that remains of the defenders of the fortress. In addition, a terrible monster in the arena can burn the fortress from the inside ! Take the Moon Guards and rid the Black Rook Fortress of demons as soon as possible! You are our last hope! Do what you must! If the fortress falls, Suramar is doomed!
Illidan Stormrage: I will not fail, my lord!

Illidan thought and said to himself: Almost all of our energy was spent creating the barrier. If the Moon Guardians are not given rest, they will die. If I regain my strength and activate this portal, I will have both the reinforcements I need and a source of power.

Illidan created a portal. A small detachment of magicians from the Moon Guard emerged from it.

Illidan Stormrage: Great! As long as I am near the portal, it feeds me energy. If I suddenly get tired, I just need to return to one of the portals.
Disciples of the Moon Guards: I await orders, captain!
Illidan Stormrage: I am ready, my lord! Lower the bars!
Kur "talos Raven Crest: Open the gates and get ready! Glaive throwers - for battle!

The gates were open. The resistance forces clashed with the infernals, who immediately attacked them. From the far end of the corridor, the voice of an Eredar warlock was heard, performing some kind of black magic.

Xalian Felflame: Run, Ravencrest, run! Maybe you’ll still have time to escape and live out your last miserable days, hiding somewhere in the bushes.

The priestesses and warriors of Kur'talos continued the battle with the infernals on the walls of the fortress. Illidan and his novices were able to break through further and gave battle to the warlock, exchanging a hail of deadly spells.

Xalian Fel Flame charged: What is this? Ravencrest sent me a puppy? I will teach you to respect your elders!

Xalian directed fel lightning at the mages, and a ritual circle immediately appeared under each of them. The spellcasters fell to their knees in agony.

Xalian Fel Flame: Do you dare oppose the Burning Legion? Kneel before the might of Fel!

Illidan Stormrage said to himself: Her fel magic is too strong. I can borrow energy from the Moon Guardians to kill the demon, but then my magicians will die too.
Illidan Stormrage: Forgive me about that.

With a roar, Illidan unleashed his spell and began to absorb magic from the acolytes of the Moon Guard. They were thrown into the air and shrouded in a magical haze: arcane magic in the form of purple lightning flowed from them into Illidan. They died, but Illidan was freed from Xalian's spell.

Novice of the Moon Guards: Master... I'm dying...
Xalian Fel Flame: You... killed your own warriors! Madman! You signed your own death warrant!
Illidan Stormrage: You're right, Fel is stronger than Arcane. But you are not able to cope with such a powerful weapon! Watch me and learn!

Having absorbed the power of the novices, Illidan was able to cast a new spell - Stormrage, and his eyes glowed with purple fire. He jumped high into the air and then landed like a crushing meteor, releasing the power of arcane magic in a column of energy that dealt great damage to the warlock and knocked her off her feet.

Note: These new abilities of Illidan became the prototypes of the techniques that he began to use when becoming a demon hunter.

Xalian breathed her last.

Xalian Fel Flame: And the puppy... has teeth...
Kur "talos Ravencrest: Captain Stormrage gave us a chance to win! Defenders of the fortress, capture the walls! To battle!

Kur'talos' troops occupied the wall and began shelling the fortress courtyard with glaive throwers. Illidan ran further; in the distance he saw a large gathering of demons. Behind one of the bars one could see how Broxigar single-handedly held back an entire wave of demons.

Illidan Stormrage: Thousands more! It looks like demons are coming into our world through a portal in the courtyard. If it is not destroyed, we will not survive. But I will need the help of my Moon Guardians.

Illidan opened another portal, and another squad of novices emerged from it.

Novices: We are at your disposal, captain!

Illidan and his guards began to fight the demon armada.

Illidan: How could anything stand against such power?

The fight continued. But it was obvious that the advantage remained with the superior numbers of demons. The elves were being pressed.

Illidan: I have almost no energy left. I must find a portal to rest. Or absorb the essence of your Moon Guard.

Illidan began to lose strength. He could replenish them by returning to the portal. Or he could have done it in another, more effective and terrible way - by killing his novices again. As a result, he began to sacrifice them again, and more than once. But new reinforcements from their ranks continued to teleport to him.

Illidan: If only there was another way, but I must gain strength if we are to survive.

Novice: Stop! You will kill us!

Illidan has discovered a new spell - the war hawk. It was similar to Stormrage, only now the jump was made backwards, during which bird wings woven with magic also briefly appeared behind Illidan's back. And the power of the spell itself became even greater. Meanwhile, he and his guards moved further, towards the portal from which Legion reinforcements were coming.

Illidan: I will end this... I have to!

Felguard: Mortal flesh is so easily torn apart.

Once again, Stormrage absorbed the guardians' magic at the cost of their lives.

Illidan: I didn't ask for this cargo, but if that's what fate dictates...

Novice: Mother Moon, take me!

And again...

Illidan: I need more power so we can win this battle...

Novice: The power is fading...

The guards and Illidan finally reached the courtyard. There was a captive red dragon there, and another eredar warlock was working magic over his portal.

Felguard: You will pay for your interference, intruder! Die!

Illidan opened another portal of the fortress for reinforcements, clearing its surroundings of demons. The dragon was also freed.

Illidan: There are too many demons here. I... I'll need more power from my moon guards. Have I gone too far? No, I have to stay focused! The future of my people lies in my hands!

Illidan: Two new ones take the place of the killed demon!

Doomguard: The Legion will conquer everything!

It remains to open the last portal. The battle continued.

Illidan: There is no end to them!

Eredar Mage Slayer: Argus is the greatest world in the Great Darkness!

Illidan heard the sounds of battle coming from somewhere below and led his squad towards them. There he saw Captain Jarod Shadowsong fighting off the Dreadguard.

Jerod: There's just no end to these fel creatures! I don’t have time to deal with them in order to get to the lord of horror who is holed up in the mausoleum. Master Illidan, will you help me defeat Lotros?

Together, the heroes were able to break through the doomguards and kill the nathrezim.

