Pull 10 speculates on Forever’s story: a flawed Genn, a fuller Kael’thas and Arthas felt rather than fought

The creator podcast Pull 10 published its ninth episode on YouTube on 22 October, with Platinum WoW as its guest. A good part of the conversation is about what Forever’s separate timeline could do with characters players already know. The ideas below are the participants’ own speculation and opinion, and they discuss them as possibilities rather than plans.

World first, characters second

The discussion starts from its own understanding that Forever sits in a kind of time bubble, which lets Blizzard revisit a familiar period and fill in what it missed. Asked whether that invites unwelcome retcons, the episode leans the other way: a different continuity is what makes changes interesting.

The point it returns to is the kind of story Forever seems to be telling. In the discussion’s view, retail World of Warcraft is driven by character-specific narratives, while Forever appears to be making an effort to be world-focused instead. The episode prefers that, and says World of Warcraft tells world-focused stories better.

Genn, flaws included

Asked which familiar characters Forever could still use, the discussion turns first to Genn Greymane and Gilneas, which it thinks will probably be future patch content. What makes Genn interesting here is that he is flawed: in the episode’s telling, a leader who built a wall to protect his own people and abandoned everyone else. Returning to him while he is still that person, and seeing what Forever does with him, is the appeal.

Kael’thas, given more room

The biggest wish in this part of the episode is for Kael’thas and Quel’Thalas. The discussion argues that Kael’thas deserves more respect and a longer-term future, rather than being turned into a villain that players simply have to go and kill. Forever, it suggests, has a chance to flesh him out.

Arthas: felt, not fought

When the conversation reaches Arthas, the tone is careful. The question comes with some nervousness about tampering with lore that is already so well liked, and the answer is tentative. Based on how the episode understands Forever’s intentions, familiar characters may appear in some form, but what players will mostly see is their influence on the world rather than their big character moments.

The episode thinks Arthas walking around in Forever is probably not on the cards. The episode does not expect players to fight him again. What it would enjoy is a world in which he is still out there and sends his forces against players.

Illidan: an idea, then a correction

Asked about Illidan, the discussion shares an idea from a group of friends: what if players reached the Barrow Deeps and found Illidan still in his prison? The idea is qualified straight away. The participants point to a recent video that describes the place as where Illidan was once held, and say that dampened the hope. In this exchange, the idea stays a what-if.

Questions for later

The conversation then looks further ahead. It wonders where Forever will be in about five years, doubts that the time bubble can hold for the game’s whole life, and doubts that Blizzard will keep resisting the pull of bringing famous characters back.

Much later in the episode, the discussion wishes Forever’s timeline would one day diverge much further from the story players know. It is framed as a hope for years from now. Elsewhere, when a remark about returning to a zone is taken as a possible confirmation, the answer is no; it is only a guess that players will get there eventually.

For what Blizzard itself has said about Forever’s direction, see Who Forever is built for.

This piece paraphrases the 22 October episode. It is not a transcript, and it does not attribute individual lines to individual speakers.