WoW 8.2.5 patch went live September 24, and addresses several things like WoW’s 15th Anniversary event, announcing the return of Recruit a Friend, updating the character models for Goblins and Worgens, and the addition of Firelands as a Timewalking raid. But have other concerns: Sylvanas.

This patch brings an end to the Battle for Azeroth war campaign. And what happens has been predicted by fans several times over. Remember that one time at Gamescon when World of Warcraft senior games producer Michael Bybee said, “…we’re not going to do to Sylvanas what happened with Garrosh”? Good times. Good times. The latest cinematic has Warchief Sylvanas going full on cray, even going so far as to say, “The Horde is nothing” before striking down Varok Saurfang with a power unrecognized by anyone.

After Sylvanas goes full crazy and flees, players are sent on a series of quests to save Ebonhorn from the whispers of the Old Gods. And even though no one can identify the power that Sylvanas used, Horde leaders are writing her off as simply evil, for now. Lilian Voss is the ride or die that Sylvanas needs. On the Banshee’s Wail, beneath the deck, a quest is available from Lilian Voss titled “Still Loyal”. Voss sends Horde players to spy on Jaina Proudemoore and we learn the beginnings of a conspiracy to bring in Calia Menethil to replace Sylvanas as leader of the Undead. Calia, a Lightforged Undead maintains her human form, though ghostly. You don’t give a character a major upgraded look like Calia’s unless you plan on upping her role in things to come. The only thing Calia is missing now is Benediction.

Horde players who chose to protect Saurfang during the Swamp of Sorrows questline will pay their respects to the fallen Saurfang. However, players who chose to rat him out will receive an extra treat: an added cinematic of Sylvanas revealing her plan. And Nathanos revealing what we already knew - he’s in love with his Banshee Queen. And she definitely seems to reciprocate those feelings in what seemed to be an “us against the world” moment.

The fate of The Forsaken hangs in the balance as their Dark Lady is no longer watching over them. Since Calia Menethil’s death and resurrection by the Light, players on various World of Warcraft forums have speculated that a new Undead faction is coming - Undead Lightforged, led by Calia.

People draw comparisons of Light and Shadow, good and evil, Calia and Sylvanas. But we do not know, yet, if the Light can truly be trusted. The questline to unlock Magh’ar Orcs revealed that not all Light is good.

Still, people on the WoW forums are speculating that either Calia will take over or there will be an Undead faction of the Alliance. One fan theory on MMO Champions suggests that Undead, will much like the Pandaren, will give players the ability to choose either Horde or Alliance.

Wrathion, Sylvanas, and the Old Gods

We called on Wrathion to save his brother Ebonhorn from the whispers. And in-so-doing learn that Wrathion has his own agenda, but we don’t know what it is. All we really know is that he’s researching The Old Gods, their power, and he doesn’t want to be found. What if he is learning about this power that Sylvanas has. While questing to find Wrathion’s journal pages, we know Wrathion engineered the conflict between Horde and Alliance in Mists of Pandaria and threw a massive temper tantrum when things did not go his way. Could Wrathion, somehow, be behind Sylvanas’s questionable behavior? What we know about the Black Prince from his past actions is that he is selfish, values being his own man, or dragon, and freed Garrosh Hellscream to use him as a pawn when the Alliance didn’t act according to his plans. Did he change? Or is he now using the Horde, through Sylvanas, to finish what he started? Well, he did get an upgraded look as well. He went from “I hate my daddy” looks in MoP to “I’m your Daddy” in Battle for Azeroth. But this is but one possibility.

Also, Sylvanas has repeatedly called for people to abandon hope. Is it possible that she is being influenced by Yogg-Saron and not N’Zoth? Could she be possessed by Yogg-Saron? Yogg-Saron’s title is Hope’s End as well as having many references to being death, including God of Death. We know that Sylvanas is immune to the whispers of Old Gods, but is she immune to their influence altogether? I’m thinking all will be revealed in the Shadowlands, where I believe Ny’alotha is. Ny’alotha is referenced to being underwater and, when Il'gynoth dies in Emerald Nightmare, he calls out to N’Zoth, “I journey... to Ny'alotha...”

N’Zoth is considered to be the weakest of the four Old Gods, but powerful—powerful enough to turn Queen Azshara and her highborne subjects into Naga. N’Zoth could be working Azshara and Yogg-Saron could be working Sylvanas. Who knows at this point? I only hope that Blizzard stays true to their word of not turning Sylvanas into another Garrosh. Because what she accomplished, no other Horde leader would have.

We’ll keep playing and researching to see how this plays out. MMO Champion has more details on the 8.2.5 patch notes.

What do you think about the latest WoW events? I’m hoping that nothing is as it seems because, that would just be boring. Tell us your theories.