Jerod: We did it! I'm afraid that without your help, my strength would have left me sooner or later. Broxigar Red (in the localization for some reason “Red”) fights alone with enemies on the bridge. I'm willing to bet he won't admit at all that he could use our help - but that's no reason not to provide it. If you decide to help our comrade, it would be an honor for me to follow you. I'm no hero, captain, but I'll be glad to fight alongside you.

The elves left the mausoleum and began to fight their way up the ornate stairs to meet with Broxigar, simultaneously closing the demonic portals that the eredars had opened.

Felguard: I will cut you to pieces!

Felguard: My life is service.

Broxigar ended up where Illidan saw him for the last time. He still fought off an attack from a swarm of demons. From his powerful blows with an ax, the demons continually flew several meters away, falling from the walls of the fortress.

Broxigar: The forces are not equal! You can't cope without reinforcements, demons!

With the help of Illidan and his companions, the remaining fel creatures were also killed.

Broxigar: A wise warrior will always gladly accept the help of an ally, especially one who fights with the fury of a true orc. Truly a glorious battle! If my premonition does not deceive me, someone stronger will appear here any minute. The Legion often uses trash as cannon fodder to wear down the enemy before fielding more formidable fighters against them. My ax is hungry for battle!

Brox's premonition was correct. The bridge began to be flooded with meteors, and at the other end, a portal appeared from a green flash of Fel, from which the gigantic ruler of the underworld, Malvingeroth, emerged. The demon was very strong, but he too fell before the combined might of the heroes.

Broxigar: Truly, the spirits favor us, since they brightened our day with a glorious battle. You have earned my respect, Illidan Stormrage. I will gladly follow you into battle. My ax is at your service.

And finally, the last portal for reinforcements was opened.

Balaadur: How bravely you stand against the Burning Darkness! Kill this "hero"!

Illidan: I must find a way to close this gate! The portal to Nihilam is protected by an eredar named Balaadur. Regular spells are useless against this portal. I will have to call upon the fury of the cosmos to destroy it. Then it will only be between me and this demon.

Eredar was killed. And finally Kur'talos arrived with his troops.

Balaadur: Never have I felt such power... such agony...
Kur "talos Ravencrest: Illidan has taken the court! Warriors, attack! We will join the battle in the arena! Captain Stormrage, lead the attack!

Illidan, the fortress warriors and the moon priestesses began close combat with the infernal, and the Moon Guard shot him with their magic from the balconies of the wall fortifications. But even together they were unable to inflict any significant damage on this monster.

Kur"talos Ravencrest: Illidan, do something! We are losing! The fortress is about to fall!
Illidan: This creature takes nothing. Well, we’ll have to resort to the help of the Moon Guards for the last time.

This time, Illidan sacrificed all the magicians who fought against the demon. This opened up a new spell for him - Crushing Star.

Ronin: It can't be!
Broxigar: What an atrocity...
Captain Jarod Shadowsong: How are we better than these monsters?
Kur"talos Ravencrest: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, ILLIDAN?! YOU KILLED THEM ALL!
Illidan: What else could I do, Kur'talos? Submit to the Legion so that it will burn our world to the ground?
Kur"talos Ravencrest: There is always another way! It could...
Illidan Stormrage: Could it be that? Are you blind, Ravencrest? Are you all blind? We barely stopped one squad. A little more, and the Legion would have taken Suramar. All you can do is criticize my methods? My mages gave their lives for Azeroth. What did you do? What did you sacrifice? What a fool you are, Kur "talos! Well... you have nothing else to teach me. With such cowards at the head, we cannot defeat the Legion. Goodbye. Next time, try to beg the demons for mercy. You'll see, it will help.

In the stronghold of the order, Ze’ra’s voice spoke again to the hero from the Heart of Light: “The line between good and evil is thin and lies in a place where intentions mean little. Illidan pondered how those around him were so blind to the threat of the Burning Legion. Fate is not without a sense of irony.”

Naaru directed the hero to a new vision:“Most mortals are unable to comprehend the truth about the Legion. Those who recognize it often refuse to acknowledge its significance. Such knowledge carries a weight that the mortal worldview cannot support. Sacrificing so much is soul changing. Among your greatest heroes, only a few have understood this type of sacrifice. Let's see it through Illidan's eyes. We must go to Azshara, on the continent of Kalimdor.”

Illidan screamed in pain as the fel beam began to burn out his eyes. Soon his body began to be covered with demonic tattoos, and his mind was filled with visions of the true power of the Legion (note this vision is described in the novel “Illidan”, a fragment from it is available

 IN network appeared spoiler about the future fate of Illidan. Which confirms the idea written in the novel "Illidan", authored by William King. 

"On a mountain of corpses, a winged figure fought at the head of the legions of Light. A golden glow surrounded his war blades. He split demons into pieces with powerful blows. The soldiers surrounding him looked at him, their leader, in amazement and awe.

 It took Illidan a moment to realize that the creature's appearance was his: reincarnated and with fearlessly glowing eyes. This avatar of Light looked calm and strong, and had found peace in her soul. There was a confidence in his face, free from all suffering.

As Illidan watched, a winged figure rose above the battle, rejecting the gigantic entities from the darkness, the evil creatures of the Void. A halo appeared around his head. His body began to glow brighter than the sun, and rays of Light burst out from his outstretched arms, ready to strike his enemies.

 It all had a certain sense of rightness about what was happening, as if he was looking into an unborn future. For a moment Illidan believed it, but then his doubts came back to him. This couldn't be true. This was not one of the paths he had ever taken. It wasn't him. He was a fighter and a killer, driven as much by darkness and his own ambition as by the desire to do justice.

There was complete confidence in the naaru's voice, and he bound himself to Illidan. For a moment, he felt the Light embrace him and his heart found peace. He was given a vision of redemption beyond all he could have hoped for. He communicated with the naaru and was filled with a feeling of peace. The moment lasted only a moment, but when it was over, Illidan felt like it could have lasted a lifetime.

-You will be a hero. - said the naaru.
-But this will have a price.
 - There is always.

 The moment came to an end. Illidan stood filled with a sense of peace. The Shroud of Light and its shimmering plain faded, and Argus appeared before him and the naaru."

In in the game itself, during the plot campaign of the class stronghold, we can observe the following scene:

Don't be afraid, mortal. Your consciousness was projected onto my astral presence in the Great Dark Beyond.

