Catch up on your WoW lore ahead of the Battle for Azeroth expansion

With Blizzard’s latest expansion for World of Warcraft rapidly apporaching, new players have a lot to look forward to. If you have taken a break from World of Warcraft and are preparing to come back for this expansion, you may be a bit behind on what’s been happening in Azeroth, but there’s no need to panic!  I’ll give you a quick rundown of the key characters and events you need to familiarize yourself with. For me, the lore is the thing I’m most excited for and this expansion leaves me very intrigued for what Blizzard has in store for the WoW Universe.

Power is a double-sided blade…

Let’s start with Jaina Proudmoore, one of the most powerful mages in the Warcraft universe. The events that transpired over the last few expansions have us questioning her state of mind. Ever since her mana bombing on Theramore Isle, Proudmoore has been acting strange. From egging on Varian to execute Garrosh in front of Thrall, to convincing Anduin to launch a full on assault on the undead capital Loredron without warning, it would seem that Jaina’s belief of peace between the horde and alliance has all but evaporated.

The next expansion proves a little more personal for Jaina, as the player will get to explore her homeland, Kul Tiras. This was were her family grew up, and where Jaina lost her father to an Orc invasion in the third war. Jaina’s father, Daelin Proudmoore, was an Admiral in the Alliance Navy. He had always had a blind hate for the Orcs, never seeing them as more than mere animals. Jaina was shown to be accepting of the Orc race, despite her father’s beliefs. However, in the latest Warbringers trailer from Blizzard, Jaina is seen raising one of her father’s flagships of the Alliance Navy. Has Proudmoore changed here stance towards the Orcs? Some are convinced Jaina is now home to a demon that whispers in her ear, advocating for war. The truth will be shrouded in mystery until the War for Azeroth is released.

The Dark Lady prevails

Shortly before his death,Vol’jin, Horde Warchief, claimed that spirits had spoken to him, and they intended to bestow the title of Warchief to Sylvanas Windrunner. Since her coronation, Sylvanas’ decisions have left her captive in a prison of her own making. In the recent Warbringer trailer for the Battle for Azeroth expansion, we see Sylvanas revel in her crushing victory over the alliance forces at their capital of Darnassus. Sylvanas is seen speaking to a survivor of the battle, showing her how she lost everything when the Scourge attacked and drained the Sunwell shortly after the third war.  Sylvanas Windrunner then razes the capital to the ground. She’s finally become what the Lich king Arthas had hoped for: a bringer of death & despair. But are these decisions her own or is she being manipulated by a malevolent force more powerful then herself.

For blood and honor!

In the meantime, Orgrimmar commander Varok Saurfang is dealing with his own sets of problems. Saurfang is most widely known for being the father of Dranosh, who died in the Battle of Angrathar the Wrathgate and was transformed into a Death Knight by Arthas, but finally granted a warrior’s death in the Lich King raid. After ambushing Malfurion Stormrage during the battle against Sylvanas and refusing to kill him, Varok observed Sylvanas burning what remained of Teldrassil. Bearing witness to the slaughter of both soldier and civilian, Varok lost faith in the Horde and found himself without honor - a fate worse than death to some orcs.

Blizzard recently released a trailer, dubbed “Old Soldier,” that showcases Varok’s mixed feelings about the war. While he has voiced his disapproval of Sylvanas’ methods multiple times prior to the battle at Darnassus, he still chooses to fight for the horde. Still, Varok Saurfang has grown weary of war and is seeing his world in a different light.

While there has yet to be a new trailer featuring Genn Greymane and King Audin, Blizzard teased us with a “wait till next week” announcement. It is probably safe to assume that more trailers covering the character arcs of Battle for Azeroth are on the horizon.

Greg Burke

Head of Video

Greg is the head of Video Production for Shacknews. If you've ever enjoyed a video on Gamerhub.tv, it was most likely edited by him. Follow him on Twitter @GregBurke85.