Alleria's Choices - 'Light and Shadow' Cinematic Analysis.
Blizzard has released an animated short titled 'Light and Shadow', detailing Alleria's life leading up toThe War Within. Here we analyze the choices she made that led her to the path she is on now.
Alleria's Reflection
From the opening shot, the framing of this cinematic is one of Alleria reflecting on the choices she has made throughout her life. We see her slowly shedding her armor in between each flashback, staring into the fire in front of her and being reminded of the losses she has endured throughout her life as a result of her choices.
While many characters in Warcraft often have tragic circumstances thrust upon them, like Anduin, what defines Alleria first and foremost is that she is actively making these choices. As she sheds each piece of her armor, Alleria reflects on a choice, and ponders on whether or not she regrets making it.
The First Choice: Sylvanas
The first major choice of Alleria's life was her decision to leave Quel'thalas. Born to the Windrunner family, Alleria is the eldest of four siblings, and heir to the position of Ranger-General of Silvermoon. Passed down from parent to child for almost three thousand years, the hereditary position originated during the Troll Wars when the ranger Talanas Windrunner proved his skills in the fight against the Amani trolls.
Along with the position granted to his family, Talanas was granted the bow Thas'dorah, crafted from a sacred tree and blessed with a connection to the winds. The day he was gifted the bow, Talanas promised that so long as the weapon protected Highborne lands, Silvermoon would never fall.
Concept art of the hunter artifact, Thas'dorah.
As the eldest daughter, Alleria bore the burdens of expectations her entire childhood. Though her two younger sisters were also trained as rangers, it was Alleria who was groomed for the position, and she carried doubts about that burden as her sister Sylvanas began to grow and show a prodigal talent with a bow — skills beyond Alleria's own.