You have come to the beginning of all things in search of answers. Then listen and receive enlightenment.

In a time that has long passed, a great battle took place that determined the fate of all worlds. In this final battle, the mighty Titan Pantheon fell to one of its brethren: Sargeras.

After the fall, there was no one left who could go against the will of Sargeras. Undeterred, the dark titan and his Burning Legion began their Burning Campaign, in which countless worlds were destroyed.

From the ashes of devastated worlds, survivors rose to stand in the way of the demons. They became known as the Army of Light.

But now the Golden Army teeters on the precipice of oblivion as their campaign on Argus draws to a close. If they fall, the Legion will begin a new Burning Crusade that will shake the cosmos.

In view of the announcement of a new addition to World of Warcraft, we decided to review the information that is already available, and also express our opinion on some aspects of the upcoming add-on. This review will consist of an analysis of the plot component, and will hardly touch on the changes in game mechanics. And so, let's go.

Prelude to the addon

The first thing to do is to clarify what is going on. The alternative Gul'dan, after the collapse of his plan to gain absolute power and the death of Archimonde, was expelled through the portal to our Azeroth with a single goal - to begin the Legion's invasion of these lands. A short time later, he discovers the location of the Tomb of Sargeras, turning it into a gateway to the Twisting Nether, beginning the invasion. Gul'dan also finds Illidan's body, which was transferred to the crypt of Maiev's own guards. This was supposed to be a kind of punishment for eternal torment of the soul or imprisonment: suddenly he, being a demon, would return to the Whirlpool again. But, all the same, Illidan is resurrected as a warlock, gaining freedom.

Destination: Broken Isles

When the Legion's invasion, called by the developers the largest in the history of Azeroth, begins (and we are aware that there were wildly many of them during the War of the Ancients), with bad news for all the peaceful races of Azeroth, Archmage Khadgar calls on them to take the fight. And the heroes, of course, rush to the islands, trying to find a way to prevent the invasion and save their home.

What awaits the heroes on the continents of the hiding archipelago? The Broken Isles are positioned as a continent, as opposed to Pandaria, which is often called an island. And now a short excursion into history.

Once upon a time, the powerful sorceress Aegwynn, the so-called guardian of the Order of Tirisfal, managed to summon into this world part of the power of the ruler of the Burning Legion - Sargeras. She cut off his access to the Twisting Nether and killed him, placing the body of this incarnation in a tomb, burying him at the bottom of the sea. Much time and events have passed since then, but the important thing was that the warlock Gul’dan, during the first invasion of orcs into Azeroth, reached her and raised her from the bottom of the sea, intending to take possession of the hidden power. But the demons guarding this place tore the warlock to pieces, not allowing him to carry out his plan. And despite the fact that during the third war the tomb was destroyed by Illidan (let’s say not completely), now the time has come for the alternative Gul’dan to complete his plan.

Oddly enough, the tomb is located not so far from the ancient Kaldorei settlement of Suramar, the place where the trio of night elves - Maulfurion, Tyrande and Illidan - came from. And, apparently, these places did not sink under water during the Great Schism. Nearby is the Sacred Grove, where Cenarius first passed on his knowledge to Malfurion, teaching him the art of Druidry. Nowadays, in the vicinity of this grove grows the desecrated world tree Sholodrassil.

Illidan, Illidari and Mardum

About 9 years ago, the Lord of Outland Illidan sent elite troops of his demon hunters to the mysterious world of Mardum so that they could obtain a certain artifact, the Sargerite Key. Illidan himself remained in the Black Temple in order to buy time for them. Once in Mardum, the Illidari learned that this reality was once created by the titan Sargeras to capture the demons with whom he constantly fought. But after the titan’s mind became clouded, he returned to that world and tore it apart, thereby releasing the demons into the wild and forming from them his invincible Burning Legion.

One of the fragments of Mardum contained the Sargerite Key artifact, which Illidan needed to fight the Legion, because, in fact, with its help it was possible to travel between worlds captured by demons. It was on this fragment of Mardum that the Illidari made their way to the demon officer who was the old resident of the key, simultaneously improving their own skills and absorbing demonic forces. There was no other way, because they could only return with the help of this artifact. In the operation on Mardum, they were also assisted by Illidan's elite forces, which they managed to call for help.

When the Illidari reached their goal, they returned to the Black Temple, but alas, their ruler had already lost. The heroes who overthrew the traitor left, and only Maiev and the guards were at Illidan’s lifeless body. No matter how fiercely the hunters fought with this elf, they didn’t stand a chance. Maiev knew too well the weaknesses of demons and was able to easily capture the vekh who returned from Mardum. She imprisoned Illidan's body and the bodies of his comrades in crystal prisons, preventing them from being freed. The immortal soul of the traitor did not have the opportunity to be reborn again. All prisoners were taken to the Casemates of the Guardians and doomed to eternal imprisonment.

Assault on the Broken Shore

Years later, Khadgar, who was pursuing Gul'dan, lost the battle with his nemesis. An Orc warlock opened a portal for the Burning Legion from the Tomb of Sargeras, and the invasion began. In fact, all that remained for the Archmage was to warn the rulers of the Horde and the Alliance about the threat looming over the world, to which they immediately responded by going to the Broken Shore at the head of strike groups.

However, when the landing took place, it turned out that the mission was almost suicidal. The first who arrived to give battle to Gul'dan and his minions - the Argent Crusade - were completely defeated, and Tirion Fordring was captured. The heroes arrived on the Broken Shore only with the third wave and found the remnants of the warriors who fought led by the faction rulers. The Horde and Alliance tried their best to catch up with Gul'dan, but they failed. Every step was accompanied by losses and a feeling of unrelenting hopelessness.

After the next battle, Gul’dan appeared before their eyes, trying to break Tyrion, a hero whose connection with the light overcame even the Lich King himself. But the warlock summoned the colossal demon Kros, who broke the defense of the great paladin. Before the eyes of mortals, the symbol of their struggle and hope fell into a pond filled with filth. Both factions, depressed by the fall of the mighty paladin, rushed after Gul'dan and caught up with him at the Legion portal. The Alliance took a position directly in front of the portal in order to prevent the demons from advancing forward. The Horde positioned itself on a ledge where Sylvanas' dark rangers provided air cover for the Alliance and held off reinforcements from another portal.

