When it comes to the World of Warcraft storyline, we immediately think of Sargeras and the Burning Legion as the be-all and end-all villains of the series, right?

We might be wrong.

After listening to recent Lorewalker Cho sound files I started thinking…

Though Sargeras is and has been a name synonymous with the phrase “main antagonist of WoW,” Blizzard seems to be building up N’Zoth to match or be set upon an even higher pedestal of malevolence than the Fallen Titan.



Will Sargeras be but a stepping stone to the real villain of WoW: N’Zoth?

N’Zoth’s Accomplishments:

Although we don’t know much about the third named Old God, Chris Metzen, the Vice President of Creative Development at Blizzard Entertainment said the following about him at a 2010 Blizzcon Lore Panel:

You haven’t seen who signs Deathwing’s paychecks yet… The third Old God is N’Zoth, and we’ve suggested I think directly that, uh, he was the critter responsible for the spark of the Emerald Nightmare, and he’s got all sorts of other weird s--t goin’ on, so, he’s a real problem.

We already know N’zoth is responsible for:

1. Corrupting Deathwing

2. Saving the High Elves and Azshara and morphing them into the Naga.

3. The True Master of the events of Cataclysm

4. The cause of the Emerald Nightmare.

It’s alluded he’s somewhere in the ocean and most likely in the same location as Azshara who is comparable to Archimonde or Kil’Jaeden in strength.

“You haven’t seen who signs Deathwing’s paychecks yet…”

All of this though isn’t my main reasoning for saying that N’zoth may be the true villain of Warcraft. Think about the following:

1. N’Zoth is hinted at having been free this entire time and in fact slumbering. This means instead of aiding his Old God brethren he decided to stay hidden (C’thun’s death, Yogg Saron’s death).

2. It was explicitly stated in the dungeon journal for Warlord Zon’ozz that C’thun and Yogg’Saron were actually at war with N’Zoth.

3. Now, even when we’re actually aware of his existence, he still doesn’t act and allows the final fragment of existence that was Y’Shaarj to be purged from this world.

4. Instead of introducing N’zoth as the next big bad guy, Blizzard chose to bring us to Pandaria and finish off Y’Shaarj.

5. There is only (as far as we know) one more Old God left imprisoned aside from N’Zoth (IF he’s imprisoned).

N’Zoth may have us right where he wants us. He’s letting each and every one of his “comrades,” or rather enemies, be killed off to bide him more time and maybe even build more power.

Not just that, but N’Zoth is letting US kill off his competition instead of doing it himself.

Conclusion:



Although we don’t know exactly which character from Lovecraft lore N’Zoth is based upon — if it is based on Nyarlathotep, it could very well end up looking like this.



Or this.

N’Zoth is planning something massive; the TRUE Hour of Twilight. Leaving a slumbering Old God unchecked, imprisoned or not, especially one who has caused most of the misfortune that the universe of Warcraft has suffered through, is horrible in the long run. This has been N’Zoth’s plan all along.

He has WANTED us to kill off the other Old Gods, thus leading to more and more corruption flooding through the veins of the planet.

He has been distracting us after all this time, building up something: What this something may be, we can’t know yet. But it will be something unspeakably malign, baleful, and malevolent. Blizzard is hinting at the fact N’zoth may either be the penultimate or ultimate enemy for the Warcraft universe. Based on everything he’s capable of, he may even be on par with Sargeras in strength.

If that’s the case, you’re probably wonder why this giant squid hasn’t killed us all already?

He thinks he’s smarter than us. Actually, I think he IS smarter than us. Whether N’Zoth’s hubris proves to be a key component in taking the fight back to him or not, the pieces are certainly in place for Blizzard in terms of building up this Old God to maybe usurp Sargeras as the “final”, or rather “main”, antagonist of World of Warcraft.

Want to read more WoW musings by Adventures in Poor Taste authors? Head to our World of Warcraft page.

WoW Lore lovers: Craving more info about N’Zoth’s pulling of strings behind the scenes or the War of the Ancients and the events that lead up to the Great Sundering of Azeroth 10,000 years ago? Pick up Warcraft: War of the Ancients #3: The Sundering (Bk. 3) from Amazon.