Warning: Spoilers for World of Warcraft: The War Within below.
Summary
Within the first hour or so ofThe War Within, the iconic floatingWorld of Warcraftcity of Dalaran is destroyed. This huge blow immediately sets the tone for the newWorld of Warcraftexpansion, and shows how much the stakes are rising inThe War Withinand the Worldsoul Saga.
Dalaran is an iconic location that first appeared inWarcraft 2as a mysterious city of mages. It became the site of several battles inWarcraft 3, where it was destroyed by Archimonde, one of thestrongest demons inWoWlore. The city was inaccessible inWorld of Warcraft, as it was being rebuilt untilWrath of the Lich King, when it was lifted into the sky as a neutral hub. It received another updated version inLegion, where it served a similar purpose.
InThe War Within, however, it seems like Dalaran will meet a grim fate. IntheWoW: The War Withinalpha, players awaken on the shore of the Isle of Dorn, buried in the rubble of Dalaran. Though the prologue itself is not available in the game yet, context clues suggest Xal’atath attacks the city during the expansion’s introductory scenario as it travels to the new zone, destroying it in the process.
Dalaran is Destroyed in WoW: The War Within
Players are able to rescue several characters from the wreckage of Dalaran, including Aethas Sunreaver and Ritssyn Flamescowl, but many are not so lucky. Khadgar, theiconicWorld of Warcraftarchmage and leader of Dalaran, is seemingly lost in the attack – but nobody is found, so without full context, it is possible he may have survived in some fashion.
Fans were shocked by the destruction of Dalaran, and are firmly divided into two camps on the matter. Many think this decision is a brilliant power move that sets high stakes for the expansion. WhileDragonflighthas been lauded as a huge success, some have criticized the narrative for its lack of stakes and spectacle, so the destruction of a major player hub like Dalaran answers both of those critiques in a big way.
On the other hand, some players aren’t happy about the destruction of Dalaran and the death of Khadgar. The city has been a major hub for severalWoWexpansions, and many have grown fond of the city and its leader, and think wiping them out for shock value is cheap. Even so, the expansion itself is months away from release, soWorld of Warcraftstill has time to make sure this dark turn lands correctly. Fans will have to see what Blizzard does in Patch 10.2.7, Dark Heart, and theWoW: The War WithinPre-Patch itself, to lead into this major story moment.
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight
WHERE TO PLAY
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight was developed by Blizzard Entertainment and is the ninth expansion pack for the iconic massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft.Dragonflight features an overhauled user interface, raises the level cap to 70, and introduces a new race and class.