But the Legion's power was unstoppable. Gul'dan summoned into battle all the demons that the heroes had ever defeated. He showed the defenders the futility of their battle. The feeling of hopelessness only intensified.

The horde began to be pushed back, their leader was wounded, and everyone who fought faced imminent death. Vol'jin asked Sylvanas to save the Horde, after which the Dark Lady called upon the Val'kyr for help. There was no point in further fighting. It was necessary to retreat, and the Val'kyr carried the wounded heroes away from the battlefield.

At the same time, the Alliance, left without cover from the cliff, began to push back. In the ranks of the Alliance there were cries about the betrayal of the Horde, because they did not see what was happening on the cliff. In any case, all that remained was to leave the battlefield. The battle was lost.

But Gul'dan did not intend to let them go so easily. They summoned a giant Felbot from the Twisting Nether, which was supposed to prevent the ship from flying away. And at that moment, the king of Stormwind decided to sacrifice himself in order to save the others. He jumped off the ship, leaving Genn Greymane a letter to Anduin, and attacked the Felbot. However, in the end, even though Felbot was destroyed, Varian was mortally wounded by the onslaught of demons. Gul'dan, once again reminding him that the battle was pointless, deprived the king of his life.

In Stormwind, people learned of the death of their king. In fact, Varian's son Anduin became the ruler. During the funeral service for the ruler, Jaina lost her temper. She was among those who fought the demons alongside Varian, and she accused the Horde of betrayal. Despite the fact that Velen and Anduin tried to convince her of the inadmissibility of enmity in the face of a common enemy, she left the throne room and went to Dalaran.

No less dramatic events unfolded in Orgrimmar. Vol'jin, unable to heal his wounds from fel poisoning, summoned all the rulers and appointed Sylvanas the new leader. The Loa spirits whispered to him about this, and the troll, having considered such a step, left the fate of the Horde in the hands of the Dark Lady. Death overtook the leader, and a funeral pyre was lit outside the gates of Orgrimmar.

Freeing the Illidari and kidnapping Illidan

It just so happened that Gul’dan, after defeating the combined forces of the Alliance and Horde, rushed to the Vaults of the Guardians. He needed Illidan, or rather the power contained in him, which he absorbed many years ago at the Tomb of Sargeras. The guard Cardana helped him enter the Casemates, who had fallen under the destructive influence of corruption during the campaign on Draenor.

All hell broke loose in the Casemates. Maiev, seeing no other way out, freed the Illidari so that they could help her cope with the invaders and those monsters who escaped from captivity. But despite the fact that the elf hated Illidan’s minions, the Legion was a much more important opponent for her. Together with the forces of the Illidari, Maiev tried to prevent the theft of the traitor's body, but she failed. Gul'dan took the crystal prison, and the hunters only had to get out of this place. Maiev herself followed Gul'dan into the portal.

The Illidari broke through to the exit, where they were met by Khadgar, who invited them to join the ranks of the Horde and the Alliance. After all, their knowledge and abilities were the most powerful weapons in the fight against the Burning Legion.

When the hunters arrived at the capitals of their new factions, they discovered the presence of demons in the mortal cities. Using their vision, the hunters prevented an attack on the leaders and gained the loyalty of the factions. Alas, demons were already everywhere. Each inhabitant, under the influence of the whispers of the Messengers of Doom, could fall under the control of the Lords of Terror. Even in the capitals these days it was unsafe.

In addition, there were massive demonic invasions throughout Azeroth that needed to be repelled.

Dalaran, Kirin Tor and the Pillars of Creation

At the same time, the mages of the Kirin Tor did not sit idly by. Jaina moved Dalaran to Deadwind Pass, to the tower of Medivh Karazhan, in which Khadgar was looking for the secrets of defeating the Legion. Only representatives of the Alliance were present in Dalaran, since the Horde was expelled from the Kirin Tor during the campaign in Pandaria, when the mages of Aethas Sunreaver essentially facilitated the crimes committed by Garrosh Hellscream.

Khadgar discovered demons in the tower who sought to gain control of it and its secrets. The magician himself, having gone through all the defense mechanisms that had gone crazy during Medivh’s absence, learned in the library about the Pillars of Creation. His further path lay in Ulduar.

Together with the heroes, Khadgar was transported to the ancient city of the titans, where he met Brann Bronzebeard and the mechagnome guardian Mimiron, who were looking for a certain harbinger. Having fought with the Faceless Ones and the tentacles of Yogg-Saron, a group of heroes reached the harbinger, who turned out to be the revived Magni Bronzebeard. Magni told the heroes where these Pillars of Creation could be found.

The Archmage decided to make Dalaran an outpost of the resistance forces and returned to it. He tried to persuade Jaina to allow Horde representatives into his territory. And although the Council ultimately approved this decision, Jaina could not come to terms with it. She left the city, warning everyone that this was a huge mistake.

Some time later, demons attacked Dalaran. Under the onslaught of the Legion, all that remained for Khadgar was to teleport the city. This time to the territory of the Broken Isles, where the World of Warcraft: Legion storyline begins.

Class strongholds

Meanwhile, representatives of the various classes and orders decide to move away from the strife between factions and, putting aside their differences, unite together in the so-called class strongholds. Each of them had their own task, which in one way or another influenced the outcome of the war.

Stormheim

The war raged throughout Azeroth, but the main fighting was localized on the territory of the Broken Isles. The main goal of the heroes was to obtain the so-called Pillars of Creation - artifacts of incredible power that could tip the balance in favor of the defenders.

Feeling threatened by Sylvanas, the king of Gilneas set out to thwart her plans, and thereby take revenge for what he thought was a cowardly escape from the battlefield, and he had plenty of personal motives. The Dark Lady, even at the head of the Horde, pursued her own goals and was going to get Odin’s Val’kyr at her disposal by conspiring with the sorceress Helya. Using a special artifact, she managed to enslave Eyir. But Genn, who arrives on time, ruins all these plans, and as a result, the enmity between him and Sylvanas only grows.

