#feel longlasting compassion for any of them

[wernerherzogs]

I cant put my finger on why exactly maybe its just my anxiety. Some of the ways they were acting and the decisions people make that I know is gonna be bad are rough to watch sometimes. The writing and acting is great so i wanna keep going just kinda want to know how far they are gonna go w how bad these people are. Its funnier than I thought tho

it's VERY funny a lot of the time, but at its core it's a greek or shakespearan tragedy with Very Bad characters as protagonists/modern royalty (royalty coming from new money and speaking foul contemporary language). they get Worse with every season, i think, anon 😔

[chroniclerwabba]

Im really happy Illidan Stormrage got a redemption arc in Legion. I think he's a fantastic character that was underappreciated greatly.

Oof, anon, I couldn’t disagree more.

Like, pre-Legion Illidan was great because he was a greatly flawed character that made a lot of really dicey decisions that disenfranchised many. And that’s why I liked him. He was a selfish anti-hero whose real moral compass was his obsession with Tyrande. Seeing him do Kil’jaedan’s bidding and take over Outland for himself to hide after failing to destroy the Lich King was cool. The moral ambiguity of his character alongside Arthas’ fall from grace in Warcraft 3 were some of the best storylines. Seeing the storyline reasonably conclude for him in Burning Crusade where he became a dictatorial slaver that let Outland fall into disrepair was neat. 

But then Blizzard pulled a complete 180 with the William King novel and Legion, completely railroading anyone who had any gripe with him to the point where he was literally chosen on high by a being of pure Light energy and him being more #woke than her. Classic and Modern Illidan are complex for different reasons.

I’m not 100% opposed to an Illidan redemption arc. It could’ve feasibly worked, but the problem is that Blizz railroaded all opposition. A good redemption arc means that you acknowledge that you did wrong. You have to reflect upon the actions that brought you to this point in time. Even if you make up for your mistakes, you still made mistakes in the first place. And Illidan disenfranchised a lot of people in a myriad of ways. The people that were wronged by someone are still valid to feel that they were wronged. Mistakes don’t just magically vanish. 

A good redemption arc also gives validity to both sides. The people the one being redeemed wronged and the people who believe in him. They underdeveloped and underutilized Tyrande and Malfurion (which is nothing new, let’s be honest here) to put him on a pedestal, invalidated all of Akama’s backstory and upheaval he endured under him, and painted Velen as wrong and misguided because he was a devout religious person. The Illidari were there to offer a counterviewpoint for Illidan, but Blizz turned them up to 11 and made them a full defensive shield with no other longlasting complexity than to go “Illidan did nothing wrong.”

Illidan’s redemption arc was botched through a combination of stanning him too hard, invalidating other characters’ struggles while underdeveloping others, and making questionable decisions that Blizz and others overlook because they’re too focused on “the big picture.”

“The big picture” concept has always bugged me. People always say “focus on the big picture” when said picture has to be put together with smaller pieces. You can’t be an architect, focus on “the big picture” of building your skyscraper, and overlook all the important little pieces that culminate together to make the picture big in the first place.

Which I feel is what Blizz did with Illidan. Illidan’s redemption arc had a lot of opportunity to work and give fair credence to everyone involved, to truly paint Illidan as a sympathetic character that grew and earned his redemption as well as give his critics fair treatment.

Instead it just became an “Illidan didnu nuffin” variety hour by both watering down and overly complicating a morally complex character and story arc.

[risalei-nur]

TAFSIR: Risale-i Nur: The Rays Collection:The Eleventh Ray.Part40

A Supplement to the Addendum of the Eleventh Topic In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. The verse, Let there be no compulsion (in religion; Truth stands out) from error(2:265-7)

Which is the complement of the Throne Verse, makes 1350; whoever rejects evil makes 1929 or 1928; and believes in God has grasped makes 946, corresponding to the name ‘Risaletü'n-Nur; 'the most trustworthy handhold makes 1347; that never breaks, and God is All-Seeing, All-Knowing * (God) (is the Protector of those who have faith) if counted together makes 1012, and if not counted together 945, with one doubling not being counted; from (the depths of darkness) He will lead them forth into the light makes 1372, without doubling; while those who do not believe, their patrons are (the evil ones) makes 1417; from the light (they will lead them forth into) the depths of darkness makes 1338, the doubling is not counted; they will be the companions of the Fire, to dwell therein for ever makes 1295, the doubling is counted. It was imparted to me that with their allusive meanings, these verses 'coincide’ exactly and twice with both the name of the Risaletü'n-Nur and the form of its striving; and with the date the people of unbelief were attempting to extinguish the light of the World of Islam with the war of 1293 (1876-77); and with the date the terrible treaties were signed in 1338 taking advantage of the First World War and in order to cast it into darkness in fact. It was imparted to me too that light and darkness are repeatedly contrasted in these verses, and in this immaterial struggle a Light proceeding from the Qur'an’s light would become a point of support for the people of belief. I was compelled to set this down in writing. Then I saw that the relationship of its meaning with this century was so powerful that even had there been no sign through the 'coincidences,’ I would still have been certain that these verses were speaking with us through their allusive meanings, just as they look to all centuries. Yes, firstly, the sentence at the beginning, Let there be no compulsion (in religion; Truth stands out) from error points through abjad and jafr reckoning to the date 1350 [if Rumi, 1934, or if Hijri, 1931-2], and through its allusive meaning, says:

By the matters of religion being separated from those of this world on that date, freedom of conscience, which is opposed to force and compulsion in religion, and to religious struggle and armed jihad for religion, was accepted as a fundamental rule and political principle by governments, and this State became a 'secular republic.’ In view of this, jihad will be a non-physical religious jihad with the sword of certain, verified belief. Because it shows a flash of miraculousness indicating that a light will emerge from the Qur'an which will make known and set forth clearly proofs so powerful they will demonstrate almost visibly the guidance and truths of religion. Furthermore, as far as the word khalidun - to dwell therein for ever, by repeating the contrast between light and darkness, and belief and darkness -the source and origin of all the comparisons in the Risale-i Nur and just like them- is a concealed sign that a great hero in the contest of the 'mânevî jihad’ at that date is the Risale-i Nur, which bears the name of light. For its immaterial sword has solved hundreds of the mysteries of religion, leaving no need for physical swords. Yes, countless thanks be to God, for twenty years the Risale-i Nur has demonstrated this prediction and flash of miraculousness in fact. It is due to this mighty mystery that Risale-i Nur students do not interfere in the politics and political currents of the world and their material struggles, nor attach importance to them, nor condescend to any involvement with them. Its true students say to their most fearsome enemies in the face of their insults and aggression: “You wretch! I am trying to save you from eternal annihilation and to raise you from the basest and most grievous level of ephemeral animality to the happiness of immortal humanity, while you are working for my death and execution. Your pleasures in this world are very few and fleeting and the penalties and torments you will suffer in the hereafter will be very great and very longlasting. For me, death will be a discharge from duties. Go away! I am not going to bother with you, do whatever you like!”

They feel not anger at their enemies, but pity and compassion. They try to reform them, in the hope they shall be saved.