wow Reused Shot in Maldraxxus Short from Illidan Cinematic Causing Some Confusion

[Starym 3,800]

 

Getting an animated short done is certainly a hard task, and with such amazing art coming out of them they really add a lot to WoW. However, sometimes two shots from two different cinematics can look very similar, and sometimes they look similar because they've been reused! In a very minor shot from the recent Maldraxxus animated short we see Draka attack two denizens of Maldraxxus who look an awful lot like felguards.

As noticed by redditor SloidVoid, the shot is identical and borrowed from the Harbingers: Illidan short.

Maldraxxus shot:

Harbingers shot:

This isn't that big of a deal really, as none of us (aside from SloidVoid) would have even noticed it, but it's apparently already causing some confusion, as some assumptions have been made based on it.

In another post, which was unfortunately deleted, VampiricGoddess also presumes that Draka left the Shadowlands and fought the demons outside of it, and then goes on to speculate on the meaning of that. As you'd expect, many users replied to explain that's not what was going on, but VampiricGoddess did correctly notice that those were indeed demons, and as we know, demons do not go to the Shadowlands when they die, but return to the Twisting Nether instead. It gets even more complicated/weird, however, as there are 2 more shots in the Maldraxxus short that are actually new, and didn't appear in Harbingers, which confirm that those are indeed felguards at the entrance, or creatures that look exactly like them!

These two were possibly also reused, at least in part, from some assets that weren't implemented in Harbingers or elsewhere, as it would really be strange to use the first one, but then create 2 completely new ones that match the reused one.

Presumably the intention here is that these are just Maldraxxus creatures/souls that happen to look exactly like felguards/whatever the demons were in the Illidan cinematic, so this isn't that big of a deal in terms of lore. Or perhaps we're about to get another big change to how demons work in Warcraft? Or that first reddit post is closer to the truth?  Could there be a Legion connection hinted at here?

In any case, it's just an interesting little fact and also gives us an excuse to re-post the awesome Harbingers: Illidan video, so win-win!

[Arcling 898]

Nice coincidence, just mentioned it in article about that cinematic. I wonder if there really is any purpose in reusing this scene, other than saving costs, unless we are going to learn that Felguards have been modeled after something else? Doesn't fit, because they were from some species called Mo'arg.

[Starym 3,800]

3 minutes ago, Arcling said:

Nice coincidence, just mentioned it in article about that cinematic. I wonder if there really is any purpose in reusing this scene, other than saving costs, unless we are going to learn that Felguards have been modeled after something else? Doesn't fit, because they were from some species called Mo'arg.

My guess would be that those other 2 new images were just unused art for Harbingers or similar. Really doesn't make sense to reuse that one piece and then make 2 new ones based on it.

[Leaflauncher 8]

Considering how time works differently in Shadowlands, perhaps this actually happened during the Legion timeline on Azeroth? 

[Starym 3,800]

32 minutes ago, Leaflauncher said:

Considering how time works differently in Shadowlands, perhaps this actually happened during the Legion timeline on Azeroth? 

Could be, but it doesnt really have to work differently for that option to be there. Although why they'd add that into a cinematic featuring Maldraxxus...

[Leaflauncher 8]

3 minutes ago, Starym said:

Could be, but it doesnt really have to work differently for that option to be there. Although why they'd add that into a cinematic featuring Maldraxxus...

Maybe even without time working differently, this is how they're getting the message across that these events have been in motion for some time now? Or, it could be they borrowed/reused art ? I like to think they're leading us somewhere with it, considering the subtle clues dropped in the Bastion short.

[Soullscape 0]

I'm going out on a limb here and saying blizzard is just lazy... but that's just my two cents, its very easy to cutt and edit assets into the big hulky guys you see in maldraxxus (if you played beta there are many hulk armored axe wielder guys). Idk why they would just cheese old assets like the felguard spikes, and bodies but... we can only hope it wasn't them just being lazy. 

[Aernath 173]

This is obviously not "laziness" but instead quite intentional, it's not like they would be lazy about just one scene or detail. IMHO this means we will see some more reveals about Legion's involvement in Shadowlands issues and this was probably the first hint about that.

[KonadorAuchindoun 4]

kinda weird broooo

[Libraridan 36]

Overthinking...methinks. Ah, the conspiracy mind can never shut down once you give it free reign.

[solitha 84]

If it's the same place, it's a different time.

Check out the Illidan video so helpfully linked. Note: It's a homeworld for the demons. Look at the landscape. Barren, apocalyptic; typically demonic.

Maldraxxus: also barren and lifeless, more of a Plaguelands feel though.