Val'sharah

In the wilds of Val'sharah, sensing the approach of the Burning Legion, Xavius, thought to be dead, appears on the scene. He manages to seize control of the Tear of Elune, one of the Pillars of Creation. By luring out Ysera and Cenarius, he destroys one of the most powerful forces capable of resisting the invaders.

An organized attack on the Emerald Nightmare, which began to rapidly spread throughout the world, managed to put an end to Xavius ​​and his machinations. Cenarius, like many other wild gods who fell into the trap, was saved. Ysera fell in this battle. Unfortunately, there is one less powerful ally.

Suramar

As the four Pillars of Creation were obtained, the search began for the fifth. The path led to the city of Suramar, where the nightborn elves lived for a long time in complete isolation. During the War of the Ancients, led by Grand Master Elisande, they cut themselves off from the rest of the world with a huge dome. Using the Nightwell, their people survived for 10 thousand years, remaining unaware of what was happening outside.

But when a new invasion began, and Gul’dan delivered an ultimatum to their people, the Supreme Master, guided by his visions, decides to join the Legion in order to save his people from extinction.

Naturally, some of the Nightborne nobility were not happy with this decision. But, finding herself in the minority, she was expelled from the city and cut off from the source of magic. The further fate of the darkened ones they had become seemed predetermined. Slow death and madness. But with the support of the heroes, hope also appeared.

Using the knowledge of the druids to suppress magical hunger, talented darkened engineers and intelligence officers, old connections in Suramar and secret activities in the face of constant guerrilla attacks, Suramar was brought back under control block by block. But the Citadel of Night remained impregnable.

Moreover, Gul'dan intended to use the Eye of Aman'thul, the Pillar of Creation, which served as the basis of the Nightwell, to open a portal and transfer the spirit of Sargeras into Illidan's body. There was no time to hesitate.

Army of Light

Meanwhile, help came from a completely unexpected quarter. Naru Ze'ra's heart fell on Azeroth, and with it a message from the so-called Army of Light. Khadgar's old comrades - Turalyon and Alleria - were in its ranks and intended to help in the fight against the Legion.

In addition, it became obvious that Illidan is much more important than previously thought. Demon hunters organized a campaign to collect the fragments of Illidan's soul back together. After all, he was a demon, and final death threatened him only in the Twisting Nether. And since at the top of the Citadel of Night a ritual was already brewing that would put an end to their ruler once and for all, it was impossible to postpone the offensive.

Assault on the Night Citadel

Teaming up with the Kirin Tor and representatives of the factions represented by the night elves and blood elves, the nightborne began an attack on the citadel. Systematically, step by step, the heroes reached the very top, where they fought with Gul’dan. In that battle, the warlock died, and Illidan escaped the fate of becoming a container for the dark titan and finally returned to the world of the living, determined to repel the forces of the Legion.

It seemed that a turning point had occurred in the course of the battle, and the advantage was on the side of the resistance forces. However, events were just beginning to gain momentum. The general of Sargeras's army, Kil'jaeden, used all the forces he could and staked his claim on the Tomb of Sargeras. The armies of defenders were forced to react and give battle to the demons in the depths of the ancient titan station.

Attack on the Tomb of Sargeras

Uniting into the so-called Legionbane Army, the offensive began. Fighting off incessant invasions and air attacks from Legion ships, they had to literally fight their way through the ranks of the infernal host.

Using the power of the Pillars of Creation, they managed to open a passage into the depths of the tomb, where the defeated avatar of Sargeras and Kil'jaeden himself were hidden. In a battle with Illidan, the heroes of Azeroth and Velen, who would once have co-ruled Argus with him, Kil'jaeden realized that he was beginning to suffer defeat, and he had to retreat. However, after him, heroes also entered the ship that headed for Argus. The fierce battle ended in the orbit of the demon world with the death of the Legion general and another defeat of Sargeras.

It seemed that retreat from the falling ship was the only right decision. Fortunately, Illidan opened a portal to Azeroth using the Sargerite Key, and Khadgar could move everyone home. But the former ruler of Outland had his own vision on this matter. Argus, hidden for so long in the chaos of the Twisting Nether, was finally found. The Burning Legion could not be given a chance to counterattack, and the portal that led to Azeroth remained active. The next step is an expedition to its surface and a strike at the very heart of the Burning Legion.

Battle of Argus

The Vindicare, a ship created by the draenei, was able to transport the allies to Velen's former homeland, and the course of the war took an unexpected turn. The heroes were ready for perhaps the last campaign in their lives. All or nothing.

Arriving at Argus, they immediately received strong resistance. Even the Army of Light, which was supposed to join the attack, suffered terrible losses. But, despite this, under the strict guidance of Illidan and Turalyon, with the support of some miraculously surviving but broken local Krokul residents, the heroes managed to gain a foothold in several bridgeheads. Let's skip all the disagreements between Xe'ra and Illidan, Alleria's unity with the Abyss, and the like. The main thing was that the offensive was underway, and the end was visible.

Having assembled the Crown of the Triumvirate artifact (the symbol of the power of ancient Argus) and discharged the Vindicare cannon into one of the walls of Antorus, the Burning Throne of Sargeras, the army from Azeroth was ready to step into the unknown.

Antorus, the Burning Throne

The horrors of the Legion appeared before them in all their grandeur. Leaders of armies, terrible demons, the production capacity of Sargeras's war machines, capable of pulverizing all the worlds of the Great Dark Beyond. It was impossible to leave them in action.

But what shocked the heroes even more was the dark titan’s secret ace up his sleeve. The enslaved souls of the creators, who fell in time immemorial at his hand, carefully collected in order to recreate their power, but under his complete control. The Dark Pantheon could not be contained by any forces in the universe.

Step by step, making their way to the very heart of Antorus, the resistance forces freed the souls of the titans from dark influence. At the end, Argus was waiting for them - the soul of the world, who served as the source of energy for the entire Legion campaign.

The Titans have returned from oblivion to finish off their fallen brother. All that remained was to cleanse Argus’s soul from damage. She was transferred to the Throne of the Pantheon, but her soul could no longer be saved. Sargeras went all-in. Argus was reborn as the Titan of Death, able to confront his brethren. A twisted and formidable enemy was the last stand before Sargeras finally reached Azeroth.

