Please note that my musings will contain big spoilers from the “Twilight of the Aspects” novel.

With the latest news out of Gamescom confirming 4.3 to be the Deathwing raid and final tier of raid content for this expansion, one might wonder how Blizzard plans to wrap everything up and push us towards the next expansion. Now that I have completed leveling my Goblin and viewed the horde side of the lore coin, I’ve begun to speculate on some of the potential events that will close this chapter in WoW’s story.

Two traitors remain

With Deathwing defeated, the Twilight’s Hammer Cult will be the only remaining force left to contend with in order to prevent the Hour of Twilight and Azeroth’s destruction. Following Cho’gall’s death at the hands of a group of adventures, Neltharion promoted two individuals know only as the Twilight Father and the Twilight Prophet in order to reestablish leadership within the Cult. Prior to Cataclysm’s release an audio file was data mined which featured Archbishop Benedictus and Grand Magister Rommath each being outed by their respected factions as traitors in the Twilight Highlands introduction quest line. Anyone who has done this quest for either faction will have noticed that Blizzard shifted the focus to a newly added NPC at its conclusion, essentially absolving the original leaders and causing people to believe the Blizzard had simply changed their mind about killing them off.

However, it was revealed in the book that Archbishop Benedictus is in fact the Twilight Father. This fact combined with the previously found audio file suggest that Grand Magister Rommath may be his counterpart in the Horde and the Twilight Prophet. Each faction will most likely see a series of quests investigating these fallen leaders, and eventually confronting them.

Let me just say on a personal note that while I am not into RP, I do feel almost a sense of betrayal by Archbishop Benedictus. Maybe it is the fact that as a Priest we have so few lore figures to look up to and be proud of, combined with the fact that it is the former co-leader of Stormwind who has cast aside his people, that stings all the more. However we resolve this quest line, afterwards we will be left with the Prophet Velen as the only priest lore figure. While he does earn much respect for his actions in the Burning Crusade, I hope Blizzard will introduce someone to fill the Archbishops roll, as lore has its fill of warriors, paladins, and shaman already.

Return of the Earth-Warder

Events unfolding simultaneously in the book and game tell the tale of Kalecgos and how he is appointed as the new Aspect of Magic following Malygos’ death. It is clear that after Deathwing’s demise, the other Aspects will wish to return balance to the world by appointing a new Aspect of Earth. In the past it was hinted by Chris Metzen that Thrall would take the mantle of Earth-Warder. Judging from the book as well as some in game quests, it is beginning to look like Thrall will not be chosen. At the climax of the novel, Thrall fills the roll of the black dragon flight during a ritual. During this he struggles to hold together, and while he is able to fulfill his duty accepts that he could never become an Aspect. However, there is another…

Those who have quested through the new Badlands will have encountered Rhea, a red dragon disguised as a goblin. The quest line is very well done, and I would suggest checking it out in game. Rhea has you performing some tasks in her effort to obtain a purified black dragon. After enslaving a black dragon matriarch, an action Rhea knows will damn her, and discovering a Titan artifact, Rhea obtains the first black dragon egg in thousands of years that is without a hint of corruption. After a game of hide and seek with Deathwing, Rhea is destroyed and it is revealed that the egg has been passed along to a Gnomish inventor. Provided he didn’t accidentally blow up the egg, the hatchling should now be an adolescent drake. This as yet un-named drake stands poised to fill the void left by Deathwing and rebuild the nearly extinct flight.

Burden of Leadership

Each faction has seen its share of turmoil this expansion, and there is a chance that some of it could come to a conclusion. One of the hardest things to predict has been the leadership shuffle that has occurred for both the Dwarves and the Horde as a whole. Thrall relinquished his title as Warchief in order to lead the Earthen Ring and placed Garrosh in charge. The current situation of the Horde is fragile at best; Sylvanas has become paranoid and started building an army using Valkir, Vol’jin has vowed to assassinate Garrosh, and Garrosh’s recklessness has driven a wedge between all races of the Horde. What will Thrall choose upon his return to Orgimmar; to pursue a peaceful life with Aggra or to reclaim leadership of the Horde for the good of his people?

Even as Magni Bronzebeard rests beneath Ironforge frozen in his diamond prison, there is still hope. Players finishing all the quests in Uldum will remember that the Coffer of Promise contained titan disks similar to the ones found in Ulduar. The Ulduar disks transformed the dwarven king into diamond and fused him with the core of Ironforge. The titan disks that Brann recovered were shown to cause an organic transformation, breathing life back into a scorched desert. With these in the hands of the Explorer’s League, it is only time before Magni is restored. However, afterwards what roll will he play in the mountain city, and how will the Council of Three Hammers react to his return?

Onward to the Horizon

The last possibility depends entirely on the currently speculation about the trademarked “Mists of Pandaria” title filed by Blizzard not long ago. Quite a bit of speculation has arisen about this, with most people focusing on the possibility of the new race, rather then what it suggests. Pandaria is a hidden island and home to the race it is named for, but its location is unknown. Does the title of the possible expansion suggest that in healing Azeroth its people will look upon the land with a new eye and take up exploring the uncharted corners of the world? If the speculation does materialize I feel that more of Azeroth will be uncovered. Missing lands like the kingdom of Kul Tiras will be rediscover, and new lands will be found. The citizens of Azeroth will set out across the sea, unaware of the restless Old Gods hiding in the unknown.