#also was anyone else REALLY expecting to see wrathion show up when you hear that flapping and then get disappointed when it was thrall

[boilingheart]

Your boy is back! And he's scruffy and depressed!

I SAW!!! I CAUGHT UP WITH THE OPENING CEREMONY A LITTLE LATE BUT HOOOOOOLY SHIT DUDE. NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I BEEN THIS EXCITED FOR WORLD OF WARCRAFT EVER NO ONE FUCKING TOUCH ME WE'RE SO BACK. NO, WE'RE MORE THAN JUST BACK. I THINK WE'VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE. GENUINELY OPTIMISTIC FOR WOW'S FUTURE LIKE NEVER BEFORE!!!!

And, I'm not gonna lie, I looooove Anduin's new look. He's a fucking wreck, and I'm SO here for it. He is NOT okay bro, his hair is fully chopped, he needs a fucking shower and a weighted blanket and some lotion and neosporin bro oh my god he's so disheveled. I'm looking FORWARD to the arc they're planning for him if my hunch is right. I was getting sick of the whole priest shit Christie Golden was spinning him on. This feels more like a Shadows Rising type of anguished Anduin, this is what I've been wanting to SEE!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS WHAT I WANTED!!!

LOOOVE the new look. SO fucking happy with this decision. I'm also delighted once again that Anduin and I are still within the same age range like back in MoP, it's really fun having a character that I adore that's literally the same age as me, I've been growing up with this character and I love it. Anyone saying he looks like he's too fucking old is wrong, I've literally met 25 y/o guys in my college classes that look just like that. It's good. They did good with him. I'm so fucking excited. I'm so mad Wrathion isn't here for this someone fucking get that guy too.

Ugh. I'm so excited.

Also also also ermmmmm, did anyone else catch this or was that just me....... thought this pose looked familiar.......

[archmage--khadgar]

AU where everything is the same but Khadgar lives vicariously through his recently adopted son Anduin.

(YOU BROUGHT THIS ON YOURSELF, ANON. Also, it got long so there’s more under the break!      It keeps deleting the break, I have no idea if it’s like that for anyone else, but if so, APOLOGIES FOR THE LONG POST, I legit can not fix it.) Khadgar was awkwardly flattered to discover the statue of himself outside of Stormwind when the Dark Portal was reopened, and he was finally able to return to Azeroth. More surprisingly, was when he was introduced to Anduin Wrynn, the son of Varian Wrynn and named for his old friend, Anduin Lothar.  The last time Khadgar has seen Varian, he was still a child. It was hard to imagine that young boy as an adult, as King but was quickly saddened by the news that Varian had gone missing some time ago. Anduin was more than happy to hear stories of his father as a child, and of the hero, he shared a name with. He wanted to know more about the Outlands, about the Naaru, about the Orcs that had remained on that destroyed world. Khadgar sympathized when hearing about Onyxia’s deception, and relayed his own personal experiences with the Black Dragonflight. Khadgar had to return to Shattrath but happily kept in touch with the young boy. When a new plague had begun to spread across Azeroth, Khadgar opened up Shattrath as a place for healing and research. Any undead that tried to sneak its way through any portal was quickly and easily destroyed by A’dal. When Varian returned, Khadgar wasted no time in revisiting Stormwind. The High King of the Alliance was elated to see Khadgar again. “You haven’t aged a bit!” Varian exclaimed. “Actually, you look younger, without that beard. Remind me to never grow one - don’t tell Velen I said that.” Khadgar joined Varian and Anduin for dinner, after all, Varian needed to defend himself from Khadgar’s wild tails of him as a child!