In fact, Azeroth (the soul sleeping inside the planet) was his real goal. He saw her during the War of the Ancients, when he almost passed through the portal in the Well of Eternity. He knew about her power and sought to win her over to his side. Since plans to create the Dark Pantheon failed, this was his last chance. While the heroes fought Argus, the sinister essence of the fallen god covered Azeroth.

It was only by miracle that Argus was defeated. With the full support of the other Titans, the heroes struck the final blow. God, who never had time to be born, fell. All that remained was to put an end to Sargeras and his Burning March.

The Pantheon's forces headed towards Azeroth, and Sargeras faced prison. Illidan remained on the throne as the guardian of his evil essence. The dark titan returned to his brothers against his will, thereby ending an era of fear and destruction. Finally, the Burning Legion was defeated.

But it couldn’t just end like that. With the last of his strength, Sargeras, following his conviction to the end that the Lords of the Abyss could get into the hands of such a powerful ally as Azeroth, pierced the planet with a defiled blade. This wound is what will become one of the reasons for further events. Events of the Battle for Azeroth.

Material from World of Warcraft Roleplay Wiki

Illidan Stormrage

Illidan Stormrage

Illidan Stormrage(eng. Illidan Stormrage) - self-proclaimed ruler of Outland, who ruled these fragments of Draenor from the Black Temple. He was born a night elf, but due to his actions he became a unique elf-demon hybrid. Illidan was in love with Tyrande Whisperwind, but she chose Malfurion, his twin brother. Illidan was once a gifted mage, but over time his abilities rose to incredible heights due to becoming a demon hunter and absorbing energy from the skull of Gul'dan.

Due to his desire for power and arcane magic, Illidan committed several terrible acts against his own people and other inhabitants of Azeroth, including helping Sargeras during the War of the Ancients and creating the second. For his crimes, he was named a Traitor and imprisoned, where he spent ten thousand years until Tyrande freed him during the Third War. Maiev Shadowsong, who had been Illidan's jailer for thousands of years, tried to recapture him, but was captured herself. She eventually teamed up with Akama to launch an invasion of the Black Temple and killed Illidan.

His lifeless body was taken to the Vaults of the Guardians, where it was kept for several years, until Gul'dan from an alternate universe tried to kidnap him.

War of the Ancients

fiction in the Warcraft universe.

Illidan, Malfurion's twin brother, studied and used the arcane magic of the Highborne. In his youth, he tried to master the spells of a druid like his brother, but arcane magic endowed him with sensations that the forces of nature and earth could not cause. Unlike Malfurion, Illidan was born with amber eyes, which was considered a sign of a great future at the time, but actually indicated druidic potential. Although Malfurion and Tyrande had long ago determined their fate, Illidan was still trying to find himself. He was not a Highborne, but was able to become the personal spellcaster of the commander Ravencrest.

When Azshara's betrayal became known following the Burning Legion's invasion, Malfurion convinced his brother to abandon his queen, and Illidan followed him. Soon, Malfurion, who participated in the battle along with Cenarius and the dragons, realized the incredible power of the demons and decided to destroy them to complete the invasion. Even the thought of this terrified Illidan. The Source gave the night elves magic and possibly immortality, and losing it was too great a sacrifice.

Illidan also found himself becoming increasingly interested in the power of the Burning Legion. He saw that magic was at the root of their chaotic behavior. Although the night elves fought constantly to maintain their position, the number of demons did not decrease. The satyr Xavius ​​took advantage of Illidan's doubts and forced him to seek the power of the Burning Legion in order to become stronger. Illidan was confident that this would help him defeat the demons. It appears that around this time Illidan defeated Azzinoth, the commander of the Doomguard, and took his weapon so that he could fight with the twin blades himself.

Illidan was in love with Tyrande Whisperwind, an aspiring priestess of Elune. He tried to impress her and often did rash things, especially when using magic. Illidan did not understand that Tyrande was interested in something completely different. He tried to fight for her heart, and neither of them realized that this fight ended soon after it began when Tyrande fell in love with Malfurion. Xavius ​​knew about this and convinced Illidan that after the death of Malfurion, Tyrande would love him. Seeing the priestess of Elune in the arms of his brother, Illidan severed his last ties with the defenders of Azeroth.

A new plan matured in his head, and he set off for Zin-Azshari. Illidan pretended to wish to serve Azshara and Mannoroth faithfully. He wanted to get his hands on the Demon Soul, an artifact of great power created by Neltharion. The Dragon Soul could close the portal that brought demons into Kalimdor. But to carry out this plan, Illidan needed new forces. He eventually met with Sargeras himself, and the dark titan was pleased that the night elf was trying to obtain an artifact for the Burning Legion. Sargeras gave Illidan a gift for his loyalty. He burned his eyes and placed clots of mysterious flame into the scorched eye sockets, which allowed Illidan to see magic in all its manifestations. He also covered his body with tattoos that enhanced his mastery of arcane magic. Azshara was fascinated by Illidan's new appearance, but was still wary of him and captain Varo'then went with him in search of the Demon Soul.

Illidan kept seven vials of water from the Well of Eternity, and after the Great Sundering, he reached the top of Mount Hyjal and saw a small and calm lake there. He poured the contents of three vials there, and chaotic energy immediately manifested itself, turning the lake into a new Source of Eternity. Illidan's triumph did not last long - Malfurion, Tyrande and other night elf rulers discovered him and were horrified by what he had done. Malfurion, who could not understand that his brother had betrayed him, tried to explain to him the stupidity of this act. He said that magic, chaotic in nature, can only bring destruction to this world if it continues to exist. Illidan, however, refused to listen to his brother and was delighted with the new source that he created. He stated that magic would be useful to them when the Burning Legion returned to this world again.

Malfurion saw that his brother did not repent of his actions, and became angry, realizing that Illidan was lost forever due to the influence of magic. He ordered him to be imprisoned in the deep caves under Hyjal, where he was to remain alone. Malfurion later said that he sometimes visited his brother and tried to convince him to turn away from his disastrous path. Maiev Shadowsong became Illinad's jailer. He spent ten thousand years in captivity.

