The Dark Betrayal: Illidan Stormrage's Sinister Deed Unveiled in WoW: Dragonflight Timeline

Highlights

In World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, players can fight in Time Rifts to protect Azeroth from creatures unleashed by the Infinite dragons.

In the Azeroth Time Rift, the Legion Conquered storyline presents an alternate reality where the Burning Legion triumphantly seizes control of Azeroth. Notably, Illidan Stormrage, once a defender of Azeroth, now battles alongside the Legion. Revealing a powerful twist, players stumble upon Malfurion Stormrage's skull, suggesting that Illidan has succumbed to external manipulation, potentially under the influence of Sargeras.

Time Rifts in World of Warcraft: Dragonflight introduce a thrilling feature allowing players to combat and safeguard Azeroth's timeways. The mischievous Infinite dragons are causing havoc by intertwining timelines and unleashing countless creatures from other Azeroths into our own. It is now the responsibility of World of Warcraft's players to restore order, while also delving into intriguing enigmas.

Within the Time Rifts, players will stumble upon various quest items scattered across the ground, often remnants of formidable foes that have been vanquished. These items range from typical artifacts associated with specific moments in time, to objects that offer players a profound glimpse into the altered lore of that timeline. One such discovery awaits players in the Time Rift where the Burning Legion triumphed in their conquest of Azeroth.

The Legion Conquered Azeroth In This World of Warcraft Time Rift

In this version of Azeroth controlled by the Legion, players encounter endless waves of demons and corrupted mortal races. The Highmountain Tauren suffer greatly as they are the main force used in this particular assault, highlighting the success of the Legion's recent invasion compared to their previous failed attempts. It is unsettling to consider that Azeroth came dangerously close to losing the war in World of Warcraft: Legion, with its heroes either surrendering or perishing.

As players strive to restore balance in the Time Rifts, Soridormi, the Bronze Aspect's Prime Consort, creates a portal that leads directly into the heart of that timeline. Stepping onto the deck of Kil'Jaeden's spaceship, the same location where players battled Sargeras' Lieutenant in WoW: Legion, they are confronted by none other than Illidan Stormrage himself, in his notorious full demon form, prepared to eliminate any opposition.

Something appears strikingly different about this version of Illidan. The iconic demon hunter is now aligned with the Legion, a transformation he would rather die than allow to happen. His wings cast ominous shadows, and his face appears as an almost indistinguishable silhouette. After players manage to defeat this altered Illidan Stormrage, they stumble upon a quest item nearby. Although this seemingly unremarkable skull may not initially appear significant, players are instructed to bring it to Soridormi regardless.

Upon receiving the remains, the Bronze dragon reveals that this antlered skull once belonged to none other than Malfurion Stormrage, Illidan's twin brother. Even in the established timeline, these two siblings have never seen eye to eye, constantly vying for the affections of Tyrande Whisperwind. However, despite their deep-seated animosity, they have never before resorted to mortal combat.

In the timeline of Legion's conquest, Illidan appears to have overcome his loyalties and incinerated his twin brother. In this reality, he kept Malfurion's distinct skull as a macabre trophy, paralleling his possession of the Skull of Gul'dan, a prized artifact that transformed him into a demon. Whether Illidan willingly joined the Legion or not, it is evident that Archdruid Malfurion paid the ultimate price for defying their influence.

There is a theory suggesting that Sargeras took control of Illidan's body, utilizing it as his own vessel. This theory helps to explain Illidan's allegiance to the Legion and his subsequent position as the final antagonist, surpassing Kil'Jaeden. The final encounter in the Nighthold raid of World of Warcraft: Legion featured players thwarting this possession from occurring. On Mythic difficulty, they even faced Illidan's possessed form, eerily resembling his appearance from the Time Rift. This similarity cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence. With Sargeras in command of Illidan's body, it is plausible that he deceived Malfurion, keeping his skull as a cruel and ironic twist of fate.

Regardless of the situation, players can take solace in the fact that this Time Rift has been restored. The Legion's relentless campaign against all life in the cosmos was ultimately quelled thanks to the combined efforts of Azeroth's champions and Illidan Stormrage. Despite Illidan's tumultuous history marred by misfortunes and errors, his thirst for power had a singular objective: to safeguard the universe from the wrath of the Burning Legion.

Available now on PC, World of Warcraft: Dragonflight awaits.