“Anduin, don’t listen, I never went to Goldshire when I was young.” “That inn was used as a base so much, I’m fairly certain you practically lived  there.” “Light’s sake Khadgar.” Varian tried so hard to not laugh. “You clearly have not been there lately. Anduin, to clarify, Goldshire used to be a very upstanding, quaint town.” While Khadgar returned to Shattrath to continue to monitor the Legion, he once again remained in contact. When Deathwing attacked, Anduin was quick to tell his father about the threats Deathwing had personally made against Khadgar. About the nightmares. Varian was even quicker to urge Khadgar to remain in the Outlands, to keep a lookout for the Legion, to stay safe. “You’ve done more than enough for Azeroth, Khadgar. You don’t need to come running every time there is a problem.” “..If you need...ANYTHING....” “Yes, we will contact you.” When Anduin went missing on a strange continent, when he was later crushed by a bell but survived, when be befriended a young Black Dragon who claimed to be the uncorrupted Son of Deathwing, Khadgar’s emotions were rocked every day.  Wrathion, at least, knew just as Khadgar did that the Legion would one day return. Anduin spoke highly of the whelp, so Khadgar decided that if Wrathion ever wanted to reach out to him, he would listen. And then Garrosh and a Bronze Dragon made a passage to Draenor, 30 years in the past to alter history. Despite the loss of the Dark Portal, mages were still able to teleport between Outlands and Azeroth with relative ease. Khadgar was able to return once again, to plan an assault with Thrall, Maraad and other heroes of the Alliance and Horde. Once more, Khadgar had to help stop an invasion. “Khadgar, you better return. Alive.” Varian ordered. “Oh, I make no promises.” “Khadgar. Please. There are so few who are still alive who personally knew my father. You are a dear friend to this family, my...family.” Varian reached out to grasp Khadgar’s arm. “Azeroth will always be your home, and this city is always open to you.” Khadgar did survive. Khadgar did return to Stormwind. To warn that the Legion had finally returned. Everything happened so fast. Varian was dead. Everyone swarmed around Anduin now, as he was technically old enough to be crowned King properly this time. Advice, sympathy, expecting him to be a leader while still treating him like a child. Khadgar had much work to do in Dalaran. But he was very good at being in two places at once. Khadgar was also very good at being sneaky; when he wanted to be. Where was he going? People always asked Khadgar when he would leave to rest or “do business” without the aid of champions. People often thought they would hear Anduin talking with someone around the corner or in the other room, but investigations would always show that either Anduin was alone or that...Anduin wasn’t there at all. “Perhaps Stormwind Keep is haunted. I’ll have a priest look into it.” “My King....aren’t you...” “Well. Yes. But spooks and ghosts aren’t my expertise, as I’ve never had to fight Undead before. I’ll find somehow who’s more...knowledgable.” Anduin’s eyes lip up as he was introduced to the vast libraries of Karazhan, to A’dal, to many wondrous places in Outlands and Azeroth that Anduin had only heard about but never visited.  These adventures could never last long, but these brief moments of watching Anduin’s face light up with every excursion filled Khadgar with more life than any spell or gem had ever given him. Khadgar learned to love Azeroth all over again through Anduin. Although they had grown up differently, they both found themselves in leadership positions way before their 20th birthdays. Children expected to lead and save the world from otherworldly monsters. It simply wasn’t fair. Perhaps through Anduin, Khadgar could see Azeroth through the eyes of someone young again. Their adventures quickly became self-indulgent, disguising themselves as a father and son, doing simple things like going for ice cream, attending the Darkmoon Faire, and fishing. However...Anduin was the one teaching Khadgar to fish. “Medivh taught me how to fly a Gryphon...though...all he needed to do was tap my forehead.” “Really? The power of the Guardian is that strong?” “Ohh, yes. Yes, it is. It was quite painful too. Unless it’s an emergency situation, I would never recommend learning anything that way.” Anduin was quiet for a moment. “I don’t suppose you can teach me how to teleport via that method, could you?” “Probably not, and I wouldn’t do it even if I could, teleporting requires intimate knowledge and familiarity with the leylines, and, furthermore, being comfortable tapping into them. I can’t teach comfort. So no, I will not teach you how to teleport.” “Hmm. You know, as King, I could simply order you, right?” “Oho! But I have leadership in two cities that are neutral, and not a part of the Alliance!” Khadgar chuckled, pulling Anduin’s hood down over his face. Anduin chuckled, promising that negotiations would continue later. This is how it was until the Horde and Alliance became enemies once more. It was too dangerous to sneak out now, and Anduin this time, had to go to battle properly. “Khadgar, I promise I will not allow the Alliance to pull Shattrath or Dalaran into this fight for as long as possible. This war isn’t right.” He confided in the vision he had of his father, knowing that Khadgar would understand what it was like to experience such things. When he released Saurfang, he sent a letter to Khadgar, asking if it was the right thing to do.   He sighed in relief when Khadgar said yes. Greymane’s approval, if he ever found out, didn’t matter. Anduin didn’t want this war, the Horde and Alliance should be working together to save their world from the damage caused by Sargeras! At least Khadgar and Magni understood. At least he knew that Khadgar supported him in ways no others would. Many would lament that it was such a shame that he and Khadgar were not related by blood, that they were not family. But Anduin knew better than that. He knew that family was not determined by blood alone. He and Khadgar both knew they were family, even if no one else felt that way.