Third war

The source of information in this section is the game Warcraft III or an addition to it.

He was freed by Tyrande to fight the demons of the Burning Legion who had once again invaded the world of Azeroth. But the thirst for magic took possession of him with renewed vigor. He absorbed the energy of a demonic artifact - the skull of Gul'dan and himself became half a demon. This gave him the strength to defeat Tichondrius, one of the most powerful nathrezim. But for using demon magic, he was forever expelled from Ashenvale by his own brother.

After some time, he awakened a mysterious people - the naga. These were the once High-Born who, in pursuit of magic and power, caused the first invasion. Now they transformed into snake-like creatures and could live both underwater and on land. By order of the demon Kil'jaeden, Illidan began to look for a way to destroy the Lich King Ner'zhul, who had become disobedient. To do this, he went in search of the tomb of Sargeras. He needed the eye of the lord of the Burning Legion, a powerful artifact with which Illidan could destroy the Frozen Throne and complete the task set by Kil'jaeden. However, he was prevented by the jailer Maiev and his own brother. Illidan was forced to hide in Outland from the wrath of Kil'jaeden. Maiev went after him and captured Illidan, but he was soon freed by a united army of blood elves led by Prince Kael and nagas led by Lady Vashj. The prince swore allegiance to Illidan. Together they began to plan to take over this world. Illidan told the prince that power in these lands belongs to the demon Magtheridon, who receives reinforcements daily through the portals opened by Kil-Jaeden. Therefore, first of all, it was decided to close the portals. While Illidan cast his spells, Kael and the blood elves protected him from the demons emerging from the portals.

After this, they began an assault on the citadel of Magtheridon. Having destroyed his guards, they fought with the demon himself and won. Magtheridon was surprised. Bowing before Illidan, he asked him if he was a servant of the Legion, sent to test him. Illidan laughed in his face and said that he had come to overthrow him, not test him. So Illidan became the new master of Outland. After conquering the Wastes, Illidan attempted to personally destroy the Frozen Throne, but was stopped at the last moment by Prince Arthas.

Lord of Outland

The Burning Crusade to World of Warcraft.

Illidan began a war against Shattrath City, although they were also enemies of the Burning Legion. Kael'thas Sunstrider led the first assault, but many blood elves under the command of Voren'tal the Seer swore allegiance to the Naaru and left Illidan's troops. They settled in Shattrath and called themselves the Seers. Soon after, Shattrath City launched a counterattack, and fighting continued throughout Shadowmoon Valley for a long time. Perhaps Illidan intended to destroy Shattrath in order to eliminate one of the reasons for the appearance of the Legion and carry out at least part of Kil'jaeden's revenge against the draenei and Velen.

Akama, the leader of the Ashtongues, guarded the prison in which Maiev Shadowsong was imprisoned, but in reality he was preparing a plan with her to overthrow Illidan. They eventually participate in the assault on the Black Temple and make it to the top to battle Illidan. Maiev participated in this battle along with the heroes of the Alliance and Horde and dealt the final blow. Illidan manages to tell her that a hunter remains nothing without a hunt, and after the victory, Maiev really feels emptiness in her soul.

Sanctuary of Lost Souls

The source of information in this section is the supplement Mists of Pandaria to World of Warcraft.

In the depths of the Black Temple, Illidan discovered that the Sanctuary of Lost Souls was the source of vast amounts of arcane magic. Thanks to her, he was able to bend many demons to his will, offering them to satiate his thirst for magic in exchange for faithful service. In this way, he was able to gather a large number of demons on his side and possibly overcome his addiction to the Burning Legion's magic.

Kanrethad Blacktree believed that Illidan intended to use this source of magic to help the blood elves who had lost the Sun Column. But for some reason he never told them about this, perhaps suspecting the betrayal of Prince Kael'thas.

Return of the Legion

The source of information in this section is the supplement Legion to World of Warcraft.

After the victory, Maiev took Illidan's corpse to the Vaults of the Guardians, so that his dark, tortured soul would suffer forever along with his followers, the terrible Illidari.

Gul'dan, who arrived from the alternative Draenor, again called the Burning Legion to Azeroth. For mysterious reasons, he made his way into the Vaults of the Guardians to steal Illidan's body.

Appearance

The source of information in this section is from the Warcraft universe.

Illidan - like the nagas, and especially the satyrs - is a mutation of the night elf. He began life as a completely normal male of his race: tall, muscular, with sharp features, shining amber eyes, purple skin and long pointed ears. When Illidan joined Sargeras, he burned his eyes with flame, thereby granting him magical vision, from which neither demons nor the undead could hide. His appearance changed when he absorbed the power of the artifact Skull of Gul'Dan, which filled him with demonic power and part of the soul of a dead orc warlock. After the transformation, Illidan more closely resembled one of the nathrezim than a representative of his own race, despite the fact that his skin remained purple, and his ears were long and pointed. Now the appearance of the former night elf was complemented by wings, horns and hooves, as well as the ability to completely transform into a demon. In addition, he received the gift of walking on water, and after being wounded by the hand of Arthas, he mastered the gift of flight .

Capabilities

Source of information in this section – board game manuals in the Warcraft universe.

Illidan is the most famous demon hunter and the first of them.

He uses arcane and fire magic, burning the bodies and souls of his enemies, and as a result of absorbing the power of the Skull of Gul "Dana in the past, he gained the ability to turn into a demon and destroy opponents with bolts of chaotic flame. When the heroes of the Alliance and Horde made their way into the Black Temple, Illidan used shadow and fire magic in battle.His weapons are the twin blades of Azzinoth - the blades of a demon defeated by Illidan, who learned to use them during his imprisonment.

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Many players were excited to see Illidan Stormrage return to Legion, and it's no surprise. Illidan is a well-developed character with an interesting history, and some wonder why he didn't try to contact his brother and lover after returning. In the past, the life paths of Illidan, Malfurion and Tyrande were closely intertwined - for example, during the War of the Ancients, which occurred several thousand years ago. Now what? The connection, which existed for an incredibly long time, was interrupted in the Legion for some reason. Have the events of the Burning Crusade taught us nothing? There, all these characters also did not interact with each other in any way - Malfurion was in a coma and could not go with his brother to Outland, but now, after everything that happened in Val'sharah, why doesn't he fly to Argus and chat with his brother? Despite their rather strange relationship, Malfurion and Illidan certainly care about each other - after all, the same blood flows in their veins, no matter where fate takes them. Will Illidan be able to reunite with Malfurion and Tyrande? Let's find out.

