Fans of the Warcraft mythos may have heard of the Emerald Dream from the Druid Malfurion Stormrage, wherein this serves as a realm that combines nature and magic in peaceful coexistence. Beyond the dreamscape, however, is the Green Dragonflight, a group of dragons dedicated to preserving life in Azeroth and ensuring that the dreams themselves aid the likes of Druids in maintaining balance across nature. The Emerald Dream isn’t often explored in World of Warcraft, but it does become an integral part of the Cataclysm expansion when players help the Dragonflights save the world.
Now that the Dragonflights are about to return to the Dragonflight expansion of World of Warcraft, fans may want to know more about the Green Dragonflight and its true nature. What else is there to know about the Green Dragonflight and their leadership in the Warcraft mythos?
10 The Creation Of The Greens, Nelfarion’s Betrayal
Perhaps the most pivotal moment of the Green Dragonflight in World of Warcraft history is its creation, which happened when proto-dragon Ysera and her comrades banded together to defeat the massive proto-dragon Galakrond. In their bravery, the Titans gifted Ysera and her comrades' gifts and control over a particular domain to ensure Azeroth’s protection. Whereas her elder sister Alexstrasza became the charge of fire and life, Ysera became the charge of nature and dreams.
In turn, when the Night Elves lured the Burning Legion into Azeroth, Ysera and her fellow Aspects sprung into action immediately, causing the War of the Ancients. Unfortunately for her, Nelfarion had lured her and her other comrades into giving parts of themselves into the Dragon Soul, allowing Nelfarion to extend control over her and perhaps life as it existed at the moment. Only through chance did Ysera and the other Aspects break free of Neltharion’s control and even transform the Dragon Soul into a tool Deathwing or other dragons can’t manipulate. Unfortunately, Nelfarion’s betrayal forced the Dragonflights to distrust each other and even break into frequent wars.
9 Ysera The Dreamer, The Emerald Dream, Nordrassil
Ysera entered an eternal trance when the Titans transformed her into a Dragon Aspect. This transformed Ysera into the Dreamer, with her verdant realm that of the Emerald Dream. As opposed to the Ardenweald in the Shadowlands, the Emerald Dream represents the spirit world of the living and a “regulator” of both one’s dreams and life’s evolution.
It’s access to the Emerald Dream that Ysera would provide as a gift to the devastated Night Elves and Nordrassil, the giant tree guarding the powerful magic source known as the Well of Eternity, after the horrific Sundering. Whereas Alexstrasza gave the Elves stronger bodies and Nozdormu gave them immortality, Ysera’s access to the Emerald Dream transformed Night Elven males into Druids that serve to protect both the tree and the Dream. Green Dragons were also tasked to guard Nordrassil and other Great Trees that served as portals to the Emerald Dream.
8 The Tragedy Of Wyrmscar Island
When players of World of Warcraft visit Wyrmscar Island, they are greeted with not just dragon bones but ghosts of Green Dragons and a Night Elf named Prince Toreth. The prince’s ghosts would tell players of the legend of the Dragon Riders of Loreth’Aran, who were Night Elves led by Toreth who beseeched Ysera to ask for permission to ride Green Dragons into battle.
Although Ysera accepted their request, Deathwing was annoyed at her benevolence. In turn, he tasked his lieutenant Razormaw to amass Black Dragonflight forces to attack the island, with the ensuing conflict transforming into a slaughter on both sides. With the slain Toreth swearing to never let their legacy vanish, Ysera tied his spirit to the Island so he may forever share their adventures to anyone willing to listen.
7 The War Of Shifting Sands
Around a thousand years before the First War and years before World of Warcraft, the Night Elves were dedicated to springing life back to the desert of Silithus. Unfortunately for them, they stumbled upon the ancient fortress of Ahn’Qiraj, which also served as the prison of the Old God C’Thun. With the Night Elves accidentally reawakening C’Thun and the insectoid qiraji beneath, the Old God sent the insectoids into a frenzy that forced thousands of their numbers to come out of the fortress and pose a threat to the surface.
In this regard, both the Night Elves and the time-keeping Bronze Dragonflight combined their forces to drive the qiraji back to the fortress. Thanks to the assistance of Ysera and the Green Dragonflight, the insectoids were pushed back, but not at the cost of other dragons, such as Ysera’s child Merithra.
6 Guarding The Temple Of Atal’Hakkar
Yet another significant exploit of the Green Dragonflight in World of Warcraft lore involves the Temple of Atal’Hakkar. When exiled priests of the Troll Gurubashi empire erected the Temple of Atal’Hakkar, its sole purpose was to help usher the physical form of Hakkar the Soulflayer, an ancient beast god, into the world.
