Unleashing the Epic Battle: Unveiling the Ferocious 'Blood Horde' and the Majestic 'Great Glorious Alliance' in World of Warcraft: Dragonflight

Highlights

Within these Time Rifts, alternate timelines are unveiled, revealing a chilling reality wherein the Horde and Alliance never succeeded in attaining peace, succumbing instead to an overwhelming animosity and insatiable lust for bloodshed.

The Time Rifts showcase the possible outcomes of a world, specifically one in which essential figures do not strive to resolve the conflict between the Horde and Alliance.

World of Warcraft: Dragonflight has recently unveiled its latest update, known as Fractures in Time. The narrative revolves around the plans of the Infinite Dragonflight, who are determined to cause the downfall of everything by disrupting different timelines. Players of World of Warcraft must assist the Bronze Dragonflight in restoring the timeways and thwarting their enemies' plots.

One of the many activities players can engage in is aiding Soridormi, the Prime Consort of the Bronze Aspect, in an event called a Time Rift. When the Infinite Dragonflight creates a rift in the timeways, it often displaces numerous inhabitants from that particular timeline. These may include minions of the Old Gods or, in this instance, soldiers from both the Horde and the Alliance. As players assist in vanquishing these foes and stabilizing the Time Rift, they may come across peculiar details.

World of Warcraft's Time Rifts Show a World Where the Horde and Alliance Never Found Peace

Numerous adversaries emerge from the Time Rift portals, bearing resemblance to Horde and Alliance warriors familiar to players. However, upon closer inspection, their nameplates reveal their affiliation with an alternative Horde or Alliance. Notably, the orcs align themselves with the "Blood Horde," while the dwarf and human soldiers pledge allegiance to the "Great Glorious Alliance." Although this change may go unnoticed by many, it serves as a clear indication that this particular timeline deviates significantly from the Azeroth known to players.

In these Time Rift events, various lore objects can be discovered, including two diaries that shed light on the timeline. These diaries were written by individuals who witnessed the events firsthand and tragically perished in battle shortly after. The Alliance diary, which was saturated with oil, reveals that Azeroth's history remained largely unchanged until the aftermath of the Second War.

In the original timeline, the Horde suffered a decisive defeat in the Second War, leading the Alliance to confine the remaining orcs in internment camps. This series of events played a pivotal role in Thrall eventually becoming the Warchief and guiding the orcs to their new home in Kalimdor. However, in this bleaker timeline, the leadership of the Alliance was overthrown by extremists who aimed to eliminate the remaining Horde. This reignited the war, plunging both sides into never-ending conflict.

The Great Glorious Alliance, known for their mission to eradicate the orcs, incited the Horde to grow more violent and desperate, resulting in their rebranding as the "Blood Horde." In a journal stained with blood, an orc soldier fervently expresses their embrace of the war and devastation, as it eliminates weakness from their ranks. Both factions, consumed by hatred and bloodlust, reveal a glimpse of the potential future of Azeroth, had events unfolded differently.

In the Time Rift, players venture into a world torn apart by an unending war between the Horde and Alliance, navigating through the decks of two airborne warships. Leading the Alliance vessel is King Varian Wrynn, weathered and aged from decades of conflict. This suggests that Anduin Wrynn, the current High King of the Alliance in the present reality, either died or was never born. It paints a grim portrait of what could have transpired if key figures like Anduin and Jaina Proudmoore hadn't dedicated themselves to seeking peace between the Horde and the Alliance.

It is often overlooked how much progress these two factions have made, as World of Warcraft heavily relied on this player binary for its identity. The recent establishment of lasting peace after the Battle for Azeroth is a refreshing change, as the two-decade-long Horde vs Alliance storyline had become tiresome and repetitive. Now, players from opposing factions can join forces and fight together in raids, quests, and dungeons, marking a significant advancement for the game.

World of Warcraft: Dragonflight can now be played on PC.