The War Within Anduin, Azeroth, and Ourselves - a Cinematic Analysis
«Sometimes, very epic things can begin with small, heartfelt moments. What you're about to see is one of those moments.»
This is how Chris Metzen introduced the cinematic trailer for The War Within, and sure enough, the scene that opens is a simple one. No action, no world-shattering event or dragonriding race, just the passive figure of Anduin, recognizable by his sword Shalamayne, seated in the desert.
Apart from serene orchestral music, the only sound at first is the wind, shifting the sands and gently pulling at Anduin's cloak, a simple cloak of white — grey and dirty from use. Shalamayne is dark, the Light that usually glows in a hollow in the blade's center has gone out. We can see it's twilight — whether the sun is rising or setting, the day is in a transitional period, in between darkness and light.
Anduin, we can't help but notice, is facing the darker section of the sky.
The camera moves over Anduin's face showing his aged skin, the fact that he has a beard. It's been a long time since we last saw Anduin: the three-year time skip between Shadowlands and Dragonflight, as well as the entirety of Dragonflight.
Shalamayne twists back and forth in the sand, first one way, then another, as Anduin clenches and releases his grip. Anduin's eyes are unseeing, he's not thinking about moving the sword, it's a subconscious act reflecting his inner turmoil. Everything about this scene reinforces the themes of indecision as if Anduin himself is stuck, like the sky, halfway between the darkness and the light.
He sighs, and closes his eyes, and we see a vision of Azeroth, not the planet, but the World Soul that dwells within.
