Before I get started in this I want to say I am not as versed in Warcraft Lore as some of the greats in this community. I drive friends and family crazy by reading quest text and then wait patiently for the different podcasters to talk about it, or write an article on it. That said my conclusions, opinions, and statements are based on what I have seen in game, read or listen to in blogs and the podcasts based on the WoW community.
The story broke around August 2nd that Blizzard trademarked a new title Mist of Pandaria. The speculations of this title has been in every World of Warcraft (WoW) podcast, and blog saying that this title is the new expansion, new card game, or even the next Blizzard game. However, I may be completely crazy, totally off the mark here but in my opinion I really think this is the next patch (4.3).
Here is the reason behind my thinking. A month or so ago there was a blue post answering a question. When is patch 4.3 coming out? The answer to this was interesting, the post said, patch 4.3 will be on the Public Test Realm (PTR) soon. The size of the patch will be the same size as the Cataclysm patch, there will be a new 5 man instance and 1 raid. I paid this no attention thinking that it was Blizzard’s nice way of putting this question off till later. Then the announcement of Mist of Pandaria broke. This made me think back to the blues tracker I blew off a month ago. This would fit I said to myself large patch, new instance, and a raid. At this point I want to thank Shade from All Things Azeroth, and the WoW Insider for her in depth, Know Your Lore about the Panderan. This got me thinking more so let me take you back to the beginning of Cataclysm to where we all started. Deathwing breaks out of Deepholm, sunders the world as we know it also breaking the World Pillar which could cause another cataclysm destroying the world entirely. I take you now to Twilight Highlands where we meet Alexstarsza and her son Calin. A fight ensues between The Life Binder and Deathwing and at the end of the fight Alexstarsza defeats Deathwing but doesn’t kill him. Now to Thrall who gets sundered by Fandral Staghelm on the orders of the Twilight Prophet. We then have to put the World Shaman back together.
Now I know you’re asking yourself what does this have to do with the Panderan, I am glad you asked. Take a moment and realize in patch 4.2 we have taken down the Twilight Hammer, not only banished but destroyed Ragnoros and most of his followers. However, the greatest threat of this expansion is not any of those. We have been distracted by nothing more than pawns to the cause of Deathwing and his new masters. As in other expansions we have had factions to help spearhead the fight to the main end game content. For example, in Burning Crusade we had the Ashtongue Deathsworn in the fight with Illidan Stormrage, than the Shattered Sun in the fight with Kil’Jaeden. These factions come towards the end of Burning Crusade however, they were there. In Wrath of the Lich King at the beginning of the expansion we knew full well that the Argent Crusade was the head faction leading us through that expansion. My question to you is this. Where is this faction that will lead us to the end of Deathwings reign of terror? I for one do not see one. The Aspects have been counted as unable to help in this matter because if the most powerful of all the Aspects could not kill him and if she can’t none of them can. I also really do not think that Varian Wrym is going to bury the axe with Garrosh Hellscream and come together with the Horde to defeat Deathwing without a middle man. The only thing I see on that is either Varian or Garrosh burying the axe in each other’s head. So who is out there that can help us, to bring us together, and show us a way or a path to bring down Deathwing once and for all.
In my humble opinion, it would have to be the Panderan. They are a neutral faction, and could show us a magic or a discipline that we of Azeroth nor any of our enemies have ever seen. I really don’t believe that when it is time to take the fight to Deathwing, we are going to have to break him into pieces as was done in the past. That didn’t work the first time, he just went to Deepholm and reforged his body and became even more corrupted. This time if we do that who knows what would happen after he retreats back to a sanctum of one of the Old Gods. I really don’t want to see that nightmare thank you very much.
As I have said in the beginning of this, I may be completely wrong about the Mist of Pandaria. You have to ask yourself though, if the Mist of Pandaria isn’t in patch 4.3 than what is heading our way? What is Blizzard planning that a patch is going to be as big as the Cataclysm patch? Are the new books that are coming out part of this upcoming patch? Finally what unknown faction is going to step up and lead the Horde and Alliance to bring down Deathwing?