Judging by the information that appeared on Wowhead, the story of everyone's favorite characters will continue in the near future, and although they will not speak to each other directly, Illidan will give us a crystal so that we can give it to Tyrande and Malfurion in Azeroth. Why doesn't he take the crystal himself? According to information about the ending of the expansion, Illidan, with the support of the Pantheon, plans to lure Sargeras into a trap and plunge him into stasis, thereby putting an end to the invasion of the Burning Legion. That is, the developers reintroduced Illidan into the game only to send him somewhere far away again. It's cruel, but this is what redemption looks like in the eyes of his people. Note that I said “in the eyes of his people” because I personally think that Illidan did not sin too much. Yes, some of his actions were radical, but from the point of view of the final goal, they were all justified.

The crystal that Illidan gives us contains a message addressed to his brother: “Malfurion! We fought with each other even in our mother's womb. This struggle continued throughout my life. You followed the path that Cenarius showed you. I heard a different call. I craved power, but not to command and conquer. I wanted to protect Azeroth from an unstoppable enemy. You never supported my intentions - partly, I myself am to blame for this. But now that my fate has been decided, I would like to reconcile the differences that divided us. The Legion has fallen, but new threats are yet to come, and I don't know who can deal with them better than you, brother. You have spent your life making Azeroth the way you want it to be. Now you have to fight for what he has become. Take care of Tyrande. Listen to her advice. She was always the best of us. The journey will be long, but no matter what happens, carry the name Stormrage with honor."

Malfurion reacted to this: “My brother was selfish and caused a lot of harm, his actions are difficult to forgive, but still there were times when we fought shoulder to shoulder. We had a common goal... Those were good days. But now is not the time for personal thoughts and regrets. We must save our world, its soul is beating in agony."

Personally, I think Malfurion could have been more lenient given what Illidan has done. After all, defeating the Legion was his goal too. I like that he mentions the old days, but he doesn't seem to remember what Illidan had to sacrifice or how zealously he defended Azeroth. And in general, his answer sounds very cold and distant, not at all brotherly. I had the strong impression that there was something missing and that Malfurion could have said a lot more. Illidan went to prison, was killed, was resurrected and sacrificed himself again, and after that he heard this...

Of course, I'm glad that Illidan and Malfurion finally talked, but I was expecting something a little more emotional... human or something. Illidan spoke well - he described the relationship with his brother, admitted that each of them made the right choice, despite the fact that their paths diverged. Illidan saw Malfurion as a brother from beginning to end, and he assigned an important role in eliminating future threats. Without a doubt, Illidan still trusts Malfurion and hopes for him, which, in general, is understandable, because Malfurion is an experienced druid who won the battle with the Emerald Nightmare and Xavius. It is possible that he will play an important role in the wars of the future, along with other characters, as he did in Legion, but Illidan will no longer help his brother in this.

Still, I was glad to hear the dialogue between the demon hunter and the druid, because in Burning Crusade they showed us nothing at all on this topic.

And in his speech, Illidan remembered Tyrande and I again want to note that his lines were very well developed. Don't they touch the soul?

!!! “Tyranda... You once trusted me so much that you went against Malfurion’s will and freed me from prison, but over time this faith dried up. Like my brother, you decided that the choices I made led me into darkness. Know that every action I took led me to a single goal. I wanted to save our world. I didn’t know half measures, I didn’t compromise. Whenever I began to doubt myself, I clung to one single thought... the thought of you. You have always represented the virtue of Azeroth, Tyrande. Faith in you did not fade away in me even in the darkest times. Now I see my destiny clearly. I know what I must do, and I entrust the defense of Azeroth to you and my brother. Take care of him, Tyrande. I wish your heart would have made a different choice, but I know that it was not mistaken.”

Tyrande responded: “Words of repentance... are they worth believing? After Illidan was defeated at the top of the Black Temple, I tried to get rid of my feelings. I felt disappointed and bitter. When I learned that Illidan was alive and leading his army into battle against the Burning Legion on the Broken Shore, I could not bring myself to talk to him. But the time for talking has passed. Duty calls him, just as it does us.”

And again, Tyrande’s words sound somehow stingy and dry, despite the fact that she seems to be aware of the trials that befell Illidan, understands what dictated his choice and why it was necessary. In the War of the Ancients novel and Warcraft 3, Illidan and Tyrande shared a close bond, so I expected a lot more emotional response from Tyrande. Illidan is amazingly honest and his words are heartfelt - whoever wrote them clearly loves this story. The last line completely left me speechless. I've always wondered why fate treated Illidan so cruelly; wasn't the path of a demon hunter enough? No, he fell in love with a woman who could not reciprocate his feelings, and then he also admitted that this decision on her part was correct. Illidan has definitely changed a lot over the years. In the War of the Ancients, he tried to convince Tyrande that Malfurion was not suitable for her, did not want to accept refusal and was angry to such an extent that it seemed to others that he was ready to hurt someone (of course, he would never do this). Since then, he had come a long way, recognized Malfurion as a brother and realized that he could not command his heart.

The only strange thing I find in all of this is Tyrande’s phrase: “When I learned that Illidan was alive and leading an army into battle with the Burning Legion on the Broken Shore...” At the time of Illidan’s return, Tyrande was in the Nighthold, and she , it was probably a little out of the question, but the fact that she “couldn’t bring herself to talk to him” goes some way to explaining the complete lack of plot development throughout the expansion. However, we have already received more than in the Burning Crusade, despite the fact that Malfurion's reaction leaves much to be desired...

I hasten to remind you that Tyrande, Malfurion and Illidan will never speak to each other directly, and all messages will be transmitted using the crystal.

Tell me, are you satisfied with this outcome? Personally, I'd like to see more details, not at the end, but gradually throughout the expansion - maybe when Illidan returns in the Nightholds... but at least what we have is still better than nothing .