New scenes above? Trees, rain. A healthy, living landscape. The mountains do appear similar. So while it may be the same place, it's either before the Legion broke the ecosystem, or the ecosystem has had time to recover after Illidan paid a call on the boss. Either way, it's a pretty amazing statement about Draka's freedom to move through time and space. And it's pretty ignorant to suggest the art team so carefully reworked such details, then every single team member somehow overlooked the big honking demons in the shots.

Instead, it's not that difficult to see the common thread between the first two shorts. There are lore connections being made between the Shadowlands and the Legion, with the Lich King and the Scourge being the connection point.

[Arcling 898]

 

3 hours ago, solitha said:

Check out the Illidan video so helpfully linked. Note: It's a homeworld for the demons. Look at the landscape. Barren, apocalyptic; typically demonic.

Apparently, there are some creatures in Maldraxxus using same skeleton as Felguards, likely not related, as reusing skeletons and animations is very common. Perhaps they didn't bother to alter their appearance for that scene, as they appear to still look like Burning Legion's troops.

I've seen some rumor about Draka actually being Garona initially (not sure if true, but possible), until they've realized Garona was still alive. Would explain her turning into some rogue-eque multiclass, she's basically a clone of her and Garona could easily serve same role.

[solitha 84]

19 hours ago, Arcling said:

 

Apparently, there are some creatures in Maldraxxus using same skeleton as Felguards, likely not related, as reusing skeletons and animations is very common. Perhaps they didn't bother to alter their appearance for that scene, as they appear to still look like Burning Legion's troops.

I've seen some rumor about Draka actually being Garona initially (not sure if true, but possible), until they've realized Garona was still alive. Would explain her turning into some rogue-eque multiclass, she's basically a clone of her and Garona could easily serve same role.

Shorts and cinematics are't restricted by in-game rigs. If they look just like felguards, it's because they're felguards. Even in-game, having the same skeleton only means they animate the same way, not that they look identical. (And now this is confirmed.)

Garona was in use Horde-side during the BfA campaign. She's a major figure and her death would be a big deal. I doubt that rumor. Also, Garona never really had strong bonds to anything except maybe Medivh. She doesn't fit as a "protector of the realm" type.

[Arcling 898]

1 hour ago, solitha said:

Garona was in use Horde-side during the BfA campaign. She's a major figure and her death would be a big deal. I doubt that rumor. Also, Garona never really had strong bonds to anything except maybe Medivh. She doesn't fit as a "protector of the realm" type.

Depends, I could see her as a counterpart to Shaw. Protecting the realm in a more covert way, doing what needs to be done etc. Which is basically what Draka is doing right now. Maybe not the most compelling story, but this how they want to present it.

Edited September 5, 2020 by Arcling

[solitha 84]

3 hours ago, Arcling said:

Depends, I could see her as a counterpart to Shaw. Protecting the realm in a more covert way, doing what needs to be done etc. Which is basically what Draka is doing right now. Maybe not the most compelling story, but this how they want to present it.

Shaw has a deep and abiding loyalty to the throne of Stormwind. What does Garona know of loyalty, of dedication to a cause? She's tried, but as a tool, it was used against her. She was, very cruelly, taught to rein in her feelings and look out for herself first and foremost.

Certainly her skills are beyond compare, but without some new compelling lore, she lacks motivation to be a "protector" of anything but Garona.

[Arcling 898]

2 hours ago, solitha said:

Shaw has a deep and abiding loyalty to the throne of Stormwind. What does Garona know of loyalty, of dedication to a cause? She's tried, but as a tool, it was used against her. She was, very cruelly, taught to rein in her feelings and look out for herself first and foremost.

But that's all in the past, didn't she want to protect her faction in recent war? Doesn't seem like she wanted to betray them or anything else.

[solitha 84]

15 hours ago, Arcling said:

But that's all in the past, didn't she want to protect her faction in recent war? Doesn't seem like she wanted to betray them or anything else.

I wasn't sure, so I went to Gamepedia. They have her quotes from this expansion. The strongest statement she makes is in a "stay awhile and listen" with Nathanos, where she says, "And you are doubtless aware that I have worked with the Alliance when it served my purposes. But I owe them nothing. The Horde is my home."

But if you just chat with her, she says things like:

Seems I have been conscripted into service once again, to carry out yet another master's schemes. I will do what I must--say what I must--to live for another day. But sooner or later this war will end. We must be ready for what follows.

While you're right that Garona "doesn't seem like she wanted to betray" the Horde, we're talking about the kind of fervor and dedication displayed by Draka and her willingness to lay down her existence to protect something larger than herself. Garona shows nothing of that.