Varian "W" Wrynn

***Disclaimer: This is a political piece, and links things in Azeroth with events that I think Blizzard, in their quest for commentary and humor, just happened to relate to real world happenings. Please do not read if you expect anything else from this liberal.***

Once again Allison posted a well thought out masterpiece. It was in response to a piece that applauded Varian for his actions. It was a piece that I had little perspective respect for because, though I only play Alliance, I never liked or played a human, and I never thought Varian was a great choice as the anti-Thrall.

I will be quoting her, and just want to reiterate that she is like the warm Ironforge air that enters your lungs at the gates as you retreat from the bitter cold in Dun Morogh.

“With full knowledge of the life of a king and the life of a gladiator, with the dangers and responsibilities inherent to both, Varian chose to return to kingship. He chose to return to a life where his first priority at all times is the well-being and political interests of the Stormwind kingdom.”

Like W, when faced with the choice of life as a gladiator (or business man with little aptitude) or that of president (which mama would do her best to insure, both out of hatred for the Clintons who made her beloved husband a one term wonder, and her desire to win at all cost), he chose president. Almost laughable now to think that Blizzard has given us a king who has no business representing the masses when we did it 8 years ago and then decided to re-crown him 4 years later. Who can blame Varian or W for the choice they made? If provided the same opportunity, I am sure we all would have made a similar decision. The problem with Varian, like W, is that he has no business representing the ideas of the Alliance. Allison made some excellent points on why, and the most important is that we do not even know if he actually represents the views his people. Varian was crowned with little regard to the progress the humans had made in his absence. He is busy representing them with idea and values that are dated at best, and dangerous and vile at worst.

Anyone else think that during the zombie world event, he might have spent a little extra time reading to the orphans in Stormwind instead of mobilizing his forces? In the face of the greatest evil known to the humans, and one of their own abandoning the light for the power of Frostmourne, why would he not work to bridge broken alliances and forge new ones? Why in a time when given the opportunity to forever change the face of Azeroth, he instead chooses to throw sand at people in the sandbox of diplomacy? His diplomacy is hardly a characteristic that defines one of the human racials.

As terror threatens his people’s very existence, he has chosen not to focus his energy on the enemy and march to the gates of Icecrown, but instead to fight both Arthas and the enemies of his father. Instead of acknowledging that old enemies can be forgiven for past transgressions, he chooses to keep them as enemies and battle the new ones. Did a two front war work for Napoleon? Hitler? W?

I love the Dwarves and, like Allison, believe Bronzebeard could effectively represent the Alliance , but unlike her I had hoped that another leader would provide the solution to the ongoing problem, but that is an issue for tomorrow.

Until then…

-Rhab