This continued for a thousand years, with the Temple now being known as the Sunken Temple. Having caught wind of this imminent threat, Ysera dispatched her consort Eranikus to deal with the surviving priests still willing to enact their plan. Having been successful in their mission, Green Dragons now roam around the Sunken Temple to ensure malevolent Trolls and others interested in Hakkar won’t be able to do evil in the location again.
5 The Battle Of Grim Batol, Reclaiming The Red Dragonflight
While Deathwing couldn’t control the Dragon Soul, Ysera and the other Aspects didn’t account for other races' inability to touch it. This led Deathwing to corrupt the Orc Warlock Nekros to the Dragon Soul, which he now called the Demon Soul, to use it to put Red Dragonflight Aspect Alexstrasza under his heel in th Second War. This puts a lot of advantage on the Horde, as the Red Dragonflight proved too decisive for the Grand Alliance to deal with.
And while other Dragon Aspects sought for Ysera help, Ysera’s assistants thought this was not a matter Ysera would be interested in. It was only when Alexstrasza’s consort Korialstrasz directly talked to Ysera that she would be convinced to intervene and convince other Aspects Malygos (Blue) and Nozodrmu (Bronze) to join. Thanks to the defeat of Nekros, the Dragon Soul freed Alexstrasza from his control and finally thwarted Deathwing’s plans - for now.
4 The Threat Of The Emerald Nightmare
Thousands of years ago, Great Trees were planted all across Azeroth to gain access to Emerald Dream. Unfortunately, the roots of one such tree reached where the Old God Yogg-Saron resided, allowing his madness to slowly corrupt the trees themselves and penetrate through the Emerald Dream. With access to the Old Gods now unchecked, Old God N’Zoth managed to corrupt the Dream in its entirety, through a Nightmare Lord in the form of Xavius, the former rival of Malfurion Stormrage.
The threat of the Emerald Nightmare was so severe that it began corrupting and driving into “madness” all flora and fauna in the dreamscape. Ysera and the Green Dragonflight fought to stave off the madness, but it wasn’t denying that the darkness was still spreading in the Dream. It didn’t help that the Lich King’s defeat somehow sped up its corruption, now spreading into the real world to transform living beings into the “unwaking,” seemingly living in nightmares, with Ysera herself imprisoned. It took the sacrifice of Eranikus, who had once been corrupted but redeemed, to save Ysera and halt the Nightmare’s spread.
3 Ysera, Dragon Of Nightmare
Unfortunately for the Green Dragonflight, the threat of the Emerald Nightmare would continue to bother the rest of Azeroth. In the events of Legion, Cenarius the Lord of the Forest himself would fall prey to the Nightmare. Not only that, but Xavius would show up and steal the Tears of Elune that would supposedly be able to help. While an enraged Malfurion Stormrage pursued Xavius in the Emerald Dream, this proved to be a trap. Not only did Xavius capture Malfurion, but transformed Ysera into a Dragon of Nightmare.
Although Tyrande Whisperwind had pursued Malfurion, Xavius threatened to kill Malfurion if she didn’t retreat. This forced Tyrande to retreat to the Temple of Elune and help protect it from Xavius, who now has a fighting force led by Ysera. This conflict would result in the “Emerald Nightmare” raid, leading to Ysera’s death.
2 The Dreamglow Dragonscale
During the events of Battle for Azeroth, the Green Dragonflight was sent into a panic when they realized that the primordial darkness of the Void had begun corrupting the Emerald Dreamway, which consists of paths that connect the real world to the Emerald Dream.
To counteract this, the Green Dragonflight decided to forge a Dreamglow Dragonscale. Players of Warcraft will have to empower their Heart of Azeroth, a mystic artifact that the Dragonflights can empower, with the Dreamglow Dragonscale to ensure the Void won’t corrupt the Emerald Dreamway.
1 The Return Of Merithra, Preparing For The Primal Incarnates
Once thought dead, Merithra was found very much alive within Ahn’Qiraj, although her companions unfortunately perished. Having been reunited with her mother, Merithra once again became the direct apprentice of Ysera, even going so far as to become the de-facto leader of the Green Dragonflight after her mother’s death.
Despite her efforts, however, not all Green Dragonflight members recognize her as worthy of Ysera’s succession in the events of the Dragonflight expansion. Not only that, Merithra’s power doesn’t equal in comparison to the other Dragon Aspects, even in their depowered forms. To become the full leader of the Green Dragonflight, Merithra would need to receive the same blessing from the Titans that her mother has received, alongside her fellow Aspects.
World Of Warcraft: Dragonflight is set for a November 28, 2022 release.