The Ascension of Ansurek - 'Threads of Destiny' Cinematic Analysis
Blizzard has released the first animated short for The War Within, titled Threads of Destiny. Here we break down the cinematic and what it means for the upcoming expansion.
Who Are the Nerubians?
The cinematic is narrated by Ansurek herself, beginning with an overview of their kingdom, Azj-Kahet. While her tale starts with recent events, the tale of the Nerubians begins long before the modern timeline.
Before they were Nerubians, the insectoid races of Azeroth existed as one people — the Aqir. Their species was molded into being by the Old Gods during the days when they ruled over Azeroth in the Black Empire, alongside the n'raqi (more commonly known as Faceless Ones). During that time, the aqir and n'raqi existed as slaves for the Old Gods and their underlings the C'thraxxi, forced into worship and servitude alike as they built the terrifying empire that their eldritch deities reveled in.
Aqir slaves constructing the Black Empire under the gaze of the C'thraxxi and their master, C'thun.
When the TItans and their Keepers descended upon Azeroth, however, the Black Empire was swiftly dismantled, and the servants of the Old Gods fled underground to escape destruction, and remained in hiding for thousands of years. It wasn't until one of the C'thraxxi, a creature named Kith'ix, was approached in his slumbering form by the troll Zan'do that they would awaken once more.
Manipulated by the dagger known as Xal'atath, Zan'do believed Kith'ix to be a loa of immense power, and awoke the C'thrax from his sleep. While this act ended in Zan'do's demise, it inadvertently triggered a war between his people and the servants of the Old Gods. Once awakened, Kith'ix rallied the scattered aqir from their subterranean holdings and guided them into a war with the trolls of Azeroth. Faced with a threat that would bring ruin to the world, the troll tribes united into the Empire of Zul, and after many hard fought battles across centuries of war, they triumphed over Kith'ix,
