War has a way of making—or unmaking—someone. Take the plunge into the lives of three iconic leaders from across Azeroth and learn more about what war has made of them.[2][3]
Warbringers - Jaina
Jaina Proudmoore has made many difficult decisions, but no choice weighs more heavily upon her than the decision to step aside when her father fought the Horde years ago. She believed then that he was consumed by irrational hatred. But now . . . she wonders if she should have listened.
A new war between the Alliance and the Horde rages across Azeroth. This time, Jaina will not stand aside.[4]
Warbringers - Sylvanas
Sylvanas Windrunner, warchief of the Horde, leads her forces to victory against the night elves of Darnassus and moves to conquer their home: the World Tree, Teldrassil. But a chance encounter with a dying young ranger who questions her motives and tells her that she cannot win the war she is truly fighting—a war on life itself—leads Sylvanas to make a decision that will change the course of history on Azeroth.[5]
In war, nothing is certain. In just one moment, a single action can determine victory or defeat. For Sylvanas Windrunner, warchief of the Horde, war has led her to many such moments—including one that will change the course of history on Azeroth.
Warbringers - Azshara
Ten thousand years ago, the lands of Azeroth were torn apart by the Sundering. As the continents cracked open and the ocean rushed in, the Highborne elves and their great queen, Azshara, seemed doomed to a watery grave. But what she found in the deep was not oblivion . . . but opportunity.
What would you do to save a people? For the great queen Azshara, it is within the deeps that she finds what she needs most: opportunity.
Choir: Sea shanty Sally Brown's Boys (Anton Platonov, Mikhail Maslovskii, Aleksandr Tsvetkov, Iakov Safronov)
Bass: Valerii Fedorenko, soloist and director of Moscow Chamber Musical Theatre
German version
Jaina: Pia Allgaier
Soloist: Patrick Roche
Choir: Stefan Thomas, Thomas Hohenberger, Dirk Lüdemann, Harin Lee, Frank Oliver Weißmann, Tommy Amper.
French version
Jaina: Nathalie Homs
Soloist: Vincent Heden
Choir: Arnaud Léonard, Guillaume Beaujolais, Michel Lerousseau
Italian version
Jaina: Mavi Felli
Soloist: Paolo De Santis
Choir: Diego Baldoin, Matteo Brusamonti, Francesco Mei, Leonardo Gajo, Alessandro Seccafieno
Spanish version
Jaina: Celia Vergara
Soloist: Daniel Millet
Choir: Fernando Rubio, Pedro Adarraga, Alfonso Baruque
Retcons and inconsistencies[]
In Warbringers, Jaina picked up the anchor-shaped necklace from the sword in Theramore, and gave it to the ferryman, who put it around his neck before disappearing. In Battle for Azeroth, Jaina is still in possession of the necklace, which can be seen around her neck.
In Warbringers, Sylvanas dies on an open field. In Chronicle, she dies slumped against a tree.[22]
In the "Words of Wind and Earth", Azshara used Sharas'dal to create a magical shield. After it broke and the waters swallowed her, she used it to create light in the darkness and to warm herself, before finally drowning. Sharas'dal is not portrayed or mentioned in Warbringers, she creates the shield with only her hands. In the novel The Sundering, she made it with but her thoughts, an empty goblet of wine in her hand.
Compared with The Sundering, the palace scene in the Warbringers is changed, moving the moment Azshara accepted the deal with N'Zoth to a later point.
In the book, Azshara created the shield, having a short monologue. Then, the voices of the Old Gods promised to save Azshara while holding the shield, and she nodded at that. She and her followers started being transformed into naga before her shield finally broke, and they were swallowed by the waters.[23] In Warbringers, she created the shield without saying anything. She then heard the feminine voice telling her to let go of the shield, but Azshara refused to give up, having a short monologue. After her shield broke, and Azshara was swallowed by the ocean, she and N'Zoth made a pact, then she transformed into a naga.
In the novels and in the "Words of Wind and Earth", Azshara was contacted by "the Old Gods", "creatures", or "entities", in plural, with multiple voices whispering to her. In Warbringers, she only communicates with N'Zoth.
