“It’s a heavy burden on the shoulders of our narrative team, of our encounter designers, to deliver something that's been years and years and multiple expansions in the making,” World of Warcraft Game Director Ion Hazzikostas says. “Getting the chance to face off against a figure of her stature, people are going in expecting a lot.”
Sylvanas is one of those rare World of Warcraft characters whose history goes all the way back to the real-time strategy series, where she was first introduced in Warcraft III. Sylvanas has gone through so many changes and been involved in so many major and sometimes shocking moments that her motivations and fate have become the thing of long and drawn out discussion amongst the WoW community.
“The encounter that has been crafted at the end of the Raid - I think it's epic,” Ion continues. “It’s on a scale that exceeds the vast majority of what we've ever tried to pull off in past Raids. And there is a combination that I can't spoil, but I am looking forward to seeing the community discuss and dissect as they try to figure out what's next for her. And what's next for the Shadowlands as a whole.”
Having Sylvanas show up as the final boss in 9.1’s big Raid is something born from the nature of World of Warcraft’s biggest confrontations. “When we're contending with these major figures, characters who are at a power level such that no single adventurer could ever hope to stand against them, it's going to require the combined might of a Raid to push the narrative forward,” Ion says. “And through them, as it were.”
"You're right, you haven't seen what happens to Nathanos and it's intended. A reference to this plot takes place in one of the cutscenes which has yet to be released, but when the Chains of Domination update rolls out next week, then there will be a few revelations about why Nathanos has yet to be seen alongside Sylvanas. "
