Inven Global

World of Warcraft: Forever (hereafter "Forever") is just a week away from launch. Scheduled for release on Thursday, November 5, Forever has drawn significant attention following developer announcements that its narrative could unfold in a different direction from World of Warcraft's live servers (hereafter "Retail").

In particular, since the developers announced that the universe will not expand beyond Azeroth through elements such as the Dark Portal, it seems highly likely that previously explored stages like Outland will not appear, paving the way for fresh storylines.

Let's take a look at which parts of Retail's lore might vanish in Forever, and what new stories unheard of in Retail might await us.

※ Contains spoilers for World of Warcraft expansions, including Shadowlands and Dragonflight.

As the son of the legendary Horde hero Grommash Hellscream, Garrosh was, in terms of legitimacy, the most fitting candidate to become the Horde's next Warchief. In the Cataclysm expansion, he gradually broke away from his former reckless behavior born of hatred for his father, growing into a developing character who slowly settled into his role as Warchief of the Horde, even if he relied heavily on brute strength.

However, in Mists of Pandaria, he suddenly took a radical turn, committing war crimes and becoming corrupted, ultimately transforming into the final boss of the expansion. Many players were disappointed with how Garrosh's arc was handled. In particular, watching Alliance leader Anduin Wrynn slowly grow under Varian's influence to eventually establish himself as a king, many argued that Garrosh should have received a similar arc.

It remains to be seen whether Forever will show us a new side of Garrosh as a "true Warchief"—or if he will even become Warchief in the first place. Following Garrosh's new journey should be an entertaining experience.

Another Horde Warchief, Sylvanas, who drew severe criticism during Battle for Azeroth for her line "The Horde is nothing!", saw her narrative wrap up in the subsequent Shadowlands expansion when her true motives were finally revealed. In Forever, Sylvanas's revenge against Arthas remains unfinished, meaning her path could diverge entirely from the Retail Sylvanas who journeyed through Icecrown Citadel and into the Shadowlands.

At least until Arthas re-emerges, Sylvanas's actions will likely center on vengeance against the Scourge and ensuring the survival of the Forsaken. The introduction of Forsaken Paladins could also sway the narrative in a new direction. With WoW: Forever featuring a dedicated questline that explores the lore of Forsaken Paladins, the internal power dynamic of the Forsaken may well be reshaped.

Given that key factions within the Forsaken, such as the Royal Apothecary Society and Varimathras, have historically pursued dangerous and self-serving agendas, Paladins could significantly alter the faction's overall direction. Of course, since these existing forces have not vanished, the Forsaken will likely remain a distinct and peculiar presence within the Horde.

Because Forever is not a completely new universe but rather a narrative starting from the point of original World of Warcraft, Arthas's purge of Stratholme, the fall of Lordaeron, and his ascension to the Lich King in Warcraft III remain established history in Forever. The developers have drawn a firm line, stating that history will not be completely rewritten in a way where Arthas never becomes the Lich King.

The reappearance of the Scourge—which, despite being undead like the Forsaken, stands in direct opposition to them—and Arthas leading the Death Knights seems virtually guaranteed. The contrast between Death Knights wielding death magic as undead and Forsaken Paladins enduring agony to channel the Light promises to be a striking visual and thematic narrative.

Overseas fans have suggested an alternative scenario: rather than players landing in Northrend to raid Icecrown Citadel as before, Arthas's forces—including Kel'Thuzad—could spread across Azeroth with players defending against them. It will be intriguing to see how the Lich King storyline involving Tirion, Arthas, and Sylvanas unfolds, and whether Bolvar Fordragon will once again bear the burden of the Lich King.

On the other hand, the rivalry between Illidan and Arthas that carried over from Warcraft III might be harder to see in Forever. In Retail, players traveled to Outland to confront Illidan after he vanished there in Warcraft III. Given that the development team cited "the Dark Portal not opening" as an example of the altered storyline, repeating the original plot seems unlikely.

Of course, since the Dark Portal is not the only way to travel to and from Outland, a narrative where Illidan returns to Azeroth—rather than players traveling to Outland—could be explored instead. However, considering Illidan fled to Outland after his defeat by Arthas, seeing him again without a special story hook seems unlikely.

Unlike Illidan, Deathwing is a character with a high likelihood of returning without needing to expand the game's world. Granted, unlike Arthas, he did not build up a continuous storyline starting from Warcraft III—having only made a brief appearance in Warcraft II—so it wouldn't be unnatural if he didn't return.

However, his status as a popular character who fits cleanly into Forever's identity makes his appearance plausible. This is further supported by the inclusion of Onyxia's Lair in Forever's initial raid lineup, as well as the official overview of Alcaz Island re-referencing the mystery of King Varian's disappearance. The groundwork for the conspiracy surrounding the missing king and the chaos in Stormwind leading into a grander scheme by the Black Dragonflight is already naturally laid.

While it seems unlikely that he will reshuffle Azeroth's landscape and tear open The Barrens as he did in Retail, Deathwing himself returning wouldn't feel out of place. Back in Cataclysm, players fought him indirectly—destroying spines on his back or using the Dragon Soul—so hopefully this time around, we get to face him head-on.

With videos exploring closed beta areas and newly uncovered terrain data circulating, parts of the overseas community are anticipating the opening of Gilneas. However, the appearance of Gilneas is unlikely to lead directly to the addition of the Worgen race.

In interviews, the development team mentioned the concept of potentially visiting pre-Cataclysm Gilneas. Notably, when presented with the joke that Gilneas wouldn't welcome the Forsaken, the developers teased that there might actually be a reason for Gilneas to welcome them, raising the possibility of a setup completely different from original lore.

In Retail, Gilneas saw its kingdom fall due to the combined plight of the Worgen curse and the Forsaken invasion, hastily joining the Alliance during their flight. In Forever, players might instead encounter Genn Greymane in his role as a human leader standing against the Worgen in Silverpine Forest.

While the Titans were long depicted as guardians of Azeroth, recent Retail lore has increasingly questioned whether Titan Order and intervention can be viewed as unequivocally good. Records found in Uldaman during Dragonflight revealed keeper directives to censor information regarding the Black Empire and indoctrinate mortals into believing Titans were inherently good.

However, in early Azeroth, the clash between the Titans—who protected Azeroth and led the dragonflights—and the Old Gods, who sought to corrupt it, was far more straightforward. Forever might return to a simple battle of good versus evil rather than Retail's complex web of factions.

The dynamic of "Titans as creator guardians who protected the world" versus "Old Gods as the root of evil disrupting order"—a narrative proven false in Retail—could stand as absolute truth in Forever. In particular, the Old Gods, whose stature diminished after the introduction of the Void Lords, might reappear as far more powerful villains in Forever. Recently released in Hearthstone, "Reign of the Black Empire" offered a look at the Old Gods in their prime.

Breaking away from past developments where players fought merely fragments or diminished forms of the Old Gods, fans are eager to see if World of Warcraft will showcase the Old Gods in their true power—and how the Titans and Dragon Aspects will stand against them.