In the novels, Azshara expressed no remorse at her actions, in fact she had willingly tried to massacre the "lesser races", which included the non-Highborne night elves, and cleanse the world of their "imperfection". In Warbringers, she feels guilt, and regrets betraying her people.
Notes and trivia[]
On July 12, 2018, four days before the official announcement of Warbringers, the series was hinted at by the inclusion of several pieces of artwork from the shorts in the official 2019 World of Warcraft calendar.[24][25][26][27]
Jaina's final words to her father were "why wouldn't you listen?"[28] In the Battle for Azeroth announcement trailer narrated by Jaina, she opens with "My father once told me that peace was like a dream: Beautiful. Ephemeral. Unattainable. I didn't listen... No one listened." This leads to Warbringers where she exclaims "Father... I'm listening now".[29]
Jaina's giving of the pendant to the ferryman for 'passage' has a visual similarity in Greek mythology, where the souls of the dead who had received the rites of burial, pay the ferryman Charon to ferry them over the Rivers Styx and Acheron to reach the gates of the underworld.
^Anna Morgan on Twitter: "Our new Warbringers is out! Was a true pleasure to work on this dark tale with director @ainokostudios, writer @RoBrooks13, artist Laurel Austin. To the dozens of talented artists who helped create this thank you so much! Working with you makes life Magnificent!"
^ abLaura Post on Twitter: "I am so honored to have gotten to work on this incredible piece with @AndreaToyias and the wonderful folks over @Blizzard_Ent . Also @DarinDePaul might not only be one of my favorite people to work with, but just one of my favorite people. Hope you enjoy!"
^ abDarin De Paul on Twitter (2018-08-25). “I had the great pleasure of working on this new @Warcraft short for @Blizzard_Ent directed by the brilliant @AndreaToyias, acting opposite the truly spectacular @LauraPostVoice & with wonderful writing by @RoBrooks13 Warbringers: Azshara https://youtu.be/hndyTy3uiZM via @YouTube”
^ abNeal Acree on Twitter: "Another gorgeous & haunting short by director @ainokostudios & the team at Blizzard. I wrote the vocal intro (performed by @CelicaSoldream) but the spine tingling score beyond the “presents” is by @MonarchAudio. @RoBrooks13 @Anna_B_Morgan @DarinDePaul @LauraPostVoice #Azshara"
^ abcNeal Acree on Twitter: "Had the honor of writing the music to this gorgeous short directed by Marc Messenger and voiced by the incomparable @PattyMattson. @Blizzard_Ent never ceases to amaze me with their dedication to quality both inside the game and out. #Sylvanas #BattleforAzeroth"
^Andrea Toyias on Twitter "Someday I'll tell you all the story about the places we went & the secrets we shared to bring this piece to life. These 2 actresses LITERALLY put their hearts & souls into this piece. It was a day I'll never ever forget. <3 you @PattyMattson & @ericalindbeck . You are amazing. xx"
^Neal Acree on Twitter: "So excited to finally be able to share this amazing song that I arranged & co-produced! Vocals by the incomparable voice of Jaina, @LauraBaileyVO & @donalkearney of @Anuna_Choir. Song by @LoganLaflotte. Amazing work as always by visionary director Doug Alexander & team!"
^Neal Acree on Twitter: "Guitar part/chords, vocal melody and vocal harmonies by Logan and rest by yours truly 😊"
^Doug Alexander on Twitter: "Song by @LoganLaflotte. Arranged & co-produced by @neal_acree. Vocals by the incomparable voice of Jaina, @LauraBaileyVO & @donalkearney of @Anuna_Choir."
^Terran Gregory on Twitter: "Please welcome the editor of both the Battle for Azeroth Intro Cinematic and Warbringers:Jaina to Twitter - @Anna_B_Morgan - The buzz today has brought her into our realm! Huzzah!"
^Neal Acree on Twitter: "Over a million views in 24 hours! I would be remiss not to mention that the male chorus of the song was performed by the Irish choir M'ANAM. Please consider giving them a follow and look out for their debut album coming soon! @manam_men"