World of Warcraft Destroys an Iconic Location in the First Hour of The War Within

Warning: Spoilers for World of Warcraft: The War Within below.

Within the first hour or so of The War Within, the iconic floating World of Warcraft city of Dalaran is destroyed. This huge blow immediately sets the tone for the new World of Warcraft expansion, and shows how much the stakes are rising in The War Within and the Worldsoul Saga.

Dalaran is an iconic location that first appeared in Warcraft 2 as a mysterious city of mages. It became the site of several battles in Warcraft 3, where it was destroyed by Archimonde, one of the strongest demons in WoW lore. The city was inaccessible in World of Warcraft, as it was being rebuilt until Wrath of the Lich King, when it was lifted into the sky as a neutral hub. It received another updated version in Legion, where it served a similar purpose.

In The War Within, however, it seems like Dalaran will meet a grim fate. In the WoW: The War Within alpha, players awaken on the shore of the Isle of Dorn, buried in the rubble of Dalaran. Though the prologue itself is not available in the game yet, context clues suggest Xal’atath attacks the city during the expansion's introductory scenario as it travels to the new zone, destroying it in the process.

Players are able to rescue several characters from the wreckage of Dalaran, including Aethas Sunreaver and Ritssyn Flamescowl, but many are not so lucky. Khadgar, the iconic World of Warcraft archmage and leader of Dalaran, is seemingly lost in the attack – but nobody is found, so without full context, it is possible he may have survived in some fashion.

Fans were shocked by the destruction of Dalaran, and are firmly divided into two camps on the matter. Many think this decision is a brilliant power move that sets high stakes for the expansion. While Dragonflight has been lauded as a huge success, some have criticized the narrative for its lack of stakes and spectacle, so the destruction of a major player hub like Dalaran answers both of those critiques in a big way.

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