How do we fight? When Azeroth was shaped to allow adventurers to tread upon the earth and explore its expanses while encountering foes, some unlike any that a seasoned Warcraft player has seen before, it created a new experience for all. It gave players the opportunity to learn to play the game by cutting their teeth against an enormous world, but more importantly, various villains in raid settings, each of which would have significance in the future in some way. While the game was archaic by design, it still taught players how to fight.
Where do we fight? With large portions of the known Azeroth conquered by heroes of the Alliance and Horde, the Dark Portal houses new foes to defeat, but also a new world to explore. However, what was discovered was there was more of a threat than Illidan Stormrage in Outland. Aside from the rising interference of the timelines from the Infinite Dragonflight in the Caverns of Time, the battlefield soon spanned both worlds to stop the Burning Legion from invading Azeroth, with Kil'jaeden spearheading the assault. The Burning Crusade expansion taught players that the battlefields fought upon may span worlds and though the original game had many landscapes, the unorthodox nature of Outland introduced some truly unique places to fight upon.
Who do we fight? For Warcraft III players, the Lich King, part of whom was known as Arthas who was presented as a major character over the span of the original game and its expansion, is an opponent they highly desire trading blows with. However, aside from the identity crisis as a result of Arthas and Ner'zhul joining to become a single, another villain was presented part of the way into the expansion. Yogg-Saron, an Old God, effectively threatened the world's destruction by indirectly causing Algalon to consider the reorigination of Azeroth, effectively destroying the world as it was. Malygos, in his madness, also potentially threatened widespread destruction by attempting to eradicate those who practiced magic, channeling ley lines towards the Nexus which could've easily caused dangerous arcane instability. While the Lich King was a threat to the world in the sense that he desired the destruction of all races in favor of his Scourge, the lesson here is that who the heroes of Azeroth must fight are those who threaten the destruction of their world as they know it, preparing them for the oncoming Cataclysm.
What do we fight? Deathwing came in a fiery wake, ready to unleash the Cataclysm upon the world of Azeroth. However, even before he split the world apart and incinerated numerous zones, minions, such as those associated with the Twilight's Hammer and the naga, were preparing the serve their dark lord, N'Zoth, who the former Aspect of Earth effectively serves. With cultists, naga, and elementals speaking of destructive events such as the Hour of Twilight or the Final Cataclysm, it almost makes one wonder what sort of mad ideals they are fighting against, given some among the Alliance and Horde have joined with the Twilight's Hammer to bring about the end of Azeroth. Perhaps they should give in too and accept their Old God overlords? However, adventurers have bested two Old Gods already and possibly threw a wrench in the plans of others during their journeys. Madness, as the Cataclysm teaches, must be fought, and so the Aspect of Death was unmade, unveiling the bright horizon of the future.
Why do we fight? This question was asked in the trailer and inspired the writing of this article. When the mists shrouding Pandaria faded, it brought a war the Pandaren didn't want to its shores. As heroes traveled through Pandaria, they too learned of the value of a tranquil place: a place that felt like home. They also learned of the value of controlling emotions and realizing life wasn't about constant fighting and war, though they should still rise to the occasion should a threat arise. Garrosh failed to understand these concepts and attempted to conquer Azeroth to bring his own twisted, supremacist image, unleashing the full might of the remnants Old God Y'shaarj. To defend their homes and battle against the raw emotions of the warchief of the "True Horde", the Alliance and remaining Darkspear Rebellion rose up to defeat this mad tyrant, ending the conflicts between the Alliance and Horde, knowing other threats could come their way that both groups must face together.
Why do we fight? I trust you have learned: to fight out of fear or anger is to fight a war that never ends. Face your fears. Calm your hatreds. Find peace within yourself, so that you may share it with the world around you. These are the greatest treasures in life. Surely they... are worth fighting for.When will we fight? With a peace (though unsteady) established and lessons learned in Pandaria, there is at least one more foe to fight before laying down arms and living a life without fighting. As Wrathion warned, a darkness is coming: the true might of the Burning Legion has yet to be unleashed. Though the Iron Horde is a threat at the time, the destruction of Mannoroth in this alternate timeline Draenor will likely bring the gaze of the Legion. More importantly, the Dark Titan Sargeras has yet to show his face, but the power of the Old Gods are great enough to resist Titan destruction, and yet the heroes of Azeroth have accomplished exactly that by destroying Y'shaarj. Would it be possible to stand up to the Dark Titan? Perhaps in time the races of Azeroth can do so, but what is inevitable is that there will be a fight. The question, then, is when this battle will take place.
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