World of Warcraft’s new cinematic announcement for The War Within showed the sandy dunes of Silithus, one of the game’s most infamous zones. But as the scene pans out, there’s a massive structure jutting out of the sand. A sword the size of a mountain pierces the crust of Azeroth, and many may wonder why this is the case.

In the spectacular conclusion to World of Warcraft: Legion, players faced down the Titan of Death himself, Argus. After that, Sargeras, the very lord and master of the mighty Burning Legion, plunged his blade into Azeroth in a final attempt to rend the planet apart. He failed, yet the sword stands among the scorching sands of Silithus to this day, embedded deep within Azeroth as a monument to the Burning Legion's end.

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How the Sword Ended Up in World of Warcraft's Silithus Zone

Before Silithus became home to the towering monolith of Sargeras’ sword, it was already an evil place. Vast swarms of the Old God C'Thun’s minions churned beneath the dunes in a complex network of tunnels and ruins. Countless lives have been lost over long millennia, all to keep the insectoid Qiraji and their masters in check. Even after C'Thun was killed in World of Warcraft’s Vanilla era, the leaderless Qiraji hordes remained to infest Silithus, with only a few dedicated druids remaining to watch them.

When Sargeras, the Fallen Titan, finally arrived to claim Azeroth, he was too late. His endless armies had been crippled, his generals wiped out, and even his most powerful weapon, Argus, was no more. The remaining Titan pantheon had been set free, and they immediately seized their once-brother, imprisoning Sargeras forever. In a last-ditch attempt to destroy the world he so despised, Sargeras impaled Azeroth with his blade.

WoW's Battle for Azeroth Showed the Sword's Impact

This enormous weapon is called Gorribal, or the Dark Seether, and its impact shook Azeroth to its core. The entire zone of Silithus buckled and split open, every living thing vaporized in an instant. The lifeblood of Azeroth, a volatile mineral called Azerite, began to push its way to the surface. In the Battle for Azeroth expansion, this caused a scramble for military power as many sought to use this volatile material for war.

After that, it became clear that Azeroth wasn’t just a planet. There was a living soul buried within its core, an infant Titan, vulnerable to all kinds of threats. Chief among these life-threatening dangers were the likes of the Burning Legion and the Old Gods. Since both these forces had been defeated, Azeroth was believed to be safe, and the wounds were beginning to heal. At least, that’s what everyone thought.

WoW's Azeroth Is Still In Serious Danger

With Gorribal lodged in her body, Azeroth still cries out in pain. But more so, she whispers to her mortal heroes. She needs their help, and characters like Anduin Wrynn and Thrall have been brought to Silithus, the epicenter of her suffering. It hasn't been explicitly revealed why Azeroth has brought them together now, given the sword has been there for years at this point. However, many have speculated that this is a warning heralding the arrival of the long-awaited and much-dreaded Void Lords.

Sargeras knew exactly what he was doing when he stabbed his blade into Azeroth. He was trying to kill the planet’s World Soul, all in service of his nihilistic crusade. The Fallen Titan's dogma was to leave nothing to chance, as a universe with no life would be far better than one corrupted by the ever-conniving forces of the Void. Perhaps Sargeras and his Legion knew something that others did not, but now it rests on the shoulders of her heroes to ensure that Azeroth does not fall to darkness.

World of Warcraft: Dragonflight

Franchise

Warcraft

Platform(s)

PC

Released

November 28, 2022

Developer(s)

Blizzard , Activision

Publisher(s)

Blizzard , Activision

Genre(s)

MMORPG

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