World of Warcraftofficially has a new Aspect for the Black Dragonflight. The contest that began withWorld of Warcraft: Dragonflighthas finally ended, though in a rather different way than anyone anticipated.
Warning: Spoilers for Dragonflight: Embers of Neltharion below.
Since theDragonflightexpansion started, the core conflict with the reformed Black Dragonflight has been whetherWrathion or Sabellian would lead it intoWorld of Warcraft’sfuture. Patch 10.1,Embers of Neltharion, brought this struggle into the spotlight by focusing heavily on the atrocities committed by the former Aspect.
RELATED:World of Warcraft: New Infinite Dragon Assets Could Mean Something Big for Dragonflight
The full campaign for Patch 10.1 ofWorld of Warcraftwas recently made available. Once playersdefeat Sarkareth in the Aberrus raid fromDragonflight, they unlock A Flame, Extinguished, the final chapter of theEmbers of Neltharioncampaign. After cleaning out the last pockets of resistance in Aberrus, the contenders to the Obsidian Throne, as well as Emberthal and Ebyssian, discuss the future. After a short, emotional cutscene condemning the twisted legacy of Neltharion, both Wrathion and Sabellian declare they no longer want to be Aspect, leaving Ebyssian to take up the mantle instead.
In a follow-up finale cinematic, Ebyssian, alongside the otherDragonflightleaders, meet at the Seat of the Aspects. There, Alexstrasza expresses hope for the future now that all five Dragonflights have united Aspects for the first time in thousands of years. The cutscene ends with Merithra, the new Aspect of the Green Dragonflight, conjuring an image of the growing Night Elf World Tree, teasing thefuture direction ofWorld of Warcraft: Dragonflight.
Tons of fans are happy to see Ebyssian take up the mantle. He has been a fan-favorite character since his appearance inLegion, and many players are glad to see him take a place of prominence inDragonflight. Additionally, all the otherDragon Aspects inWorld of Warcrafttake Elf or Half-Elf visage forms, so players are glad to see the newest Aspect take a less-humanoid Tauren form.
That said, some are torn on the ending of this particular story arc, especially fans of Wrathion and Sabellain. These characters’ stories have focused on the strengths and weaknesses of their particular leadership styles, so having both of them step aside seemed like a cop-out to many players. While they like Ebyssian, he fits into the “reluctant ruler” trope that some believeWorld of Warcraftrelies on too much.Wrathion was also prominently featured inDragonflight’smerchandise and marketing, so his fans feel cheated by the decision. Regardless, it seems the Black Dragonflight has a new leader, so hopefully all three characters can continue to play prominent roles inWorld of Warcraftso all their fans can be satisfied.
World of Warcraftis available now for PC.
MORE:How World of Warcraft’s New Evoker Spec Accidentally Reveals the Next Black Dragon Aspect
