World of Warcraftis currently alpha testing Dragonflight, its ninth expansion pack. For the first time since its announcement, someWorld of Warcraftfans are finally getting the chance to explore the Dragon Isles - the mysterious ancestral homeland of dragonkind. This storied place is full of mystery, adventure, and adversity across its new zones, dungeons, and raids.
Across their adventures,World of Warcraftplayers will encounter the Primalists. This cabal of shamans and drakes serve as the primary antagonists for Dragonflight, and are led by the Primal Incarnates: massive, elementally charged proto-dragons who oppose theAspects and their subservience to the will of the Titans inWorld of Warcraft. Though Razageth, the Elemental Incarnate of lightning, is likely the boss of the first raid, players have reason to believe there may be more dangerous foes on the horizon. There are a number of dragons fromWarcraft’shistory who could return to become the final boss of Dragonflight.
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Murozond - The Enemy from Within
The most likely candidate for main villain inDragonflightis closer than one might think. Murozond is the Lord of the Infinite dragonflight - a group of corrupted bronze dragons who seek to change history, rather than preserve it. In actuality, the Lord of the Infinite is a future version of Nozdormu, Aspect of the Bronze dragonflight, which one could predict seeing their names are anagrams of one another. During the End Times dungeon in Cataclysm, players confronted and defeated Murozond with the aid of Nozdormu.
However, during theUldaman: Legacy of Tyr dungeon in the Dragonflightalpha, players battle the forces of the Infinite dragonflight led by a dragon named Chrono-Lord Delos. The dragon steals an artifact that could empower the Aspects with the power lost during Cataclysm, and upon his defeat, he claims the “timelines are converging” and that there will only be one Aspect: Murozond. With this scene in mind, it seems Murozond’s return in Dragonflight is only a matter of time.
Murozond would be the perfect final villain for Dragonflight. The Caverns of Time and similar Bronze-related dungeons are some of the most memorable encounters inWorld of Warcraft, and the Infinite dragonflight is both popular and mysterious. Nozdormu recognized his descent into madness and transformation into Murozond was inevitable;if Dragonflightis able to show his fall during the narrative, it could make a climactic final battle in the later raids.
Galakrond - Father of Dragons
Draconic history inWorld of Warcraftis inextricable from that of Galakrond himself. This ancient, colossal proto-dragon was the first great threat thefive Dragon Aspects united against inWarcrafthistory, long before they became Aspects by the Titan Keeper, Tyr. Though Galakrond was eventually defeated by the proto-dragon who would become the Aspects, his legacy is keenly felt in modernWorld of Warcraft -his massive skeleton can still be seen in the Dragonblight of Northrend, tens of thousands of years after his death.
There has been a lot of evidence Galakrond might play a major role in Dragonflight. The Primalists put Galakrond on a pedestal, and the Primal Incarnates themselves seek to emulate his example by dominating all who oppose them. The Azure Span also has a side plot where a tribe of gnolls have begun tampering with the magic of Decay; toxic death magic that warps, twists, and poisons the earth. In theWorld of Warcraft: Dawn of the Aspectsnovel where Galakrond’s fall was first depicted, the Father of Dragons wielded a similar type of magic, providing a potential link. Were that not enough, someWorld of Warcraftdataminers discovered a map of the Dragonblightthat was nearly identical, except it lacked the great wyrm’s skeletal remains.
Galakrond’s return would be a huge deal forWorld of Warcraft- and it wouldn’t be a stretch to see. The Undead Scourge tried to resurrect Galakrond during theWrath of the Lich King expansion, and the League of E.V.I.L. succeeded in doing so during theDescent of Dragons card set inHearthstone. Dragonflight could be setting the stage for a similar return of the great proto-dragon inWorld of Warcraft. However, with Murozond involved, it is equally possible that players will travel back in time to the Dawn of the Aspects era to prevent the Infinite dragonflight from stopping Galakrond’s death in the first place.
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Chromatus - The Ultimate Dragon
Though Chromatus is certainly the least well-known of the bunch, he might represent the greatest threat. He was a failed experiment of the Black dragon Nefarian during his attempt to create the Chromatic dragonflight - utilizing the power of all five dragonflights. The titanic beast had five heads - one representing each of the major dragonflights - like Tiamat,the Dragonqueen ofDungeons and Dragonsfame. Though Nefarian was never able to bring Chromatus to life, the Twilight Father later succeeded in doing so.
Chromatus has only appeared in theThrall: Twilight of the Aspectsnovel, where he was ultimately defeated by the power of the five Aspects - with Thrall representing the power of the slain Deathwing. The terrifying dragon was described as the perfect weapon against the dragonflights, and is nigh-indestructible; the Aspects could only render him dormant, and were unable to destroy his body. Though Chromatus has not been referenced inWorld of Warcraftyet, his debut for the MMO is still possible. The chromatic dragon’s body is imprisoned in the Dragonblight, waiting for someone with a vendetta against the Aspects to revive him.
There is no official confirmation any of thesevillains will make a direct appearance in Dragonflight. Though it is possible none could appear, it seems probable at least one will - and all three could potentially play a role. After all, both Galakrond and Chromatus were defeated in the same place, and both have connections to the Aspects - including Nozdormu. Murozond will undoubtedly need more than one powerful weapon at his disposal if he is to defeat the Aspects and the Champions of Azeroth.
World of Warcraftis available now on PC. The Dragonflightexpansion is set to launch later this year.
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