World of Warcraft officially has a new Aspect for the Black Dragonflight. The contest that began with World of Warcraft: Dragonflight has finally ended, though in a rather different way than anyone anticipated.
Warning: Spoilers for Dragonflight: Embers of Neltharion below.
Since the Dragonflight expansion started, the core conflict with the reformed Black Dragonflight has been whether Wrathion or Sabellian would lead it into World of Warcraft’s future. Patch 10.1, Embers of Neltharion, brought this struggle into the spotlight by focusing heavily on the atrocities committed by the former Aspect.
The full campaign for Patch 10.1 of World of Warcraft was recently made available. Once players defeat Sarkareth in the Aberrus raid from Dragonflight, they unlock A Flame, Extinguished, the final chapter of the Embers of Neltharion campaign. 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 other Dragonflight leaders, 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 the future direction of World 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 in Legion, and many players are glad to see him take a place of prominence in Dragonflight. Additionally, all the other Dragon Aspects in World of Warcraft take 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 believe World of Warcraft relies on too much. Wrathion was also prominently featured in Dragonflight's merchandise 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 in World of Warcraft so all their fans can be satisfied.
World of Warcraft is available now for PC.