wow Folks & Fairy Tales Reveals Popular Theory About Sylvanas

[Stan 5,240]

The Vereesa Windrunner short story from the new "Folks & Fairy Tales" reveals a popular theory about Sylvanas. This article contains major story spoilers.

SheepRCountingMe3 got their hands on the Folks & Fairy Tales book and there's a short story centered about Vereesa that paves the way for a Sylvanas redemption arc in the Shadowlands.

Vereesa recounts a dream-like state, a journey into the Maw, where she finds the soul of Sylvanas, but what she finds is merely a fragment of Sylvanas' soul, which means her soul has been shattered.

She also confronts the Jailer and demands to take the soul back to the realm of the living because "she is her sister", but Zovaal corrects her that "only a piece of her, perhaps".

The Reddit user also provided the following snapshot taken from the book, where we find out that Sylvanas' soul is shattered.

It looks like Frostmourne shatters souls. Uther's soul, for example, is shattered in a similar nature to that of Sylvanas. 

Especially interesting is what Reddit user Envojus had to say about Sylvanas. "We can't even choose who we are" suddenly makes complete sense. Maybe Sylvanas is forced to serve the Jailer because he possesses fragments of her soul.

Would you like to see the Banshee Queen redeemed or dead in Shadowlands?

Source: Reddit

[Ragingwolf 310]

It's plausible but to give it credit readers and gamers need to see the other side of the fence after the events of when Arthas fell.  The interaction and dialogue between her and the Jailer when she first reached the Maw.  All you do know as a Gamer's perspective is the odd split of personality of how Sylvannas reacts to death in general in interactions with members of the Horde through MoP, WoD, Legion, and BFA.  Redemption for her in SL is very highly unlikely but to paint her as a 'Dark Knight' persona...I believe Blizzard is not doing to well of portraying that for the the audience.

[Arcling 898]

Looks like they could use it for some sort of redemption. Easier to blame her evil deeds on a missing soul fragment, which would turn her good. Frostmourne used to simply claim souls, now as it turns out it shattered them. Don't really like the whole "fate" thing existing as some sort of force that people can be bound to. What about choosing our own fate, like Illidan did? 

[Layniar 5]

Dead, Redeeming Illidan was a bit of a stretch, but Sylvanas... No. Garrosh maybe, He was perfectly fine up until MoP, He even killed Overlord Krom'gar for bombing a small druid town/tree where there were children, Then he went and did the same thing to Theramore in MoP.

[durdyenglish 298]

I do think that Sylvanas will be redeemed, but she will do so in self-sacrifice. Just as Vol'jin has become something more in the Shadowlands, she will too once her true soul arrives before a reawakened Arbiter. 

[Devylknyght 83]

Sylvanas' story always appealed to me due to the nature of her hellbent goals driven by revenge. My ideal outcome for her character arc would involve 1 or both of these 2 possible options:

1. Everything she has done has been to chase Arthas down somehow and they end up meeting up again and having a showdown in which she prevails, before being taken out herself

2. She has a little Brother, Lirath, that died to the Scourge and part of her motivations after seeing the Maw has been to track him down and save his soul. 

Sylvanas herself doesn't need to be "redeemed" in my eyes. But I think her motivations and goals should at least make sense and be justified from her perspective, and she should achieve her goals before paying for her sins, as her character development ends in accepting her fate, but not regretting her choices.  

[Dreamcatcher 66]

8 minutes ago, Devylknyght said:

Sylvanas' story always appealed to me due to the nature of her hellbent goals driven by revenge. My ideal outcome for her character arc would involve 1 or both of these 2 possible options:

1. Everything she has done has been to chase Arthas down somehow and they end up meeting up again and having a showdown in which she prevails, before being taken out herself

2. She has a little Brother, Lirath, that died to the Scourge and part of her motivations after seeing the Maw has been to track him down and save his soul. 

Sylvanas herself doesn't need to be "redeemed" in my eyes. But I think her motivations and goals should at least make sense and be justified from her perspective, and she should achieve her goals before paying for her sins, as her character development ends in accepting her fate, but not regretting her choices.  

Your post makes a lot of sense.

Instead of just killing or redeeming her, lets see a conclusion that defines all of her goals, purpose, persona, revenge, who she was and who she is now and maybe for first time in WoW let someone villain "gray or not" succeed in what they believe in.

Edited May 11, 2021 by Dreamcatcher

[Furtris 0]

This character started out very well, and had the longest time and with the most exposure to develop, yet they *filtered* her up totally. Solution? Let's write a *filtered* book.
I won't be surprised to wake up being told the Sundering never happened and hear bullshit like, "I've been writing this character for years." I forgot who said that of Sylvanas. I remember it's a dude. He should go *filtered* himself.

[Halock 156]

2 hours ago, Dreamcatcher said:

Instead of just killing or redeeming her, lets see a conclusion that defines all of her goals, purpose, persona, revenge, who she was and who she is now and maybe for first time in WoW let someone villain "gray or not" succeed in what they believe in.

It's a shame that her Warbringers episode was used to build up the gutpunch of Teldrassil instead of do this for her. Generally their animated shorts have been exceptionally good at moving characters from the 'I don't care, what a weirdo' to 'Huh, I understand'.

Jaina's was solid in that respect, smoothly moving the character past the weird MoP stage and reconnecting her to the WC3 one. Azshara's built up two threats beautifully whilst making her a character you could empathise with. 

Sylvanas' was good on Teldrassil, but did little for her. A few hesitating/decisive faces that were (are) difficult to interpret without context. Some waffling about 'hope', who knows if it's relevant. Nathanos being shouted at. That was cool. The only thing it really seemed to do was nail her down as having gone off the deep end -- but that was undercut by not being properly confirmed by the story until 8.2.5. 

[Calorat 78]

Sylvanas being redeemed would be complete garbage.  She needs to be killed off and written away never to be seen again.  Blizz's "oh but they were always good, it's not their fault" writing is about on par with what a 6 year old thinks is a good story.  Just more proof that Shadowlands is a complete dumpster fire of an xpac story wise.  To expand on this it's both horrible and dumb for 2 reasons.  1) it continues the "oh it's not their fault they were tricked / corrupted / controlled" by something else reason that Blizz has used for nearly every "bad guy" in Warcraft's history.  Orc's not their fault they went evil and invaded Azeroth they drank demon blood.  Deahtwing not his fault Old Gods corrupted him.  Arthas, not his fault he got controlled by the Helm of Domination.  Garrosh he got influenced by the Sha  etc, etc.  The 2nd is if Sylvanas is being forced or controlled by the Jailer it means she's been a puppet the entire history of WoW and most of Warcraft, which means the Sylvanas that players like doesn't exist and never did cause it's just been the Jailer acting through a Sylvanas suit.

Edited May 12, 2021 by Calorat