In the midst of all of the World of Warcraft 9.2.5 noise, three new cinematics have arrived that seem to either tie up some loose ends at the end of the expansion, though some also create new ones.
These new cinematics bring out some of Shadowlands' most prevalent characters ranging from background personalities such as Calia Menethil and Lilian Voss to Sylvanas Windrunner and Anduin Wrynn, and more.
WoW Shadowlands 9.2.5 Cinematics
The new patch has brought WoW fans a number of lore bits that have to do with several of the important lore pieces throughout the expansion.
The Queen's Gift - Tyrande Whisperwind and The Winter Queen
As characters who have intertwined and interacted several times, Tyrande Whisperwind and The Winter Queen have finally gotten some form of closure—the former more than the latter.
In the cinematic, players learn that the souls they have rescued from the Maw have forgone a better life in the Shadowlands and instead have decided to sacrifice themselves in order to empower the Winter Queen's tear. Shown via stunning visuals, players can see the fallen Night Elves take their ghostly forms and transform into wisps—akin to the Night Elf wisps in Warcraft 3 attacking an Archimonde and saving the World Tree—and fill the tear.
One can assume that this newly gifted tear will be used to begin the rebuilding of Teldrassil and the Night Elves.
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Sylvanas Windrunner and Anduin Wrynn Epilogue
Also receiving some sort of closure is Anduin Wrynn in his cinematic with Sylvanas Windrunner.
In the cinematic, players can see Sylvannas going through with the punishment that was given to her by Tyrande at the end of Chains of Domination. Beginning to atone for her sins, Sylvanas is making sure that all of the lost souls that were supposed to go into the realms of the Shadowlands make it out of the Maw... that's where Anduin shows up.
Not knowing how to feel or what to think, the boy king comes to Sylvanas as a way to figure out how to move on from the atrocities he committed under the domination of the Jailer.
Having gone through a similar experience, Sylvanas seems to have helped guide Anduin even if it was ever so slightly. Now it'll be on the Little Lion to choose his own path.
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Calia Menethil and Lilian Voss - The future of the Undead
Taking aspects from both the lore bits above, Calia Menethil, with the help of Lilian Voss, seems to have been able to usher in new beginnings for herself and move on with closure.
In the cinematic, Calia begins to reminisce about Lordearon, particularly her family, the Menethil's past—the kingdom, the rule, and by the hands of Arthas, the tragedy. As the sole survivor of the once-proud family line, Calia now moves forward into the future, one that has her assimilate with the Forsaken but is filled with doubts pertaining to them accepting her.
Erasing her doubts came Lilian Voss, one who, like her, went through her own pain. She explains to her that all of the Forsaken are the same, they all seek a place, and they need Calia's help to do so.
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